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richmclean
09-02-2018, 10:38 PM
I've been getting tremendous grief from my wife about the band at Duke football games. She grew up going to Lehigh football games with her family. The band was named the Marching 99 and it was a fabulous spirit generator for Lehigh football. They marched and played around the Lehigh equivalent of the Iron Dukes parking lots always stopping at my father in law's reserved parking spot and playing Roll Down the Barrel or something else fun.

Watch a USC or Notre Dame or Penn State or Navy game on TV and you will always hear a constant drum beat of some sort usually related to the team music theme. At every first down the Navy band plays a ditty of "Anchors Aweigh" even at away games such as at Wallace Wade. Visiting teams embarrassingly eat our lunch with their bands at WW vs. Duke's.

How hard is it to constantly play a drum beat of "rip em up tear em up give em hell Duke" through the whole game. We get a ditty or so for our TDs but cmon man we deserve better. The basketball band is vaunted but for football they look like they couldn't be bothered.

HereBeforeCoachK
09-03-2018, 07:52 AM
I've been in Wade years ago when they were pretty active...during those days when they had those horrible cream colored turtle neck sweaters and blue and white tams....they seemed to play a lot in game...always several renditions of Blue Dress....

budwom
09-03-2018, 08:42 AM
The band as always been OK by me, looks like a bunch of kids volunteering their time, having a decent day of it...in fact I find some of the large, regimented bands to be a bit much...
Is this a good time to put in a bad word for male cheerleaders?

uh_no
09-03-2018, 09:11 AM
I've been getting tremendous grief from my wife about the band at Duke football games. She grew up going to Lehigh football games with her family. The band was named the Marching 99 and it was a fabulous spirit generator for Lehigh football. They marched and played around the Lehigh equivalent of the Iron Dukes parking lots always stopping at my father in law's reserved parking spot and playing Roll Down the Barrel or something else fun.

Watch a USC or Notre Dame or Penn State or Navy game on TV and you will always hear a constant drum beat of some sort usually related to the team music theme. At every first down the Navy band plays a ditty of "Anchors Aweigh" even at away games such as at Wallace Wade. Visiting teams embarrassingly eat our lunch with their bands at WW vs. Duke's.

How hard is it to constantly play a drum beat of "rip em up tear em up give em hell Duke" through the whole game. We get a ditty or so for our TDs but cmon man we deserve better. The basketball band is vaunted but for football they look like they couldn't be bothered.

fiiiirst of all, it's the "Duke University Marching Band"...not the duke football band. We demand respect here in terms of spelling players' names correctly, and I think DUMB is owed the same courtesy.

Second of all, the Marching 99 is like the Crazy 88 from kill bill. There aren't necessarily 99 of them. The last two lehigh games I've been at, vs yale in the yale bowl and Lafayette at yankee stadium, there were MORE than 99. I felt duped.

Third of all, goodman stadium seats like 15k or something, less than half of WW. It's far easier to fill up something smaller.

fourth of all, DUMB plays the last 4 bars of "fight blue devils fight" on every first down.

fifth of all, DUMB is unfortunately playing pointing out to the open end of the horseshoe. Visiting bands are facing the home bench. Further, away bands will generally be exceedingly brass heavy....this will all sound more powerful on the home side

sixth of all, DUMB is a 2 days a week band. Many of the larger public schools we face have the far more rehearsal, and generally a far larger student pool to pull from.

seventh of all the basketball band IS the same as the football band. Same kids. I'm sure they'd love to hear how they "couldn't be bothered" while they were sweating their asses off in their uniforms friday evening.


The only thing here that deserves better is the band, and respect from fans for the amount of work they DO put in. If you don't think that's sufficient, reach out to Jeff and join up, as I'm sure he'd love to have more bodies.

Atldukie79
09-03-2018, 09:20 AM
I've been in Wade years ago when they were pretty active...during those days when they had those horrible cream colored turtle neck sweaters and blue and white tams...they seemed to play a lot in game...always several renditions of Blue Dress...

As I recall, my DUMB turtleneck in the 70s was pure white, not cream. Of course my less than refined laundry skills from that era (come to think of it...they still are lacking....at least my wife feels that way) may have appeared cream.

OldPhiKap
09-03-2018, 09:23 AM
Maybe we should change out fight song to “Rocky Top”

Devil in the Blue Dress
09-03-2018, 11:29 AM
fiiiirst of all, it's the "Duke University Marching Band"...not the duke football band. We demand respect here in terms of spelling players' names correctly, and I think DUMB is owed the same courtesy.

Second of all, the Marching 99 is like the Crazy 88 from kill bill. There aren't necessarily 99 of them. The last two lehigh games I've been at, vs yale in the yale bowl and Lafayette at yankee stadium, there were MORE than 99. I felt duped.

Third of all, goodman stadium seats like 15k or something, less than half of WW. It's far easier to fill up something smaller.

fourth of all, DUMB plays the last 4 bars of "fight blue devils fight" on every first down.

fifth of all, DUMB is unfortunately playing pointing out to the open end of the horseshoe. Visiting bands are facing the home bench. Further, away bands will generally be exceedingly brass heavy...this will all sound more powerful on the home side

sixth of all, DUMB is a 2 days a week band. Many of the larger public schools we face have the far more rehearsal, and generally a far larger student pool to pull from.

seventh of all the basketball band IS the same as the football band. Same kids. I'm sure they'd love to hear how they "couldn't be bothered" while they were sweating their asses off in their uniforms friday evening.


The only thing here that deserves better is the band, and respect from fans for the amount of work they DO put in. If you don't think that's sufficient, reach out to Jeff and join up, as I'm sure he'd love to have more bodies.

I would add that compared to many of larger state school's marching bands, Duke doesn't give band scholarships. There is no performance major at Duke. The miserly credit given for participation in no way reflects the amount of time required for practice and preparation.

uh_no
09-03-2018, 02:18 PM
I would add that compared to many of larger state school's marching bands, Duke doesn't give band scholarships. There is no performance major at Duke. The miserly credit given for participation in no way reflects the amount of time required for practice and preparation.

Which is really a shame unto itself given many of the music faculty are incredible performers and teachers...not to mention the students. Duke attracts such a caliber that it's a shame you might have to choose between coming to Duke to study poli-sci or whatever and getting a performance-focused degree somewhere else.

I don't pretend to know the minutiae of how or why those decisions are made...but I do know it's something I would value in the Duke community.

grossbus
09-03-2018, 05:20 PM
“How hard is it to constantly play a drum beat of "rip em up tear em up give em hell Duke" through the whole game.”

I think that would be extremely annoying...for the band, too.

I may be mistaken, but I think the band is the largest it has ever been. Jeff Au is doing a terrific job.

HereBeforeCoachK
09-03-2018, 05:50 PM
As I recall, my DUMB turtleneck in the 70s was pure white, not cream. Of course my less than refined laundry skills from that era (come to think of it...they still are lacking...at least my wife feels that way) may have appeared cream.

...and my vision might've been a tad blurred......and the pants....some kind of print that was vaguely blue when viewed from a distance as I recall....

HereBeforeCoachK
09-03-2018, 05:57 PM
fiiiirst of all, it's the "Duke University Marching Band"...not the duke football band. We demand respect here in terms of spelling players' names correctly, and I think DUMB is owed the same courtesy.

Second of all, the Marching 99 is like the Crazy 88 from kill bill. There aren't necessarily 99 of them.


fifth of all, DUMB is unfortunately playing pointing out to the open end of the horseshoe. Visiting bands are facing the home bench. Further, away bands will generally be exceedingly brass heavy...this will all sound more powerful on the home side

sixth of all, DUMB is a 2 days a week band. Many of the larger public schools we face have the far more rehearsal, and generally a far larger student pool to pull from.

seventh of all the basketball band IS the same as the football band. Same kids. I'm sure they'd love to hear how they "couldn't be bothered" while they were sweating their asses off in their uniforms friday evening.


The only thing here that deserves better is the band, and respect from fans for the amount of work they DO put in. If you don't think that's sufficient, reach out to Jeff and join up, as I'm sure he'd love to have more bodies.

well well well.....harrumph.
Couple of things...first, what is a marching band for if not for football.....and pep bands if not for basketball. I mean, seriously. Sure, the odd Christmas or Bowl parade...but it is an offshoot of the football program.
Second, you are right about the "marching 99" or "marching 100" or what have you....not a literal head count....a marketing name.

Why are away bands more brass heavy? I think some bands are more brass heavy than others, home or away. Georgia, for instance, very very brassy band. U of S Carolina, more woodwinds.

As for your sixth point, I don't think anyone is criticizing the quality of the performance....just not active enough.....which is not a student decision of course. As for your seventh, yes, pep band is smaller version pulled from same pool of musicians. I think all people want is the marching band to be as much a part of FB games as the pep band is basketball games.

richmclean
09-03-2018, 06:14 PM
Here gets it. Let’s not excuse sub-excellence because the kids are volunteers. Duke should stand for excellence when the school is represented. Cheerleaders are volunteers, yes?

Recently traffic control, DUMB performance during football games, and administration dumping lacrosse players exemplify less than excellence. LGD!

OldPhiKap
09-03-2018, 06:18 PM
My friend’s son is a freshman in the UGA band. Every one on the huge squad seems to be an all-State award-level player. Folks go to Goergia to be in the band.

Is that true of DUMB? I had the sense — rightly or wrongly — that our band was mainly folks who got into Duke and happened to be in their HS bands.

(Not meant as a slight, mind you. It’s just a wholly different beast and wholly different type of school).

Devil in the Blue Dress
09-03-2018, 06:22 PM
My friend’s son is a freshman in the UGA band. Every one on the huge squad seems to be an all-State award-level player. Folks go to Goergia to be in the band.

Is that true of DUMB?

The answer is no.

LSU recruits students to be in the Golden Band of Tigerland and provides scholarships. Participation is quite competitive.
BTW The LSU marching band is the band 76 Trombones in the Music Man was about.

DU82
09-03-2018, 06:29 PM
Here gets it. Let’s not excuse sub-excellence because the kids are volunteers. Duke should stand for excellence when the school is represented. Cheerleaders are volunteers, yes?

Recently traffic control, DUMB performance during football games, and administration dumping lacrosse players exemplify less than excellence. LGD!

From listening during the game, the band stops playing with about ten seconds left in the play clock. I believe that’s because there’s a (likely conference) rule that states that. This way, artificial noise makers (instruments) disrupt the opponent’s offensive calls. (That said, nothing can or should stop fans from yelling.)

A similar rule occurred in basketball in the ‘80s. Drums were allowed during play back then (but not other instruments) but no longer.

So, to answer one of your comments, no, DUMB doesn’t play constantly because they can’t. Aside from that rule, they don’t play when the PA system has a certain routine, such as the third down noise (don’t blame DUMB for a dumb Athletic Department decision, which is very similar to many other schools.)

But they show up every week, rain or shine (they were outside in WW the last time we played Army) and shouldn’t get blamed for something they can’t do.

(One reason other bands are more “brassy” is that many large state schools require all music majors to play in the marching band, and they hand brass instruments to string and woodwind players and tell them to learn how to play. That, and of course they’re drawing from a larger pool of students. Even if they’re not handed trumpets and French horns, they have more brass instruments players in their band than DUMB has plYers, period.)

CrazyNotCrazie
09-03-2018, 06:34 PM
My friend’s son is a freshman in the UGA band. Every one on the huge squad seems to be an all-State award-level player. Folks go to Goergia to be in the band.

Is that true of DUMB? I had the sense — rightly or wrongly — that our band was mainly folks who got into Duke and happened to be in their HS bands.

(Not meant as a slight, mind you. It’s just a wholly different beast and wholly different type of school).

I believe you are correct. To that point, it is impressive that we end up with the right mix of instruments as I don't think anyone is making sure we have the right amount of trombones enrolling.

I played the piano in high school and I vaguely remember being contacted by DUMB the summer before I started. They figured that since I could read music and keep a beat I could learn another instrument (since marching with a grand piano was not an option). I chose not to do this but thought it was smart of them to reach out.

I admire and appreciate the efforts of all of those involved in DUMB. I am somewhat envious of schools with huge bands made up of recruited musicians but that is not what Duke has and is unlikely to exist in the future.

Contrary to the note above, there is a music major at Duke and you can focus on performance. I knew one person who I believe did this is a minor. But these students are few and far between - for whatever reason, it is not an emphasis at Duke, particularly as it has become more pre-professional.

OldPhiKap
09-03-2018, 06:41 PM
I believe you are correct. To that point, it is impressive that we end up with the right mix of instruments as I don't think anyone is making sure we have the right amount of trombones enrolling.

I played the piano in high school and I vaguely remember being contacted by DUMB the summer before I started. They figured that since I could read music and keep a beat I could learn another instrument (since marching with a grand piano was not an option). I chose not to do this but thought it was smart of them to reach out.

I admire and appreciate the efforts of all of those involved in DUMB. I am somewhat envious of schools with huge bands made up of recruited musicians but that is not what Duke has and is unlikely to exist in the future.

Contrary to the note above, there is a music major at Duke and you can focus on performance. I knew one person who I believe did this is a minor. But these students are few and far between - for whatever reason, it is not an emphasis at Duke, particularly as it has become more pre-professional.

Thanks, this mirrors my sense. We have a club team in a field where some have Div I teams.

And there’s nothing wrong with that. But it does impact expectations.

Having said that, the half-time shows that Duke has put on at the bowls have held their own with the competing teams — several of which were much bigger than us.

The Music building is /was behind Baldwin on East Campus — took a jazz improv class with Paul Jeffrey back in the day —and can corroborate that there are/were music majors.

sagegrouse
09-03-2018, 06:49 PM
(One reason other bands are more “brassy” is that many large state schools require all music majors to play in the marching band, and they hand brass instruments to string and woodwind players and tell them to learn how to play. That, and of course they’re drawing from a larger pool of students. Even if they’re not handed trumpets and French horns, they have more brass instruments players in their band than DUMB has plYers, period.)

DU82, I don't believe a word of this this; you will have to prove it. How about Indiana University, with its world-class music conservatory? How about strings and voice majors? What do they play in the band?

In most state U.'s. the dean of the School of Music wouldn't put up with this nonsense for one minute.

Here's the excerpt on the Longhorn Band from the Butler School of Music at U. of Texas, which makes clear that membership in the Longhorn Band is open to any student and nary a word about coercion of music majors:


The Longhorn Band is a year-round program offered as a course by the Butler School of Music at The University of Texas at Austin. Registration in this course is open to any student of the various academic disciplines provided at UT Austin.

Activities begin in August with Band Week and continue until University graduation in late May. They resume during June with Summer Band concerts and participation in the Longhorn Music Camp as counselors for high school and middle school students. UT Austin students may also register for concert and jazz ensembles in both the fall and spring semesters.

Throughout the fall, the Longhorn Band performs at all University of Texas football games, with a smaller pep band for out-of-state trips. For post-season bowl game trips, the tradition has been to bring the entire Longhorn Band. Additional performances include pep rallies, parades and a special halftime show with the Longhorn Alumni Band. The Longhorn Band makes guest appearances at many events that spotlight the popularity of the band. Fall rehearsals are held from 6:30 to 8:30 pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and a prior to kickoff on game days. During the spring, Longhorn Band members participate in one of four concert bands, a jazz ensemble or a percussion ensemble.

Spring rehearsals are held twice a week for 90 minutes each. Specific times vary for each ensemble, and these ensembles give at least two performances. Other notable annual activities include concerts at local performance venues, performances at the State Capitol for the Governor for a Day Ceremony and the Fiesta Flambeau Parade in San Antonio.

For more Longhorn Band information, visit the Longhorn Band website.

uh_no
09-03-2018, 07:18 PM
There is no performance major at Duke.




Contrary to the note above, there is a music major at Duke and you can focus on performance. I knew one person who I believe did this is a minor.




The Music building is /was behind Baldwin on East Campus — took a jazz improv class with Paul Jeffrey back in the day —and can corroborate that there are/were music majors.

There are different degrees of correct here:

DITBD: 100% correct there is no performance major at duke
CNC: 75% correct. there is a music major at duke. It is however, not in contrast to what DITBD said. The music major is more tailored to music education. That doesn't mean it doesn't contain a performance component, but the requirement is very light relative to an actual performance major. For instance, for the minor, the only requirement is to take a performance class, which can be fulfilled by, say, playing in the wind symphony for a year. There is a performance concentration, but it is still far less rigorous than an actual performance degree. For instance, at duke the requirement is something like 5 semesters of lessons, and 1 recital, whereas at a "real" music school, it's lessons EVERY semester and 4 recitals, as well as likely ensemble playing every semester.
OPK: 100% correct. unless he's lying about having taken jazz improv :) there ARE music majors and minors. I have a music minor.

Anyway, I hope that clears it up.

DU82
09-03-2018, 07:22 PM
DU82, I don't believe a word of this this; you will have to prove it. How about Indiana University, with its world-class music conservatory? How about strings and voice majors? What do they play in the band?

In most state U.'s. the dean of the School of Music wouldn't put up with this nonsense for one minute.

Here's the excerpt on the Longhorn Band from the Butler School of Music at U. of Texas, which makes clear that membership in the Longhorn Band is open to any student and nary a word about coercion of music majors:

The conversations I had about this was awhile ago; one was with a State student band leader who was on a band scholarship as a grad student (engineering major.). I probably misspoke when I said all music majors, it was likely all instrumental majors (possibly including strings but definitely including woodwinds other than I think saxes.). I agree it was unlikely to ask the key soloist in the chorus to play trombone in the marching band. Sorry for typing faster than I was thinking.

I’m an example of this though, as I (a clarinet player) was asked to play the cymbals in high school (I think we had 56 members in the band performing for a team that would have loved to have Carl Franks’s record, but the best concert band in the state) and the bass drum one year in DUMB. Admittedly, I wasn’t “forced”.

Nothing I said would prevent others from the general student population to join as a “walk on.”

DUMB does now offer some stipends for key instruments, especially tubas.

CameronBornAndBred
09-03-2018, 07:26 PM
I've been getting tremendous grief from my wife about the band at Duke football games. She grew up going to Lehigh football games with her family. The band was named the Marching 99 and it was a fabulous spirit generator for Lehigh football. They marched and played around the Lehigh equivalent of the Iron Dukes parking lots always stopping at my father in law's reserved parking spot and playing Roll Down the Barrel or something else fun.

Yeah, DUMB never plays outside the stadium. What a bunchalosers.


https://www.facebook.com/chriswagnerart/videos/10156790374853000/

OldPhiKap
09-03-2018, 07:27 PM
Yeah, DUMB never plays outside the stadium. What a bunchalosers.


https://www.facebook.com/chriswagnerart/videos/10156790374853000/

Well, not everyone cooks barbecue like you. How could they not stop?

richmclean
09-03-2018, 07:37 PM
The Mighty Four.

sagegrouse
09-03-2018, 07:46 PM
The conversations I had about this was awhile ago; one was with a State student band leader who was on a band scholarship as a grad student (engineering major.). I probably misspoke when I said all music majors, it was likely all instrumental majors (possibly including strings but definitely including woodwinds other than I think saxes.). I agree it was unlikely to ask the key soloist in the chorus to play trombone in the marching band. Sorry for typing faster than I was thinking.

I’m an example of this though, as I (a clarinet player) was asked to play the cymbals in high school (I think we had 56 members in the band performing for a team that would have loved to have Carl Franks’s record, but the best concert band in the state) and the bass drum one year in DUMB. Admittedly, I wasn’t “forced”.

Nothing I said would prevent others from the general student population to join as a “walk on.”

DUMB does now offer some stipends for key instruments, especially tubas.

Actually, I found two schools (Colorado and Kansas) that do require participation in the marching band for at least one season, but it's for "music education" majors. That makes sense. If you teach music in HS you are likely to be responsible for the school band. Here's the relevant para. from the story (http://www.halftimemag.com/features/music-majors-in-marching-band.html):


Most of the music majors that continue with marching band through college are pursuing a degree in music education. At some schools, such as the University of Colorado Boulder (CU) and the University of Kansas (KU), music education majors are required to join marching band for at least one season. Many music majors who attend CU, however, stay in the marching band well past that.

CameronBornAndBred
09-03-2018, 07:53 PM
Well, not everyone cooks barbecue like you. How could they not stop?

I love the Devil dance in that video ;)

richmclean
09-03-2018, 09:04 PM
Also what’s the deal with all timeouts having scoreboard noise rather than DUMB? Attendance at Duke football has to maximize alums such as we are. DUMB over scoreboard noise (which I’m down for any other time) gets the crowd going. Keep the drumbeat going, not hard to do.

uh_no
09-03-2018, 09:27 PM
Also what’s the deal with all timeouts having scoreboard noise rather than DUMB? Attendance at Duke football has to maximize alums such as we are. DUMB over scoreboard noise (which I’m down for any other time) gets the crowd going. Keep the drumbeat going, not hard to do.


ehhh. it might sometimes....but it will bore others. they're trying really hard to give the same value that you get on tv by getting instant highlights and commentary. I think a mix of both is nice, but unfortunately, gotta squeeze in all those ads too!

sagegrouse
09-03-2018, 09:40 PM
Also what’s the deal with all timeouts having scoreboard noise rather than DUMB? Attendance at Duke football has to maximize alums such as we are. DUMB over scoreboard noise (which I’m down for any other time) gets the crowd going. Keep the drumbeat going, not hard to do.

I went to an NBA games about three years ago, and the strongest impression was that every break in the action was programmed to produce maximum noise. Sure, there were some dancers, but really -- a lot of noise. I said to myself that here's another reason to like college sports. Nope. It was just the harbinger -- college football and basketball are now a "wall of sound."

OldPhiKap
09-03-2018, 09:48 PM
I went to an NBA games about three years ago, and the strongest impression was that every break in the action was programmed to produce maximum noise. Sure, there were some dancers, but really -- a lot of noise. I said to myself that here's another reason to like college sports. Nope. It was just the harbinger -- college football and basketball are now a "wall of sound."

8616

(Jerry Garcia fronting part of “The Wall of Sound,” 1974)

richmclean
09-03-2018, 10:10 PM
Not to sound too much like “get off my lawn” but yeah.

More DUMB less scoreboard.

Showing an active school spirit should be a big part of marketing the atmosphere which will drive attendance. Alot of folks just want a college football game with all its trappings.
DUMB needs to be a lot more engaged.

OldPhiKap
09-03-2018, 10:13 PM
Not to sound too much like “get off my lawn” but yeah.

More DUMB less scoreboard.

Showing an active school spirit should be a big part of marketing the atmosphere which will drive attendance. Alot of folks just want a college football game with all its trappings.
DUMB needs to be a lot more engaged.

“You must spread some Comments around before commenting on richmclean again.”

Too bad, this is spot on.

CrazyNotCrazie
09-03-2018, 10:33 PM
Not to sound too much like “get off my lawn” but yeah.

More DUMB less scoreboard.

Showing an active school spirit should be a big part of marketing the atmosphere which will drive attendance. Alot of folks just want a college football game with all its trappings.
DUMB needs to be a lot more engaged.

I agree with you 100%. Unfortunately, I think the key influencer for this decision is what do recruits and current players want. One would think a great, constantly involved band would impress them, but I don't think that is the case.

The same goes in Cameron - I unfortunately haven't been to a home game in a while but it seems like there is more piped in noise there than there used to be, but that's what the kids want these days.

That might be the oldest sounding paragraph I've ever written - time for bed...

billwh
09-04-2018, 07:36 AM
I've missed less than a handful of Duke football games since 1979 (sit 50 yard line, visitors side). And, I just wanted to say I stay around at halftime to watch the band. I think they deserve the attention. However, I remember watching Texas A&M play at Rice University in 1975. The Rice band was much smaller than the current DUMB, maybe 20 kids or so. But what Rice had was creativity, something beyond a high school look. To start, an announcer said "The Rice Band will now do a toilet bowl." And, the Rice band began to rotate in an inward cascading circle while playing a Beatles song. Next up: "The Rice band will now do a sweaty arm pit." And the band formed a 90-degree fork, with the short side moving up and down, while a band member was ejected from the fulcrum (i.e, an arm pit), while playing something from Elton John. Yes, it was silly and cheesy. But, the stadium loved it, people listened and watched, and I remember it after all these years. I admire the Duke kids, just wish the director would open up a bit.

Reddevil
09-04-2018, 03:40 PM
Careful what you wish for! You don't want the Stanford Marching Band do you? I personally think they are/were (not sure now) hilarious, but I am not a stakeholder in any way and although some would find those antics funny, others would frown upon it.

Also, for anyone wanting something constant, remember the vuvuzelas at the World Cup in South Africa? Geez! Be thankful for a little peace of mind.

rasputin
09-04-2018, 03:42 PM
Careful what you wish for! You don't want the Stanford Marching Band do you? I personally think they are/were (not sure now) hilarious, but I am not a stakeholder in any way and although some would find those antics funny, others would frown upon it.

Also, for anyone wanting something constant, remember the vuvuzelas at the World Cup in South Africa? Geez! Be thankful for a little peace of mind.

Well, and someone upthread referenced "Rocky Top." Having been to at least two NCAA Tournament games in Greensboro featuring Tennessee, I can attest to the fact that their playing Rock Top 17 times is annoying.

sagegrouse
09-04-2018, 03:45 PM
Careful what you wish for! You don't want the Stanford Marching Band do you? I personally think they are/were (not sure now) hilarious, but I am not a stakeholder in any way and although some would find those antics funny, others would frown upon it.

Also, for anyone wanting something constant, remember the vuvuzelas at the World Cup in South Africa? Geez! Be thankful for a little peace of mind.

I am happy with the band the way it is, but I am pretty stodgy. I do remember Rice's Marching Owl Band (get it?) from my time in grad school there. It had 60 or so members as I recall, including grad students -- one friend had been in the band eight consecutive years. But "60" musicians look like "20" in the middle of a big ol' football field.

devildeac
09-04-2018, 04:26 PM
Well, and someone upthread referenced "Rocky Top." Having been to at least two NCAA Tournament games in Greensboro featuring Tennessee, I can attest to the fact that their playing Rock Top 17 times is annoying.

Only 17? :rolleyes:

rasputin
09-04-2018, 04:44 PM
Only 17? :rolleyes:

We counted.

richmclean
09-04-2018, 07:36 PM
Duke has iconic songs that have made our brand with Duke basketball - Devil with the Blue Dress primarily - that needs to be out there. Cameron’s not transferring to Wallace Wade which is a lost opportunity for Duke football.

Devil in the Blue Dress
09-04-2018, 07:41 PM
Duke has iconic songs that have made our brand with Duke basketball - Devil with the Blue Dress primarily - that needs to be out there. Cameron’s not transferring to Wallace Wade which is a lost opportunity for Duke football.

Devil with the Blue Dress On is played after each football win.

OldPhiKap
09-04-2018, 08:37 PM
Well, and someone upthread referenced "Rocky Top." Having been to at least two NCAA Tournament games in Greensboro featuring Tennessee, I can attest to the fact that their playing Rock Top 17 times is annoying.

I said it, and for the very reason you state. Heyzus Christo on a skateboard, it will drive you absolutely bonkers hearing that crap every damn first down.

DU82
09-04-2018, 08:59 PM
I said it, and for the very reason you state. Heyzus Christo on a skateboard, it will drive you absolutely bonkers hearing that crap every damn first down.

Go see a game at the cheaters’ place sometime. Counted 43 times they played their song (you know, the one with the lyrics “I’m a bastard born and I’m a bastard bred...”)

richmclean
09-04-2018, 09:51 PM
Just a periodic drum beat at least. Grew up with college games on ABC and the USC games always had a continual drum beat. Part of the college game experience.

No don’t need the whole Rocky Top 17 times just energy with a creative Duke flavor that’s just not there now.

HereBeforeCoachK
09-05-2018, 06:48 AM
Just a periodic drum beat at least. Grew up with college games on ABC and the USC games always had a continual drum beat. Part of the college game experience.

No don’t need the whole Rocky Top 17 times just energy with a creative Duke flavor that’s just not there now.

Yep...there's a reason drum lines are so popular these days....and thousands of interesting cadences that add to the flavor of a football game...there is no way NOT to get into a good drum cadence and start moving to it.

Sixthman
09-22-2018, 11:25 PM
I posted in thread on the game, and wanted to restate here: The Duke Band was better than Central at halftime today, playing with more power, more musicality and marching with more precision. Central is an historically excellent college marching band, and was better than Duke in some ways today, but on the whole, DUMB had the edge. This was amazing!

ramdevil
09-23-2018, 10:38 AM
I posted in thread on the game, and wanted to restate here: The Duke Band was better than Central at halftime today, playing with more power, more musicality and marching with more precision. Central is an historically excellent college marching band, and was better than Duke in some ways today, but on the whole, DUMB had the edge. This was amazing!

I agree for slightly different reasons. D.U.M.B. was more balanced than NCCU's band - they had TEN TUBAS. Mostly that's what I heard when they played, TEN TUBAS.

Major respect and props to both bands who played, marched, and cheered in full uniform while sitting in the sun on a typically hot Durham afternoon in September.

-ramdevil

BandAlum83
09-23-2018, 11:36 AM
From listening during the game, the band stops playing with about ten seconds left in the play clock. I believe that’s because there’s a (likely conference) rule that states that. This way, artificial noise makers (instruments) disrupt the opponent’s offensive calls. (That said, nothing can or should stop fans from yelling.)

A similar rule occurred in basketball in the ‘80s. Drums were allowed during play back then (but not other instruments) but no longer.

So, to answer one of your comments, no, DUMB doesn’t play constantly because they can’t. Aside from that rule, they don’t play when the PA system has a certain routine, such as the third down noise (don’t blame DUMB for a dumb Athletic Department decision, which is very similar to many other schools.)

But they show up every week, rain or shine (they were outside in WW the last time we played Army) and shouldn’t get blamed for something they can’t do.

(One reason other bands are more “brassy” is that many large state schools require all music majors to play in the marching band, and they hand brass instruments to string and woodwind players and tell them to learn how to play. That, and of course they’re drawing from a larger pool of students. Even if they’re not handed trumpets and French horns, they have more brass instruments players in their band than DUMB has plYers, period.)

Thanks for responding, DU. I didn't have the heart to. This thread makes me mad and sad. :(

BandAlum83
09-23-2018, 11:48 AM
The conversations I had about this was awhile ago; one was with a State student band leader who was on a band scholarship as a grad student (engineering major.). I probably misspoke when I said all music majors, it was likely all instrumental majors (possibly including strings but definitely including woodwinds other than I think saxes.). I agree it was unlikely to ask the key soloist in the chorus to play trombone in the marching band. Sorry for typing faster than I was thinking.

I’m an example of this though, as I (a clarinet player) was asked to play the cymbals in high school (I think we had 56 members in the band performing for a team that would have loved to have Carl Franks’s record, but the best concert band in the state) and the bass drum one year in DUMB. Admittedly, I wasn’t “forced”.

Nothing I said would prevent others from the general student population to join as a “walk on.”

DUMB does now offer some stipends for key instruments, especially tubas.

I was "recruited" by DU82 as a "walk on" beginning my sophomore year. I had never played in a marching band before. My high school didn't even have a football team. I did, however, play drums. I will be forever to DU82 for encouraging me to join DUMB. It became a huge part of my college experience. And as a snare drummer, I was in the basketball pep band during those days when we could lead cheers and play during play on the court.

We were also in the front row under the basket during what many may term the golden era of ACC basketball.

Please don't dis DUMB.

HereBeforeCoachK
09-23-2018, 11:55 AM
Duke has iconic songs that have made our brand with Duke basketball - Devil with the Blue Dress primarily - that needs to be out there. Cameron’s not transferring to Wallace Wade which is a lost opportunity for Duke football.

I remember Devil with the Blue Dress at football games back to the 70s I believe...anyway, a long time ago. I was small. I didn't know what the song was for the longest time, but it was that song where the brass section went through a routine of raising their instruments above their heads up and down at one part in the piece. It was really cool. It was something done one time a game I think, maybe twice, and everyone looked forward to it. I finally figured out what song it was.

This was long before K's basketball program helped make the song iconic with the BB pep band. I also remember before the 91 National Title game that CBS aired a battle of the bands - Duke v UNLV- and the featured Duke number was Blue Dress. Of course, competing with UNLV in music is kind of like competing with Southern Cal in music...but the Duke band was great.

As for Cameron not translating to Wade? Well that ship sailed when the university made the decision to renovate Wade to make it look pretty, instead of making it a home field advantage. Cameron seating 16,000 wouldn't be so great...shoulda downsized Wade, or right sized it, to say 30,000 and intimate (which may have not been possible physically given what they had to work with). The best thing to happen to Cameron was UNC moving to a dome...instead of also having a little bandbox arena that was always packed. At the time, they both listed sell outs as 8,800, IIR. Wrigley, Fenway, Camden Yards - smaller is often better.

For example, every crowd shot at ODU showed a full stadium. Doesn't matter on TV that it was 20,000 and not 80,000 - it was full. Meanwhile, Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt - two schools who could reasonably recruit some of the same players ODU does, were both showing a whole lot of empty bleachers. Size matters, and not always in the same way, as you know....:)

devildeac
09-23-2018, 02:06 PM
I agree for slightly different reasons. D.U.M.B. was more balanced than NCCU's band - they had TEN TUBAS. Mostly that's what I heard when they played, TEN TUBAS.

Major respect and props to both bands who played, marched, and cheered in full uniform while sitting in the sun on a typically hot Durham afternoon in September.

-ramdevil

My wife and I noted that pre-game. That was brutal and I probably sweated an extra litre of fluid simply watching and listening to them. A former DUMB member explained the how/why to me but it still made no sense. Why not let them attend and play in a t-shirt or polo and lightweight pants or even shorts for any game during which the forecast high is ~80 degrees or greater?

ancienteagle
09-23-2018, 10:38 PM
My wife and I noted that pre-game. That was brutal and I probably sweated an extra litre of fluid simply watching and listening to them. A former DUMB member explained the how/why to me but it still made no sense. Why not let them attend and play in a t-shirt or polo and lightweight pants or even shorts for any game during which the forecast high is ~80 degrees or greater?

I give them props this year! My friend captured a video, and I thought it was quite clever. Her son is a Sousaphone player, and dearly loves the DUMB. As a member of the Stanford Band back in the mid-70s, I'm not really used to this marching thing (the LSJUMB even back then was a scatter band), but I think they do a great job.

Highlander
09-24-2018, 09:23 AM
I was impressed with the performance of the band. I did notice the stadium piped in a lot of outside music between plays which limited when the Band could play. But they were strong at halftime and sounded great.

One question - where were the students Saturday? 3:30 kickoff on a clear Saturday afternoon for Homecoming, and there were less than 300 people in the student section. Looked like maybe 8 rows were filled. Granted it was a warm day, but c'mon.

Also, the away sideline was almost completely empty. Apparently NCCU fans couldn't be bothered to show up either. Aside from their band, there looked to be less than 500 people on that side of the stadium.

uh_no
09-24-2018, 10:22 AM
I was impressed with the performance of the band. I did notice the stadium piped in a lot of outside music between plays which limited when the Band could play. But they were strong at halftime and sounded great.

One question - where were the students Saturday? 3:30 kickoff on a clear Saturday afternoon for Homecoming, and there were less than 300 people in the student section. Looked like maybe 8 rows were filled. Granted it was a warm day, but c'mon.

Also, the away sideline was almost completely empty. Apparently NCCU fans couldn't be bothered to show up either. Aside from their band, there looked to be less than 500 people on that side of the stadium.
Understatement of the century. It was nearly unbearably uncomfortable in blue devil alley at kick, and far worse in the bowl (especially on the north and east sides). There were staff people passing out from standing out there.