Leatherneck Nation

Just wanted to let you guys know (for those who are interested), we're having alumni in the pep band for the February 21st double header. We weren't able to find a home game over break where we could have more than 10 or so alumni show up (which...trust me...would not sound good...at all).
So, for the men's and women's games that day, there will be band alumni as well as current band members playing.

http://www.wiu.edu/cofac/bands/band_alu ... /index.php

Great news!

The Alumni Pep Band has done a good job filling-in for the past 2 seasons.

That will be my Macomb trip for this year. I plan to make it in for the preceding Wed, Thur, and those Saturday games. BTW ST, who says you need to sound good. Yelling good is all it takes:

[youtube][/youtube]

Hehe....nice.

Oh, hey, Western Carolina...the other Purple and Gold Western. WCU has a crazy good marching band too, just fyi.

ST_Lawson wrote:Hehe....nice.

Oh, hey, Western Carolina...the other Purple and Gold Western. WCU has a crazy good marching band too, just fyi.

On the fall 2015 bucket list: game day trip to Cullowhee, NC (pop 9,428)

500 members in band? how do they do that?

Western Carolina's enrollment for fall 2014 was 10,382. About the same as us.

The Marching Leatherneck Band looked really small this year. There were only 3 sousaphones and only 8 flags.

I see the NCAA just published top 5 pep band list and no surprise to me George Mason Green Machine was number 1. They use a lot of electronic stuff and vocalists during their performances. I also see WCU does the same. Maybe we need an upgrade but I am sure there are some purists out there that disagree. Ideally, whether recruiting for sports or music or whatever, you want to get the point where the program literally recruits itself. That takes time and dedication from coaches/directors along with a willingness to think outside the box at times to set your program apart from others.

http://www.ncaa.com/video/basketball-me ... en-machine

I am 100% sure I was in the 2nd level for this one:

[youtube][/youtube][/youtube]

When we get video boards up, I would love to see them start replaying videos of pep band for those occasions when they are not really "in the house".

I don't know how it started, but at this point, Western Carolina's marching band looks more like a DCI Drum and Bugle Corps or a top BOA Marching Band...not just their talent and performance level, but also the show style, even down to the marching style and posture of the members. In my opinion, they are the best modern-style college marching band out there.

EDIT - and I figured out why. Took a look at the staff listing for WCU's band and...well, the best analogy I can think of is if Urban Meyers coaching staff decided they wanted to coach football at Western...including all that would do for recruiting, fundraising, and flat-out coaching ability. The corps listed on most staff member's resume's include the best in the world...Carolina Crown (who's home office is 3 hours away), Cavaliers, Blue Stars. As near as I can tell, there's only one person on their staff that hasn't either taught or marched with a world championship drum corps at some point in their careers.

(jump to about 0:58 for the start of the real show)
[youtube][/youtube]

Okay, after visiting Purdue and Butler for basketball last weekend, and WIU on Friday, I have a couple of comments regarding basketball bands. Purdue's band fills an entire section of Mackey Arena and includes 4 tubas and a huge brass section. Each and every timeout and pause in the action is completely choreographed with their student section and cheerleaders! The sound is amazing! Okay, Butler is not Purdue but their pep band had a nice bass resonance created by two baritone saxes. They played mostly 80's music including the Police and "Living on a Prayer" which Purdue excels at too. The WIU band almost seemed like an after thought last night with music also being played over the PA! WIU's band at football games is unbelievable! What's the problem with basketball games. In my opinion, they need a better presence, they need to be more important if the game atmosphere is going to improve! jc

Neckfansince71 wrote:Music also being played over the PA!

The same situation also occurred at the football games: The loud music coming out of the north end zone speakers would often be turned on when the Marching Leathernecks were playing.