The legendary OSU Marching Band was in town to perform at Kings Island today and Don Helbig was kind enough to send some photos our way:

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I worked at turnstiles today so I was lucky to be able to hear them while working. Bohemian Rhapsody was the best.

If only they would march right into the fountain. If one of them went the rest would be sure to follow since they can only march in a straight line!

As I pointed out to Angie, and I must point out here because it's a pet peeve of mine. That is NOT the marching band. That is the athletic band. The marching band is called the Best D*mn Band in the Land for a reason - it is audition only, for very limited spots, and each member has to audition for their place in the band before every performance. It is also one of the largest brass & percussion only bands out there, there are no woodwinds in it. They perform only during the fall and early winter, at football games and other special events.

The spring athletic band is an open membership band to anyone who has former band experience, such as in high school. They play at basketball, volleyball, and many other types of sports (pretty much anything except football) and they do not march, except for the Spring band, which does perform a full marching field show during the Spring Scarlet & Grey football scrimmage game. The rehearsal schedule is much less vigorous for a-band (once a week fall & winter, twice a week spring) than for marching band (daily).

I was in last year's fall and winter athletic bands. I was NOT in marching band. At OSU, it is a big difference. While the athletic band in general is still quite good, they are not on par with the actual marching band, which is nothing short of amazing. To point out the difference, here is our version of Script Ohio (performed on ice, which was pretty fun) - I'm in the bottom right of the little o. Script Ohio is also performed in the same way by the A-band during one basketball game a year.

And here is the marching band's version of Script Ohio. The athletic band never attempts to fully copy it.

Good point Kat. I know a lot of universities work in this fashion. At my alma matter, IU, the marching band is called the marching hundred (yet has like 225 members..go fig!) and the pep band that performs at basketball games (about 25) is culled from the ranks of the marching band. On alumni day each year, all past band members are invited to perform with the band at halftime of the football game, where they play the band's signature number 'sing sing sing'. Two of my fraternity brothers were in both the marching band and pep band, so I learned more about the band than your average student.

Old school marching band is certainly fun to watch sometimes...

I tried to make the adjustment from div 1 corps to college band but alas, schedules conflict...

I did a double take when I saw piccolos and saxes in the pictures! Thanks for clearing that up, Kat!

Gator, once and always an STD... Stupid Tuba Dummy!

MU! Go Band!

Only 145 days until I get to play my tuba next...

The Oxford Press got it right:

http://www.oxfordpress.com/news/oxford-new...end-137041.html