The Million Dollar Band has seen some changes this year, with new uniforms and a new show, which they will debut Saturday at the Tide’s first football game of the 2010 season.
“This is the 98th year of the MDB, and this is one of the largest size bands there has been here at UA with 420 names on the roster,” said Randall Coleman, associate director of the Million Dollar Band.
“With the success of the football team, it has trickled down to us with some students coming from all over to join the band,” he said.
He said alumni, students and directors had a hand in the design of the new uniform and Mal Moore, the University’s athletic director, approved the final design.
Justin Ward, a graduate teaching assistant, said the uniform differences include gauntlets on the wrists and a half cap on the back that says “BAMA.” Also, the way the jacket is cut in the front forms an “A,” and the entire uniform this year is fitted.
“There also is a practical difference about the uniform; it is lighter and therefore it is more enjoyable to wear for students,” he said.
Band uniforms typically last five to seven years and the MDB’s uniforms lasted the entire seven, he said.
The band will also debut a new show that will celebrate the national championship.
“The show is very upbeat and happy,” Matt Wilson, a junior majoring in elementary education and one of the trumpet section leaders, said. “It really is a celebration.”
The MDB’s playlist for Saturday includes “We are the Champions,” “Happy Days are Here Again” and “Make Me Smile.” The band will end with “Celebration.”
Anyone on campus near Butler Field during the week around 4 p.m. can hear Wilson and other band members practicing.
“Warm-up practice in sections begins about 15 to 20 minutes before the actual practice,” he said. “From there we work on music, marching and then combine the music and marching together.”
With the large membership of the MDB this year, the freshmen became a part of the experience as they began at band camp.
“Band camp can be very overwhelming at first and even intimidating, but after you get past that it is very fun to meet the new people,” Wilson said.
“Although practices were hot, band camp over-trains us to prepare for the regular season,” said Tommy Townsend, a freshman majoring in telecommunications and film and a trombonist. “It makes it so easy that we will be ready to march in any weather—[mostly] hot.”
“Before coming here, I was in the band at prior schools for about eight years, so this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” he said.
“In band camp we went through things that I feel made us closer as a band,” said Cheyenne Paiva, a freshman majoring in biology and a trombonist.
“I joined the band as a way to meet people, and being the only person from my high school in California to come here, I felt, how can I not make friends in a 400 person band?” she said.
“Aside from a fraternity or sorority, the MDB is about the only other place where you can walk into practice and have 400 other friends,” she said. “We are really a big family.”
