Tulane Band "in That Number"

"When the Saints Go Marching In" is already in the repertoire for the Tulane University Marching Band. Good thing — because the band members will be playing the piece a lot on Tuesday (Feb. 9), when they join in the city's post-Super Bowl Saints parade in the central business district.

Tulane band director Barry Spanier and his musicians couldn't be happier to 'be in that number,' joining groups marching in the big event. The Tuesday parade will celebrate the first Saints appearance in the NFL championship game.

In an interview on Friday (Feb. 5), Spanier talked about the excitement of "being part of history" to join in the celebratory parade, which will feature bands, floats and many thousands of New Orleanians on the streets.

Spanier had already lined up buses for the band members for Tuesday's big day and decided on the songs the group will play, including what is always a crowd favorite, "The Saints."

The Tulane Marching Band is parade-tested. The group marches in about four Carnival parades each year. Their 2010 Mardi Gras debut was on Saturday (Feb. 6) at the Krewe of Olympia parade in Covington, La. Fans of the Tulane band can catch them during parades for Krewe D'Etat, on Friday (Feb. 12), Thoth on Sunday (Feb. 14) and Rex on Tuesday (Feb. 16).

But the Saints parade is a late addition to that schedule — and one that "will be a good recruiting opportunity" for future Tulane band members, Spanier said.

The band will perform its Mardi Gras repertoire on the uptown campus at 5:45 p.m. today (Feb. 8) on the steps of the Lavin-Bernick Center and will throw its special doubloons to the crowd.