Marching Illini 2012

[IlliniAmy]

Trust me, those of us who've been through the rigors of band camp, rehearsals, OhMyGodI'mMeltingHeat, ArcticFreezeTemps, and insanely crowded traveling conditions don't find anything "cute" about it. The rush and adrenalin I felt during that first pregame performance each year had never been matched. It certainly never brought the word "cute" to mind.

[Dan]

[IlliniSon]

I love the Marching Illini. They are outstanding.

[mdonsbach]

have to admit the Block I doing the ILL-INI then Our State Our Team was pretty cool.

Couldn't have they added We want D Jack?

[mailpost21]

Once again Dan, thanks so much for posting these.

[chief4life]

Why did the MI only do one song? It seemed very short. Nice to see Lou, but I hate the interruption in the 3-in-1. Trying to again diminish the Chief because Illini Nation won't let him go. And never should and never will.

Long live the Chief.

[NJJ87]

Originally Posted by chief4life

Why did the MI only do one song? It seemed very short. Nice to see Lou, but I hate the interruption in the 3-in-1. Trying to again diminish the Chief because Illini Nation won't let him go. And never should and never will.

Long live the Chief.

It's never been about diminishing/getting rid of the Chief alone, but everything associated with him. If that means you have to get rid of all of the old music, you do it. If that means that you tell varsity athletes that they can't imitate the Chief in any way when they're in public, you do it. If that means telling members of the MI what kind of t-shirts they can and can't wear to regular weekday practices, you do it. If it eventually means banning fans from wearing visible chief images into the stadium, you'll do it. If it ultimately means driving away all of the alumni who have supported the university, and ending up with a school that is much less attractive and respected, you'll do it. That's how Marxists work. As long as they gain control, even if it's control of a shell of a once proud university, they'll deem themselves successful.

[goillini75]

Originally Posted by illinoistradition

Have you seen the Michigan band? I think you are attributing the tradition of their football to their band. Their band is nothing special, and the MI is certainly better. OSU, on the other hand, has a fun band to listen to. The best part of their show, and the biggest thing that the MI needs to change, is the pregame. Our pregame might be the lamest in the Big Ten. That isn't to be taken as unpatriotic. It is to be taken with the fact that a pregame should get the fans up, engaged, and excited. Illinois' does everything but. I think the new director did a fantastic job bringing some new ideas last fall. If he changes the pregame, he will be my hero.

well i was a season ticket holder several years ago and certainly got tired of the same pregame stuff every week i am like change it up a bit. The national anthem is the patriotic part of any sporting event. It needs a change.

[illini101]

Its the best pre-game in college football. DONT CHANGE A THING! Its called Tradition!

[IlliniAmy]

I like that the Pregame show is the one constant...and it's an outstanding show. The half-time show is around for change each week.

[ilphotog]

One problem with the pregame, half the fans are still outside.

[Dan]

Charleston Southern game 09/15/2012 - Beatles halftime show




Marching Illini trip to Wilmington High School, Friday, Sept 14th




2012 Marching Illini Pregame Intro Video

[Dan]

Marching Illini 9/22/12 Superhero Halftime show

[Holdemall]

Originally Posted by thetisdalefactor

I agree you should have taken it a step farther though. Nobody cares about marching bands outside of people that were in marching bands. They're cute and you kind of have to have them, but really when was last time you said wow I just got jacked watching the Marching Illini. Probably not politically correct, and I am sure I will get ripped but just my view.

Agree with that statement, with the exception of the southern HBCU's. Those bands are awesome.

[DidTheDip]

Originally Posted by thetisdalefactor

I agree you should have taken it a step farther though. Nobody cares about marching bands outside of people that were in marching bands. They're cute and you kind of have to have them, but really when was last time you said wow I just got jacked watching the Marching Illini. Probably not politically correct, and I am sure I will get ripped but just my view.

As a former MI member statements like this and the HBCU one are really frustrating. I'd like to share my thoughts:

1. "Nobody cares about marching bands outside of people that were in marching bands." Go to youtube and look at the view counts of MI videos and other colleges' bands. No way all of those views are coming from former members.

2. People don't realize that marching bands have to pay for the rights to play current pop songs just like TV shows and movie studios. HBCUs where halftime is game time and schools w endless football money can afford them. Everyone else has to get creative and I think the MI does an excellent job given their resources.

3. I like how the athletic department is balancing the MI w/ speaker music. But a lot of this music (ex. Chelsea Daggar) builds excitement by drawing on fans' love for Chicago sports teams. MI music is Illini music. You only have a watered down pro atmosphere without the marching band.

[TheSecretWeapon]

Originally Posted by DidTheDip

As a former MI member statements like this and the HBCU one are really frustrating. I'd like to share my thoughts:

1. "Nobody cares about marching bands outside of people that were in marching bands." Go to youtube and look at the view counts of MI videos and other colleges' bands. No way all of those views are coming from former members.

2. People don't realize that marching bands have to pay for the rights to play current pop songs just like TV shows and movie studios. HBCUs where halftime is game time and schools w endless football money can afford them. Everyone else has to get creative and I think the MI does an excellent job given their resources.

3. I like how the athletic department is balancing the MI w/ speaker music. But a lot of this music (ex. Chelsea Daggar) builds excitement by drawing on fans' love for Chicago sports teams. MI music is Illini music. You only have a watered down pro atmosphere without the marching band.

that's interesting

[ThreeInOne4Ever]

If you ("you" being used broadly and generically) don't appreciate the place of marching bands in college football, you don't appreciate the festive, traditional elements of college football, and you SURE don't appreciate the Big Ten's. The Big Ten has long had the finest crop of *traditional* marching bands that there is in college athletics. The Big Ten's legacy in the marching band world (beyond college football even) is huge. All other types and styles of it came after the Big Ten schools blazed the trail.

[WaukeganOldSchool]

Originally Posted by thetisdalefactor

I agree you should have taken it a step farther though. Nobody cares about marching bands outside of people that were in marching bands. They're cute and you kind of have to have them, but really when was last time you said wow I just got jacked watching the Marching Illini. Probably not politically correct, and I am sure I will get ripped but just my view.

There are a select few college marching bands out there that DO get their home-team fans jacked up at certain times (particularly pre-game), and manage to attract thousands of fans to watch them before or after a game. The fans at scUM, USC, tOSU and Oklahoma love the pre-game entrances that their bands make. For many of the HBCU, the half time show IS the most exciting entertainment of the day. Thousands of Wisky fans stick around for the Fifth Quarter.

The Marching Illini could be, but is not one of those bands. The best thing it ever did was decimated a few years back, and hasn't been replaced. The 3-in-1 sucks without Chief. The band does little new or creative, the pre-game is terribly dull and dated. A bold band director would freshen things up. A lot. Doesn't seem like we have that. Instead, the band lives in the past, and rests on a reputation forged decades ago.

NOTE: I am a former four-year member of the band, and it pains me to write what I just wrote. But it doesn't help to deny reality.

[DidTheDip]

Originally Posted by WaukeganOldSchool

There are a select few college marching bands out there that DO get their home-team fans jacked up at certain times (particularly pre-game), and manage to attract thousands of fans to watch them before or after a game. The fans at scUM, USC, tOSU and Oklahoma love the pre-game entrances that their bands make. For many of the HBCU, the half time show IS the most exciting entertainment of the day. Thousands of Wisky fans stick around for the Fifth Quarter.

Team that have consistently won for the past 50 years get more excited during their bands' pregame shows?....SHOCKING

The Marching Illini could be, but is not one of those bands. The best thing it ever did was decimated a few years back, and hasn't been replaced. The 3-in-1 sucks without Chief.

Matter of opinion...However I've been at many games the past 5 years where the 3-in-1 got the loudest ovation of the day

The band does little new or creative, the pre-game is terribly dull and dated. A bold band director would freshen things up. A lot. Doesn't seem like we have that. Instead, the band lives in the past, and rests on a reputation forged decades ago.

Pre-game - again a matter of opinion. I'm a former sousaphone player so I love the pregame . Hard to disagree w/ the new/creative comment but again $$$ is more of a factor in this than people think. He's only been here for a year and change but Barry Houser seems to have a lot of in store to get the band more exposure which hopefully increases revenue so the MI do some different things w/ the halftime shows. Time will tell

NOTE: I am a former four-year member of the band, and it pains me to write what I just wrote. But it doesn't help to deny reality.

[Dan]

[Oskee Mayer]

Originally Posted by WaukeganOldSchool

There are a select few college marching bands out there that DO get their home-team fans jacked up at certain times (particularly pre-game), and manage to attract thousands of fans to watch them before or after a game. The fans at scUM, USC, tOSU and Oklahoma love the pre-game entrances that their bands make. For many of the HBCU, the half time show IS the most exciting entertainment of the day. Thousands of Wisky fans stick around for the Fifth Quarter.

The Marching Illini could be, but is not one of those bands. The best thing it ever did was decimated a few years back, and hasn't been replaced. The 3-in-1 sucks without Chief. The band does little new or creative, the pre-game is terribly dull and dated. A bold band director would freshen things up. A lot. Doesn't seem like we have that. Instead, the band lives in the past, and rests on a reputation forged decades ago.

NOTE: I am a former four-year member of the band, and it pains me to write what I just wrote. But it doesn't help to deny reality.

That's funny, because a ton of USC fans after the Rose Bowl told me how much better the MI was. Guess they were just being nice, huh?

[illinifan4249]

I may be a bit bias being a student in Block-I but I love the energy that Barry has brought to the band, he is always trying to engage the students and keep us fired up and once he learned the traditional songs that we always want them to play it has been a lot of fun. I also think marching bands are something that makes college sports unique and so special.
One last point as to the pregame show, the part that I love is the fact that its the same and so traditional, singing Oskee-Wow-Wow and then William Tell gets me pretty excited for the game.

[WaukeganOldSchool]

Originally Posted by Oskee Mayer

That's funny, because a ton of USC fans after the Rose Bowl told me how much better the MI was. Guess they were just being nice, huh?

Probably. The MI's Rose Bowl halftime show was poor. I was there.

That said, the MI marches and plays better than the TMB. But the TMB connects with its audience WAY better, and at least TRIES some contemporary things on occasion.

To the other poster, song selection, arrangements and drill - at the college level - are not really dependent upon a big budget.

[DrewD007]

I really wish the Penn State band wasn't there yesterday. They'd often play simultaneously as the Marching Illini, so I couldn't hear the Marching Illini from my seats in the horseshoe. Probably had a lot to do with Penn State winning as well.

[IlliFan79]

Originally Posted by DrewD007

I really wish the Penn State band wasn't there yesterday. They'd often play simultaneously as the Marching Illini, so I couldn't hear the Marching Illini from my seats in the horseshoe. Probably had a lot to do with Penn State winning as well.

+1 - plus it may have been due to my seat in section 106, but seemed heavy on the bass drums. This plus Illini performance led to a major headche.