PhiMuA_Mason Posted October 25, 2007 Share Posted October 25, 2007 This is an article from Louisiana State University's newspaper publication "The Daily Reveille" on Oct 21. Tiger Band stuck in disco era, needs revamping Lauren Walck Issue date: 10/21/07 Section: Entertainment As the mighty marching Tiger Band took to the field Saturday night for its halftime show, I was driving into Baton Rouge on four buses filled with marching band students. We had just returned from a high school marching competition and, quite frankly, I probably saw the better show. Watching the LSU Tiger Band jaunt by on its way to the stadium on a game day is like watching the year 1971 breeze by. From mustard yellow jackets to excessive sequins to poofy Aquanet hair, the marching band has not updated anything but its musical selections since the '70s. While most football fans revel in the traditional glory that is a Tiger Band halftime show, I merely sigh and resign myself to a state of observant distaste at the thought of what could be. My beef is not really with the hornline. I do not have the authority to criticize horn players, as my one-year stint as a clarinet player does not qualify me so. I am, however, one of a handful of people in Louisiana to have marched in a Division I drum and bugle corps as a colorguard member. I medaled in the Drum Corps International World Championships as a member of the Phantom Regiment. I have seen what the marching arts can be when people put the time and effort into it. Until you have seen an all-brass hornline literally run across the field blasting a wall of sound next to eight guys tossing a rifle that spins 8 times into the air and stops solidly, you haven't seen cool. Thankfully, the advances made in drum corps have filtered down into high schools across the nation. If you have ever seen a marching band in Texas, you know what I am talking about. College marching bands are missing a step in that none have evolved out of the '70s, and LSU is a prime example. Tradition really is the culprit. The fact of the matter is that every high school in Louisiana looks up to and imitates the Tiger Band. And when all they see is the 1970s embodied, it is extremely difficult for educators to get their bands to do anything else. Unlike the LSU Colorguard, drum corps colorguards are a 50/50 combination of dance and equipment work. Picture an amazing dance line, only they can chuck a sabre 10 feet into the air like it's nothing. The high level of dance incorporated into equipment work is a fairly recent development, and unfortunately most educators at the college level are stuck in the disco era because they themselves marched during that time period. Back then colorguards still high-stepped and spun rifles more like the ROTC. Take Associate Director of Bands Linda Moorhouse, who runs the LSU Colorguard. She marched drum corps back in the day. When she first came to the University, half the colorguard was male and spun rifles. So it is not a lack of knowledge or skill of the activity on her part. It is not even a lack of knowledge or skill on the part of the colorguard members. I would venture to say that most girls performed more difficult equipment work at their high schools than in LSU Colorguard. I know current and former members for whom this is true. I marched with two girls one summer who had been in Tiger Band the year before. They hated it and strongly advised me against marching if I was looking to do anything more than get a good seat for the football games. I did not, and do not, march in the LSU Colorguard, even though I too have an extensive background in it. I have no desire to stand stock still and pop my hair-sprayed head like a cheerleader. I don't even think my hair would poof up that high. And I'm not the only one. The fact of the matter is, the colorguard is stuck in the stone age and will continue to repel talented individuals until something changes. --- Contact Lauren Walck at lwalck@lsureveille.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ http://media.www.lsureveille.com/media/sto...g-3046656.shtml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKracing Posted October 25, 2007 Share Posted October 25, 2007 http://www.drumcorpsplanet.com/forums/inde...howtopic=106251 May I direct your attention please... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhiMuA_Mason Posted October 25, 2007 Author Share Posted October 25, 2007 sweet, didn't see it kill the topic por favor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euponitone Posted October 25, 2007 Share Posted October 25, 2007 sweet, didn't see itkill the topic por favor Haha...and the title of this thread is about as classy as the original article. Good work bud :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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