Duke Football Band

[CameronBornAndBred]

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.

[OldPhiKap]

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

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

[richmclean]

The Mighty Four.

[sagegrouse]

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:

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]

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

I love the Devil dance in that video

[richmclean]

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]

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]

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]

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."

284BF14D-5B9C-4B66-9A7B-6D04E3781730.jpg

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

[richmclean]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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?

[rasputin]

Only 17?

We counted.

[richmclean]

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]

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.