While the Huskies are duking it out with their opponents, Allison Betsold’s primary focus is selecting from the 80 songs the pep band has in its repertoire and figuring out which one will match the mood of the crowd.
Any Northeastern hockey fan knows “Stacy’s Mom” by Fountains of Wayne fires up the crowd.
But not everyone knows that “Jungle Boogie” by Kool and the Gang is the pep band’s go-to to help the crowd release tension when things aren’t looking good for the Huskies.
This has been the approach Allison Betsold has taken in the seven years she’s led Northeastern’s pep band as the university’s artist-in-residence, directing both the concert and pep bands.
Under her direction, the pep band has guided the Huskies through record-breaking wins and a huge growth in popularity.
While the Huskies are duking it out with their opponents, Betsold’s primary focus is selecting from the 80 songs the pep band has in its repertoire and figuring out which one will match the mood of the crowd.
“If Northeastern is getting beaten significantly, I probably am not going to play hype songs like ‘Shipping Up to Boston,’” she said. “(In) ‘Jungle Boogie,’ the band plays their first note and they all scream. So if we’re getting beat, I might call that one (because) (the band and crowd) get to scream and it’s cathartic. But if the momentum is there and we’re scoring or playing well, I will pull up some more exciting songs to keep the atmosphere tense.”
Betsold takes the same approach in each of the 35 games the pep band plays every semester, which includes matches for the volleyball team, the men’s and women’s hockey teams, and the men’s and women’s basketball teams.
The 154-member pep band adds new songs each year that members mostly practice in the fall. This year’s additions include Chappell Roan and some early 2000s punk songs that are making an appearance like “Dear Maria, Count Me In,” by All Time Low.
“My favorite song in the book right now is ‘That’s What I Want’ by Lil Nas X,” Betsold added. “I think we sound so good on that song and I don’t think any of the other schools have it in their book.”
Betsold came to Northeastern in 2016, fresh out of grad school, where she led the volleyball band at the University of Kansas. Having grown up in Massachusetts, she not only wanted to be back in her home state, but wanted to keep leading athletic bands.
“I completely fell in love with the idea of pep bands in particular,” she said. “I love the art of sport and I love the art of competition and I love that I can fuse my love of music with my love of sport. It’s the epitome of a dream job.”
Before coming to Northeastern, Betsold primarily counted herself as a football and basketball fan. The first time she watched hockey was on the first day she ever directed Northeastern’s pep band. From there, she fell in love with the sport.
Beanpot season is now Betsold’s favorite part of the year. Since 2016, she’s watched the women’s team grow in popularity to the point where it is now nearly selling out games and saw the men’s team break a 30-year losing streak in 2018.
“I love that these teams are finally getting the recognition and respect they deserve,” she said. “Anytime we go to TD Garden … feels really special and a privilege. It’s always a treat. I never take that for granted.”