Generic stadium experience
Haven't had a chance to listen to current Ace podcast yet but I see that one of the topics is "the increasingly generic stadium experience"
I am anxious to here his take on this because I whole heartedly agree with this premise.
Sitting in Michigan Stadium is increasingly a pro stadium experience with the blasting music covering up every other sound that used to be there, stupid video board things like "Make Some Noise!" and a seeming deemphasis on the actual collegiate atmosphere (band, cheerleaders) that used to make a game at Michigan Stadium a pleasant and unique experience.
October 9th, 2019 at 12:11 PM ^
I didn't make it back for Homecoming this year, but is it true that the MMB didn't perform with the Alumni Band and there was no Hawaiian War Chant or Temptation at halftime?
October 9th, 2019 at 12:16 PM ^
It is true. Very bland homecoming this year. We were a little disappointed.
October 9th, 2019 at 12:18 PM ^
there was no Hawaiian War Chant or Temptation at halftime?
These songs should be staples of the halftime show. Enough with their special shows every Saturday that celebrate some random thing. Give us the MMB classics, man!
October 9th, 2019 at 1:20 PM ^
Hell, even xfinity mobile is using Temptation in their ads for the new iPhone
October 9th, 2019 at 1:57 PM ^
I think the shows this year have been some of the best the band has ever done. The homecoming show highlighted many of my personal TV favorites, so I guess that influences my opinion from this past Saturday.
I am, however, old and a traditionalist. I love the history of the band, the spectacle of a football Saturday, and many of the band's staples. Here are some options if you love the band:
- Get to the game early enough to watch pre-game. There have been many tweaks over the years, but the tunnel entrance with the MMB's signature "entries" step, the M-Fanfare, the drum major back-bend, pregame Victors including the "Hollow Block M", and playing the visiting team fight song have endured since before I was in the band beginning in the late 1980s.
- Get to Revelli Hall about 1.5 hours before the game. You can see the percussion step show which includes cadences and the percussion parts of Temptation and War Chant. If you wait a few more minutes, you can see the band form up and then march to the stadium.
- Get to Elbel as early as 5 hours before kickoff and see rehearsal (which often includes pre-game and half-time run-throughs) up close and personal.
- Stay in the stadium for post-game. This will delay your departure a small amount of time, will result in leaving the stadium at whatever pace you'd like instead of in the worst of the crowd, and will guarantee you get to see Temptation and War Chant with the full band.
- Go on a bowl trip and take in scheduled performances for bowl events like the pep rally or even (God willing again someday) a Rose Parade.
- Find information on Band-o-Rama at Hill Auditorium and attend.
- Check out the band's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/umichband
If you are so inclined, there is no shortage of opportunity to see or hear the MMB, including the classics.
October 9th, 2019 at 2:40 PM ^
It's funny, because the line this week from both the MMB leadership and Alumni Band is that fans are asking for exactly the opposite. They apparently think people want a show with less traditional Michigan music. Go figure.
October 9th, 2019 at 3:13 PM ^
And maybe they do, but at homecoming? They still do the awful "Locomotive" thing during pre-game, even though there isn't a single living cheerleader who has done it at any other time than Homecoming, so why not Temptation & Hawaiian War Chant during halftime...which isn't awful, is unique to Michigan, and which people actually like?
October 9th, 2019 at 3:22 PM ^
Man, there is nothing awful about the Michigan Locomotive.
October 9th, 2019 at 3:36 PM ^
Wow, I found the person who likes it!
Just kidding, de gustibus non est disputandum and all that, but it's not the "Michigan Locomotive." It's just the Locomotive. It's a generic cheer that pretty much every college and high school did back in the '30s and earlier. (My association when I hear it is with those cheers where fans spell their mediocre school's name, like Minnesota does, or a small part of their name, like The Ohio State University does).
There are lots of things, many of them kind of cool & fun, that Michigan did in the '70s and '80s that were allowed to disappear, but for some reason this persists. I used to think they only did it because Newt Loken liked it, but obviously there's more to it than that.
October 9th, 2019 at 3:46 PM ^
For the 99.9% of the rest of us who just like the quaint cheer, which indeed is called the "Michigan Locomotive" in Ann Arbor, that's cool, man.
October 9th, 2019 at 5:08 PM ^
My daughter graduated in '06. We watched every home game from the Student Section while she was in school. I recall quite clearly the Alumni Cheerleaders showing a very enthusiastic Student Group how to do the Locomotive Cheer - the young people were having a great time with them. I think you are well on your way to being a 'down in front', 'stay off the lawn' type.
October 9th, 2019 at 3:13 PM ^
Weird--a double post. Ignore.
October 9th, 2019 at 4:02 PM ^
so, so true, and it's always been so.
i still remember a game in 1984 - our band did 'selections from the michigan songbook,' or some such, and people paid no attention. then wisconsin's band came out and did a beach boys medley, and all anyone could say was "why doesn't our band do that?" (we'll put aside the relentless douchebaggery of the wisconsin band, since most people weren't aware of that fact).
October 9th, 2019 at 5:14 PM ^
Yep. I was at Rutger for my class reunion and the theme was Mary Poppins. Like, those songs are nice and all and the penguin costumes were mildly amusing, but I was more slightly bemused than anything.
October 9th, 2019 at 9:41 PM ^
My son who was in the band the last several years (couldn't do it this year, too much schoolwork) said it was a time issue. The show was a bit long so they had to cut something. Maybe next year.
October 9th, 2019 at 12:18 PM ^
That is correct. We had neither one nor the other.
October 9th, 2019 at 1:12 PM ^
Plus one for the correct use of . . "neither . . . nor".
October 9th, 2019 at 1:49 PM ^
Avatar checks out.
October 9th, 2019 at 12:19 PM ^
The Marching Band did perform with the Alumni Band. I can't remember if it was during halftime or after the game.
October 9th, 2019 at 2:01 PM ^
Both
October 9th, 2019 at 2:54 PM ^
Exactly, I have no idea what these are comments are saying, were they even at the game???
October 9th, 2019 at 3:19 PM ^
Many of the comments are specifically saying there was no T & HWC, played by the combined bands, during the halftime show.
October 9th, 2019 at 12:55 PM ^
They did play both after the game. Of course no one was there to appreciate it other than band family members
October 9th, 2019 at 1:58 PM ^
Untrue Sir, child and I were there and no band relations (currently) not in alumni band.
Good times
October 9th, 2019 at 2:37 PM ^
My point was that they played them so late, that the only people you would expect to be there were family members. Do you really think I thought no one not affiliated with the band wouldn’t be there.
October 9th, 2019 at 4:01 PM ^
Indeed. :)
October 9th, 2019 at 12:57 PM ^
The MMB and Alumni Band did perform together for the last medley of the halftime show and the march off the field. They also play together for the entirety of the postgame show. No T&W during halftime because the combined bands play it at postgame.
October 9th, 2019 at 1:10 PM ^
Just to confirm, the Alumni Band filled in the block M formed by the MMB at the end of the halftime show and played the last tune.
October 9th, 2019 at 7:42 PM ^
Yes. Pathetic. Was it even Homecoming? It used to be special. Now it's Brandonized. WTF?
October 10th, 2019 at 12:13 PM ^
I think we get more than enough Temptation during the game..... I was in section 41 across from the band. I liked their tune selection while in the stands (way more than when I was in the band mid-80s). I was also anticipating more piped in music, I think the mix of live and recorded was fine. And mercifully, no Neil Diamond. The alumni band element always makes Homecoming halftime weird. All in all, enjoyed my experience. And we didn't sit for a single play of the game.
October 9th, 2019 at 12:12 PM ^
Wholeheartedly disagree. Those make noise bulletins on the scoreboard are the only way *certain types* figure out that it’s okay to stand because it’s a big play.
October 9th, 2019 at 12:18 PM ^
SIT DOWN!
October 9th, 2019 at 12:26 PM ^
[A few rows up]: HEYYYY. DOWN IN FRONT!!!
[Me]: BUT THE PEOPLE IN FRONT OF ME ARE STANDING!! IF I SIT DOWN, I CAN'T SEE!
[A few rows up]: SITT DOWNNN!!
etc...
October 9th, 2019 at 12:34 PM ^
The worst are the ones who give you the side eye or plug their ears (seriously) when you’re making too much noise for their liking when we’re on defense—you know, like you’re supposed to. I’ve sat by at least 4 ear pluggers in the last two seasons alone.
October 9th, 2019 at 1:31 PM ^
After the game I made a comment that the Iowa game didn't seem that loud and got negged (I'll take those negs as I came off whiny). Context - We were sitting in a section ordinarily filled with these types and my buddy caught a guy giving the side eye to a girl who proudly stood for the whole game.
So there may have been a lot of cheering and loudness....just not where I was sitting. Or in the lower level concourse after the game but some might think that would be weird so.....
October 9th, 2019 at 1:40 PM ^
I can almost guarantee that you sat on either the West or East side of the stadium and your section was skipped during the MICHIGAN chant where the cheerleaders hold the signs up.
The old farts never do it so U-M just changed it a couple years ago to exclude their lame asses from it.
October 9th, 2019 at 3:30 PM ^
I am an old fart. I cheer loudly and never complain about standing. However I think the "let's make some noise" is extremely cheezy and reminds me of an NBA game. I have had season tickets for 25+ years and never recall many if any "down in front" comments.
The one guy who irritates me is the half drunk guy waving his arms to get everyone to stand up and he is the only one in the section doing that.
I started going to games as a kid in '69 and my parents sat behind one of the Wisterts in section 1 - don't know which brother but he was large man even when he was old. So I have sone from an kid to an old fart attending games for years. My mom cheered heartily into her 60's.
What I find interesting is the transient nature of the fans around me - in my row no one has showed for every game. A couple of pairs have been there half of the time and given/sold the tickets the rest of the time. Never the same people in the rows in front or behind me (section 42 if anyone cares). I love some of the one-timers as they are just so excited to be there but I liked it better when you got to know the people sitting around you.
October 9th, 2019 at 3:47 PM ^
Whether people find it cheezy or not, that is when the crowd actually does wake up and make some noise so I have no problem with the flashing that.
I am just amazed at the people who are stuck in time and want everything to stay the same as it was in 1969!
October 9th, 2019 at 3:56 PM ^
I don't mind much of the changes, but the "lets blame the blue hairs" for everything seems out of place.
I was waiting for the girl catching punts last weekend to take one right in the face, that would have been entertaining.
I would like high speed wifi just so I could get scores and highlights from the other games.
October 9th, 2019 at 4:11 PM ^
I'm in section 40 which is like 42 but for those with less wealth to rain on Michigan :). Interestingly, the seats immediately across my aisle are like 2x what my own seats cost. What a weird dynamic. I bring this up because 40 always gets up well before the group across the aisle. It's pretty bizarre to see an entire section standing and then almost nothing 4 feet away.
As to the blue hair argument, I think it's not always accurate. The blue hairs in front of me, the ones that will make me relocate next year (when I buy 2 more seats) are the entitled older Michigan fans. They are also idiots. This is far worse than the "down in front" crew.
As an example, the lady in front of me (who with her spouse left 3 minutes into the 4th) continually stated: "come on, boys" followed by a regular "throw it" after Shea would step back 2 steps (i.e., before even a bubble screen might develop). On defense, I am treated to a litany of "come on boys, stop someone!". I would note that, at the time she made this final protestation Iowa had been stopped to the tune of 1 rushing yard and 3 total points. If the opponent completes a pass the spouse states: "here they go again". FFS. I'll deal with "down in front" blue hair a thousand days before unintelligent entitled blue hair.
October 9th, 2019 at 5:31 PM ^
I would say dumb football fans are the worst i.e screaming "Free Joe Milton". I guess at least they know who Joe Milton is. I don't get leaving early even when we are blowing someone out - I can see leaving early when we are getting blown out :-(
October 9th, 2019 at 4:02 PM ^
Is that any worse than OUR cheerleaders chanting "Go Big Blue"? We are not the NY Giants, IBM, or Kentucky. Most probably can't hear it, but my tickets are in row 1 with the cheerleaders right in front of us.
October 9th, 2019 at 4:38 PM ^
I normally agree about "Big Blue" but Cazzie Russel used that term multiple times on the recent podcast. If it's good enough for Cazzie, I can let it slide. Maybe there was a time when that term was more commonly ascribed to M.
October 9th, 2019 at 4:43 PM ^
My first year as a season ticket holder someone yelled "sit down" at me on the first play Michigan was on defense against Ohio.
I changed sections after that season.
October 9th, 2019 at 3:00 PM ^
We really need those signs. Last year, my family was told that we are too loud and we are "ruining the experience" for the people around us.
October 9th, 2019 at 12:13 PM ^
What gets me is that our list of piped-in music is apparently the same as everyone else's. I thought "Mr. Brightside" was an OK new addition but then, just watching other games on TV, I heard at least three other teams playing it. It seems that the PA music guys are all in communication with each other and every stadium is getting the same national playlist. ("Still D.R.E" is another one that seems to be on it - I heard it watching Nebraska's last game, of all places.)
October 9th, 2019 at 12:54 PM ^
I just saw that the Yankees have the running hot dogs between innings. The fucking Yankees. It's all the same. It's all homogenized milk.
Everything that made the college football game day experience special has been bled dry by soulless marketing people who get paid big bucks to imitate other soulless marketing people. And the people in charge don't care and that won't change until their six and seven figure salaries are threatened. May that day come soon.
October 9th, 2019 at 3:52 PM ^
Does non-homogenized milk taste different per cow, and homogenized taste the same? It has been a long time since my mom's uncle Erlin sold the dairy farm ...
October 9th, 2019 at 2:19 PM ^
You know, I actually really like Mr. Brightside. The song is pretty good, and the way it first "went viral" is what college football atmosphere should be.
but for fucks sake, don't overdo it! Why not just have it once PER HOME SEASON. as a surprise during one of the games (or just homecoming).
People will go nuts for it without getting tired of it.
October 9th, 2019 at 12:13 PM ^
I think 3 or 4 people clapped when they announced the Slippery Rock score. I think that thing has ran its course.
I really don't know why anyone would think less Band and more shitty music is better. Who makes these decisions?