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A couple of weeks ago, UC Berkely had a match against Washington State. During the halftime show, the Cal State Marching Band did one of the coolest performances that I've ever seen since Drumline. The Marching Band starts off with Pong, then goes onto Tetris, Mortal Kombat, Pokemon, Legend of Zelda, and finishes the performance off with Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros covers.

There are a few parts where the performance stutters but with all that's going on, it's understandable. For every videogame song they do, the band forms into the shape of the game. Tetris pieces, Pokeballs, the Triforce, Bowser's Castle and many more.

My favorite part of the performance has to be when they formed the Pokeballs. I loved that the team mascots "came out" of the Pokeballs to battle each other.

[Thanks, Macgregor!]








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62 comments | showing # 1 to 50
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next 50 comments

ConsFEARacy's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 18:24
ConsFEARacy
Holy shit! I am actually applying there! Gotta finish up my application before the end of the month though...
CannibalCalvin 's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 18:26
CannibalCalvin
Dude thats awesome. I really wish my marching band could of done something as awesome as that. Our show this year was Disney shit...
acharlesmobile's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 18:28
acharlesmobile
UCLA is still better! er... dunno why. Well we beat Cal at football >_>
CannibalCalvin 's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 18:31
CannibalCalvin
Holy shit! That Tuba solo during the Mario cruise part is fucking awesome!
Silverback 55's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 18:36
Silverback 55
The flag coming down at the end was the nerdgasm moment for me.
bhive01's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 18:39
bhive01
That was freaking awesome.
falinter's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 18:42
falinter
that was bawwwwwlin
Twiggy's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 18:44
Twiggy
Does anybody have a video from the other end of the stadium, so the MK and the Tetris blocks aren't upside down?
Ub3rSlug's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 18:45
Ub3rSlug
I posted about this a few days ago, but this video is much better than the one I had found. This one is from the other side and is much clearer than the other, so it's neat to see all the details in this one.
BFeld13's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 18:47
BFeld13
Holy. shit. awesome.
Brandnamecommercial's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 18:47
Brandnamecommercial
Why couldn't that be my show this year!!
It should be noted a very talented high school group (which on a competitive level tend to be more advanced than collegiate bands (not drum cores of course)) did a show focusing on the music of Final Fantasy two years ago that was also orgasmic.

/marching band nerd mode
SenorCalavera's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 18:48
SenorCalavera
Just for reference, that was the Cal mascot pushing over the USC mascot. Guess Washington didn't want to play along with the Cal band.

@ charles, UCLA has been playing south park the movie for the last couple weeks. Not as cool but still pretty good.
sTo0z's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 18:50
sTo0z
Oh snap that was amazing. The flag moving down was my favorite as well, followed closely by the pokeballs opening.

Mad props to them!
acharlesmobile's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 18:52
acharlesmobile
haha i haven't gone to one of our games since the cal game. we're in a pretty sad state right now ): But i never watched the south park movie so i wouldn't know either, i remember they played the simpsons at the Cal game though.
lucashoal's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 18:52
lucashoal
Great marching band, or greatest?

Shame I can't make out some of the stuff.
cbebop007's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 18:55
cbebop007
Maybe I should transfer to UC Berkeley...
deiga-the-semivaliant's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 19:00
deiga-the-semivaliant
Meh, the formations where decent for a college band, but creating a shape then mark timing for 32 counts isn't very difficult to do. The brass need to work on being able to play and march at the same time, as well as stagger breathing.

If you want to see a REAL marching band, check out the various DCI competition videos.

In fact, check out THIS ONE.


Still, major nerd points from me.
Joseph Leray's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 19:02
Joseph Leray
Mississippi State (a personal favorite -- the SEC > whatever conference you like) played a Mortal Kombat themed show ... 2 years ago?
deiga-the-semivaliant's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 19:09
deiga-the-semivaliant
Orcist speaks the truth about the SEC.

GO DAWGS!
pizzaface's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 19:17
pizzaface
Was thinking about applying to Berkley. Quickly realized I don't have a chance.
pakokonka's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 19:22
pakokonka
Awesome!
Altair78's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 19:28
Altair78
Talent and dedication... gatta give mad props to that band. If Drumline had that in it, I think I might of had 1% more of an urge to watch it...

Total percentage would of been 1%... but still...
blehman's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 19:28
blehman
Friggin' sweet...A for thinking it up, B- for execution.
Eschatos's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 19:47
Eschatos
I have no idea what that was in between the Tetris and the Pokemon, didn't resemble Mortal Kombat in my mind.
TheDemon In You's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 19:50
TheDemon In You
Wanted to let everyone know, seeing as MYSELF being an ex marching band geek lol

The reason it sounds off or doesnt link up right, is because the reverb most of the time. But the time you hear it way up in the stands, were already playing different music.

Thats why the conductor is right in from so he can hear it right when the music is played.

So yea! marching band rocked, miss it damnit
Cheeburga's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 19:53
Cheeburga
That was epic.
Oni's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 20:01
Oni
So so so fucking epic!
Daniel Husky Lingen's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 20:12
Daniel Husky Lingen
ohhhh man

that's soooo fucking epic
Edco's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 20:15
Edco
That gives me the warm fuzzies.
carmatic's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 20:17
carmatic
man the only thing wrong with the video is its upside down!!
will someone please flip the video and reupload it? that way we can see what exactly that was in the mortal kombat sequence... it would look like it was on a ceiling but at least its the right way round
tehuberone's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 20:18
tehuberone
WIN.
B-Radicate's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 20:24
B-Radicate
@Eschatos, that's 'cause it was the dragin symbol from upside down. I didn't get what it was until the very end.

That was cool enough to waste a few minutes of my life on. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Newsworthy's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 20:27
Newsworthy
Brilliant! Who says video games haven't had a profound effect on our culture and lives be damned! Tetris blocks = best part. :)
Triphoppin's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 20:36
Triphoppin
that was freaking genius!
Upgrayedd's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 20:39
Upgrayedd
Wait a minute. They had a match? Seriously, I realize we're all geeks so many of us aren't huge sports fans, but they had a game. Match just sounds awkward.

That was an awesome field show though.
taileon's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 20:39
taileon
its stuff like this that wish i were a band geek ... at least for THAT ONE !!
>__>
<__<
Deathsaw's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 20:43
Deathsaw
That Tetris assembly made me cream. Good show marching band!
urbanyeti's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 20:45
urbanyeti
The Tetris set was my favorite part.

"EEEEEE! They are playing tetris with people!!!"
MechaMonkey's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 20:53
MechaMonkey
Best. Marching Band. Ever.
Baron Calico's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 21:26
Baron Calico
I got nothing. That was goddamn beutiful!
s0lesurviv0r's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 21:31
s0lesurviv0r
Cheeerriiiiisssttt that was awesome.
jdub28's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 21:35
jdub28
our band did a mario themed show but i didnt get to see it live cause i was on the football team
riomccarthy's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 21:35
riomccarthy
Wow that was the best thing ever. Totally best marching band ever, I would have stayed in band in ours was anything like that!
Samit Sarkar's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 21:38
Samit Sarkar
That was freaking unbelievable. My favorite parts featured Tetris, Pokémon, and the end-of-level from the Super Mario Bros. games at the end there. Awesome!
Bob Muir's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 21:45
Bob Muir
I'm guessing that most of the references went over the heads of most of the people there, but that's totally awesome.
Bob Muir's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 21:45
Bob Muir
I'm guessing that most of the references went over the heads of most of the people there, but that's totally awesome.
naia-the-gamer's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 22:13
naia-the-gamer
Yeah the trumpets missed a bunch of their notes, but overall that was pretty damn awesome.

What I want to know is who did the arrangement: Was it the conductor at UC Berkeley or did they get a VGL compilation from Alfred Publishing?

BTW Video Games Live has a deal to publish some video game music for band via Alfred Publishing.

The More You Know...
catsithx's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 22:37
catsithx
So awsome Just rocked
Brandon2520's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 22:39
Brandon2520
Washington State is my school motherfuckers!
El Fajitas's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/13/2007 22:56
El Fajitas
Too cool ^_^
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