I think the OU band's "Thriller" performance... [Archive]

sooner59

11/6/2007, 09:28 PM

I agree. I have seen the A&M band a few times and I know they are famous. This is the first time I have seen their band upstaged. I also noticed that our band played louder than they have all season. I think our band had a plan set up to show up their band. And they did it. Im proud of them. They are not professional dancers, and its not easy to learn a dance like that and do it in front of 85,000. They did really well and got the crowd pumped up, especially the student section.

Soonerus

11/6/2007, 09:30 PM

I have seen the A&M band in Norman before and this was a total upstage...it was great...

SeattleOUstudent

11/6/2007, 09:32 PM

thread is useless without Youtube video proof!

Soonerus

11/6/2007, 09:34 PM

true, I wish I knew how to do that...

Will

11/6/2007, 09:36 PM

It was nice they played to the student section

Soonerus

11/6/2007, 09:36 PM

btw, should have been there...

C&CDean

11/6/2007, 09:37 PM

While there are a couple threads bashing the Thriller thing, I must agree with rus. It was the first breath of life I've seen outta The Pride in a long, long time.

sooner59

11/6/2007, 09:39 PM

I made fun of my roommate for leaving after the A&M band performance. You dont leave the game early! I came back and told him, and needless to say, from now on he will stay until the final second ticks off.

Soonerus

11/6/2007, 09:40 PM

Can anybody Utube it ??? I have not looked...

Sooner1979

11/6/2007, 09:42 PM

Here is a clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImH8Ht0nZXg

OKLA21FAN

11/6/2007, 09:43 PM

last time i saw the Aggie Band perform at halftime was during the 77-0 game.

was it any different this time? :pop:

Soonerus

11/6/2007, 09:44 PM

No, the band actually moved at halftime...geeezzz..

SeattleOUstudent

11/6/2007, 09:44 PM

great. its cuts off when they are dancing.

Soonerus

11/6/2007, 09:45 PM

Look , I am an expert, It was awesome !!!!!

Norman Sooner

11/6/2007, 09:46 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra7b0WQNKXk

Sooner1979

11/6/2007, 09:47 PM

Here is them practicing:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GQLtGufQ5nY

Here is the Thriller Dance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h3SiKsh5Ko&NR=1

jrboomersooner

11/6/2007, 09:52 PM

Soonerus

11/6/2007, 09:55 PM

It really was great, I can't believe the banditos aren't trumpeting it...

Big Red Ron

11/6/2007, 10:04 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra7b0WQNKXkThat WAS AWSOME!

Soonerus

11/6/2007, 10:11 PM

I am saying best evar...

Big Red Ron

11/6/2007, 10:17 PM

I am saying best evar...I remember a Halloween skit done around 1984sh, everyone was a different character and someone dressed up as Marcus Dupree and ran from goal to goal after the band cleared the field. Considering his recent departure, it was effin funny. I think there was even a voice over about "running home to mommy" or something like that.

Other than that, I can't remember a better.

OKLA21FAN

11/6/2007, 10:19 PM

I am saying best evar...
well
the 1978 rendition of Star Wars was pretty innovative (not joking) for it's time

not sure who the game was against though

OKLA21FAN

11/6/2007, 10:21 PM

I remember a Halloween skit done around 1984sh, everyone was a different character and someone dressed up as Marcus Dupree and ran from goal to goal after the band cleared the field. Considering his recent departure, it was effin funny. I think there was even a voice over about "running home to mommy" or something like that.

Other than that, I can't remember a better.

didn't they also do in that routine that day with a 'stop and go' version of the Okie lite fight song...and the announcer saying something about 'going to the place where everyday is Halloween?"

NCSooner18

11/6/2007, 10:22 PM

Beats the crap out of the lame dance we did to "Another One Bites the Dust in '80

Soonerus

11/6/2007, 10:22 PM

I remember a Halloween skit done around 1984sh, everyone was a different character and someone dressed up as Marcus Dupree and ran from goal to goal after the band cleared the field. Considering his recent departure, it was effin funny. I think there was even a voice over about "running home to mommy" or something like that.

Other than that, I can't remember a better.

I remember Star Wars and the Dupree deal and neither evoked the reaction from the crowd (or me) than the Thriller skit..

Flying Scotsman

11/6/2007, 10:23 PM

Most Excellent work!!

Jello Biafra

11/6/2007, 10:24 PM

Soonerus

11/6/2007, 10:26 PM

Objective non-band analysis...A&M deal is somewhat ghey....always has been...

Big Red Ron

11/6/2007, 10:33 PM

I remember Star Wars and the Dupree deal and neither evoked the reaction from the crowd (or me) than the Thriller skit..That's because 80% of the crowd was outside drinking beer.:cool: (including you. ;))

Soonerus

11/6/2007, 10:35 PM

That's because 80% of the crowd was outside drinking beer.:cool:

Not 80% but certainly more than the escape of the O'Connell's days...

Big Red Ron

11/6/2007, 10:38 PM

Not 80% but certainly more than the escape of the O'Connell's days...That's what I ment, those other two were back in the O'Connell's days.

r5TPsooner

11/6/2007, 10:50 PM

Yep, but the A&M band was louder and better IMHO.

Soonerus

11/6/2007, 10:53 PM

Yep, but the A&M band was louder and better IMHO.

disagree....but they are more regimented..

OKLA21FAN

11/6/2007, 10:58 PM

we all do understand that Okie Lite performed 'thriller' at the '06 Indy bowl

just a guess, (and hopefully) the Pride did a better dealio though
:pop:

Soonerus

11/6/2007, 11:13 PM

OU band did great !!!!!

blackbeauty02

11/6/2007, 11:32 PM

i thought it was amazing. got the whole crowd wild. they should do more things like it.

blackbeauty02

11/6/2007, 11:32 PM

i thought it was amazing. got the whole crowd wild. they should do more things like it.

r5TPsooner

11/6/2007, 11:37 PM

disagree....but they are more regimented..

All I know is that no one and I mean no one in my section went anywhere at halftime when the Aggie band played. When they finished about 3/4 of the crowd headed for the toilets and concessions. I only stuck around to call the baby sitter and there was no one around at that time.

The Pride did however have its best halftime show of the year IMHO. It was nice to see them so something different.

Soonerus

11/6/2007, 11:39 PM

All I know is that no one and I mean no one in my section went anywhere at halftime when the Aggie band played. When they finished about 3/4 of the crowd headed for the toilets and concessions. I only stuck around to call the baby sitter and there was no one around at that time.

The Pride did however have its best halftime show of the year IMHO. It was nice to see them so something different.

I left during Aggie band performance and came back to watch OU Band and "Thriller"...

soonersn20xx

11/6/2007, 11:45 PM

Well, didn't they rip the routine off of these guys?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMnk7lh9M3o

sooneron

11/6/2007, 11:48 PM

Well, didn't they rip the routine off of these guys?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMnk7lh9M3o
Yes they did, we should obviously praise them.

SoonerBacker

11/7/2007, 12:01 AM

Have to agree about the aTm band. I have seen them many times and it is always the same. Sure, the formations are different, but after awhiie, they all seem the same. The music is always the same, the marching is always the same.........:pop: If you've seen one aTm band performance, you've seen 'em all!

SteelClip49

11/7/2007, 09:22 AM

And they are always better.

Finally The Pride actually did something worth watching and listening to.

USC, Ohio State, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Texas all have better bands and performances than OU's. Wow, they did Thriller well and actually took time to know the routine. Why can't that same effort go into everything else they do because everything they do is very average.

MichiganSooner

11/7/2007, 09:31 AM

Average?

The Pride is one of the very best bands in the nation. It was the best show I have seen and the crowd loved it.

An idea for the Oklahoma State game. Call it the Rock n Roll Show. Do Thriller again, throw in another rock classic and finish with "I'm A Man". They could spell out the song title and shift the formation into "I'm 40!"

SteelClip49

11/7/2007, 09:35 AM

The band is average; look at the many empty seats at halftime when they come onto the field. You don't see that with the teams I mentioned above.

SoonerMom2

11/7/2007, 09:47 AM

that was sweet.....period.

i've said it before, ill say it again......any rotc program could do the a&m thing without the skin flutes and ANY military group that practiced drill and ceremony could copy it flawlessly. not really all that impressive.

We found out sometime ago that the reason the A&M band isn't as loud as it should be with so many people is that part of the people only march and don't play. They are picked for marching and they do the same routine over and over and over again. I noticed that their tubas didn't get as low going around corners as they did years ago. Personally doing the same routine over and over doesn't impress after seeing it several times especially when you know that some marchers don't play.

The Pride did the best job I have seen them do and it was great. Loved that dance and they sounded louder then ever and the flags didn't blow it. They definitely won that contest on the field just like our team! Great day for the Sooners.

Do have one complaint -- the poms. Some high school poms are better then the OU poms IMHO. Their lines are never straight and like normal one of them goofed up. Don't think they add anything to the game with the music they choose week in and week out. Everyone around us says the same thing.

StoopTroup

11/7/2007, 09:59 AM

I think the Prides role in the reverse wave / shockwave or whatever the heck they called that abortion...was stellar.

Oh yeah...the Thriller thing...top notch.

fadada1

11/7/2007, 10:31 AM

scary thing - most (if not all) of the kids in the pride weren't even alive when thriller came out. i remember a girl in my 7th grade english class recorded it (probably on a beta machine) and played it in class. she was one fo the few in our class that actually had MTV at the time.

Blitzkrieg

11/7/2007, 10:33 AM

We have a band?

Boomer_Sooner_sax

11/7/2007, 10:41 AM

The band is average; look at the many empty seats at halftime when they come onto the field. You don't see that with the teams I mentioned above.

That just isn't for the Pride though. People always go get food and use the bathroom at halftime. Face it, they don't donate thousands of dollars to see a band. Maybe back in the 90's they did, but even in the 80's in the Pride's heyday, people still left at halftime.

My favorite band director quote ever was it doesn't matter if you are playing well, Johnny coming back from the bathroom doesn't know the difference, but if you are out of line, that will be the first thing they say.

DeadSolidPerfect

11/7/2007, 11:28 AM

didn't they also do in that routine that day with a 'stop and go' version of the Okie lite fight song...and the announcer saying something about 'going to the place where everyday is Halloween?"
Yep. They would play it super fast with everybody running around then stop and start again. I think it was against K-State.

OUmillenium

11/7/2007, 11:31 AM

you gotta be kidding!! i come back for ou/tx and ou/mu and as usual the band was subpar. i brought my cousin from hawaii to her first ou football game and at halftime I said, 'watch its going to be a tribute to the mambo'. i was wrong it was a tribute to westside story i think.

i can't believe i missed them playing something i know!

I have never been involved with band but would love to hear/read some details about the current Pride. I always see critical comments but do not have the trained eye or ear to understand what the problem is. Please expound! Thanks

The_Red_Patriot

11/7/2007, 11:33 AM

That was awesome. Keep that s*** up!!!

OUmillenium

11/7/2007, 11:37 AM

We found out sometime ago that the reason the A&M band isn't as loud as it should be with so many people is that part of the people only march and don't play. They are picked for marching and they do the same routine over and over and over again. I noticed that their tubas didn't get as low going around corners as they did years ago. Personally doing the same routine over and over doesn't impress after seeing it several times especially when you know that some marchers don't play.

The Pride did the best job I have seen them do and it was great. Loved that dance and they sounded louder then ever and the flags didn't blow it. They definitely won that contest on the field just like our team! Great day for the Sooners.

Do have one complaint -- the poms. Some high school poms are better then the OU poms IMHO. Their lines are never straight and like normal one of them goofed up. Don't think they add anything to the game with the music they choose week in and week out. Everyone around us says the same thing.

Totally agree.

Even though they are mostly hot to look at, I hate those routines and crappy music.

But we have to have stupid stuff like that to even out the Title IX popycock.

152219

11/7/2007, 11:44 AM

we all do understand that Okie Lite performed 'thriller' at the '06 Indy bowl

just a guess, (and hopefully) the Pride did a better dealio though
:pop:

Information only an Okie State ALUM would know, right OKLA21? ;)

Larry&Leisa

11/7/2007, 11:46 AM

Also loved the bands 'thriller' Like others said it was nice to see something different out of them and at least somewhat 'up to date' :P ... They are a great band but just seem to lack some music originality to me.

The pom girls... :pop:

Nice to look at but there has to be some better dancers at OU.....

MamaMia

11/7/2007, 11:48 AM

They whole crowd was screaming and cheering as if we had just scored a touchdown! I thought they were absolutely fabulous, and I totally forgave them for not being very exciting before. :O

sooneron

11/7/2007, 11:55 AM

But we have to have stupid stuff like that to even out the Title IX popycock.
So you're saying that title IX led the way for pom poms? :confused:

Rock Hard Corn Frog

11/7/2007, 11:56 AM

It was 180 degrees away from "nice job clarinets" last year.

I've seen the A&M band 4 times and I've been impressed every time. Up until Thriller I was thinking how our band is pretty good but it sucks to follow A&M. Then Thriller stole the show. Awesome job.

shrevesooner

11/7/2007, 12:08 PM

I agree, they rocked! it's good to see them step up and compete with some of the best bands in the country! I watched them outside of the stadium before the game and you could tell they were pumped up and ready for action......

OUDoc

11/7/2007, 12:24 PM

Not bad, but a couple of the band members were clearly drunk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPmYbP0F4Zw

MamaMia

11/7/2007, 12:27 PM

I hope they do the Thriller again for the Baylor game. That way, the folks who didn't get to see the performance will have a chance. :)

sooneron

11/7/2007, 12:34 PM

I guess when osu rips off our rip off, it will look like this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jnV-66FE5w

Fraggle145

11/7/2007, 01:24 PM

Thriller was awesome... best performance I have seen the pride give. however when the pride was playing during the rest of game, they were lackluster, not very loud, and totally out matched by aggy.

Aggy band was much louder (at least from the old side upper deck), even though their football team were getting their asses handed to them on the field. The Pride tried to compete... just like they did against Mizzou's band, but they again got outclassed.

cdlbdd

11/7/2007, 02:18 PM

The Pride is doing the same show for the Baylor game, only they will be performing to the West side.

MamaMia

11/7/2007, 02:32 PM

The Pride is doing the same show for the Baylor game, only they will be performing to the West side. Cool! :D

Zing

11/7/2007, 02:56 PM

The band is average; look at the many empty seats at halftime when they come onto the field. You don't see that with the teams I mentioned above.

Then that doesn't say a whole lot about the bands of visiting teams. Based solely on halftime shows and stand performance, the Pride's the best I've heard this year.

Man, ESPECIALLY on this last show! They had presence, they were together, they sustained phrases... every big hit in The Wind And The Lion (or whatever) had uber-impact. The whole thing was just outstanding.

And we've all mentioned the thriller.

Jimminy Crimson

11/7/2007, 03:18 PM

The Pride is doing the same show for the Baylor game, only they will be performing to the West side.

BORING!

The last cool thing the Pride did was Batman. Guess what? We saw that for like 7 more shows.

Learn something new.

Oh, and FIRE BRIAN BRITT!

Collier11

11/7/2007, 03:27 PM

Captain Obvious

11/7/2007, 04:24 PM

I am surprised no bandies have been on here yet. The typical response of actual band members, whether college or high school, is they exist mainly to win contests and compete in them. OU's band has always been more of a contest band than a show band.

In my (and all of your) opinions, the Pride obviouslyl exists to entertain us at halftime. Last I checked none of us go to or care about contests. We have always outdone Texas and many other bands who are louder than us and more entertaining. However, none of us are impressed.

So, please! More fun! More entertainment! More "Thriller-esque" fun. Let's go back to dressing up and being fun (that can be done without vulgarity or crossing lines) for Halloween show. And, for God's sake, let's do new stuff each week AND stop paying tribute to such moving plays like Westside Story, Cats, or to Motown.

For now, good job Pride (on Saturday). You made us proud.

Now, let's start a thread about acutally lining up our spirit squads. The band needs to play the right music at the right time. Boomer/Sooner yell needs to occur when we need to rally. When playing pep rallies at bowl games, don't play the halftime show, play music that we can chant to or do yells to (read: go big red; O-U!; the theme we stole from Florida, etc.--and while we're at it can I request that we replace Grand Ole Flag in the pregame?)

soonersweetie

11/7/2007, 04:46 PM

I thought it was awesome. I told my dad that was the most life I'd seen out of the Pride since I was a student there in the 80's. He agreed.

I'm glad they are doing it again this weekend because my husband will be at this game and he will be able to see it. He never got to see the Pride in the 80's' so this will be a real treat.

Has anyone heard what they will be playing when they march in the Macy's parade?

MichiganSooner

11/7/2007, 05:33 PM

I am a huge critic of the Pride, they are boring, play the same crap over and over again, and find a way to make our fight song annoying by playing it 368 times per game. That being said, this was cool!!! It would be nice if they made more of an effort to get the crowd into the game, if we cant play more crowd type music at big points of the game over the speakers then it would atleast be nice to have the band do the same. Myself and all of my friends love watching other teams that play 'we will rock you', 'the hey song', etc.. to get the crowd pumped up. The Pride usually fails to try and get the fans into the game

You make several good points such as repeating songs from year to year but I disagree with you saying the Pride does not get the crowd into the game. For example, on a 3rd down play for our defense they blare that long chord which gets everybody loud enough to drown them out. Playing Boomer 368 times a game does get a little annoying but it seems to rally the players. And there is a great story of why they play it over and over in a tight game. It goes back to former director Thrailkill getting kicked out of Lewis Field for no reason and telling drummer Brian Britt and the band to play it all day until either he is allowed back into the stadium or the Sooners win.
If you want to hear piped in music such as Hey song, etc, go to Stoolwater. Their band is too small to be heard over a crowd of 39,000 bored fans so the pressbox blares plenty of super loud rock music out hoping to get somebody into the game. I'll take the Pride anyday.

Collier11

11/7/2007, 05:56 PM

You make several good points such as repeating songs from year to year but I disagree with you saying the Pride does not get the crowd into the game. For example, on a 3rd down play for our defense they blare that long chord which gets everybody loud enough to drown them out. Playing Boomer 368 times a game does get a little annoying but it seems to rally the players. And there is a great story of why they play it over and over in a tight game. It goes back to former director Thrailkill getting kicked out of Lewis Field for no reason and telling drummer Brian Britt and the band to play it all day until either he is allowed back into the stadium or the Sooners win.
If you want to hear piped in music such as Hey song, etc, go to Stoolwater. Their band is too small to be heard over a crowd of 39,000 bored fans so the pressbox blares plenty of super loud rock music out hoping to get somebody into the game. I'll take the Pride anyday.

I dont mind a good mix to be honest, but it would be nice to add something to get the crowd going. I would feel safe in saying that our band does not excite many fans, look at wisconsin...they play 'jump around' at the end of every 3rd qt and the student section goes ape sh*t, or after a big defensive stop they could play 'we will rock you', or any good pump me up type song! Im not asking for music over the speakers all the time, just occasionally during big moments ya know?!

Big Red Ron

11/7/2007, 07:36 PM

You make several good points such as repeating songs from year to year but I disagree with you saying the Pride does not get the crowd into the game. For example, on a 3rd down play for our defense they blare that long chord which gets everybody loud enough to drown them out. Playing Boomer 368 times a game does get a little annoying but it seems to rally the players. And there is a great story of why they play it over and over in a tight game. It goes back to former director Thrailkill getting kicked out of Lewis Field for no reason and telling drummer Brian Britt and the band to play it all day until either he is allowed back into the stadium or the Sooners win.
If you want to hear piped in music such as Hey song, etc, go to Stoolwater. Their band is too small to be heard over a crowd of 39,000 bored fans so the pressbox blares plenty of super loud rock music out hoping to get somebody into the game. I'll take the Pride any day.You might be right but I think a lot of fans have been exposed to what can be done electronically at the Hornets' games. There is a happy medium.

All that said, I agree about the Pride. I'll take em over most other bands. It's just really saddening that it seems they've lost "it." Whatever "it" is, we don't have it anymore.

Is Brian Britt still running the show?

badger

11/7/2007, 07:48 PM

I'm sad I missed it. I was sick last weekend. They didn't show any on television, so I would have to guess they won't show any at on the Baylor televised game either... it is televised, right?

outuba

11/7/2007, 07:55 PM

To answer the question about the Macy's Parade.

During the Herald Square performance we are doing drill to "Oklahoma". (Yay TV time!!)

As far as it goes during the actual parade part we are doing "Boomer", "Fight for OKU" and "Oklahoma" singing. The singing "Oklahoma" was done at the Rose Bowl Parade in 2003.

Thanks for all of your support!

Boomer_Sooner_sax

11/8/2007, 08:36 AM

In my opinion, the marching band is what makes the college atmosphere great. The NFL is for piped in music.

OklaPony

11/8/2007, 12:39 PM

I finally got to go to a game this year (aTm) and sat in the west uppers on about the south 35, 20 rows up. In the stands, the aTm band was definitely louder, and they darn well should be. More members, more brass, and playing music ("classic" marches) that is specifically written and scored for the optimum range of band instruments as opposed to the re-scoring of pop music that the Pride plays. The crowd response was typically good for the Ags and I enjoyed it as well... it's fun to watch every once in a while but I'd get terribly bored watching it every single week. Although I have to say that in general I prefer that to the marching amoeba routines that have become so prevalent in the last 15 years or so.

The Pride's Thriller thing went over gangbusters and the crowd response was awesome! I'm sorry I had to watch it from the wrong side but after reading all the negative stuff about them lately I was really pleased to see them get the kudos they deserved.

Boomer Sooner!

Seamus

11/8/2007, 01:51 PM

and find a way to make our fight song annoying by playing it 368 times per game.

Just like someone should have told this chick ...

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/05_02/winehouseSP_468x935.jpg

I tell you NO! Bad Collier, NO!

The only thing wrong with them playing Boomer Sooner 368 times a game is that they're not playing Boomer Sooner 400 times a game.

I don't think too much about the band, but I do know that I've been to enough professional games and games with schools that have no real tradition to realize that all that "we will rock you" and "rock n roll pt. 2" crap is trite, cliche, hackneyed and BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORING.

I swear, some of you don't know how good you've got it. You get to go see a real football power, with tradition, with an actual marching band, in a great college atmosphere. Try doing that on the West Coast without seeing SUCC.