My Davidson | A Student Blog Pep Band Vibes Lend to Game-Day Hype
July 8, 2026
No marching, no pressure, all vibes.
Learn how the Davidson College Pep Band invites students (and even non-musicians!) to fuel the campus game-day energy.
About the Author
Sienna Lawrence '28 (she/her/hers) is a Film, Media, & Digital Studies and English Major from Kernersville, NC.
“On campus you can typically find me with a camera shooting events for the College Communications team or for my own personal projects. An exciting hobby of mine is street photography, something on full display in this blog about my experience studying abroad.”
Coming to Davidson, I wasn’t sure what my place in music would look like. In high school, I was part of a highly competitive marching band. It was intense, with long rehearsals, constant pressure to improve and a huge group where you had to fight a little to stand out. I loved it, but it was a big part of my identity, and I didn’t know what would replace that in college. Then I found the Pep Band.
First of all, there is no marching: no drills, no memorizing sets, no standing in the heat for hours. Instead, Pep Band is all about bringing energy to some of the most exciting basketball games on campus. Playing in the stands, surrounded by a packed student section, you can feel how much the energy matters. You’re not just watching the game. You’re helping create the atmosphere. Every big play feels bigger when you’re part of the sound behind it.
One of my favorite experiences so far has been traveling with the band to the A10 tournaments. Not only were these incredible experiences to support the team on a bigger stage, but they were also free trips with some of the most fun people I’ve met at Davidson. It’s one of those opportunities you don’t expect when you join a college ensemble. Instead of a massive ensemble, it’s a smaller group where everyone knows each other. You’re not just another instrument; you’re part of a tight-knit group that genuinely enjoys spending time together.
And, maybe most importantly, Pep Band is perfect for people who don’t quite fit into traditional music spaces. If you’re not an orchestra person, not in a jazz band, or not majoring in music, it can feel like there isn’t really a place for you on campus to keep playing. Pep Band fills that gap. It’s low-pressure, welcoming, and focused on fun rather than perfection. You still get to perform and be part of something musical, just without the intensity that can sometimes come with more formal ensembles. You don’t even have to play an instrument to join. We have triangle, tambourine and cowbell players that bang along to the beat; even upside-down buckets as make-shift drums. Even if you think you play a non-traditional pep band instrument, we encourage violins, bass guitarists and pianists to join, too.
So if you’re coming to Davidson and wondering where you might fit in, especially if you have a musical background but aren’t sure what to do with it, Pep Band might be exactly what you’re looking for.
About the Author
Dylan Swick '28 (he/him/his) is a Political Science Major from Tampa, FL.
“I am a sophomore at Davidson and a drummer in the Pep Band. I’m also highly involved in the Davidson College Symphony Orchestra, Davidson College Democrats and local politics.”
Pep Band can definitely be pretty fun. I think my favorite thing to play is the fight song, which always gets us and everyone around us hyped up. The vibes are great, especially at the beginning of the game, where we, in essence, get to kick off the festivities to come. With the lights flashing, the team running out, and the fans cheering, it makes for an epic moment.
Every game is a little different, and that’s the fun of Pep Band. You never know what to expect, and you always get to be a part of it. From comebacks to decisive wins, you’re always there, able to match the mood.
It’s best when the crowd is huge. When the swim team does their yearly ritual of coming to the game, standing in the front row, and making a ruckus for the other team, the energy is infectious. We complement them perfectly, and we even get to be a part of the action. For instance, in freshman year, I got to do ridiculous things like wear a bucket on my head while the other team took free throws.
My favorite part is the A-10 tournament. At the end of each basketball season, we get to travel to another city for free, like Pittsburgh or Washington, D.C. We get to travel around the city, experience the sights and bond with the other Peppers. The coolest part, however, is playing the games. There’s something official-feeling about it, something that feels grandiose. The stakes are huge, and you can’t help but be excited.
Ultimately, if I had one word to describe Pep Band, it would be “vibes.” The excitement at the beginning of a game, the commotion of the crowd, the grandeur of the high-stakes tournaments. That’s the part that makes it fun.
