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With this being March Madness, I wanted to ask if any posters here performed on the sousaphone during the tournament this year or are planning to perform yet, like the regionals or final four.

It's great to see close-ups of the bands during the time-outs, especially the silver, shiny sousaphones.

Another interesting thing was with George Mason. They use regular upright tubas and are still alive, that is until UConn beats them tomorrow.

Hank74

George Mason does not have a football team, so no marching band and no need for sousaphones. But their tubas looked so shiny - I bet they were scared stiff about getting dents.

My daughter, Beth McDonald, played sousaphone at the Women's NCAA tournament in Chicago for both of the University of Kentucky games. We got to see her on TV for almost a full 2 seconds!

No way! How is Beth? I met her at the ABQ seminar last year.

That would be Texas.

Yeah, I was kinda ticked that they kept showing the LSU band over and over. I used to teach band in Texas and have several former students in the Longhorn Band. I was hoping to see some of them on TV!!!!

Maybe the reason why they showed the LSU band more often was because the camera people were able to get to them more easier compared to Texas. I don't know how they do that. Perhaps it was the songs that LSU played that caught them. One of them was "Eye of the Tiger."

A few years back, I did manage to head down to Austin and see the pep band play. It seemed the members were wearing jackets or windbreakers.

Hank74

Hank74 wrote:Maybe the reason why they showed the LSU band more often was because the camera people were able to get to them more easier compared to Texas.

I guess it was more easier. In fact, it had to be more easier. It couldn't have been anything else.

Hank74 wrote: Another interesting thing was with George Mason. They use regular upright tubas and are still alive, that is until UConn beats them tomorrow.

Hank74

!!!!!!
Whoodathunkit? Downtown Fairfax will be hoppin' tonight! Put the minivan in the garage and call Elmer from the neighborhood patrol! he'll be puttin' in extra hours a'searchin for hooligans!

Congrats GMU!

Maybe those two upright tubas have been good omens throughout the entire tournament for Mason. Is it possible to get some more since they'll need to make a lot of noise in that large RCA Dome in Indy.

Here's the interesting thing about Mason's next opponent, Florida. At their home games, they play fiberglass sousas. But on the road, like tournaments and the NCAA, they use shiny, silver sousas. Maybe they want to bring out the best when on the road.

So here's the tuba situation with the Final Four teams:
George Mason-Uprights. I belive there are two.
LSU and Florida-Shiny, silver sousas. Don't know what brand they are. LSU has 4 sousas, Florida had 3 tonight
UCLA-Shiny, lacquer sousas. Usually has two.

Interesting combo this upcoming weekend.

Hank74

Who cares about the tubas. GO GATORS!!

The main reason why I brought up this topic in the first place was because I wanted to find out from others, especially current sousa players, the experiences they've had on playing in a pep band during the Madness.

One thing I wanted to do was play sousa for a pep band during the basketball season. Unfortunately, I went to a small, D-3 school and we didn't have pep bands. For timeouts and the half, we only had the radio blasting out songs or nothing at all.

Hank74

the elephant wrote:

TubaRay wrote:

Hank74 wrote:Maybe the reason why they showed the LSU band more often was because the camera people were able to get to them more easier compared to Texas.

I guess it was more easier. In fact, it had to be more easier. It couldn't have been anything else.

That was more easier the funniest thing I've read all day.

I believe that was the most bestest and most funniest response I have ever read. That makes it more easier for me to laugh more better.

UF Pedal Tones, are you going to Indy this weekend or will there be other tubas there. I must say that you and LSU have the best sousas remaining in the tourney.

Hank

I was at UCLA in 1995 for their last championship. What a fantastic riot we had in Westwood.

Although I am a basketball fan, I should express once again that the university system is playing a big part in the downfall of the United States, and would not recommend that anybody attend college. These days most every school is morally lost in what they teach.

That being said...

GO BRIUNS!

UC - clap clap - LA

UC - clap clap - LA

Have a mellow day.

-MSM

Hank74 wrote:The main reason why I brought up this topic in the first place was because I wanted to find out from others, especially current sousa players, the experiences they've had on playing in a pep band during the Madness.

From 2000 to 2002, I got to go to 13 NCAA tournament games with my college pep band (one 2nd round appearance and 2 final fours (and a national championship)). (Plus howmany-ever ACC tournament games.) There's nothing better than being courtside for BIG games.

One of the most moving things was playing the national anthem at the Nat'l Championship game in 2002, while they brought in the WTC flag. Quite an emotional experience. Not to mention winning the Nat'l Championship later that night. Wow!

Of course, in general, just traveling across the country and getting paid (per diem) to go to the games is a LOT of fun. It's like a month-long party with 30 close friends, and your only job is to play music. And then there's the pure emotional attachment to the games - it's huge. When your team wins, it's the greatest thing in the world. And when (if?) they lose, it just breaks your heart.

It's a hell of a thing. It's madness. And I love it.

Well in the hopes of keeping things going here on this post, I would like to invite any current tuba or sousa players from Florida, George Mason, LSU and UCLA to chime in about their Final Four experience once their team's run in the tourney has ended. You will all have an awsome time, I trust!

Hank74