BU

About this cheer

The BU cheer (known generically as "Go Team Go") is played by just about every pep band in existence during football, basketball, hockey, and quidditch matches. It has the name "BU" because of the ridiculous number of times BU's pep band plays the cheer at each game they play at. The chromatic five-note cheer can be played with just about any harmonic accompaniment, but RPI's band plays it in unison with occasional ad libbing by individual players (trumpets and trombones in particular).

There are two styles that this cheer is usually played in, one being fast with a straight feel and the other being slow with a swing feel.

Instrumentation requirements

Any instrumentation can play this cheer, as it is mostly played in unison.

History

This cheer tends to be one of the first few cheers played by the band during the beginning of a game. Prior to the rewriting of the cheer sheets in 2007, it was not uncommon for BU to be played two or three times throughout the length of a game. Notably, Jim Cronen conducted one hockey game during the 1997-1998 season intentionally avoiding BU. This was an accomplishment, given the band's then frequent use of the cheer and limited cheer selection.

While playing as Niagara's pep band at the first round of the 2008 NCAA tournament, it was noticed by members of the band that Michigan's band played BU at least 15 times throughout the length of the game.