Black Voices

Issue date: 10/21/08 Section: News

[Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Drumline Drummers battle on the field in a scene from the movie, "Drumline."

At USC, football is life. It's almost a religion in and of itself, but imagine a place where the game is just a warm-up for the half time show.

Imagine a place where half-time isn't just a bathroom break and time to grab a cold drink; a place where fans flock by the thousands to see the bands high step onto the field and throw down to prove who is the very best.

This is no fantasy or illusion. This place exists at black colleges. It is affectionately called "The Fifth Quarter."

It's the time when bands from the two schools battle on the field. As the drum major blows their whistle to signal the band, the crowd roars with excitement, shouting for their favorite team.

The bands, dressed like military officers guarded with instruments, prepare to rock it out fpr electrifying eight minute performances.

Each band seizes the field with flair, showmanship, and pride for their time to shine. Drumlines, flaglines, dancelines, and hornlines compete for bragging rights by showcasing their talent.

We have seen black college bands find mainstream attention in American culture, but it wasn't Nick Cannon in Drumline (2002), the Clark Atlanta "Marching Panthers" in McDonald's commercials (2006) or even Nelly's all-girl drumline at the 2007 BET Awards that began this invigorating tradition of battle of the bands. The culture of black marching bands came well before any of these.

"Black bands have been a big part of African American culture for a while, so it's nice to see movies and other entertainment forms embracing the black college culture and getting a small taste of the energy and spirit of our people," said sophomore Aaron Wright.

It's time to "pay homage" says Keyshia Cole, to those who "paved the way" and started the battle of the bands phenomenon which continues to reign supreme at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

Black marching bands played a significant role in the American military throughout the 19th century. Many black musicians gained access to instruments and musical training by being a part of military bands during the War of 1812.

During the Civil War, the Union Army used black military bands in community performances to "drum up" support and encourage black men to join the army.

Marching bands became prominent in black communities because many band musicians were trained to play in the military. Many bands were formed by black organizations that wanted entertainers to perform at fundraisers. Marching bands soon became a symbol of unity for the black community.

The late 1800s is called the "golden age of the brass band in America" because there were about 10,000 bands in the U.S. during this time.

Civilian bands, which included former black military band members, toured throughout the country and performed at fairs, parades, political rallies and athletic events.

Most HBCUs were founded during this post-Civil War period and attracted many students through their commendable music programs.
As football began to gain popularity at colleges, band entertainment became the perfect complement to the game.

The music programs at HBCU's continued to flourish and became competitive with one another to determine which school had the best band. Both teams began bringing bands to the football games and allowing them to show out for the crowd during half time.

Although marching band performances were originally military-esque, the University of Illinois set a new standard for marching bands in 1905 by crafting words and complex patterns in their formation lines.

As time went on, black bands became distinctively different than white bands. They stood out because of their marked difference in personality, energy, creativity and showmanship.

"Going to the Angel City game a few weeks ago, I got to see the difference firsthand between USC's marching band and HBCU marching bands. They are both good but have different styles and appeals. HBCU bands play more popular music and incorporate a lot of dance choreography and energy into their performances," said USC student Nick Curry.

Today, the Honda Battle of the Bands is one of the most anticipated events in the world of black college bands. It is the annual equivalent to the Superbowl for HBCU musical departments and draws huge crowds because it is not just a half-time show-It's the real deal.

A black marching band is like no band you have ever witnessed; it's wild, it's fun, it's entertaining, it's mind blowing, and it's something that everyone should experience.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools