From becoming the first HBCU Marching Band program to perform in Rome, Italy in the city’s 2020 New Year Celebration to the Marching Force’s triumphant return to the 2020 Honda Battle Of The Bands, the ensemble has molded itself into one of the more promising band programs in all of HBCU bandom. The ‘Force’ looks to keep the momentum of their recent performance successes going when they take the field during Saturday’s inaugural ‘Truth & Service’ football classic.
Since taking over the director’s baton for the Marching Force,Dr. Thomas L. Jones Jr. has pushed all the right buttons in re-shaping an ensemble with an already storied tradition, with his own vision. If the name sounds familiar to those folks familiar with the craft, there’s a pretty good reason for it. There’s another storied marching band program that carries Dr. Jones’ musical fingerprints: The Blue & Gold Marching Machine of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Audiences will get a chance to see the spectacle of the Marching Force up close and personal, along with another program looking to re-establish themselves on the competitive stage of HBCU bandom.
It’s been a while since Howard University’s ‘Showtime’ Marching band has been in the spotlight (outside of vice-presidential percussion escort duties), but they get their opportunity to wow audiences on Saturday as well. How will ‘Showtime’ look? What will the Marching Force have up its proverbial sleeve for their now signature-themed halftime experience? Lots of unanswered questions to be sure, but there is one unequivocal certainty for the audience at large; Both programs will put on the best of shows, and in doing so, renew one of the spicier HBCU rivalries there is on the eastern seaboard.
Who is the REAL ‘HU’?
We’ll get an earnest answer to that question on Saturday at high noon. Both Hampton University and Howard University fanbases will be the better for it.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login