As You Go
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 11:23PM For the most recent post about OSUMB, go here.
They call it "ramp."
It is more than a noun.
They march down an incline. At the bottom of the incline is the north endzone.
They pass through the endzone, this Technicolor fake greenery where very real things occur, and onto the field and into the the daylight. They mark time. There is suspension: the drums, the knees, the noise.
One doesn't march. He sprints.
There's a lot of down going on here; down the ramp, down the field, down the line. I am looking up. Last week, due to muddied timing and pure blessing, I was looking up.
On my way to the sidelines, one of the ushers motions me before the main flagpole of Ohio Stadium. He positions me at the feet of the stadium cameramen. "Don't move to either side," he says. I nod and sink to the ground.
What I see is this entire book in about fifteen yards of concrete: They're above and I'm below and desperately, despera
tely trying not to be in their way. The Ohio State University Marching Band stands in a block embrace, moving one thread one centimeter for uniform perfection, clutching drumsticks and holding horns at immaculate parallels.
And Jason The Ridiculously Awesome Drum Major, hat and baton a natural part of his body, straddling the snares and gazing out at I do not know what-- at the field, at the crowd, at the goalpost in the distance, at his final ramp entrance in two weeks. I have no idea if he or any of them saw me there, head tipped up, legs folded and dashing away tears before they ever blew or tapped a note.
It is ramp. It is more than a noun. It is one big verb. It is the single voice of the drums, the heralds, the heartbeat. It is the first flowing rows of the effers and the trumpets, the left hands striking the center of the chest. I can see what others cannot: Their faces, all of them, two by two, all straining with effort and smothered smiles. As I contract as best I can, this Band expands, striking out of the tunnel, their rigid footfalls just inches past me but utterly unheard over the gathering storm in the bleachers above. The silhouette of Jason is all that remains, arms bending once, twice into position at the hips. His plume is still. The Band is not. There's a whistle.
He passes inches to my left, and the only way I know he's safely past is by the rush of air in his wake; I don't dare to uncoil, even to turn my head. I miss the strutting, the toe touch salute, the backbend. The crowd sees it, the Band knows it's there through the horn bells and the screaming students and the ragged correctional cries of the squad leaders.
By the time I've swung myself around the flagpole, there is chairstepping and the clang of the entrance gate as the ushers slam it closed. Ramp becomes pregame, they're still moving, and I'm just... moved.
Today's Tasting Room Musical Note is sponsored by that one song that one band played that one time:
Reader Comments (49)
PRET-TY
What an adventure, so beautifully told.
HI TBDBITL.... This was incredible!
I think that's about as close as a person can come to describing seeing a ramp entrance from the band. So jealous you were on the field MB!
HOLY &#^ MISS BELLE.....
is that you in the video in the black jacket by that pole?!!!??!?!
That picture of Our Jason is gorgeous. Our very own DM pin-up :)
Great job OSUMB, nobody can make an entrance like you!
Awwwww where's S Row?
is that you in the video in the black jacket by that pole?!!!??!?!
Gotta be!
We missed you guys.
Worth the wait though Miss Tink. This is lovely.
is that you in the video in the black jacket by that pole?!!!??!?!
;)
Our Jason, if you're out there reading this, that was some jaw-dropping strutting in the video.
These pictures are great but you know what I could visualize everything just fine without them!
"Our Jason, if you're out there reading this, that was some jaw-dropping strutting in the video."
Seconded & even more than that, it is a joy to see you, Jason, through Mary Beth's eyes.
I KNEW IT!!!!
P.S. You have a very pretty back of the head.
Oh wow you've gotta be kidding me. Best seats in the house for sure!
Awwwww where's S Row?
Yeah we want Frank the Cannibal! And Tiggles, and D Row!
I cried.
Ha, YAAAAAY comments are back! Now I can brag about meeting MB!!
I lurk here (hi!) but am an avid reader. I attended THE Ohio State University and was thrilled to attend this game! TBDBITL sounded incredible and it meant even more to hear them now that I know and appreciate so much.
I loved being on campus! We had great seats by the field and I could have sworn I saw MB go by a couple times but I could not be sure, I didn't want to yell her name and have it not be her. Well, we stayed for the aftergame performance and got to see Kyle Who Owns twirl to "Hang on Sloopy!" He was great! We felt so lucky to see him and Our Jason, an awesome Script Ohio and halftime show.
And then on our way out the gate we saw Mary Beth! It was her we'd seen earlier on the field! She was great, all smiles, very charming, and looked beautiful and graciously agreed to pictures. We handed her our program to autograph and she started laughing and said "Oh no, no, you want Jason signing this not me!" I told her it would be valuable once she has won the Pulitzer Prize. Thank you MB and can't wait for the book!!!!!
Outstanding MB!!!!!! So glad for you that you got to have that experience. Thanks for the incredible vicarious experience!
I almost attended OSU and was accepted into the music department even. I love marchng but chose another path.
You've shown me what I missed. Thank You.
S-Row is currently at Vets Memorial about to play a concert for the kiddies...a little less hardcore than ramp but equally important ;)
Carnivore. This Band has its secrets but I'm pretty sure that's not one of them.
That wa something else.
(Fainting)
Yay for our Drum Major
And the baton that he wields
Yay for TBDBITL
And the blonde on the field
The ramp that has made the most lasting impact in my life is... this
But after that is the boys and gals of Ohio --so much that NOW I'm picturing my fantasy Disclosure day, with the alien ship finally landing at the White House lawn, and out of it come the little gray guys wearing a marching uniform —preceded of course by Jason's counterpart from Zeta Reticuli ;)
Hello Ms. Tiggles! I'm sure you guys were great :)
I almost attended OSU and was accepted into the music department even.
I am impressed! OSU's music department is quite good.
Wonderful work OSUMB from an extremely proud alum
That moment of MB and Jason The Ridiculously Awesome facing one another on the ramp has got to make it into the movie trailer.
YAY TIGGLES, did you bring your flugelhorn?!
Hessian, I am never without my flugelly companion! I actually went to say hi to my first band director and his middle schoolers after the concert which was apparently good timing because they kept asking him what a flugelhorn was...always happy to show it off. :)
And speaking of demonstrations, I'm proud to say I witnessed Mark (Neutron) showing MB how to properly hold and make sound on a flugelhorn at our concert on Wednesday...before she tells you any lies about sounding awful I'll have you know that she did better than lots of beginners would. Welcome to the we-play-the-instrument-with-the-COOLEST-name club, Mary Beth!
"I'm proud to say I witnessed Mark (Neutron) showing MB how to properly hold and make sound on a flugelhorn"
Man would I have loved to have seen this.
Woot flugelhorns!
That video is amazing, you guys are the best.
You are a fine flugelhorn ambassador, Ms. Tiggles.
Oh goody! S ROOOOOOOOOOOWWWW! I was hoping you guys would show up :) Hope MB didn't trip you up too much when you came down that ramp!
She was great, all smiles, very charming, and looked beautiful and graciously agreed to pictures.
This was the experience I had when I met her at a reading just recently. She answered all kinds of questions and was very funny and very thoughtful and kind (I was with my dad who is elderly and MB saw us come in late and made sure he had a chair.) It says a lot for her humility and ability to respect other artists that she is so overwhelmed with affection for these college students who are also incredibly dedicated.
"I actually went to say hi to my first band director and his middle schoolers after the concert"
Good for you Tiggles! I am sure he really appreciated it and is really proud of you. I bet those kids look up to you like a rock star.
Mary Beth I really (REALLY) missed your Breeders' Cup coverage this year but I know you are all-in with this band and that the book will be great. Just promise us extra-long liveblogs for Triple Crown season!
I am bowled over Miss Tink by your amazing ability to put MUSICAL experiences into WORDS. The same for when you write about watching Jason The Awesome One perform. But all the same I have never watched this band and Our Jason except on video and to be honest I understand much better what they are all about when I READ what you write about them.
"And speaking of demonstrations, I'm proud to say I witnessed Mark (Neutron) showing MB how to properly hold and make sound on a flugelhorn at our concert on Wednesday...before she tells you any lies about sounding awful I'll have you know that she did better than lots of beginners would. Welcome to the we-play-the-instrument-with-the-COOLEST-name club, Mary Beth!"
LOL that must have been hilarious.
"And speaking of demonstrations, I'm proud to say I witnessed Mark (Neutron) showing MB how to properly hold and make sound on a flugelhorn at our concert on Wednesday."
I was a terrible, terrible student. It's somewhat difficult to properly make a noise on a brass instrument when you can't stop laughing. I'll try to do better next time :)
Aw yeah, S Row
"But after that is the boys and gals of Ohio --so much that NOW I'm picturing my fantasy Disclosure day"
It will be the best-sounding alien invasion ever
That moment of MB and Jason The Ridiculously Awesome facing one another on the ramp has got to make it into the movie trailer.
In a world... where drum majors and nonfictionistas team up for NON-STOP AWESOMENESS....
A tremendous honor for you MB but one if, were I in this band, I'd be glad to bestow. They play those horns/drums and Jason The Ridiculously Young Drum Major twirls that baton and you so beautifully express that it's more than just a marching band.
I wish I'd gotten to see TBDBITL when I was in elementary school! Maybe by now I'd have rhythm or something lol.
This was my first ramp!!! Words can only begin to express the feelings or emotions that are created during ramp, although I must say you have done a pretty good job at capturing them. What I wouldn't have given my whole life to have sat in the very spot you were in until I made the band, and then it became about coming down that ramp, making my parents proud, and living a dream come true! Wonderful article!
That means the world to me, Collin. Though I hated to see you guys leave, I loved to watch you go. It was a tremendous honor to have that seat. I just hope I can be worthy of it. <3 F Row <3