In the debut episode of In the Lot, Mark Hodge takes the Copper State Marching Podcast on the road to the Eval show at Perry High School. This on-site episode captures the energy, humor, and community spirit of Arizona marching band culture with spontaneous interviews from directors, judges, and staff members across AZMBA.

Mark first chats with Joshua Simmons, band director from Cactus High School, who shares excitement about their 2024 production Spy School Musical and why Cactus returns to AzMBA every year. Then, listeners meet the dedicated and entertaining Perry High School band staff, who introduce themselves and even join in some fun impressions of their band director’s famous sayings.

The conversation continues with heartfelt discussions about:

• What people love most about AzMBA competitions
• The support for small and rural bands in the circuit
• Why the on-field judge experience makes AzMBA unique
• Favorite marching band memories
• The worst (and funniest) mishaps on the field—sax bells crushed, tuning slides launched, and even a tuba bell disaster turned choir solo!

Later, Mark talks with Jeff Quamo, AZMBA field judge and Chandler High School director, who explains the educational benefits of on-field judging and reflects on his philosophy, humorously known among students as “The Book of Quams.”

Mark wraps up with a preview of upcoming content, including interviews with visual designers Sierra Rogers and Dan Hoffman, along with calendar updates and season coverage.