St. Louis Will Host A Nation’s First
St. Louis, Mo. – The motion picture “Drumline,” (2002) starring Nick Cannon, launched the spectacle of historically black college and university marching music into the mainstream and brought the entertainment phenomenon worldwide acclaim. Surprisingly, in the wake of the movie’s success, there has yet to be an actual historically black college and university drum line battle brought to any live arena… until now.
On Saturday, March 6, St. Louis will provide the setting for this show-stopping art form by hosting America’s first SHOWDOWN: Historically Black College and University Drum Line Show. The event begins at 2 p.m. at the intimate (10,600 seat) Chaifetz Arena. The battle will feature the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South, the Central State University (Wilberforce, Ohio) Marching Marauders Band, the Kentucky State University Marching Thorobred Band, Langston University’s Marching Pride Band, Lincoln University’s (Jefferson City, Mo.) Marching Musical Storm, and the Mississippi Valley State Mean Green Marching Machine. There will also be featured performances by: the Show-Me Sound F.O.C.U.S. (For Our Children’s Unfettered Success) DRUMLINE, the Show-Me Rhythms Senior DRUMLINE (a.k.a. the Big Brothers to the Show-Me Sound F.O.C.U.S. ensemble) and other St. Louis area ensembles.
Tickets are on sale now for $15. Visit the Chaifetz Arena Box Office, 1 South Compton Ave., St. Louis. Tickets are also available through Metrotix by calling 800-293-5949, or www.metrotix.com (additional fees will apply).
St. Louis has enjoyed a rich drum line history that was established by the American Woodmen and Tom Powell Post. That torch was passed to great high school drum programs throughout St. Louis, including Normandy, Soldan, Vashon and Sumner. Those programs all had drum line members in youth drum corps around the city including the Memorial Lancers, the Police Youth Corps, the Page Park Cadets and many, many more. St. Louis was a thriving city with youth drum corps, marching bands and drum lines until the 1990s.
Show-Me Sound Organization is working to tap into the rich history by presenting a drum line show that will re-ignite the torch of the powerful tradition of the drum in our community. Featuring historically black college and university drum ensembles, along with performances by St. Louis programs, will be a great reminder to our older generation and an awakening to the new.
ABOUT SHOW-ME SOUND ORGANIZATION
Founded in 1993, Show-Me Sound Organization has given positive direction to the lives of hundreds of St. Louis City and County youth through music. In keeping with our mission: To spread love with the drum through education, performance and outreach, our programs have affected thousands of young people across the region. Show-Me Sound ‘s young performers have been featured in events including: Muny (pre-show performances), Fair St. Louis, Live On the Levee, the Great Forest Park Balloon Race, First Night, the Art Fair, the Jazz Festival, the NCAA Final Four March to the Arch Parade and Festivals (2005 & 2009) and many, many more. Please visit us at www.showmesound.org or our facebook pages, Show-Me Sound Drumline and HBCU DRUMLINE SHOWDOWN.
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