but people might not want to have to move stands because someone decided they were sticking a band next to where they've sat for 20 years...hardly a fair suggestion but i can see both sides of the argument hence why i've agreed to speak with them.

Indeed they may not want to- but that's the suggestion re the singers also isn't it!
I've been to a few ice hockey games in the rugby off season in recent years- it's a similar family atmosphere in the stands to rugby. They all seem to have bands or drummers and it makes for a good atmosphere- my kids always ask to sit next to them as its "more fun".
I find it difficult to believe people will stop coming just because a band is playing-they would probably have found another reason to do so anyway.

The club cannot afford to lose fans whatever the reason, if say half a dozen people who pay £500 + a year in to the club where to leave citing the band as a reason i'm fairly sure the loss of £3,000 + would make the club think is it worth it. Especially since the band are not Giants fans and have been assembled for the sole purpose of parping and banging to the crowd by the club.

If it works out and the band help the atmosphere i'm all for it, what i don't want, and i've told the club, is a band that plays simply for their own pleasure, what they want, when they want but it sounds like that is not their intention at all and i am happy to give it a try for now.

This topic was brought up at HGSA's meeting with the board - all the pros and cons.

Hats off to the club for trying something different and trying to improve the atmosphere.

Also hats off to Daz who, despite being against the idea, volunteered to liaise with the band in order to give them some indication of what those fans in favour actually want. Please let Daz have your [sensible suggestions.

As people have said, let's give it a go and review it after a few matches.

As long as the band don't play the same stuff the Leeds southstand band plays and stick to stuff relevant to our fans then I'm sure most people will accept them next week

just a quick one for 'bando', do you guys have a 'setlist' as such or are you pretty much versatile?
by that i mean if the fans sang a song would you guys be able to play along with the tune or would you have to learn it?

some bands just have certain tunes in their repertoire and play them constantly, i think thats what the worry is, that it'll be the same 5/6 tunes repeated ad nauseum.

Hi Meast,
The answer is a bit of both - If you guys are singing we should be able to join in (it might take a couple of attempts but we'll get there).
We also have a few staples which we can add to (or lose some of) and will happily take suggestions too. Things like Seven Nation Army, Great Escape, Pig Bag etc would, I guess, be part of the set list but you guys tell us what you want and we will get it sorted.
Cheers

i'm sure you know the 'tom hark' tune, there's a song most fans sing along to this when we play leeds



as for pigbag, i don't think we have a song to that tune,
would it be an idea to learn "can't help falling in love" as thats a pretty popular song amongst fartown fans.

Tom Hark we can most definitely do.
Cant Help Falling in Love we can sort something no probs.

Meast - join me in liasing with them and we can all work together, if anyone else wants to be involved in helping between the band and singers etc or have any ideas for songs/tunes...drop me a line !

I'd like oh when the Giants go marching in. Also when the singers start a barmy army the band could accompany with something to add to the chant. Big G would sometimes bang his drum in time, but I am sure some creative musician types could be more imaginative.

Oh FFS anything but Can't Help Falling in Love. Something with a bit of tempo. We're trying to create an atmosphere not kill it off. The Wheels On The Bus would be better.

I swear to god if I have to listen to that tuneless drivel during the game as well as before it I'm going to do something someone will regret. At least before a game I can drown it out with my MP3.

Something more modern would be better. Also not letting a small minority of fans decide what the band plays would be a better idea still. Engage some of the kids and younger end of the fanbase and the families find out what they want. Engage the wider community outside the fanbase, find out what songs are popular.

Or an even better idea would be finding out what the band can and cannot play and tailoring the singing to fit in with the band. That way everybody would know what they are supposed to be singing and when.

cant help falling in love does feel abit like that sometimes!

the song played is very slow

but not much we can do about that

Spot on Mad Jack.

I agree with that mad jack-I like can't help but the original version is a dirge- at least the ub40 version has a bit of lightness to it- and probably more suited to a band!
I'd stay away from "oh when the... Since it's saints song.
Chelsea dagger perhaps? How about a version of lana del Ray hit and run when theres a big tackle- could all sing hit and run oh oh oh bit, pilots oh oh oh it's magic when broughy does his stuff could sing oh oh oh it's magic, you know, never believe it's not so. Can speed the tempo up a bit. Queens don't stop me now....
I like the idea of seeing what the band can play and then tailoring it- we need our own songs and not use those of other RL clubs.

I like that as well Jools





CLAP:

i like the 'oh when the Giants go marching in' one, not exclusive to saints and we have sung it for a long time and everyone knows the words so it needs to be included.

One verse of Can't Help Falling in Love is OK. Anything more sends me to sleep.

Ok, the club have arranged for the band to be at Leeds tomorrow, i have been in contact with the band and they are more than happy to just play along with whatever the fans are singing rather than trying to start songs like at the FC game, hopefully this will suit the majority and improve the atmosphere amongst us. At the moment everything is trial and error so if anyone has any issues with anything please drop me a line and i will discuss it and pass points on to those it concerns.

still be a good idea if the band can start playing rather than waiting for a fan to start a chant...

has to be the right ones though!

we shall see how it works.

the club have arranged a band? is it not some giants fans that play in a band????

Nope, the club have put the band together, apparently they had had a request from someone to get one !.....they are Huddersfield people but not necessarily Giants fans, Having spoke to them though they seem very keen to please the fans and are not there for there own pleasure and it's their idea to join in with the fans rather than lead.

Just been reading through this thread, sounds like you've got the same issue's as we have in the South Stand.

Me personally, I like our Band.
There's no better place to be watching a Game of Rugby League [size=85*personal opinions may vary*[/size than in the South Stand when the Atmosphere is as good as it's been in recent years.
We already know the Atmosphere lifts the players and they feed off us so to speak.

But, as with everything in this world it isn't to everyone's taste and some people don't like it.

It's all about getting the right balance.

Another thing, the sound probably won't travel as well as if you we're in a Stand with a Roof tonight so don't be surprised if you can't here your Band.

Good Luck with it and safe journey across this evening.

duh duh duh duh Albert Torrens...

duh duh duh duh aaron murphy?

how do the fans think it went lastnight with the band?

took a while to get going but again was prob due to going 18-0 down!