Band Battle sells out Georgia Dome
ERIC N. MOORE
Special to the BCSP
Two bands each from the four black college conferences and two HBCU bands from non-black college conferences performed before a sold-out crowd of over 60,000 fans.
The three-and-a-half hour event began with a
performance by a combined band including all the participants. The
2,200-piece contingent opened with the National Anthem and
a stirring rendition of "America The Beautiful" dedicated
to America's men and women overseas.
The mass band returned for a closing performance joined by the Marching Wolverines of Morris Brown College, who participated in the first Showcase last year.
In between, bands from Alabama State, Bethune-Cookman, Clark Atlanta, Florida A&M, Johnson C. Smith, Prairie View A&M, Savannah State, Tennessee State, Tuskegee and Virginia State put on 10-minute shows to the delight of the sellout crowd.
While bands were moving on and off the field, Atlanta area disk jockeys supported by the large video screens at both ends of the Dome kept the crowd occupied including a three-rotation wave around the facility and a "Mamma Dance Contest". Although there was no designated winner in the Showcase, the Marching Storm of Prairie View A&M was clearly the crowd favorite. Their performance showcased their drumline along with the "Black Foxes" dance troupe.
The Honda Battle of the Bands program had two components, a Celebration Tour, which ran through Nov. 22, and the Invitational Showcase finale event. The Celebration Tour provided an opportunity for 43 participating schools to earn a $1,000 grant for their halftime performances at selected football games during the fall. Each of the 10 Invitational Showcase participants received a $10,000 grant.
© 2004 Azeez Communications, Inc.