Gopher Band: Let's do something like this!

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Let's just start with getting them in band uniforms instead of polo shirts, and go from there.
 


I wonder what this would look like on AggieVision
 




AuEGO4 said:
I wonder what this would look like on AggieVision
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Not sure if they could keep the band action in frame. Just think of all the times the band changes directions while they march. Totally beyond AggieVision capability.

Oh well, time to call Casa Del Autos to look for a replacement deal. Too bad the phone number is too blurred to do that.
 

I understand the sentiment about the uniforms and appearances, but the temps for UNLV, especially on the field pregame and early on in the game with the band pit taking a direct hit from the sun, were quite extreme. Not putting the band in those heavy uniforms was a justifiable and humane move.
 

Sports_Realist said:
I understand the sentiment about the uniforms and appearances, but the temps for UNLV, especially on the field pregame and early on in the game with the band pit taking a direct hit from the sun, were quite extreme. Not putting the band in those heavy uniforms was a justifiable and humane move.
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Absolutely. I had a buddy of mine faint during a high school band event at memorial day from heat. Its not like he wasn't used to heat, he also was all conference on our football team and handled two-a-days without a problem. Those uniforms are hot.
 



LBJ said:
Absolutely. I had a buddy of mine faint during a high school band event at memorial day from heat. Its not like he wasn't used to heat, he also was all conference on our football team and handled two-a-days without a problem. Those uniforms are hot.
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Hotter than Goldy's suit? Is making Goldy wear the fur inhumaine? Or is it a sacrifice to enhance the gameday experience? The temperature inside that suit is about 20-30 degrees hotter than the exterior temp. There is very little air circulation and very rarely is Goldy not moving around.
And don't think Goldy hasn't ended up in an ambulance from heat.
 

Then break the bank to order up some matching sweat suits or something like that to march in. At least they wouldn't look like the alumni band. I don't watch other bands closely, but is this type of switch pretty normal for warm weather games? It was hot in a lot of stadiums over the past two weeks.
 

Sports_Realist said:
I understand the sentiment about the uniforms and appearances, but the temps for UNLV, especially on the field pregame and early on in the game with the band pit taking a direct hit from the sun, were quite extreme. Not putting the band in those heavy uniforms was a justifiable and humane move.
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Sure, but the band has its locker room right inside the stadium. Change after pre-game. I saw Nebraska wore polos last week too, though.
 

An apology to the OP, but Goldy is prolific. They have two or three deep too at games.
Sometimes they change at half time. I sat next to the father of one two years ago and he said there were eight that year. Let's hope they have to do lots of pushups this year.
 



AuEGO4 said:
Hotter than Goldy's suit? Is making Goldy wear the fur inhumaine? Or is it a sacrifice to enhance the gameday experience? The temperature inside that suit is about 20-30 degrees hotter than the exterior temp. There is very little air circulation and very rarely is Goldy not moving around.
And don't think Goldy hasn't ended up in an ambulance from heat.
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I seem to remember a couple friends who were Goldy telling me that there are multiple Goldys, at least at football games. So on a hot day they could be switching off. Or even without that they could head "back stage" for a breather. Whereas the band essentially never leaves their spot.
Of course my A&M fan in-laws were making fun of our band since the Aggie Band would never be caught dead out of uniform and the temps at Kyle Field can get brutal multiple times per year.
 


Pony up the donations to afford the rights to these songs, and I'm sure the band would be happy to do something similar!
 

GopherVictory said:
I seem to remember a couple friends who were Goldy telling me that there are multiple Goldys, at least at football games. So on a hot day they could be switching off. Or even without that they could head "back stage" for a breather. Whereas the band essentially never leaves their spot.
Of course my A&M fan in-laws were making fun of our band since the Aggie Band would never be caught dead out of uniform and the temps at Kyle Field can get brutal multiple times per year.
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Kinda like how all those southern teams will never be caught dead playing a team in the north beyond October 15.

Southerners bitch and moan about the cold way more than northerners complain about the heat.
 

Schnauzer said:
Then break the bank to order up some matching sweat suits or something like that to march in. At least they wouldn't look like the alumni band. I don't watch other bands closely, but is this type of switch pretty normal for warm weather games? It was hot in a lot of stadiums over the past two weeks.
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I know Illinois has gone with no jackets when they are in the stands in the past and then put their jackets back on when they take the field. However, the U's uniforms are 20 years old, made of wool, and have a few different layers of buttons so this wouldn't be a simple solution. Plus there is no space in the pit to store said jackets so band members would have to go in and out of the tunnel to change, decreasing their volume during the game.

Additionally, aren't there 3 different Goldy's at each game that switch in and out of the Goldy costume over the course of the game? A little different scenario.
 

Sports_Realist said:
I understand the sentiment about the uniforms and appearances, but the temps for UNLV, especially on the field pregame and early on in the game with the band pit taking a direct hit from the sun, were quite extreme. Not putting the band in those heavy uniforms was a justifiable and humane move.
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Yeah I think it's completely justified, although all the complaints are probably from people who have never had to actually march in a thick uniform in the hot sun. Admittedly I haven't had to do so either, but playing a wind instrument is more physically demanding than you would think, then you add marching around the field to that. I'm not in marching band, but I play in the pep band at men's basketball games, and by the end of them I'm usually hot enough that I hold onto my coat and walk back to my dorm room in mid-February in just my short sleeve band polo.

It's for the safety of the marching band members, and like I said the ones complaining probably weren't being judged for wearing a T-shirt and shorts in the 85 degree heat.
 

Ski U Master said:
Pony up the donations to afford the rights to these songs, and I'm sure the band would be happy to do something similar!
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It seems like whenever a suggestion is made about the band, I end up having to pay for it. Is that how it works with Michigan - someone on their message board suggests, and then pays for a Beyonce halftime?
 

GopherVictory said:
Of course my A&M fan in-laws were making fun of our band since the Aggie Band would never be caught dead out of uniform and the temps at Kyle Field can get brutal multiple times per year.
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You can show them up with just a little bit of knowledge. The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band makes at least one public performance out of uniform each week during football season: Midnight Yell Practice.

Look above the steps at the lower left for the band.

You can also see the band in the closing shot of this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL-ZLJoHW1E

Also, :45 seconds in to this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvsctOgYVFw
 

This would require the band to march and play at the same time. Way out of the comfort zone here! Our band needs serious work and I have felt this for years.
 

Gopherdrummer said:
I know Illinois has gone with no jackets when they are in the stands in the past and then put their jackets back on when they take the field. However, the U's uniforms are 20 years old, made of wool, and have a few different layers of buttons so this wouldn't be a simple solution. Plus there is no space in the pit to store said jackets so band members would have to go in and out of the tunnel to change, decreasing their volume during the game.

Additionally, aren't there 3 different Goldy's at each game that switch in and out of the Goldy costume over the course of the game? A little different scenario.
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Home football games there are 2 switching at half. Away games no, parades no. The Goldy at Middle Tenn St was one and only and we all know how hot and humid it was for that game.
 

Don't like half of the bands in the SEC or Florida State or whatever take off the top of their uniforms and are only wearing t-shirts with suspenders showing during games while in the stands? I swear I see that all the time on TV.
 

Schnauzer said:
It seems like whenever a suggestion is made about the band, I end up having to pay for it. Is that how it works with Michigan - someone on their message board suggests, and then pays for a Beyonce halftime?
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Their band has a much larger donor base than ours, but basically yes. They get more support from donors and the school than our band does. Hell, OSU's band gives a nice scholly to their drum major.
 


As an alumnus of the UMMB, I feel I need to chime in. Yes, from the outside world, it did seem unorthadox that the Band marched in what they call "State Fair" uniform (band polo and khaki shorts). But consider this: we spent nearly 28 or so years in a climate-controlled dome where heat was never a problem, hence why we never needed to replace uniforms quickly due to weather-wear. Marching outside definitely is in a way, a "new" experience for the Band, and until we can obtain enough funding to perhaps get band uniforms like Oregon's, that's just the nature of it all. Honestly can't fault their decision - they still looked and sounded amazing. Besides the Band doesn't get water fans in the band pit the way the football players do on the sidelines. BTW, just this past weekend, I caught a few clips of Iowa's marching band in polos in khaki shorts.

This brings me to my next point, funding for the Band has been strained for the last few years. Such that they have lost a day off their pre-season camp and can't really afford to house members in the residence halls. If you guys would have seen how hard and fast these students worked in order to learn their routine this past August in time for the UNLV game, I believe you would have given them a pass. I attribute this to a new administration both at the top of the U (Kaler & Teague) as well as in the School of Music. Unfortunately support for the Band is not as strong as it was when fun Bobby was president. If you guys want Katy Perry or Lady Gaga to introduce the Band during halftime, let the powers that be know that the Band is very important to the U and deserves more financial support. Not every college band has corporate sponsor like Ohio State's (but doesn't mean we can't look for one, especially here in the Twin Cities).

I don't mean for this post to be a defensive rant, but just another perspective that I hope some of you can gauge. Continue to cheer loudly for the Band this Saturday.
 

I love the band and hopefully someday it will be a priority and they will march in sync. It would be nice if those holding the flags in the pregame knew what they were doing. Most people don't notice this or don't care but it is all of the little details that make a marching band great.
 


It would be interesting to see how the band would look if it was under the administration of the Athletic Dept like the cheerleaders/dance team/Goldy. UMMB is a redheaded stepchild in the School of Music, it's unfortunate that it isn't a requirement (as far as I know) for all music education majors to spend a year in the UMMB.
 

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