Rivals On the Field, Friends Off of It

It’s always great to be back in Spartan Stadium. As much as the extended break from performing was needed for our mental well-being, life just feels empty without playing our hearts out in front of 70,000 cheering fans. It is also so much fun to be able to share the spotlight with some incredible performers, like we did last week with Michael Dease and Joseph Lulloff, professors of jazz trombone and saxophone, respectively. Now, we can begin swinging towards our next performance.

This week is one of the unique challenges. The much-needed fall break has allowed us to forget about the worries of the classroom for a moment, but that also means that we have less time to put together a show-stopping performance. And if there is any week we want to show off — though we do that every week — it is this one. Why? The answer is quite simple. Our colleagues from Ann Arbor will be joining us in Spartan Stadium.

With our friends coming to town, the annual tradition of Sparty Watch has officially kicked off. This tradition is one that many of us in the SMB hold close to our hearts. Not only do we take turns ensuring that Sparty stays safe, it is also an incredible opportunity to meet others in different sections of the band without having music directly in our faces, and it’s a chance to take a breath and enjoy the company of like-minded friends. Nothing brings you closer than shivering while playing a game of UNO in the shadow of Sparty, laughing as one person plays a card that makes the whole table groan.

While on the field, the rivalry between Michigan and Michigan State gets heated very easily, for the bands, it’s almost anything but that. Whether it’s performing on the same field with friends and former classmates or the shared history with the legendary Leonard Falcone directing both bands in 1935 after his brother Nicholas lost his hearing while directing the MMB, the support that the bands have had for each other goes well beyond the confines of the stadiums.

Ironically enough, the performance we are preparing to showcase to our colleagues is one that they have some familiarity with. On Sept. 13th, the MMB collaborated with their Theatre Department and Percussion Studio to put on a show with songs from Wicked, including “No One Mourns the Wicked,” “Defying Gravity,” “Popular” and “Dancing Through Life.” For this halftime show, we will also be performing “Popular” and “Defying Gravity” as part of our Broadway show. We will also be performing “Seasons of Love” from Rent, “One Day More” from Les Misérables, and a trio of songs from Hamilton, namely “Alexander Hamilton,” “My Shot,” and “The Schuyler Sisters.”

We may not be dancing through life like the MMB did, we are sure that our show will transport you to a stage in Midtown Manhattan. If you are left wanting more from the SMB’s take on a pit orchestra, then we have good news! The Wicked Witch of the West may not be dead, but we will be performing these tunes, as well as a pair of secret songs at the Bands of America Grand National Championship in Lucas Oil Stadium on Nov. 14th.