DRUMline Live

Such a fun show

During my freshman year, my college played Hampton University in a football game. I vividly remember being in the stands before the show, and suddenly, I heard this glorious noise coming from across the field. It turns out the Hampton band was playing their way into the stands. Mesmerized, I watched this whole process and knew at that moment that there would be no bathroom breaks during halftime. I was going to watch whatever performance was going to happen. I did, and it was fantastic. I would have, in a heartbeat, had my own school’s band not go onto the field and had Hampton perform for longer. They were so much fun.

Sadly, my school didn’t play Hampton again during my time there. For many years, my life was woefully devoid of the spectacle and the artistry that epitomizes the HBCU band and its drum line. That is, until Friday night.

Friday night was when DRUMline Live came to Philly. Flying solo for the night, I managed to get a great seat. (The perks of being single — you don’t have to look for multiple tickets next to each other.) The show started with a brief history of drum lines and then the evolution of soul music, especially in the 1960s. There was a whole Motown section which was glorious. Then there was a Michael Jackson section which the crowd thoroughly enjoyed. Following a brief intermission, we were treated to a mock halftime show honoring Prince. It was all great, and the musicians could really play.