Grambling struggled with Mississippi Valley through the whole football game, but finally won in overtime, and a win is a win, so there was a big celebration afterwards.
football
UAPB’s Krank Drumline Cadence vs. Southern University in Pine Bluff, 2011
#29 UAPB Krank Drumline.MOV (by jdoggtn7)
UAPB’s Krank drumline plays a cadence before kickoff, October 15, 2011
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)
UAPB Band Entrance in Pine Bluff, 2011
#28 UAPB Band Entrance.MOV (by jdoggtn7)
The UAPB Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South marches into the stadium at Pine Bluff, October 15, 2011
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)
Whitehaven Band Marching into Melrose Stadium, 2011
#12 Whitehaven Band.MOV (by jdoggtn7)
The Whitehaven Band marches into Melrose Stadium in Orange Mound, Memphis at Melrose Homecoming, October 14, 2011
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)
UAPB Vs. Southern University at Pine Bluff, 2011
When I got to Pine Bluff, the UAPB Marching Musical Machine of the Midsouth was marching into the stadium. The weather was great, and I thought I was in for a great game and a great band battle. Unfortunately, I soon learned that Southern University didn’t bring their band, so there was no battle. I left after the third quarter and grabbed a dinner in donwtown Pine Bluff, and just at the right time, evidently, because later I learned that the football game had ended in a series of brawls that led to tear gas being sprayed and people having to be hospitalized.
Melrose Homecoming 2011 in Orange Mound, Memphis
Toward the end of the third quarter of the Melrose High School homecoming game, I realized that I needed to head on out of town if I wanted to get to Pine Bluff, Arkansas by 5 PM for the UAPB/Southern game, so I walked back to my car and rode out.
Despite the drizzle, I managed to catch the end of the Hamilton/East game at the Fairgrounds Friday night September 16.
Thursday night, neither team brought a band to MAHS vs. Westwood at Melrose, and Douglass didn’t have their band at the Fairgrounds, so I ended up riding out to Whitehaven to catch Hillcrest and Carver, and Hillcrest seems as if it might be an up-and-coming band program. They are clean, and for the most part, in tune.
The high school band situation in Memphis is not a pretty picture this year. I drove out to Southwind to see the Southwind vs. Wooddale game, only to find that neither team brought a band to the game. So I drove back out to Raleigh to catch Raleigh-Egypt and Trezevant, and at least Trezevant brought a small band, but not Raleigh-Egypt, who just a few years ago looked like a program that might be on the right track. What I find even more disturbing this year is that most of the schools have tiny bands, with only a handful of horn players added to a large drum section. I would assume that the problem is a breakdown at the middle school level of music education. Perhaps the pending merger of Memphis with the county schools will improve the band and music education, but I’m not holding my breath.
The high school band situation in Memphis is not a pretty picture this year. I drove out to Southwind to see the Southwind vs. Wooddale game, only to find that neither team brought a band to the game. So I drove back out to Raleigh to catch Raleigh-Egypt and Trezevant, and at least Trezevant brought a small band, but not Raleigh-Egypt, who just a few years ago looked like a program that might be on the right track. What I find even more disturbing this year is that most of the schools have tiny bands, with only a handful of horn players added to a large drum section. I would assume that the problem is a breakdown at the middle school level of music education. Perhaps the pending merger of Memphis with the county schools will improve the band and music education, but I’m not holding my breath.