Game 5- 2017- Tennessee

[Berkman]

I'm sure the kids in the band are dedicated and talented.. the band direction is awful.

Agreed. They are doing TOO MANY vocals and they are mediocre at best. I can remember when they had a bunch of billboard type signs ? and two of my favorites were NY NY and Phantom of the Opera. In fact on one of our visits to our son in Vegas we went to see The Phantom of the Opera the week after it opened just to see the whole play.

I think the present band director is not that good and I think they should have picked the gal that is at Delaware, former UMass band member.

[Floyd]

You have a son in Vegas?

[78]

I know this is the UT game thread, but I have never understood the vocals thing with the band. Usually they are not very good and often too hard to hear. It makes no sense to me. I also agree that playing more recent tunes would be nice. That said, the band is powerful and still fun to listen to.

[photoman]

I'm sure the kids in the band are dedicated and talented.. the band direction is awful.

Agreed. They are doing TOO MANY vocals and they are mediocre at best. I can remember when they had a bunch of billboard type signs ? and two of my favorites were NY NY and Phantom of the Opera. In fact on one of our visits to our son in Vegas we went to see The Phantom of the Opera the week after it opened just to see the whole play.

I think the present band director is not that good and I think they should have picked the gal that is at Delaware, former UMass band member.

Wow. So the bad coaching hires extend to the band!

[Berkman]

You have a son in Vegas?

Yeah. He graduated from UMass in 2004 with a degree in hospitality and a bit more. He works for the MGM Mansion as a Guest Relation Specialist. Been out there for about 12 years now first started working at Planet Hollywood working up to a Front Desk Supervisor before switching to MGM.The MGM mansion has 29 suites. A one BR suite goes for $ 5,000 a night the two BR suites are $ 7,500 a night and the three BR suites go for $ 12,000 a night. About 98% of the time they are complimentary to the high rollers. There have been some movie and TV stars that have stayed there paying full price. Of course we can't stay there as we don't gamble enough but he was able to give us a tour of the place. However we do get some bennies because he works there like reduced rates and a few others. He owns a town house in Henderson and does Real Estate on a side. He is able to do that because he works a late shift which gives him time off during the day. We usually go out to see him just about every year.

[minutefanjsf]

I'm sure the kids in the band are dedicated and talented.. the band direction is awful.

Agreed. They are doing TOO MANY vocals and they are mediocre at best. I can remember when they had a bunch of billboard type signs ? and two of my favorites were NY NY and Phantom of the Opera. In fact on one of our visits to our son in Vegas we went to see The Phantom of the Opera the week after it opened just to see the whole play.

I think the present band director is not that good and I think they should have picked the gal that is at Delaware, former UMass band member.

Wow. So the bad coaching hires extend to the band!

Replacing GNP was next to impossible. He was/is the Minuteman marching band. The do need to move on though, from him. You will never get another GNP, though. a GNP disciple might work.

[krkess]

Agreed. They are doing TOO MANY vocals and they are mediocre at best. I can remember when they had a bunch of billboard type signs ? and two of my favorites were NY NY and Phantom of the Opera. In fact on one of our visits to our son in Vegas we went to see The Phantom of the Opera the week after it opened just to see the whole play.

I think the present band director is not that good and I think they should have picked the gal that is at Delaware, former UMass band member.

Wow. So the bad coaching hires extend to the band!

Replacing GNP was next to impossible. He was/is the Minuteman marching band. The do need to move on though, from him. You will never get another GNP, though. a GNP disciple might work.

I love when the band plays something that shows the sheer power they are capable of. The 1812 overture at the ODU game was nothing short of amazing.

[e_parade]

Agreed. They are doing TOO MANY vocals and they are mediocre at best. I can remember when they had a bunch of billboard type signs ? and two of my favorites were NY NY and Phantom of the Opera. In fact on one of our visits to our son in Vegas we went to see The Phantom of the Opera the week after it opened just to see the whole play.

I think the present band director is not that good and I think they should have picked the gal that is at Delaware, former UMass band member.

Wow. So the bad coaching hires extend to the band!

Replacing GNP was next to impossible. He was/is the Minuteman marching band. The do need to move on though, from him. You will never get another GNP, though. a GNP disciple might work.

The band losing GNP was akin to Alabama losing Saban. And the director from Delaware is Heidi Sarver, and she is most definitely extremely well respected and would have been a fantastic hire.

[minutefanjsf]

Wow. So the bad coaching hires extend to the band!

Replacing GNP was next to impossible. He was/is the Minuteman marching band. The do need to move on though, from him. You will never get another GNP, though. a GNP disciple might work.

The band losing GNP was akin to Alabama losing Saban. And the director from Delaware is Heidi Sarver, and she is most definitely extremely well respected and would have been a fantastic hire.

Completely agree. My wife is a bando from the early/mid 1990s. I remember the combined shows with UD, etc. Did Heidi apply ? I can't imagine they would have passed her over. I think Hannum applied, and maybe Heidi didn't want to compete with him?

[e_parade]

Replacing GNP was next to impossible. He was/is the Minuteman marching band. The do need to move on though, from him. You will never get another GNP, though. a GNP disciple might work.

The band losing GNP was akin to Alabama losing Saban. And the director from Delaware is Heidi Sarver, and she is most definitely extremely well respected and would have been a fantastic hire.

Completely agree. My wife is a bando from the early/mid 1990s. I remember the combined shows with UD, etc. Did Heidi apply ? I can't imagine they would have passed her over. I think Hannum applied, and maybe Heidi didn't want to compete with him?

Both Hannum and Heidi applied. From what I gather, the administration wanted to go in a different direction with the band because they weren't always happy with how GNP was operating. I was only a few years removed from my UMMB days when the decision was made, and had plenty of friends, and even a cousin, who were in the room during all the auditions. The general consensus at the time was that no one understood why Heidi or Thom didn't get the job.

[Old Cage]

I love when the band plays something that shows the sheer power they are capable of. The 1812 overture at the ODU game was nothing short of amazing.

+1

Probably only amazing for those of us smart enough to sit on the press box side.

[minutefanjsf]

The band losing GNP was akin to Alabama losing Saban. And the director from Delaware is Heidi Sarver, and she is most definitely extremely well respected and would have been a fantastic hire.

Completely agree. My wife is a bando from the early/mid 1990s. I remember the combined shows with UD, etc. Did Heidi apply ? I can't imagine they would have passed her over. I think Hannum applied, and maybe Heidi didn't want to compete with him?

Both Hannum and Heidi applied. From what I gather, the administration wanted to go in a different direction with the band because they weren't always happy with how GNP was operating. I was only a few years removed from my UMMB days when the decision was made, and had plenty of friends, and even a cousin, who were in the room during all the auditions. The general consensus at the time was that no one understood why Heidi or Thom didn't get the job.

That’s what my wife heard as well. I just checked in with her. They might not have liked what GNP was doing at times but he was the main reason for butts in the seats many years.

[78]

I love when the band plays something that shows the sheer power they are capable of. The 1812 overture at the ODU game was nothing short of amazing.

+1

Probably only amazing for those of us smart enough to sit on the press box side.

+2. That was amazing...

[minutefanjsf]

I love when the band plays something that shows the sheer power they are capable of. The 1812 overture at the ODU game was nothing short of amazing.

+1

Probably only amazing for those of us smart enough to sit on the press box side.

Still makes no sense to face that way. Band should play to the home side of the field. I get that press box side used to be the home side. I sat there for ten years. They can put cameras anywhere they want. Playing to the press box is really playing to the Chancellor’s box.

[Old Cage]

^ Once again, its all about the Benjamins. I would suggest that the band donation $$ sitting on the press box side (band parents and especially older alums - dwarf the dollars sitting on the far side. The band is playing to the correct side.

Home side or not, we sat in the sun one season, and that was enough of that. Many others did the same and are now back in our original seats.