The Prairie View A&M University Marching Storm and the Black Foxes displayed their musical showmanship during the 8th Annual Honda Battle of the Bands in Atlanta, Ga. on Jan. 30.
With an estimated 60,000 fans on hand, the Georgia Dome was almost packed at maximum capacity, as parents, students, and supporters cheered on their favorite bands from throughout the south. Keeping the crowd entertained with laughter was host Ryan Cameron from Atlanta’s hit FM radio station V103.
Cameron said, “I always like to host the battle of the bands because I enjoy myself, it’s a great community event and the fans are incredible. I can also bring my family, which makes it more enjoyable.”
Beginning the event’s list of entertainment was the hometown favorite Marching Panthers of Clark Atlanta University as well as the Trojan Explosion of Virginia State University and the Marching Sound Machine of North Carolina Central.
During intermission, Honda presented each university’s president and band director with a donation for the music department.
Prior to the Marching Storm, Cameron then turned attention to the PVAMU fan base, looking to give the crowd a dose of the “PV Shuffle.” After the crowd got a taste of the PVAMU school spirit, the Marching Storm and the Black Foxes took to the field to begin their much anticipated performance. Performing “Spend My Life,” by Eric Bennet and Tamia along with a list of other songs. The Black Foxes danced to Britney Spears’ “Three.”
Immediately after the performance, junior theatre major Erica Dotson of Houston, Texas, a member of the Marching Storm, was announced as the winner of the Fox Musical Experience.
After Dotson accepted her award, the Georgia Dome erupted as Def Jam recording artist Chris “Ludacris” Bridges of Atlanta, Ga., took the stage. Performing tracks like, “Turned Up,” “How Low Can You Go,” “Move,” Bridges’ presence and performance enlightened the crowd. Bridges also announced the release of his new album “Battle of the Sexes,” on March 9.
After Bridges left the scene, the Human Jukebox of Southern University from Baton Rouge, La., Albany State’s Marching Rams and the Marching Crimson Pipers of Tuskegee University performed.
The last band of the afternoon to take the field was Florida A&M University’s Marching 100 as they ended their performance with a tribute to Haiti by honoring their band members from the recently devastated island nation.
After all bands performed, they came together for a universal performance, in which they honored Michael Jackson.