"TRADITION IS LEGACY"

“Tradition is Legacy.”

- Maya Demeniuk (Sophomore Drum Major)

If you’ve ever been around Munn Field, Demonstration Hall, or Adams Field on game days, you may have seen Spartan Marching Band sections up to some shenanigans prior to taking the field. These are better known as SMB section traditions, pieces of history that have been passed down through the generations and have become important, integrated parts of what it means to be a member of the Spartan Marching Band.

On tradition, Senior Drum Major Tom McGovern explains that “Tradition in the SMB is one of the key things that connects us to the thousands of people that have come before us. It is a way to preserve the hardworking mindset and dedicated community that we value so much in our ensemble.”

Maya Demeniuk, Sophomore Drum Major, similarly adds that, “[Tradition] is about running with a torch that has been passed down to us, but to run faster than our predecessors. It signifies everything that once was built to where we are now, and clarifies that because of others and eventually [our] hard work, our successors will be even more successful than we were.”

And so, this week we bring you a culmination of a few of the traditions each section brings to the field each game day!

The Big Ten Flags have a couple of traditions that get them hyped up in anticipation of an exciting game day! They love to have breakfast together in the morning in Demonstration Hall while listening to music and spending time together. Another Big Ten game day tradition includes what they call the “Hat Dance,” which entails the entire section rushing down to the goalpost after an MSU touchdown to dance while the rest of the marching band plays the fight song! Needless to say, I’ll be watching the Big Tens do their Hat Dance next touchdown, so definitely keep your eyes out for them too!

The SMB Color Guard favors a tradition that includes two other sections! Every game day on the way to Adams Field, the Color Guard walks in lines accompanied by both the Spartan Tubas and the Big Ten Flags. When the group reaches the first crosswalk, the Tens peel off to hold off cars while the Spartan Tubas cross the road. At the second crosswalk, the Color Guard lines the road in anticipation of the Spartan Tubas, who break out into a run chanting “Spartan Tuba, Good to Be!” This game day tradition symbolizes cross-section camaraderie and is a fan favorite.

Another Color Guard tradition favorite happens in relation to the Series (the parade-style cadence the SMB marches to in the street), known as line chants. When they set up in the street in preparation for the Series, the SMBCG makes 10 lines, and each year, the members of each line come up with their own little chant or hype message to yell together! Can you point out all 10 during the Series? Also, let's not forget to congratulate our SMBCG on their 50th anniversary!

When it comes to the SMB Trumpets, there are two section favorite traditions to watch out for on game day! We encourage you to come watch the SMB morning rehearsal and hear the Spartan Trumpets perform Heralds for you. The “Heralds” are pop tunes selected to relate to the current game and played while the rest of the SMB does their morning stretch routine (what we call “stretching block”). This tradition is believed to have started back when Spartan Trumpets played these “Heralds” on top of Case Hall for the SMB. Crazy right? They also began a new tradition, consisting of performing an arrangement of Malagueña in a trumpet circle and inviting any spectators to come and sit in the center of their circle to listen to them perform!

The Alto Saxophones have plenty of game day traditions to choose from, but here are a couple that they find to be their favorites! They really enjoy making a human pyramid that they refer to as their “alto pyramid,” where they allow their section leaders to lead them in a chant. If you’ve ever heard this chant around Adams Field, just know you’re hearing the Otlas!:

Call: "Absolute!"

Response: "Mayhem!"

Call: "Who are we?"

Response: "OTLAS!"

What a cool tradition to have passed down through the SMB Alto Section! They also have a very beautiful tradition reserved especially for the senior game day to show respect and gratitude to that year’s senior class. Each year, someone in the Alto Section arranges a secret goodbye piece for the senior class to listen to while the other members play to them. This tradition really displays the attention and care we give to those who came before us, and the appreciation we show to those who paved the way for our success as members of the SMB.

“Bleed Green” is THE Tenor Saxophones’ catchphrase. It is said during the Series twice, and it is the perfect reflection of what it means to be deeply rooted and committed to Michigan State and our role in the Spartan community. The Spartan Tenors also love to play a tune known as “Ditty,” a tradition that originated years ago after a Michigan State win against Notre Dame. “Ditty” is played on Adams Field, as well as after every performance the section does together. They play the tune twice, one through as normal, and the second time done while they alternate kicking their legs!

SMB Mellophones love to get hyped together on game day. One of their favorite Adams Field traditions is when they play Pregame Fight standing together in a line. In this rendition, they use their right hand to play the horn of the person next to them. During this, an SMB Mellophone alum will join the line and play the horn of the person standing at the end! This is the most beautiful demonstration of how generations of SMB sections are still in contact today, learning from and affecting each other. They also enjoy doing the “Brass-Playing War Machines” chant, which is done immediately after they play their Adams Field section circle music together. Throughout the chant, they stand in a circle with their leadership team in the middle and scream as loud as possible. If that’s not getting hyped for a game day, I don’t know what is!

It’s a good thing this week’s article is on tradition. This is the perfect time to celebrate the Baritones’ 50th anniversary of their Adams Field game day tradition, “Faygo”! The SMB Baritones love to enjoy game day by playing the “Faygo” theme song in their section circle on Adams Field. Happy 50th Anniversary to the Baritones and their beloved “Faygo” tradition!

The SMB Trombones have a couple of their own exciting traditions. One of their favorites includes their Trombone Huddle on Adams Field. They group together and hold their trombones high in the air while singing “We Are the Spartan Bones” together. If you want a chance to hear some game day vocals, it sounds like you need to spend some time listening to the SMB Trombones on Adams Field. If you do, stay and listen to them play Low Rider on Adams Field as well. Low Rider has been an addition to the SMB Trombone Adams Field section circle for many years now!

When it comes to the Spartan Tubas, there are many traditions that might catch your eye on game day. It is hard for our section to narrow it down to only a couple of favorite traditions. But of them all, it seems that playing Spartan Fanfare in front of the original Sparty Statue that now resides in Spartan Stadium is definitely a section favorite. In mentioning traditions, it would be shameful to not also mention what Spartan Tubas call “Shagoomie.” When Spartan Tubas mention “Shagoomie,” it is really a nod to the song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” which is played on the PA system in the Tuba room as the Spartan Tubas get dressed in their uniform.

If you happen to see the SMB Drumline parading the sidewalk in uniform, you might’ve caught them in the act of getting ready for their favorite game day tradition! Follow them to the Spartan Bookstore and you can watch them set up to perform multiple rhythmic cadences for their high-energy crowds two hours before kickoff!

Although performing in Spartan Stadium in front of thousands of roaring fans is a profound game day experience, SMB tradition found in the nooks and crannies of each section’s game day routine is what makes the day extra special. They remind us of where we come from, and of who came before to pave the path of excellence for the Spartan Marching Band as a whole. It is because of their dedication and hard work that we are inclined to aim towards perfection, and why across the country others look to the Spartan Marching Band as one of the top-performing collegiate marching bands in the nation. We treasure these traditions and forever hold them near and dear to our hearts, knowing that wherever we go and whoever we become, we will always be a part of the SMB legacy that we leave behind, just as those before us have graciously been.

Thank you to our Alumni for an amazing show, and AS ALWAYS,

GO STATE, BEAT NEBRASKA!