(BUSINESS WIRE)--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 55,000+ 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.
Supporting HBCU Music Programs
The Honda Battle of the Bands program not only showcases the pageantry and showmanship of HBCU marching bands, but more significantly, stands as the only HBCU music scholarship program of its kind. The eight bands selected to participate in this year’s Invitational Showcase were each awarded $20,000 for their music scholarship programs, plus an additional $1,000 grant for their participation in the “Road to the Honda,” the program’s pre-qualifying event held in the fall.
THE FOX MUSIC EXPERIENCE RETURNS
At the Invitational Showcase event, the 2010 FOX MUSIC EXPERIENCE was awarded to Erica Dotson from Prairie View A&M University, the first female to receive the award. The FOX MUSIC EXPERIENCE is a unique summer music internship/immersion program exclusively for participants in the Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase. The program, which launched in 2008, provides student-musicians with a first-hand, behind-the-scenes look at the worlds of music and entertainment. Dotson will have 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 from leaders in the industry.
Recruiting Future Generations
Returning for the fifth year in a row, the HBOB HBCU Recruitment Fair served as a valuable information source for 4,000 attendees. Conceived to go beyond simply exposing young people to the opportunities that historically black colleges and universities offer, the HBOB HBCU Recruitment Fair is unique in that it permits prospective college students to meet with marching band and admissions recruiters to discuss admissions requirements and scholarship opportunities. A total of 30 institutions exhibited at this year’s Fair.
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