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LAS VEGAS, Nev. 鈥� Some jobs are all about the perks.

Exhibit one was courtside at UNLV鈥檚 Thomas & Mack Center on Wednesday, playing its assigned role in the University of New Mexico men鈥檚 basketball team鈥檚 82-56 victory over Air Force in round one of the Mountain West tournament.

Soundpack, UNM鈥檚 lively and remarkably diverse pep band, was up to its usual pro-Lobo antics, breaking out newspaper pages while Falcon players were introduced, chanting, clapping and, of course, cranking out the music.

The work doesn鈥檛 do much for the musicians鈥� bank accounts. Compensation is $25 per game.

But Geoff Harman, UNM鈥檚 director of bands, says playing for Soundpack is not about the money.

鈥淚t comes down to a love of the institution,鈥� Harman said. 鈥淵ou have to love UNM, support the Lobos and have a passion for music. Those are the basic qualifications.鈥�

Catherine Forman, who plays piccolo for Soundpack, agreed.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a labor of love,鈥� she said, 鈥渁nd it鈥檚 a lot of fun. I鈥檓 having a blast.鈥�

Forman illustrates the the band鈥檚 diverse lineup. She鈥檚 a 65-year-old from Delaware who graduated from William & Mary and moved to sa国际传媒官网网页入口 as an adult. She became a 鈥渉uge鈥� Lobo fan. Getting involved with the university鈥檚 bands came later.

鈥淚 was always in band growing up,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 hadn鈥檛 played in a long time, but when I decided to go to grad school, my sister bounced the idea off me to join the band. It turned out to be a great idea.鈥�

Forman played in UNM鈥檚 marching and symphonic bands before settling into Soundpack. She laughed when asked about the group鈥檚 unusual makeup.

鈥淚 could be a grandma to some of these kids,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y son (Skylar) is 22, so it鈥檚 kind of interesting playing with this group, getting different perspectives. I love it.鈥�

Harlie Williams鈥� path to Soundpack was a bit more traditional. A tenor saxophone player from sa国际传媒官网网页入口, Williams looked into joining the pep band after graduating from Sandia High School. It鈥檚 her first experience with a travel band.

鈥淚t鈥檚 like being in a little family and I鈥檓 really, really enjoying it,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淲e have a bunch of different people, different age groups and we bring the spirit.鈥�

Soundpack is fully funded and covers musicians鈥� travel expenses, including to the Mountain West tournament. So, as one might expect, the band has extra incentive to root the Lobos on this week.

鈥淔ingers crossed they take it all the way,鈥� trumpet player Zach Begay said. 鈥淲e look forward to this tournament just like the players. All we bring is love for UNM, so we want to stay here as long as possible.鈥�

Begay, who is from Gallup and graduated from Los Lunas High School, doesn鈥檛 currently have direct UNM ties. He attends CNM but is looking to move into UNM鈥檚 journalism department at some point. Soundpack is his first official school band.

鈥淚 wanted to join in high school, but I was too nervous,鈥� he said. 鈥淎 friend gave me some lessons so I could actually hit the notes and helped talk me into trying this out. It鈥檚 turned out to be a great support system.鈥�

Harman, a Pennsylvania native who has been UNM鈥檚 director of bands for two years, said he didn鈥檛 necessarily know where his doctorate in music education would take him. Soundpack, he said, has been an enjoyable experience.

鈥淚 was attracted to New Mexico because there鈥檚 so much passion for the university and the Lobos,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ith this group, I just try to bring the excitement. They always bring it right back at me.鈥�

Soundpack put in a longer Wednesday than the basketball team it supports. The band performed at an outdoor pep rally on the Las Vegas Strip and lined up to play the school fight song as roughly 300 UNM fans turned out for a sendoff outside the Lobos鈥� hotel.

When the band arrived at the Thomas & Mack Center, the musicians happily filed into their designated box just under the arena鈥檚 south basket. Forman smiled when asked if tournament games feel different from regular-season contests at the Pit.

鈥淵es,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e get better seats.鈥�