[winflop]

I'm an unabashed supporter of Stanford's band.  I love the excitement their presence brings to Stanford sporting events and believe that they uniquely fill a niche in the Stanford sports landscape.  A Stanford world without the band would be much less fun - for both the fans AND the athletes.

Having said that .... I've recently noticed how much more successful the band is in smaller venues.  When they are criticized among alums/casual fans it's always for their football field shows.  What would it take to improve/fix the football field show?

Some thoughts:

*  Music:  Yeah, I know, it's HARD to fill a football stadium with music.  Improving Fall recruitment might help.  I bet that the majority of Stanford students have some level of musical experience and only a percentage of those play in the band.  Better recruitment for the fall quarter band would be helpful.  Maybe add in outreach to local alumni for fall shows.  Heck, the value proposition of 6 days with the band plus some practice time should seem pretty darn fun to local young alums.  Anything to give the band a little more musical volume and oomph in critical field shows.  Also, I wonder if the travel ban, field ban (after the band shack demolition) and other admin meddling is holding down band membership?

*  Announcers:  It's not fair but the the band announcers can come off as whiny or entitled according to comments from non Stanford types (and some alums).  Jokes seem too "inside campus drive" and a lot of the time they just can't hear or understand announcers.  Yeah, I know our opponents love slamming the band but if we want people to "get" their shows than how they are presented makes a difference.  Find the next Hal Mickelson or a voice that is equal to the task.  Always have subtittles on the video boards.  Make scripts available on the Stadium App.  Communicate better.

*  Scripts:  The SNL effect of 1 dud and 5 so-so skits for every laugh-out-loud winner holds forth with the band.  I wonder if an alternate approach could be put in place here.  Perhaps make the Band show a for credit workshop open to band members with professional mentorship/critique available?  This could be student run and overseen by the Music or Drama department or another department that is interested.  There's certainly real world value in figuring out how to communicate to 40,000-50,000 people in an effective manner and it might help even out the quality.  Just a thought but a new approach might help.  Is the band still repulsed by connection with the faculty/music department?

Again, I LOVE the band and can't imagine a Stanford world without them.  These are just some random thoughts brought on by realizingthat the band is almost universally loved at Stanford outside of their field shows.  Innovative thought is a Stanford value and a LSJUMB value.  No need to wait for the band to break before we meddle/fix it.

Comments?

The music is the music - there was a time when the band's unofficial label was "the world's largest rock & roll band."  KEEP PLAYING IT DO NOT CONFORM.  Add a new song or two every year to keep it a little contemporary.

They need to can the nasal, high-pitched announcers and find someone with a strong, deep voice.  No need for two people, and no need to be PC by making it one man and one woman.

Scripts - the AD needs to let them tastefully mock their opponents more often.  To my knowledge the only two times they've even been allowed to do anything mocking of an opponent were the 2013 and 2016 Rose Bowls.  IMnsHO by a long way those are the two best band shows in the last 10 years.  Saluting the Irish Potato Famine and having the Drum Major marry all five Dollies went too far, but they could have done a salute to leprechauns everywhere with a rainbow etc.

Plenty of smart creative students on campus.  If the AD would just R-E-L-A-X a little bit...

[winflop]

I'm an unabashed supporter of Stanford's band.  I love the excitement their presence brings to Stanford sporting events and believe that they uniquely fill a niche in the Stanford sports landscape.  A Stanford world without the band would be much less fun - for both the fans AND the athletes.

Having said that .... I've recently noticed how much more successful the band is in smaller venues.  When they are criticized among alums/casual fans it's always for their football field shows.  What would it take to improve/fix the football field show?

Some thoughts:

*  Music:  Yeah, I know, it's HARD to fill a football stadium with music.  Improving Fall recruitment might help.  I bet that the majority of Stanford students have some level of musical experience and only a percentage of those play in the band.  Better recruitment for the fall quarter band would be helpful.  Maybe add in outreach to local alumni for fall shows.  Heck, the value proposition of 6 days with the band plus some practice time should seem pretty darn fun to local young alums.  Anything to give the band a little more musical volume and oomph in critical field shows.  Also, I wonder if the travel ban, field ban (after the band shack demolition) and other admin meddling is holding down band membership?

*  Announcers:  It's not fair but the the band announcers can come off as whiny or entitled according to comments from non Stanford types (and some alums).  Jokes seem too "inside campus drive" and a lot of the time they just can't hear or understand announcers.  Yeah, I know our opponents love slamming the band but if we want people to "get" their shows than how they are presented makes a difference.  Find the next Hal Mickelson or a voice that is equal to the task.  Always have subtittles on the video boards.  Make scripts available on the Stadium App.  Communicate better.

*  Scripts:  The SNL effect of 1 dud and 5 so-so skits for every laugh-out-loud winner holds forth with the band.  I wonder if an alternate approach could be put in place here.  Perhaps make the Band show a for credit workshop open to band members with professional mentorship/critique available?  This could be student run and overseen by the Music or Drama department or another department that is interested.  There's certainly real world value in figuring out how to communicate to 40,000-50,000 people in an effective manner and it might help even out the quality.  Just a thought but a new approach might help.  Is the band still repulsed by connection with the faculty/music department?

Again, I LOVE the band and can't imagine a Stanford world without them.  These are just some random thoughts brought on by realizingthat the band is almost universally loved at Stanford outside of their field shows.  Innovative thought is a Stanford value and a LSJUMB value.  No need to wait for the band to break before we meddle/fix it.

Comments?

The music is the music - there was a time when the band's unofficial label was "the world's largest rock & roll band."  KEEP PLAYING IT DO NOT CONFORM.  Add a new song or two every year to keep it a little contemporary.

They need to can the nasal, high-pitched announcers and find someone with a strong, deep voice.  No need for two people, and no need to be PC by making it one man and one woman.

Scripts - the AD needs to let them tastefully mock their opponents more often.  To my knowledge the only two times they've even been allowed to do anything mocking of an opponent were the 2013 and 2016 Rose Bowls.  IMnsHO by a long way those are the two best band shows in the last 10 years.  Saluting the Irish Potato Famine and having the Drum Major marry all five Dollies went too far, but they could have done a salute to leprechauns everywhere with a rainbow etc.

Plenty of smart creative students on campus.  If the AD would just R-E-L-A-X a little bit...