What's the story with the kid with the guitar at halftime

Submitted by James Burrill Angell on
I was tending to my kid at half time and was happily greeted by what I thought was Jimi playing the Star-Spangled Banner as I was walking through the tunnel to my section. Then I saw it was what looked like a student playing it live. (1) anybody know who that kid was and what his story is (2) I was happy with the way a live guitar sounded on the speaker system. Can anyone else remember any kind of live guitar or rock instrument being played in the stadium?

Bando Calrissian

September 13th, 2014 at 9:35 PM ^

OSU used a guitar in a halftime show at the stadium in (I think) 2005. There have been a lot of other bands who use bass guitars with rolling amps and such.

I may be completely imagining this, but I swear there was a halftime show when I was in the band (it was either 2004 or 5) when we did a halftime show that somehow involved a guitar. As I recall, the whole thing didn't really work that well. It was a kid who played in rock bands on the side. It's a fleeting memory for sure, but I think it happened.

LSAClassOf2000

September 13th, 2014 at 9:53 PM ^

It's a minor sidenote, to be sure, but I think the video games medley was done during the ND / Michigan halftime show in 2004. I do remember particularly enjoying that as it allowed me to spend a few minutes reliving my childhood, so well done. To your point, however, I believe you're right - they have employed a guitar before. Didn't they also do it -perhaps very briefly - in 2007 when they did a medley of songs found in "Guitar Hero"? I could be wrong, but I think somewhere in there was a guitar too. 

Peter Nesbitt

September 13th, 2014 at 9:37 PM ^

It was part of the 200th Anniversry of the Star-Spangled Banner show, coordinated by Dr. Mark Clague, a musicology professor in the School of Music. Clague is the formost scholar of the history of the Star-Spangled Banner, and this is one of many events he's coordinated for the 200th. 

The guitarist was jazz major, Alex Meingast, from the School of Music. Not sure of his story, but he was replicating Jimi Hendrix' rendition from Woodstock in 1969 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjzZh6-h9fM)

Dr. Clague has a whole lecture on the Hendrix performance–really incredible. I took 3 classes with him the past few years. Awesome guy.

 

Blue Mike

September 13th, 2014 at 10:45 PM ^

Miami's band also had a guitarist for their part of their "British Invasion" show.  Add in the choir and the jets flying back and forth overhead, and it was quite a different halftime show.

UMgradMSUdad

September 14th, 2014 at 3:06 PM ^

It could have something to do with the fact that he grew up in Seattle and during his lifetime Michigan's record against Washington was 4-0 with point totals of 126-10.

http://www.mcubed.net/ncaaf/series/wa/mi.shtml

 

Edit: There were only three games between Michigan and Washington during Hendrix's lifetime (the fourth I listed above ocurred 8 days after he died).  The correct record is 3-0 with point totals of 109-7.

I dumped the Dope

September 13th, 2014 at 10:45 PM ^

I think has an alternate version...but a lot more distortion/feedback and liberties with the main melody for part of it.

I thought the trained eagle stole the show, personally.  It was impressive to watch.

HELLE

September 14th, 2014 at 7:39 AM ^

I could picture Dave Brandon smirking in his suite. The real fireworks would have been cool and obviously it wasn't a respect for the neighborhood thing because the had jets flying over multiple times.

AndArst

March 16th, 2020 at 10:13 AM ^

I always admire kids who are playing the guitar or any other music instrument because I know how much time it takes to start playing it. I am going to buy the guitar and start playing. I am just reading the text about the guitar neck by Jan Kermann, I hope it will help me