PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (January 21, 2020) – After a one-year hiatus, the Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) Invitational Showcase is back in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Prairie View A&M University Marching Storm is one of eight finalists to perform. This year’s performance will be the Storm’s ninth appearance in the Battle.

“I was surprised,” said Colangelo Tolbert, one of the Marching Storms’ drum majors. “I knew we would be one of the top choices to go back.  But I’m glad it’s set in stone that the people really chose us to be in the top eight.”

When voting opened online in the early fall of 2019, there were 38 bands from Historically Black Colleges & Universities in the running.

“It is not a complicated process,” said Timmey Zachery, D.M.A., Director of Bands at PVAMU.

The top eight bands were decided on in two categories: the “First Four,” which was selected based on an overall opinion poll by fans who registered online and could vote once per day.  An HBOB committee decided on the remaining “Final Four” using various criteria, such as showmanship and social media buzz.

“The ‘Epic Final Eight’ includes three bands in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), three bands in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conferences (MEAC), and two independent bands,” Zachery explained.

Benedict College and Tennessee State University represent the independent bands, while North Carolina A&T, Florida A&M, and Hampton University represent the MEAC, and Jackson State, Prairie View, and Grambling represent the SWAC.

According to data from Honda partner Six Degrees Analytics, PVAMU first appeared in HBOB in 2004.  Follow-up appearances occurred in 2005-2007; 2010; 2012 -2013; 2016; 2018; and now 2020.

“They canceled Honda last year [2019] because of the Super Bowl,” said Zachery.  “This is their rebirth. With the hiatus, it brings a new and fresh look to the Honda Battle of the Bands. The audience much anticipates its return.”

Honda annually awards approximately $200,000 in grants to participating marching bands during the program period. The 2020 Invitational Showcase returns to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 3 p.m. Saturday, January 25, 2020, with the Marching Storm performing to the home side.

The 2020 battle will be Zachery’s fifth time to take the field and his third time with the Storm. His first two appearances occurred with Norfolk State University.  He is now nearing his eighth year at PVAMU.

Tolbert remembers Dr. Zachery’s first time participating in the HBOB with PVAMU – it was Tolbert’s freshman year.

“And I know every year in the Marching Storm, one of the top things we prioritize is making sure we are entertaining the masses to the best of our ability.  I know this year will be highly entertaining with high energy,” said Tolbert, who is a senior music education major from Dallas.

In 2016, Zachery had the Marching Storm create a formation on the field he called “The Eye of the Storm,” which has become one of the band’s signature moves.  He has another surprise waiting for the fans who attend the Battle.

“Oh yeah!” Zachery said while laughing. “There are so many ways to bake a cake.  There are so many different types of cake. It’s still cake.”

“The Storm will deliver,” Tolbert said, “with high energy, excellent musicianship, quality sound, and expect the crowd to stay hyped and captivated the entire time.”

Follow the conversation online using the hashtags #PVAMU and #HBOB.

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By Michael Douglas