Freqeuncy of Piped in Music Not Appreciated By Old Fart

Submitted by fatbastard on

I'm probably just getting old. 

I've been a season ticket holder for more than 20 years.  I've seen championships, Seven and Five seasons, and the great RR experiment.

I supported and I'm glad have the new suites and scoreboards.  I love that the the place rocks in a tight game, and is a huge advantage to the team.  Even yesterday, particularly in the 4th quarter with the game on the line, it was tough for NE players to get the play calls from sideline to qb to O-line. 

But am I the only one who is tired of having hard time talking to friends and family during the pregame and halftime, and at varous times throughout the game when it seems there is no advantage to the team for the piped in music to be blasting? Why do we have to have loud music pumpted in during warmups?  At halftime?

Part of my Michigan Expericne is taking family to the game.  The stadium is a tremendous place to to enjoy visiting with people you haven't seen in a while, and enjoying a Saturday with friends and family.  Watching a pretty bad performance yesterday, it occurred to me that if I had to watch that game, I'd at least like to have the chance to talk to my daughter while doing it.  I don't even expect to do that during the game, since there is clearly a competitive advantage from bringing the noise level up on D.  But why during half time and pregame?  If there's a reason, I honestly would like to know what it is. Clearly it does nothing to get the students to the game on time.

Perhaps I'm out of touch.  I don't know. 

EMI

November 10th, 2013 at 2:38 PM ^

I'd be ok with eliminating the piped in music if the band would actually play something decent.  All i hear is the the Vitcors and the drumline.  Nothing gets me more pumped up for a big denfensive stand the the drumline or Aretha Franklin Respect.  

Bando Calrissian

November 10th, 2013 at 2:39 PM ^

Piped-in music is the minor league experience Dave Brandon, Hunter Lochmann, and the faceless Special K are aiming for. It's unfortunate, tasteless, and tacky. But it's par for the course. Michigan spent a century doing things to set ourselves above the pack. Now we can't imitate the rest quickly enough.

Whatever. It's never going to change. Thus, we get Shout! late in the 4th of a close game. Because that's more important than The Victors, I guess.

Blue Durham

November 10th, 2013 at 3:00 PM ^

Someone mentioned above that a lot of this music is usually playing during pregame and warm-ups, etc. When I went to games back in the '80's the relative quite of the stadium during this time was kind of neat. People would see friends, talk, etc. and as the stadium slowly filled, so did the atmosphere, building in anticipation of the band coming out.

The band, ultimately playing "The Victors" was the absolute crescendo of sound, with the possible exception of a few really big plays by the team during the game.

I assume that now, like at UNC, sound is at a constant fever pitch for much of your time in the stadium. Which actually detracts from the drama and atmosphere.

jabberwock

November 10th, 2013 at 7:03 PM ^

Deaffening ads and music at all down times is completely innapropriate.



As far as game time goes: part of a successful show is the ebb & flow of drama & excitement.



The band + the stadium towers is more than enough for Michigan Stadium to be loud & intimidating as long as the on-field-product is producing results.



they're not, and the absence coupled with the over-volumed "football jingles" is glaring.

 

Chunks the Hobo

November 11th, 2013 at 10:03 AM ^

Well said. I always liked the "quiet" moments to take in the natural sounds of the enivornment, enjoy the atmosphere, and feel the buildup/anticipation. Now instead I get angry rappers shouting incomprehensible shit at top volume seemingly every second there's a stop in the action. It's not an improvement.

Also, I agree with everyone about Seven Nation Army. For the love of God, fucking retire that already.

Section 1

November 10th, 2013 at 3:38 PM ^

Michigan is doing what every other NFL/NBA/NHL stadium is doing.  It is so common.  So contrived.  Michigan Stadium is becoming indistiguishable from every other big arena.

“No one in this world, so far as I know — and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me — has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people..."    ~ H.L. Mencken

Blue Durham

November 10th, 2013 at 2:50 PM ^

This is pretty much directed to the OP. Everyone else can ignore.

I haven't attended a game in Michigan Stadium since 1993, so I can't weigh in directly regarding your experience yesterday.

But I have attended a couple of games recently at the University of North Carolina. Keenan Stadium and the surrounding area is absolutely beautiful (as opposed to NC State's Carter-Findley, which was a dump). This was my first experience of RAWK music combined with the big board light show just wrecked the games for me. I thought it was really an assault on my senses.

If I lived in SE Michigan and, assuming the game-day experience is similar to UNC's, I am sure that I would not have season tickets and would probably only occasionally go to a game.

Sllepy81

November 10th, 2013 at 3:04 PM ^

for the kids....players that is. They are spoon fed. you can't say the under the lights halftime show and all that wasn't partially due to recruiting. Technology has taken over, I didn't like it when I went for the first time since RRods first year. It is what it is. Norfleet dancing is our only positive any more.

True_Blue

November 10th, 2013 at 4:29 PM ^

The fact is that part of that $95 face value is going to the cost of the scoreboard and soundsystem, and we're getting back what we payed for: Loud piped in music that drounds out the band (or mgoblue.co m commercials).  It may also help recruiting, but it is to entertain us- the ticket buyers.

Elise

November 10th, 2013 at 3:09 PM ^

I'm not a fan of much of it either, but music has been piped in during warmups for over a decade. If the band isn't there or isn't available, I think it's fine.

BlueCE

November 10th, 2013 at 3:12 PM ^

It helps get the people energized. Even at the beginning of the game yesterday there was little energy in the stadium. It is good to have people standing and yelling. The band by itself is barely audible.



I did not like the Woodson/dhani mini videos asking people to get loud. Tacky and did not work.

True Blue Grit

November 10th, 2013 at 3:21 PM ^

too loud and there's too much of it.  I don't mind it at times, but like a lot of things, they go overboard with it.  An example is between plays where they are playing some crappy song of some kind just for filler almost up to the snap.  That's just unnecessary and does nothing to improve the home environment.  

They also overdo it at the basketball games.  At Friday's game, it was just too loud.  Part of this is due to the closed in smaller space at Crisler.  The sound reverberates between the walls or something.  

goblue20111

November 10th, 2013 at 3:29 PM ^

Good god if you wanna play catch up talk to them before the game, send an email or make other arrangments.

Alabama's stadium was rocking last night. That's the type of atmosphere we need.

TheFrigz

November 10th, 2013 at 3:30 PM ^

Maybe I'm alone here, but when something BAD happens at the end of the game, or after we lose a game, I really don't want to hear The Victors.  I know it's our song and it's supposed to boost spirits, but it just seems sarcastic at that point and it pisses me off.  We had nothing to celebrate at the end of yesterday's game, so I had no business walking out to The Victors.

Mi Sooner

November 10th, 2013 at 3:32 PM ^

I would make the trek to ford field. I can count on one hand the number of lions game that I have gone to. The timing of the piped in stuff is off also. Yesterday Special K was playing something loud right as we are going into the offensive huddle and continued to play why they are were calling out signals like audibles. The piped in crap should not be a help to our opponent but it was on several plays.

It doesn't help that I never did like AC/DC nor GnR.

There is no wow factor by playing crappy song snippets so loud that you can't talk to the person right next to you. Plus the piped in crap seems to do more for our opponents than it does for us.

mgoblue99

November 10th, 2013 at 3:46 PM ^

Worse than any other venue is Yost. Smaller, intimate venue where the band dominates, but we've seen more piped in music at Yost the past two seasons with the new scoreboard and sound system. It doesn't happen often, but even once is one time too many. Best band at any M event. Should be them or bust.

Canadian

November 10th, 2013 at 4:05 PM ^

my only complaint is in the pregame DON'T PLAY DRAKE'S STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM!!!!! Such a fucking tool and an embarrassment to the homeland. Also in sure there's a lot of if not the vast majority of the crowd started from much closer to the bottom than that piece of shit.

Bocheezu

November 10th, 2013 at 5:21 PM ^

this song makes we want to get up and go to the concourse in a vain attempt to avoid hearing it. Every damn pregame Special K plays that crap. Also: when the ball blows off the tee during a kickoff, you don't need to crank to music up to fill the 10-second re-tee time

Ty Butterfield

November 10th, 2013 at 4:28 PM ^

At this point I think there are bigger issues with the football program that need to be addressed.

bouje13

November 10th, 2013 at 4:38 PM ^

Talking about her whole life story throughout the entire game. No amount of piped in music could drown her out.

ChiCityWolverine

November 10th, 2013 at 5:00 PM ^

This why we can't have nice things. I am beyond sick of Seven nation Army and sometimes the music annoys me, but if Michigan wants to be a modern football power... Michigan is going to do these things.



We already have the reputation of being the quietest gathering of 100,000 people in the country. The band doesn't play that many other songs and isn't loud enough to be audible and imposing throughout the whole stadium.



Sporting events are not the time or place to catch up with people. The stadium experience is about energy, passion, and being a part of a collective. Our fanbase has needed some of these "gimmicks" to coax people to add to this energy and atmosphere. Do we need a better "DJ" and better timing of music? Yes. Should we go back to the old days... No.

alwaystrueblue

November 10th, 2013 at 5:16 PM ^

went to the BB game against Wayne St. last week and even though it was not sold out....the constant bombardment of noise from warm-ups all the way thru the game was terrible.

My son is 28 and loves his music/noise but even he got annoyed at how the non-stop noise made it sometimes uncomfortable and virtually impossible to converse about what was going on in the game.

 

I can honestly say i have no desire to sit thru that again.

LB

November 10th, 2013 at 5:51 PM ^

the volume doesn't bother me either (it isn't too loud, you're too old!, and I'm not quite that old yet). I don't go to games to listen to music I could hear on my iPoddlePadPhone though, I prefer the band. As far as conversing in the stands, we should be on our feet making noise often enough to make that a moot point. I don't go to games to do what I can do in the living room either.

Aside to the coaching fellows - I certainly don't claim to be an expert at these things, I've only been watching since '68, a mere pittance of time. It is my opinion, however, that moving down the field when you are on offense might result in more "on our feet", and less conversing. Thank you for your efforts to date.

mgoman

November 10th, 2013 at 7:04 PM ^

Music sounds better when the team does well, doesn't it? I don't remember too many people complaining after the original UTL game or the first NEB and OSU game under Hoke. Back then, the place was ROCKING and filled with energy when they played that music. It was excellent publicity for the program to have that type of atmosphere. Now people hardly get excited when they pipe it in, I believe it's largely because of the team's performance this year. 

XM - Mt 1822

November 10th, 2013 at 7:16 PM ^

not against it totally, but i think OP is saying why bother with the ultra-loud music pre-game and during some of the dead times of the game.  my hearing is fine, but i feel i need to bring ear plugs for me and the kids. 

Bluefishdoc

November 10th, 2013 at 7:44 PM ^

At least twice in the second half the music was blaring when we had the ball and Gardner was trying to call a play in the huddle. We have enough trouble on O without this crap. Now get off my lawn!

Felix.M.Blue

November 10th, 2013 at 8:04 PM ^

The timing to some of it is horrible. 

I don't like music played between plays. Pre-game, during time outs and warming up for the second half sure.

I don't think they have ever played 1 song that I actually liked though.

The 7 nation army crap is embarrasing, it's been like outdated for 10 years already hasn't it?

I guess it is better than the alternative, I'd rather have something rather than nothing. I've had season tickets since 93 and I remember the nothing part.

I'd donate money aside from the PSL and season ticket if they played Hell Awaits or Angel of Death.

AMazinBlue

November 10th, 2013 at 8:06 PM ^

amped up and energized.  I'm one of many who have grown tired of the contstant barrage of noise from pregame warmups to the final whistle.

I am a huge AC/DC fan and I want our stadium to be the toughest place for the opponent to play, but not at the expense of the enjoyment of being there with family or friends.  I sit in section 44 and there were times where you couldn't hear the person next to talking to you.  The new atmosphere at games of almost any sport is to get the crowd loud and engaged from beginning to end.

Sorry, but Seven Nation Army, Eminem and some of the others are going to engage a crowd during timeouts and when the game is super dull.  Now I don't scream and yell during the game so I am one of those that doesn't contrbiute to the atmosphere much.  Honestly, I go to watch the game.

All this and the skyrocketing cost is why I am giving up my tickets after this year.  The guy who sits next to me and has had his seats for many years as well is giving up his also.  He is a ENT doc - Ears/Nose & Throat guy and he says they decibel levels break so many OSHA rules it's not funny.

It's just not that much fun anymore.  Iunderstand the need for a loud crowd and to intimidate the opposition.  I was there when it was the quietest 100,000+ fans in the country.   I think I have just outgrown the 'experience'.  I had 4 Nebraska guys around me and they all said it seemd not loud at all from a crowd standpoint.  They said it seemed like the noise just leaks out of the stadium.  So I wonder if the new structures actually do their job.

During UTL or when we beat PSU on the last play with Manningham, it was crazy loud, but it's not possible to have that noise level for 3 1/2 hours.  Trying to match the intensity of the SEC is an uphill battle.  The program needs to improve dramatically before the crowds will be that raucous all the time. -69 yards rushing for two games and a head coach constantly repeating that he needs to do a better job of coaching is not helping either.

After this season, I'll watch from home and go to an occasional big game.

matty blue

November 10th, 2013 at 9:03 PM ^

i get the recorded music thing during the games.  fine, whatever.

but i really don't understand the jet-engine level rock blasting in my face 35 minutes before the game starts.  what.  the fuck.