MONMOUTH, ILLINOIS (September 1, 2022) — Good musicians will be playing songs about bad men when the Monmouth College Fighting Scots Marching Band makes its football game début under new director John Eckstine this Saturday night at April Zorn Memorial Stadium.
The band, which has nearly doubled in size since Eckstine took over late in 2021, will perform a halftime show at the Fighting Scots' season opener against Wartburg, which will kick off at 7PM. The group will also play in the stands throughout the contest, which is the first night football game the Fighting Scots have hosted.
Among the selections to be performed by the 45-member group are the Michael Jackson hit "Smooth Criminal," Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy," and the Brittney Spears hit "Toxic."
The band will also play at Monmouth's home football games on September 17, October 1, October 15, and November 5.
Additionally, the band will play "Road to the Isles" when it marches in the Warren County Prime Beef Festival parade on September 7 and the Monmouth College Homecoming parade on October 1.
"The band is sounding very full and mature this year and is constantly improving," said Eckstine. "These are perhaps the most dedicated and mature musicians that the Monmouth College Fighting Scots Marching Band has seen in the past several years."
The drum major this year is Anatasia Suman ('23) of Milan, Illinois.
