Memphis' band filled in for Colgate and made playing the cymbals into an artform

The Baylor Bears are playing the Colgate Raiders on Friday for a chance to advance to the round of 32 during the NCAA tournament. Still, all anyone can talk about is the Colgate band cymbal player because the guy is playing the cymbals like the rent is due.

The best parts of March Madness are the games that make absolutely no sense, the things you didn’t see coming and the instant memes that will live on forever. But something not enough people are talking about is what’s happening in the stands, including a totally-feeling-it cymbal player.

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During a matchup on Friday with the Baylor Bears, cameras were rolling when they captured footage of the Colgate band —which was actually the Memphis band filling in because Colgate’s women’s hockey team was playing in the Frozen Four, and the band could only be in place at a time — playing a song for those in attendance. That’s when a pan to the left showed a cymbal player totally nailing how instruments are meant to be played — with a lot of soul and a bunch of confidence.

The Colgate cymbalist is getting after it pic.twitter.com/cpwHbzPl93

— CBS Sports College Basketball (@CBSSportsCBB) March 22, 2024

His performance quickly made the rounds on social media, and fans loved it. Here’s what they said:

Look, if you’re playing crash cymbals in pep band, you gotta make it look flashy. I don’t make the rules.

Honestly, he’s probably just happy he’s not holding the cymbals for the snare line in the stands at a football game. https://t.co/kGaR4bV5Zi

— Sickos Committee (@SickosCommittee) March 22, 2024

Must protect this man and his cymbals at all costs pic.twitter.com/peJEO5W26N

— The College Basketball Stories Podcast (@theCBBstories) March 22, 2024

More exciting than anything that happened in the first half of FAU-Northwestern https://t.co/w72wMmArh4

— Cameron Songer (@CameronSonger) March 22, 2024

Alright Colgate cymbal player, I see you.

— LexieSmith (@64mascots) March 22, 2024

Feature image courtesy of CBS.

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