 "Photo: Marquita Johnson/Echo staff reporter")
N.C. Central's marching band, Sound Machine is a band known for calling themselves a hybrid, but this year they are known for something else.
The 200 members of this year's Rose Bowl attended the 2010 Honda Battle of the Bands.
The Battle of the Bands was held on last Saturday afternoon in Atlanta at the Georgia Dome.
This year, eight historically black colleges and universities showcased their different styles and musicianship to a crowd of over 60,000.
Albany State, Clark-Atlanta, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical, Prairie-View, Southern University, Tuskegee University and Virginia State are all amongst the schools that performed.
Every year, each university's band goes through a selection process in which the fans vote for 1/3 of the votes, and the bands' directors and university presidents count for the remaining votes.
This year, NCCU's Sound Machine performed 10 different songs.
The highlight of their show was the tribute to the individuals and families in Haiti.
Jorim Reid, director of the NCCU bands, arranged a piece with Michael Jackson's song, "Earth Song," for the band to perform.
Other songs performed by the band were "All The Way Turnt Up" by Travis Porter, "Shake Your Body Down" by Michael Jackson, "Booty Dew" by GS Boyz, "Bed Rock" by Young Money, "Oh Lets Do It" by Waka Flocka Flame, and "DOA" by Jay-Z.
The NCCU dance group eClipse also did a performance to the Bell Biv D'Voe classic, "Poison."
"Being my second year participating in the battle of the bands, it was exciting because we got to see different bands that we have never seen before," stated sophomore criminal justice major Clifton Morgan III.
Chancellor Charlie Nelms and Sound Machine band director Jorim Reid accepted $1,000—the amount allotted by American Honda to each of the schools for their music program.
NCCU was among the eight specially selected schools to receive another check for $20,000.
"This was my first time attending Battle of the Bands and I think that the band did a wonderful job," stated Political Science major Kentoura Gilmore.
Also making a cameo at the Battle of the Bands was Grammy-Award winning rap artist, Ludacris, who the special guest performer.
Promoting his upcoming album "Battle of the Sexes," Ludacris performed his hit single "How Low." The album is scheduled to be released this spring.
"I feel that the atmosphere was very positive," stated trombone section leader, Jerrin Strayhorn , who is also a junior business management major. "
"The crowd's response was great, the show was great, and we played loud. The overall energy of the band was great."
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