The band...the band...
Did not see a haiku thread so here are my contributions for this week, MMB themed:
MMB practice
Wafts in the air from Elbel
Soon: Band....take the field!
Baaaa....and: Take! The! Field!
Hail to the Victors Valiant*
Head asplodes with joy
*middle line may be either sung or hummed
And on a different topic:
Annual glut of
Pre-season boo-boos takes out
Amara Darboh
August 23rd, 2013 at 10:18 AM ^
And if you don't know where "more damn sound!" comes from, find an alum from the Cavender years at Homecoming and get educated.
August 23rd, 2013 at 4:02 PM ^
the endless playing of those huge crowd pleasers, "El Cid" and "St. Louis Blues." Cavender wanted more sound -- but controlled sound. Plus there were FAR more music majors in the band in the Revelli/ Cavender years. Revelli and Cavender strove for a symphonic band sound on the field -- in lock step.
August 22nd, 2013 at 6:40 PM ^
Thanks for posting this. I enjoyed both but I'd give OSU the nod in this one. Terrific show.
August 22nd, 2013 at 12:59 AM ^
I'm not sure an SEC fan/alum is qualified to evaluate the quality of collegiate marching bands.
August 21st, 2013 at 11:28 PM ^
My hallmates wondered
"Does this guy even exist?"
Oh, he's in the band.
August 22nd, 2013 at 12:43 AM ^
August 22nd, 2013 at 10:42 AM ^
Graduated in 2008; the intense marching band calf muscles have not yet gone away.
August 22nd, 2013 at 1:27 AM ^
We were all that guy, weren't we? My hallmates didn't even know my name until about three weeks into the semester... I was "Chris' roommate who's in the band."
August 22nd, 2013 at 6:39 AM ^
going through basic drills. Also saw Brady get into his car in the parking lot.
August 22nd, 2013 at 7:19 AM ^
Do people still launch water balloons at the band while they're practicing? If not, they should.
August 22nd, 2013 at 7:32 AM ^
That sounds really awesome. No doubt those same people would launch them at practicing football players if they could.
August 22nd, 2013 at 8:30 AM ^
What if it was actually the football players launching balloons at the band
August 22nd, 2013 at 10:45 AM ^
Generic "people" or members of the football team?
August 22nd, 2013 at 9:51 PM ^
All of the above.
It was a time when nobody was safe.
The fraternities on State Street, and also the ones at S. University and Washtenaw were targeting anyone on the planet. I think it was about the time where the water balloon launcher was made popular.
August 22nd, 2013 at 7:46 AM ^
If you’ve attended a university without a football program, you learn to appreciate great hockey and hoops bands; . . . and, in addition to its great marching band, Michigan has one of the best hockey bands I’ve heard and seen in action. I'll never forget my first game at Yost Arena, watching my old team lose to Michigan, but loving the experience, thanks to Michigan's hockey band.
(Love seeing the guy with the cymbal who gets totally dissed by the drummer.)
August 22nd, 2013 at 8:57 AM ^
I remember the band director used to take off his shoes and dance to this song using the shoes as props (a telephone, boxing gloves, etc.). I think they got a new one, since he doesn't do that anymore.
August 22nd, 2013 at 9:13 AM ^
I love how the band director (Is it Pasquale?) is all "You guys got this, I'll just look at my notes"
August 22nd, 2013 at 9:35 AM ^
Yeah, it's Pasquale. He was promoted this year to Marching Band Director as well.
August 22nd, 2013 at 10:47 AM ^
When Red was just getting the team turned around. In 1988 or so , the hockey band seemed to be whoever showed up with an instrument. By my senior year in 1990 it seemed to be much better organized. I came back in 1992 two years after graduating and the band had turned into an elite unit.
August 22nd, 2013 at 10:06 AM ^
August 22nd, 2013 at 11:33 AM ^
I need to come clean of my sins now since we are talking about MMB. I have a weird affinity for Big Ten Marching bands and collect various CDs with their best songs when visiting stadiums. I own a CD with a collection of songs performed by the MMB that was a gift and they sound pretty damn good. Great selection of songs on the CD including: M fanfare, Temptation (not sure if its on the CD but its still a great third down song), Mr.Touchdown, Hawaiian War Chant, Hail to the Victors and some others. Don't know much about Hawaiian War Chant but was wondering if someone could tell me more about it if there is history behind the song. I've never seen it played when watching UM play football nor at The Game. Then again, I've only been to The Game in Columbus and yet to get up to AA for it.
Ok my soul is clean now.
August 22nd, 2013 at 5:19 PM ^
I believe that Hawaiian War Chant & Temptation both started getting played in the 60s or 70s.
Tempatation is heard often because a section of it gets used for 3rd downs.
Hawaiian War Chant is played during the post game show after home games, and may be played at homecoming during the game.
August 23rd, 2013 at 11:37 AM ^
Well, when I started in the MMB in '89 it was already an old tradition. For 10+ years after a 3rd down stop on Defense the band has played an excerpt from Temptation. Obviously both songs existed before the MMB played them, but because of the MMB arrangements, there is a uniquely "MMBish" sound to that particular refrain.
From the MMB Wikipedia article:
"Temptation" & "The Hawaiian War Chant"
"Temptation" and "The Hawaiian War Chant" are percussion features that have been played by the MMB for over 40 years. The cymbal line is highly featured with their acrobatic routine. "Temptation" is also played after the defense stops the opposition on third down and forces them to punt. Usually every Homecoming game, during the halftime show, both songs are played. Temptation is played first. Followed by "The Hawaiian War Chant," which is introduced by PA announcer Carl Grapentine saying, "Because you can't have one without the other, 'The Hawaiian War Chant.'" Until 1980, Temptation and the Hawaiian War Chant were generally not played together in a season until the Homecoming game, when the Alumni Band (“the Blast from the Past”) would join in. Before Homecoming, in those years prior to 1980, the band would play Temptation, then the PA announcer would usually say that fans would have to wait for the other. Both percussion features have long been fan favorites. During the post-game band show, when it comes time for Temptation, the Drum Major will walk into the band, as the front lines of the formation part, to bring the percussion section forward. This always causes band fans to cheer in anticipation.