Simple Gifts- Game

The Pride of West Virginia at the 2006 Sugar Bowl
Director of Bands- John Hendricks III
Marching Band Director- Jay Drury
Assistant to the Directors- Nikki Gross
Grad Assistant- Chris Nickture
Percussion Coordinator- Adam Osmianski
Colorguard Coordinator- Heath Mankey

[@christophe84]

This was my very last performance as a WVU Mountaineer trombone player. I have to say after 4 years and 200+ performances with WVU, this was by far the most amazing experience of my WVUMB career. LET'S GO MOUNTAINEERS!!!!!! Can't beat the memories!

[@eddiecarp]

For all of you people who have trouble listening to this incredible music - due to the amazing crowd noise - play the "Simple Gifts Practice" video that WVUsax27 graciously posted - shown at right. To watch the entire Sugar Bowl pregame show, play "Boogie Cadence", "Simple Gifts - Game" and "Country Roads" back-to-back-to-back. I was lucky enough to be in the crowd at the Sugar Bowl, what a great experience (and I am a Georgia alum who grew up in WV). Thanks for posting these WVUsax27!

[@mountie12]

I am an alum from WVU from 97 and whenever I feel a bit down about being out of work or that my degree was something I should have put off instead of going into some union in my hometown, I watch this and feel so much pride and hope that I get watery eyed. This makes me as proud to be a Mountaineer as Robert Walkers touchdown run in 1993 against Miami. And if I were there I'd have lost my voice from this.

[@shelldawv]

West Virginia fans have just as much pride in the WEST VIRGINIA BAND as we do in the football team!! I take my daughters to the games just to see the band, they are awsome and give me goosebumps every time I see them !! Keep up the good work !!!

[@BeckyBWVU]

I absolutely LOVE Simple Gifts! It is my favorite part of the pre-game show at the WVU games. And you have to have the crowd screaming...that's what makes this SO special! A writer in a sports magazine even named this as one of the top pre-game events and said it gave him cold chills. I've seen it a hundred times and it still rocks me!

[@Falcon537]

haha! i love how the crowd's cheering always seems to push bands into putting more energy into their music, which the crowd starts picking up and cheers even louder!

[@toddtonis]

I was in the WVU Mountaineer band in the early 80's as a trombonist and I remember playing this same song. The marching patterns are similar as well where we went into a compact circle, turned and then blasted the crowd with a wall of sound. I think the band was at around 400 people at that time (I can't remember the exact number).

[@yt65x]

It is 19 years since I last did this and it I still get chills watching this!!!

[@danawalls-white4040]

There will NEVER be another State that Loves their people as much as West Virginia 🙏

[@danawalls-white4040]

We shall bend,but NEVER BREAK!

[@diggs59]

It gives me goosebumps man....

[@AdamCollinsTroopAud]

As far as marching is concerned, cheering for an impact during a performance is an awesome feeling. I know in concert it's proper to wait till the end, but hearing the crowd during the middle of a marching band or drum corps show is an adrenaline rush and makes you want to perform better. I would have been playing my heart out if I was at this performance.

[@danawalls-white4040]

That's how much I love you 💖🙏

[@dfunk015]

the chills... EVERYTIME

[@hastyberford]

Fond memories of playing this on trumpet in the Wavoo band back in the late 70's.

[@jbellsing]

Thank you for posting this. I hate how people (in general) don't respond during marching band performances anymore. That crowd going "ape $#^%&^" is exactly what I loved about marching. If they didn't do that during our show we knew we didn't do well. How cool it must have been to be on that field!

[@danawalls-white4040]

LET'S GOOOOOO !!!!!

[@akindad]

This makes me very homesick. I even miss OLD Mountaineer stadium where I use to sell hotdogs as a kid.(Actually I used to sit on the hotdog box and watch the game-people kept bugging me for hotdogs-very bothersome)

[@whatdoidonext2234]

WVU band tops in sound, crowd response, colors. Ohio State band performances are more technical, but it is hard to beat 65K+ fans SCREAMING at "Hail WV", WV fight song and, what else, but Country Roads. Tears are flying!!!!! I was in band for 5 years and while countless run throughs of the same song can be draining, running out onto the field and into formation to a crowd roar that can not be described. So, LET'S BRING ON THE MOUNTAINEERS!!!!!!!!

[@doommmmmmm]

good to see that somebody on this site is respectable are you in a marching band yourself i am!

[@onionofdeath]

while many consider it disrespectful...I used to march (sousaphone) and this would just excite the hell out of me if the crowd cheered us on like that!!

[@SusieMumper]

Made me cry! Let's go Mountaineers!!

[@robertrexroad835]

This still gives me goosebumps every time!

[@danawalls-white4040]

LETTTSSS GOOOOOOOOO

[@JamesSaysHey]

I have to agree with Dynamite; Doom just doesn't get it. I was in the Golden Band from Tigerland at LSU, and crowd reaction is one of the biggest elements of what we do. Don't believe me? Watch any video of an LSU pregame performance. When we take the field in Death Valley, you can't hear yourself play. It would not be nearly the experience that it is without that. The roar of approval that greats us as we play the into to pregame is unparalleled, and the reaction of the fans is a huge piece!

[@Louis45439]

I wasn't in the band, I graduated in 1991, and I still get chills as well.

[@danawalls-white4040]

Happy Independence Day xo 🤗

[@hankwvu]

Ahh... those were the days. Just a bit of background. THAT particular part of pre-game has been in the show for about 30 some odd years.... NEVER has changed. And you see how 'excited' people get over the "circle song". The director at one point did take this part out of pre-game to update the show, however, due to repeated letters (including actual death threats) he put it back in and has never changed it.

[@pocaball21]

You have to think of the situation..normally we don't cheer this loud..but we were huge underdogs against georgia and just had probably the biggest first half we have seen by our team...that probably fueled it

[@danawalls-white4040]

LET'S GOOOOOO 💙 💛

[@Futurecoach16]

Damn, I would just love to be on the field hearing the crowd go nuts like that for me. Wow. Not many bands get reactions like that outta their crowds. Just astonishing.

[@ItachiUchiha2010]

The rumble of the crowd ruins the epicness that is Simple Gifts.

[@HowCoolIsThat12]

wow, those flags are speedy for getting to the middle like that

[@sop1111]

wow this is the best field show i saw cant realy hear the music cause the crowd but wish you were writting my show when I marched in drum corps wow

[@TogeNoBara]

I remember being in a band for a smaller crowd. always liked them better cause they were quiet lol. anyway love the song and the performance here

[@tourisminmalaga]

increible

[@tpc326]

WOW!!!!! some day I hope to go to a WV home game.

[@OleKentuckyHome]

Fantastic!

[@eddiecarp]

Another reason why Coach RR decided to stay at WVU!! How can you argue with this, Alabama?

[@DanaWalls-hm9rb]

Simple gifts 🤍

[@WVUsax27]

wow, I should have been reading some of these comments Guys, I can promise you none of us minded the yelling. That's half the fun, and generally speaking the band encourages it....it's not like they asked everyone to shut up before hand because we were filming. It wasn't disrespectful

[@WVUsax27]

oh okay. Yeah we couldn't hear anything on the field either. Domes make the sound jump everywhere

[@eddimull]

wow, a crowd that loves the MB.

[@BamaTrumpet86]

Check out the last song to alabama's 2003 riverdance show

[@b42baritone]

Great Troopers sunburst.

[@doommmmmmm]

cool i play trombone in a high school band!

[@danawalls-white4040]

Familia 😇

[@Iguana-Power]

OH THE CROWD NOISE!!!!! Hahaha just kidding. Great performance. I am in the Pride now, but this is before my time.

[@danawalls-white4040]

🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀

[@tmndzbdp]

colorguard-filled doughnut at 1:39 yummmm lol

[@Vistrus]

Wow! How long has that guy been the announcer?

[@thormxxx]

complaining about the crowd noise? its amazing!!

[@dbtpt]

wow nice GE

[@Scouts12]

Scew you bands depend on the crowd it motivates them lol sit down quietly pshhh

[@lobrassmann]

@WVUsax27 why would you complain about the crowd if your on the field that's the best part which makes band so epic in college

[@FSUfanOFtheBAND]

Dang you can barly hear them play.

[@upperperkdrumline]

scew?

[@soccerchicken]

har har

[@WVUsax27]

from now on all comments that do nothing but complain about the crowd noise will be deleted.

[@Flooding474]

@WVUsax27 Wow, that crowd was noisy!

[@dbookin]

Nice a litte sloppy gut I like the GE

[@WVUsax27]

get your ears checked.

[@dbookin]

sloppy but nice GE

[@BeckyBWVU]

I absolutely LOVE Simple Gifts! It is my favorite part of the pre-game show at the WVU games. And you have to have the crowd screaming...that's what makes this SO special! A writer in a sports magazine even named this as one of the top pre-game events and said it gave him cold chills. I've seen it a hundred times and it still rocks me!

[@BeckyBWVU]

I absolutely LOVE Simple Gifts! It is my favorite part of the pre-game show at the WVU games. And you have to have the crowd screaming...that's what makes this SO special! A writer in a sports magazine even named this as one of the top pre-game events and said it gave him cold chills. I've seen it a hundred times and it still rocks me!