A rant about stadium sounds and music

[Cleveland_Bearcat]

Uggghh.

You can call me Al, (love that one)

I could not agree more. The sounds and songs in that stadium are atrocious. 95% of what i hear is so tired its embarrassing. I love the oldies, but that doesn't give the sound guy carte blanche to pull mediocre 50's songs.

And don't get me started on the rap-rock, nu-metal, alt-goth garbage that accounts for a majority of the tracks they play. It seems like it was put together by a junior high kid from 2001.

Try to provide a unique, intriguing experience.
Try to find songs that might strike a chord with multiple generations of UC fans.
Fans want "ownership" of an in-game experience. Recycling Penn State growls and IHL guitar riffs reeks of plagarism and blandness. Think about great traditions (and music selections) at other schools and think how that relates to other identity. Their UNIQUE EXPERIENCE.

I feel like I'm at an AFL game. {{and don't get me started on those unis}}

This is probably crazy, but... I think shtuff like this is one of things that separates big tme programs from middle tier also-rans. We are UC. Be UC. Maybe we're trynig to find what that is, but for chrissakes its not "Fins".

[applegbt]

I couldn't believe they brought back Jimmy Buffett. I was sure they realized what a poor choice that was after last year. Ugghhh.... As far as the band, yes musically they are very good, but for a major college marching band it's not all about musical talent...and they need work in the other areas. Ask anyone who's seen the O$U marching band in person. The UC marching choreography needs improvement, they just don't put on a show like other major marching bands do. Just my opinion, so my apologies if I've pissed off any current or former band members.

[Ding Chavez]

There was absolutely no one anywhere around me (section 203) doing the Fins dance. There is no reason to play that song.

I do, however, love the dancing bobblehead after touchdowns.

[Chewbacca2099]

I've said this before but I'll say it again... the main problem with the band is that CCM does not allow their music majors to participate in the marching band. The UC band lets absolutely anyone into the band even if you have never played before... they will try to teach you. OSU practices constantly and have voluntary practices all summer long, along with subs and challenges for a spot every week. UC practiced 4 days before the game last night, and thats it. We've always practiced very little for a major college band, I don't know if that is due to the budget constantly being cut or what. The other problem with the volume of the band is that it has woodwind instruments. Many college bands (OSU) are all brass and thats one of the reasons they can fill the stadium with sound a lot better. But for UC, even if they did switch to all brass, there wouldn't be enough band member to put on the field! CCM needs to let their students be in the band at this point, we are in a major conference and our football team is on the rise... it will never happen though.

[Scheids21]

I've said this before but I'll say it again... the main problem with the band is that CCM does not allow their music majors to participate in the marching band. The UC band lets absolutely anyone into the band even if you have never played before... they will try to teach you. OSU practices constantly and have voluntary practices all summer long, along with subs and challenges for a spot every week. UC practiced 4 days before the game last night, and thats it. We've always practiced very little for a major college band, I don't know if that is due to the budget constantly being cut or what. The other problem with the volume of the band is that it has woodwind instruments. Many college bands (OSU) are all brass and thats one of the reasons they can fill the stadium with sound a lot better. But for UC, even if they did switch to all brass, there wouldn't be enough band member to put on the field! CCM needs to let their students be in the band at this point, we are in a major conference and our football team is on the rise... it will never happen though.

Maybe this is a stupid question but why dont they let them in it? I see no harm in it

[nolte50uc]

FYI - the student-athletes are asked to submit songs for the pregame selection, and then those songs are screened for language, etc...

Just how it should be - the rest of us can stop complaining about now. this is the most rediculous discussion in here.

It seems like it was put together by a junior high kid from 2001.

Student-athletes today probably were in jr. high in 2001.

[Chewbacca2099]

CCM is a very highly regarded music school. They believe that marching and playing at the the constant high volumes is damaging to your embouchure (the way you set your lips for playing) and probably that it is a waste of time for their music students. They wouldn't learn anything valuable for their music careers from being in the marching band other than hard work and being part of a team.

[bearcatbret]

Well, I sit in the lair and I am upset that the first row does not pound on the sheet metal. The first few games, they were making so much noise and then around the UL or WVU games, they just stopped pounding. Nobody pounded on Thursday. This is a great noise maker for UC and can help the Cats win.

[IAMWILLIAMSON]

There needs to be something cool like jump around and everyone goes crazy

[UCMarketing]

Funny you would mention JUMP AROUND, as our students, save the game vs. Rutgers, fail to actually jump during the song. We do have both a MIC MAN and a FAN INTERACTIVE team to work along with the cheer and dance squads this year to assist with getting folks involved.

The Fan Interactive Team, made up of students, is charged with brainstorming ideas that get the students involved. This will be in full force for the Miami and other other 4 remaining home games this season. When the students are into the game the rest of the stadium follows suit.

Some answers to emails that have come in...

The FINS response was better this year - we got feedback last year that some did not like it and others did. We will stick with it 100% this year because it is something unique to UC and the song mentions Cincinnati, which is again, Cincy based. I was in 207 with my family at this juncture and fans did join in. Like anything new, it needs to be given time and folks should be educated. It is a broadbased song which has fan interactive elements. Maybe the video is overdone - we will review that before Miami - perhaps you will see a change.

The CAT SCRATCH FEVER is also unique to UC and it is relevant because we have CAT SCRATCHES on our game pants. Is Ted Nugent a rock god? No. But it has a unique guitar riff and it is short and to the point. Like the growl, this should not be overdone, and is only played on alternate UC kickoffs.

Some other requests for songs, such as WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE and EYE OF THE TIGER will not be added in as those are Bengals songs, or things so dated that we would just be joining the pack. We also quit using ENTER SANDMAN as an open theme as that is Virginia Tech's deal.

As for the GROWL, the team likes it. yes, other schools use a growl, and we will continue to do so. It should not be overdone and that will be adjusted for the future.

The JAWS theme is great for the big third down plays on defense. Again, it cannot be overdone.

Why does the BAND not play the JAWS theme? They are great in dead balls, but they are simply not loud enough to rock the stadium when 30K are in the house. That is sound system material. If we mic the band it cause more issues with acoustics due to where they are placed in the stadium. We wanted to move them to 101 but they wanted to stay near the other students. They had a point, we listened, but it costs us all in loudness for the band.

I have received one other song suggestion for a 60's tune from the Dave Clark 5... we will add it for the early pregame set - which is played from around a hour til kickoff till around 40 minutes before kickoff. We will also mix in tunes from the decade of football alumni that we are honoring that game - with the 60's coming up next for Miami, the 70's for Rutgers, the 80's for USF, the 90's for Pitt and the 2000's for Syracuse.

Understand that no requests will be played between the 40 minute mark on the pregame clock and the 20 minute mark as that is the prime warm-up time for the team and they have their tunes that they want to hear. It is mostly rap, but clean versions of the songs 100% of the time.

We will not play a ton of JOCK JAMS music, but some will be in because it is classic sports music.

The band has designated CALL ME AL as Cincinnati's answer to Ohio State - Columbus' HANG ON SLOOPY. UC Athletics has nothing to do with that so if you have an issue please contact the Band.

Again, send any suggestions to bearcad@uc.edu

Go UC!

mw

[IAMWILLIAMSON]

What should be done along with some of the hit new songs is get dirty rap songs but intsrumental versions like Lean wit it rock wit it and remember the name and others,,,,or just get them edited?

[UCMarketing]

We take clean versions of songs via various sources. We will not be playing instrumentals.

[bearcatfan]

I've said this before but I'll say it again... the main problem with the band is that CCM does not allow their music majors to participate in the marching band. The UC band lets absolutely anyone into the band even if you have never played before... they will try to teach you. OSU practices constantly and have voluntary practices all summer long, along with subs and challenges for a spot every week. UC practiced 4 days before the game last night, and thats it. We've always practiced very little for a major college band, I don't know if that is due to the budget constantly being cut or what. The other problem with the volume of the band is that it has woodwind instruments. Many college bands (OSU) are all brass and thats one of the reasons they can fill the stadium with sound a lot better. But for UC, even if they did switch to all brass, there wouldn't be enough band member to put on the field! CCM needs to let their students be in the band at this point, we are in a major conference and our football team is on the rise... it will never happen though.

If what you wrote is true than that is pathetic for a BCS school, let alone a school the size of the University of Cincinnati.

I will say this, I heard the band up close a few times last year. One performance was prior to the game at Miami, and the band sounded excellent. But we were standing right in front of them.

The plain fact is, it's just too small for a major college marching band.

[MDW79]

CCM has one of the finest music programs in the country. I'm sure there is good reason, by their standards, why CCM students are not allowed to play in the band. The fact we are a BCS school has nothing to with them.

[the_dude]

maybe I was a bit harsh in saying that *all* the music stinks. I guess it's alot easier to remember the songs you really hate. As for fins, please stop playing it, I will throw in an obscene amount of money and will collect signatures, anything, anything to stop that song. It truely is embarrassing. I mean it as honestly and as deeply as anything I've ever said in my life. As for being a "Cincy" song, I have lived in Cincinnati for 14 years and had never heard that song before hearing it at the game. And I am an avid music fan of all genres. So I wouldn't exactly call it a "Cincy" song. Outside of a BCS bowl victory for the Cats, my one true hope for UC football is to never hear that song again.

Other issues, I like the bearcat lair front row sign slapping, but you can barely hear it if you aren't in the bearcat lair. I've sat in section 101 before (right next lair) and I could barely hear it there. Not saying you shouldn't do it anymore, I'm just saying you need 100% front row participation in order to be heard for more than a goal line stand on that side of the field.

I too like the band, but the cheesy songs and lack of volume is a bit disappointing.

My last comment is about the songs (like Fins) that are there for the "older" fans. I'm assuming you are trying to pump up the older folks with these selections, but I have yet to see that age group in the crowd get too pumped up by any music. They, in general are fairly passive fans. The music should be to pump up the team and the fans that will make the most noise (the students and other relatively young fans). I'm not saying leave out oldies and classic rock. I think a lot of older songs fit well into football, it just has to be the right song, just make sure to leave out the cheese (this includes anything by Buffett).