The University of Memphis’ marching band, the Mighty Sound of the South, kicked off a new season at Memorial Liberty Bowl Stadium on Saturday night, hyping up the football team’s stunning 66-14 victory over Mercer.
Director of Athletic Bands William Plenk said the Mighty Sound’s position as a staple in the Memphis community is what makes it unique to the U of M experience.
“We’re one of the most visible ambassadors to the university,” Plenk said. “Whenever we go somewhere, people associate that with the university as a whole. So if we’re doing a great job, we’re excited, we’re performing well, people kind of project that idea onto the entirety of the school, which puts a little bit of pressure on us but also is a role that we embrace.”
Members of the Mighty Sound put in extensive hours to perform at peak condition each time they play. While the marching band can be heard across campus during its weekly two-hour rehearsals on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, much of the work band members put in happens behind the scenes.
Work for the Mighty Sound’s entire ensemble began at band camp on Aug. 15, when members practiced for about 12-hour-long days. Although the time put in decreases by the beginning of the semester, for football games, the band must still be present six hours before kickoff to practice, warm up and perform at pep rallies. With the band also performing the entirety of the game, including the halftime show, a regular game day becomes a 10-hour work day for Mighty Sound members.
Looking ahead to the band’s next game performance, the Memphis vs. Georgia State home game on Sept. 14, Plenk said he and the band are eager to play.
“We showed that we’re pretty well prepared coming into it,” Plenk said. “We’re in good shape. We’re excited for it. I think the band’s performing with more energy than I’ve seen, so I think that’s going to be great for all the people showing up to watch us.”
Saturday’s victory was not only a strong start for the Memphis Tiger football season, but also a solid beginning for the campus’ marching band. Trumpet player Connor Doolin said he was pleased with the way the band performed at the game and the energy it received from the crowd.
“I thought the atmosphere of the Mercer game was fantastic,” Doolin said. “I felt it was a really strong start to the season for the fans and the band as far as turn out and energy. Last year, the season got off to a slow start due to some of the awful weather games, but this year, the city came out strong. And it always helps us get into it and perform our best.”
Doolin said the band’s work ethic is what allows it to accomplish what it does.
“The band this year has a great work ethic, which has allowed us to get pretty far and become pretty comfortable with the music and drill,” Doolin said. “The thing that sticks out to me the most is that everyone is here to achieve the same goal, which is to put on the best show we can and be the best version of this band that we can be.”
Trumpet player Jamie Hoye said the relationships band members build with each other makes the hard work fun.
“Even though there’s over 200 of us, it still feels in a way like a family,” Hoye said. “We do a lot of reps, which is rep after rep after rep, but it doesn’t feel like work, even though it takes a ton of energy because everyone’s having a good time. We’re all there because we’re passionate about it.”
Hoye said another part of what makes marching band work so enjoyable is how it gives her school spirit and puts her in the middle of the campus community.
“It sounds exhausting and, yeah, it’s great to go to bed afterward, but it’s fun because you get to be a part of a team that’s hyping up the school,” Hoye said. “You get to really be in the center of the campus community because we’re always at any event that has campus school spirit.”
The Mighty Sound of the South roared through Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium at Saturday's football game marking another strong season for the campus marching band. The band will perform twice next, first on Monday at the U of M's birthday celebration and again Friday night at the Memphis vs. Georgia State football game.
