Band members feel heat at State Fair's Band Day

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - A lot of the bands put on their full uniforms for Band Day at the Indiana State Fair. But some schools decided to alter their look from the wool jackets to T-shirts on Friday.

There were 46 bands from across the state competing for the top prize with temperatures near 100 degrees.

“I try to focus more on playing the show and watching the drum majors so I can actually do my best,” says Noblesville High School band member Tony Echarry.

Noblesville Marching Band wore their black wool jackets, black wool pants and helmets. The Noblesville band director points out the students were dressed in hot clothing on a hot day and using all the energy they have to perform their best.

“They're like athletes with instruments,” explains Eric Thornbury, band director for Noblesville Schools.

A previous study by an Indiana State University professor, Dr. Jeff Edwards, took a look at the effect of the heat on marching band members.

In the study, a tenor drummer was hooked up to monitor his heart rate and breathing.

“About half through their performance — now their performance with drum core is a little longer than ours — but halfway through his heart rate and his breathing was that of a marathon runner halfway through a marathon race,” says Thornbury.

The study showed the drummer’s heart rate was more than 200 beats per minute. Add the heat and humidity, and it could be disastrous.

“You have to imagine running and control your breathing and that's really hard to do. You don't get to breathe whenever you want,” explains Thornbury.

The Indiana State Fair set up cooling stations for the marching bands. The stations had water and misting areas to make sure their bodies cooled down safely and quickly.