COMMENTARY: Pep band fires up VCU fans

VCU’s Homecoming is a little atypical
as far as college homecomings go.

Alumni mark their calendars to
return to their alma mater in February,
rather than in October. Instead of
bundling up to wave their foam fingers
in a frigid football stadium, fans suit up
in their celebratory gear for a climatecontrolled
arena. A basketball replaces
the ol’ pigskin, and the band trades in
sequined jumpsuits and feather-plumed
hats for polo shirts and khakis.

Upon entering the game, one experiences
a virtual sensory overload. The
smell of butter-saturated popcorn permeates
the air and only one entity can
be heard through the electrifying roar of
the crowd – the VCU pep band, nestled
in a corner of the bleachers, makes sure
to have its presence known.

At this year’s Homecoming game,
on Feb. 2, the pep band excited the
audience from the very beginning with
their version of Gary Glitter’s “Rock
and Roll Part 1.” Cleverly replacing
the original “Hey!” that ended each
recognizable phrase with the letters V,
C and U, audience participation was
at an all-time high. Basketball game
veterans used their arms to spell out
each letter in a style reminiscent of
the Village People’s “YMCA.” When
the band put down their instruments
for the a capella interlude, the entire
stadium followed suit.

The pep band, headed by Patrick
Smith and Terry Austin, director of
bands, consists of both music majors
and qualified musicians that wish to
play. Joshua Pucci, who describes the
group’s dynamic as a “family without
the parents” is a prime example of
the pep band’s open-member policy.
Pucci is a student in the Masters of
Accountancy program at the University
of Richmond and found out about
VCU’s band on a Web site.

Pep band members definitely help
the organization live up to its namesake.
The loyal rabble-rousers, some sporting
black-and-gold face paint, flexed their
vocal abilities when their instruments
were at rest. Armed with megaphones
and biting wit, the good-natured
chiding of the opposing team provided
entertainment throughout the entire
game.

Although the amiable air of the
ensemble is apparent, there also is
a sense of dedication to the music.
Drummer Allen Sleeman views it as a
way to give back to the university.
“It’s like we’re part of something
really important,” he said.

When asked to describe how the
band fits into the spectrum of the game,
Sleeman emphasizes the importance of
maximizing the band’s enthusiasm.

“The more into the game we are,
the more they (audience members)
are,” he said.

Stephanie Foreman, who put down
her main instrument, the French horn,
for a trumpet that night, describes
the pep band as “a way to meet fun
people . it’s like a club without being
a club.”

With each song it played, the
pep band’s infectious energy echoed
through the crowd. Aside from the
National Anthem (during which only
one attendee shouted “Oh!” at the “appropriate”
time), the set list consisted of
a wide range of songs. From “Give up the
Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)”
by Parliament to a more contemporary
favorite, “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkeley,
the performance was matched by the
energy of the crowd. Any “Rocky Horror
Picture Show” fanatics were surely
happy to hear “Let’s Do the Time Warp
Again,” but one selection seemed to
stand out among all the others. If one
isn’t nominally familiar with the Sugar
Hill Gang, the “Fresh Prince of Bel Air”
episode in which characters Will and
Carlton perform “Jump On It” might
jog ones memory. Hip thrusts and
finger-waving abounded. Fans, some
fueled by the “Chill n Grill” festivities
of earlier in the day showed no timidity,
turning the stands into an impromptu
dance floor.

High energy, a sold-out turnout and
the unmistakable talent on the boards
led the Rams to a 65-42 victory over
Towson. The pep band ushered the
losing team into the locker room to
the strains of a farewell song.