The sound of the Campanile. The smell of burgers on the grill. The swarm of red and blue. The cheering of the fans when pre-game begins.
The Drumline.
They walk out onto the field in a perfect two line formation performing their cadence. They count off eight beats as a cue for the other couple hundred marching musicians to begin their run down the steps of Memorial Stadium, and like clockwork gives me chills every time.
As a former band member I remember it was as if the most important thing in the world was to focus on running as fast as I physically could down each and every one of those awkwardly shallow steps without missing a beat, no pun intended. And I played the lightest, smallest instrument of them all.
The Marching Jayhawks have been one of the biggest and most popular traditions at KU since the early 1900’s. They give fans energy, entertainment, and a reason to keep up hope when the game isn’t going our way.
I have been photographing the band for the last three years and it’s always a rush to watch them run down those stairs and put a smile on the fans’ faces. This game they performed ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ at halftime and the student section loved it. They sang along and went crazy after the last note was played, giving band members high fives as they headed back to the stands.
It’s a privilege to shoot for them and being able to return to the field, especially after graduating. I hope you enjoy these handful of photos from Saturday’s game- I also decided to have some fun with a few and added in headline-like typography. Like them a lot? Scroll to the bottom to post and share away!
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