Marching bands strut their stuff at battle

He was more than 1,000 miles away, but it was hard to deny the presence of President Barack Obama at this year’s Honda Battle of the Bands in the Georgia Dome.

From the first band that marched onto the field and unfurled a flag bearing Obama’s image, to the last one that spelled out his last name, he was there.

Enlarge this image

MIKKI K. HARRIS / mkharris@ajc.com /Staff

The Kentucky State University Marching Band performs during the Honda Battle of the Bands at the Georgia Dome.

RELATED LINKS:
• See more Battle of the Bands photos

Recent headlines:

• 61-year-old man arrested in meth bust 
• Lenox Square adds 6 new stores, Italian restaurant 
• DeKalb hires ex-Atlanta mayoral spokesman for high-ranking job 

   • Atlanta and Fulton County news

And the crowd – estimated at more than 60,000 – cheered.

One woman dancing to the beat of MC Hammer’s “Can’t Touch This” stopped to hug herself.

“Every time I see him, I get chills,” she said to no one in particular.

Julian White, director of the Florida A&M marching band, knew how she felt. FAMU, one of 10 historically black college bands performing in the seventh annual showcase, had just arrived in Atlanta after performing in Tuesday’s presidential parade.

White and two of his band members — one from Lithonia and one from Decatur — talked about their big day in Washington as they waited to take their turn on the field. They said the adrenaline was still flowing.

“To leave there and come here is truly a unique honor for myself as well as the band,” said White, his eyes dancing.

The band director said that up until the moment they got the signal to began marching toward Pennsylvania Avenue, they were frozen stiff.

“When we turned the corner and saw all those thousands of people, it was heartwarming,” said White. “When we saw him, I shed a tear.”

They said they were tired but promised a show – first a drill, a concert selection, and the grand finale – the 400-member marching band forming the United States with Barack Obama’s named spelled out inside.

Catherine Williams, a graduate of Martin Luther King High School in Decatur and leader of FAMU’s clarinet section; and Shawn Turner, who graduated from Stephenson High School in Lithonia and one of 10 drum majors, were on the committee that planned the show for the Battle of the Bands.

“As much as you practice, it’s nothing like being here,” said Turner. “It’s loud. It’s live. There’s a lot of energy coming from a lot of places but when I’m out there, I’m in my zone.”

Williams, who was making her third appearance at the Battle of the Bands, said at school they get to run their show four or five times. Here, you get one chance to get it right.

So what about tonight?

They looked at each and smiled.

“I’d like not to be bias,” said Williams.

“But it’s very rare that we get It wrong,” Turner said.

HONDA BATTLE OF THE BANDS 2009 PARTICIPANTS

Edward Waters College

Fayetteville State University

Kentucky State University

Tuskegee University

Virginia State University

Texas Southern University

North Carolina A & T University

North Carolina Central University

Jackson State University

Florida A&M University

The sponsor, American Honda Motor Co., awarded each band a $20,000 grant for music scholarship programs, a $10,000 increase over last year’s awards.