How Much Noise Can You Make in 120 Minutes?

13012735_10100981597403064_3978970473763482495_nLast Saturday I attended a semi-pro soccer game in St. Louis with a few friends (and my friend’s son, pictured here with me). It was a beautiful night, and over 5,000 fans crowded into the small outdoor stadium to root for the home team.

The most impressive thing about the game, though, were the St. Louligans, a rowdy group of 100 or so people crowded into the far end of the bleachers. Without them, it would have been a pretty quiet night. But they created the noise of 10x their number…and they maintained it for the entire game, including halftime.

I’m in awe of their achievement and what they contributed to the stadium’s ambiance. How do they do it? I’m trying to think of the last time I made loud noises for more than even a few seconds…maybe the last time a rode a roller coaster 17 years ago?

What about you? Without getting too personal, what’s the last time you made loud noises for longer than a minute? Let’s see if anyone can top the 120 minutes by the St. Louligans.

082415znCheering

6 thoughts on “How Much Noise Can You Make in 120 Minutes?”

  1. I noticed there was a drum, and one thing I can remember is being in band, I’ve played band for a 3 ring amateur Circus, football, volleyball, and a live band always helps bring great ambiance to an event. It’s not just the instruments, A lot of times they are taking part in leading cheers for the crowd, doing shenanigans etc.

    Reply
    • That’s a great point, Sean–a lot of the noise was coming from instruments. Though I think they were constantly singing too, which was awesome!

      Reply
  2. I’m a member of the Barra Brava, one of the DC United supporter groups. Usually the cheers go in waves and there are usually (but not always) capos who lead the cheers. If they feel the energy start to fade, the capos change the cheer to a different one and the drums lend a cadence. Usually we end up hoarse at the end.

    Reply
    • Scott: Yeah, there were a few capos leading the cheers at the St. Louis game, and they were incredibly energetic. That’s awesome that you’re able to maintain that level of enthusiasm and noise!

      Reply
    • That’s awesome! I wonder if that happens at many European soccer (football) games. When I watch soccer highlights, it seems like the noise is pretty constant.

      Reply

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