St. Louis High School’s steel and jazz bands performed again at the Thornapple Arts Council Jazz Festival in Hastings, Michigan, April 24, 2025.
The jazz band performed at 9:45 a.m. at Green Street United Methodist Church, and the steel band performed just a couple of hours later at noon in Thornapple Plaza. The Jazz band played three songs: “Fat Cat,” “Round Midnight,” and “Evil Ways.” The steel band performed 11 famous hits, some of which include “Monkey Wrench,” “Jump,” and many more.
While the festival is a long-standing tradition, this is the first time for a few of the SLHS band members. Freshman Victoria Trevino stated, “I truly appreciated the entire experience. It was incredibly enjoyable, allowing me to engage in one of my favorite activities alongside my friends. I believe both the jazz and steel bands performed rather well. I enjoyed listening to our outstanding steel band and had a fantastic time playing in the jazz band for the audience. One of my favorite moments was during lunch when we all gathered on the grass, relaxed, and had fun while preparing for the steel band performance.”
Even though the Hastings Festival is a first for some, others are aware that it is their last. Senior Elly Starry stated, “I feel pretty neutral about this being my last Hastings festival. Although some of my best memories come from the bus rides and hanging out outside while listening to different bands. The jazz band gave it their all. We had quite a few absences the week before, which might have impacted our performance. On the other hand, the steel band did an amazing job. The audience loved it, and we received lots of compliments from other schools.”
The next event the band is holding will be the POPS concert at SLHS May 13.
