The Band Pit

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Schnauzer

Schnauzer

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I must have a small amount of OCD because little things that are out of place bug me. One of the biggest problems from the construction of the "Bank" was the way they built the band pit to accommodate the band without their instruments. That little problem was discovered early on when the band WITH their instruments didn't fit and they had to "make do" with additional seating around the incorrectly sized band pit. It has bugged me since day one.

It seems like a relatively cheap fix to fill in that area and create space to fit the entire band. Why do they continue to fill in bodies around the little band pit? Meanwhile, we didn't have the rouser at the end of Saturday's game because they vacate the band pit area in case there is a field storming.

And while they are at it, why not swing by Menards to get a few more flagpoles for the stadium's north rim? It looked really cool to have every B1G school represented with flags on the north rim in 2009. Then the conference grew and instead of growing the flags, they just took them down and replaced them all with generic gopher flags. To this day, 11 flag poles to represent the 11 school conference as it was when the stadium was built. Again, OCD kicks in and it has annoyed me ever since.
 

I wonder how big a deal the band thing is, it seems weird but I'm not sure the inconvenience is terrible.

Team flags on stadium tho ... yeah that should be fixed.
 


Also while they're on the roof ....

They should let me build a nice big condo up there with a deck I can watch the game from. I promise I will be a good neighbor up there.
 

DarthGopher said:
Yup, they never consulted the band during the design phase and assumed 300 normal spectators. Band is much larger AND has instruments. Damn architects. :)

The school could save 11% on additional flag poles.
Click to expand...
The band solution is to either move the band, fill in the band pit area, or dig it out properly. A couple of those options are a cost factor. Instead "none of the above" has been done since 2009 and now everyone is just sort of used to it. It bugged me then, it bugged me now. And now that field rushes are a semi-annual occurrence, we are left without the band playing at the end of the most meaningful games. There has got to be a better, yet cheap fix to this.
 





Another band question: why wasn't USC band invited to be on the field pre game or halftime?
At least to play Fight On (a top 5 college fight song for sure). Or were they and I missed it. They must have spent over 100k to fly band here
 



For a cheap immediate solution I'd like to see the band moved to sections 119-121 and then turn the pit into some form of special event seating.
 

Schnauzer said:
For a cheap immediate solution I'd like to see the band moved to sections 119-121 and then turn the pit into some form of special event seating.
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hqdefault.jpg
 

Schnauzer said:
The band solution is to either move the band, fill in the band pit area, or dig it out properly. A couple of those options are a cost factor. Instead "none of the above" has been done since 2009 and now everyone is just sort of used to it. It bugged me then, it bugged me now. And now that field rushes are a semi-annual occurrence, we are left without the band playing at the end of the most meaningful games. There has got to be a better, yet cheap fix to this.
Click to expand...
Habitat For Humanity project with Gopherholers supplying the labor. I'd sign up!
 

LesBolstad said:
Another band question: why wasn't USC band invited to be on the field pre game or halftime?
At least to play Fight On (a top 5 college fight song for sure). Or were they and I missed it. They must have spent over 100k to fly band here
Click to expand...
On the field in with the U band for the Star Spangled Banner. I think a band parent relayed that they were not very hospitable, so maybe that played into it? Also do not think it was the entire USC band...looked like maybe 30-40 members?
 



LesBolstad said:
Another band question: why wasn't USC band invited to be on the field pre game or halftime?
At least to play Fight On (a top 5 college fight song for sure). Or were they and I missed it. They must have spent over 100k to fly band here
Click to expand...
They were pre-game for national anthem and their director did the directing. It is about all you really can do given every halftime show is unique and memorized. Pre-game is a set number. That is why there are only about 250 of the 320+ that do pre-game. The formations require precise numbers.
 

DarthGopher said:
Yup, they never consulted the band during the design phase and assumed 300 normal spectators. Band is much larger AND has instruments. Damn architects. :)

The school could save 11% on additional flag poles.
Click to expand...
They did consult with the band, but the pipes to pump the Heating Coyles full of hot chili took up too much space to allow for a larger band seating area.
 

PMWinSTP said:
On the field in with the U band for the Star Spangled Banner. I think a band parent relayed that they were not very hospitable, so maybe that played into it? Also do not think it was the entire USC band...looked like maybe 30-40 members?
Click to expand...
It was their travel band. About 80. They divide into 1/4's and rotate each week for away games. Full band is roughly the same size as ours.
 


LesBolstad said:
Another band question: why wasn't USC band invited to be on the field pre game or halftime?
At least to play Fight On (a top 5 college fight song for sure). Or were they and I missed it. They must have spent over 100k to fly band here
Click to expand...

Just FYI on the cost, the USC Band has a major donor/benefactor so their entire traveling budget is endowed to ensure that all or usually parts of the Trojan Marching Band attends all away games.

In general the whole band only travels for games at UCLA & Notre Dame. The full band would then get to participate briefly pre-game & post game.

Other games it's more limited like just the Seniors or just the Juniors, and then a few it's like a 12-15 piece pep band for when they were going to a remote spot like Wash St or Oregon St. Those types of games they would not perform on the field.

The USC band also gets scheduled to play pep fests, alumni gatherings and fundraisers wherever the game is taking place throughout the weekend.

At least that was how it was when a buddy of mine was in the USC Marching band around 2000. Perhaps moving to the expanded Big 10 impacts their traveling resources.
 

Ope3 said:
Just FYI on the cost, the USC Band has a major donor/benefactor so their entire traveling budget is endowed to ensure that all or usually parts of the Trojan Marching Band attends all away games.

In general the whole band only travels for games at UCLA & Notre Dame. The full band would then get to participate briefly pre-game & post game.

Other games it's more limited like just the Seniors or just the Juniors, and then a few it's like a 12-15 piece pep band for when they were going to a remote spot like Wash St or Oregon St. Those types of games they would not perform on the field.

The USC band also gets scheduled to play pep fests, alumni gatherings and fundraisers wherever the game is taking place throughout the weekend.

At least that was how it was when a buddy of mine was in the USC Marching band around 2000. Perhaps moving to the expanded Big 10 impacts their traveling resources.
Click to expand...
Did anyone warn USC about inviting Wisconsin or do we just let them figure it out the hard way??
 


As a former band member with a wife that was a member, a daughter that was a member and even a father-in-law and sister-in-law that were members, the size of the pit has bothered me from day one also.

I've said if I ever won the lottery, I would donate money to expand the band pit so it goes from tunnel to tunnel and even up a couple rows so they can all fit. But since I don't even play the lottery, the odds of that happening are basically zero.
 

DarthGopher said:
Did anyone warn USC about inviting Wisconsin or do we just let them figure it out the hard way??
Click to expand...
I do get a kick when the Wisconsin Marching Band or Pep version plays Swingtown (Steve Miller Band).

That's about the only nice thing I can say about Wisconsin University. Mark Johnson was also a heckuva hockey player and catalyst for the '80 Olympic team. That's it. That's the list.
 
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LesBolstad said:
Another band question: why wasn't USC band invited to be on the field pre game or halftime?
At least to play Fight On (a top 5 college fight song for sure). Or were they and I missed it. They must have spent over 100k to fly band here
Click to expand...
Because after they play the only 3 songs they know how to play, the halftime show would be over....

:D
 



I was always disappointed they didn’t integrate some type of bandshell design.
 

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Schnauzer said:
I must have a small amount of OCD because little things that are out of place bug me. One of the biggest problems from the construction of the "Bank" was the way they built the band pit to accommodate the band without their instruments. That little problem was discovered early on when the band WITH their instruments didn't fit and they had to "make do" with additional seating around the incorrectly sized band pit. It has bugged me since day one.

It seems like a relatively cheap fix to fill in that area and create space to fit the entire band. Why do they continue to fill in bodies around the little band pit? Meanwhile, we didn't have the rouser at the end of Saturday's game because they vacate the band pit area in case there is a field storming.

And while they are at it, why not swing by Menards to get a few more flagpoles for the stadium's north rim? It looked really cool to have every B1G school represented with flags on the north rim in 2009. Then the conference grew and instead of growing the flags, they just took them down and replaced them all with generic gopher flags. To this day, 11 flag poles to represent the 11 school conference as it was when the stadium was built. Again, OCD kicks in and it has annoyed me ever since.
Click to expand...
I think that there are different versions of OCD. Looks like you might have a touch of one of them. I am pretty sure that I have one also.
 


I can already hear the U response to expanding the band pit. Make the ba nd smaller to fit the available space.
 

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