Meet The Band

About Van Hayden Band

Van Hayden is a Hayden Fry and Van Halen tribute band. The band's mission is to enhance the Iowa Hawkeye tailgating experience through Van Halen’s music and Hayden Fry’s legacy. To accomplish this, the band performs rock music out of a custom converted ambulance, lovingly known as "The Vanbulance." The band drives their mobile stage around Kinnick Stadium for select Iowa Hawkeye football games entertaining fans at tailgates by performing songs from the Van Halen catalog. The band also performs at community events, private parties, and has even marched in an Iowa Homecoming parade.

Van Hayden is made up of 5 members, all with strong ties to The University of Iowa. The band's costumes pay homage to the late, great, former Iowa Hawkeye football coach Hayden Fry. The music performed is from the Van Halen song catalog. Each song has been modified with a twist where the lyrics are changed to share the band's love for Iowa Hawkeye sports teams. Check out their song, "Iowa," which is a parody of Van Halen's "Panama." Another song, Punt!", is inspired by Van Halen's "Jump!" Their parody of the song "Oh, Pretty Woman" is dedicated to the former Iowa Women's Basketball star, Caitlin Clark.

Van Hayden Origin Story

We have been tailgating at Iowa Hawkeye football games alongside our childhood friends for the past 40+ years at various places up and down Melrose Avenue. We have seen the Magic Bus come and go, as well as many other amazing tailgates we have attended all around Kinnick Stadium. However, today we'd like to tell you about one tailgate in particular ...

Back in the 1980s, there was a tailgate on Melrose Avenue a little further down from our typical pre-game spot. At this tailgate, a guy would stand on a cooler and read aloud a poem before the kickoff of each Iowa Hawkeye football game. The Poem was performed by the "Hawkeye Poet", Carl Schwendinger. His rhyming verses were filled with funny jokes along with a good natured teasing about the current state of the Iowa football program. There was always a little dig at the opposing team, but what was great to us was that the Poem was always family friendly and positive. In those earlier days of Iowa football games, you would walk along Melrose and see a sign posted on a tree displaying the time of the reading of The Poem. These were the days before YouTube and social media. You only had one chance to see it performed, otherwise, you'd have to wait until the next game.

As the "Hawkeye Poet" would begin to speak, the large crowd that gathered around would instantly fall to a hush to listen closely. The crowd would lean in, then roar at key moments as he delivered the frenzied reading. In our memory, there was always the final stanza of the Poem that would get everyone excited for the game, and then the crowd would disperse. Hawkeye fans would walk away with a huge smile as they streamed into Kinnick Stadium. Clearly, The Poem left a huge impression on us from our childhood and we wanted to provide a similar experience. That is why every Van Hayden performance excites fans, gives them a positive pre-game experience, and puts a smile on their faces as they head into the game.

What is Our Inspiration?

In recent years, we have had close friends experience life threatening illnesses such as cancer. These life changing events have given us perspective and have helped us realize that everyone needs to live life to the fullest. As Van Halen says in the song Feelin’ ...

"Grow it long, shave it off.
Life is hard, never soft.
I need a change, I need it quick,
before it makes me sick."

So, with our friends getting sick, we have decided to bring awareness to as many Hawkeye fans as we can. Before performances, we request that if the crowd knows Van Halen and recognize Hayden Fry as one of the best and most memorable coaches of all time, then the time is Right Now to schedule health check ups, such as a colonoscopy and prostate exam, so we all can keep on Dancing in the Streets!!

For media inquiries and booking information, Van Hayden can be reached by e-mail at VanHaydenBand@gmail.com