Josh's Saturdays

When there are home games Josh’s Saturdays are going to be very busy. For those members of the family from Canada will find that game day rituals are extensive for major universities. For the Canadian reader, the following gives a glimpse into an American cultural element that is not found north of the boarder and not readily understood by Canadians.

The night before game day RVers arrive and the tailgate parties get underway. Early morning other vehicles arrive and the tailgate parties intensify. While tailgate parties involve visiting, talking about the current team and year, and recalling past glories, they also involve consumption of food and beer.

At LSU, the band is a significant part of that ritual, a ritual that Josh will likely be explaining in upcoming blogs. As Saturday’s game has been moved up to 10 Central time, Josh has to report at 6 AM for rehearsal and then into the activities of the day.

This following clip is of their game day rehearsal field rather than their regular field near the music school. This is the football team’s indoor practice field which the band uses when the football team is not using it. Most schools the band would never be on this field but at LSU the band it is different since the band a significant part of the spirit life and game day program.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1948470225344077942&ei=Np64SOO6HY7-qwKWisDZDA&q=lsu+band&vt=lf&hl=en


Below are links to video clips that give a glimpse of the band’s involvement. These are from pregame pep rallies. Tomorrow given the early start, these may not take place as they normally do on Saturdays in the Quad. The girls in front of the band are the dance team which is different than the cheerleading squad which is the girls and guys in purple outfits flanking the dance team as seen in the “Hey Baby” clip. The other girls who are behind the dance team are the Golden Girls who are the Marching Band’s Auxiliary.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=754576522710674445&ei=TKC4SIjYG46yrQK78Z3uDA&q=lsu+band&hl=en

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4914100452333045512&ei=WKG4SOimCo6erwKst52BDQ&q=lsu+band&hl=en

This following clip is of the band marching down Victory Hill as they are about to rush into the stadium. You can get an idea as to the uniform Josh wears.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBjNSkK7ZAs


Here is an overview of the pregame show shot from above. The second is the pregame march in from field level. Josh’s position is one of the trombones in the base of the S which come into view at the end of the second video (about 2:40 mark).

http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=1294972

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiZoYQSqu-A

During the game the band plays various items, one of which is called Neck. I cannot speak to the history, nature and function of Neck other than to say it appears to be one of the more significant game items.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJHvmUl1uRc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGQJmR_kf-o&feature=related

The above will give you a glimpse into what many of Josh’s Saturdays will be like. Compared to Iowa, the LSU band has a much stronger participation in game day life. His away game Saturdays are light, other than the one away game that the band goes on towards the end of September.