Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Wednesday 11 april 2018

For HBCU marching bands, it's all 'about the showmanship'

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. "Seeing HBCU marching
ATLANTA (AP) — Five drum bands on television inspired
majors approach midfield me to get into music in
and snap into high-step- college," said Bree'Shawn
ping formation, capes swirl- Watson, a member of Bet-
ing as they spin and drop hune-Cookman's march-
into splits before hopping ing band. He's the first
up and bending backward person from his family to at-
until their hats scrape the tend college. "I remember
ground. watching 'Drumline,' seeing
When they dart toward the people I could relate to,
sideline, Bethune-Cook- who were cool. I saw peo-
man University's 300-piece ple from my hometown go-
marching band and its 14 ing to college. Being a part
Karat Gold Dancers surge of a marching band gave
onto the field, performing me another outlet."
Mary J. Blige's 2007 hit "Just Despite the attention HBCU
Fine" for a crowd of more marching bands have at-
than 62,000 at the 16th an- tracted through the years,
nual Honda Battle of the band directors believe the
Bands Invitational Show- culture is still being over-
case in Atlanta. looked and needs bet-
High-energy routines like ter exposure. "We've per-
Bethune-Cookman's are formed at Super Bowls and
the norm for marching parades. But the marketing
bands at many historically for us needs to be bigger,"
black colleges and uni- Miles College band director
versities, keeping people In this Saturday, Jan. 27 2018 photo, Miles College Marching Band member and others take the Willie Snipes Jr. said. More
near their seats instead of field at the 16th annual Honda Battle of the Bands at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. events like the Battle of the
the concession stands. But Associated Press Bands, which brought to-
the bands are more than a gether eight HBCUs, would
halftime show; their popu- R&B and hip-hop hits into ergy between popular mu- was in the 2003 film "Head raise their profile, he said.
larity has spread through their performances, HBCU sic and marching bands," of the State," starring Chris Actor Samuel L. Jackson
said Michael Keith of the Rock, and Alabama State's posted several videos of
Grammy-winning R&B marching band performed Battle of the Bands perfor-
group 112, which recently in 2016's "Billy Lynn's Long mances on Instagram, gar-
performed at the Battle of Halftime Walk" and starred nering nearly 400,000 views.
the Bands — dubbed the in their own reality televi- Alabama State's Oliver says
Super Bowl for black col- sion series, "Bama State that kind of publicity could
lege marching bands. Style," last year. change things.
Ludacris, Big Sean, Monica On some black college "We've been so far behind
and Ne-Yo have performed campuses, marching band and really didn't have this
at the Battle of the Bands in
the past.
"I think the marriage be-
tween the pop and music
world will continue to show
how great the marching
band culture is at black
colleges," said Keith, whose
son is a drum major for Ten-
In this Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018 photo, Alabama A&M University nessee State's Aristocrat of
trumpet players at the 16th annual Honda Battle of Bands at the
Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Bands.
Associated Press Even presidents have tak-
en note. Miles College's
Purple Marching Machine
pop culture, music and film. bands have appeared played at a campaign rally
"It's about the showman- alongside some of the big- for President Bill Clinton in
ship," said James Oliver, gest names in music. 1996 and Arkansas at Pine
band director of the Mighty Florida A&M's Marching Bluff's Marching Musical In this Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018 photo, Alabama A&M University
Marching Hornets at Ala- 100 performed with Prince Machine marched at Presi- Marching Band members take a knee at the 16th annual Honda
bama State University. for his spectacular Super dent Barack Obama's 2009 Battle of Bands at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
"We are a show band. Our Bowl halftime show in 2007. inauguration parade. Associated Press
shows must be entertaining Southern University's Danc- In film, Clark Atlanta's
to our fans. HBCU marching ing Dolls squad accompa- Mighty Marching Panther members are more popular platform for years," Oliver
bands are so much more nied Madonna at Super Band and Morris Brown than basketball or football said. "It's our time now to
different than the corps- Bowl 46 and Beyoncé at College's Marching Wol- players. Band sizes range show the country and world
style bands. It's entertain- her 2013 halftime show. verines appeared in the from 200 to 350 at small that HBCU marching bands
ment on a whole other Southern, FAMU and Gram- "Drumline" movies, which black colleges with enroll- are so entertaining. Times
level." bling State have performed center on HBCU bands. ment between 1,700 to are changing. People are
Known for incorporating at 12 Super Bowls in all. Morgan State's Magnifi- more than 10,000 at those changing. We are in great
the latest chart-topping "There's always been a syn- cent Marching Machine schools. demand now."q