When I first saw the posters for “The Gabe Gallegos Experiment,” I was intrigued. It’s certainly not common for a senior recital to market itself using the word “experiment” and for the poster to stick out from the rest of the bulletin board with wild orange colors. The Facebook event showcased short videos to advertise the performance as it drew closer.

Having marched two seasons with Gabe in the Maverick Stampede, I knew this concert would be different than anything I’d ever seen. Even with my expectation of weirdness, however, I still found myself surprised by something new at every turn.

The show opened with a humorous video projected onto a screen on the stage — something I greatly appreciated as a Mass Communication major. Opening the concert this way showed that the performance was going to involve a lot more than live music.

The “Pure Imagination” dance scene was gorgeous, and not just because of the lights and fog on the stage that created a mysterious effect. The performers were extremely talented, and the choreography was perfect for portraying the story and emotions.

I was over the moon with “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” — I can’t imagine a millennial out there who wouldn’t be. “Mystic with a Credit Card” was innovative by combining a short film with a trombone solo. I didn’t expect them to go together nearly as well as they did. “Hide and Seek” gave me goosebumps; that piece performed in a low register was beautiful.

But when I saw “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” on the program, I had a feeling I was going to cry. The piece is the corps song for the Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps, the ensemble in which Gallegos marched for eight years, four of which as drum major. His dedication to the corps has been enormously inspiring to me.

The piece didn’t make me cry; it made me dance. The arrangement had multiple people up on stage in a high-energy performance of the piece. Instead of being sad or sentimental, it paid tribute to Gabe’s years with the Troopers with joy and excitement. To me, it seemed very fitting.

The final piece of the night was “Binky” by Michael League. There was a lot going on during the piece, and it featured multiple solos by other members of the band. It showcased the group effort and collaboration of the entire project, and the stage’s lights and sound were fantastic. For lack of a better term, it was an absolute banger.

I felt like a part of the experience, and that’s what made it incredible for me. The concert was performed and arranged in a way that interacted closely with the audience and allowed them to feel closer to the music.

[media-credit name=”Dakota Schlager for The Criterion” align=”alignleft” width=”300″][/media-credit]Was it weird? Absolutely. That’s what made it fascinating and important. The purpose of the arts is to push the envelope, to find new and creative ways to communicate emotion through images and sound. “The Gabe Gallegos Experiment” was unique in every way.

Besides, any performance that involves a key-tar is one for the books.