Best dang halftime show by a band, EVER!!!

[CajunRage]

Like Sloth said, send an email, tell Brian Taylor what you want, because for as many people that don't like the band on this forum, there's that many people emailing him telling him that we did well. So, since he never gets any dissenting opinions, we're going to keep doing the same thing. _

If 40,000 sticking around to see SU's performance, the standing ovation, and the mad rush to the bathrooms and concession stands didn't convey the message, I highly doubt any email or phone call will do any good. You don't need people on this board to state the obvious. 40,000 people were entertained by SU's style and energy while they could care less about the "technically sound" POA. Entertain and Energize and people will embrace you like they did SU's band.

[Cajunbander]

_ If 40,000 sticking around to see SU's performance, the standing ovation, and the mad rush to the bathrooms and concession stands didn't convey the message, I highly doubt any email or phone call will do any good. You don't need people on this board to state the obvious. 40,000 people were entertained by SU's style and energy while they could care less about the "technically sound" POA. Entertain and Energize and people will embrace you like they did SU's band. _

If you don't like it so much, why wait? He gets emails from people who congratulate him/the band, why would he change anything? The way a few people act at the game and posting your dislikes on a forum online that he refuses to read anymore isn't addressing anything. You email the AD when you have concerns about the game right? Why not do the same thing for the band.

As for the show being unoriginal, we did a Michael Jackson show when I was a sophomore in high school, we played more songs and it was more entertaining than the SU performance Saturday. That was like 7 or 8 years ago. I've heard a lot of Michael Jackson shows over the years at Showcase.

[CajunRage]

The way a few people act at the game_

40,000 people! Take the blinders off. I did not say anything about being original. You don't have to be. I don't care what you did in high school or what you've seen at showcase. 40,000 people made a statement that SU's performance was entertaining to them. Why don't you sign a country band to open for a heavy metal concert? Because the people there are not entertained by country music. While it may be the best country band around, heavy metal fans don't want to see it. The band's job is to add to the atmosphere at football games, and that is not happening.

[Just1More]

I'm a former first chair trumpet player at AHS (when we dominated). I only mention that so that it gives a little credibility to my opinion on the UL band. Otherwise, I can tell you what happens. If you have no background in band, you get dismissed by band people. I think this is an incredibly unintelligent move. It isn't so much the band members... except for the geeks... it's the band directors. They take great pride in being different. They are notorious for playing for the few that appreciate the eclectic nature of their abilities... instead of any mass appeal.

What you see in Southern is a fun-loving mass appeal showband. When groups that attempt this that do not have the talent... they are the laughing stock of the music world. When someone actually pulls it off, even a band geek envies the audience appeal. But, you can count on 97% of the local band directors to smirk and take pride in the audience's ignorance of music and musicianship. I take a different view of the whole thing.

We know UL is not going to adopt anything close to the Southern style of play and performance. For the halftime show, UL needs to continue on the track of drum and bugle corps style, hoping someday to grow large enough to produce the sound that you get from the larger drum and bugle corps. If Phantom Regiment performed in front of the UL crowd at halftime, regardless of the lack of connection most audience members have to the style and music... they would roundly approve. When Troy performed the last time at Cajun Field, I think everyone was very impressed with their level of DCI-based volume, sound and show. (UL needs to go all brass on the field... as soon as possible... it sucks for the woodwind band geek members... but if they are halfway decent musicians... pick up a horn and start figuring out 4th part).

The problem I see with the current situation with the UL band is what they do (or don't do) in the stands. The band directors at major highschools are cut of the same band geekness as band directors at most universities. If they had any sense whatsoever as to how you grow a healthy band, they would do whatever it took to try to make the band a little bit "cool" for the band members. This involes being entertaining. UL does not have the luxury of turning down 1000 band members like LSU. It needs to be a bigger draw and with todays youth... there better be something cool in it besides having another band geek giggle with you.

The UL band is missing out on a huge number of musicians that attend UL but won't join the band. The UL band director needs to take a lesson in Marketing. Some band geeks are happy being buddies with only their band geek friends. But, band geeks along do not make a good (big) band. You have to have some characters and some people who you might not agree with... but that have the balls to take it over the top.

The UL band director is the only one that should be hearing this thread discussion. He needs to go on a mission to play "stand tunes" during the game, that allow the band members to have some fun and seriously cut up with the crowd. THAT is how you bridge the road to more members and a much more sizeable and capable band. If he is offended by the criticism or just thinks everyone in the stands at the football game is a slobbering football idiot, then he is the idiot.

To UL band members, sorry about how this thread came off. You all know what Southern does and how they entertain. Don't just blow off the subject because so many people on here and in the stands are believed to be simple-minded about musicianship. Talk with some attitude to your band director and tell him that he better figure out how to bridge the gap between the band and the Saturday football audience. It matters... and if he does not get it... he is going to take some heat from T Joe. It will be "T Joe" heat... but he should not take it lightly. There are options out there.

[CajunCanaille]

_ Well said Cajunbander. I'm thinking what the band needs to do is do the pregame show, go to the IPF, do the halftime show and leave. Then see what happens. Oh and BTW, I do check out the band with my binoculars during the game and many of the band members really don't care about the game. The are mostly just sitting around talking. That's Ok because most of the students at the University don't care about the game. The first thing I noticed when I got to the stadium was the Southern fans had taken over the Red Zone.

For somebody to say that the SU band halftime show was great tells me that they don't know anything about a marching band. Imagine being at a party and a guy shows up in a leisure suit with his shirt half unbuttoned. His date has a halter top with bell bottomed jeans and everybody just loves their wardrobe. It's the same thing as somebody suggesting that the football team run the wishbone T. The SU band halftime show was a Leisure Suit, bell bottomed jeans, the wishbone T. It was out of date, unimaginative and had zero originality. As I said in a previous post, the only reason it looked different is because it's so old NOBODY does that ______ anymore.

As for getting love at showcase, the reason for that is, they get it. _

Let me guess what will happen....the sound guy at the game will have to pipe in music b/c the band won't be playing during the game? Oh wait.....the band rarely plays during the game now and music is already piped in the game. So I guess I don't know what will change if the band leaves.

[HoustonCajun]

_ WHO THE F#@$ SAID WE DON'T CARE ABOUT THE GAME?!?!?!?!

I'm constantly getting fussed for not being in my seat when the Cajuns make a god play or something because I'm jumping around and celebrating. I'm also fussed for sticking out when I play the fight song when we score because I'm excited we scored!

Reasons I'm in the band:
1. I have a legitimate excuse to miss work to go to the game.
2. The band paid for half of my tuition this semester, I don't know if I'd be in school w/o the money from it.
3. I did it for 4 years at Acadiana and liked it, why not do it in college?
4. My best friends are in band.
5. I get to go to all the home games (and sometimes a away ones.)
6. To have fun.
7. One of my favorite thing is when we play respect off the field, and are going back to our seats, when all the little kiddos come to the railing and are yelling and excited to see us and to get fives from us.

We're out there practicing 4 days a week (3 days on away game weeks) to entertain people. (Or try our damnedest at least!) It seems the only time we get any love is at Showcase and from the kids.

Somebody said in the last week I guess, that bickering and complaining about the football team doesn't help them, because it'll get back to them. Well, don't you think the same is true about the band? Arguing and being armchair band directors won't change ____! All it does is demoralize the band, and make us not care. Like Sloth said, send an email, tell Brian Taylor what you want, because for as many people that don't like the band on this forum, there's that many people emailing him telling him that we did well. So, since he never gets any dissenting opinions, we're going to keep doing the same thing. Do something for us if you want us to be better. The football team preforms better when we, as fans (you, me, everyone) are out there and cheering them on. The same goes for the band.

It sucks to hear Southern's Band talking ____ to us on our YouTube video. Look at the posts, they're horrible, saying that our trumpet soloist sucks, that he couldn't make it into SU's band, etc. They obviously got a better crowd response, why would those *s need to do that?? It also didn't feel to good to have SU's fans throwing things at us, cursing us and disrespecting us AT OUR OWN HOUSE.

It sucks even more to be disrespected BY OUR OWN FANS. Call it what you will, but we feel disrespected by y'all.



We're learning new songs for the game Saturday. We're taking time out of our practice to learn them. Also, don't expect much to change for Saturday, we were off Monday, and only have half of our normal rehearsals today and Fri. because we're learning new things. _

It is NOT the new songs that you need to be learning. It is how to interact with the crowd DURING the game that is lacking. Learn WHEN to play the Fight Song and how to get the fans chanting UL and spelling C-A-J-U-N-S after we score or make a great play. THAT is what is missing more than anything. DON'T let rap music play on the intercom. The BAND should be playing. Get the fans in the game and our attitude towards the band will change. DON'T just focus on pre-game and half-time shows. FOCUS on what you play and when you play it DURING the game. I know all of that comes from your band director. If he doesn't GET IT, neither will the band members. Something MUST change in this regard.

[Duggie35]

Just one final point. During the football season there are hundreds and hundreds of games that are televised. To the best of my knowledge, the Bayou Classic game between Southern & Grambling, is the only game that still has the halftime performance by both bands shown on TV. NBC always televises that one particular halftime show. Why would that be? I'm guessing that it is because it is entertaining to their viewing audience and they know people want to be entertained. I think this past Saturday night proved that point! The general public could care less about the technical aspects of a marching band. People want to be entertained!

[DrumRoll]

_ I'm a former first chair trumpet player at AHS (when we dominated). I only mention that so that it gives a little credibility to my opinion on the UL band.

I was almost shot by a HS Band Director, in case that gives me credibility :-)

I signed up for the marching band in 9th grade which practiced on Saturdays. A few days prior to the first game I decided that I should probably ask the band director how things worked for football players, since I would be playing in it. I asked him if I needed to keep my band uniform in the locker room to change into it at halftime when I came off the field? He turned 7 shades of red in 3 seconds...

As far as band performance, beyond a certain level of technical playing acumen, all is a waste in a marching band IMO. Innovation, creativity, vision, and POP; that's where the time needs to be spent in preparation, not with further improvement of technical musical playing skills...

WOW the dang fans!!!

[HoustonCajun]

_

WOW the dang fans!!! _

We fans and alumni just want the same kind of game environment that we see at BCS schools and it all starts with the band. It is sorely lacking and has been for years. As our football fortunes rise, it is time for the band issues to be addressed by the university in not only playing the right kind of music at the right time, but increasing the size of the band, new uniforms, etc. Lets return pride to the Pride.

[BeauCajun]

_ I was almost shot by a HS Band Director, in case that gives me credibility :-)

I signed up for the marching band in 9th grade which practiced on Saturdays. A few days prior to the first game I decided that I should probably ask the band director how things worked for football players, since I would be playing in it. I asked him if I needed to keep my band uniform in the locker room to change into it at halftime when I came off the field? He turned 7 shades of red in 3 seconds...

To add to your story. In the early 70's our high school was playing Plaisance High School(which no longer exists) one Friday night and wouldn't you know it, about 10 football players still in uniform along with several cheerleaders picked up instruments and joined the rest of their band mates and put on a great performance at halftime. A much better performance than their football team did that night. But boy could they play basketball.

[CajunAmos]

I'm a former first chair trumpet player at AHS (when we dominated). I only mention that so that it gives a little credibility to my opinion on the UL band. Otherwise, I can tell you what happens. If you have no background in band, you get dismissed by band people. I think this is an incredibly unintelligent move. It isn't so much the band members... except for the geeks... it's the band directors. They take great pride in being different. They are notorious for playing for the few that appreciate the eclectic nature of their abilities... instead of any mass appeal.

What you see in Southern is a fun-loving mass appeal showband. When groups that attempt this that do not have the talent... they are the laughing stock of the music world. When someone actually pulls it off, even a band geek envies the audience appeal. But, you can count on 97% of the local band directors to smirk and take pride in the audience's ignorance of music and musicianship. I take a different view of the whole thing.

We know UL is not going to adopt anything close to the Southern style of play and performance. For the halftime show, UL needs to continue on the track of drum and bugle corps style, hoping someday to grow large enough to produce the sound that you get from the larger drum and bugle corps. If Phantom Regiment performed in front of the UL crowd at halftime, regardless of the lack of connection most audience members have to the style and music... they would roundly approve. When Troy performed the last time at Cajun Field, I think everyone was very impressed with their level of DCI-based volume, sound and show. (UL needs to go all brass on the field... as soon as possible... it sucks for the woodwind band geek members... but if they are halfway decent musicians... pick up a horn and start figuring out 4th part).

The problem I see with the current situation with the UL band is what they do (or don't do) in the stands. The band directors at major highschools are cut of the same band geekness as band directors at most universities. If they had any sense whatsoever as to how you grow a healthy band, they would do whatever it took to try to make the band a little bit "cool" for the band members. This involes being entertaining. UL does not have the luxury of turning down 1000 band members like LSU. It needs to be a bigger draw and with todays youth... there better be something cool in it besides having another band geek giggle with you.

The UL band is missing out on a huge number of musicians that attend UL but won't join the band. The UL band director needs to take a lesson in Marketing. Some band geeks are happy being buddies with only their band geek friends. But, band geeks along do not make a good (big) band. You have to have some characters and some people who you might not agree with... but that have the balls to take it over the top.

The UL band director is the only one that should be hearing this thread discussion. He needs to go on a mission to play "stand tunes" during the game, that allow the band members to have some fun and seriously cut up with the crowd. THAT is how you bridge the road to more members and a much more sizeable and capable band. If he is offended by the criticism or just thinks everyone in the stands at the football game is a slobbering football idiot, then he is the idiot.

To UL band members, sorry about how this thread came off. You all know what Southern does and how they entertain. Don't just blow off the subject because so many people on here and in the stands are believed to be simple-minded about musicianship. Talk with some attitude to your band director and tell him that he better figure out how to bridge the gap between the band and the Saturday football audience. It matters... and if he does not get it... he is going to take some heat from T Joe. It will be "T Joe" heat... but he should not take it lightly. There are options out there.

Concise and to the point. Take a note from the "pep" band at the Cajun basketball games. They play a variety of upbeat tunes (along with the classics to interact with the cheerleaders), but go in costumes and have a great time. They paricipate in the event, and have come up with a few cheers on their own (Cajun Ball..........................). I know if you have a halftime show you have a uniform that has to be maintained, but in the stands you can look like to actually want to be there.

[Turbine]

_ Concise and to the point. Take a note from the "pep" band at the Cajun basketball games. They play a variety of upbeat tunes (along with the classics to interact with the cheerleaders), but go in costumes and have a great time. They paricipate in the event, and have come up with a few cheers on their own (Cajun Ball..........................). I know if you have a halftime show you have a uniform that has to be maintained, but in the stands you can look like to actually want to be there. _

I was thinking that also, how the " Ragin Brass " really got into basketball games.