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ANAHEIM, Calif. — The ebullient thrum of staccato snares, thumping sousaphones, and tramping shoes all acting in unison filled the gray morning air in the parking lot outside Angel Stadium recently.

When the band made a switch to another formation the sousaphones spelled out “Smile.”

There’s the sousaphone player from Ohio State who dots the ‘i’ in the marching band’s famed pregame routine.

The sound system had clearly been set up in haste: Brent “Bass Heavy Slim” Gossett’s sousaphone, massive as it was, was usually lost in the mix, and Bell’s vocals were often muddy.

The two were trying to find the spot where the sousaphone would throw off the most shadow.