Kansas State University - Royal Purple Yearbook (Manhattan, KS)

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Circle of Pride- The Pridettes put a little boot into their routine for the crowd at the soccer championships. Taking It To the Streets- Not only did the marching band perform at Wembley, they also took the rhythm of the heartland to the city routes of London, photos by David Von Riesen fans. The voice of the band announcer filled the stadium, momentarily quieting the crowd. The 27 minute show started with London Bridges Falling Down . Song after song, the music poured forth against the roar of the crowd. Over 3,000 Bobbies were in charge of security at the performance. Crowds surged towards the girls throwing sticks and the band in grape outfits . This attention was especially true at the opening of Hyde Park ' s summer series on May 11. Hewett said students were so popular at the Hyde Park concert that ieparture was delayed over an hour. Almost every band member was asked for an autograph or to pose for a family photo. K-State band albums sold well to the English concert-goers. The Jazz Ensemble gave three performances while in London. The first was at Oxford in the city auditorium. The other two were before sell-out crowds at Ronnie Scott ' s Jazz Club, a night club in London. Three encores were demanded from the second show audience, which consisted predominately of professional musicians. McAntee, Mike Johnston london 25

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Pack up, we ' re going to London Country Representatives- Phil Hewett exchanges greetings with the leader of the Royal Military Band before the two bands took the field at Wembley. Where Next?- Band members contemplate their next sightseeing spot. In addition to touring, members also spent free time napping, sending postcards and studying for finals. Bus Lag- Kathy Schmidt will testify that buses were a familiar second home to the traveling Kansans. The group spent fifteen hours in buses between Manhattan and Chicago ' s O ' Hare International airport. Group tours of London were executed by bus travel. 18 months of raising funds, the .outside of McCain Auditorium resembled a three-ring circus. On May 4, 1980 members of K-State ' s Marching Band gathered and shortly after midnight the 350-plus members departed for a 10- day concert tour of London, England. After long hours of bus travel and waiting during airport layovers, the members ' tired eyes widened as they boarded the British Airways 747 jet. Flying at 500 miles per hour over Greenland and the North Atlantic, it took eight hours of flight to reach London. Nevertheless, drink, dinner and a movie helped to pass the time. After 30 hours of travel, the Pride of Wildcat Land had finally reached London. The first real glimpse of London was seen from the busses, called coaches. Driving down the crowded streets, on what seemed like the wrong side of the road, the guide explained life in London. The lessons included: the hamburgers contain horse meat, pedestrians don ' t have the right of way and everyone takes baths instead of showers. Since this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the itinerary provided plenty of free time for sight-seeing. Scheduled tours included visiting Oxford University and Shakespeare ' s home. Band members were also encouraged to strike out on their own to see such sights as Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly Circus and London ' s tube, the subway. Even with the sightseeing, the band practiced their show everyday in an attempt to strive for perfection. After a breakfast of hard rolls, orange marmalade and tea, on May 10, the band headed for Wembley. Before a sellout crowd of over 100,000 and a television viewing audience of over 600 million, the K-State Marching Band stepped on the field at Wembley to perform for the 1980 World Cup Soccer Championship. This performance marked the first time women were allowed to step on the soccer field at Wembley. The soccer field seemed large and alien without the familiar football yard lines. The crowd noise steadily increased and reached fever pitch. Take a KU-K-State game in Ahearn Field House and magnify it about ten times and you can get an idea of the enthusiasm, Phil Hewitt, bandmaster, said. The field conductors ' whistles were almost useless against the noise of the 24 London

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