Honda Battle of the Bands 2011 Set to Rock Atlanta

More than 60,000 fans will flock through the gates of Atlanta’s Georgia Dome on January 29th, 2011 to witness the 9th annual Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase, an unparalleled performance and celebration of the nation’s elite marching bands. Renowned Hip-Hop performer and actor “Bow Wow” will join more than 1,800 student musicians and one of Atlanta’s best amateur vocalists to celebrate the music and creativity found at America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).



The Invitational Showcase Line-Up

For the highly anticipated 2011 showdown, the curtain will go up promptly at 3:00 p.m. EST. The bill includes a special guest performance by “Bow Wow,” along with crowd-pleasing routines by the nation’s top eight elite black college marching bands. Georgia’s own Albany State University will open the show and lead this year’s “great eight” performances in the following order:

1. Albany State University “Marching Rams Show Band”
2. Tennessee State University “Aristocrat of Bands”
3. Virginia State University “Trojan Explosion Marching Band”
4. Clark Atlanta University “Mighty Marching Panthers”
5. Jackson State University “The Sonic Boom of the South”
6. Winston-Salem State University “Red Sea of Sound”
7. South Carolina State University “Marching 101”
8. Bethune Cookman University “Marching Wildcats”



Grants, Internships, and More

The Honda Battle of the Bands program not only provides a platform to shine a rare spotlight on the pageantry, pride and showmanship of HBCU music and culture, but it also is the only national music scholarship program of its kind. For the 2011 program, 45 HBCU marching bands participated in the pre-qualifying “Celebration Tour,” and received $1,000 grants for their music programs. An additional $20,000 will be awarded to the eight institutions selected to participate in this month’s Invitational Showcase.

In addition to the distribution of grant monies, the program also includes internship opportunities through the Fox Music Experience, and an HBCU Recruitment Fair will expose future college students to all HBCUs have to offer. The Fox Music Experience, now in its fourth year, provides one HBOB Invitational Showcase student-musician the opportunity to spend a few weeks during the summer months as an intern at Twentieth Century Fox studios in Los Angeles, learning film and television music production first-hand. The Honda Battle of the Bands HBCU Recruitment Fair, now in its sixth year, gives young people the opportunity to meet with marching band and admissions recruiters to discuss admissions requirements and scholarship opportunities.

Group and individual tickets for the show are still available, but moving quickly. They can be purchased at the Georgia Dome Box Office, via www.Ticketmaster.com or www.HondaBattleoftheBands.com for just $10 and $12.



For more information on the Invitational Showcase, Fox Music Experience summer internship program and HBCU Recruitment Fair, photos, press materials and video footage visit www.HondaBattleoftheBands.com, the official online destination and clearinghouse for all HBOB information.

Hip-Hop Icon “Bow Wow” to Perform

Hip-Hop artist and actor “Bow Wow” will be on hand as the special guest performer this year. The Columbus, Ohio native is best known for his musical lineage, taking his stage name from his mentor, fellow rapper-actor “Snoop Dog,” Bow Wow’s film credits include The Fast & the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Lottery Ticket. He is also noted for his cameo appearances in the critically-acclaimed television series, “Smallville,” “Ugly Betty,” “Entourage” and others.



Amateur Vocalists Welcomed To Audition for National Anthem

The Honda Battle of the Bands national anthem will be performed by a talented local vocalist selected once through a promotional radio “sing-off.” WVEE-FM, or “V-103,” Atlanta’s top-ranked urban radio station, is partnering with the Honda Battle of the Bands once again to invite listeners 16 years of age or older to demonstrate their vocal skills for a once–in-a-lifetime opportunity to open the 2011 Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase. This year, three finalists will be selected by a panel of judges at the open audition on Saturday, January 8th, 2011 at the Mall at Stonecrest in Lithonia, Georgia. Music fans can then log on to the station's web site and vote for their favorite rendition of the national anthem. The winner will be announced on-air on January 21st, 2011, and he or she will command the spotlight to open the showcase on January 29th.

Peach State Pig Skin Preview

It’s that time again, between spring training ending and just before fall practice begins, when you get those old pre-season jitters with anticipations of your team winning it all this year. Thanks to the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in Macon, and to all the college head football coaches and their players who attended the Pig Skin Preview media event last week, here’s a few hints, stats and innuendoes which might help you determine how your team will actually perform this fall.

Savannah State University seems to change head coach’s more often than most teams change quarterbacks. Interim Head Coach Julius Dixon will direct the team this fall after a 2-8 season last year. Even though the Tigers are returning eight offensive and seven defensive starters things won’t get much better this year. They begin the season by traveling to Statesboro on September 4 to face GA Southern, and things won’t get any better after that. The team could be hard pressed to match last year’s record.

Fort Valley State University, last year under second year Head Coach Donald Pittman, the Wildcats finished number one in total offense and third in total defense within the SIAC, and with most of last year’s team in tact, will probably win their conference and advance to the NCAA Division II Playoffs. It all starts on August 28 when they travel to Miles College.

Clark Atlanta University Panthers are scheduled for the Gateway Classic in St. Louis, Missouri facing the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions on September 25, 2010.

Clark Atlanta University Head Coach Daryl McNeill said, “Starting strong and finishing strong is not just a goal for each game, it’s the goal for the season and will commence with our first game.” They’ll attempt to resurrect their program on August 28 when they travel to Jackson TN to take on Lane College.

Albany State University continues to be guided by Head Coach Mike White in his 10th season with the Golden Rams. Coach White has led his team to appearances in the NCAA Division II Championships in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. With 14 starters returning on offense and defense, he may be poised to win the SIAC again this fall. The team begins play on August 27 versus Chowan University in Murfreesboro, NC.

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HONDA Battle of the Bands announces Winners

Three months ago, 45 marching bands from the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) began the journey down the “Road to the Honda,” all competing for a spot in the 2010 Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) Invitational Showcase. Out of 45 competing marching bands from the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), eight have been chosen to perform in January at the 2010 Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) Invitational Showcase.




Representing varied music and performance styles ranging from precision to high-stepping, the eight headlining bands are:

• Albany State University “Marching Rams” (Albany, Georgia)

• Clark Atlanta University “Mighty Marching Panthers” (Atlanta, Georgia)

• Florida A&M University “Marching 100” (Tallahassee, Florida)

• North Carolina Central University “Marching Sound Machine” (Durham, North Carolina)

• Prairie View A&M University “Marching Storm” (Prairie View, Texas)

• Southern University “Human Jukebox Marching Band” (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)

• Tuskegee University “Marching Crimson Pipers” (Tuskegee, Alabama)

• Virginia State University “Trojan Explosion Marching Band” (Petersburg, Virginia)






On January 30, 2010, the bands will perform for a crowd of 60,000 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta and prove why they are the best of the best. Marking its eighth year, the Honda Battle of the Bands is the only national scholarship program that showcases an important facet of HBCU heritage and culture – music education.

The eight winning band programs chosen to participate in this year’s Invitational Showcase will be awarded $20,000 by American Honda for their music programs in addition to the $1,000 grant they received for participation in the pre-qualifying fall campus event tour. Through this program Honda is awarding a total of $205,000 in scholarships to HBCU music programs for the 2009-10 academic year, and since the beginning of the program, has awarded grants in excess of $1 million.