Let's talk about the Famous Maroon Band.

[Lawdawg.sixpack]

I don't know how collegiate bands are judged. BUT of the two bands that took the field at halftime of the Egg Bowl, one band stood out - The Famous Maroon Band.

Our band was large, loud, and crisp in their music and formations. The visiting band was suboptimal at best. Maybe it was song choice, or maybe they just didn't bring everyone. Our band was impressive on their own, but especially impressive when compared to the visitors.

Kudos to the band and its leaders.

 

[MarkDallas]

The band is very large this year. Largest ever, I believe.

 

[MagicDawg]

The current leadership is a fantastic team. Besides the music and gameday experience, they are very smart on social media. Follow their Twitter, as well as the Twitter for each of the Famous Maroon Band buses -- those are usually hilarious during bowl season.

Baby Shark last year and this year -- excellent. The Famous Maroon Band is the most savage band in the land and I LOVE IT.

 

[MagicDawg]

The band is very large this year. Largest ever, I believe.

It was 420. After a few folks changed their mind it settled out at 415.

 

[AlCoDog]

I haven’t been to a hoops game this year, but they did a great job at the 2 games i went to last year. Fantastic trollers also.

 

[croomin]

Definitely the best we’ve ever had. Looks like those of the blue bloods.

 

[CharlieWinfield]

I enjoy them a lot, but I think the “most savage” award would have to go to Stanford. As best I can tell, they spend more time suspended for conduct than actually playing.

 

[615dawg]

I enjoy them a lot, but I think the “most savage” award would have to go to Stanford. As best I can tell, they spend more time suspended for conduct than actually playing.

You mean playing the Soviet national anthem while spelling USA?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNLsQApAN1o

 

[MagicDawg]

https://twitter.com/secnetwork/status/1065986616609648642

[tweet]1065986616609648642[/tweet]

 

[Arnold Babar.sixpack]

The band at Rice has not been allowed to play at a handful of stadiums for pulling such shenanigans over the years. Back in the SWC days the pissed every school off in the conference. Pretty funny actually because most of the time they were down 38-0 at halftime.

 

[Shmuley]

420? ..... interesting.

 

[EarlDawg]

I love our band, however, we need an update in their pregame presentation and the military theme is so appreciated but so boring and "we've seen the same show for 15 years". My thinking is just livin' things up.

 

[bulldogbaja]

You are correct, and the Ole Miss band was really bad.
Maroon shades aside, OMs whole performance was really boring. And I guess I'm old school, but I think a marching band should, you know, march. They didn't. They wandered slowly into two spellouts (H O P E S -- D R E A M S like wut?) and that's it.
So yeah, lots to be proud of with the FMB. I would still change a few things (like limit the number of woodwinds and they way they do pregame) but enjoying the FMB. And honestly, performance is basically directly related to funding, which I believe our current administration has been doing more than past administrations. There's some credit to the Foundation there as well and the alums who have been donating.

 

[bully12]

Hate to say it, but the best band there is- especially for marching - is Texas A & M. That band puts everyone else in the shade by a country mile. I made the trip to College Station this year primarily to see the A & M up close and personal. The outcome of the game was a foregone conclusion in my mind well before it started (what a prophet I am!!), so my trip was to enjoy the band, the atmosphere, and the traditions. I was not disappointed . . . . .

 

[RocketDawg]

The band is very large this year. Largest ever, I believe.

And that increases attendance at football games. **

 

[bulldognation]

"Give me another T"

(ANOTHER T)

^^^^^^^^
The best moment of pre-game.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

"Another Tee" would be a great name for a clothing kiosk at DWS

 

[The Peeper]

I guess I didn't realize we had band performances. Pregame, I'm usually waiting in a line to get to stadium entrance to make sure my water bottle isn't actually a weapon and halftime is for taking a visit to the Larry Templeton Memorial Troughs for me

 

[QuadrupleOption]

I love our band, however, we need an update in their pregame presentation and the military theme is so appreciated but so boring and "we've seen the same show for 15 years". My thinking is just livin' things up.

I marched that pre-game show as a Freshman back in 1991. I'm pretty sure it hadn't changed in years prior to that. There may have been a couple of things adjusted but it's essentially the same show.

 

[bolddogge]

It actually does.

And that increases attendance at football games. **

I’ve been a State fan all my life, but like a lot of fans, I stopped getting season tickets during the Croom years. Living out of state and with a schedule packed with kid’s football games and band competitions I only attended 2 or 3 games for several years. Now that I have a “kid” in the FMB, it’s back to season tickets and RV'ing in Starkvegas for the remainder of the family.

 

[bolddogge]

Don't you mean:
"Give me another T"

(NOTHER T)

 

[MagicDawg]

Pre-game has been changed and tightened up a lot. The MSU Fanfare, Hail State, MSU, State spell-out, and Madelon are all classic pieces. The Hey Song is relatively new.

Band used to march out; now they just run. They also just run to other positions in the spell-out.
Madelon used to be more emphasized and looked cool in the south end zone but it's been adjusted.
Moving the tunnel (where the players run out) is now a function of Hey Song.
There was a time when we'd march to the east side and play the visiting fight song and a feature number. Long gone as pre-game advertising became more and more prevalent.

It will continue to be adapted, but I hope they never change the core musical elements of pre-game: MSU Fanfare, Hail State, MSU, State spell-out, Madelon, and Hail State when the team comes out. There is nothing like that first chord when the band hits the fanfare. It is magical.

I do think at some point Madelon will be retired from the show. Hopefully it's after I'm dead!

 

[MarkDallas]

It was 420. After a few folks changed their mind it settled out at 415.

It fluctuates. My sophomore year we had a bunch of people who I had never seen before show up for the Georgia game because we were going to Six Flags.

 

[Dawgtini]

Don't you mean:
"Give me another T"

(NOTHER T)

That’s how I’ve been saying for decades too.

 

[MagicDawg]

It fluctuates. My sophomore year we had a bunch of people who I had never seen before show up for the Georgia game because we were going to Six Flags.

In my day we had "toters" for the bowl game. Students who lived way out of state weren't necessarily required to come back for the bowl games in the early 90s. So Dr. Sills asked members to recruit people we knew who had marched in high school and who would learn a spot in the show just for that game.

My girlfriend (now my wife) had never marched in a halftime show in her life, but she was a dancer and could learn choreography. They put her in a uniform, put a piccolo in her hands, and put her on the field with us at the Georgia Dome. She faked the playing well enough that when the on-field camera man came up to her during the show, she had people afterward saying that they didn't even know she played! If they had looked at her sheet music they would have seen the drill instructions and not a single note of music.

It has been a long time since the FMB was hurting for members. It got much smaller after a poor hire, but Elva Kay Lance and Craig Aarhus and Clifton Taylor are an amazing team. State is lucky to have them.