APBWiki - User contributions [en]

Nick DiLiberto

2007-04-18T23:54:54Z

Goetzm:

{{stub}}
===Info===
*Clarinet: 2000-2004
*Keeper of the [[Small Flag|small flag]]: 2003-2004

[[Category:People|DiLiberto, Nick]][[Category:Clarinets|DiLiberto, Nick]]

Toll Booth Song

2007-04-18T23:54:13Z

Goetzm: Linked all conductors to their respective pages

The Toll Booth Song is sung by the members of the band on all road trips whenever the bus passes through a toll booth. A line is added to the song during the first road trip of the Spring semester each year to commemorate that year's [[conductor]]. The song's origins are unknown by the current members of the band, though it would seem likely that it started sometime in the early 1990's as the list of [[Conductor|conductors]] in the song is roughly that long.

===Lyrics===
''Ahhhhhh'' (hold this when the toll booth first comes into sight, then start singing once the bus pulls out) 
''Oh, I wish all the rain drops were lemon drops and gum drops and oh what a rain it would beeeee-e! 
''I'd stand outside with my mouth open wide going "ah, ah-ah-ah ah-ah-ah ah-ah-ah" 
''ARGH! I kiss myself. MWaa! 
''Candygram! 
''Your Mother! 
''[[Dave Noble|Dave Noble's a Geek!]] 
''[[Stephanie Tudor|Steph's a blonde!]] 
''[[Kim Bosco|Stand up, Kim!]] 
''[[Jim Gross|Shut up, Jim!]] 
''[[Mike Brown|Mike can fly!]] 
''[[Ray Kim|Are we there yet Daddy Ray?]] 
''[[Jim Cronen|Jim doesn't suck!]] 
''[[Bill von Achen|Bill, you commie bastard!]] 
''[[Sebastian Corbisiero|Sebbie one hands it!]] 
''[[James Sattler|Tex tunes it, ya'll!]] 
''[[Tim Vanderpoel|Tiny Timmmmaaayyyyyyy!!!!!!]] 
''[[Victoria Myers|How do you do a Vickie?]] 
''[[Charlie Scaringello|Faster Charlie!]] 
''[[Sarah Toner|Arrr, Save Erin, Sarah!]] 
''[[Tim Tesluk|Teh-slut-at-rpi-dot-edu]] 
''[[Dan Schwarting|Evacuate! Evacuate! Go, Dan, Go!]] 

[[Category:Vocal cheers]][[Category:Traditions]]

Mark Goetz

2007-04-14T18:18:49Z

Goetzm: Reformatted and added more details

Mark Goetz, CSCI '04 (BS), Human-Computer Interface MS at the University of Michigan '09

=== Information ===
* Alto Saxophone, 2000-2004

[[Category:People|Goetz, Mark]]
[[Category:Saxophones|Goetz, Mark]]

Weather Machine

2007-04-14T18:11:38Z

Goetzm:

Every year for Accepted Students' Day (typically the 2nd or 3rd Saturday in April), the band plays outside (typically in front of the Mueller Center) for several hours to help with RPI's propaganda machine, and to hopefully attract new members to the band.

Normally, this would sound like a very bad idea, as mid-April in Troy is usually very gloomy and cold, with many days of rain (and not uncommonly snow). In the years since [[Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson]] has been president of the Institute, however, Accepted Students' Day has had unseasonably warm and sunny weather.

The only logical explanation for this unseasonable weather, though there is no concrete proof of this, is that Dr. Jackson must have a machine which is capable of influencing the weather in the region. Others have speculated that the weather is the result of a deal Dr. Jackson made with the devil, which would also explain why the climate is so miserable for the rest of the year. Again, however, no proof has been offered for this theory.

[[Category:Mascots and other random objects]]

Hockey

2007-04-07T02:56:08Z

Goetzm: /* Whiteout */ - grammar hammer

{{stub}}
Sport.

=Big Games=
Much like [[football]], There are a number of games over the course of the season that carry special significance.

==Big Red Freakout!==
''For information on Freakout, see this [[Freakout|page]].''

==Black Friday==
Started during the [[2003-2004]] season, this game takes place on the first home [[ECAC Hockey]] game of the season. Free admission is given to all students wearing black. The members of the band are given black T-shirts which they wear over their regular rugby shirts. The team also wears special black jerseys for the game which are raffled off for charity afterwards.

====Origins====

====Past opponents and results====
[[2006-2007]]: [[Princeton University|Princeton]] W 4-3 (ot) 
[[2005-2006]]: [[Quinnipiac University|Quinnipiac]] W 4-2 
[[2004-2005]]: [[Clarkson University|Clarkson]] W 5-3 
[[2003-2004]]: [[University of Vermont|Vermont]] W 7-1 

==Whiteout==
Originally started in December 2004 under the name "Whiteout Wednesday" as a gimmick to draw a crowd to a rare midweek game, the Whiteout has now become an annual event whose scheduling remains somewhat mysterious to the band.

====Origins====

====Past opponents and results====
[[2006-2007]]: [[Cornell University|Cornell]] L 1-6 
[[2005-2006]]: [[Cornell University|Cornell]] W 2-0 
[[2004-2005]]: [[Providence College|Providence]] W 4-3 

==Senior Night==
Senior Night is the last home game of the regular season.

====Past opponents and results====
[[2006-2007]]: [[Yale University|Yale]] L 3-4 
[[2005-2006]]: [[Colgate University|Colgate]] L 1-2 
[[2004-2005]]: [[Yale University|Yale]] W 3-2 (ot) 
[[2003-2004]]: [[Colgate University|Colgate]] L 2-3 
[[2002-2003]]: [[University of Vermont|Vermont]] W 4-2 
[[2001-2002]]: [[Colgate University|Colgate]] W 3-1 
[[2000-2001]]: [[Brown University|Brown]] W 4-2 
[[1999-2000]]: [[St. Lawrence University|St. Lawrence]] L 1-5 
[[1998-1999]]: [[Colgate University|Colgate]] W 4-0

Manager Traditions

2007-03-28T23:30:20Z

Goetzm: stupid tags

Things that are traditionally done by (or to) the [[manager|managers]]

==Items Passed from Manager to Manager==
There are several items which are passed from one season's managers to the next. These items include:
*[[Broken cymbal|Cymbal of Managerial Power]]
*[[Manager jacket]]
*Cube of old paperwork

==Plausible Deniability==
The managers of the band maintain a plausible excuse that they don't know that any alcoholic beverages have come on any of the road trips.

==Managers in the Snow==
It is traditional that on at least one road trip, both of the managers of the band are thrown into the snow.

==Announcements==
During rehearsals, when the managers go up to the front of the room to make the announcements for the week (e.g. details for the upcoming games and road trips), the rest of the band chants this: 
''Announcements, announcements, annouuuuuuuncements!

''We sold our cow, we sold our cow 
''We have no need for your bull now

''Have you ever heard a windbag, a windbag, a windbag? 
''Have you ever heard a windbag, well you'll hear one now.

''When you're up you're up, and when you're down you're down, 
''And when you're only halfway up, you're neither up or down.

''Announcements, announcements, annouuuuuuuncements! 
[[Category:Traditions]]

Manager Traditions

2007-03-28T23:29:30Z

Goetzm:

Things that are traditionally done by (or to) the [[manager|managers]]

==Items Passed from Manager to Manager==
There are several items which are passed from one season's managers to the next. These items include:
*[[Broken cymbal|Cymbal of Managerial Power]]
*[[Manager jacket]]
*Cube of old paperwork

==Plausible Deniability==
The managers of the band maintain a plausible excuse that they don't know that any alcoholic beverages have come on any of the road trips.

==Managers in the Snow==
It is traditional that on at least one road trip, both of the managers of the band are thrown into the snow.

==Announcements==
During rehearsals, when the managers go up to the front of the room to make the announcements for the week (e.g. details for the upcoming games and road trips), the rest of the band chants this:
''Announcements, announcements, annouuuuuuuncements!

''We sold our cow, we sold our cow
''We have no need for your bull now

''Have you ever heard a windbag, a windbag, a windbag?
''Have you ever heard a windbag, well you'll hear one now.

''When you're up you're up, and when you're down you're down,
''And when you're only halfway up, you're neither up or down.

''Announcements, announcements, annouuuuuuuncements!
[[Category:Traditions]]

Toll Booth Song

2007-03-27T14:12:36Z

Goetzm:

The Toll Booth Song is sung by the members of the band on all road trips whenever the bus passes through a toll booth. A line is added to the song during the first road trip of the Spring semester each year to commemorate that year's [[conductor]]. The song's origins are unknown by the current members of the band, though it would seem likely that it started sometime in the early 1990's as the list of [[Conductor|conductors]] in the song is roughly that long.

===Lyrics===
''Ahhhhhh'' (hold this when the toll booth first comes into sight, then start singing once the bus pulls out) 
''Oh, I wish all the rain drops were lemon drops and gum drops and oh what a rain it would beeeee-e! 
''I'd stand outside with my mouth open wide going "ah, ah-ah-ah ah-ah-ah ah-ah-ah" 
''ARGH! I kiss myself. MWaa! 
''Candygram! 
''Your Mother! 
''Dave Noble's a Geek 
''Steph's a blonde! 
''Stand up, Kim! 
''Shut up, Jim! 
''Mike can fly! 
''Are we there yet Daddy Ray? 
''Jim doesn't suck! 
''Bill, you commie bastard! 
''Sebbie one hands it! 
''Tex tunes it, ya'll 
''Tiny Timmmmaaayyyyyyy!!!!!! 
''How do you do a Vickie? 
''Faster Charlie! 
''Arrr, Save Erin, Sarah! 
''Teh-slut-at-rpi-dot-edu 
''Evacuate! Evacuate! Go, Dan, Go! 

[[Category:Vocal cheers]][[Category:Traditions]]

Frosh

2007-03-27T13:56:19Z

Goetzm:

[[Image:Frosh_1.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Frosh ]]

At the band's annual pre-Freakout Lasagna Dinner/Facepainting, it is traditional that one of the freshmen in the band get the word "Frosh" written on his/her face.

===Previous Frosh===
*[[Freakout 2007|2006-2007]]: [[Mike Franke]]
*[[Freakout 2006|2005-2006]]: [[Lyle Newman]]
*[[Freakout 2005|2004-2005]]: [[Matt Everett]]
*[[Freakout 2004|2003-2004]]: [[Patrick Heider]]
*[[Freakout 2003|2002-2003]]: [[Andrew Bickford]]
*[[Freakout 2002|2001-2002]]: ?
*[[Freakout 2001|2000-2001]]: [[Nick DiLiberto]]

[[Category:Traditions]]

Houston Field House

2007-03-22T00:40:53Z

Goetzm: Someone had to make this page

The Houston Field House is the location of the rink for Rensselaer home hockey games. It seats 5,217 people, the largest rink in the [[ECAC Hockey|ECAC]], and is the only rink with a stage for the Pep Band. It is also used for other events such as concerts. It is located on Peoples Avenue, just off Burdett Avenue.

[http://www.rpi.edu/dept/aux_serv/fieldhouse/ Houston Field House site] 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston_Field_House Wikipedia page on Houston Field House]

Apeshit

2007-03-22T00:18:03Z

Goetzm: /* About this song */

{{stub}}
=About this song=
Occasionally called "Apestuff", "Ape Dookie", "Primate Fecal Matter", and other such terms during various years, due to irrational complaints about the band's language.

=Instrumentation requirements=
=History=
[[Category:Cheer Sheets]][[Category:Active Cheer Sheets]]

Ben Strauss

2007-03-21T02:07:04Z

Goetzm:

===Info===
*Trumpet: 2001-2005
*Manager: [[2003-2004]]

{{stub}}

[[Category:People|Strauss, Ben]][[Category:Managers|Strauss, Ben]][[Category:Trumpets|Strauss, Ben]]

Kevin Sullivan

2007-03-21T02:06:36Z

Goetzm:

===Info===
*Percussion: 2000-2004
*Manager: [[2002-2003]]

{{stub}}

[[Category:People|Sullivan, Kevin]][[Category:Managers|Sullivan, Kevin]]

1-2-3-4

2007-03-20T01:03:16Z

Goetzm: more football

"''1-2-3-4, what do you think those skates are for? 
''Slash 'em, Red, slash 'em! 
''5-6-7-8, murder, maim, mutilate 
''Crush 'em, Red, Crush 'em!''"

For football season, the first two lines are replaced by: 
"''1-2-3-4, what do you think those cleats are for? 
''Stomp 'em, Red, stomp 'em! 

Regardless of the season, the band will add a third verse in at a much lower volume:

"''5-6-7-8, don't just sit there, masturbate 
''Beat 'em, Red, beat 'em!''"

At the current date the [[Red Army]] has not quite gotten the hint that the third verse should not be shouted.

[[Category:Vocal cheers]]

Beat 'em, Bust 'em

2007-03-19T23:12:03Z

Goetzm: Added grunt and change for football season

''Beat 'em, Bust 'em, 
''That's our custom, 
''Hit him in the groin with a puck, UH! 

During football season, "puck" is replaced by "brick", as football strangely enough does not have any pucks.

{{stub}}
[[Category:Vocal cheers]]

Dragnet

2007-03-11T17:11:46Z

Goetzm:

{{stub}}
=About this cheer=
This cheer is never called during a game. It is only played in response to a penalty on the opposing team. Once the conductor has been notified that the penalty has been called, he/she counts "Two...three...four!" and then the band begins playing.

=Instrumentation requirements=
=History=
[[Category:Cheer Sheets]][[Category:Active Cheer Sheets]]

Talk:Dr. Who

2007-03-11T17:08:31Z

Goetzm: New page: I forget, do we play Dr. Who at the start of any of the quarters for football games? --~~~~

I forget, do we play Dr. Who at the start of any of the quarters for football games? --[[User:Goetzm|Goetzm]] 13:08, March 11, 2007 (EDT)

Dr. Who

2007-03-11T17:07:56Z

Goetzm:

{{stub}}
=About this cheer=
This cheer is never actually called during a game. Instead, it is played both immediately after the [[078 - Star-Spangled Banner|Star-Spangled Banner]] at the beginning of the game, and right before the beginning of the third period of hockey games.

=Instrumentation requirements=
The bass drum plays a very large part in this cheer (especially starting it).

=History=
[[Category:Cheer Sheets]][[Category:Active Cheer Sheets]]

Talk:Zelda

2007-03-11T14:21:57Z

Goetzm:

The old music that had only this song on it says that this music is written by Mike Matarazzo. There was a manager in 2001-2002 named Mark Matarazzo. Can someone who was actually there at the time let us know if there's a mistake somewhere, there were brothers/twins/cousins in the pep band, or something else? [[User:HLPXX|HLPXX]] 22:59, March 10, 2007 (EST)

I'm pretty sure they're brothers. Mike was not in the band, though. --[[User:Goetzm|Goetzm]] 10:21, March 11, 2007 (EDT)

Mark Goetz

2007-03-10T02:44:41Z

Goetzm: New page: BS in Computer Science, class of 2004. == Information == Alto Saxophone, 2000-2004 Category:People Category:Saxophones

BS in Computer Science, class of 2004.

== Information ==
Alto Saxophone, 2000-2004

[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Saxophones]]

User:Goetzm

2007-03-10T02:43:02Z

Goetzm:

[[Mark Goetz]], class of '04, alto saxophone.

User:Goetzm

2007-03-09T02:41:36Z

Goetzm: I'm a people!

Mark Goetz, class of '04, alto saxophone.

[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Saxophones]]

Handjive

2007-03-09T00:57:48Z

Goetzm: /* Dances */ - other instruments

{{stub}}
=About this song=
=Instrumentation requirements=
* bass drum
* low brass
* multiple trumpets (and ones willing to solo)

=History=
This cheer is traditionally started by either low wind/brass or the bass drum. The rest of the low brass/percussion then come in, and then the rest of the band. There is a solo ad lib trumpet part in between the melody that the rest of the band plays. The cheer can be repeated several times, and due to this it is frequently used to kill extra time in period breaks and occasionally time outs. The cheer ends with the melody cutting out, then the low brass and percussion, until only the bass drum is left.
=Dances=
The flutes, oboes, and clarinets (and anyone else who is so inclined) leave their instruments and do the handjive at the front of the stage.

Other instruments (saxophones, tubas, mellophones, and anyone else not on the chairs in the back row) form into a line and walk around the stage in an impromptu game of follow-the-leader.

On rare occasions, the band has marched all the way around the Field House while playing this.

[[Category:Cheer Sheets]][[Category:Active Cheer Sheets]]

Talk:Tequila

2007-03-09T00:49:57Z

Goetzm:

I started writing this, and realized that I don't really know enough to finish it up properly. Here's what I have, so it doesn't need to be typed again (I was planning on putting it under History):

Sung after we finish the cheer:

To the tune of Havah Negilah:
Have one, tequila
Have two, tequila
Have three, tequila
Have four [this morn](i've always been pretty sketch on this last part)

One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, four!
Five tequila, six tequila, seven tequila, more!
Eight tequila, nine tequila, ten tequila, DEAD!
Eleven tequila, twelve tequila, thirteen tequila: [???]

[???] is currently in the air. For the past year or so, it has generally been "It was over the line!", in reference to the [Hobart] coach yelling it at a football game in 2005. Prior to that, it had been "Angle AJ!", along with a fist pump, aligning the arm close to a right angle. I don't know what this references. This one is trying to make a comeback, although I'm starting to think it should change with each season. [[User:Trick trickster|Trick trickster]] 22:48, March 7, 2007 (EST)

The "Angle, AJ!" thing was in reference to a game against St. John Fisher (?) in which the opposing coach yelled "The angle, AJ! You've got to get the ANGLE!" at one of their players while making the now-famous fist-pumping gesture. We have no idea what he meant by that. Also, the last line of the Havah Negilah song is either "Have four, they're small" or "Have four more", depending on who you ask. --[[User:Goetzm|Goetzm]] 19:49, March 8, 2007 (EST)

History

2007-02-26T01:38:30Z

Goetzm: /* Road Trips */

==1923-1975: Pre-History==

Prior to the 1973-1974 school year, the RPI Pep Band was run by a salaried manager rather than by student managers. The one and only non-student manager was A. Olin Niles, the arranger of the "[[041 - Hail, Dear Old Rensselaer|Hail, Dear Old Rensselaer]]" chart that the Pep Band still plays.

From a 12/2/81 issue of The Polytechnic:

"At its founding in the early 1920s, the band had eight members and often had to hire professionals to complete an orchestra. Today, the band fields 76 pieces including 38 woodwinds, 32 brass, and 6 percussion instruments. The roots of the band can actually be traced back to 1923, when a local musician named [[A. Olin Niles]] organized the school's second musical group (the Glee Club had been formed about 45 years earlier.) Mr. Niles had been performing in the pit of the American Theatre in the days of silent films. The President of the Union asked him to start a music program at the Institute, and Mr. Niles complied. As the talkies (modern movies) came into being, orchestras such as the one at the American became less popular and Niles was able to devote more time to the Engineer ensemble. In the early days, the band not only played at athletic events, but also gave concerts and played at dances. The group performed for the lacrosse, hockey, basketball and football teams, and would play not only the RPI school song, but also the alma mater of the opposing squad. In 1954, when the hockey team won the NCAA championship, the band took two busses and greeted them at the airport. Membership grew and through the years players broke off to form other musical groups. Niles, who was a big fan of the marches of Sousa, Goldman, and others, retired in 1973 after 50 years of service. Now 88 and living in Troy, he remains an avid fan of RPI sports."

===1960s===

====Forward, March!====

During the 1960s, RPI's band was a marching band, in addition to being a pep band. Of course, it didn't do any marching during hockey season, but it performed halftime marching routines at every home football game and participated in an occasional parade.

===Fight Song===
'''Hail, Dear Old Rensselaer''' was the fight song in the 1960s, and it consisted, as it does today, of an introductory fanfare, an eight line refrain, a four line interlude, and a repeat of the eight line refrain. However, there were some differences in how it was performed.

The fight song used to be played at a noticeably slower tempo than it is today. Basically, the marching band of the '60's played the fight song at the same speed as that at which they marched. They would have worn out pretty quickly if they had tried to march at the tempo at which the fight song is played today.

In the 1960s, the band would play the fanfare and the eight line refrain, as it does today, but would then sing the four line interlude, rather than playing it instrumentally. The only band members who played their instruments during that interlude were the drummers, who rattled through a drum solo during the line "Hear the rat-tat-tat of drums that beat." After singing "Hear that might shout of", the band members would bring their horns back up and play the refrain for the second and final time.

After Olin Niles' retirement, there was a period of a year or two when the interlude was dropped entirely, so that the fight song consisted of the opening fanfare followed by the refrain being played twice straight through. Eventually, the interlude was restored as an instrumental version, and it has remained that way since.

It was customary during that time, as it is today, for the band to play the fight song to salute the hockey team's arrival on the ice at the start of the period, or the football team's arrival on the field for the start of a half. While that was going on, it was also customary for all RPI fans to stand up and clap along in time with the music.

====Football====

The marching band's halftime routine varied from game to game, but the ending was always the same. At the conclusion of the routine, the band would form an "R" and play the alma mater from that formation.

====Hockey====

At one time it was customary for the band to play the alma maters of both schools prior to the start of the third period of hockey games. (At least, they did so when they could get their hands on the sheet music for the other school's alma mater.) This was done only partially as a gesture of goodwill toward the opponents. There was another underlying reason for this custom, which eventually resulted in an NCAA rule change.

RPI's hockey coach of the 1950s and early 1960s was [[Ned Harkness]], after whom the field to the north of the [[Houston Field House]] is named.

Harkness always put competitive teams on the ice, but for some reason he always seemed to have a problem recruiting a full roster for his teams. RPI usually dressed four or five players fewer than the rules allowed, which led to fatigue problems for the players late in games. Harkness was known for doing anything he could to offset this disadvantage.

During Harkness' era, the third period would begin in the following manner. The band would salute RPI's return to the ice with the traditional playing of the fight song. As is customary at all hockey games everywhere, the teams would skate a couple laps around the ice to warm up and then gather around to tap their goalies on the pads for luck. Then those players who were not starting the period would go to their benches, while the starters moved toward center ice for the face-off. Finally, just before the referee got ready to drop the puck, the Field House P.A. announcer would intone, "And now, the (name of the opponents) alma mater," whereupon the band would play the visitor' alma mater, followed by our own.

Eventually, opposing coaches figured out that, while this practice had the symbolic effect of showing respect for the visitors, it also had the very practical effect of giving Harkness' chronically undermanned skaters several extra minutes of badly needed rest before starting the third period. After that, an NCAA rule was passed requiring that, if anybody's band wants to play an alma mater, it has to do so before the teams return to the ice.

==1975 - 1990: What Was It Like Back Then Before VCRs?==

Sometime before '74-'75, the Pep Band wore very heavy red wool jackets. By '74-'75, newer lighter- weight (but still heavy) red jackets were being used. Both styles of jackets had the RPI seal on the front breast pocket.

In addition to playing for football and hockey games, the RPI Pep Band played at men's basketball games (up through '79-'80). The basketball band was quite a bit smaller than the bands for football and hockey games. Hail was played when the team came out and if they won, the usual cheers were played during time-outs, and 5 special short cheers were arranged for when RPI made a basket.

===1975-1976===

Senior Band Manager: [[Beth Montalone]], Class of '76, Flute 
Assistant Band Manager: [[Steve Derby|Steve (a.k.a. "Derb") Derby]], Class of '76, Euphonium

At a regional meeting of A&P grocery store managers in an auditorium in Albany, A&P kicked-off their new "Price and Pride" ad campaign and the Pep Band was paid to come and play the new A&P jingle. A&P wanted a band with red jackets and they had asked a couple of local high school bands who declined because it wasn't dignified. The Pep Band was paid $400 for this.

Band Manager Steve Derby later became a mechanical engineering professor at RPI.

===1980-1981===

Senior Band Manager: [[Dave Cole]], Class of '82, Saxophone 
Assistant Band Manager: [[Neal Lassinger]], Class of '82, Trombone 
Freakout opponent: Boston College (lost 1-4) 
Gift: New Year's Eve-type noisemakers

The hockey team's slogan this year was "Come Watch Us Hustle" and the coach asked that they play "The Hustle" (famous 70's disco tune) during warm-ups. Dave Cole and Jim Koch arranged "The Hustle" for the Pep Band from memory and by calling a radio station and having them play it. Years later it was discovered in the music archives that the Pep Band had already owned an arrangement of "The Hustle" from years past.

During the second intermission of this Freakout, nine of the female Pep Band Members lined up at the front of the stage and, while the Pep Band played [[084 - The Stripper|The Stripper]], proceeded to remove their pants and other outerwear revealing long, white t-shirts which spelled out "LETS GO RED".

This year (or maybe the next) was the first year that the RPI [[cheerleaders]] attended hockey games.

===1983-1984: America's Pep Band===

The Houston Field House was renovated before the start of this hockey season. The roof was raised, made flat and coated with soundproofing material to improve acoustics along with a new sound system. The stage area was enlarged (the rink was enlarged and moved to the west several feet). The ice surface was lowered several feet to make viewing better and the height of the glass was raised. This last change made it harder for opposing teams to shoot pucks straight into the band - in the past, the back row of the band was in danger of direct hits.

To go along with the renovations, the Field House people wanted to move the Pep Band off of the stage and into the stands at the far northeast corner. At the first home game, they sat in the stands and had a terrible night. Here's a quote from the "Not In The Box Score" column by Mike Hurle in the Poly sports section that following week: "Need I comment on the Pep Band during Friday night's contest. Being a musician myself for over a decade, and as the conductor of the RPI Jazz Ensemble, I know the problems associated with performing. However, there is no excuse for not being able to start the national anthem on the first try. Not only did they embarrass themselves, but they shamed the entire RPI community. Their lack of interest during the latter part of the game only furthers my condemnation of the group. When the fans are not totally excited in what is going on, it is the job of the Pep Band to get things going. That's what the word pep is doing before band. Perhaps the entire group just had a bad night. I can only hope that the situation improves as the season continues." As a result of that night, the position of Conductor was created and Brad Amidon became the first to assume the position. Also, by the next home game, Meri successfully negotiated the band back onto the stage. In the following issue of the Poly, "Not In The Box Score" said "Let me be the first to congratulate on the improvement of the Pep Band at the Olympic exhibition game recently. It was good to hear the sounds of old. Keep up the good work!"

During the regular hockey season, the Pep Band traveled up each of the two days to the two-night Empire Cup Tournament held in Glens Falls. The Pep Band also traveled to the [[University of Maine]] (Friday) and the [[University of New Hampshire]] (Saturday) and stayed overnight outside of Boston. At UNH, the UNH team fired several pucks into the band during warm-ups (very low glass barrier).

For the semifinals and finals of the ECAC hockey playoffs, the Pep Band traveled to Boston for two nights of playoff games at Boston Garden and stayed overnight in downtown Boston. RPI beat Clarkson and [[Boston University]] to win the ECAC Championship. During the second night, there was a brouhaha when Boston Garden officials made the Pep Band move from their ice-level seats to upper-level, obstructed-view seats right before the start of RPI's championship game.

At the home NCAA quarterfinal playoff games against North Dakota, where RPI lost both games, the giveaway was big, red foam #1 hands.

It was during this season when Sports Illustrated ran a short article on the band and called them "America's Pep Band" - in the issue after RPI won the ECAC championship.

===1984-1985: "We're Number One!"===

Sometime during hockey season (after the shipment arrived), the Pep Band starting wearing red and white-striped rugby shirts with an "America's Pep Band" logo on the upper left chest, each band member purchasing their own shirt.

At the home ECAC quarterfinal playoff games against [[Princeton University]], where RPI won both games, the Pep Band was given RPI engineer hats by the RPI Alumni Association.

For the semifinals and finals of the NCAA Division I Hockey Championships, the Pep Band traveled to Detroit for two nights of playoff games and stayed overnight outside of Detroit. RPI beat University of Minnesota-Duluth and Providence to win the National Championship. In the semifinals, RPI scored with less than two minutes left in regulation to tie the game, which then went into three overtime periods before RPI scored to win. At the end of the game, the band played "Hallelujah Chorus" at the suggestion of Beth Wilkinson (last name now Flanagan), Class of '86.

April 8, 1985 issue of Sports Illustrated states, "On Friday, RPI faced Minnesota-Duluth in the other semi, and both clubs must have taken their game plan from the Engineer band, which played "[[099 - Rock Around the Clock|Rock Around the Clock]]" more times than Bill Haley and the Comets ever did."

==1990-Present: What Most of Us Can Still Remember==
===1990-1991===
===1991-1992===
===1992-1993===
===1993-1994===
===1994-1995===
===1995-1996===
===1996-1997===
===1997-1998===
===1998-1999===
Conductor: [[Bill von Achen]] 
Managers: [[Jason Shapiro]], [[Dave Schroeder]] 
[[Freakout 1999|Freakout]] opponent: [[Dartmouth College|Dartmouth]] (Won 8-3) 
Gift: Car flags
====Road Trips====
====Playoffs====
 
 
 

===1999-2000===
Conductor: [[Sebastian Corbisiero]] 
Managers: [[Andrea Catenaro]], [[Jennifer Bernfeld]] 
[[Freakout 2000|Freakout]] opponent: [[Dartmouth College|Dartmouth]] (Won 2-0) 
Gift: Hockey masks with suction cups, and hockey pucks.
====Road Trips====
====Playoffs====
 
 
 

===2000-2001===
Conductor: [[James Sattler|James (Tex) Sattler]] 
Managers: [[Jonathan Stucklen]], [[David Siebecker]] 
[[Freakout 2001|Freakout]] opponent: [[University of Vermont|UVM]] (Tie 2-2) 
Gift: Foam hockey sticks
====Road Trips====
* Overnight to [[University of Vermont|Vermont]] (Won 4-1) and [[Dartmouth College|Dartmouth]] (Lost 1-2), January 26-28. A Vermont fan threw a bottle at the band and was escorted from the arena.

====Playoffs====
 
 
 

===2001-2002===
Conductor: [[Tim Veanderpoel|Tim (TIMMAH!) Vanderpoel]] 
Managers: [[Erica Baer]] and [[Mark Matarazzo]] 
[[Freakout 2002|Freakout]] opponent: [[Clarkson University|Clarkson]] (Won 4-3 in OT after trailing 3-0 with 12:00 left in the 3rd!) 
Gift: Puckman bean bag dolls!

====Road Trips====
*[[Union College|Union]] hockey (Lost 4-5). The oranges got them a penalty though...

*One night stand to [[Princeton University|Princeton]] (Won 5-3)

*Overnight to [[Harvard University|Harvard]] (Won 5-1)and [[Brown University|Brown]] (Lost 1-2). Stayed in the same hotel as our hockey team and Union's...

====Playoffs====
*ECAC Quarterfinals vs. [[Princeton University|Princeton]]: Destroyed them in 2 games: 5-3, 6-0 (black hole cheer!)
*[[ECAC Tournament]] @ [[Lake Placid]]:
**Play-in game vs. [[Dartmouth College|Dartmouth]]: Won 2-1 (came from behind again)
**Semifinal vs. [[Cornell University|Cornell]]: Lost 0-3
**Consolation game vs. [[Clarkson University|Clarkson]]: Won 4-3, again, from behind, again!

====Other====
*Had the same bus driver for all the road trips...
*The company from whom we ordered shirts was unable to provide them, but also had a relucance/inability to give us our money back, so we took them to court. 
 
 
===2002-2003===
Conductor: [[Victoria Myers]] 
Managers: [[Yuri Koester]], [[Kevin Sullivan]] 
[[Freakout 2003|Freakout]] opponent: [[Brown University|Brown]] (Won 4-3 (again) in OT (again) - Winning Goal Scored with 7.1 seconds left in OT!!!) 
Gift: Inflatable Hockey Sticks

====Road Trips====
*[[Union College|Union]] football (Lost 32-14).

*Carpooled to [[United States Military Academy|Army]] (Won 3-0). We were inspected by armed guards at the gate. Stayed overnight at the near by home of one of the members of the band.

*[[Union College|Union]] hockey (Tie 3-3) (the oranges return).

*One night stand to [[Dartmouth College|Dartmouth]] (Lost 1-7).

*Overnight to [[Cornell University|Cornell]] (Lost 0-5) and [[Colgate University|Colgate]] (Lost 3-4). Stayed in Ithaca, swapped songs and combined with Colgate to play during the second period break).

====Playoffs====
=====Football=====
*ECAC Northeast Championship Game @ [[Worcester State College|Worcester State]]: Demolished them 55-29! Damn was it cold!

=====Hockey=====
*ECAC Playoffs - Round 1: @ [[Union College|Union]]: Won in 2 games: 2-1, 3-2 (you can't spell SUCKS without UC!). Won the second game on two short handed goals (on the same penalty) by Ben Barr.

*ECAC Playoffs - Round 2: @ [[Cornell University|Cornell]]: Lost in 2 games against the 800 pound gorilla: 2-3, 0-4. Due to a lack of available hotels in and around Ithaca, the band had to stay in Syracuse and take a bus about an hour each way to the games.

====Other====
*Hosted BOTH the Cornell and Colgate bands in Troy on the SAME night! (and only had public safety come by once :)

*Finally got the Cheerleaders to realize that our football team is the Engineers - not the Redhawks....They even changed their cheers!! 
 
 
===2003-2004===
Conductor: [[Charlie Scaringello]] 
Managers: [[Yuri Koester]], [[Ben Strauss]] 
[[Freakout 2004|Freakout]] opponent: [[Clarkson University|Clarkson]] (Won 4-2, scoring 3 goals in the third period to come back from behind) 
Gift: Felt Pennant

====Road Trips====
*[[Union College|Union]] hockey (Won 3-1).

*Overnight to [[Harvard University|Harvard]] (Won 3-2) and [[Brown University|Brown]] (Won 4-0).

*One Night Stand to [[Yale University|Yale]] (Won 6-0).

====Playoffs====
=====Football=====
*NCAA first round: vs. Curry: Won 34-20. Despite being the lower seed, the game was played on [['86 Field]] because Curry's field wasn't suitable for an NCAA game. Also, the game was RPI's first ever NCAA win.

*NCAA second round: @ Springfield: Won 40-34. The game was the Saturday after Thanksgiving, so the band didn't go.

*NCAA Regional final: vs. Ithaca: Won 21-16. The Blizzard Bowl. The band was reduced to drums and vocal cheers due to the blizzard conditions which the game was played in.

*NCAA semifinals: @ St. John's (MN): Lost 10-38. The game was played in the middle of exams, in Minnesota, so the band didn't go.

=====Hockey=====
*ECAC Playoffs - Round 1: vs. [[Princeton University|Princeton]]: Won in 2 games, 5-4, 3-2(OT)

*ECAC Playoffs - Round 2: @ [[Dartmouth College|Dartmouth]]: Lost in 3 games, 3-2, 0-6, 0-1

====Other====
*Finally got a new supply of shirts at the beginning of the school year (only two years and one court battle later than anticipated).
 
 
 
===2004-2005===
Conductor: [[Sarah Toner]] 
Managers: [[Andrew Bickford]], [[Erin Chapman]] 
[[Freakout 2005|Freakout]] opponent: [[Brown University|Brown]] (Won 4-3, netting the game winner with 8.3 seconds left in regulation) 
Gift: Foam Hand

====Road Trips====
*[[United States Military Academy|Army]] hockey (Won 5-1).

*[[Union College|Union]] hockey (Lost 2-3). Played three games against Union in two days (two hockey, one football), lost all three.

*Overnight to [[St. Lawrence University|SLU(t)]] (Won 3-2) and [[Clarkson University|Clarkson]] (Won 4-3). First sweep of the North Country in 20 years, and we got to travel back to Troy in a blizzard!!

*One night stand to [[University of Vermont|Vermont]] (Lost 2-3). The band made what was in all likelihood its last trip to Gutterson Field House (UVM left the ECAC in favor of the greener pasures of Hockey East after the 04-05 season).

====Playoffs====
=====Hockey=====
*ECAC Playoffs - Round 1: @ [[Brown University|Brown]]: Lost in two games, 4-7, 3-4(OT) 
 
 
===2005-2006===
Conductor: [[Tim Tesluk]] 
Managers: [[AJ Macey]], [[Neil Havlak]] 
[[Freakout 2006|Freakout]] opponent: [[Brown University|Brown]] (won 4-2) 
Gift: Foam Goalie Mask

====Road Trips====
*The band carpooled to North Troy to participate in their first Uncle Sam Day Parade, where a "First Place, Adult Division" trophy was acquired after an excellent performance.

*Carpooled to [[Union College|Union]] for the football team's Liberty League Championship deciding game. They lost [[Dutchman's Shoes|the shoes]] 49-42 and had to settle for an ECAC Bowl berth.

*One night stand to [[Harvard University|Harvard]] (Lost 3-1). Many of the attending members ate at Uno's in Harvard Square before the game, while several of the elder members snuck off to a nearby bar instead. Wandered the campus for a while and lost track of the bus, which had moved about 1/4 mile across campus from where we left it.

*Carpooled to [[Union College|Union]] to support the men's team, where they lost 3-2.

*Overnight trip to [[Princeton University|Princeton]] (Tie 4-4) and [[Quinnipiac University|Quinnipiac]] (at [[Yale University|Yale's]] Ingalls Rink) (Tie 4-4). On Friday night the NJ Alumni Chapter invited the band out to dinner at a Chinese Buffet after the game, which we accepted, and they paid half the price of our meals. Stayed at a Howard Johnson in beautiful New Brunswick, NJ. Saturday the band ate dinner at a small pizza joint in New Haven, and got to enjoy the game at Yale's rink, since Quinnipiac didn't have one that could accommodate a D-I men's game.

====Playoffs====
=====Football=====
*ECAC Northwest Championship Game @ [[St. John Fisher College|St. John Fisher]]: Won 26-22, running the football team's record in ECAC bowl games to 6-0.

=====Hockey=====
*ECAC Playoffs - Round 1: v. [[Quinnipiac University|Quinnipiac]]: Lost in two games, 1-2, 2-4 
 
 
===2006-2007===
Conductor: [[Dan Schwarting]] 
Managers: [[Chris Behrens]], [[Gary Russinko]] 
[[Freakout 2007|Freakout]] opponent: [[St. Lawrence University|SLU]] (tied 3-3, kept the streak going at 12-0-5) 
Gift: Red beanie

====Road Trips====
*The band carpooled to North Troy to march in the Uncle Sam Day Parade for the second year.

*The band carpooled 45 members to the Pepsi Arena in Albany (now the [[Times Union Center]]) on October 28th and 29th for the first annual Governor's Cup tournament. RPI advanced to the championship game after winning over [[Union College|Union]] in a shootout, and then beat [[Colgate University|Colgate]] 2-1 the next night to win the first Governor's Cup.

*Took a coach bus over to [[Quinnipiac University|Quinnipiac]] (Northford) on 11/10/2006 for women's hockey. The team won 5-1 for their first ECAC win ever, and the team was very appreciative, saying that it felt like a home game.

*Carpooled over to [[Union College|Union]] on 12/9/2006 for women's hockey. The team won 5-1 to complete their first ECAC weekend sweep, and we got invited to a hockey party after the game.

*Carpooled over to [[Union College|Union]] on 1/13/2007 before classes started for men's hockey. The team won 3-2, and told us that it felt like a home game.

*Took a coach bus over to [[Brown University|Brown]] for a day trip on 1/27/2007 for men's hockey. The team won 4-3, bringing us to 5-0-1 on away games that the pep band's played at this season.

*Overnight trip for men's hockey was to [[Dartmouth College|Dartmouth]] and [[Harvard University|Harvard]] where the team lost 5-2 and 3-1 respectively. The games were much closer than the scores indicated (especially since there was an ENG in each). Lost much of the respect we had for the [[Red Army]] when they became completely unresponsive to our attempts to start cheers in the 3rd period at Harvard, then proceeded to sit on their nice warm bus for 20 minutes while we stood 10 feet away cheering for the team after the game.

====Playoffs====
=====Football=====
*ECAC Northeast Championship Game @ Cortland State: Won 26-7. The band was unable to go to the game due to a lack of available buses.
=====Hockey=====
*ECAC Playoffs - Round 1: @ [[Colgate University|Colgate]]

====Other====
*Hosted the Clarkson band on January 19, 2007.
*Hosted the Colgate band on February 9, 2007. With the permission of the administration, we put them up for the night in the Union.
*Hosted the Cornell band on February 10, 2007.

History

2007-02-26T01:36:33Z

Goetzm: /* Road Trips */

==1923-1975: Pre-History==

Prior to the 1973-1974 school year, the RPI Pep Band was run by a salaried manager rather than by student managers. The one and only non-student manager was A. Olin Niles, the arranger of the "[[041 - Hail, Dear Old Rensselaer|Hail, Dear Old Rensselaer]]" chart that the Pep Band still plays.

From a 12/2/81 issue of The Polytechnic:

"At its founding in the early 1920s, the band had eight members and often had to hire professionals to complete an orchestra. Today, the band fields 76 pieces including 38 woodwinds, 32 brass, and 6 percussion instruments. The roots of the band can actually be traced back to 1923, when a local musician named [[A. Olin Niles]] organized the school's second musical group (the Glee Club had been formed about 45 years earlier.) Mr. Niles had been performing in the pit of the American Theatre in the days of silent films. The President of the Union asked him to start a music program at the Institute, and Mr. Niles complied. As the talkies (modern movies) came into being, orchestras such as the one at the American became less popular and Niles was able to devote more time to the Engineer ensemble. In the early days, the band not only played at athletic events, but also gave concerts and played at dances. The group performed for the lacrosse, hockey, basketball and football teams, and would play not only the RPI school song, but also the alma mater of the opposing squad. In 1954, when the hockey team won the NCAA championship, the band took two busses and greeted them at the airport. Membership grew and through the years players broke off to form other musical groups. Niles, who was a big fan of the marches of Sousa, Goldman, and others, retired in 1973 after 50 years of service. Now 88 and living in Troy, he remains an avid fan of RPI sports."

===1960s===

====Forward, March!====

During the 1960s, RPI's band was a marching band, in addition to being a pep band. Of course, it didn't do any marching during hockey season, but it performed halftime marching routines at every home football game and participated in an occasional parade.

===Fight Song===
'''Hail, Dear Old Rensselaer''' was the fight song in the 1960s, and it consisted, as it does today, of an introductory fanfare, an eight line refrain, a four line interlude, and a repeat of the eight line refrain. However, there were some differences in how it was performed.

The fight song used to be played at a noticeably slower tempo than it is today. Basically, the marching band of the '60's played the fight song at the same speed as that at which they marched. They would have worn out pretty quickly if they had tried to march at the tempo at which the fight song is played today.

In the 1960s, the band would play the fanfare and the eight line refrain, as it does today, but would then sing the four line interlude, rather than playing it instrumentally. The only band members who played their instruments during that interlude were the drummers, who rattled through a drum solo during the line "Hear the rat-tat-tat of drums that beat." After singing "Hear that might shout of", the band members would bring their horns back up and play the refrain for the second and final time.

After Olin Niles' retirement, there was a period of a year or two when the interlude was dropped entirely, so that the fight song consisted of the opening fanfare followed by the refrain being played twice straight through. Eventually, the interlude was restored as an instrumental version, and it has remained that way since.

It was customary during that time, as it is today, for the band to play the fight song to salute the hockey team's arrival on the ice at the start of the period, or the football team's arrival on the field for the start of a half. While that was going on, it was also customary for all RPI fans to stand up and clap along in time with the music.

====Football====

The marching band's halftime routine varied from game to game, but the ending was always the same. At the conclusion of the routine, the band would form an "R" and play the alma mater from that formation.

====Hockey====

At one time it was customary for the band to play the alma maters of both schools prior to the start of the third period of hockey games. (At least, they did so when they could get their hands on the sheet music for the other school's alma mater.) This was done only partially as a gesture of goodwill toward the opponents. There was another underlying reason for this custom, which eventually resulted in an NCAA rule change.

RPI's hockey coach of the 1950s and early 1960s was [[Ned Harkness]], after whom the field to the north of the [[Houston Field House]] is named.

Harkness always put competitive teams on the ice, but for some reason he always seemed to have a problem recruiting a full roster for his teams. RPI usually dressed four or five players fewer than the rules allowed, which led to fatigue problems for the players late in games. Harkness was known for doing anything he could to offset this disadvantage.

During Harkness' era, the third period would begin in the following manner. The band would salute RPI's return to the ice with the traditional playing of the fight song. As is customary at all hockey games everywhere, the teams would skate a couple laps around the ice to warm up and then gather around to tap their goalies on the pads for luck. Then those players who were not starting the period would go to their benches, while the starters moved toward center ice for the face-off. Finally, just before the referee got ready to drop the puck, the Field House P.A. announcer would intone, "And now, the (name of the opponents) alma mater," whereupon the band would play the visitor' alma mater, followed by our own.

Eventually, opposing coaches figured out that, while this practice had the symbolic effect of showing respect for the visitors, it also had the very practical effect of giving Harkness' chronically undermanned skaters several extra minutes of badly needed rest before starting the third period. After that, an NCAA rule was passed requiring that, if anybody's band wants to play an alma mater, it has to do so before the teams return to the ice.

==1975 - 1990: What Was It Like Back Then Before VCRs?==

Sometime before '74-'75, the Pep Band wore very heavy red wool jackets. By '74-'75, newer lighter- weight (but still heavy) red jackets were being used. Both styles of jackets had the RPI seal on the front breast pocket.

In addition to playing for football and hockey games, the RPI Pep Band played at men's basketball games (up through '79-'80). The basketball band was quite a bit smaller than the bands for football and hockey games. Hail was played when the team came out and if they won, the usual cheers were played during time-outs, and 5 special short cheers were arranged for when RPI made a basket.

===1975-1976===

Senior Band Manager: [[Beth Montalone]], Class of '76, Flute 
Assistant Band Manager: [[Steve Derby|Steve (a.k.a. "Derb") Derby]], Class of '76, Euphonium

At a regional meeting of A&P grocery store managers in an auditorium in Albany, A&P kicked-off their new "Price and Pride" ad campaign and the Pep Band was paid to come and play the new A&P jingle. A&P wanted a band with red jackets and they had asked a couple of local high school bands who declined because it wasn't dignified. The Pep Band was paid $400 for this.

Band Manager Steve Derby later became a mechanical engineering professor at RPI.

===1980-1981===

Senior Band Manager: [[Dave Cole]], Class of '82, Saxophone 
Assistant Band Manager: [[Neal Lassinger]], Class of '82, Trombone 
Freakout opponent: Boston College (lost 1-4) 
Gift: New Year's Eve-type noisemakers

The hockey team's slogan this year was "Come Watch Us Hustle" and the coach asked that they play "The Hustle" (famous 70's disco tune) during warm-ups. Dave Cole and Jim Koch arranged "The Hustle" for the Pep Band from memory and by calling a radio station and having them play it. Years later it was discovered in the music archives that the Pep Band had already owned an arrangement of "The Hustle" from years past.

During the second intermission of this Freakout, nine of the female Pep Band Members lined up at the front of the stage and, while the Pep Band played [[084 - The Stripper|The Stripper]], proceeded to remove their pants and other outerwear revealing long, white t-shirts which spelled out "LETS GO RED".

This year (or maybe the next) was the first year that the RPI [[cheerleaders]] attended hockey games.

===1983-1984: America's Pep Band===

The Houston Field House was renovated before the start of this hockey season. The roof was raised, made flat and coated with soundproofing material to improve acoustics along with a new sound system. The stage area was enlarged (the rink was enlarged and moved to the west several feet). The ice surface was lowered several feet to make viewing better and the height of the glass was raised. This last change made it harder for opposing teams to shoot pucks straight into the band - in the past, the back row of the band was in danger of direct hits.

To go along with the renovations, the Field House people wanted to move the Pep Band off of the stage and into the stands at the far northeast corner. At the first home game, they sat in the stands and had a terrible night. Here's a quote from the "Not In The Box Score" column by Mike Hurle in the Poly sports section that following week: "Need I comment on the Pep Band during Friday night's contest. Being a musician myself for over a decade, and as the conductor of the RPI Jazz Ensemble, I know the problems associated with performing. However, there is no excuse for not being able to start the national anthem on the first try. Not only did they embarrass themselves, but they shamed the entire RPI community. Their lack of interest during the latter part of the game only furthers my condemnation of the group. When the fans are not totally excited in what is going on, it is the job of the Pep Band to get things going. That's what the word pep is doing before band. Perhaps the entire group just had a bad night. I can only hope that the situation improves as the season continues." As a result of that night, the position of Conductor was created and Brad Amidon became the first to assume the position. Also, by the next home game, Meri successfully negotiated the band back onto the stage. In the following issue of the Poly, "Not In The Box Score" said "Let me be the first to congratulate on the improvement of the Pep Band at the Olympic exhibition game recently. It was good to hear the sounds of old. Keep up the good work!"

During the regular hockey season, the Pep Band traveled up each of the two days to the two-night Empire Cup Tournament held in Glens Falls. The Pep Band also traveled to the [[University of Maine]] (Friday) and the [[University of New Hampshire]] (Saturday) and stayed overnight outside of Boston. At UNH, the UNH team fired several pucks into the band during warm-ups (very low glass barrier).

For the semifinals and finals of the ECAC hockey playoffs, the Pep Band traveled to Boston for two nights of playoff games at Boston Garden and stayed overnight in downtown Boston. RPI beat Clarkson and [[Boston University]] to win the ECAC Championship. During the second night, there was a brouhaha when Boston Garden officials made the Pep Band move from their ice-level seats to upper-level, obstructed-view seats right before the start of RPI's championship game.

At the home NCAA quarterfinal playoff games against North Dakota, where RPI lost both games, the giveaway was big, red foam #1 hands.

It was during this season when Sports Illustrated ran a short article on the band and called them "America's Pep Band" - in the issue after RPI won the ECAC championship.

===1984-1985: "We're Number One!"===

Sometime during hockey season (after the shipment arrived), the Pep Band starting wearing red and white-striped rugby shirts with an "America's Pep Band" logo on the upper left chest, each band member purchasing their own shirt.

At the home ECAC quarterfinal playoff games against [[Princeton University]], where RPI won both games, the Pep Band was given RPI engineer hats by the RPI Alumni Association.

For the semifinals and finals of the NCAA Division I Hockey Championships, the Pep Band traveled to Detroit for two nights of playoff games and stayed overnight outside of Detroit. RPI beat University of Minnesota-Duluth and Providence to win the National Championship. In the semifinals, RPI scored with less than two minutes left in regulation to tie the game, which then went into three overtime periods before RPI scored to win. At the end of the game, the band played "Hallelujah Chorus" at the suggestion of Beth Wilkinson (last name now Flanagan), Class of '86.

April 8, 1985 issue of Sports Illustrated states, "On Friday, RPI faced Minnesota-Duluth in the other semi, and both clubs must have taken their game plan from the Engineer band, which played "[[099 - Rock Around the Clock|Rock Around the Clock]]" more times than Bill Haley and the Comets ever did."

==1990-Present: What Most of Us Can Still Remember==
===1990-1991===
===1991-1992===
===1992-1993===
===1993-1994===
===1994-1995===
===1995-1996===
===1996-1997===
===1997-1998===
===1998-1999===
Conductor: [[Bill von Achen]] 
Managers: [[Jason Shapiro]], [[Dave Schroeder]] 
[[Freakout 1999|Freakout]] opponent: [[Dartmouth College|Dartmouth]] (Won 8-3) 
Gift: Car flags
====Road Trips====
====Playoffs====
 
 
 

===1999-2000===
Conductor: [[Sebastian Corbisiero]] 
Managers: [[Andrea Catenaro]], [[Jennifer Bernfeld]] 
[[Freakout 2000|Freakout]] opponent: [[Dartmouth College|Dartmouth]] (Won 2-0) 
Gift: Hockey masks with suction cups, and hockey pucks.
====Road Trips====
====Playoffs====
 
 
 

===2000-2001===
Conductor: [[James Sattler|James (Tex) Sattler]] 
Managers: [[Jonathan Stucklen]], [[David Siebecker]] 
[[Freakout 2001|Freakout]] opponent: [[University of Vermont|UVM]] (Tie 2-2) 
Gift: Foam hockey sticks
====Road Trips====
* Overnight to Vermont (W 4-1) and Dartmouth (L 1-2), January 26-28. A fan at Vermont threw a bottle at the band and was escorted from the arena.

====Playoffs====
 
 
 

===2001-2002===
Conductor: [[Tim Veanderpoel|Tim (TIMMAH!) Vanderpoel]] 
Managers: [[Erica Baer]] and [[Mark Matarazzo]] 
[[Freakout 2002|Freakout]] opponent: [[Clarkson University|Clarkson]] (Won 4-3 in OT after trailing 3-0 with 12:00 left in the 3rd!) 
Gift: Puckman bean bag dolls!

====Road Trips====
*[[Union College|Union]] hockey (Lost 4-5). The oranges got them a penalty though...

*One night stand to [[Princeton University|Princeton]] (Won 5-3)

*Overnight to [[Harvard University|Harvard]] (Won 5-1)and [[Brown University|Brown]] (Lost 1-2). Stayed in the same hotel as our hockey team and Union's...

====Playoffs====
*ECAC Quarterfinals vs. [[Princeton University|Princeton]]: Destroyed them in 2 games: 5-3, 6-0 (black hole cheer!)
*[[ECAC Tournament]] @ [[Lake Placid]]:
**Play-in game vs. [[Dartmouth College|Dartmouth]]: Won 2-1 (came from behind again)
**Semifinal vs. [[Cornell University|Cornell]]: Lost 0-3
**Consolation game vs. [[Clarkson University|Clarkson]]: Won 4-3, again, from behind, again!

====Other====
*Had the same bus driver for all the road trips...
*The company from whom we ordered shirts was unable to provide them, but also had a relucance/inability to give us our money back, so we took them to court. 
 
 
===2002-2003===
Conductor: [[Victoria Myers]] 
Managers: [[Yuri Koester]], [[Kevin Sullivan]] 
[[Freakout 2003|Freakout]] opponent: [[Brown University|Brown]] (Won 4-3 (again) in OT (again) - Winning Goal Scored with 7.1 seconds left in OT!!!) 
Gift: Inflatable Hockey Sticks

====Road Trips====
*[[Union College|Union]] football (Lost 32-14).

*Carpooled to [[United States Military Academy|Army]] (Won 3-0). We were inspected by armed guards at the gate. Stayed overnight at the near by home of one of the members of the band.

*[[Union College|Union]] hockey (Tie 3-3) (the oranges return).

*One night stand to [[Dartmouth College|Dartmouth]] (Lost 1-7).

*Overnight to [[Cornell University|Cornell]] (Lost 0-5) and [[Colgate University|Colgate]] (Lost 3-4). Stayed in Ithaca, swapped songs and combined with Colgate to play during the second period break).

====Playoffs====
=====Football=====
*ECAC Northeast Championship Game @ [[Worcester State College|Worcester State]]: Demolished them 55-29! Damn was it cold!

=====Hockey=====
*ECAC Playoffs - Round 1: @ [[Union College|Union]]: Won in 2 games: 2-1, 3-2 (you can't spell SUCKS without UC!). Won the second game on two short handed goals (on the same penalty) by Ben Barr.

*ECAC Playoffs - Round 2: @ [[Cornell University|Cornell]]: Lost in 2 games against the 800 pound gorilla: 2-3, 0-4. Due to a lack of available hotels in and around Ithaca, the band had to stay in Syracuse and take a bus about an hour each way to the games.

====Other====
*Hosted BOTH the Cornell and Colgate bands in Troy on the SAME night! (and only had public safety come by once :)

*Finally got the Cheerleaders to realize that our football team is the Engineers - not the Redhawks....They even changed their cheers!! 
 
 
===2003-2004===
Conductor: [[Charlie Scaringello]] 
Managers: [[Yuri Koester]], [[Ben Strauss]] 
[[Freakout 2004|Freakout]] opponent: [[Clarkson University|Clarkson]] (Won 4-2, scoring 3 goals in the third period to come back from behind) 
Gift: Felt Pennant

====Road Trips====
*[[Union College|Union]] hockey (Won 3-1).

*Overnight to [[Harvard University|Harvard]] (Won 3-2) and [[Brown University|Brown]] (Won 4-0).

*One Night Stand to [[Yale University|Yale]] (Won 6-0).

====Playoffs====
=====Football=====
*NCAA first round: vs. Curry: Won 34-20. Despite being the lower seed, the game was played on [['86 Field]] because Curry's field wasn't suitable for an NCAA game. Also, the game was RPI's first ever NCAA win.

*NCAA second round: @ Springfield: Won 40-34. The game was the Saturday after Thanksgiving, so the band didn't go.

*NCAA Regional final: vs. Ithaca: Won 21-16. The Blizzard Bowl. The band was reduced to drums and vocal cheers due to the blizzard conditions which the game was played in.

*NCAA semifinals: @ St. John's (MN): Lost 10-38. The game was played in the middle of exams, in Minnesota, so the band didn't go.

=====Hockey=====
*ECAC Playoffs - Round 1: vs. [[Princeton University|Princeton]]: Won in 2 games, 5-4, 3-2(OT)

*ECAC Playoffs - Round 2: @ [[Dartmouth College|Dartmouth]]: Lost in 3 games, 3-2, 0-6, 0-1

====Other====
*Finally got a new supply of shirts at the beginning of the school year (only two years and one court battle later than anticipated).
 
 
 
===2004-2005===
Conductor: [[Sarah Toner]] 
Managers: [[Andrew Bickford]], [[Erin Chapman]] 
[[Freakout 2005|Freakout]] opponent: [[Brown University|Brown]] (Won 4-3, netting the game winner with 8.3 seconds left in regulation) 
Gift: Foam Hand

====Road Trips====
*[[United States Military Academy|Army]] hockey (Won 5-1).

*[[Union College|Union]] hockey (Lost 2-3). Played three games against Union in two days (two hockey, one football), lost all three.

*Overnight to [[St. Lawrence University|SLU(t)]] (Won 3-2) and [[Clarkson University|Clarkson]] (Won 4-3). First sweep of the North Country in 20 years, and we got to travel back to Troy in a blizzard!!

*One night stand to [[University of Vermont|Vermont]] (Lost 2-3). The band made what was in all likelihood its last trip to Gutterson Field House (UVM left the ECAC in favor of the greener pasures of Hockey East after the 04-05 season).

====Playoffs====
=====Hockey=====
*ECAC Playoffs - Round 1: @ [[Brown University|Brown]]: Lost in two games, 4-7, 3-4(OT) 
 
 
===2005-2006===
Conductor: [[Tim Tesluk]] 
Managers: [[AJ Macey]], [[Neil Havlak]] 
[[Freakout 2006|Freakout]] opponent: [[Brown University|Brown]] (won 4-2) 
Gift: Foam Goalie Mask

====Road Trips====
*The band carpooled to North Troy to participate in their first Uncle Sam Day Parade, where a "First Place, Adult Division" trophy was acquired after an excellent performance.

*Carpooled to [[Union College|Union]] for the football team's Liberty League Championship deciding game. They lost [[Dutchman's Shoes|the shoes]] 49-42 and had to settle for an ECAC Bowl berth.

*One night stand to [[Harvard University|Harvard]] (Lost 3-1). Many of the attending members ate at Uno's in Harvard Square before the game, while several of the elder members snuck off to a nearby bar instead. Wandered the campus for a while and lost track of the bus, which had moved about 1/4 mile across campus from where we left it.

*Carpooled to [[Union College|Union]] to support the men's team, where they lost 3-2.

*Overnight trip to [[Princeton University|Princeton]] (Tie 4-4) and [[Quinnipiac University|Quinnipiac]] (at [[Yale University|Yale's]] Ingalls Rink) (Tie 4-4). On Friday night the NJ Alumni Chapter invited the band out to dinner at a Chinese Buffet after the game, which we accepted, and they paid half the price of our meals. Stayed at a Howard Johnson in beautiful New Brunswick, NJ. Saturday the band ate dinner at a small pizza joint in New Haven, and got to enjoy the game at Yale's rink, since Quinnipiac didn't have one that could accommodate a D-I men's game.

====Playoffs====
=====Football=====
*ECAC Northwest Championship Game @ [[St. John Fisher College|St. John Fisher]]: Won 26-22, running the football team's record in ECAC bowl games to 6-0.

=====Hockey=====
*ECAC Playoffs - Round 1: v. [[Quinnipiac University|Quinnipiac]]: Lost in two games, 1-2, 2-4 
 
 
===2006-2007===
Conductor: [[Dan Schwarting]] 
Managers: [[Chris Behrens]], [[Gary Russinko]] 
[[Freakout 2007|Freakout]] opponent: [[St. Lawrence University|SLU]] (tied 3-3, kept the streak going at 12-0-5) 
Gift: Red beanie

====Road Trips====
*The band carpooled to North Troy to march in the Uncle Sam Day Parade for the second year.

*The band carpooled 45 members to the Pepsi Arena in Albany (now the [[Times Union Center]]) on October 28th and 29th for the first annual Governor's Cup tournament. RPI advanced to the championship game after winning over [[Union College|Union]] in a shootout, and then beat [[Colgate University|Colgate]] 2-1 the next night to win the first Governor's Cup.

*Took a coach bus over to [[Quinnipiac University|Quinnipiac]] (Northford) on 11/10/2006 for women's hockey. The team won 5-1 for their first ECAC win ever, and the team was very appreciative, saying that it felt like a home game.

*Carpooled over to [[Union College|Union]] on 12/9/2006 for women's hockey. The team won 5-1 to complete their first ECAC weekend sweep, and we got invited to a hockey party after the game.

*Carpooled over to [[Union College|Union]] on 1/13/2007 before classes started for men's hockey. The team won 3-2, and told us that it felt like a home game.

*Took a coach bus over to [[Brown University|Brown]] for a day trip on 1/27/2007 for men's hockey. The team won 4-3, bringing us to 5-0-1 on away games that the pep band's played at this season.

*Overnight trip for men's hockey was to [[Dartmouth College|Dartmouth]] and [[Harvard University|Harvard]] where the team lost 5-2 and 3-1 respectively. The games were much closer than the scores indicated (especially since there was an ENG in each). Lost much of the respect we had for the [[Red Army]] when they became completely unresponsive to our attempts to start cheers in the 3rd period at Harvard, then proceeded to sit on their nice warm bus for 20 minutes while we stood 10 feet away cheering for the team after the game.

====Playoffs====
=====Football=====
*ECAC Northeast Championship Game @ Cortland State: Won 26-7. The band was unable to go to the game due to a lack of available buses.
=====Hockey=====
*ECAC Playoffs - Round 1: @ [[Colgate University|Colgate]]

====Other====
*Hosted the Clarkson band on January 19, 2007.
*Hosted the Colgate band on February 9, 2007. With the permission of the administration, we put them up for the night in the Union.
*Hosted the Cornell band on February 10, 2007.

Little Brown Dog

2007-02-26T01:32:17Z

Goetzm:

Leader (holding up Little Brown Dog): ''The Little Brown Dog jumped over the fence! 
Leader: ''What fence? 
Band: ''De-fense! ''(repeat these two lines a few times) 
Leader throws the dog over the fence and shouts: ''What dog? 
Band: ''That one! '' and hopefully someone catches the dog. 

{{stub}}
[[Category:Vocal cheers]]

Little Brown Dog

2007-02-26T01:32:03Z

Goetzm:

Leader (holding up Little Brown Dog): ''The Little Brown Dog jumped over the fence! 
Leader: ''What fence? 
Band: ''De-fense! ''(repeat these two lines a few times) 
Leader throws the dog over the fence and shouts: ''What dog? 
Band: ''That one! '' and hopefully someone catches the dog.

{{stub}}
[[Category:Vocal cheers]]

Talk:Voltage Times Capacitance

2007-02-26T01:29:12Z

Goetzm: New page: I thought "Magnetize 'em" came before "Emulsify 'em". Is this correct, or has it been that long since I've been in the band?--~~~~

I thought "Magnetize 'em" came before "Emulsify 'em". Is this correct, or has it been that long since I've been in the band?--[[User:Goetzm|Goetzm]] 20:29, February 25, 2007 (EST)

Voltage Times Capacitance

2007-02-26T01:28:08Z

Goetzm: Fixed "magnetize" typo, reordered lines

''Voltage times capacitance! 
''Charge! Charge! 
''Voltage times capacitance! 
''Charge! Charge! 
''Force per unit area! 
''Pressure! Pressure! 
''Force per unit area! 
''Pressure! Pressure! 
''Magnetize them, magnetize them! 
''Really flux them over! 
''Emulsify them, emulsify them! 
''Turn them into a homogeneous mixture! 
(alternatively "''Spread them in a thin film over the playing surface") 

{{stub}}
[[Category:Vocal cheers]]

User:Goetzm

2006-12-21T15:29:14Z

Goetzm:

Mark Goetz, class of '04, alto saxophone.

Ironman

2006-12-21T03:25:57Z

Goetzm:

{{stub}}
=About this song=
Originally recorded by Black Sabbath

=Instrumentation requirements=
The song starts with a bass drum hit on every beat for the first two measures.

=History=
[[Category:Cheer Sheets]][[Category:Active Cheer Sheets]]

Manager

2006-12-10T23:13:20Z

Goetzm:

The person, of a team of two, silly enough to want to be the business manager of the band. Responsible for all interactions with the [[Rensselaer Union]].

=Current Managers=
...

=Past Managers=
*2005-2006 ...
*2004-2005 [[Andrew Bickford]], [[Erin Chapman]]
*2003-2004 [[Ben Strauss]], [[Yuri Koester]]
*2002-2003 [[Kevin Sullivan]], [[Yuri Koester]]
*2001-2002 ...
*2000-2001 ...
*1999-2000 ...
*1998-1999 ...
*1997-1998 [[Chris Farrar]], [[Tim Martin]]
*1996-1997 [[Jenn Bowie]], [[Kim Sward]]
*1995-1996 [[Seth Bumpurs]], [[Bill Ruhsam]]
*1994-1995 [[Brian Menyuk]], [[Bill Ruhsam]]
*1993-1994 [[Eric Lynn]], [[Aaron Williams]]
*1992-1993 [[Christopher Schierer]], ...
*1991-1992 ...