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Post by jimflamesfan on Aug 21, 2005 15:25:27 GMT -5
I was at the football scrimmage this past Saturday, and the band was practicing way over near the Wingate.
It sounds like they are doing a patriotic theme this year...I think Born in the USA, God Bless America, and some other songs.
The band has really been excellent the last three years. They are a lot bigger than when I did marching band in 97 and 98.
Plus, they are quite impressive if you like drum corps style shows (which most band people...especially brass and percussion REALLY do). They've been invited to some high school shows the past three years, and they always impress the high school band people and get standing ovations.
Three years ago they did a river dance theme and had a cool warm up based on "An Irish Tune", which has been ripped into many other songs "You Raise Me Up", "He Looked beyond my Faults and saw my needs", "The Old Apple-Blossom Tree"
Two years ago they did a Blue Devils rip show (for the drum corps fan) of "When A Man Loves a Women". It may have been a rip show, but still very cool.
Last year they did a cool New York themed show, and despite all of the comments about the guys in the colorguard, it was still cool. Almost like a Cadets of Bergen County show with the moving base drum circle thing and guys in the guard.
This year from what I heard it sounds patriotic...I going to guess that they take the ending from the Star of Indiana and make a company front that turns into a Star and then the letters USA, and then finally a flag. But that's just my guess.
Anyway, that's it for my band info. If anyone is in the band, could you please get us a MP3 copy of the fight song?!?
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Post by Sly Fox on Aug 21, 2005 15:50:10 GMT -5
I wouldn't consider 'Born in the USA' a particularly patriotic song.
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Post by flamesfan710 on Aug 21, 2005 16:05:28 GMT -5
Ok. from what I can tell you (being in the band) the song lineup is Born in the USA, America the Beautiful, Sweet Home Alabama, What a Wonderful World, Rodeo (percussion feature), Wipeout/Surfin USA/California Dreamin, America the Beautiful/Sweet Home Alabama/Born in The USA finale (featuring what Dr Kerr will only describe as "superdrill" for the drumline battery) You guys are really gonna like this show and also some of teh forms Dr Kerr has come up with (We may not be spelling out USA but you will like what we do spell out if you get to come watch us) Oh and about getting an MP3 of the fight song, I will talk to Dr Kerr about getting the band recorded
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Post by HarrisburgFlame on Aug 21, 2005 16:38:46 GMT -5
Put my on the list for the fight song as well. I have been wanting to get a copy for years now!
Thanks!
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Post by Sly Fox on Aug 21, 2005 17:00:29 GMT -5
Who would've ever thought we'd see the day when our band was covering Lynyrd Skynard?
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Post by flamesfan710 on Aug 21, 2005 20:25:22 GMT -5
well with the addition of a piano/keyboard player and an electric guitar, that sort of thing became possible.
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Post by PAmedic on Aug 22, 2005 5:50:19 GMT -5
still laughing about Skynrd. and yeah- Born in the USA (though I'm a major Springsteen fan, go figure- spent summers in the Asbury Park area- but I digress) is a Vietnam protest song. Not patriotic, and not meant to be.
On a more related note, you will all be shocked and dismayed to know that I too was a proud member of the Spirit of the Mountain back in the day. We only had about 150 members- we actually recruited students who COULDN"T PLAY AN INSTRUMENT to march to fill out the formations.
Camp and practice was held on the blacktop parking area around DeMoss somewhere (a long time ago and memory fades) due to no stadium/ field on campus yet.
The highlight was marching the halftime show at the Meadowlands in 88 or 89 (?) for the Dallas vs. NYG.
We had these God-awful powder blue uniforms that fit NO ONE and had to buy our own shoes- so everyone's were completely different. Nice.
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Post by PAmedic on Aug 22, 2005 5:51:27 GMT -5
Marching city stadium was an experience- watch out for the rocks. Do you guys still do the "parade-thing" on game day (march up Univ. Blvd?) by the way- tell the powers that be that the link on this page: Marching Band site is bad, and has been for several weeks. Here is the Error message
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Post by flamesfan710 on Aug 22, 2005 7:02:38 GMT -5
yeah...last year was kinda funny because a downpour started as we were passing the religion hall (that was homecoming parade) so he wad to run into fine arts and then spend the next few hours before the game drying off our uniforms.
But yeah we still march up to the football stadium before games.
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Post by PAmedic on Aug 22, 2005 7:19:23 GMT -5
AGS was looking for Pix of marching bands a couple weeks ago- couldn't find any to post over there- FF710 do you know of any or plans to post them? maybe start w/ fixing the existing site!
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Post by LUconn on Aug 22, 2005 8:37:34 GMT -5
I would just like to point out that this thread is in the "Other Sports" section and this is in no way a sport.
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Post by flamesfan710 on Aug 22, 2005 15:37:13 GMT -5
AGS was looking for Pix of marching bands a couple weeks ago- couldn't find any to post over there- FF710 do you know of any or plans to post them? maybe start w/ fixing the existing site! I will talk to Paul Struska about it. I think he is the guy doing band PR (which includes pics and stuff), and maybe we can talk to the folks at Info Services about sprucing up the band page.
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Post by HarrisburgFlame on Aug 22, 2005 16:11:43 GMT -5
Good points re:sprucing up the band page. I think one area LU is weak is in its overall web strategy. The net provides tons of access and can be an effective recruiting tool for sports, band, etc. I would love to see the band page include some pics, sound files, etc. Hey - you never know. Some kid may surf across the jazzed up band site and decide to inquire further which could lead to enrollment, participation, etc. etc.
You get the idea.
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Post by jimflamesfan on Aug 22, 2005 19:23:01 GMT -5
They have some pictues of the past marching bands at the LU band alumni page: lubandos.tripod.com/home.htmPAmedic, you should see if they have anything from your year. And you can sign the guestbook.
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Post by PAmedic on Aug 22, 2005 23:16:02 GMT -5
no , depressingly enough, NO pictures from the late 80s or early 90's for that matter. not that I was down there after 1990 anyway. Also- I have NO recollection of what music or formations we did, save some weird "V" looking thing and the aforementioned Meadowlands show, incl "Jack the Knife". here's a pic from '84- these were the uniforms (new in 83-84 ) that we used as well. Sweet huh?
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aLUmnus
Full Member
old school LU
Posts: 192
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Post by aLUmnus on Aug 23, 2005 11:45:45 GMT -5
Yeah, this is definitely in the wrong category. And is there anyone who isn't sick of sweet home alabama? That's just to pander to the rednecks who think that's the only song in existence.
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Post by HarrisburgFlame on Aug 23, 2005 11:47:30 GMT -5
ouch.
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Post by Sly Fox on Aug 23, 2005 12:55:00 GMT -5
Yeah, I'm sure the Van Zant boys didn't have its current overplayed commercial run in mind when they penned that anthem over three decades ago.
As for the band uniforms, those are definitely the stupid '80s version of band uniforms that everyone was wearing back in the day. I never understood why they had Columbia Blue uniforms.
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Post by El Scorcho on Aug 23, 2005 15:39:43 GMT -5
I never understood why they had Columbia Blue uniforms. To match the decor at TRBC? ;D
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Post by El Scorcho on Aug 23, 2005 15:41:08 GMT -5
Good points re:sprucing up the band page. I think one area LU is weak is in its overall web strategy. Please elaborate.
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Post by PAmedic on Aug 23, 2005 16:00:53 GMT -5
don't get him started. H'burg got LOTS o' iders. (most good)
and SLY, maybe you can use your Moderator Super Powers to move the whole shebang over to Off Topic.
*anyone else notice that between SLY, SCORCHO and me the whole page is nothing but flag waving. classy
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Post by flamesfan710 on Aug 23, 2005 19:01:00 GMT -5
I just checked the band manual and Chrissy Cleary is the one to talk to about PR officer (Paul is the Band VP). I will talk to her about getting some pics for upoading to the LU Alum page.
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Post by HarrisburgFlame on Aug 23, 2005 20:06:00 GMT -5
El Scorcho:
Medic is right - don't get this windbag (ME) started! I should have said I think LU is weak in its athletic and extra-cirricular activities web strategy. The internet offers exposure to groups of people from every walk and is a relatively cost effective means of communicating a message. The target of my frustration is LU's athletic website. The updates are few and the site stays stagnate for days at a time. If I was a potential recruit and I saw the page not updated for a week I would begin to wonder just how seriously the athletic program is regarded. LU has issues with building athletic traditions - yet flameshaw rolls in here and gives us numerous stories from the beginning of Flames athletics that would be of interest. How about a history of Flames athletics series that would give current students and fans a perspective of where we came from. At a minimum something like that would provide content during the slow months. Other issues are:
1. Latest Flames Club info still isn't up. 2. Flames Club contact number on the site is wrong 3. Sports schedule changes take forever to update 4. They have a contact us link - I never get contacted back 5. I signed up for the athletics e-newletter - never got it
As for the comment regarding the marching band - their website gives visitors or possible band members absolutely nothing! No sound clips, pictures, history, nothing. Look at some of the other band sites out there. I did a quick surf tonight and some of the sites are very impressive. Kids are so impressionable these days - a jazzed up web site may be the bait to gain interest for some.
The only thing I can assume with the band is that funds are an issue or the university has told them they cannot have an individual site. I know the ADept farms out website upkeep to another party and that they are charged by the update after a certain number of "gimme" updates. I don't see why we can't do more of this stuff in house.
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Post by PAmedic on Aug 23, 2005 21:05:13 GMT -5
Scorcho is probably the guy to do it; obviously computer savvy and already on staff (right ES?)
I'm taking a stab in the dark here and saying funding- or lack of- is likely the issue, along w/ the "control" issues for which LU is famous (though w/ the current changes to the dress code ya never know!).
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Post by El Scorcho on Aug 24, 2005 1:19:34 GMT -5
Scorcho is probably the guy to do it; obviously computer savvy and already on staff (right ES?) I'm taking a stab in the dark here and saying funding- or lack of- is likely the issue, along w/ the "control" issues for which LU is famous (though w/ the current changes to the dress code ya never know!). I can't say much, but I can say that the problem with the Athletic site is a contract. It will change, given time. Those contracts are the darndest things.
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Post by PAmedic on Aug 24, 2005 6:05:34 GMT -5
well, that answers THAT question. Guess Dr. Parks has a lot of things to rectify in a short time.
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Post by flamesfan710 on Aug 24, 2005 21:11:40 GMT -5
Here's hoping. Id like to get a recording of this years show too to go woth the fight song
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Post by Sly Fox on Aug 24, 2005 22:08:08 GMT -5
Anybody else shocked that a band thread is the hottrest topic on the board right now?
Bizarre.
Let's get this season started pronto.
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aLUmnus
Full Member
old school LU
Posts: 192
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Post by aLUmnus on Aug 25, 2005 15:31:18 GMT -5
I wouldn't be so surprised if the thread was making fun of the marching band, but this has been almost unbearable.
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Post by jimflamesfan on Aug 25, 2005 19:29:30 GMT -5
Well, let's keep it going...
For the current/past band people. Do you still do the Watermelon Slaughter (very interesting...dress watermelons up like the directors at the end of band camp and lauch them from the off of someplace high and eat the remains)?
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