Fresno State Athletics
Photo by: Kiel Maddox
Embodying the Bulldog Spirit
10/31/2017 9:00:00 PM | Football, General
FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno State Marching Band prides itself in being considered "The Best Band in the West" and its members push themselves every day to be able to reach that standard.
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This title is exactly what the Fresno State Marching Band strives to maintain as it follows its goal to work smarter and not harder in perfecting its many pieces to perform in front of the Red Wave at Bulldog Stadium.
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The Bulldog Marching Band also gets the opportunity to play its tunes in front of several crowds outside of Bulldog Stadium as it travels with the football team to select away games, including any postseason Bowl Games the 'Dogs get a chance to participate in.
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The band has begun to expand its horizons, stretching outside of the collegiate gridiron, to play in front of much larger NFL crowds. In 2015, the Bulldog Marching Band opened for the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. A year later, the marching band traveled to Oakland Alameda Coliseum, the home of former Bulldog quarterback Derek Carr and the Oakland Raiders, for its second NFL appearance, performing a medley of popular Carlos Santana songs in its halftime performance.
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Under the direction of Steve McKeithen, the Bulldog Marching Band looks to continue its reign as one of the greatest collegiate marching band programs on the West Coast.
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"Like every year, we are excited to support Fresno State and its athletics program," said Director of Athletic Bands Steve McKeithen. "We want our fans, alumni and community to be proud of what they see and hear from us. Combine that with our own internal high-standards, we strive to be a band that is recognized as a program of excellence."
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The Fresno State Marching Band takes pride in being the largest student organization on campus with 212 active members this year.
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The marching band is a very diverse group, which is made up of roughly 65 woodwinds, 70 brass, 35 percussionists, 24 guards and two twirlers. Fresno State's Bulldog Marching Band is the second-largest band in the Mountain West Conference, trailing only Colorado State.
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Preparation for game day at Bulldog Stadium comes with long hours and days of hard work. Prior to the first game of the season on Sept. 2, the Bulldog Marching Band charted 82 hours of movement training, musical rehearsals and memorizations. In addition to those hours spent preparing, the marching band put in work to learn the drill to the Pregame Show as well as the Chicago Show that they performed at halftime.
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Sept. 2 was a long-awaited day in the Valley for the student-athletes, the Red Wave and the Bulldog Marching Band. While the student-athletes geared up to take the field and the Red Wave got excited to fill Bulldog Stadium, the marching band was prepared to play a variety of roughly 27 different tunes in front of a crowd of nearly 40,000.
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Through eight hours of work on game day, an average Bulldog Marching Band member will move about 13.3 miles and take over 32,000 steps in and around Bulldog Stadium. On Sept. 2, the band performed through the high temperatures and stayed hydrated by finishing off 18 ten-gallon jugs of water.
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Through the heat, rain or cold, the marching band will not miss a chance to fill Bulldog Stadium with the sounds the Red Wave knows and loves to chant along with. For six Saturdays this fall, the Fresno State Marching Band will fill up a section near the south end zone and stay on their feet to play their Bulldog beats in complete harmony.
Â
The Fresno State Marching Band strives every day to embody the everlasting "Bulldog Spirit" by bringing energy to every game and event it is present at. Wherever it goes, the Best Band in the West proves itself as a relentless source of energy, enthusiasm and entertainment. The Fresno State Marching Band is loud and proud, and considered the soundtrack of the Red Wave.
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160
Â
This title is exactly what the Fresno State Marching Band strives to maintain as it follows its goal to work smarter and not harder in perfecting its many pieces to perform in front of the Red Wave at Bulldog Stadium.
Â
The Bulldog Marching Band also gets the opportunity to play its tunes in front of several crowds outside of Bulldog Stadium as it travels with the football team to select away games, including any postseason Bowl Games the 'Dogs get a chance to participate in.
Â
The band has begun to expand its horizons, stretching outside of the collegiate gridiron, to play in front of much larger NFL crowds. In 2015, the Bulldog Marching Band opened for the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. A year later, the marching band traveled to Oakland Alameda Coliseum, the home of former Bulldog quarterback Derek Carr and the Oakland Raiders, for its second NFL appearance, performing a medley of popular Carlos Santana songs in its halftime performance.
Â
Under the direction of Steve McKeithen, the Bulldog Marching Band looks to continue its reign as one of the greatest collegiate marching band programs on the West Coast.
Â
"Like every year, we are excited to support Fresno State and its athletics program," said Director of Athletic Bands Steve McKeithen. "We want our fans, alumni and community to be proud of what they see and hear from us. Combine that with our own internal high-standards, we strive to be a band that is recognized as a program of excellence."
Â
The Fresno State Marching Band takes pride in being the largest student organization on campus with 212 active members this year.
Â
The marching band is a very diverse group, which is made up of roughly 65 woodwinds, 70 brass, 35 percussionists, 24 guards and two twirlers. Fresno State's Bulldog Marching Band is the second-largest band in the Mountain West Conference, trailing only Colorado State.
Â
Preparation for game day at Bulldog Stadium comes with long hours and days of hard work. Prior to the first game of the season on Sept. 2, the Bulldog Marching Band charted 82 hours of movement training, musical rehearsals and memorizations. In addition to those hours spent preparing, the marching band put in work to learn the drill to the Pregame Show as well as the Chicago Show that they performed at halftime.
Â
Sept. 2 was a long-awaited day in the Valley for the student-athletes, the Red Wave and the Bulldog Marching Band. While the student-athletes geared up to take the field and the Red Wave got excited to fill Bulldog Stadium, the marching band was prepared to play a variety of roughly 27 different tunes in front of a crowd of nearly 40,000.
Â
Through eight hours of work on game day, an average Bulldog Marching Band member will move about 13.3 miles and take over 32,000 steps in and around Bulldog Stadium. On Sept. 2, the band performed through the high temperatures and stayed hydrated by finishing off 18 ten-gallon jugs of water.
Â
Through the heat, rain or cold, the marching band will not miss a chance to fill Bulldog Stadium with the sounds the Red Wave knows and loves to chant along with. For six Saturdays this fall, the Fresno State Marching Band will fill up a section near the south end zone and stay on their feet to play their Bulldog beats in complete harmony.
Â
The Fresno State Marching Band strives every day to embody the everlasting "Bulldog Spirit" by bringing energy to every game and event it is present at. Wherever it goes, the Best Band in the West proves itself as a relentless source of energy, enthusiasm and entertainment. The Fresno State Marching Band is loud and proud, and considered the soundtrack of the Red Wave.
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160
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