Each year, when the Cyclone and the Hawkeye football teams retreat to the locker room at halftime, the Iowa State and Iowa bands take the playing field for a little friendly competition.

This isn’t an unusual tradition for the opposing teams to have both bands perform at a game, says Matthew Smith, lecturer in music and associate band director. Smith says the dual performance sets up many possibilities for the halftime show.

“We can each do our own show or we can combine the bands for one performance, like we did last year,” Smith says.

Smith says it is without question that both directors want their band at this particular game.

“It brings the bands and the fans together,” he says. “It’s a chance to show the spirit of both bands for the school.”

Kevin Kastens, Iowa band director, agrees the bands aren’t in competition against each other, but are there to entertain. “The only competition is the amount of pride displayed by both of the band’s members,” Kastens said in an e-mail.

Another tradition the band has for the Iowa State-Iowa game is the “Sousa Bowl.” While the football teams prep for one of the biggest games of the season, the band is gearing up for their own, says Adam Kempers, senior in aerospace engineering and ISU drum major. The bands play a football game of their own on the marching band practice field.

Sousaphone players are eligible to play in the Sousa Bowl on Friday before the game. The sousaphones leave early Friday to arrive in the city where the game is being held, in time to warm up and play in the Sousa Bowl, while the rest of the band comes Saturday morning.

“It’s just for bragging rights and I don’t think our team has won in years,” Kempers says.

Kempers says having both bands perform during halftime adds to the intensity of the practices and the performance.

“We make sure we always have a good technical and difficult routine for this game, since another band will be there and will recognize it,” Kempers says. “It adds to the intensity and to the heart we put into playing.”

Smith says each year, the halftime performances have been great. “The state of Iowa is very fortunate to have Iowa State and the University of Iowa with such strong bands and schools. It’s just a great thing for the fans,” Smith says.