Capturing the UMass Minuteman Marching Band’s Halftime Show at Gillette Stadium

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Trombone players perform at halftime at Gillette Stadium, Photo: Grace Chai

When people think of fall, they typically think of pumpkin spice lattes, autumn leaves, and Halloween movies. When I picture fall though, one thing immediately comes to mind: the UMass Minuteman Marching Band (UMMB). For me, colder weather reminds me of football and nights spent under the lights of the field to the sound of a metronome, marching through Southwest early on Saturday mornings, and the thrill of playing in front of devoted fans at the end of a game.

I’ve gotten to do a lot of cool things because of band: I’ve traveled all over the state to perform at parades and showcases, played at Fenway Park and TD Garden, and marched in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. You’d think I’ve done it all. 

Little did I know that the surprise gig on September 7th would be another milestone for me and the UMass Minuteman Marching Band, when we found out we’d be performing at the Patriots’ halftime show at Gillette Stadium just two weeks after band camp.

Before the game

The day of the game, I woke up to get ready a little later than usual since the call time had been pushed back due to a storm that delayed the game by two hours the night before. After sleepily greeting my roommate, we pulled up to the Dunkin down the street to pick up some much-needed caffeine. By 9:15 a.m., I walked into the administrative staff office, clutching my iced caramel latte and hoping it would hold me over until the end of the day. 

Thankfully, after a quick meeting, the caffeine kicked in and so did the excitement — you could feel the energy buzzing as we geared up to perform at Gillette.

Warming up

Once we were a few minutes away from Gillette, the band director, Dr. Anderson, pointed out the stadium peeking out from the overcast sky and I felt a thrill pass through my body. I had never been to an NFL game before, so this was a novel experience for me. We got off the bus in full uniform and UMass ponchos to protect the uniforms from the rain. We have a saying in the UMass marching band: “It never rains on the UMMB!” which is always ironic because it always seems to rain on our biggest performances. It does make for a great story afterwards though! 

Drum major Nicole Ramirez conducts the wind warm up before the UMass Marching Band takes the field at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 7, Photo: Grace Chai

Thankfully for me as a photographer, it wasn’t raining so hard that I couldn’t take photos. I stuck my camera through a trash bag with a hole cut in it so the body of the camera was protected, covering my lens when I wasn’t taking pictures. 

There was a lot of waiting, but I managed to weave between all the people and take photos as people were waiting. Something I learned as a photographer is that sometimes the best photos come at what I call the “in-between” times: when the actual action isn’t happening, but when people are interacting with each other in a way that you just can’t stage. 

A pit member poses with Pat Patriot before the band’s halftime performance, Photo: Grace Chai

Before I knew it, we were lined up so close to the field that I could see the massive Jumbotron with the players on the field. 

I was shoulder-to-shoulder with other members of the media as a student which felt surreal. 

Soon, we were running on the field and I witnessed the entire band streaming past me. After they passed, I booked it across the field. 

Members of the marching band strike a pose at the beginning of the Rihanna medley at halftime, Photo: Grace Chai

Halftime performance

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Members of the band’s front ensemble perform Rihanna at Gillette Stadium, Photo: Grace Chai

Sometimes people ask me what goes through my mind when I take photos, especially when you’re photographing something as fast-paced as a 350-person marching band with winds, percussion and colorguard. I won’t lie; it’s difficult to click the shutter at just the right moment, and oftentimes I miss the moment. I usually go off instinct and also practice from having been in the position of the performer: I try to zoom in on a person at the zenith of a huge musical or visual moment and I just commit. I also take as many photos as possible. For this particular gig, I was trying my best to take as many photos as possible while praying that my zoom lens wouldn’t be damaged. It was hard but worth it.

Left photo: The process of taking the photo of Rachel Morina! Right photo: The result: Drum Major Rachel Morina conducts “Rihanna Medley” at Gillette Stadium

Post game reflections

I’ve had a lot of opportunities because of marching band, and being a representative of something bigger than myself and being the person who documents the event is a privilege.

This event was also a historic moment for the band. It was the first time since 2018 that the marching band had performed at a Patriots Game, and to stand on the field where professionals play was epic.

Members of the UMass Dance Team embrace after an electric performance at Gillette, Photo: Grace Chai