Last year I spent my fourth of July at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena with thousands of people all there to witness the biggest fireworks show West of Chicago. That was Americafest 2008. This year I was back for Americafest 2009. I didn’t go back for the crowds. Or for the $5 pretzels. Or because I found the name Americafest too tempting to resist. I was there for the marching bands.
As I mentioned in my post last year, I love marching bands. It has something to do with the years I spent marching myself, but my appreciation goes beyond that. I’m not itching to grab my clarinet and hit the field. I’m content taking it all in as an observer. I always get a kick out of watching people do what they love to do. These kids love playing their instruments and marching around, even if it means spending a great deal of time in an ugly and uncomfortable polyester uniform.
My experience with band was not so awesome. First, I played the clarinet from fifth grade all the way through high school, but I was never that into it and I was never very good. I kept going because my friends were in band and I needed something to put on college applications. Second, the marching program began at my high school when I was a Sophomore. We weren’t part of a long tradition; we were the first. And let me tell you something if it’s not completely obvious, marching is hard, but marching while playing an instrument is really hard. Much harder than it looks. It took me a couple years just to get so I could march in time (you know, “left, left, left, right, left”). Marching in formation while playing decently was something else all together. Third, being in band was not cool. There was nothing so terrible about sitting in the stands at football games wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, while playing pep songs, but donning an ill-fitting polyester uniform and marching out onto the field was embarrassing, especially because we were not good at all. Let’s just say I was not rocking any clarinet solos to thunderous applause.
I never thought of marching band as anything more than something to get through while hoping my giant hat hid most of my face until our band was invited to participate in Band Day at the University of Washington. UW is a huge school with an awesome marching band. Watching them put on a show during half-time at Husky Stadium was an experience. It was electric and I’ve been in love with marching bands ever since. It’s the one reason I regret attending small liberal arts colleges instead of big universities.
The question for me is what’s not to love about marching bands? You’ve got the catchy tunes (The Hey Song, Oye Como Va, Smoke on the Water, Iron Man, Land of a Thousand Dances, Ina Gada Da Vida, etc.). The fun formations. And people having a good time. I love when they do some kind of high-step or break into a run. But, the best of the best is organized chaos. I’m not sure if that’s the official name, but I’m referring to this move where the band starts running around chaotically (preferably to Flight of the Bumblebee) and then they run straight into their places in the formation. I guess it’s hard to explain, but it’s magic in person.
I hope one day to tour the universities of the South where they really know how to march. Maybe as “research” of some kind.
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I absolutely loved marching band haha. I started band in high school (since I couldn’t march wtih a violin). It was interesting learning a new instrument and how to march in 2 weeks. I loved it so much… I did it for two years in college and sometimes still wish I did more of it haha.
Yah Pasadena! The 4th in Pasadena is an EVENT!
My high school didn’t have a band. My sophomore year of high school we had a drum line, but it only lasted that one year because the teacher who directed it moved to a different school. So. We didn’t have anything fun like that.
Whenever I think of marching bands, I think of the episode from The Adventures of Pete & Pete where big Pete & Ellen join the band. It was rad.
I’ve never enjoyed football games, but I do like watching marching bands for all the coordination and music!
I’ve always been impressed by marching bands, what a workout! It has got to take oodles of coordination.
love this post! I was a band nerd in high school, but not in the marching band. I played oboe, so I didn’t march. but many of my friends did, so me and my bestie, who also played oboe, would attend shows, sit by the band at football games… we even walked with the marchers during a parade one year to distribute water (aka, squeeze water in their mouths in between breaks). not to mention my high school boyfriend played sax in the marching band and was section leader. so even to this day, I love watching marching bands too. perhaps not as much as you, but I appreciate what they do because I know it is hard and I’m not sure I could have done it! I too wish I had gone to a bigger university that actually had a football team because I missed going to the games and seeing the band! :)
I played clarinet when I was little too. I’m glad I quit in 5th grade though, I definitely wouldn’t have gotten that marching thing down. I can barely walk.
I played flute from 6th grade all the way through college. I picked up the piccolo in high school. I completely understand what you mean about marching bands. I feel it too.
You talk about universities in the South. All universities have their style of matching, some correct and some not so correct. I know high school marching band is very competitive in southern Louisiana. If you want to catch some really good marching bands, I’d check out high schools. They are more into competition than college bands are.
I remember those songs!! They were so much fun to play. Man, I miss it.
I was in marching band through high school; played the trumpet. Our band had this whole long history. But it still wasn’t that cool to be part of it. People still look at us kind of… sideways. But the only regret I have is the uniform. So, so awkward.
Marching with an instrument IS really hard- I was in a marching band in middle school, no less. We marched during one of the parades at Disneyland and it was pretty awesome. But I don’t know if I loved it, or should I say I don’t know if I loved all the work I had to put into looking halfway decent, and so I drifted away from that. But I still love seeing marching bands play, and they are really fun.
Because I watch so much sports, and specifically college football, AND because I went to the university with the “Showband of the Southwest” aka the University of Texas Longhorn Marching Band, I love marching bands quite a bit. Also, I went to a Cal football game where the band did a whole Weezer tribute and that was really cool. But what was even cooler was that there was a Weezer concert a little while after that and before Weezer came on, the Cal band came out and played their Weezer tribute thing. It was one of the cooler things I’ve ever seen.
Wow, I haven’t thought that much about marching bands in a long time…
Why are the uniforms always polyester, I wonder? I was in the choir, not the band, but our dress robes were also polyester and we hated them.
Yesss! I am so with you! I was never in band and had NO idea about “real marching” until I went to Mardi Gras last year… they are AMAZING- so talented and fun to watch!
Up north we did not have a ‘marching band’ per se. We marched in the summer on the street or road on flat beds to perform. But when I came to college in Louisiana, that all changed. I had to learn how to march on a field, find my place, while playing, and not bump into anyone. It is super hard, but totally worth it. My favorite memories from college were playing on the field for half time or for pregame. I almost got hit once by a football player because there was too much smoke. Now I go watch the marching band festival and DCI competitions (AWESOME!! Brass and percussion. Can’t get any better then that).
I’ve never been part of marching band – never played an instrument either – but I’ve always been fascinated. It’s beautiful to watch them play, hear the music that emerges. I love it. I bet you love the movie Drumline, too, don’t you?
I wasn’t in marching band but I played the clarinet as well from 5th grade until 12th grade. I actually really started missing it lately, so when I get home from Europe I’m going to start practicing again
I have absolutely no musical talent, but oddly enough, a whole bunch of my friends marched. I hated football, but I would go to the games to see them do their crazy formations!