Interesting marching band Sousaphone section tradition

[David Richoux]

I was reading story about the University of Idaho Marching Vandals and had to explore further!

Are there any bandmembers who can more fully explain this?
Or this?

The article gives some basic facts, but it seems like a PR cover-up to me. We need the inside story!
(dang! links are all now broken with no other link to the article or pictures - maybe this one https://objects.lib.uidaho.edu/blot/blot_2010-10.pdf will hang around for a while.)

Any other interesting section traditions out there (besides "Dotting The Ohio I"?)

[bort]

My section had plenty of "traditions," though it was mostly inside jokes or non-public stuff.

10 years later, I'm wondering if they are still "traditions" or just "stuff that we did when I was there."

[jamsav]

yrs ago, I passed on a University largely because of the crappy sousaphones they marched with.....I wonder if this little " tradition" keeps anyone away....call me old fashioned, but I just find this uncomfortable...

[David Richoux]

yrs ago, I passed on a University largely because of the crappy sousaphones they marched with.....I wonder if this little " tradition" keeps anyone away....call me old fashioned, but I just find this uncomfortable...

You selected where you would receive your education based on the conditions of the marching band sousaphones? That is not old fashioned at all. But it is highly ill-advised. That is like picking where you go to school because of the football team. Amazing...

I think the "this" being referenced was to my top post (could be wrong!)
I have met die-hard college football fans who DID go to some particular college or university because of the football tradition - I don't agree with that philosophy, but I have seen it in many parts of the country. I also know some musicians who chose to go to their college because of the marching band - if they also got a useful education out of it, great!
My university had a so-so football team and a so-so band. I didn't bother to join it, mostly because my non-music major was way too intensive to allow the time it would take. I later had the opportunity to play sometimes with the Stanford Band and that was a lot of fun!

[iiipopes]

I did start a tradition at Marching Mizzou, although almost 30 years on I don't know if they still do it. They had corp hats. They were always banging the back of the souzy bells, and it was not good, especially since they had just gotten new King souzies and didn't want even the slightest scratch on them. I convinced the department head to go get the school colors floppy bill caps out of the university bookstore to wear instead. I got it from my high school, where the souzy players had to wear the caps because there was no way to wear our full dress marching uniform hats while playing souzy, which were in style derived from The Household Division bearskins, but smaller in girth although about as tall, and complete with contrasting plume.

[jamsav]

yrs ago, I passed on a University largely because of the crappy sousaphones they marched with.....I wonder if this little " tradition" keeps anyone away....call me old fashioned, but I just find this uncomfortable...

You selected where you would receive your education based on the conditions of the marching band sousaphones? That is not old fashioned at all. But it is highly ill-advised. That is like picking where you go to school because of the football team. Amazing...

No , not amazing at all, and not if you're a footlball player.
Your response makes alot of assumptions, non of which are correct . Yes, I ruled out a University " largely" , because they had crappy sousaphones. The choice of the sousaphones , and their condition, gave indication of budgetary problems. I was fortunate enough to have had greater opportunities at other schools, and now 30 years down the road, I can comfortably assure you that I made the right choice. I m not pickin a fight, I m just putting out the flames. Your comments were out of line....

[djwesp]

Mckenna, where are you?

Here is your chance to make fun of Ida U AND inform us of the reason for the goofy tradition.

[TUbajohn20J]

yrs ago, I passed on a University largely because of the crappy sousaphones they marched with.....I wonder if this little " tradition" keeps anyone away....call me old fashioned, but I just find this uncomfortable...

That would definitely keep me away. Even if the music program was amazing...if I had to wear a skirt while marching I would not attend that school! I also, in a way, weeded out my college choices based on the kinds of sousaphones they used. Sad but true..but I made the right choice.

[jamsav]

That would definitely keep me away. Even if the music program was amazing...if I had to wear a skirt while marching I would not attend that school! I also, in a way, weeded out my college choices based on the kinds of sousaphones they used. Sad but true..but I made the right choice.[/quote]




with so many good schools needing students you never know what the tipping point might be...If going off to college and enjoying the marching band experience is important , and wearing a skirt while doing it isn't your thing....well....that's my point...

[Tom]

I picked a college without any sousaphones, so there!

[tubamarc8891]

At Arizona State we baptize all the freshman/newbies into the tuba section and give them nicknames

[TUbajohn20J]

That would definitely keep me away. Even if the music program was amazing...if I had to wear a skirt while marching I would not attend that school! I also, in a way, weeded out my college choices based on the kinds of sousaphones they used. Sad but true..but I made the right choice.

I take some offense to this, by some I mean that I did wear a "skirt" for the duration of my marching days. Technically it was a kilt, but because the department had limited funds..

A kilt is different. But to wear a skirt...not for me! No way no how. No offense to anybody, but to wear women's clothes while in band, tradition or not, would definitely keep me as far away from there as possible.

[David Richoux]

Oh yes and we free-balled or free-(whatever the female version of that is).

The way I have heard it is - they shouldn't have to ask, but if they do: "My Kit (or Kilt) is in full working order" and if further is needed: "Nothing is worn."

However, according to some UK military regulations and other traditions, underwear is optional, and actually encouraged in bands and other groups that might be "exposed" to the public. I cannot find any exact reg on The Internet, but a lot of those traditions were developed during the Victorian era so I don't know how much enforcement is in effect. There are so many "rules" associated with wearing a kilt !

Skirts are by no means "Women's wear" if you look in to the long history of uniforms - not only in Scotland! The USC Trojan Band guy on the horse is wearing a sort of mini-skirt that the Greek and Roman armies used for hundreds of years.

[MileMarkerZero]

Oh yes and we free-balled or free-(whatever the female version of that is).

The way I have heard it is - they shouldn't have to ask, but if they do: "My Kit (or Kilt) is in full working order" and if further is needed: "Nothing is worn."

However, according to some UK military regulations and other traditions, underwear is optional, and actually encouraged in bands and other groups that might be "exposed" to the public. I cannot find any exact reg on The Internet, but a lot of those traditions were developed during the Victorian era so I don't know how much enforcement is in effect. There are so many "rules" associated with wearing a kilt !

Skirts are by no means "Women's wear" if you look in to the long history of uniforms - not only in Scotland! The USC Trojan Band guy on the horse is wearing a sort of mini-skirt that the Greek and Roman armies used for hundreds of years.

That's why those wily scots strung a little dead critter onto a lanyard and named it the sporran.

[MileMarkerZero]

I know at Oklahoma if you screw up during the week (late, don't memorize your music, general stupidity, etc.) you have to run up and down the south endzone stands (about 5 stories high - NOT with your horn though) after the game Saturday while the section plays at the bottom. When I was there it was the old Budweiser theme song. No, not that one, the really old one...when you say Bud you've said it all...na na na na na na na nananana...

[UNMTUBADUDE]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ0m1duCgC8 One of the better versions of In Heaven There Is No Beer

[Biggs]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ0m1duCgC8 One of the better versions of In Heaven There Is No Beer

Pfft. That's a school song at another "UI".

As for sousaphone traditions, I think the best ones (and the best sousaphone sections) belong to a handful of HBCUs. Maybe Virginia State or Florida A&M.

[UNMTUBADUDE]

Thats why I said one of the better versions of In Heaven There Is No Beer. Iowa has the best version imo..