Video: DU Pep Band March Into Magness



If you would like to join us and make a donation to the DU Pep Band, please mail checks to made out to "DU Pep Band":

Joe Walsh - DU Pep Band Director
Lamont School of Music
2344 E. Iliff Ave.
Denver, CO. 80208

Here is a note from the Pep Band Director, Joe Walsh:
"On behalf of all the Pep Band members and especially me as the Director, we are grateful for your donation. Please let me know if you have a specific purchase you would like us to direct this funding towards equipment, food, music, etc."

We appreciate your generous support. We are fortunate to have such great alumni & fans

Join us in the pep band any time – you can play a cow bell right?"

54 comments:

Pioneers04 said...

Next fundraisers: A: Get Pep Band some unis B: Get them at every home game

Anonymous said...

They do have uniforms (Crimson DU shirts from addidas) but this weekened, they were wearing the whiteout shirts that were given to the DU students at the gate for the CC game.

dggoddard said...

We do need to organize some fundraising activity for the Pep Band. If you win the 50/50 Raffle consider give some or all of the proceeds to the band.

If anyone has a fun idea that will help raise some money for the band, post them here.

Bennetts said...

Watched the game at home in Cali but it sounds like the pep band added quite a spirited element.In an effort to support them as they support the team , the Bennett family would like to pledge $250 to whatever fundraiser is generated.Thanks to all who support as the home crowd can surely be the sixth man.We will look forward to fund raising info. and to whom we can send our pledge.Sincerely the Bennetts

dggoddard said...

Well if this is how we're going to do it, I'm in for $100.

I've sent an email to get an address for the band director posted here later today.

I spoke to one of the the student band leaders, Joey Leon, over the weekend and they are looking to purchase a drum harness and other equipment that will help the march.

They also always need funding for more instruments & repairs.

Anonymous said...

Still a sad copy of Boston College and Wisconsin.

dggoddard said...

Speaking of Wisconsin's band, they receive most of their funding from private donations and the endowment they've built up over the years.

It costs $40,000-50,000 to send the band on trips when they have to fly to away football games.

Anonymous said...

Its just first effort. It will improve.

DU hasn't had a marching band since 1961 (as most other schools do), so just getting the pep band on the move is step one.

Give it time.

Pioneers04 said...

The lack of a full time band is kind of sad given the quality of Lamont. Granted the lack of a football team hurts that, but a smaller version built for a hockey arena would be a great idea. I can remember comparing the old band to William Hung during the '04 championship game (if the thread is till available on USCHO, look it up)

Anonymous said...

The DU band is much better now than it was in '04, and much progress has been made since then.

A lot of music schools, including DU, have strained relations with pep bands, because pep bands are part time fun, and the music schools want the full time music majors to concentrate on serious music.

DU's band has made the jump from barely tolerable to enjoyable. The next leap will be from enjoyable to exemplary. It's a process.

dggoddard said...

According to the University of Wisconsin Band website they currently only have three music majors in their marching band. So I don't think DU needs Lamont students to get to the DU band to the next level.

But even Wisconsin is having trouble raising enough donations to get their band to away football games this season.

Anonymous said...

A bit primitave... but I like it. Definately need some drum accesories, harnesses, more percussion and snare. A few simple drum cadences with chants will add some nice flare. We don't need to see "Drum Line" in Magness - but between the fight song run-throughs, loud pounding, tribal drums will get people talking.
Good job. Contact local retailers like Guitar Center, Drumcity guitar land, Rupps Drums..... for maybe some donations

dggoddard said...

If you would like to make a donation to the DU Pep Band, please mail checks to:

Joe Walsh - DU Pep Band Director
Lamont School of Music
2344 E. Iliff Ave.
Denver, CO. 80208



Here is a note from the Pep Band Director.

"On behalf of all the Pep Band members and especially me as the Director we are grateful for your donation. Please let me know if you have a specific purchase you would like us to direct this funding towards equipment, food, music, etc."

We appreciate your generous support. We are fortunate to have such great alumni & fans

Join us in the pep band any time – you can play a cow bell right?"

old pio said...

I am delighted at the progress of the pep band. We've come a long way from the days when the "Chancellor Forever" mused publicly that we needed a song to replace "D-Rah." And he was just the guy to make that happen. And DG is right, I can tell you from first hand experience that it was widely assumed Lamont would not only not cooperate with the creation of a pep band, but would actively oppose it. We spent hours in an alumni Board of Directors meeting arguing about whether we should set aside some money to provide sweaters/jerseys/something for the kids to wear. For God's sake we were a Division I school, with a school of music, that NEVER played its fight song at its flagship sport (or any other sports for that matter). So musically we're we're in a new golden age. And it's only going to get better. And one of these days we'll start hearing the Alma Mater again: "She's the pride of Colorado, Hail to Denver U."

old pio said...

Just imagine: the pep band is qualitatively and quantitatively perfect and at the end of hockey games the players gather in front of the student section while the band plays the alma mater. When it's done at the end of Notre Dame football games and many other schools, it's a huge emotional grabber. And would connect students, athletes and alumni in a way nothing else does.

dggoddard said...

Just mailed off my donation. We built the Boone mascot costume with a grassroots effort on this Blog. Now we can focus expanding the Pep Band.

Good suggestions about contacting local retailers.

Always fun to hear Old Pio's feedback. Hopefully he'll post over here more often while he's in exile from USCHO.com

miller said...

I'm in. After seeing the band march through Magness Saturday night, I realized just how far we have come in the last couple of years since we gave Ruckus his walking papers.

We can't let up on the gas!

old pio said...

That's my plan. Although my days are pretty full what with getting teardrop tattoos on my face and seminars on how to bypass home security systems. But I'll try.

dggoddard said...

Thanks Miller. The band members are really excited about these donations.

Anonymous said...

Another genious idea I just had, when they're not playing in the concourse - have the band play in other areas of the stands; not just in the student section. The Crimson section, up in the gold club, the corner handicap sections, way up in the opposite end where the visitors sit (they could sit in the aisle).... do this for the North Dakota series - our Sioux guests who bought tix that weekend will LOVE it!
Get them up on the catwalk. Down by the penalty boxes..... get the band more mobile. And make sure the cheerleaders and Boone are with them!!

Anonymous said...

I like the idea of the band playing the Alma Mater after games. It's rarely heard outside of DU commencement ceremonies.

We revived the fight song so that almost everyone connected with DU hockey knows it by now, and perhaps the Alma Mater can be the next musical project for the band to learn.

I'd also like the band to learn some Colorado-based music. "Rocky Mountain Way" by Joe Walsh would be cool. Maybe "Rocky Mountain High" by John Denver, too. Those songs would help the local non-alumni bond with the school.

Jordan said...

Where can one find the words to the Alma Mater? Nothing on any DU websites. Only information I can find is by standing under the Belltower at 9pm or going to commencement.

old pio said...

Good question, Jordan. I'd imagine somebody at Lamont has the words and music. Years ago they had a recording that included the "D-Rah" and the Alma Mater. 'Course those were in the days of vinyl discs and Model T's. This will sound like something from a previous century (come to think of it, it is) but when I was a freshman, we sang the Alma Mater in the fraternity house every night after the evening meal!

Jordan said...

I grew up with season tickets to Notre Dame football, and the traditions there run very deep. Notre Dame Our Mother after every game, win or lose, is very cool to see.

It would take a very long time for DU to come close to that kind of engagement, and it's not really even fair to compare, but the fact that I can't even find DU's Alma Mater anywhere is kind of sad. You can't build attachement to something that nobody ever hears.

Anonymous said...

Jordan:

Back in 2003, the DU fight song was rarely heard. It took some years of pushing to bring it back, but now it's a staple.

With the spirit momentum we have now, the alma mater could be brought back to prominence within a few years.

The Alma Mater was written by DU professor Ira Cutler around 100 years ago. It's called "Hail to Denver U" and people you know have the sheet music for it. It is up to the Band to play it.

old pio said...

And I probably shouldn't have mentioned Notre Dame's traditions. It's really not fair to compare DU to tradition laden schools like ND or Texas A & M (they've got a tradition for everything, including how to eat a hot dog I would guess). But anonymous put his finger on it. Not so long ago there was talk of replacing the "D-Rah." Fortunately at DU there are some things money can't buy. Now we've got to resurrect the Alma Mater. Maybe not after every game. Maybe only after the Saturday games. That's a detail to be worked out. But the pep band musicians who've done such a good job with the "D-Rah" can certainly learn a second piece and begin to employ it. The whole point of alma maters generally is to invoke spirit and emotion and to tie students and alumni together--a shared experience. At the University of Texas the football players stand on the field after a game, give the hook 'em horns salute, while the band plays "The Eyes of Texas." The final line is: "the eyes of Texas are upon you 'til Gabrial blows his horn." We don't want to put that kind of pressure on our hockey players. But certainly an emotional song that brings us all together, win lose or draw, is a good thing. It's the next logical step in the development of our school spirit. And if we're not immediately in the same league with ND, Texas and other big powerhouses, so what? We can do our own thing.

Anonymous said...

"Rocky Mountain Way" by Joe Walsh would be cool. Maybe "Rocky Mountain High" by John Denver, too.

Hope you old timers don't break a hip while you're dancing to the oldies.

dggoddard said...

Luckily we have Porter Hospital as a DU hockey sponsor and they specialize in hip replacements.

miller said...

Ok, no more "old timers" bashing. Old Pio and I may run over all of you with our walkers!

old pio said...

Some of my new "friends" have volunteered to help with light work when they get out. So keep on jerking my chain, hear?

Anonymous said...

Watch out for Old Pio getting wasted on Crown Royal and speeding on his Rascal. He'll f* you up.

old pio said...

Especially since I've had it equipped with Messala-like war wheels.

Anonymous said...

I bet 'Ol P wouldn't even give a honk to let you know he was coming. Just the thunk-thunk of his rascal rolling over you, a "fucking wippersnapper" and maybe the clank of an empty Crown Royal bottle hitting you in the head as a final salutation.

old pio said...

Warning? I don't do no stinkin' warnings!

Tim in Los Angeles said...

Nostalgia...

1969-73 the small pep band climbed up a ladder to a cat walk next to the score board on the north wall of the old arena. There were no seats at that end. They played "D-rah" when the DU team took the ice for the start of each period, after each DU goal and at the end of each period.

They played "3 Blind Mice" when the refs were introduced and a few other selections during games.

Joey Leon said...

On behalf of the student leadership of the DU Pep Band I would like to take a moment to thank everyone for their donations! We are trying to grow our band program and we are always open to suggestions about what we can do better. Again, thank you so much for all that you, as DU Family and Alumni, do for the students of DU.

Go Pios!
Joey Leon
joey.leon2@gmail.com
612-940-0034
Chair of Campus Climate-Undergrad Student Government
d.u.g.s. Grillmaster-Executive Board
Pioneer Leadership Program-Scholars Board
DU Pioneer Pep Band-President
Student Spirit Committee-Co-Chair
Team 1864-Tour guide

dggoddard said...

Another donor has pledged $100. His check will be mailed within a week.

miller said...

Ok, let's keep this donation movement going. Every DU alum needs to step up and make a donation, no matter how small. Remember when people doubted that we could bring Boone back.

Anonymous said...

I’d love to help but I just sent my check to the University designating the hockey program.

Aluuum said...

I'm in for 50! D.G. send me the info. for sending the check.

(D.G. knows who I be!!) Miller dotoo!

dggoddard said...

Thanks to the Bennett family who got the ball rolling with these donations. We have already raised over $750 for the DU Pep Band this week.

You'll see that these donations, when combined together, will have a tremendous effect on the quality and future growth of the Pep Band.

To those who have donated THANK YOU. Thanks also to those who donate their time or money to DU, the hockey program, Boone, the 50/50 raffle and the Athletic Department. Look how far we have come in the past five years. :-)

Anonymous said...

Wow, you organized the 50/50 raffle too? You really are quite the leader DG. Amazing how much you accomplish from out of state.

$750 equates to how many season ticket holders ordering tickets?

Take that DU marketing people.

dggoddard said...

I have nothing to do with the 50/50 raffle. I do buy the tickets.

Anonymous said...

So you talked people into giving money for a mascot and the pep band rather than have them contribute directly to the hockey program. Wasn’t there an article on here about how foolish a contribution to the golf program was? Perhaps the Bennett family doesn’t quite understand that $750 won’t go very far in funding Wade and Beau’s scholarships. The money from 50/50 raffle goes directly to the hockey program. The Bennett family would be better off buying raffle tickets than writing you a check.

dggoddard said...

The Bennett family is contributing Beau & Wade to the hockey program. What's a blue-chipper like Beau worth to DU?

I'm guessing a heck of a lot.

Anonymous said...

Sorta harsh to leave Wade out of the blue chipper category wasn't it? He’s just chopped liver?

old pio said...

I find it especially offensive that anyone would be so disrespectful of the Bennetts and their generous gift to help improve school spirit and the game day experience at DU hockey. Futher, I am embarrassed that anyone would be so presumptuous as to suggest he knows better than the Bennetts just how they should support the Pioneers. Where does such arrogance come from?

Anonymous said...

pot.... kettle

Anonymous said...

Geez, Papa Bennett tosses you $750 and you can’t even give a shout out to both his sons?

Anonymous said...

The DU hockey team is self-funding, making a six-figure profit after salaries and operating expenses each year.

Spirit enterprises, like the band, are a DU cost and deliver no revenue to offset

The 50/50 raffle should put $15 or 20 grand each year into the hockey coffers, less expenses and perhaps less some money to fund the DU hockey alumni orgnization (former DU players).

Great school spirit is probably worth several wins per season, and that's where band contrubtions can pay off well.

Anonymous said...

Will the band be at the games this weekend?

Anonymous said...

Typically, the band plays Saturday nights only. With this being final exams at DU right now, I am not sure if the band will play Saturday.

A small student band did play for the DU basketball game last night, augmented by some local elementary schoolers for the first half, as there was a school promotion at the game. DU beat Southern Miss from Conference USA, 59-52 in a good tight game.

Anonymous said...

Without attendance at the game (school spirit) by the band, mascot, students and posters from this blog, will UNO be favored to win?

Anonymous said...

The boys showed that they don't need a stinkin' band to win. Good win over UNO.