The Gonzaga Bulldog Band: Enhancing the Atmosphere
Gonzaga University is well known for its basketball. Students, faculty, and community members are crazy about the team and many of them want to get more involved with the games. One way that many people have become involved is in the Bulldog Band.
The Gonzaga Bulldog Band is a group of the most insane, hardcore, and dedicated Zag fans around. The purpose of the band is to add even more excitement to the already exciting atmosphere. It works together with the student section, Kennel Club, cheer team, and the fans. The band plays at every men’s and women’s home game. The band members don’t wait in line to get into the games. They have a section that is saved just for them. The people who join the band are people who want to attend every home game. Band members also watch every away game and are always in the loop of what’s going on with the team.
There’s a lot more to the band than people realize. Band members love basketball. There are people who join the band who think they are Gonzaga basketball fans, but after being a part of the games these band members become even more intense fans. There are also a lot of people who join the band to try something new or because they enjoyed playing music in high school. They quickly become engulfed in the flames of Zag basketball fandom.
One thing that many people don’t realize is that the Bulldog Band is there for the basketball. If someone is a serious musician and wants to continue their musical career they can join jazz ensemble, orchestra, wind symphony, or choir. The Bulldog Band is all about creating a vibrant, exciting atmosphere at the games. Imagine this situation: The Zags are down by two points with a minute left in the game. Kevin Pangos pulls up and nails a deep three to claim the lead. The other team frantically calls a timeout. All of the sudden you hear the Bulldog Band playing the heaviest rendition of Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” that you have ever heard. This pumps up the crowd, especially the student section, and it gives the thousands of screaming fans momentum to keep up the eardrum shattering noise once the teams get back on the court. That’s what the band is all about.
Another part of the Bulldog Band that is unique is the traveling that it does. The band travels with the men’s and women’s teams to the WCC tournament in Las Vegas and the NCAA tournament. These trips are special because the band and cheer team become the main fans since the games are usually held during school and at a location far away from Spokane. At tournament games every band member loses their voice from screaming and cheering. The music has to be extra loud in order to maintain a high energy atmosphere.
The Bulldog Band also has a special relationship with the community members who attend the games. The band, along with the cheer team do many of the same cheers every game that season ticket holders and people who often attend games always recognize and participate in.
Anyone who wants to be part of this incredible group can join. There is no audition. The band includes people who came in with no musical experience at all to serious, lifelong musicians. Everyone is welcome to join the band.