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Also I think the 110 is the most entertaining band i've ever seen and i've seen many of the best (literally). Their "flush" is awesome, i like seeing a band in unison and energetic that's what they are supposed to be! BTW, I never was in marching band or anything so i'm just a plain old football fan, though i may be a little more studied on the subject than the average fan because i have some college marching band friends/girlfriend. Now about them playing trash, i dont see it or should i say hear it. As an "average fan" i see a band that is LOUD (WAYYYY louder than Akron) and one that plays very well while moving around and exciting the crowd more than our crowd gets excited by you guys. It's really uncomparable right now, maybe/hopefully things change. They need to.
I think a good illustration may be rock-n-roll. Any trained musician will tell you rock-n-roll is sophomoric, crap music. But when I'm going to a show at Blossom (or at the future Akron Arena), do I care that rock-n-roll is easy to play? No! I want to rock out.So it is with a marching band. We're at a friggin' football game. We want adrenaline. We don't want Schubert.
and like I've been saying all day they need to find a balance between the two. yes go ahead and play something to rock out to but don't dull it down to the point that the tubas are playing next to nothing. it would almost kill the band to do that because then you have a bunch of tuba/low brass people who basically stand around and do nothing then you have to try to recruit low brass people at which point in time it would be like recruiting wide receivers to a team that just runs. but popular music yes play away.as far as the director taking two years off I think you will actually like whats going on there root. he is earning his doctorate at Michigan State University and working with there marching band and pep bands there. so when he gets back next year he will have that experience and back ground to bring into this band.it is hard for me to put my pride to the side and realize that this band doesn't play gold and $hit rainbows but I will do it because I know you all want to see the band succeed but no matter what we do or how bad we get I can at least rely on the fact that we will never be as bad as Can't. :screwks:
I guess that isn't too bad of an excuse to be away for 2 years but if results dont show within the next year or so, there need to be personnel changes.The only tradition i would like to see is a band that carries itself professionally, stays in step, and is a HUGE band that is loud and intimidating when they march onto the field before a game. I'm going to be hammered at these games along with thousands of others and i know with a little encouragement and pumping up we could bring the place down. And that would be awesome.
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I would just like to point out this simple fact:At least our band at UA is good enough that they don't need microphones and amplifiers/speakers to be heard across the stadium (yeah, im talking to you, Can't).Good riddance to that band. Thats yet another thing we can say we're better at than they are.Can our band be better? Of course, but it takes a firm leader and the willingness and dedication of the band members themselves to make that happen. I have faith in the band

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Virginia Tech has a very cool intro of the football team to Enter Sandman by Metallica. The long intro in the song gets the fans hopping in unison and when the song opens up, the team takes the field. I'm not saying use Enter Sandman, but I like the idea of one particular song that introduces the team everytime.

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Virginia Tech has a very cool intro of the football team to Enter Sandman by Metallica. The long intro in the song gets the fans hopping in unison and when the song opens up, the team takes the field. I'm not saying use Enter Sandman, but I like the idea of one particular song that introduces the team everytime.
Wow. That is very intense! I don't know if I like the idea of coming out to a sound tract though. Not when you've got a marching band on the field already.
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What I want to see with the opening of Info and the new phase we are entering is better management of the gameday experience. I want to see great tailgating. I want to see a band skull session. I want to see the band parade to the stadium. I want to see the band and team take the field in a way that is distinctly Akron's. I want to see post game traditions like a band concert or the ringing of a victory bell or a party alley. Most of all, I expect the athletic administration to coordinate everything and present a total package for the day. Copy all the great traditions of other programs and be open to ones that we would start ourselves. I think the ideas are out there. But is anyone charged with creating a gameday experience that makes you want to come back for more?These experiences can be so awesome that they take over a city. I live in Columbus. Three seasons ago Texas came to the horseshoe for a day game. While the game drew over 100,000 an additional 30,000 came down to OSU's campus just to tailgate and take in the parties. We can do the same on a smaller scale if we plan properly. If successful, the effect Akron football would have on the campus and community would be unbelievable. B)

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I would like to see a little skull session in the new grass area behind the softball field.Pitt always does a little battle of the bands drumline thing after their games in an open field, albeit smaller than the area I'm talking about. It would be really cool to see a drumline performance or even a smaller scale band show right there, outside of the stadium. Better atmosphere than being inside of Memorial, thats for sure.

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Virginia Tech has a very cool intro of the football team to Enter Sandman by Metallica. The long intro in the song gets the fans hopping in unison and when the song opens up, the team takes the field. I'm not saying use Enter Sandman, but I like the idea of one particular song that introduces the team everytime.
Wow. That is very intense! I don't know if I like the idea of coming out to a sound tract though. Not when you've got a marching band on the field already.
The Zips have to come out to a sound track. sorry to say but the crowd/team will not get too pumped just hearing the band. VT is a good example, but South Carolina has by far the best entrance in college football.
you have to go about halfway through the video...
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Virginia Tech has a very cool intro of the football team to Enter Sandman by Metallica. The long intro in the song gets the fans hopping in unison and when the song opens up, the team takes the field. I'm not saying use Enter Sandman, but I like the idea of one particular song that introduces the team everytime.
Wow. That is very intense! I don't know if I like the idea of coming out to a sound tract though. Not when you've got a marching band on the field already.
The Zips have to come out to a sound track. sorry to say but the crowd/team will not get too pumped just hearing the band. VT is a good example, but South Carolina has by far the best entrance in college football.
you have to go about halfway through the video...
We're supposedly fitting the Info with a great sound system, so an entrance like that could most definitely rock.
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There is no point in attacking them because they are 5 times more respected than the "Pride of Ohio". Now i'm a life long Zips fan, both parents are alumni, i haven't missed a home football/basketball game in 6 years and have been to almost every home game since 1990 or so, so trust me i LOVE the Zips. But the truth is i've always been somewhat embarassed of our marching band, no offense to you individual members but the University just doesn't care about the band it seems. I think you guys should be on my side and see that being like the Marching 110 or Columbus State's band or the spirit of Troy would be a GREAT thing.
first of all I am very much on your side in thinking the band needs more support and also think that they need more time to practice. as far as "the rookie band being soft" give them a break they've had an intern director for the past 2 years now and both years they were different people. I agree that the marching band should stray away from classical music seeing as we have three different concert bands for that but like I said before I don't wany them to turn into a group that just plays simply cheesy music all the time (like the band out east) they should be more profesional and again having a place to duck out of sight will help with that so there not just standing around for hours on end. it did upset me that they were goofing off during the rubber bowl closing ceremoney and I don't like how they file (mill) back into the stands. I too have a lot of problems with the way the band is run but I like the drill style they just need to find a way to bring more energey into it (sorry but swinging the horns is a terrible idea that sends the music to hell) again this style of marching is all about finding that fine line between musicality and entertainment.and please point out how I'm wrong about OU being flush and trash. they dance around (flush) but in doing so play jr high music (trash)
haha so i guess we are basically on the same page. The only things i have to add is: Why the heck did they let some director skip town for 2 years? What does that say about the band that they just let someone else run this thing for the last 2 years when we have a guy that obviously does not have the time to put into the band?Also I think the 110 is the most entertaining band i've ever seen and i've seen many of the best (literally). Their "flush" is awesome, i like seeing a band in unison and energetic that's what they are supposed to be! BTW, I never was in marching band or anything so i'm just a plain old football fan, though i may be a little more studied on the subject than the average fan because i have some college marching band friends/girlfriend. Now about them playing trash, i dont see it or should i say hear it. As an "average fan" i see a band that is LOUD (WAYYYY louder than Akron) and one that plays very well while moving around and exciting the crowd more than our crowd gets excited by you guys. It's really uncomparable right now, maybe/hopefully things change. They need to.
Our director is at Michigan State University finishing up his doctorate in conducting, probably so he can take over when the current head director retires. He'll be back this fall. The 110 is entertaining, but Akron's school of music focuses much more on the academic bands. The classical show last year was a final project for one of the grad students. Last I heard OU's trumpet teacher doesn't even let his performance majors join the marching band because all of the horn swinging and jumping around while playing destroys your chops and ruins your ability to play well.
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Our director is at Michigan State University finishing up his doctorate in conducting, probably so he can take over when the current head director retires. He'll be back this fall. The 110 is entertaining, but Akron's school of music focuses much more on the academic bands. The classical show last year was a final project for one of the grad students. Last I heard OU's trumpet teacher doesn't even let his performance majors join the marching band because all of the horn swinging and jumping around while playing destroys your chops and ruins your ability to play well.
I'm sorry I was under the impression that people didn't give a rats ass about "classical shows" when it came to THE MARCHING BAND. Let's play some good music, who cares if it's easy, and let's put a show on. Standing around not moving and playing some 200+ year old garbage is not what marching bands are for. Do that in concert band.
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Since this thread is about to be changed to "Criticism of our Band" I'll add my 2 cents worth.I'm a complete traditionalist when it comes to the role of a band. There is no way in hell I want to hear Aerosmith or Foreigner or Neil Diamond. Rock music just simply cannot be done justice by a marching band. So that leads me to....Rule no. 1: Do NOT play any hit song unless it charted prior to 1950.Rule no. 2: Showtunes or worse, sappy mood music MUST be avoided at all costs.Rule no. 3: A marching band MUST be rythmic and energetic. My high school band used to be so good, then an effeminate new director came in and had them neutered. Now they march to the sound of triangles and xylphones- no drums. Now our h.s. football team sucks too. Coincidence? Hardly. Rule no. 4: A band NEEDS to have an identity. For example, Shaw H.S. in Cleveland is high energy, very loose, a little sloppy at times but amazingly fun to watch. They were invited to Bejing for crying out loud. Now at the opposite end, Ohio State sounds formidable, is ultra disciplined but also manages to carry on their tradition in an exciting way. Like their polar opposite Shaw, they have an identity and are beloved.Our Band plays pop/rock music....badly. For whatever reason, we are seldom energetic. We have no identity. We can play "Hey Baby" in the stands during the game and carry on a great, loose fun sound. But then at halftime the kids are forced to stand like statues and play slow mood killing music far too often. My plea is for our band to choose an identity. Be badasses at whatever you want to do. Get an attitude. Be exciting. Be nostalgic. Get some adrenaline going.I'm closer to the program than the freaking Director is so just listen to me....the true, transformation in Akron spirit cannot occur without the inspiration of our Zips Marching Band!!!!!

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I'll digress from the band...But you gotta have the band!My new and very old tradition will be to tailgate early and often.......No time limits on when to show up, no rules on where to toss a football. Anything that is allowed at Penn State should be allowed an encouraged at UA. Gameday on Saturday should be the event to be at. The place that anyone driving by on route 8 or I-77 will want to stop by and be a part of. This cannot be accomplished in a few hours before kickoff... I better be able to show up whenever I want and be able to park in my assigned lot...Have the time to set-up shop, vist the bookstore, walk the stadiuma area, tour the student union, walk the campus, stop by and visit the hundreds of Zips fans hanging out discussing the upcoming game. Anything less and I will be a one-year season ticket holder while joining the ranks of those looking for a free ticket...

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I'll digress from the band...But you gotta have the band!My new and very old tradition will be to tailgate early and often.......No time limits on when to show up, no rules on where to toss a football. Anything that is allowed at Penn State should be allowed an encouraged at UA. Gameday on Saturday should be the event to be at. The place that anyone driving by on route 8 or I-77 will want to stop by and be a part of. This cannot be accomplished in a few hours before kickoff... I better be able to show up whenever I want and be able to park in my assigned lot...Have the time to set-up shop, vist the bookstore, walk the stadiuma area, tour the student union, walk the campus, stop by and visit the hundreds of Zips fans hanging out discussing the upcoming game. Anything less and I will be a one-year season ticket holder while joining the ranks of those looking for a free ticket...
If thats what you want, it will have to take place at Buchtel Field.
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Some videos to ponder:1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD2pDkPqQcU"%5d%20http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD2pDkPqQcU%5b/url%5d2%20%20%20%20%5burl="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RMqRwjiT" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RMqRwjiTUw3

We're trying people.... but if you want a 200 person band, we cant kick peoples' asses too much, and if you want a good band we'll have 50 people..... so which is it?
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Some videos to ponder:1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD2pDkPqQcU"%5d%20http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD2pDkPqQcU%5b/url%5d2%20%20%20%20%5burl="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RMqRwjiT" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RMqRwjiTUw3
We're trying people.... but if you want a 200 person band, we cant kick peoples' asses too much, and if you want a good band we'll have 50 people..... so which is it?
If OU can do it with 110, I say we shoot for 110. We don't need a big, sloppy band just to cover the whole field. We need a more elite group of precision marchers, who take the band seriously, and who play loud. Likewise, OSU's band isn't a huge band, is it? However, they may get away with having fewer members because, if I'm not mistaken, they only allow brass and percussion in the marching band, am I correct? Thus the high volume they produce with a smaller number of precision marchers.If we would actually DECREASE the size of our present band, it may have the effect of making a position on the marching band a prestigious position? Something that must be earned? thus, decreasing the number of openings in the marching band may produce the effect we're desiring?
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Some videos to ponder:1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD2pDkPqQcU"%5d%20http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD2pDkPqQcU%5b/url%5d2%20%20%20%20%5burl="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RMqRwjiT" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RMqRwjiTUw3
We're trying people.... but if you want a 200 person band, we cant kick peoples' asses too much, and if you want a good band we'll have 50 people..... so which is it?
If OU can do it with 110, I say we shoot for 110. We don't need a big, sloppy band just to cover the whole field. We need a more elite group of precision marchers, who take the band seriously, and who play loud. Likewise, OSU's band isn't a huge band, is it? However, they may get away with having fewer members because, if I'm not mistaken, they only allow brass and percussion in the marching band, am I correct? Thus the high volume they produce with a smaller number of precision marchers.If we would actually DECREASE the size of our present band, it may have the effect of making a position on the marching band a prestigious position? Something that must be earned? thus, decreasing the number of openings in the marching band may produce the effect we're desiring?
OU has around 200 now. They say the 110 stands for giving 110%. OSU has a WAY bigger school population than us. They have tryouts and cut people from the marching band. They march exactly 225 or something like that, all brass and percussion. We take everyone because to put it simply our school isnt' big enough yet. You can cut people but we only have about 180 now. Give the kids a reason to want to come here. The university needs to show they care about the band program. We need instruments that work without duct tape holding them together and a place where we can all fit to have music rehearsal and meetings. When highschool students come and see instruments and uniforms that are falling apart and the fact that we take yellow school buses to the Rubber Bowl it gives them a bad impression. If the band gets any bigger we aren't going to have an indoor area where we can practice at all. Blame it on the students or the directors all you want but it all comes back to getting better funding.
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More cowbell!OK, now seriously, everything around a football game should complement football and put fans in the mood for supporting their team. There's nothing like traditional, upbeat marching music with flair -- gut-wrenching drumming with lots of syncopation and a wall of brass that brings fans screaming to their feet with tears in their eyes.The purpose of football is not to bring out crowds to appreciate fine music. The band is there to fire up the fans to fire up the football team. Period. Save the concert music for the concert hall, where people politely applaud after each number.On the football field, the band should make the fans explode with passion that carries over into a guttural roar for the offense and defense every time the ball is snapped.

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Some videos to ponder:1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD2pDkPqQcU"%5d%20http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD2pDkPqQcU%5b/url%5d2%20%20%20%20%5burl="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RMqRwjiT" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RMqRwjiTUw3
We're trying people.... but if you want a 200 person band, we cant kick peoples' asses too much, and if you want a good band we'll have 50 people..... so which is it?
If OU can do it with 110, I say we shoot for 110. We don't need a big, sloppy band just to cover the whole field. We need a more elite group of precision marchers, who take the band seriously, and who play loud. Likewise, OSU's band isn't a huge band, is it? However, they may get away with having fewer members because, if I'm not mistaken, they only allow brass and percussion in the marching band, am I correct? Thus the high volume they produce with a smaller number of precision marchers.If we would actually DECREASE the size of our present band, it may have the effect of making a position on the marching band a prestigious position? Something that must be earned? thus, decreasing the number of openings in the marching band may produce the effect we're desiring?
OU has far more than 110...that's just a name nowadays. They are around 200 people if im not mistaken. How about our band stops making excuses and puts some effort into it. This attitude problem they have won't cut it.
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More cowbell!OK, now seriously, everything around a football game should complement football and put fans in the mood for supporting their team. There's nothing like traditional, upbeat marching music with flair -- gut-wrenching drumming with lots of syncopation and a wall of brass that brings fans screaming to their feet with tears in their eyes.The purpose of football is not to bring out crowds to appreciate fine music. The band is there to fire up the fans to fire up the football team. Period. Save the concert music for the concert hall, where people politely applaud after each number.On the football field, the band should make the fans explode with passion that carries over into a guttural roar for the offense and defense every time the ball is snapped.
Wow, well said!Btw, did anyone else notice the distinct aroma of charcoal outside the Stile Field House today? It was great! I remember going to Camden Yards in Baltimore and before the game there were all sorts of street-side food vendors set up between the baseball stadium and the right field warehouse. It smelled great. I've been told that Fenway Park in Boston is the same way. Maybe we can get a handful of food vendors to set up shop around the Info - make it almost like a mini-county fair food scene? Ribs, sausage sandwiches, elephant ears, lemonade, gyros, etc. The entire stadium area should smell of a boutique of mouth-watering aromas. When the aroma of polish sausage & charcoal drifts into & fills the Info, all the better! That couldn't help but drive concession sales inside the Info as well. Mmm. People will know that they are at an event!Also, a few guys in my tour group were wondering about alcohol sales. (It was the first question that was asked. Lol.) The answer was that that the board of trustees haven't made up their minds yet.I don't drink. But I think that they should sell beer @ the games. That's just seems to be a big part of the American sports scene experience. And why not? They always make a killing on those $6 beers.
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I think it's time to get a petition going that could sway the Board of Trustees. B)

More cowbell!OK, now seriously, everything around a football game should complement football and put fans in the mood for supporting their team. There's nothing like traditional, upbeat marching music with flair -- gut-wrenching drumming with lots of syncopation and a wall of brass that brings fans screaming to their feet with tears in their eyes.The purpose of football is not to bring out crowds to appreciate fine music. The band is there to fire up the fans to fire up the football team. Period. Save the concert music for the concert hall, where people politely applaud after each number.On the football field, the band should make the fans explode with passion that carries over into a guttural roar for the offense and defense every time the ball is snapped.
Wow, well said!Btw, did anyone else notice the distinct aroma of charcoal outside the Stile Field House today? It was great! I remember going to Camden Yards in Baltimore and before the game there were all sorts of street-side food vendors set up between the baseball stadium and the right field warehouse. It smelled great. I've been told that Fenway Park in Boston is the same way. Maybe we can get a handful of food vendors to set up shop around the Info - make it almost like a mini-county fair food scene? Ribs, sausage sandwiches, elephant ears, lemonade, gyros, etc. The entire stadium area should smell of a boutique of mouth-watering aromas. When the aroma of polish sausage & charcoal drifts into & fills the Info, all the better! That couldn't help but drive concession sales inside the Info as well. Mmm. People will know that they are at an event!Also, a few guys in my tour group were wondering about alcohol sales. (It was the first question that was asked. Lol.) The answer was that that the board of trustees haven't made up their minds yet.I don't drink. But I think that they should sell beer @ the games. That's just seems to be a big part of the American sports scene experience. And why not? They always make a killing on those $6 beers.
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1) EVERY major college marching band has to show up early for games. Heck i know personally that OSU, OU, FSU, FU all are out and ready hours before kickoff for every home game. They play a pregame show somewhere on campus and march to the stadium and are in there pretty early. For homecoming, the band at Ohio U has a morning parade downtown through the streets at 9am (for a 12 or 2pm) start. They march all the way past all the bars and hundreds if not thousands of people are already out at the bars drinking and starting that gameday party. (BTW, that's what we need to do, at least down the ZipStrip, or what's left it.)2)The music issue is not as important as i said before, but come on it's not that hard. I play/played multiple instruments and if you practice enough you can get most of the notes down. The drills, that's a different story but still you have most major marching bands doing it fine. Not to mention the ones (OU again for example) that do a different show EVERY WEEK and do it without music/personal notes on their instruments AND do very complicated marching drills. Now you are going to tell me that we cannot have band members that can dedicate their time to practicing and preparing for gamedays enough so that they can march 1/5th of what OU does and do it without music? That's just ridiculous.
1) not every major college band has nothing to do for practicly the entire time they're there and with the down time they do have they have a place to duck out of sight2)what OU does is flush and trash so for them to remember the notes is like asking a 5th grader to remember what the color blue is first of all second the UA band only has three days a week for class. now if the U bumped up the credits and added a few days things would probably be different but to learn one show perfome it then learn another show in another week and keep the old show fresh from last week in order to perform it at some high school band concert thing and then go back to the new show again your gonna need a little help with only three days a week. as far as pregame goes they should have that down.I think a lot of the standing around issue will be solved once we are on campus and have some places to duck out of sight insted of just standing at attention for hours on end.
First off, I would like to say that while OU does "flush" as you put it, it's done well. Trash as you say for easy music, i would like to point out that Akron band does "the hey song" which I learned in 5th grade band. OU does very difficult music but they must make it sound easy. I've heard many negative comments about other college bands come from Akron band members and it's ridiculous for them to say that. Take a look at yourselves. If the effort was put in, there's no doubt that you guys could be great. It seems that Akron band is just a continuation of bad high school bands which lack the discipline and the effort. Also, please correct me if I'm wrong, but I could not find any information about other things that Akron band has done. OU, which if they were so "flush and trash" as you say, would not have been asked to perform at anything just like Akron. They have in fact performed at a number of things including * 1968 Tangerine Bowl, Orlando, FL * 1976 1st Collegiate Marching Band to perform in New York's famed Carnegie Hall * 1987 Marched in the US Constitution Bicentennial Parade - Philadelphia, PA * 1993 Performed in Bill Clinton's Inauguration Parade and ball, Washington D.C. * 1998 Opening gala of the restored Allen Theater in Cleveland, Ohio * 2000 Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade, NYC * 2005 Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade, NYC * 2006 MAC Championship Game in Detroit, MI vs. Central Michigan * 2006 15 Members of the Marching 110 appeared as surprise guests on NBC's hit game-show Deal or No Deal. * 2007 GMAC Bowl in Mobile, AL vs. Southern Mississippi * 2010 Will perform in the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Years Day * Has Performed for the following Professional Football teams: o Cincinnati Bengals o Pittsburgh Steelers o Washington Redskins o Cleveland Browns o Buffalo Bills o New York Giants o Jacksonville Jaguars o Detroit Lions o Toronto Argonauts of the CFLObviously they are doing something right to be invited to play at all of these places. They are going to the Rose Bowl next year for crying out loud. That is one thing to show great bands. Any thing i've heard recently about the Akron band has been negative. Everything i've heard about OU marching 110 has been positive. See the difference? I've been in band, and know that it's not that difficult to perform when the time comes. If you want to goof off, do it on your own time. I know it sucks to stand around for hours before a performance, but when the time comes to perform, you must perform. OU has auditions and actually cuts people as well. They strive for excellence and are a great recruiting tool for the school.I'm not trying to knock Akron, but before you start knocking on someone else, first look at yourself. If you are actually good enough to say something about someone else, then that's okay. Even then, though, you should at least have your facts straight. Akron does need to start caring more about their music/band program. I think things could change if the attitude of the members of band changes. If they want to be good, they need to learn discipline at least. If things start changing with them, then maybe the school will notice that they are an important part of the football experience and they might start to open their eyes to more funding. Go Zips!
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Some videos to ponder:1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD2pDkPqQcU"%5d%20http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD2pDkPqQcU%5b/url%5d2%20%20%20%20%5burl="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RMqRwjiT" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RMqRwjiTUw3
We're trying people.... but if you want a 200 person band, we cant kick peoples' asses too much, and if you want a good band we'll have 50 people..... so which is it?
If OU can do it with 110, I say we shoot for 110. We don't need a big, sloppy band just to cover the whole field. We need a more elite group of precision marchers, who take the band seriously, and who play loud. Likewise, OSU's band isn't a huge band, is it? However, they may get away with having fewer members because, if I'm not mistaken, they only allow brass and percussion in the marching band, am I correct? Thus the high volume they produce with a smaller number of precision marchers.If we would actually DECREASE the size of our present band, it may have the effect of making a position on the marching band a prestigious position? Something that must be earned? thus, decreasing the number of openings in the marching band may produce the effect we're desiring?
OU has around 200 now. They say the 110 stands for giving 110%. OSU has a WAY bigger school population than us. They have tryouts and cut people from the marching band. They march exactly 225 or something like that, all brass and percussion. We take everyone because to put it simply our school isnt' big enough yet. You can cut people but we only have about 180 now. Give the kids a reason to want to come here. The university needs to show they care about the band program. We need instruments that work without duct tape holding them together and a place where we can all fit to have music rehearsal and meetings. When highschool students come and see instruments and uniforms that are falling apart and the fact that we take yellow school buses to the Rubber Bowl it gives them a bad impression. If the band gets any bigger we aren't going to have an indoor area where we can practice at all. Blame it on the students or the directors all you want but it all comes back to getting better funding.
First of all, I didn't mean to start a "Bash the Band" session, it was just an observation....sorry.I totally agree with the funding thing, the instruments are in bad shape! Like someone pointed out earlier, it starts with a good plan. Then, lets do the best we can with what we have and work from there. Personally, I really don't need a great halftime show. What I like is how the band gets people pumped BEFORE the game. I've got two of the band CD's (one for each car) and my favorite track is the drum cadence...that is AWESOME! For me, put together a good march to the stadium and a good pregame, and I'm done. Back to the topic of the thread, I really think the Tire Drum would be a great tradition to bring back! Make it one of those HUGE tires and maybe we can beat out Purdue for the biggest drum. Of course, if the tire fell over, it would kill a few band members.......OK maybe we don't go with such a HUGE tire! Oh, and this one sounds cheezy, but we should get one of those mini blimps to fly around the stadium. Have Goodyear sponsor it!
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