For those who love American football, there’s nothing like attending a game. It’s a sporting sensory smörgåsbord.
There are handsome, hulking athletes running around on a lush green field, beautiful, enthusiastic ladies leading cheers, the unrelenting roar of the crowd, the contagious energy of competition, and it’s all served up with hot dogs, beer and the taunting aroma of popcorn.
There’s no doubt about it, a football game is full-throttle fun.
Lucky for us, Houston also has live music adding spontaneous joy to the experience, a rarity in the National Football League. (Most teams have taped music pumped in through their sound systems.) Thanks to the vision of team owner Robert McNair, Houston has the Texans Bull Pen Pep Band. The band is icing on the sensory cake, as it were, and Texans fans eat them up.
“In 2002, when Mr. McNair was forming the Texans, he approached me to assemble a band for the team,” said Lamar Burkhalter, percussionist, band consultant and director of the pep band.
“The first year we held auditions and, like the Texans, we’ve been maturing ever since. This year has been wonderful for us. I think the Texans are looking at the playoffs, and we’re the best band in the National Football League,” Burkhalter said.
The Bull Pen Pep Band has 55 members and includes a drum line, horn line and combo groups. Most of the members have families and are employed in some aspect of the music profession: teachers, entertainers, or recording artists.
In addition to the demands of their personal lives, the musicians face a demanding schedule with the band. There’s rehearsal time, and a typical game day starts before 8 a.m. Similar to the cheerleaders, they’re paid a minimum wage, but income isn’t the motive here. These people perform for the love of music, the fans and their Texans.
“Our mission is to provide fans with a positive game-day experience, to contribute to the whole event. We help the spirit come alive, and no matter the outcome of the game, we keep that spirit going,” explained Burkhalter.
Three hours before kick-off, fans will find pep band members roaming the parking lots, entertaining tailgaters. An hour before the coin toss, the band can be found playing at Budweiser Plaza on the concourse. Once the game starts, the band is seated in the Bull Pen, “with the hardcore fans,” explained Burkhalter. “These are the fans who paint their faces, never sit down, and make the most noise,” he said.
When the game is over, the pep band performs what they call the “5th Quarter” on the main concourse of Reliant Stadium. They march through the crowds while hundreds of fans dance behind them. It’s truly a sight to see.
“It’s so much fun,” said tuba player, Curtis Haight. “I enjoy playing for people with the intensity of Texans fans. We’re sort of treated like rock stars. The fans love us and they love their Texans.”
Perhaps the most devoted Texans fans are the tailgaters, those Houstonians who show up early in the morning, set up in the stadium parking lot, and proceed to party with abandon until the game starts.
“The pep band is the highlight of our day,” said Traci Beavers, member of the Never Fail Tailgating Club. The Never Fails have never missed a Texans home game, and have turned tailgating into an art.
“There are up to 50 of us at the games, and we arrive really early. We start by fixing breakfast and maybe some mimosas. Then we play games and start lunch. Sometimes lunch is hamburgers, barbecue or chili. Sometimes it’s a theme. For example, on New Year’s Day, we’ll have black-eyed peas and champagne.
“But our favorite part of the whole thing is when the pep band arrives. They’re awesome. They’re the best part of the day, inside the stadium or out,” Beavers concluded.
Like the Texans, the Bull Pen Pep Band has a growing number of fans who are recognizing their abilities and contributions. No need for “more cowbell” here.
“We have striven to become a strong, professional band,” said Burkhalter. “We’re a group comprised of talented, hard-working musicians with a real sense of ethics. We mirror the Texans organization and the team itself. For the Texans, nothing short of this would do,” he concluded.
Play-offs, here we come.
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