For the most spirited show in town, Killeen area residents can do no better than the annual Spirit Spectacular showcase at Leo Buckley Stadium.
This year’s 47th annual Killeen ISD band showoff is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and shoutouts are $5. Both are available at the following: https://spiritspectacular47.simpletix.com/
Proceeds benefit the band boosters.
Like the shows of the past two years, the 2025 edition will include the five high school bands, the 12 middle school bands and accompanying color guards, dance teams and cheerleaders.
The spectacle will end with all band members on the field for a final celebratory spectacle of KISD bands and other spirit groups.
Last year’s Spirit Spectacular was the largest ever with about 1,400 students performing to a sell-out stadium crowd of more than 4,000 and this year is expected to be the same.
For the high school bands, Spirit Spectacular is a chance to perform their shows in exhibition before the start of competition season leading to the UIL Region 8 marching contest October 18 at Midway ISD.
This year’s Spirit Spectacular will again include student profiles featuring a chosen student from each high school band who excels in arenas beyond band.
The theme of the show “Better Together,” has multiple meanings, said Ellison Band Director Erik Reynolds. Music, like all of life, is meant to be experienced in community.
“Making music is better with someone else, and when we do it together as a district with all the other campuses, that makes it special.”
Spirit Spectacular is also a chance for KISD’s fine arts department to show off its considerable achievements and the proven academic and social benefits of music, theater and visual arts in life. For the fourth year, KISD is a Best Community for Music Education.
Students who rise to leadership in high school band tend to take ownership of their band and express their desire to see the programs flourish even after they graduate.
“Spirit Spectacular is a showcase for an entire school district to show everything we’ve learned so far in the season and really to show our community what is happening,” said Benjamin Saban Contreras, a drum major for the Harker Heights High School Red Brigade Band.
Ellison drum major junior Jewel Reese said “It’s super exciting to get to show off everything we’ve been working on and to get that recognition for all the hard work we put in.”
Shoemaker drum major Flavio Gabriel, a senior said Spirit Spectacular is a special opportunity to see all the bands perform. “It’s a rush. It’s great to see the district, all the shows coming together.”
“Spirit spectacular is the one time we’re not in a contest,” said Reynolds. “There is no game, no scores, no ratings. We just get to enjoy being together.”
“At the high school level, they remember doing it as middle school kids. They like to see their middle school directors and peers from other schools. It’s like a reunion.”
Photos from Spirit Spectacular 2024: https://www.flickr.com/photos/killeenisd/albums/72177720320530213/
Photos from KISD marching band summer camps 2025:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/killeenisd/albums/72177720327709124/