This week in Georgia HBCU Football

Macon, Georgia -- The SIAC race has come down to the end. Albany State controls their own destiny. The Rams can represent the SIAC East with wins vs. Benedict and FVSU in the final 2 games. Morehouse is in good position if they win the 2 remaining games and Albany State loses one of the 2 remaining games.

Morehouse Tigers - As you all know the Maroon Tigers have been my pick since the beginning. The Tigers won on homecoming in a come from behind win 37-31 last saturday vs. Benedict. RB David Carter turned in 111 yards and the game winning touchdown. The Maroon Tigers are in the mix, but are in a peculiar position as they no longer control their own destiny. Morehouse is such a quality team that I still believe even if they don't get into the conference championship game a Division II playoff game is in store. A worst Morehouse is looking at a Pioneer Bowl bid, and they have had a very good season.

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Fort Valley State vs. Stillman College - 2011 Pregame Battle

SIAC Battle Of The Bands Week 5

The CAU Mighty Marching Panthers face off against the Morehouse Machine Marching Band

SIAC Battle Of Bands Week 4 - FVSU vs. BC

2011 Honda Battle of the Band Performances

Eight HBCU Bands, Bow Wow Perform at 9th Annual Honda Battle of the Bands

Atlanta, Ga. - The ninth annual Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase delivered on its promise to bring the ultimate party with a purpose to the people, offering a little something for everyone – from “Hip-Hop’s very own “Bow Wow” in live performance, to spirited marching band renditions of the latest chart-topping soul, R&B and Hip-Hop hits. Atlanta’s WVEE Radio evening drive-time host, Ryan Cameron, introduced the bands, while “Bow Wow” treated fans to a special performance of “Ain’t Thinkin’ ‘Bout You,” from his new album, Underrated.

2011 Invitational Showcase, themed “Hollywood Lights,” featured a mass band performance medley of music in film, as nearly 60,000 HBCU friends, fans, students and alumni from all parts of the country made their annual pilgrimage to support their favorite bands.


Videographer: MarchingsportHD

This year’s Showcase bands included: Albany State University, Bethune Cookman University, Clark Atlanta University, Jackson State University, South Carolina State University, Tennessee State University, Virginia State University and Winston-Salem State University.


Videographer: Ram2010Pride

The Honda Battle of the Bands not only showcases the pageantry and showmanship of HBCU bands, but also and more importantly, acts as the nation’s only HBCU music scholarship program of its kind. The eight bands selected to participate in the Invitational Showcase were awarded $20,000 each for their music scholarship programs, plus an additional $1,000 grant for their participation in the Celebration Tour, the Honda Battle of the Bands’ pre-qualifying event. In all, a total of $205,000 in scholarship money was given to HBCU music programs this year.













Credits:
1. Bethune-Cookman University, Videographer: MarchingsportsHD
2. Jackson State University, Videographer: MarchingsportsHD
2b.Jackson State University, Videographer; Jarquavius101
3. South Carolina State University, Videographer: MarchingsportsHD
4. Tennessee State University, Videographer: doublea198505
5. Albany State University (Ga.), Videographer: JGASU08
6. Winston Salem State University, Videographer; doublea198505
7. Clark-Atlanta University, Videographer; doublea198505
8. Virginia State University, Videographer; doublea 198505
9. Mass Band Closing, Videographer; SoSouthernTV
10.Intro...Honda Battle Of The Bands 2011 featuring DJ Baby Yu, Ryan Cameron & Bow Wow; Videographer: djbabyyu

RELATED LINK: The 9th Annual Honda Battle of the Bands

Honda Battle of the Bands 2011 Set to Rock Atlanta

BATTLE OF THE BANDS: Marching 101 to compete Jan. 29 in Atlanta

South Carolina State University's Marching 101 has joined the ranks of the top eight Historically Black College and University marching bands selected to perform at the 2011 Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase.

Other bands participating in the showcase, set for Jan. 29 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, are Virginia State University's Marching Trojan Explosion, Albany State University's Marching Rams Show Band, Jackson State University's Sonic Boom of the South, Bethune Cookman University's Marching Wildcats, Clark Atlanta University's Mighty Marching Panthers, Winston-Salem State University's Red Sea of Sound and Tennessee State University's Aristocrat of Bands.

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).

FAMU's Marching 100 won't defend Honda Battle of the Bands title in Atlanta

Has the Marching 100 lost its mojo?  The Marching 100, Florida A&M University's famed marching band, will not be defending its title later this month in the annual Honda Battle of the Bands at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The Marching 100, winners of the event last year, didn't receive enough votes to qualify as 2011 finalists.

The voting process is broken down among fans, band directors and university presidents, said Erika Braxton-White, a spokeswoman for Honda. Each band director and university president gets one vote for any band except their own.

"We didn't campaign to participate," said Julian White, Marching 100 band director. He noted that the band wanted to focus this semester primarily on concert band performances.

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Tuskegee Marching Band Refused to Yield

The Commissioner of the SIAC, Gregory Moore and SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp needs to take immediate action to prevent this type of situation from happening again.

Based on the story published today by the Montgomery Advertiser, (if you want to believe everything the main stream press writes about HBCUs), Tuskegee is "alleged" to have performed beyond their scheduled time in the Turkey Day Classic. I said "alleged" because there are two sides to every coin and we haven't received the Tuskegee version.

However, Alabama State Marching Hornets Drum Majors may have been equally as wrong to march onto the field and create a possible confrontational situation -- especially with fans emotionally charged with the homecoming spirit(s) and verbally involved.

What makes this incident bad was the halftime show and game was being broadcast nationally by ESPNU. When it happens twice in a football season, i.e., Kentucky State band did the same thing at Morehouse earlier this year -- its a problem that needs to be fixed!

Mr. Warren L. Duncan, Tuskegee University Marching Crimson Pipers Band and Dr. James B. Oliver, Alabama State University Marching Hornets Band are exceptionally talented leaders and band directors. This may have been nothing more than a lapse in communications, but it should not happen. You would think after 97 years of football competition, "ASU vs. TU", the bands would have gotten their timing down pat for the half-time shows.

Please, let us get the timing of half-time shows fixed -- Tuskegee, Alabama State, Kentucky State, Morehouse and Florida A&M.

Fans, there are no acceptable excuses for booing the band members! The students work very hard to prepare these shows, memorize the music and dance routines to perfection. Generally, more than 40-60 hours of rehearsal time goes into a 10-12 minute half-time show. That's a full-time JOB in addition to the academic workload carried by these outstanding musicians!

Shame on ESPNU!

(beepbeep)

Now, the story from Montgomery Advertiser.com

The Tuskegee band wasn't finished with its halftime show when its allotted time ran out, causing an intriguing confrontation with the Alabama State band in the middle of the field.

The halftime show of the Turkey Day Classic was originally scheduled for 24 minutes, leaving each team 12 minutes, but ESPN officials notified each school just prior to kickoff that the halftime show would be changed to 20 minutes, forcing the Golden Tiger band to leave the field at the 10-minute mark.

The band continued playing past...

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Honda Battle of the Bands Unveils 2011 Invitational Showcase Line-Up

Top Historically Black College and University Marching Bands From Around the Nation Prepare to Take the Field at Ninth Annual Showcase

Torrance, Calif. – Today, the journey of 45 Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Marching Bands has reached its destination. It all began in late summer when these HBCUs took that first high step and that first rehearsal where increasingly challenging drills and compositions were tested to develop the most dynamic, spirited halftime performances of the fall season. Notoriety is earned today by the following top eight HBCU marching bands selected to perform at the 2011 Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase:


Videographer: AkeemC998 (Clark Atlanta University Mighty Marching Panthers Band, Oct. 30, 2010)

Virginia State University “Marching Trojan Explosion” (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association)
South Carolina State University “Marching 101” (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Albany State University “Marching Rams Show Band” (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference)
Jackson State University “Sonic Boom of the South” (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Bethune Cookman University “Marching Wildcats” (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Clark Atlanta University “Mighty Marching Panthers” (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference)
Winston-Salem State University “Red Sea of Sound” (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association)
Tennessee State University “Aristocrat of Bands” (Independent)


Videographer: Cassfl (Tennessee State University Aristocrat of Bands at Jacksonville State University, Alabama, Oct. 16, 2010)

The 2,000 student-musicians that make up these bands have staked their claims to being among the elite in the country and will take the stage to prove their mettle on January 29th at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Each band will have the opportunity to perform for 12 minutes and showcase their musical skills, dancing talents and creativity. This year’s showcase features first-time South Carolina State University as well as eight-time participant Virginia State University. Band sizes range from the small but powerful 120-member ensemble of Clark Atlanta University, to the 300-member goliath of Bethune Cookman.

Marking its ninth year, the Honda Battle of the Bands is the only national scholarship program that highlights music education as an important facet of HBCU heritage and culture. 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 Celebration Tour. Through this program, American Honda annually awards a total of $205,000 in scholarships to HBCU music programs. Since the program’s inception, an excess of $1 million in grant money has been bestowed to black colleges.


Videographer: JSUTigers1877 (Jackson State University Sonic Boom of the South Marching Band, Half-Time Show at 2010 Southern Heritage Classic, Memphis, TN).

“The Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase is about more than what happens on the field at the Georgia Dome on show day,” said Marc Burt, Senior Manager, Office of Inclusion and Diversity for American Honda. “This event is about celebrating the abilities and brilliance of young people coming out of the nation’s black colleges. The discipline and drive these student-musicians exhibit both on and off the field are phenomenal, and Honda is pleased to be able to contribute to the music education programs that help foster the artistic and academic growth of these students.”

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When the halftime show is better than the game

Tokyo, Japan -- University marching bands can be seen taking the field at halftime shows throughout the United States during football season. The hundreds-strong groups consist of brass, a huge drum section and woodwinds, and keep the football-hungry fans entertained before the second half. Unless you are in the South, that is. There, the football game is just the lead-up; the bands are the show.

"There are two battles going on: There's the football game and the bands," says Brian Snell, drum major and casting director for Drumline Live, a touring show highlighting the musical traditions of the United States' Historically Black Colleges and Universities. "The team makes a great play and you hear the crowd, then the band is great and you hear the crowd: There's so much more going on to keep you entertained."

In the 2002 sleeper hit movie Drumline, Nick Cannon plays a particularly talented snare drummer who joins one of the country's most respected marching bands. As in real life, the musicians find themselves in serious rivalries with other schools, with the high-precision bands interrupting each other midperformance, and the fans as rabid about the high-energy music and dancing as they are about the football.

"There are situations where we're going into a hostile territory, and it's like, 'Hey, you're not our band. What are you doing here? Get out of here!'" he says.



With a cast consisting of nearly 40 top musicians from throughout the South, the rivalry is the first thing the cast of Drumline Live had to overcome, Snell--an alumni of top drumline school Florida A&M--says. "At the end of the day, we do respect each other's organizations, we respect our rivals, we all represent the same band. We love our craft and we want to promote it.

"But, when it comes to Saturday night, if you are cross that stadium, you're not my friend!"

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RELATED LINK: http://www.drumlinelive.com/

2010 Honda Battle of the Bands

ATLANTA, GA - Set against a colorful backdrop of dynamic performances by eight of the nation’s top Historically Black College and University [HBCU] marching bands, a reverent marching band tribute to the late music icon Michael Jackson, and all the hype of a live performance from hip-hop artist, Ludacris, the 2010 Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) Invitational Showcase had a crowd of more than 55,000 “shaking their bodies down to the ground.”

In the end, the 2010 Honda Battle of the Bands concluded with the message of unity for humanity, evident in much of the “King of Pop’s” music and in several marching band dedications to the Haitian relief effort. The 1,800 student musicians and 55,000plus fans were inspired to reflect on the role they play in making the world a better place. HBCU friends, fans, students and alumni traveled from all over the United States to enjoy the 2010 Honda Battle of the Bands, the lineup of which included:

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)

The multi-faceted show was a virtual musical menagerie, blending the latest chart-topping R&B and Hip-Hop, pop, rock, funk and more. And, as a special treat, Atlanta-native and award-winning Hip-Hop artist and actor Ludacris was a featured special guest, performing his latest single “How Low”, from his highly-anticipated new album, Battle of the Sexes, before his hometown crowd.

We now take you to the Georgia Dome, Atlanta for yestersday's big show. Enjoy!

2009 Honda Battle of the Bands Harness the Power of Dreams

2,200 Strong – 10 of America’s Top HBCU Marching Bands Harness the ‘Power of Dreams’ At the 2009 Honda Battle of the Bands

View Battle of the Bands Photos Gallery

Atlanta, GA - As the curtain dramatically closed on the seventh annual Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase, 10 of America’s top Historically Black College and University (HBCU) marching bands brought the house down, leaving themselves completely spent of energy, but their souls fulfilled. They brought their all, but left every bit of it on the field of the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, as the widely acknowledged “Super Bowl of Black College Marching Bands” concluded.

The 2009 Invitational Showcase, aptly themed “The Power of Dreams,” had special significance as the nation inaugurated its first African-American president. With one renowned HBCU band—the Florida A&M University “Marching 100”—just returning from having marched in the presidential inauguration parade in Washington, D.C., this year has already proven a dream come true for many HBCU student musicians.

More than 60,000 HBCU friends, fans, students and alumni traveled from all around the country to take part in the 2009 Honda Battle of the Bands. A virtual mosaic of music filled the Dome on Saturday as fans enjoyed everything from the latest chart-topping R&B and Hip-Hop hits, to contemporary, funk and classical music. Special guest host Rosci of Black Entertainment Television’s top-rated show, “106th & Park” and Atlanta’s WVEE evening drive time host, Ryan Cameron, introduced the bands while R&B artist Lloyd treated fans to a special performance of his hit single, “Girls Around the World.” To close out the show, the 150-voice Atlanta chapter choir of the Gospel Music Workshop of America took the field and helped the bands end on a reverent, inspirational note.

The 2009 Invitational Showcase bands included: Edward Waters College, Fayetteville State University, Florida A&M University, Jackson State University, Kentucky State University, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina Central University, Texas Southern University, Tuskegee University and Virginia State University.

Florida A&M University Marching 100 - 2009 Honda Battle of the Bands

Cheap Seats View--FAMU Part I

Cheap Seats View--FAMU Part II


Supporting HBCU Music Programs

The Honda Battle of the Bands not only showcases the pageantry and showmanship of HBCU bands, but also and more importantly, acts as the nation’s only HBCU music scholarship program of its kind. The ten bands selected to participate in the Invitational Showcase were awarded $20,000 for their music scholarship programs - a $10,000 increase over last year. They also received an additional $1,000 grant for their participation in the Celebration Tour, the Honda Battle of the Band’s pre-qualifying event. In all, a total of $244,000 in scholarship money will be given to HBCU music programs this year.

“We’re proud and humbled to continue for a seventh year as founder and principal sponsor of this one-of-a-kind event,” said Marc Burt, senior manager, Office of Inclusion and Diversity for American Honda. “What’s especially satisfying about this program is that, in the end, it’s a national scholarship program that will help incredibly talented young student-musicians realize their dreams.”

FOX MUSIC EXPERIENCE RETURNS

The winners of this year’s FOX MUSIC EXPERIENCE were Ralph Jean Paul from Florida A&M, and Kevin Greene from North Carolina A&T State University. Jean Paul, a senior at Florida A&M, is currently the band president and said that deciding to attend FAMU has been the best decision of his life. Through his involvement with the band he has had the opportunity to play in two Super Bowl half time shows, and most recently, at the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Kevin Greene, a junior at North Carolina A&T acts as his band’s drum line captain. Greene, who started playing instruments when he was just five years old, is currently majoring in Music Education and one day hopes to be a high school band director and open his own school of arts and social science.

The FOX MUSIC EXPERIENCE is a unique music internship/immersion program that works in conjunction with the Honda Battle of the Bands to help expose HBCU student musicians to the broader world of music and entertainment. The program, launched last year, offers two lucky Invitational Showcase student musicians the opportunity to spend a few weeks in the summer working on the Twentieth Century Fox studio lot in Los Angeles learning film and television music production first hand.

Recruiting Future Generations

For the fourth year in a row the Honda Battle of Bands also hosted an HBCU Recruitment Fair. Designed to expose young people to opportunities historically black college and universities can offer, the Recruitment Fair allows prospective college students to meet with marching band and admissions recruiters to discuss admissions requirements and scholarship opportunities. This year, 32 schools exhibited and more than 3,300 young people attended.

READ RELATED ARTICLES:
Marching bands note Obama in Dome
NC A&T Band Prepares For Battle
Edward Waters College Competing In Band Contest
Another honor for FAMU's band
Obama lets NCCU band down on inaugural
Band poses a 'Triple Threat' at showcase event

Turkey Day Classic Battle of the Bands: Tuskegee vs. Alabama State

Alabama State University Marching Hornets Band

Tuskegee University Marching Crimson Piper Band - "Bust the Windows Out Your Car"

TU Marching Crimson Piper Band - "Lift Every Voice and Sing/America the Beautiful

TU Marching Crimson Piper Band - "Razzamatazz"

TU Marching Crimson Piper Band - "Magic"

ASU Marching Hornet Band

Honda BOTB DVD: Stompin' at the Dome

FAMU Marching 100 is not on this one; taped in 2007--NSU and BCU represented the MEAC. My favorite is Prairie View A&M University Marching Storm, directed by George W. Edwards, (FAMU grad) who put on a spectacular show, as always. Order it--worth the price and great entertainment! Proceeds from the DVD sales will benefit each school’s music program.