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Spotlight
The Marching.com Spotlight presents news and articles on topics related to marching bands and pageantry arts.
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YouTube videos showcase marching activitiesMarching-related videos are all over YouTube. That's great news for marching fans, since it's now easier than ever to view clips of bands, guards, drumlines and events. Here are a few videos that Marching.com has featured in conjunction with news stories. Have you found a great clip? Use the Contact Us link at the bottom of this page to tell us about it!
Sport or Art?
As hundreds of color guards and percussion ensembles head to Dayton for WGI World Championships, we pause to consider the age-old question: is the marching activity a sport or art? This WGI clip shows what some of you had to say.
2010 WGI Percussion - Nashville Regional
Fifty percussion ensembles including five Independent World units gathered in Nashville March 20-21 for this season's largest WGI Percussion Regional. This video by Marching.com is a montage of photos showing all 50 units. View more images at marching.com/photos.
Music video featuring UMass Band gains popularity
The video for "Shady Esperanto and the Young Hearts" by roots-rock band Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers (SK6ERS) has passed 200,000 views on YouTube. The video featuring the UMass Minuteman Marching Band was filmed in just four hours. The UMass Band is under the leadership of George N. Parks and is the alma mater for two of the SK6ERS band members.
Meet WGI Sport of the Arts
The winter guard and indoor percussion season is well underway, and hundreds of units are headed to the activity's premier events: WGI Regionals and the WGI World Championships. This video about the mission and activities of WGI includes interviews with several top instructors and clips from dozens of guard and percussion units.
Tulane Band has active Mardi Gras parade schedule
More than 30 Mardi Gras parades (surprisingly family-friendly) roll through the New Orleans area during Carnival season, with most parades happening in the ten days leading up to Fat Tuesday. The Tulane University marching band will perform in four parades this season, including the famous Rex parade on February 16. This clip follows the band's preparations to march more than 20 miles.
European winter guards get early start
The competition season in Europe begins a few weeks earlier than in the U.S., and this season's first Color Guard Netherlands contest was held January 2. Beatrix Winterguard has been leading the open class units with three wins at three contests in January. This video features Beatrix performing in exhibition at the "Try Out" event on December 27.
FAMU heading to Battle of the Bands in Atlanta
Its nickname is the "Marching 100," but the Florida A&M University Marching Band actually has more than 400 members including 50+ sousaphones. The band will perform January 30 at the 2010 Honda Battle of the Bands. This 5-minute video produced in 2008 by SIKids.com gives a behind-the-scenes look at the band's students and traditions.
Alabama Band ready for the BCS Championship game
The University of Alabama Million Dollar Band is in Pasadena to support the Crimson Tide football team at the BCS Championship game on January 7. The 400-member band carries a storied tradition in Tuscaloosa, where both the band and the football team have earned respect. Check out this video clip from the band's January 6 run-through of its pre-game show.
America's largest high school marching band?
We're not aware of any high school band that can top this: the 2009 Allen Escadrille from Allen, Texas has a whopping 638 members, including 527 musicians, a 39-member color guard and a 72-member drill team. It takes 18 school buses to transport the group, and some sections (85 trumpets) are larger than entire marching bands. Read reporter Sam Hodges' feature about the Allen High School Band from The Dallas Morning News and check out this video clip of the band's October 17 performance.
Bands headed to BOA Grand National Championships
Bands from across the U.S. will gather in Indianapolis November 11-14 for the 2009 Bands of America Grand National Championships. Last year's event was held for the first time in the beautiful new Lucas Oil Stadium, and as usual the evening finals showcased the state-of-the-art among high school marching bands. This video clip shows highlights of the approximately 90 bands that competed last year.
Carrie Underwood donates instruments to hometown school
Checotah (Okla.) students received a surprise visit from Carrie Underwood who returned to her hometown school to unveil a gift of more than $117,000 of instruments for the music department. The donation was made through her C.A.T.S. Foundation in conjunction with the ACM Lifting Lives program. This video from the Academy of Country Music shows highlights of the presentation and a live performance by Carrie Underwood.
European flower parade season reaches peak
Communities throughout The Netherlands and Belgium hold fantastic flower parades to celebrate the region's role as a flower producer. At least 10 parades featuring marching bands and floral floats take place from late August to mid-September. This video clip is a television commercial for the prominent "Bloemencorso Zundert" which will be held on September 6.
Japan's Aimachi impresses at home and abroad
The Aimachi color guard wowed fans in the USA with its bronze-medal performance at the 2009 WGI World Championships. But the guard is just one component of the Aimachi organization which also sponsors a marching band and drum line. This video shows the marching band's exhibition at the 2007 Japan Marchingband Batontwirling Association (JMBA) championships.
Beatrix among international groups slated for WGI
Fans at the WGI World Championships in Dayton will have a rare chance to see several units from overseas, including Beatrix Winterguard from The Netherlands. The guard will compete in Independent Open class with their 2009 production titled "Chess." This video gives an early season glimpse of the show.
Throw It Down drum corps documentary now on DVD
A powerful new movie gives viewers an up-close look at the hard work—and ultimately, the joy—of performing in a top-ranked drum and bugle corps. Throw It Down follows the Bluecoats through their 2006 season. View the trailer, and order your copy on DVD.
Rose Parade float takes a test run
Tournament of Roses Parade floats must pass several inspections before the final decorating process begins. This video shows the elaborate Rain Bird float—complete with waterfalls—during its test drive on December 6. Rain Bird is a consistent favorite: they've won the Sweepstakes award seven times. Tune in to the Tournament of Roses Parade on January 1 to see the finished creation.
Bands enjoy warm breezes at Waikiki Holiday Parade
Mainland bands from Wyoming, Ohio and Georgia joined groups from Hawaii for the annual Waikiki Holiday Parade on November 28. The parade is held at night and travels along streets lit by torches and Christmas lights. This five-minute video clip features many of the bands that performed.
Second Time Arounders Headed to Macy's
The Second Time Arounders Marching Band from St. Petersburg, Florida is one of the fantastic groups that proves there IS life after high school marching band. The group boasts a whopping 500 members ranging in age from 18 to 81. This video shows a dress rehearsal and several interviews as the band prepares for the 2008 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
College Band Traditions - UT Salute to the Hill
Marching bands are a huge part of the college football experience, and bands around the country have developed unique traditions. One of the best is at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where the 300-member Pride of the Southland Band performs a pre-game march to the stadium. The ritual involves stopping at "The Hill" next to Neyland Stadium where tens of thousands of fans gather. This video does a great job capturing the spirit of the event. |
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