The inaugural Metallica Marching Band Competition has been announced. For whom the band tolls, it tolls for thee. Or something.
So what is the Metallica Marching Band Competition? It's a national challenge, open to marching bands of all levels, to bring the music of Metallica to life on the field. Marching bands from high school level through college level are welcome to compete, with $150,00 in prizes up for grabs from the band themselves and sponsors including Tama, KHS America, Zildjian, D’Addario, and Gator, in partnership with Sweetwater.
The marching bands will compete in five different categories, with winners narrowed down by professional marching band judges to five finalists. The members of Metallica will select the winners in each category, with Fan Favorite winners chosen by popular vote. The categories break down like this:1. Collegiate: Division 1 - $75,000 in prizing2. Collegiate: Division 2, 3 - $40,000 in prizing3. High School - $15,000 in prizing4. Fan Favorite: Collegiate (across all divisions) - $10,000 in prizing5. Fan Favorite: High School - $10,000 in prizing
Metallica Marching Band Competition: a Metal Band Geek's Dream
Take a few minutes tapping around on your YouTube app and you'll find a ton of marching bands pulling off insane routines. This tribute to Eddie Van Halen from not loo long ago comes to mind. But can you imagine what you'd be able to do with a Metallica song if you were putting together a routine for a high school or college marching band?
I wasn't a marching band kid (I was in jazz band), but I was a band geek, no doubt. And I loved heavy music. To have been in band back in the day and having the band director hand out sheet music to a Metallica song? Wild. And that's just what these schools will be doing, as sheet music legend Hal Leonard has put together arrangements for Creeping Death, Enter Sandman, Fade To Black, For Whom The Bell Tolls, Fuel, Hit The Lights, Lux Æterna, Master of Puppets, One, Sad But True, Seek & Destroy, The Unforgiven and Wherever I May Roam.
Video submissions are due by November, so get cracking, band geeks.
