[Blue & Gold]

We haven't visited this topic in a while, but, to anyone in the marching band, and everyone part of the ZipsNation, what pregame plans is the university putting together? We'll be opening the Info before we know it, so I'm assuming our athletic department has spent countless hours, and many sleepless nights, researching, brainstorming and planning the entire game day experience, right?

Pregame band session in the JAR? Military-style, drum-cadence-driven parade from the JAR to the Info?

Anything?

Again, I haven't heard a peep on this subject in a very long time and the silence has me more than a bit concerned.

[Blue & Gold]

For football games fans love the military-style marching band. We should definitely change our style to be more military. Save the more artistic pieces for the band concerts. For football games, naturally, go military.

The kick-a$$ drum cadences are possibly the greatest thing that marching bands can pull off to get the crowd jacked. Check out Columbus State's drum cadence during the band entrance:

OSU skull session ramp entrance

I hope our administrators note how jacked the crowd is. It's due to the drum cadence (which is difficult to hear in this clip). It's because they are there to see a bone-crushing football game - they want to be jacked up. Military style. The crowd is absolutely NOT jacked up to hear OSU's band play Pachelbel's Canon in D Major. The skull session consists of the band entering to the drum cadence and then, following the band making their way to their seats, the playing of the OSU fight song. After that the band plays about 20 minutes of whatever. It should be duly noted that the drum-cadence-led entrance and the playing of the fight song is FAR AND AWAY the only exciting part of the show. After the playing of the fight song, many people start to file out of the skull session, or just kinda sit there and look at their watches. The rest of the show is BORING. Sorry, we're not there to hear a band concert, we're there to watch some smash-mouthed football!

I am assuming we are going to do a skull session in the JAR, or in Memorial Hall, before the games at the Info. I REALLY HOPE I'M NOT ASSUMING TOO MUCH. The skull session musical selections should be very adolescent-friendly (fight song, alma matter, popular movie scores?). In the clip above, check out all the blue-uniform-clad kids sitting in the front rows of the bleachers as OSU's band comes marching in. That's a visiting high school band. OSU brings in a few different high school bands each week to sit in on the skull session and to play with their band. WHAT A RECRUITING TOOL!!! Lord have mercy. I guarantee almost every pimply-faced high school band nerd that participates in an OSU skull session now dreams of being a part of that band over the next few years. We need to do the same.

[RootforRoo44]

For football games fans love the military-style marching band. We should definitely change our style to be more military. Save the more artistic pieces for the band concerts. For football games, naturally, go military.

The kick-a$ drum cadences are possibly the greatest thing that marching bands can pull off to get the crowd jacked. Check out Columbus State's drum cadence during the band entrance:

OSU skull session ramp entrance

I hope our administrators note how jacked the crowd is. It's due to the drum cadence (which is difficult to hear in this clip). It's because they are there to see a bone-crushing football game - they want to be jacked up. Military style. The crowd is absolutely NOT jacked up to hear OSU's band play Pachelbel's Canon in D Major. The skull session consists of the band entering to the drum cadence and then, following the band making their way to their seats, the playing of the OSU fight song. After that the band plays about 20 minutes of whatever. It should be duly noted that the drum-cadence-led entrance and the playing of the fight song is FAR AND AWAY the only exciting part of the show. After the playing of the fight song, many people start to file out of the skull session, or just kinda sit there and look at their watches. The rest of the show is BORING. Sorry, we're not there to hear a band concert, we're there to watch some smash-mouthed football!

I am assuming we are going to do a skull session in the JAR, or in Memorial Hall, before the games at the Info. I REALLY HOPE I'M NOT ASSUMING TOO MUCH. The skull session musical selections should be very adolescent-friendly (fight song, alma matter, popular movie scores?). In the clip above, check out all the blue-uniform-clad kids sitting in the front rows of the bleachers as OSU's band comes marching in. That's a visiting high school band. OSU brings in a few different high school bands each week to sit in on the skull session and to play with their band. WHAT A RECRUITING TOOL!!! Lord have mercy. I guarantee almost every pimply-faced high school band nerd that participates in an OSU skull session now dreams of being a part of that band over the next few years. We need to do the same.

Funny you mention that. I have been to several Ohio University football games over the past few years and they do a pregame thing by their union and then march to the stadium like Ohio State. And very similarly they bring in highschool bands as well but from what i have heard they dont invite them, they just show up. I actually went to their season ending "show/performance" and it was in a sold out theater with about 20 busloads worth of local high school bands all mimicking their every move dancing along. It was astounding. If a terrible football program like OU can build a following with their marching band, it's shocking that we cannot. It just takes the right direction and right approach to it all.

Basically, sorry to say but our band lacks the professionalism and the cohesiveness of the more popular bands like Columbus State, USC, Ohio University,...etc.
It's easy to see when you go to a game and they are not all uniform in every way. A good example was the last game at the Rubber Bowl when the band lined the sideline and half of them were joking around and fooling around on the sideline when such an important ceremony was occuring just 20-30 yards from them.