page_title: Louisiana State University Tiger Marching Band
section_title: Pregame
hierarchical_section_title: Louisiana State University Tiger Marching Band / Traditions / Pregame
caption_attribution_description: English: The Louisiana State University Tiger Marching Band creates its signature "LSU" formation during a pregame performance in Tiger Stadium.
context_page_description: The Louisiana State University Tiger Marching Band is the marching band of Louisiana State University. The 325-member band performs at all LSU football home games, all bowl games, and all away games.
context_section_description: One of the most celebrated traditions carried on by the band is its pregame performance at each home football game.  The performance includes pieces from the band's expansive repertoire of school songs, including "Pregame Salute"/"Touchdown for LSU" arranged in 1964 by director William F. Swor specifically for the band to play during pregame.  The drill design and musical selections pieced together by Swor remain relatively unchanged today.  The band also uses a more traditional style of marching (called the "peak step" by directors and members of the band) during pregame, a style that requires the band members to lift their legs to mid-calf as they march.
  The band begins the performance in the south end zone of the stadium and is called to attention by the drum major right before he marches out across the end zone in front of the band.  Stopping at the goal line, the drum major wields his mace and uses his whistle to signal the band to take the field.  The band marches out of the end zone to the beat of a single bass drum in fronts separated by five-yard intervals.  The drum major halts at the 40 yard line on the far end of the field and the band is now spread across the southern half of the field with the color guard at midfield and the southern goal line. The golden girls line up next on the west sideline next to the band. The band stands at attention and awaits the percussion introduction to "Pregame Salute."  As the band plays the stirring opening chords of the salute (which are taken from the tune "Tiger Rag"), the band turns to face all four corners of the stadium.  The crowd explodes in cheers.  Once the band salutes each part of the stadium, the pace of the music and the marching picks up, the music transitions into Long's "Touchdown for LSU," and the band sweeps the field.  Toward the end of the song, the band breaks the fronts and spells out "LSU."
  In the "LSU" formation, the band plays the "LSU Alma Mater" and the "Star-Spangled Banner" and is directed at the north 47 and a half yard line by the director of bands. The band then plays "Fight for LSU" as it virtually flips the formation to spell LSU for the fans on the east side of the stadium.  Upon arriving in the new formation, the band plays the second half of "Tiger Rag," which culminates in the crowd chanting "T-I-G-E-R-S, TIGERS!' in unison. This is followed the "First Down Cheer," to which the east side of the stadium in unison responds to each of the three refrains with "GEAUX! TIGERS!" and to the final refrain with "LSU!" To the sound of a fast-paced drum cadence, the band returns to the original "LSU" formation facing the west side of the stadium and replays the "First Down Cheer" as the crowd responds.  The band immediately breaks into an encore performance of "Touchdown for LSU" as it reforms the original fronts, marches to the north end zone, and then breaks the fronts to form a tunnel through which the football team will enter the field.
caption: The band forms LSU during a pregame performance in Tiger Stadium.
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