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A Typical Week
Rehearsals
During the fall, the Band has a rehearsal regimen and a time commitment that, though heavy, can be completely manageable and rewarding for any college student. The fall season consists of two-hour rehearsals every Tuesday through Thursday, and music rehearsal on Monday. On the weekends of home football games, there is an additional two-hour rehearsal on Friday and, of course, the entire game day on Saturday. Bandsmen can opt to focus on academics and postpone further involvement until the next fall, or can remain active by playing at basketball games or involving themselves fully in spring performances.
Hello, Saturday Morning!
It's Saturday Morning, Golden Bears! It's time for another day of Cal Football! But what does that mean for the primary spirit organization on campus? More than you might imagine. But with friends, family, and the support of thousands of Cal fans, the early morning wake-up isn't nearly as bad as it sounds.
Marching Up to Memorial Stadium
Pregame
Playing in the Stands
Weezer Half-Time Show, 2001
Gameday Schedule
| 9:30 | Wake up! |
| 9:45 | Gather white shirt and black socks from the dresser |
| 9:50 | Leave the dorm! Fifteen minute walk from the dorms gets shorter and shorter each time. |
| 10:00 | Arrive at the Band Rehearsal Hall. Change into uniform pants, put on black marching shoes, white spats, and uniform hat. |
| 10:15 | Arrive at rehearsal field, greeted by donuts, bagels, milk, orange juice and friends. |
| 10:30-12:30 | Rehearse! Work out last-minute adjustments to pregame show and halftime show. |
| 12:45 | Gameday announcements. Prediction of the margin of this week's Golden Bear victory by alumnus and Cal Band Announcer Albert Locher, District Attorney of the City of Sacramento. |
| 1:00 | Lunch Time! Cal Band parents serve a bounty of hamburgers, hot dogs, sodas, cookies, chips, salad, veggieburgers, candy, fruit, and other assorted snacks. |
| 1:30 | Change into the rest of the uniform |
| 1:40 | Rub the Bear's nose for good luck! |
| 1:45 | Instrument tune-up, warm up |
| 1:50 | Traditional retelling of last night's dream by the Drum Major (usually, how we're going to wow the audience over this week) |
| 2:00 | Concert in front of Sproul Hall to gameday fans. |
| 2:15-2:45 | March up through central campus up to Memorial Stadium. |
| 3:00-6:00 | The game! Crowd excited by the thundering entry of the Band through North Tunnel onto the field. Halftime performance. Another week, another new performance, and another resounding applause by the student section. Postgame performance. Played toward the alumni, signaling the end of another Cal Football game. A performance for Bowles Hall, the oldest dormitory at Cal. |
| 6:45 | Arrive back at Band Rehearsal Hall. End of the day announcements, one last performance of the school fight song for the audience still following behind us. |
| 7:00 | A choice of sleep, study, or whatever! |