For the second time within the past four years, The Song that Shakes the Southland rang throughout a stadium hosting the new national champions, the Clemson Tigers. Providing the tried and true melody that moves every Clemson student to their feet, “Tiger Rag,” was Tiger Band. The band accompanied the football team nearly 2700 miles to Santa Clara, bringing the universities beloved song and spirit with them. If you weren’t in the crowd to watch Tiger Band during pregame or the halftime show, ESPN provided national coverage of their performance.
Tiger Band, a program that is home to Tiger Guard, Tiger Dancers and Tiger Twirlers, provided a unique experience to many Clemson students as they performed in the Levi Stadium and on air. Jan. 7 resulted in the football team’s domination over Alabama, as well as an unforgettable halftime performance for Tiger Band.
Senior Production Studies in Performing Arts Major Trey Lockett, who has served as a drum major for Tiger Band over the past couple years, shared his view on the experience.
“Monday night was a very iconic defining night for Tiger Band,” he said. “It’s been cool to see that just like the football team, some of the best days for Tiger Band have been over the past few years.”
While reminiscing on past marching and football seasons, Lockett provides positive remarks for Tiger Band’s Monday night appearance.
“On Monday night, just like our football team put on its best performance ever, so did Tiger Band,” Lockett said.
Luckily, ESPN decided to capture the band’s excellence with its SkyCam and feature them on ESPN Classic. Even if you left the room to grab a refill of your favorite football snack, it was hard to miss the great sounds coming from the band. If you were leaving the room for the first time since the beginning of an amazing game, you were probably cheering along to “Tiger Rag” as the band embarked on the field after concluding their halftime show.
Both the football team and band were put under a severe spotlight Monday night. Senior Psychology Major and Tiger Guard member Jessie Acosta recognized the nerve-racking feeling of being on live television.
“I felt a lot of pressure because it was a broadcast that wouldn’t be edited afterwards, so the mistakes could’ve been seen by everyone,” Acosta said. “Personally, it was my best and final run, and I wouldn’t change anything about it”.
Both Acosta and Lockett seem to agree that, despite being nervous, the performance aired across America turned out to be one of the best runs Tiger Band has delivered. For Acosta, walking off the field to “Tiger Rag” and hearing “We Are The Champions” behind her after the game was bittersweet. Acosta, a fifth year Tiger Guard member, traveled with the band to the National Championships three separate times.
“Since it was my last game, on top of it being the National Championship, and that being the last time I would perform ‘Tiger Rag,’ I cried immediately after halftime ended,” she said, speaking of her incredible trip.
Acosta spoke of the memories associated with “We Are the Championships,” which left her emotional after the game.
“The first time I went to the Nattys, we were playing Alabama in Arizona and we had to practice that song, and I felt like we somehow jinxed it by practicing the song we play when we win, then losing,” Acosta said. “Playing it at my second National Championship, after losing the first and losing at the Sugar Bowl, that was amazing.”
Luckily, both Acosta and the audience were able to relish in the sweet sound of victory, provided by Tiger Band and accomplished by our incredible football team.
Although some Tiger Band members are leaving Clemson as part of a National Champion band, others still have a couple years to hopefully bring The Song that Shakes the Southland to another National Championship stadium. If next season is anything like the one that just completed, Tiger Band can look forward to more opportunities to bring our sweet song and exciting halftime shows to your television or computer. If you find yourself missing “Tiger Rag,” you are sure to hear Clemson play it proudly on any recording of the unforgettable National Championship game.
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