Last Friday, March 17, the Huskies Pep Band graced spectators in the Rozsa with a full performance of loud music, light sketch comedy, and a guest appearance from Blizzard.
The concert began with the Pep Band’s signature introduction; a marching cadence as members of the band got into position, followed by the familiar announcement given at athletic events, describing the band as “living proof of the Second Law of Thermodynamics, The Cream of the Keweenaw, The Pride of Pasty Land, The Second-Best Feeling in the World.” Juxtaposed by the ordinarily formal atmosphere of the Rozsa, the Pep Band performed their rendition of “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” ending with a shout.
The concert’s main body was composed of the Pep Band’s repertoire of songs, from pop hits such as “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga, to polka classics such as “Beer Barrel Polka.” The Pep Band kept in line with their usual shenanigans, such as raising “Applause” signs, playing a quick game of charades with Blizzard, and performing several skits.
One notable achievement was the breaking of the all-important Popeye’s Land Speed Record. This record is a Husky tradition where the Pep Band plays the theme from “Popeye” as fast as they can. After a normal tempo playthrough to warm up, the pep band clocked in at a blistering 32 seconds, a whole 10 seconds faster than their previous record and roughly a minute faster than a normal recording.
Following a short intermission, The Pep Band played some of their classics from athletic events, such as performing the complete version of “In Heaven There is No Beer” with Tech-themed lyrics. While they did not have the accompaniment of the student section, the Band successfully performed and sang all six verses of the song.
Also performed was the classic marching band piece “Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Phillip Sousa, the song to which “Stripes and Stripes Forever” is a reference. The stripes in “Stripes and Stripes Forever” is in turn a reference to the symbolic black and gold striped overalls worn by the band.
To conclude the performance, the Pep Band performed the most well-known piece from their repository: the Michigan Tech Fight Song. This was by far the loudest song of the night, showing off the Pep Band’s infamy for rambunctious performance. All in all, the concert was a wonderful experience for those who enjoy the Pep Band’s spirit.
