Students Excited About West Coast Performance
AAMU Marching Band Holds Final Honda Battle of the Bands Rehearsal
The Alabama A&M University Marching Maroon & White Band has landed in Los Angeles, ready to make history as one of only six bands selected to perform in the first-ever Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) on the West Coast - at SoFi Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers.
After touching down Thursday, the band spent Friday morning in a final rehearsal at SoFi.
“The energy is electric,” said AAMU Director of Bands Carlton Wright. “We’ve had some travel hiccups, but once we arrived, everything clicked into place. We had a great safety briefing with the Honda team, a fantastic dinner, and now we’re fired up and ready to go.”
Since its inception in 2003, Honda Battle of the Bands has become the ultimate showcase for HBCU marching bands, celebrating their precision, pageantry, and raw musical talent. This year’s event features a star-studded lineup, including headliner Nick Cannon and a performance by GloRilla.
For many members of the Marching Maroon & White, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“It’s my first time in California and it’s been so exciting,” says senior psychology major and Fabulous Flag member Makayla Davis. “It’s an entirely different experience than what I’m used to. Everything is big, seeing the palm trees, I love it. We’re excited to be here and excited to show out.”
Sousaphone section leader and junior business administration major Victor Hudson, from Birmingham, Alabama agrees. “I’m not going to lie, this is a surreal experience,” says Hudson. “We’re going to remember this trip. Especially my section. We’ve been working so hard to get here.”
“Seeing them experience all of this for the first time is incredible," adds Wright.
Though the trip comes with many first, it's not the band’s first West Coast performance. In 2019, the AAMU drumline proudly marched in the Tournament of Roses Parade – a momentous occasion that showcased Alabama A&M and HBCUs on a national stage.
Watch the Marching Maroon & White on the Honda Battle of the Bands Livestream on Saturday, February 1, at 3:00 p.m. CST.