Stanford Band at it again...

[Jeff Ream]

Spoken like a guy who hasn't experienced them in person. Did you read the Oklahoma band director's post several pages back? Is the behavior he describes just campy fun? And, yes, you do need to see them live to fully understand just what an embarrassment they are.

no disrespect, but a college band show in poor taste pales in comparison to directors ####### kids.

[BigW]

I suppose we could liken the Stanford U. Marching Band to the nitwits of the Cabaret Voltaire that briefly set up shop in that seedy dive bar there in tony Zurich , Switzerland in the 1920's.

Both by choice took their artistic expression to new lows of utter incompetency with their craft makings, engaged in shock effects meant to irritate the senses, were considered vulgar at times by many, and likerwise were considered in some quarters to be primarily the elitist, wealthy, privleged, sons and daughters of the aristocracy ruling class, and always unconventional to the extreme. I think both were and are a joke, and the jokes on them.

Look at the Punk movement- very similar in certain aspects at least some of them laughed all the way to the bank- well, those who survived.

[Chief Guns]

So i have this guy who i am stationed with in San Diego who was in the Stanford band. This morning i showed him this thread as i was very curious to what he thought. I don't know how i was expecting him to react but after reading some the negative comments he started laughing and clapping his hands and saying YES! He told me Stanford band feeds off of negativity. They love it when people complain. He said it's like their fuel to keep pushing the limits and see how many more people they can #### off. He said the more people complain, the more they ramp it up. Hearing him talk the way he did reminded me of a interview i saw back in 1999 with rapper Eminem. When asked why he says the things he says in his songs, Eminem said because it pisses people off and he thrives off negativity as well. He went on to say if no one complained about his music, he would probaly no longer find it exciting, he would get bored with rap and he would go find something else to do with his life. Sounds like Stanford is the same way. They look for controversy and then feed on it. Ignoring them would neutralize them.

[xandandl]

As Stanford's persona draws ire from some and laughs from others (and alumna Condi Rice just shaking her head), the examination of what is rudeness and what is good sportsmanship (which is defined and penalized by NCAA when violated) may have reached new levels of "sensitivity." http://www.startribune.com/wisconsin-bans-common-cheers-at-high-school-games-student-suspended-from-team-for-critical-tweet/365046921/

Of course, we in modern drum corps never have any problems as blatant as these, the whole Rose Bowl '07 the exception and the brawls in the lot (Murfeesboro BD/Cavs and the urban corps of the pre-80's) being buried memories.

[Ghost]

As Stanford's persona draws ire from some and laughs from others (and alumna Condi Rice just shaking her head), the examination of what is rudeness and what is good sportsmanship (which is defined and penalized by NCAA when violated) may have reached new levels of "sensitivity." http://www.startribune.com/wisconsin-bans-common-cheers-at-high-school-games-student-suspended-from-team-for-critical-tweet/365046921/

Another nail in our country's way of life coffin.

[xandandl]

Another nail in our country's way of life coffin.

Next they will be objecting there if we affectionately call them "Cheddar-headers" or if a DCP poster might happen to evaluate a corps' show design as "cheesie."

[xandandl]

new caucus for Rules Congress.

Edited January 13, 2016 by xandandl

[Peel Paint]

It's rare to see more than a few seconds of college marching band halftime shows on TV these days, but ESPN Classic showed the NCAA championship game between Alabama and Clemson live from the sound perspective of sitting in the stands. I watched the whole thing. There were a few commercial breaks but not nearly as many. You had to give up HDTV visuals to see this, at least in our area, because ESPN Classic is shown in SD. You also had to give up the announcers, yeah, no huge loss, but occasionally it was confusing, like why was the Clemson coach so upset that Alabama's successful surprise onside kick wasn't called back? I mean other than the fact that his team just got pantsed, plus the game momentum did turn for good on the play.

But anyway, if you watched ESPN Classic, you got to see all of Clemson's and Alabama's bands halftime shows. Okay not at a Top 12 DCI level in challenge or performance, but I thought both shows were classy, very entertaining, well done, well received by the many in the crowd who stayed in their seats for halftime... bravos all around.

[KVG_DC]

The 'spider cam' stream through the WatchESPN app often is your ticket to halftime entertainment viewing. It's usually only added for super big games though.

[drumcat]

So about the Stanford band...

I will be the first to say I have no "internal" knowledge, but I do know a few things:

First, the band is written into the school charter. They can't be eliminated without rewriting the thing, so the administration funds them like a "club sport".

Second, I think the actual marching band shows aren't the offensive part. Sure, they make a marijuana leaf in drill occasionally, but so what. The real problem they face is the perception of being actually terrible. That's not unfounded. If you want cutesy outfits but decent players, look at Cal. It's goofy, old school, but respectable players.

The main issue is student behavior. From what I've heard second hand, and from news stories, is that the ongoing behavior during time in the stands, trips, basically in public not on the field is where they fail. It's just a rowdy student section with clarinets. They've been banned by several airlines, and they have a history of misbehavior that is, well, legendary.

But the real problem is their local perception. Having talked to lots of their facility folks in advance of the DCI show held there, they LOVE seeing DCI. Everyone that talked about it said the same thing - we wish our band would have something respectable. Most of the Pac12 bands are pretty good. Some are tops in the country (AZ, ASU, UCLA), and others have a specific role (USC, Cal). But in either case, everyone but Stanford has the respect of their school.

I'm not suggesting that the humor needs to be modified. Heck, the musicians can continue to be below average. What the Stanford Band needs is to regain the trust and respect of its own community. Instead of being the "Drunk Uncle" of campus, they should just be the musicians that are trying, and behaving in uniform. Hell, they could start by all being in uniform! However I really think the problem is no one wants to do the hard work to unwind the behavior from the humor, and the douchy from the spirited. I hope someone could change it, but it didn't get this bad for decades without severe neglect. It'll be a lot of work... massive, groundbreaking work. But Stanford and the Band would all be better for it.

Edited January 15, 2016 by drumcat