B-CU Marching Wildcats head to Atlanta for Battle of the Bands. What you need to know.

Katie Kustura, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
·2 min read
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While Bethune-Cookman University continues its search for a head football coach after deciding against finalizing a contract with Pro Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed, attention shifts this weekend to the Marching Wildcats.

B-CU's band competes in Atlanta on Saturday in the 18th Annual HBCU All-Star Battle of the Bands.

The event begins at 3 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons. Single tickets start at $24.

Visit allstarbattleofthebands.com/tickets to purchase tickets.

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What is the HBCU All-Star Battle of the Bands?

The Atlanta-based event was created in 2002 to showcase marching bands from Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Despite being called a battle, no band is declared the winner of the event, which draws approximately 60,000 attendees.

Each band that participates receives $20,000.

There's also a college fair with information on a few dozen HBCUs and their respective band programs.

Who's competing in this year's marching event?

The bands performing in this year's battle include:

  • B-CU's Marching Wildcats

  • Alabama State University's Mighty Marching Hornets

  • North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University's Blue and Gold Marching Machine

  • South Carolina State University's Marching 101

  • Norfolk State University's Spartan Legion Band

  • Tennessee State University's Aristocrat of Bands

There also will be showcases from two of Atlanta's best high school marching bands.

Who are the Marching Wildcats?

Bethune-Cookman University's Marching Wildcats compete Saturday afternoon in Atlanta in the HBCU All-Star Battle of the Bands.
Bethune-Cookman University's Marching Wildcats compete Saturday afternoon in Atlanta in the HBCU All-Star Battle of the Bands.

The Marching Wildcats is B-CU's 325-member marching band, which is comprised of instrumentalists, the Sophisticat Flag Corp and the 14 Karat Gold Dancers.

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The Daytona Beach-based band has received national and international attention throughout the years.

In 2020, the band opened the CBS special "Every Vote Counts: A Celebration of Democracy," which included Alicia Keys as one of the hosts.

Other notable performances include:

  • Performing at multiple halftime shows for the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and other NFL teams

  • Appearing on"The Ellen Degeneres Show" for her 2005 Super Bowl Special in Burbank, California

  • Appearing in the 2002 movie "Drumline," starring Nick Cannon

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: All-Star Battle of the Bands to include B-CU Marching Wildcats