Reactions from the past

[Rightupinthere]

I read through most of the "Reflections and looking ahead" thread.

It was hilarious. The concerns and debate are EXACTLY what we discussed upon a season reflection. My marching years were 88-92. The concerns over fundamentals, bonding, and spirit were all concerns back then as well.

Hindsight is, indeed, 20/20.

I remember having many discusions with squad leaders regarding fundamental practices at 3:45pm (band started at 4pm). There were LOADS of discussions regarding flip folders and their need to disappear. Bonding? 1991 was a good year, but 1992 was a dismal year because of Sparky. The only spirit the rank and file had was a unanamous desire to have Sparky placed in a stockade only to have rotten vegetation hurled at him.

Let me say this, it's never has bad as you perceive it to be. Seeking to improve is wonderful, but don't try to match the perfection imagined in your brains.

Here is what I would like to see from the FMB:

*Play to both sides of the stands. Your not a contest band. You can march corp style an still be a "show" band. You play to the crowd.......the entire crowd.
That was our thought way back in the day. We usually played 4 songs and at least one of those songs was all to the East Stands. *Note: Pregame doesn't count.
I'm still miffed over the MCB last year when you played to strangers and not your own beloved fans. It looked great, but the sound got absorbed by a black hole of indifferent corpses.

*What ever happened to ditties? Make a small group of instrumentalists and travel throughout the stadium playing for small sections of fans.

Those two are pretty much it. I saw a great band this year. The improvement is quite awesome. Keep it up and keep it going. Stay excited and improve.

That's it. Thanks for the enjoyment in reflection. I have a huge smile on my face right now.

[goofyeuph]

I'm glad to see that somethings never change. Its somewhat comforting to know that some of the same things that the FMB worries about now are the same things that were of concern 10-15 years ago. Personally I don't things were as bad as some on this board are trying to make out. I feel this was a very good year for the FMB. I think you hit part of the problem with people wanting to much to be perfect (which is a fine goal) and then somewhat over reacting with they don't reach that goal. Personally, I don't believe in perfection. Never have, never will. There is always something that could be done different, something that could be done better. Plus, with something as abstract as music, perfection is an illusion. It's no secert that no two years are the same, so we must take what we have been given and to do the best with what we have.

As for you two beefs...I don't know why we no longer play to the East stands. That stopped when Carol came on board. I know we have fans on both sides of the field, plus as I understand it there is a lot of money that sits up in boxes on that side.

I don't understand why we played to the Northwestern side either at the MCB. Several of us kept asking and pleeding to play to our fans, but got overuled. I personally would rather play to our fans, it's a much warmer reception. Though it was pretty cool to get hit with this wall of sound from behind.

Sections still do ditties, but they are much restricted to the Field House and Sounds of the Stadium. I think it would be really cool to send a small pep band around the stadium during the 3rd quarter or something. Every place I've ever seen it done at, it is always a huge hit. We havn't done it since I've been here. Maybe someone could menition it to Doc H and see what happens.

I'm glad to see Alumni taking interest in what the band is doing and giving us feedback. It makes life easier knowing that people outside the university care about what we do. Thanks for everything.

[Falcon30]

I Thought you continued the upward spiral this year. I was impressed last year and when I win the 130million MegaMillions tonight, I will donate so much money that the will spell my name on the field.

I wanted to preface my comment because I love you guys and am proud of the turnaround.

I have only one suggestion (it's more like a plea) - slow down on The Screamer and clean it up! Ask any of us veterans - we will gladly send a copy of a tape from 1991 or so. It's still shocking to hear that poor song played like it is Ay Zig.

[goofyeuph]

How much slower are you talking??? I agree it is a smige too fast and really sloppy.

[Ohiogal]

if you can play it like a funeral durge I might be able to keep up...

My only peeve about the band is that they don't play to the east side (where I sit). And there is a lot of money over there with the season ticket holders.

And I don't like where they sit in the endzone but hey, if you guys like it, I won't complain!

And sorry to tell you this Falcon30, but I'M winning the lottery tonight!

[Bassdrummin]

Hah, I think i remember talking about screamer a month or two ago. I was one of two five year marchers this year, and I remember how good screamer was and I know how bad it has gotten. I too should hope that that song gets cleaner, since it is one of my favorites. I didnt like sitting in the endzone either, but I know that it only helps people hear the band better. Many good comments. I look forward to the alumni game next year.
word

[goofyeuph]

Here's my take on sitting in the endzone:

If I wasn't in the band, I like where we were moved too this year. The crowd can hear us better, which in turn gets people fired up.

As someone you likes to watch football, as well as cheer and play in the band, I hate our new seats. When things get 60, 80, 100 yards away it makes watching the game rather difficult. At that distance there isn't too much difference between a 5 yard gain and a 5 yard loss. Another reason I don't like sitting in the endzone is because we don't have any field goal nets!! I am truly very surprised that a) the athletic department or the band office wouldn't pay for these, and b) no one or no instruments got hurt doging field goals and PAT's (which seemed to happen often )

Summary: Band in Endzone, good for fans, bad place to watch a game.

[Rightupinthere]

Yeah, I was the one who started the Screamer beef last year. It sounded like hell last year fast and it still sounds like hell this year fast.

It isn't a fast song. It's bump and grind music. Not, "Oh my God, I can't believe I'm doing it" music.

I'll gladly supply a '91 or '90 tape for comparison (YES, I FINALLY GOT A 90 TAPE! The religious half time (Let his praise be glorious) - drilled by Brian.....uh....Brian whatshisname.)

Oh, and I'm the one winning the lottery tonghit......or is this something for which you have to buy tickets?

Oh rats.

[FliccGirl]

Ha! I remember you griping about Screamer last year after homecoming.

And I still say they haven't put nets in the endzone because they find it hilarious to watch 220 college students all scream, point, and duck for cover multiple times in an evening.

[MatrixBass3]

Here is what I would like to see from the FMB:

*Play to both sides of the stands. Your not a contest band. You can march corp style an still be a "show" band. You play to the crowd.......the entire crowd.

I hope I never see that from the FMB or any band for that matter. I hated when I was marching, and I hate when I see it now. The home side is always way more enthusiastic and it's a lot more fun to play for an enthsusiastic crowd. There's nothing worse than turning around and playing a song to half-empty stands partially full of blue and gold or red and black. Secondly.................IF A BAND PLAYS TO THE OPPOSING SIDE THE SHOW CONTINUITY GOES OUT THE WINDOW. I CANNOT SAY IT ENOUGH. THE FMB IS AN ENSEMBLE, AND A MUSICAL ONE........I'M TIRED OF PEOPLE THINKING THAT THE PRIMARY JOB OF THE BAND IS TO ENTERTAIN ALL OF THE DRUNK IDIOTS IN THE STANDS!!!!! What about giving the people in the band a show to be proud of. I guess back in the late 80's and those times no one cared if the show was cool........or rather the general idea of what a good show has changed in the overall mind of the personnel of the band. Some people like corps-style shows, and some people *myself* could give a rats rear-end whether or not a single fan likes our show. I play and march because I like to. What ever happened to that?.....oh yeah.......it got too difficult. When you play because you enjoy it, then the crowd will enjoy it as a byproduct.......it's inevitable.

But I guess that the real answer is to start dancing and dumb down the shows to the point where a common sewer rat can understand it..........then we'll be just fine. Now that's entertainment!

[Falcon30]

Does anyone have the capability to put the screamer on mp3? Grant, how did u get the your songs online as mp3s?

OhioGal - can your husband still put the 91 tape on CD for me (us?)

[Rightupinthere]

Here is what I would like to see from the FMB:

*Play to both sides of the stands. Your not a contest band. You can march corp style an still be a "show" band. You play to the crowd.......the entire crowd.

I hope I never see that from the FMB or any band for that matter. I hated when I was marching, and I hate when I see it now. The home side is always way more enthusiastic and it's a lot more fun to play for an enthsusiastic crowd. There's nothing worse than turning around and playing a song to half-empty stands partially full of blue and gold or red and black. Secondly.................IF A BAND PLAYS TO THE OPPOSING SIDE THE SHOW CONTINUITY GOES OUT THE WINDOW. I CANNOT SAY IT ENOUGH. THE FMB IS AN ENSEMBLE, AND A MUSICAL ONE........I'M TIRED OF PEOPLE THINKING THAT THE PRIMARY JOB OF THE BAND IS TO ENTERTAIN ALL OF THE DRUNK IDIOTS IN THE STANDS!!!!! What about giving the people in the band a show to be proud of. I guess back in the late 80's and those times no one cared if the show was cool........or rather the general idea of what a good show has changed in the overall mind of the personnel of the band. Some people like corps-style shows, and some people *myself* could give a rats rear-end whether or not a single fan likes our show. I play and march because I like to. What ever happened to that?.....oh yeah.......it got too difficult. When you play because you enjoy it, then the crowd will enjoy it as a byproduct.......it's inevitable.

But I guess that the real answer is to start dancing and dumb down the shows to the point where a common sewer rat can understand it..........then we'll be just fine. Now that's entertainment!

You're an idiot.

[FliccGirl]

MatrixBass.... do we know who you are? I forget.

Also, I disagree... the FMB has two primary purposes, equally important. One is to give the crowd some quality entertainment, of better quality than they would see elsewhere... the ENTIRE crowd. The other is to give the band members an experience they can enjoy and be proud of. Without either of those two functions, the FMB becomes pointless.

Performances BY NATURE incorporate the audience. If there were no point in having a crowd watching us, then we might as well just perform our show on the practice field. After all, if we just "play and march because we like to" then that will be just as fulfilling as marching in front of a crowd, right? Oh yeah, you said you liked the applause... we'll play some recorded clapping over the loudspeakers. Ta-da! It's a perfect situation. You get to perform how YOU want to, without worrying about whether or not the crowd likes it.

It is TERRIBLY important that the band takes pride in what they're doing, because a bad attitude from the band will be contagious and the crowd will have a bad reaction. However, it unfortunately does not follow that a GOOD attitude from the band will necessarily cause a good reaction in the crowd. Sucks, doesn't it? Too bad that's how it is, in everything, not just marching band. You have to TRY to get people to respect you... lack of respect comes without any effort at all.

[It's the Journey...]

MatrixBass3

I hope you are not a music education major! If you are then I am sure your students will teach you a lot about performance. I agree that the FMB should not be afraid to put a show out there that will stretch the horizons of the fans in the stands. I know some that did not like "Frontiers" when it was first performed, but after it sunk in they loved it. And as far at the crack about playing to the crowd on both sides in the 80's, when I marched in 1995 we played at least one song each show to the east side. And we had terrible home crowds that year. It was the first of Blackney's six straight loosing seasons. And by they way, the sohws were "cool". Just so you know.

[goofyeuph]

You're an idiot.

And then Alumni do $hit like this and it makes me wonder how much they really care about the band now.

MatrixBass does have a point. It is very difficult to perform to a hostile crowd (ask any stand up comic). Also, for whatever reason, show quality tends to drop when we try and perform to both sides of the field. I don't know if it is poor show writing, bad continunity or what, but that has been my expreince.
[/i]However[/i]
I do believe that the purpose of the band is to put on the field the best show we can. By best I mean the best execution of the drill and music that we can. I feel that it is the the responiblity of the Director to decide exactly how to best be entertaining. If the Director feels that we will perform our best and be the most entertaining by only playing to the West/Home stands, so be it.

There is some truth to the "marching only for us" concept though. Anyone remember Frontiers? I clearly remember a show that was "for us". Most of us marching, and Doc H if I remember correctly, didn't care what the crowd reaction was. We just wanted to perform our show. Now, that show did recieve thunderous ovations, and was well liked by performer and crowd alike. So there is some truth that things do go both ways. However, Fliccgirl is right. It is very easy to make a crowd turn negitive. It doesn't take much. It is extremly difficult to take a hostile crowd and turn them in your favor.

I think I've ranted enough/too much. I shall leave you at this impass. Have a nice day.[/i]