Sounds Like A Cult – The Cult of Marching Band

Podcast: Sounds Like A Cult
Hosts: Amanda Montell, Chelsea Charles
Episode: The Cult of Marching Band
Date: October 7, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Amanda Montel and Chelsea Charles interrogate the world of marching bands through their recurring cult lens: is this subculture just quirky, or is its intensity genuinely “culty?” The hosts break down the rituals, hierarchies, physical sacrifices, and alarming hazing traditions that have shaped marching band culture in America—from its military origins to modern competitions. Featuring deeply personal stories from lifelong band participant and educator Chelsea McFarland, the episode walks the line between humor and seriousness as it explores the wholesome and sinister sides of this American institution. By the end, the hosts place marching band on their spectrum of cultic influence and ask: Is it a healthy outlet for awkward misfits, or a breeding ground for abuse?

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Marching Band as Modern American Cult

• Marching bands embody intense discipline, uniformity, hierarchy, and ritual. These are classic cultish ingredients.
• Military origins influence everything from marching formations to the group’s strict social structure.
• Amanda: “Marching band is not as innocently dweebish as it seems.” (04:05)

2. The Emotional Pull and Personal Growth

• Band performances evoke powerful collective emotions and personal pride.
• Chelsea M. (guest): “It’s adrenaline... You put in so many hours of work for this moment.”
• There’s a sense of belonging and achievement—everyone plays, no “benchwarmers.” Success is shared. (20:38–21:09)

3. Diverse Marching Band Subcultures

• Regional differences: Southern “show style” bands (flashy, pop-culture routines, intense showmanship) vs. militaristic “core style” bands (strict, precise, and sometimes “scarier”).
• Cultural reference: The film Drumline reflects Southern show band culture, but not the militaristic type. (21:09–22:20)

4. Origins and History: Marching Bands as Militarized School Spirit

• Evolved from battlefield companions to school cornerstones—rituals of collective identity.
• The current culture is a blend of high school tradition, college athletics, and competitive circuits like Drum Corps International (DCI).
• Band culture offers “misfit kids” a home but also asks for total devotion. (10:36–12:45)

5. Culty Rituals, Hazing & Abuse

• Many traditions blur the line between community and coercion.
• Guest Chelsea M. recounts:
  • Serious Hazing: “A 50-year-old man got naked and gave me a lap dance on the bus.” (01:32–02:21, repeated at 23:38–24:51)
  • Other hazing included humiliating “rookie talents,” communal showers, and hyper-intimate living conditions during tours.
  • Tradition of secrecy and “family” encourages silence about abuse.
  • Amanda observes: “It does remind me of the experience of exploitative, predatory… teachers—there’s this level of worship and vulnerability.” (31:06)
• Abuse incidents: Reference to the 2018 George Hopkins scandal and subsequent code of conduct reforms. (33:14–34:10)

6. Power Dynamics & Barriers to Entry

• Directors and older members hold immense, sometimes unchecked, power, leading to intimidating and occasionally abusive hierarchies.
• “Pay to play” reality—fees can reach $5,000–$6,000, raising accessibility concerns.
• Financial and physical demands exclude many would-be participants. “You have to come from a really good background financially.” (36:14)

7. Intimate Living & Physical Sacrifice

• Injuries and body strain are common—participants joke about “badge of honor” blisters called “stigmata.”
• Tour life: Crowded buses, gym floors, and communal showers create closeness but also risk.
• “You’re used to being surrounded by so many other people... then you don’t do the activity and you have nobody around you anymore.” (27:58)

8. Insider Language, Rituals, and Symbols

• Songs, chants (“My name is Chelsea and you know what I got? ... I got a band that’s hotter than hot.”), beads for tenure, call-and-response traditions.
• Amanda: “It’s very churchy… makes you feel part of something bigger than yourself.” (45:00)

9. The “Watch Your Back” Factor

• Most harm happens at the highest competitive levels and in adult-led drum corps.
• Reforms post-2018 have improved transparency and reporting, but support for victims remains inconsistent.
• Hazing can go from “just cringe” (goofy chants, inside jokes) to outright dangerous (“beating rookies with tuba mouthpiece in a sock,” “diaper rituals”).
• “Physical violence. That’s an immediate cease and desist.” (58:02)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Marching band is not as innocently dweebish as it seems.”
  — Amanda Montel (04:05)

• “There’s no bench in marching band. Everybody is performing the entire time... You’re in it no matter what.”
  — Chelsea M., guest (20:49)

• “So this 50-year-old man got naked and gave me a lap dance on the bus.” — Chelsea M., guest (01:32 & 23:38)

• “It’s pay to play. You have to have the money in order to do it... It’s getting really difficult for people to do it.” — Chelsea M. (36:14)

• “We have fancy hats. We call them shakos.”
  — Chelsea M. (54:08)

• Chelsea on band’s positive side:
  “We’re the weirdos. We don’t really have another spot, but we get to be weird together... There’s so many positives: physical strength, commitment, teamwork, perseverance, attention to detail.” (49:30–50:59)

• Amanda’s cult spectrum verdict:
  “It does sound like it's getting better, but people don’t stop doing things just because they’re illegal. There’s still a precedent for this, and that is just so sad and spooky.” (65:47)

Key Segment Timestamps

• 01:32 — Opening anecdote: guest’s shocking hazing experience
• 04:05 — Introduction of “the cult” of marching band
• 10:36–12:45 — History and militaristic roots of marching band
• 18:31–27:00 — Interview: Chelsea M. on her life in band
• 23:38–24:51 — The naked lap dance hazing story repeated in detail
• 28:19–32:10 — Discussion: hazing, silencing, and the “family” dynamic
• 33:14 — George Hopkins scandal context
• 36:14 — Money/“pay to play” barrier
• 44:36–46:30 — Insider language, chanting, and rituals
• 47:03–49:00 — Handling abuse & calls for support
• 49:30–50:59 — The positive side: skills, friendship, community
• 54:05–56:00 — “Culty or just cringe?” listener stories game
• 59:39–63:44 — Most disturbing hazing stories; power dynamics analyzed
• 65:23–65:54 — Hosts rank Marching Band as “Watch Your Back” on cult scale

Episode Verdict: Is Marching Band a Cult?

Final Cult Category:

• "Watch Your Back"
  "There is so much room at having such a large gap in ages that participate in this drum corps. There's some room for some sus behavior to take place, for sure." — Chelsea Charles (65:23)

Episode Tone and Language

• Candid, humorous, skeptical, but sensitive to the real dangers involved.
• Hosts blend academic, “cult studies” perspective with personal and pop culture references.
• Listeners are invited to both laugh and reflect on the darker realities of cult-like structures in seemingly harmless institutions.

Summary At-a-Glance

• Marching band provides belonging, discipline, and emotional highs, but harbors disturbing traditions and abuses, especially at elite or competitive levels.
• Culty elements: Unquestioned hierarchy, ritualized secrecy, isolating dedication, financial/physical barriers, and persistent hazing.
• Progress: Recent reforms and reports of improved transparency and accountability; still, much work left to ensure safety and inclusivity.
• Hosts’ recommendation: Enjoy the best parts ("live your life") but watch your back for the culty pitfalls.

For more information, listener stories, and resources on cultish influence in everyday groups, follow the show on Instagram @soundslikeacultpod or support them on Patreon for ad-free episodes.