After a one year hiatus, Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase is coming back to Atlanta this weekend. The final eight historically black colleges and university bands chosen will perform at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 25.
There are no Atlanta marching bands participating this year, but Clark Atlanta University's Mighty Marching Panthers have performed in the past.
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This year Benedict College, Florida A&M University, Grambling State University, Hampton University, Jackson State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Prairie View A&M University and Tennessee State University made it into the Epic Final 8.
The bands were chosen in two different sectors. Four were elected by an opinion poll on the event’s official website. The other four were selected by the HBOB committee. The group chose bands based on criteria including showmanship and social media chatter.
Since the event is a showcase, not a competition, attendees can simply have fun watching Benedict College's Marching Tiger Band of Distinction or Hampton University's Marching Force perform among other favorite bands. To be sure you can see your favorite band, have a look at the website to learn which area of the stadium each band will perform. After grabbing your tickets, which start at $10, be sure to adhere to the clear bag policy.
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Attendees shouldn’t only expect to see marching bands and dancers, either. In between sets, R&B crooner Tank will perform at halftime.
HBOB began in 2003 and its website says it “was created to celebrate, support and recognize the excellence of Black college marching bands and the unique academic experience offered by HBCUs.”
And it’s not just a show. Each year during the program period, Honda awards around $200,000 in grants to participating marching bands.
DETAILS
Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase
3 p.m. Saturday, January 25
Mercedes-Benz Stadium: 1 AMB Drive, Atlanta
