Played this song my freshman year of band at our spring concert and while we were playing this it actually started storming but no one realized until we were done because we all just thought it was one of the percussion effects

playing 8th notes on a vibraphone at 180 bpm is not something i wanted to do as a freshman

This piece is definitely a winner. Gives me chills every time. Those of you that are saying that you rehearsed this song with John Mackey, don’t know how lucky y’all are. Would give anything to get that opportunity.

This sounds really cool when I hear the whole band and not just the sax part.

2:48 I remember absolutely *blasting* this part of this song senior year of high school at All Region with the rest of the trombone section. Man, probably the most fun I've ever had playing a song.

last week John Mackey actually came to our school, and watched us perform this, He's like the funniest guy I've ever met, he was also wearing $700 shoes

I actual got to rehearse this with John Mackey.

This piece is constantly on my mind. My current middle school band director gave us the opportunity to sightread this just for fun thinking we would absolutely crash and burn yet we proved him completely wrong. He admitted this later saying he didnt think we would do as well as we did and his intention was not to keep the piece. We now play this everyday in band and soon will at our end of the year concert. I am so happy Ive been given the opportunity to even play this. Its one of my favorite pieces. THANK YOU JOHN MACKEY.

Mackey loves his bass trombones!

Love how in this recording, you can hear the different thunder tubes with headphones in. Makes me feel like I’m actually there.

1:25 sounds like when you are about the battle the Elite Four 😂

Played this while conducted by Mr. Mackey himself!! A huge honor, and a super nice guy!!

I play clarinet, but we were short on percussionists, so I got to play the thunder tube!

I got to rehearse this with John Mackey at honor band and it was AMAZING! He is such a nice and talented guy.

I played this a few months ago at my state festival. We were the Illinois premiere and our conductor was the man who asked Mr. Mackey to write the piece. We took a video and sent it to Mr. Mackey. It is the best piece that I have ever played...I'm a trombone :).

I just got this earlier today, and as a sophomore who sucks at his instrument, the 2nd trombone part makes me lightheaded

This song is so catchy I can't stop listening too it lol

I played this piece 4 years ago and it was one of my favorites. I was just reminded of it because my old high school is playing it again this year! The first flute part rocks!!

this is part of my marching band show love it

playing this for district honor band, one of the intense piece I've ever played. so much suspense! I love it!

When I was in middle-school, my symphonic got to work with one of John Mackey’s friends on this piece for a festival, and I really enjoyed that experience.

I'm lucky I'm playing the thundertube part for this piece its awesome as hell

just heard this last night live at my school. sounded just like this......amazing!

only if i could play this with an entire band. hearing it at a band concert played by another school was amazing

Loved playing the Euphonium part in band! Listening to this still gives me chills

I played this my first year in band ☺️ bass clarinet

Just played this song at my UIL All Region Concert LOVED THIS PIECE

I played bass drum for this for middle school state honors and it was my favorite bass drum part ever and I was so into it👍🏻

Even though it’s after football season and I’ve probably played this song thousands of times this year, it’s still a gem and I don’t get tired of it.

I recall being around 8-9 years old when I was introduced to this piece... as one our band was gonna perform in a competition. As a flute player, this DESTROYED my fingers.

I love this guys work. First heard Xerxes played by a community orchestra, now am hooked!

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Just got this song in band today, it’s a true masterpiece!

My daughter's a senior in high school and their marching band just won the State championship performing this selection. My daughter played the flute solo! So proud and what a beautiful piece music! #2023WhitesboroBandUILstatechampions

Super fun song to close my high school band career with! First flute for life!

Played this Saturday for a senior high honors band festival, sounded awesome

I love the way this song sounds. Also the trombone part is super fun!

Playing this peice in band right now. I play trombone, so this is naturally my favorite peice

This is my favorite song, I listen to it on repeat forever and ever. I want this to play at my funeral

this changed me back in middle school

Oh my god playing the trumpet to this song was so amazing- best year final concert ever 😭 this will always be my favorite song we played- its so fun

This song was one of the best songs I've ever played in an honor band

I love this song we played it last year and I can’t get it out of my head!!!!!

played this for All-District band a year or so ago, our director had us sightread and perform at 200 bpm jskfbe- worth it though, this is easily one of my favorite pieces

hardest song ive ever played

Cadets used this in their show. We played it this year too :)

feels like youre falling into another dimension and this is the fall to said dimension

I have to play this piece now please pray for me

Playing this piece in concert band (my Highschool split our ensemble into symphonic and concert bands, symphonic was better than concert) as a freshman gave my band director a huge new level of respect. Especially bc I was first chair trumpet, and dear god was first part fun

We played this at all-region this year and OMG I loved this piece. One of my favorites.

Playing the Alto Sax part was just absolutely amazing I love feeling the chart and the emotion behind it

this song is awesome but as a first trumpet it MURDERS your lips. played it at all-region freshman year, we got one day to prepare it! coolest experience ever

I did this in Treasure Valley Honor band, it was so awesome. I loved playing this song, it was Spectacular

As the concert toms player, this song was great and hard at 180bpm

honestly one of the loudest but most fun piece I got to play, in District band

I remember doing this in middle school

I’m listening to this again. I played this my freshman year. I am now already graduated. I played 3rd part trumpet

dudeeeee we just played this for a Belmont winds camp and holy crap it was so cool (I’m a trumpet) it low key was giving vibes from the bfg when he’s like catching dreams. Prob just me but it reminds me of it

Such a beautiful peace

Isnt this just a simplified version of Movement III of Wine-Dark Sea?

This is the 4th and final part in my Jurassic period show for marching band! And it’s very well written.

the vibraphone part literally killed me

My son played this with his middle school band earlier this year. He played tympani. It was very impressive.

Im playing this on bassoon and its a blast so far

Currently working on this at my school! I play trombone and I love this piece! I hope Mackey visits us!

As a beginning Trombone this was my favourite piece in middle school

I was able to play the alto, tenor, and bari sax parts. I love this piece

Played this my Freshman year and I still have the Trombone part.

We played this piece at Superstate! A super fun song to play, indeed.

Played the Tom part for this at an honor band concert last night, the funnest I’ve ever had in band so far

im possibly playing this for my spring concert. so excited

I played the timpani part at an honor band concert. The best thing I've played, it's so much fun.

I am playing this song next year.

I got to play piano and omg it got so intense with the chain rattling across it, the chain made more noise if you hit the keys harder.. but I loved the piece 😂

Playing xylophone on this and we have our concert and contest coming up soon with this piece included. Wish me luck fellow band mates.

The timpani part is so fun on this piece.

playing this song in 7th grade. It's amazing!

Probably the funnest song to play

I've never put a song I've played in band on my playlist before. This is a happy first

Played this in the first ever Highschool honor band

Im only listing to this because i have to play it for my schools band

Played this at our school speech day. Sounded amazing in person!

the bass drum part for this is really fun and i got to watch the marimbas play

my schools concert band played this last year and i was a freshman AND 1ST PART FRENCH HORN AND WHEN I TELL U IT WAS SO STRESSFUL

I was practicing my part and it sounded really lame because I have the French horn part, but when I listened to this recording I was blown away!

Were playing this song right now as seventh graders and not doing too bad

I played this last year and our band is playing Foundry this year

That sure is some lightning

im playing french horn for this, i love it!

AMAZING PIECE Playing it in my Band 9th grade

The feeling of playing this song during my concert was dreadful

ripping pedals on bass bone by request of the conductor, ALWAYS a blast. lungs were dead by the end of it, but man it was powerful.

This piece is honestly epic! I play clarinet and it’s pretty fun.

we are playing this for our next band concert

Vibraphone part was hard as hell but fun

Our middle school band is doing this and we sound FIRE. But no seriously the piece is amazing and I love it.

dang lost the staring contest

Playing this as a tuba player, and I think it’s AWESOME!

my band director, Ms. love, is great friends with mr. mackey

I played this my freshman year, I’m a junior now ! I love this piece I would do anything to play it again