Does marching band season ever end? Doesn't seem that way. Yesterday a much learner and meaner Marching 100, the likes of which we haven't seen in many many years (I mean Whitney Houston small) showed Atlanta why they are the band that everyone loves to hate. When you are consistently as good as the Marching 100 is you are bound to pick up more than a few "haters". But with a unique entrance, unmatched clarity and a sound as strong as ever, the 100rd brought the sold out Georgia Dome crowd of 68,440 marching band fans to their feet. As band announcer Joe Bullard declared, the 100rd is indeed "the standard for the world!"
Interestingly enough, nearly one half of all the 10 bands invited had FAMU graduates as directors.
Also of note, because event organizers arranged bands by size, the 100rd which usually is the last and final band to perform was next to last this year. This only seemed to motivate the 100rd who pulled out all the stops to claim victory in this non-judged event.
Note to the FAMU Administration: "budget crisis" resolved, make the 100rd whole again!