O’Fallon High School Band Joins AJR on Stage at Concert

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. — A marching band from O’Fallon Township High School shared the stage with popular pop band AJR during a concert on Saturday night.

The band performed at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheater as part of AJR’s encore, joining them for the final song, “Weak.” Director of Bands Melissa Gustafson-Hinds explained that one of AJR’s managers contacted them about including local schools in their performance.

“When I saw that come through, I talked to some of my student leaders about the opportunity and they were super excited about it. So, I went back to email their manager, producer and said, ‘Please choose us,'” Gustafson-Hinds said.

Once selected, the marching band received the full music score and dance moves to practice beforehand. On the day of the event, they met AJR’s trumpet player, Arnetta Johnson, and were able to rehearse prior to the concert.

As the band finished “Weak,” the O’Fallon students joined them on stage, dancing and celebrating the moment with the musicians.

Gustafson-Hinds expressed gratitude for the opportunity, stating, “That was a cool thing that we were able to do a real-life event with a band that is giving back to students. I think it is so great that that band is thinking about involving local community high school students and their parents in such a memorable event. It’s hard to put into words.”

This performance was not the OTHS band’s first time in the spotlight. They were also featured in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and have performed at other notable events, including the Rose Parade and Carnegie Hall. Gustafson-Hinds thanked AJR, their band, and everyone involved in organizing the concert.

AJR, composed of brothers Adam, Jack, and Ryan Met, has been performing since 2005 and is known for hits like “Bang!” which charted at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won the “Top Rock Song” at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards.