Piped in music (Arggg DEATH?)
i have been in open opposition to what i thought was defacing the big house with this RAWK music ... the western game didn't warm me up to it ... however after yesterday and seeing how effectly it got the student section going crazy (and for that matter pumped up, when they piped "Lose Yourself" im pretty sure every single male student was still rapping out eminem a good 20 seconds after it was over) I am now a converter ... i still love the band but the RAWK music helps (us) students get loud and yesterday we were loud ... i couldnt of been more proud of the 4 random timeouts and 2 delay of games ... what a game, it was amazing
September 13th, 2009 at 12:26 PM ^
I agree 100 percent.
September 13th, 2009 at 6:32 PM ^
Seemed better this week (got rid of Sweet Caroline! EXCELLENT use of Seven Nation Army with a good sing along by the students). They started Welcome to the Jungle earlier so they could get more than five notes in as they did during the WMU game. Still have some work to do though. They need to edit their clip of the Eminem song so it comes in closer to the song.
All in all the piped in music fills a good gap. Those TV timeouts took forever and if the band only played one song there was a long lull that is now filled. Highly approve. Just keep Neil Diamond out and follow the Red Wings tradition of not doing the Journey song until the end when the game is in hand.
September 13th, 2009 at 12:28 PM ^
I was very happy to see how the crowd responded to the music, but most importantly, the players on the field were loving it! You don't see them getting hyped when the band is playing livin on a prayer or don't stop believing, but they were bouncing and pumping up the crowd during lose yourself. That was some of the best atmosphere I have seen at Michigan Stadium in my 4 years in the student section.
September 13th, 2009 at 1:46 PM ^
As an old timer, I have to admit that I'm more partial to the band playing the music. I tend to side with Brian regarding the piped in music.
But yeah, the crowd sounded really loud on the radio and also the tv even. The Rawk music seems to have hit a chord with many fans by appearances. A few crowd shots I saw seemed to show people pretty amped up during it.
In general though, there was definitely an energetic pulse in the Big House. I think both the players and the fans are hungry for success. The way the team is playing, it's simply great to watch. The student section appeared to be going absolutely bananas. Good times. Wish I had been there.
September 13th, 2009 at 1:52 PM ^
is a good word for it ... i dont think ive ever heard a crowd as loud as it was there after the final td ... and it really didnt stop we were still there singing and chanting a good 15 minutes after the game ... this was like the duke basketball game ... just absolutly sick
September 13th, 2009 at 12:30 PM ^
Agreed.
Not trying to be a jerk, but I think this is the third thread on this in the last 12 hours.
With that being said there is so much activity on the board it's hard to keep up.
September 13th, 2009 at 12:31 PM ^
We should give out FREE PIZZA. That really gets people fired up, right?
September 13th, 2009 at 2:50 PM ^
I know you're being sarcastic, but I'm going to put myself out there and say that free pizza is awesome. Pizza tastes better when it's free.
September 13th, 2009 at 9:54 PM ^
Everything tastes better when it is free.
September 13th, 2009 at 2:51 PM ^
hmm when I was at Colorado we got free crocs... and we all know how they're doing
September 13th, 2009 at 12:32 PM ^
The student section went absolutely nuts when they played anything "RAWK" style. However, they need to stick to playing songs just once a game. Twice for "Lose Yourself" makes the magic of 40,000 people all semi-dancing to it lessen.
September 13th, 2009 at 12:34 PM ^
I think we can thank the MGoCommunity for some of the tweaks this week. We complained that the band could play Sweet Caroline, and they did. We complained that maybe we could hear some Detroit music, and we did.
I was a big fan of Seven Nation Army [sounds awesome at futbol games] even if it isn't the most original, but I'm not a fan of them playing songs more than once a game.
People in the student section lost their shit for the Eminem song.
Overall, better experience this week.
September 13th, 2009 at 12:35 PM ^
worked like a charm. i know some people were against it after western because it didnt get people anymore excited, but the game was well in hand when they played it, but yesterday when it was a dogfight, it served its purpose quite well. it would be sweet if they played "madhouse" by anthrax next game cuz they said the big house was a madhouse yesterday on sportscenter.
September 13th, 2009 at 12:55 PM ^
fan of them playing Welcome to the Jungle. For some reason it just amped up the entire crowd, even when they were already yelling.
Michigan Stadium doesn't just go to 11, we go to 12.
September 13th, 2009 at 1:08 PM ^
The only problem with Lose Yourself is that it takes to long to develop. They need to start it a little sooner or something
September 13th, 2009 at 1:14 PM ^
PLAY RILO KILEY
September 13th, 2009 at 9:48 PM ^
Shit yeah.
If they played "A Better Son/Daughter" I would start flipping out. I've watched the MGoBlog hype video probably 15 times now. It still hits me a little when Jenny kicks it in and Threet hits Hemingway with that perfect bomb against Utah (in full color, no less!!).
(Edit: Of course they wouldn't play it, but we can hope.)
September 13th, 2009 at 1:41 PM ^
on TV last week, I was kinda on the fence about the P.I.M., but after experiencing it firsthand yesterday, I'm totally cool with it. It was only used on key 3rd and 4th downs and completely beats the shit out of jingling keys.
September 13th, 2009 at 1:44 PM ^
Yeah, the crowd really got worked up by the music. There's no doubt it's effective, and really helps bring the crowd back up after a long TV timeout before a critical down. I'm a supporter, never thought I'd say it...
The only issue is the potential slippery slope...5 seconds of music twice per quarter is fine, lets just not make it between every down like they do in pro sports. I think this may not be an issue since obviously the band is playing most of the time and I can't see them marginalizing the band (whereas in pro sports there's nothing else but the DJ to keep the crowd going).
September 13th, 2009 at 2:05 PM ^
I, too, was surprised at how well it worked given the circumstances of the game, but...
the timing needs to improve over time. There were several instances when the music wasn't fully to through the intro when the play formation required the music to stop. Kind of awkward at times.
September 13th, 2009 at 2:10 PM ^
Where my seats were yesterday I really couldn't hear the band so I was excited to hear the music just to get people pumped up a little. I didn't think I was going to like the music in the stadium but I actually loved it and it seemed to make the fans louder everytime it started playing. Two thumbs up.
September 13th, 2009 at 2:18 PM ^
it sucks. I hate it. Journey is a shit band- they were in the 70s, they are still. And I don't want to hear Eminem. Neg away, you impish minions, but before you judge me as a blue hair, know that I have only been on this cotton pickin' earth for a mere 25 revolutions around the solar star.
September 13th, 2009 at 2:25 PM ^
Besides the fact that you don't like Journey or Eminem, why don't you like it? Just curious.
September 13th, 2009 at 2:49 PM ^
I actually like Eminem in small doses. But that's besides the point.
I find the piped in music not only incredibly cheesy but also unnecessary. I have been at Michigan games that were just as loud as yesterday-- anyone who was at 97 or 2003 Ohio State games will tell you the Big House is loud when the circumstances have dictated it. When the team plays well, and the matchup is a big one, the crowd follows suit. And now with the boxes I think the stadium is legitimately loud. I dismiss any notion that piped in music manufactures extra crowd excitement. If I had been in attendance yesterday, believe me, I would have been screaming my lungs out. And not because Journey is blasting through the speakers.
I love the game presentation at Michigan Stadium. I have been to most other Big Ten stadiums and always thought the reason they piped in music was because their band wasn't as good as ours, in that they didn't have the song catalogue we do. A big part of the Michigan Stadium experience is our incredible musical tradition. You know what fires me up? "Let's Go Blue." "Temptation." "The Hawaiian War Chant." And of course "The Victors." Even the Rocky and Bullwinkle theme. I could go on, but I think Brian has spelled out the argument against piped in music pretty well. I can't believe I'm going to be one of these people, but I am going to write a polite email to the AD regarding this matter. At a crucial moment of the game, I think maybe at the end of the second half, Journey was played. I winced.
September 13th, 2009 at 3:07 PM ^
Listen, we can have an argument about tradition and the band and song choices,etc., but to "dismiss any notion that piped in music manufactures extra crowd excitement" doesn't make any sense. I was standing smack in the middle of the student section among lots of quiet people with their arms crossed. Whether it was b/c they were tired or b/c their reaction to a loss of momentum is to wait for something exciting to happen rather than thinking they can help will something exciting to happen by cheering their team on, lots of people fell silent during stretches of the 4th quarter. These people also went from 0 to bonkers very quickly when the piped-in music was played. So we can have an argument about whether these are cheap thrills and we shouldn't do this at Michigan b/c blah blah blah, but regardless of your personal cheering jurisprudence, the music did have an impact on crowd noise levels on multiple occasions.
September 13th, 2009 at 3:13 PM ^
...how is that letter going to go?
Dear Mr. Madej,
You know that music you played that got the student section far more hyped than the MMB's rendition of Thriller ever has? You know, the one that made people start singing so loudly it could be heard on the radio broadcast of the game? Please kill it.
September 13th, 2009 at 5:04 PM ^
Dear Mr. Madej, greetings and pleasantries etc. Whaddup BRUUUUUUUUCE
- I love the Michigan Stadium experience, always have
- I have been to other stadiums around the country; few compare to a Saturday in AA. One thing that makes a Michigan home game special is its timeless aura-- With no advertising, and limited extraneous elements in the presentation, the focus is entirely on Michigan and the football game. That makes for a uniquely collegiate experience.
- Another aspect that separates Michigan is our music tradition, and our band
- The Victors says Michigan. Let's Go Blue says Michigan. Temptation, the Blues Bros., etc. all say Michigan. Journey, Eminem, et al, says generic Stadium RAWK.
- Then I'd give my whole "The Game Is The Thing" meme stated above. A truly amazing crowd experience is not manufactured, but is organic, yo. When the game is big, the crowd delivers. If you require Rawk music to get fired up before a big third down, you are a retard (I won't say it thusly, but something along those lines).
I will sprinkle in some Albom-esque one-line paragraphs for dramatic effect. I expect this will drive Mr. Madej to tears and inspire him to distribute my memo to the highest offices of the university.
Sincerely, Mad Magician
September 13th, 2009 at 3:27 PM ^
but I have to disagree. I always liked the way things were but after seeing what the piped in music did to the WHOLE STADIUM I am all for the periodic piped in music. On a normal big play coming out of a timeout the crowd won't get too loud until just before the snap. Because of the music yesterday the crowd got loud while ND was still trying to call the play. The theme I am noticing is people who watched the game on TV still don't like the piped in music and thinks it doesn't help but I would think if you were at the game in person like myself you would know that the Big House was louder for more portions of the game than I have ever seen and part of that had to due with the music. And I have been to many games.
September 13th, 2009 at 3:54 PM ^
"If I had been in attendance yesterday, believe me, I would have been screaming my lungs out."
Several have said that the atmosphere yesterday made the RAWK music more appropriate. I'm with you during a blowout; let the band take care of business. But during a high stakes close game, get the crowd going.
I didn't sense that the use of the RAWK music really cut into the band's time. If anything, from my section, it muted the crappola coming from the other sideline.
September 13th, 2009 at 2:48 PM ^
I think it would be nice to move the band to the other side of the stadium. I don't want to hear Notre Dame's fight song! I want to hear the Victors/Temptation/Let's Go Blue
September 13th, 2009 at 4:05 PM ^
i loved the piped in music. especially when everyone was singing along to the white stripes.
September 13th, 2009 at 9:42 PM ^
Count me among the still horrified by it. (And I'm not a blue hair, btw)
I like Eminem/The 8 Mile soundtrack, but the Big House is not the place for it. I cringed when I heard it on TV yesterday.
Let the band do their thing!! Having a band play the music is one of the cool things about college sports, and what makes it unique from the pros.
As a Duke student, I went to about a dozen games a year in Cameron for 3 years. There was *never* piped in music, it was always the band and I would always have it that way. If there was piped in music, I would have been very upset, along w/ many others.
On the other hand, I went to a game at the Dean Dome for the first time last year (UNC's basketball arena.) They had the band, but they also had a lot of piped in music, and it just didn't have that unique feeling that going to a game at Cameron did. It was more like going to the Palace for an NBA game. (Although it's not as nice as the Palace)
There are certain places in college sports - like Cameron, like the Big House (some people might hate b/c I'm mentioning them in the same breath, but oh well) that just have a really, really special mystique that should not be messed with.
September 13th, 2009 at 9:50 PM ^
Everyone in Cameron Indoor can actually hear the band.