Norfolk State University after game tunnel
April 8, 2019 9:46 PM Subscribe
The Spartan Legion marches on.
The band is featured in this music video for Justice's song Heavy Metal.
The band is featured in this music video for Justice's song Heavy Metal.
Mind = boggled.
posted by bonobothegreat at 2:46 AM on April 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by bonobothegreat at 2:46 AM on April 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
Okay. That is the best thing ever to appear on the Internet.
posted by CCBC at 3:45 AM on April 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by CCBC at 3:45 AM on April 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
That was awesome.
posted by Kikkoman at 4:17 AM on April 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Kikkoman at 4:17 AM on April 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
I just watched this whole thing at my desk at work here in England and it led to explaining American high school and college marching bands to my British colleagues (including showing them a video on Youtube from my own high school marching band days in Tennessee- a Wizard-of-Oz themed field show from 1996 that someone randomly uploaded).
This was great, but I'm sad to see that the tradition of 'big girls do guard, 'hot' girls do dance team' continues unabated.
posted by cilantro at 4:18 AM on April 9, 2019 [3 favorites]
This was great, but I'm sad to see that the tradition of 'big girls do guard, 'hot' girls do dance team' continues unabated.
posted by cilantro at 4:18 AM on April 9, 2019 [3 favorites]
Band kids are the best kids.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 4:32 AM on April 9, 2019 [5 favorites]
posted by SuperSquirrel at 4:32 AM on April 9, 2019 [5 favorites]
That looks so fun. 🥁🥁
posted by Bee'sWing at 6:33 AM on April 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by Bee'sWing at 6:33 AM on April 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
This is my town! Norfolk State is one of 2 HBCU (historically black college or univesity) in the area, the other being Hampton University. Norfolk is, historically, a really segregated city, and it even shows in marching band. As you can see in the video, NSU is a high-stepping marching band, which is traditional of black high schools and universities. Schools that are primarily white, like Old Dominion University, use the glide stepping technique. The 2 would only ever meet at games, because competitions are separated by style. (This was true for high school as well, my alma mater was the only high school in Norfolk to compete in the Tournament of Bands. Here's a video of a recent drumline, good god they look so tiny. )
posted by FirstMateKate at 6:54 AM on April 9, 2019 [13 favorites]
posted by FirstMateKate at 6:54 AM on April 9, 2019 [13 favorites]
Oh for the video I posted, my highschool is on the left in the navy.
posted by FirstMateKate at 6:56 AM on April 9, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by FirstMateKate at 6:56 AM on April 9, 2019 [3 favorites]
The tubas! I love this.
posted by Mavri at 7:30 AM on April 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by Mavri at 7:30 AM on April 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
So... many... drums...
My high school (1970s) wasn't totally segregated, but there weren't any black students in the band, they were all on athletic teams. But our band contributed more trophies to the school trophy case (from band competitions and parades) than all the teams combined. Our faculty band leader was in his early 20s and among his innovations was marching band arrangements of rock songs, so we earned a lot of those trophies marching while playing "In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida".
posted by oneswellfoop at 7:53 AM on April 9, 2019 [4 favorites]
My high school (1970s) wasn't totally segregated, but there weren't any black students in the band, they were all on athletic teams. But our band contributed more trophies to the school trophy case (from band competitions and parades) than all the teams combined. Our faculty band leader was in his early 20s and among his innovations was marching band arrangements of rock songs, so we earned a lot of those trophies marching while playing "In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida".
posted by oneswellfoop at 7:53 AM on April 9, 2019 [4 favorites]
Love it! Sports are a total bore to me, but I really love marching bands! Some day when I have to be a spy someplace, this will give away my nationality. LOL! Incidentally the marching style of the Black HS and college bands just has something special that I love even more.
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 12:50 PM on April 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 12:50 PM on April 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
Yeah tuba! Yeah tuba!
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:55 PM on April 9, 2019
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:55 PM on April 9, 2019
I hated marching band so much but it was mandatory in order to participate in the wind ensemble. I actively hoped that our football team would lose so that we wouldn't have to keep performing into the playoff season. The outfits were miserable and the pseudo-military vibe was off-putting. I'm grateful that we didn't compete because then in would have taken up even more of my time and, frankly, it was the least satisfying musical ensemble to be in.
This band looked like they were really into it, though. I suppose it makes a difference if you care.
posted by grumpybear69 at 2:43 PM on April 9, 2019
This band looked like they were really into it, though. I suppose it makes a difference if you care.
posted by grumpybear69 at 2:43 PM on April 9, 2019
Being forced to do something is never going to make you enjoy it. I'm still mad, 40 years later, that the basketball / volleyball PE class I signed up for skipped the volleyball I wanted and just had basketball the whole semester.
posted by Bee'sWing at 2:53 PM on April 9, 2019
posted by Bee'sWing at 2:53 PM on April 9, 2019
This is great, thank you for posting it. Alright tubas!
posted by LobsterMitten at 3:27 PM on April 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by LobsterMitten at 3:27 PM on April 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
So good. Thank you, Foci for Analysis!
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:02 PM on April 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:02 PM on April 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
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