Presentation of "From Vegas to the Alamo"
the 29th annual UW Varsity Band Spring Concert
is made possible in part by:
University of Wisconsin Athletic Department
Rayovac Corporation
an international manufacturer of batteries and flashlights
headquartered in Wisconsin since 1906.
And Robert D. Goodman, Erwin A. Goodman and Goodman's Jewelers
the diamond store of Madison since 1933
*
( band playing "On Wisconsin" )
*
>> Thank you!
( cheers and applause )
Thank you!
Can you hear us okay, lady?
( laughter )
This is the University
of Wisconsin Band!
( cheers and applause )
Trying to get this band
to play in tune is kind of like
being a mosquito in a nudist
colony.
Well, you know what you're
supposed to do, you're just not
sure where to start.
( rim shot )
( laughter )
We're going to start
with an old tune.
It was written about 1923.
Every big band that I ever had
a record of, made a recording
of this particular tune.
Benny Goodman had a particularly
big record on it.
This is a tune called
the "Bugle Call Rag"
featuring our trumpet section.
>> Band: Hey....
Up!
*
( cheers and applause )
Our trumpet section!
A number of years ago,
I brought this next young man
to the stage, because I'd been
introduced to him by my son.
He was his roommate in college.
And I heard him play
for a number of years.
And I discovered what you
will soon discover, he's a
musician of exceptional talent.
Ladies and gentlemen,
this is Liam Teague,
the world's finest
steel pan player.
( applause )
>> Band: Whoa!
( whistles )
Liam!
*
( applause )
>> Liam Teague!
Liam Teague!
( applause continues )
Liam!
Liam Teague!
Back about 40 years ago,
a man named Barry Gordy founded
a record company.
And he called his record company
"The Sounds of Young America,"
because he had hired a lot
of kids from Detroit to sing
a lot of music.
And then, later,
he called it "Hitsville, USA,"
because it really was that.
He had hit, after hit,
after hit.
I think you know now
who I'm talking about.
I'm talking about the guy that
brought us the "Temptations"
and the "Four Tops,"
and Stevie Wonder, and
the "Supremes," and all those.
So, we put together a medley
of these tunes.
These are
the "Sounds of Motown."
*
* My girl
My girl
* My girl
My girl... *
*
( tubas playing "Heard It
Through the Grapevine" )
*
( cheers and applause )
>> I'm really pleased to
introduce this next soloist,
though if you've been around
in this concert long enough,
you've heard him play with us
before, because he was a member
of this band a few years ago.
And he's since gone on to have
a wonderful career
as a professional player,
and now as a professor of music
up at Northern State University
in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
He's toured with Buddy Rich.
He's toured with Tito Puente,
Rita Moreno, Carol Channing.
He spent some time on Broadway
and the "Dreamgirls."
He's one of ours.
This is Grant Manhart,
from Madison, Wisconsin!
>> Band: Whoa...
( whistles )
Grant!
( applause )
>> Grant was five years
in the marching band.
And went on to, as I said,
just a wonderful career.
I know you're going to enjoy
playing, and I'm delighted
to have him back with us.
*
( applause )
( cheers and applause )
Grant Manhart!
( drum line and percussion
playing )
( indistinct yelling )
( percussion contest ensues )
( indistinct chatter )
( percussion contest continues )
( applause )
( cheers and applause )
( applause )
( indistinct yelling )
( drum lines and percussion
playing against each other )
( tempo quickens
and intensifies )
>> Both: Ahhh!
>> Wait a minute!
I don't need this crap!
( cheers )
I don't need this!
I got this, remember?
( electronic percussion )
( cheers and applause )
*
( drum lines and percussion
playing together )
( cheers and applause )
Our percussion section!
Our percussion!
Under the direction
of Mike Lorenz, with help
from Todd Thompson.
Our percussionists!
( applause continues )
I think that calls for a little
fifth quarter action!
How about it?
( cheers )
( band playing "Tequila" )
A little "Tequila" now!
*
Wait a minute.
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Folks, I said fifth quarter.
You don't sit and watch
in the fifth quarter!
You participate!
You've got to move!
Now, there's two parts to this.
You've got to get your hands
in the air, like this.
No, everybody!
No slackers, here.
Even up there
in the cheap seats.
( cheers )
Everybody...
And then, the hard part is:
"Da, da, da, da, da, da, da!"
( audience imitates
Mike Leckrone )
Now let's see you do that part.
>> Da, da, da, da, da, da, da!
>> Now we're going
to do it again!
( band playing "Tequila" )
Here we go!
*
Here we go, now!
*
Da, da, da, da, da, da, da!
*
Da, da, da, da, da, da, da!
*
Tequila!
>> That's more like it!
( cheers and applause )
Now, if you're not standing,
get on your feet,
because it's now time
for the "Chicken Dance."
( cheers )
( band playing "Chicken Dance" )
( cheers and applause )
Now, now...
Just a minute, now.
Normally--
Normally, we'd try to go real
fast and maybe set a record.
But last night's crowd, the
Friday night crowd set a record
that's unattainable.
They set a record--
No, no, no.
No, they set a record.
( audience groans )
They set a record of 32 flat.
( crowd boos and jeers )
You want to try?
You think we can?
( cheers )
Okay.
I won't be responsible!
*
( cheers )
Twenty-nine point six!
( loud cheers and applause )
( band playing
"You've Said it All" )
>> When you say, Wisconsin,
you've said it all!
( cheers and applause )
>> One of the things we like to
do as a part of our performance
is present a little bit
of theater.
And we've done some of
the great ones over the years.
We've done "Phantom of the
Opera" and "West Side Story,"
a lot of them.
But in looking for one this
year, I went back in the history
of one of my favorite
musical theater composers,
Andrew Lloyd Webber.
And I chose his very first work.
He wrote a little 20-minute
piece for a grade school
in London.
Then he started expanding it.
First, it went to 60 minutes,
then 90 minutes.
And the next thing he knew, he
had a full-blown Broadway show.
It's a terrific show, because
the music is so different.
It's got some rock music in it,
you've got some great ballads.
There's a cowboy song,
an Elvis song.
And of course, the story is of
Joseph, who's sold into slavery
by his jealous brothers.
And he rose to be
second-in-command
to the Pharaoh in Egypt.
And we'd like to present
for you now our version
of Andrew Lloyd Webber's
"Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat."
( applause )
*
( applause )
*
* La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la
* La, la, la, la, la, la, la
* La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la
* La, la, la, la, la, la, la
* La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la
* La, la, la, la, la, la, la
* La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la
* La, la, la, la, la, la, la
*
( applause )
*
( cheers and applause )
*
( band playing
patriotic medley )
( pyrotechnic explosions )
*
( cheers and applause )
Thank you so much!
*
We close, as we always close,
with a medley
of Wisconsin songs.
Isn't this a great time
to be a badger?!
( cheers )
Alamo Bowl champions!
Back-to-back Big Ten basketball
champions!
( cheers and applause )
These are
"Songs to Thee, Wisconsin."
*
* Songs to thee, Wisconsin
ever let us sing
* Praise to alma mater
ever let us bring
* Queen of all the west
College we love best
* Queen of all the west
College we love best *
*
( band singing and playing
"If You Want to Be a Badger" )
( tubas playing "Varsity" )
* Varsity
Varsity
* U rah rah
Wisconsin
* Praise to thee we sing
* Praise to thee
our alma mater
* U rah rah
Wisconsin *
*
Sing!
* Varsity
Varsity
* U rah rah
Wisconsin
* Praise to thee we sing
* Praise to thee
our alma mater
* U rah rah
Wisconsin
* U rah rah
Wisconsin
* U rah rah
Wisconsin
* U rah rah
Wisconsin *
>> Thank you for coming.
What a great way for us
to end our longest year.
You've been terrific!
Boy, we love playing for you.
( band playing "On Wisconsin" )
We never say good-bye.
But tonight, we do in a way,
say good-bye to our seniors.
I'd like for you to see them.
Would you seniors please stand
so these people can see you?
( cheers and applause )
We never really say good-bye!
We never
really say good-bye!
'Cause we're going
to see you some place,
maybe here in this building,
next April 15, 16 and 17,
for our 30th Annual
Varsity Band Concert.
You ain't seen nothing yet.
Or, maybe we'll see you
out at Camp Randall,
or here for a basketball game.
Or, I've been there three times,
I'm greedy, I want to see you
in Pasadena again.
Wherever it is,
we'll see you real soon!
( cheers and applause )
And On Wisconsin!
*
( aheers and applause )
[Captioning services provided by Wisconsin Public Television.] www.wpt.org
( band playing "1812 Overture")
( cheers and applause )
( band playing "You've Said It All")
* When you say Wisconsin, you've said it all! *