Lady Gaga VS the Muppets

[Ski U Mah 55]

If there is one thing the band needs to solve many of its problems it is this: $$$$$$$

More money means you can go on away trips, hire arrangers, hire drill writers (good drill writers I should add), and buy rights to more current music. Oregon's band plays tons of current pop music because Nike guy bankrolls a portion of their budget and buys them the rights which are not cheap, in exchange they only have to wear those awful Nike designed unis.

If the UMMB is going to continue under the umbrella of the SoM, maybe all music education majors should be required to play at least one year in the marching band. Get those very talented musicians into the fold and get them some applicable experience in marching band which they will need if they are wanting to teach high school band. If the SoM isn't going to provide the band with what they need to be great, the control should be given to the AD just like Goldy is.

I forgot to add, make Thriller the finale of every Halloween weekend halftime show. Everyone loves it, it could be a great Halloween tradition in the making!

 

[STPGopher]

I forgot to add, make Thriller the finale of every Halloween weekend halftime show. Everyone loves it, it could be a great Halloween tradition in the making!

Yes especially since the melody can be heard. That and some of the latin/ swing was good because of the amount of brass. I it is loud! Again, I really like and am proud of our band, just wish they'd add some crowd pumping stuff.

 

[Nokomis]

I forgot to add, make Thriller the finale of every Halloween weekend halftime show. Everyone loves it, it could be a great Halloween tradition in the making!

Agree, and every Homecoming show should end with the Mound of Sound (though pick a different tune than In The Mood to perform it to).

 

[Formo]

I forgot to add, make Thriller the finale of every Halloween weekend halftime show. Everyone loves it, it could be a great Halloween tradition in the making!

I know with certainty that they have done this ever since TheBank opened. Not sure if they'll continue it, but they've done it. I also remember them doing it once in the Dome, too.. But not sure which year in the Dome.

 

[Nokomis]

The only bands worth mentioning are in the SWAC:

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0u4pndmz-70" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

It would rule if Minnesota had a band half that entertaining

Their breakdowns are always fantastic:

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zOTigeBsnf0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

So not a marching band?

Kidding...but some movement to go with the dancing and music selection.

 

[Gopherdrummer]

NDSU's marching band plays 1-3 different halftime shows during their entire home schedule. The show they performed last Saturday was a shortened version of a show they have played since the season began. The UMMB is one of the only bands in the conuntry that legally obtains rights to perform the music you hear. A lot of the rights get pulled at the last minute.

Example: a few years ago, an entire Led Zepplin show was scraped because the rights were pulled a few weeks prior to game day.

The band's budget has been slashed consistently. There are many pressing needs such as replacing the entire tuba line, replacing the Drumline equipment as the drums are 5 years old and fairly beaten up, and purchase or replace all the uniforms which are now 20 years old (estimated at $400,000 to replace them all), along with many more priorities.

As for the music selection, judging music is hard. No matter what choices the band makes, there are still going to be people that will never be pleased with the music played.

Go Gophers!

 

[husker70]

[Now the music majors can take me to task for not understanding tempo, and I mentioned what a drag it is to Play The Battle Hymn of the Republic. Not to offer a suggestion, would be simply bitching about it. I thought about other songs, which would be appropriate to present the colors yet provide an up tempo song and retain the swinging gates. As I looked back, I went to the Author of The Minnesota March and John Philliip Sousa. Made me think how many sousaphone players are in the band. And then this.

Sousa himself:

 

[gopherdudepart2]

Two major issues with the band as it relates to the stadium

The band pit they are stuck in the stadium sucks big time, it is a platform that swallows sound and is a poorly designed concrete hole.
Second our school songs are mostly boring, the U of M has a ton of them and they have to be played so we are stuck listening to them. Then when they do try to update ie: the alumni association fiasco and wasted money on that piece of SEC crap that sounded like Go Gators a Florida clone instead of investing in the band we get more useless attempts at creating tradition or songs. For all those suggesting change, buy a ticket to their indoor show or a CD, they need to raise revenue to do many of the changes people ask. All the things people want the group to do take money and it is what they lack most. The current director has affection for and ideas that many people do not like and likes to play music that many people hate. I think he enjoys bugging people especially those of us that complain. Writing him emails is a waste of time and effort when he has had to fight to retain staff and try to keep from having his budget cut as others have said.
It is hard to move a large group you try arranging anything for such a large group on a computer and see how difficult it becomes, I do not envy anyone that has to do this.

Things that seem to be most successful are when the group and the kids get creative and actually create something or the arrangment. I admired when they did things like Thriller and Living on a prayer because the kids seemed to enjoy it, so did the fans and I think it was the kids that pushed for this. The band director is a contrarian, only he would think the Muppets are cool, most people are bored by the stuff he likes.

 

[Curseislifted33]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZtCZOiZ-cg&feature=youtu.be