Thesis: The best pep rally on campus...
by Kbyrnes (2019-11-23 03:51:20)
Edited on 2019-11-23 03:53:11
Post Reply Return to Rock's House

...in the current era is the 45-minute midnight drum circle. We had grabbed a bite from Subway and were downstairs in LaFortune at 11:55 when the drummers ran through making a tremendous racket, and we followed them out as students came from all points to converge in front of the dome. It was about 27 degrees but dry and still, so perfectly fine weather for some attendees to wear shorts and t-shirts.

The crowd of 1000 or so was very enthused (thanks in part to a little tippling) and the drummers put on a great show. In addition to some standard routines, such as the victory march, the call and response of the men and women chanting "Go-o-o Irish/Be-e-at Eagles," the Wild Rover ("No, nay, never..."), the rakes of mallow (the Irish jig that the students manage to do in the stadium standing on the benches), and a glock-accompanied version of "Come Sail Away," the drummers had some extended bits that you don't hear on game day. I was happy to hear my favorite thing, the Jetsons theme tapped out on the glockenspiel. It all got the crowd swaying, dancing, laughing, and shouting.

A lot of other band members were there and some of them were gathered just off the main thick ring of spectators in their own circles or mosh pits as the case might be, based on their sections in the band, showing off their own chants and ritual moves. The whole scene was very lively and unforced, right through the alma mater, which the students started once the drummers got ready to file away. Then the crowd dissolved across the dark campus and we finally realized it was really kinda cold out there.

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