There is a lot of excitement about this year’s first football game against Jackson State. To top that off, Mississippi State fans have a great halftime show to look forward to this weekend. The Maroon Band along with bluegrass band Nash Street have been hard at work preparing a collaboration to open up football season.
MSU director of bands Elva Lance said the band faculty thought Nash Street would be a good group to collaborate with because the group features both MSU students and graduates with great talent.
“Their music is very high energy and fun,” Lance said. “We thought that their talent, coupled with our associate director’s, Dr. Taylor, great arrangements, would make for a fun show for the performers and the audience.”
Cindy Melby, Nash Street’s manager, said the band was approached by Cliff Taylor, an MSU band director. Melby said everyone was thrilled about it.
“There was no holding back my excitement,” Cindy Melby said. “There was an immediate eruption of cheering as they first heard the plan.”
Hannah Melby, Nash Street fiddler, said the band’s motivation for doing the show was the opportunity to be back in Starkville to play for family and friends while being at a football game.
“MSU football games always bring everyone back together,” Hannah Melby said. “It’s a time when MSU fans meet back up after years of being away from Starkville.”
Hannah Melby said everyone in the band grew up around Starkville and have always been huge MSU fans.
“We have been fans from the time they made little cheerleader outfits and little boy jerseys,” she said. “I am thrilled to be able to play at a venue that we have all spent so much time at.”
Bassist Daniel Hare said he could not be happier about getting to play in front of a bunch of MSU fans.
“It has been a dream for years to be able to be down on the field during a game,” Hare said. “And, interestingly enough, music is the avenue that brought us here.”
Caroline Melby, who plays mandolin, said she never thought the band would be able to do something like this, and it has always been a dream of hers.
“It was an honor to be asked to be a part of such a special event,” she said. “Starkville is full of our close friends and family, so I think it’s a wonderful idea to include us on such a special community event.”
Saturday’s halftime show is not only exciting for Nash Street because of the collaboration, but also because of the sold-out stadium. Guitarist Clay Lezon said the band is ecstatic about the show and he is appreciative for the great exposure.
“An audience of almost 60,000 people, that will be the largest crowd any of us have ever played for,” Lezon said
While the Maroon Band and Nash Street eagerly await Saturday’s show, they are not the only ones getting excited about the performance.
Will Carruth, civil engineer major, said he is looking forward to the performance.
“I’m really into bluegrass music, and all the band members are very talented musicians,” Carruth said. “I don’t think our band has ever tried something like that before, so it will be very interesting to hear.”
Laura Kate Watts, elementary education major, said she is interested to hear the sound of the show.
“I love Nash Street, and I always look forward to the halftime show,” Watts said.
When asked about the rumor that this collaboration was an attempt to compete with Jackson State’s band, Lezon laughed and said they have not heard anything about it.
“The Sonic Boom is a fantastic show band, but I think that the Famous Maroon Band alone could compete with them without a problem,” Lezon said.
Lance said he thinks the band faculty is delighted to have the Jackson State band on MSU’s campus.
“Anytime you have two college bands at a football game, it ignites the atmosphere, and we are always happy to host another band,” Lance said.
Cindy Melby said the halftime show could not be pulled off without the hard work of many people.
“This is a very well orchestrated show that is rehearsed down to seconds,” Cindy Melby said. “There are several sound engineers who have done a miraculous job of making their acoustic instruments sound authentic, and that is truly an amazing feat.”
Lance said the Maroon Band, as well as the staff, is very excited for the performance and the start of football season.
“We have a great group of students in the 2009 Maroon Band,” Lance said. “We are anticipating a great football season and will be working hard to keep the crowd involved in the support of the Bulldogs.”
Nash Street will have a tent at FanFare near the Junction tomorrow where they will be giving away items, including postcards that entitle fans to 10 percent off a CD at select locations. Also, the band will be giving away autographed posters to anyone purchasing a CD at Barnes & Noble after the game.