March to
the Stadium
One of the most iconic sights to behold at ECU home football games is
the parade column ECU Marching Pirates as they march from the practice
field at 10th Street south down College Hill Drive to Dowdy-Ficklen
for game day festivities.
The Marching Pirates march, dance and groove to the cadence provided by
the Drumline as they make their way to the stadium tailgate area. This
massive and entertaining force announces their arrival to the stadium by
performing EC Victory for the enthusiastic Pirate fans tailgating
in the Elmhurst Elementary School parking lot.
Call to
Port
Call to Port
is the name of the
pregame concert performed by the ECU Marching Pirates approximately 90
minutes prior to kickoff at every home game. This new tradition, which
began with the first home ECU football game of the 2009 season vs.
Appalachian State University, features the ECU Marching Pirates at their
most entertaining and musical best.
 During this
half-hour performance, Pirate fans are able to stand close to the band
as they perform elements from the pregame and halftime shows for that
particular game as well as many fan favorite school spirit and stand
tunes. Lucky fans might even find themselves treated to a serenade by
members of the band as they perform “Hey Baby!” Fans will also certainly
enjoy the hijinks and hilarity of the band as they show off their dance
and choreography skills with popular hits such as the “Pirate Fans
Dance” and “Shout.” The ECU Marching Pirates even share the stage with
visiting bands such as the University of Houston “Spirit of Houston”
Marching Band and the North Carolina State University “Power Sound of
the South.”
There is no better way to get amped up for the game than to be a part of
this amazing game day experience!
Location: In the Gate 5 plaza outside of Dowdy-Ficklen stadium
When: Approximately 90 minutes before kick-off at every home game
Pirate Fans
Dance (“Hey, Hey, Pirate Fans!”)
One of the greatest crowd pleasers is the performance of the Pirate Fans
Dance by the Marching Pirates. This dance starts with the band chanting
"Hey, Hey, Pirate Fans
Let me see your Pirate Dance!”
followed by one of the band members (sometimes 1-3 more) running to the
front of the band to do a 16-count dance followed by the band copying
the exact same dance for 16 more counts.
This fan favorite is often performed at “Call to Port”, pep rallies and
even by the ECU Basketball Pep Band during some halftimes at home
basketball games.
Pregame
The ECU
Pirates football pregame festivities have recently been named as one of
the factors behind Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium being named by The Bleacher
Report as the
28th best stadium in all of college football. Almost every college
football fan is familiar with the entrance of the football team
enshrouded by purple smoke to the sounds of Jimmy Hendrix’s “Purple
Haze.”
The Marching Pirates do their part to create a great pregame atmosphere
with a 15-minute pregame show which begins with a symbolic march to the
scaffold by the Drumline and sousaphone section while playing the
classic “Yo Ho, a Pirate’s Life for Me.” Once they arrive to the middle
of the Boneyard endzone, the drum major completes a high-kicking strut
to the 40-yard line where he/she completes an acrobatic mace toss. This
cues the field entrance of the rest of the band which begins a hypnotic
march and chant of “E-C-U!” to the ever expanding Drumline cadence
entitled “Rather Be Dead.” As the drums reach their crescendo, they
suddenly change into a double time groove which launches the Marching
Pirates into the pregame run-on.
This energetic maneuver sets the stage for the opening strains of the
traditional Pregame Fanfare which is played first to the pressbox side,
then to the upper deck side and finally towards the Boneyard endzone
(new in 2011!) before segueing into the beloved “EC Victory.” This is
performed as the band moves down the field in perfect rank and file
before they split into three groups to spell out “E-C-U” in letters
covering the entire length of Bagwell Field.
Following the playing of this beloved fight song, the Marching Pirates
do a quick turn to form a 70-yard outline of the state of North Carolina
after which one band member is granted the honor of “starring” the city
of Greenville. It is from this formation that the Marching Pirates then
perform the National Anthem and the ECU Alma Mater.
After paying musical tribute to the United States and East Carolina
University, the band marches to a block formation to the tune of “Here’s
to the Pirates!” During the shout chorus, the block expands to spell out
“P-I-R-A-T-E-S.” This is followed by the classic Karl King march “Purple
Pageant” during which the Marching Pirates form a block outlined “EC” in
the center of the field before moving the formation to the west endzone
to create a tunnel for the Pirates football team and coaches to run
through as they enter the field for game time.
So You Think You Can Dance?
Beginning in the 2010 season, the Drumline began a tradition of
performing a
semi-choreographed dance routine to music that is played over the
stadium loudspeakers at all home, away and bowl games. In the final few
games of the season, this entertaining tradition began to expand first
to other band sections and even to the students of the Boneyard.
Musical Cheers and Chasers
The ECU Marching Pirates plays between most offensive and defensive
plays during ECU Pirates football games. Musical “cheers” between
offensive downs are designed to hype up the team as the ball down the
field with original ECU ditties and even some well known “pirate”
themes. The Drumline and full band alternate downs when the Pirates are
on defense with the Drumline playing before 1st and 3rd down from a
selection of cadences such as “One” and “Single Ladies.” The full band
adds a menacing musical touch to the action on the field with
power-chord driven “chasers” and other swashbuckling tunes after 2nd
down. Of course, nothing punctuates a 3rd down defensive hold like the
traditional playing of the Theme from “The Godfather”!
For other athletic and spirit
traditions, visit the ECU Athletics Traditions webpage at
www.ecupirates.com/trads/ecu-trads.html
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