Jukes coming through

With the semester coming to an end, students have begun to prepare for Thanksgiving break. While everyone has packed to return to their loved ones, the Human Jukebox is preparing to conquer their immediate rivals at the Battle of the Bands.
Thanksgiving can be considered the eve of the classic as our Human Jukebox battles against their longtime rival, Grambling University’s “The World Famed” Tiger Marching Band in the 43rd Anniversary of the Bayou Classic.
Every Thanksgiving season, the two opponents compete before thousands of alumni and future members to see who is truly “the best band in the land.” This meeting is one of the most attended battles of all in the HBCU world as it brings back alumni and fans religiously each and every year. A fan base in the tens of thousands pack the “SU”perdome to watch the showcase of the year unfold in front of their very eyes.
This tradition was passed on throughout generations, and it is broken into two separate entities that display the band’s musicianship as well as its precision on the field.
The first half will start the Friday before the game as both bands participate in a back-to-back battle for an hour to demonstrate talents such as intonation and dynamics that one must see to believe.
The second half is displayed on the same field, but with a totally different environment. During half time both the Jukebox and Tiger Marching Band execute several elaborate drills to dazzle the audience.
Nathan Haymer, Director of Bands, as well as Assistant Band Directors, Brian Simmons and Kedric Taylor, are said to be amongst the best arrangers in the game and are all Southern University alumni. They have all teamed up to prove to the world which band dominates the south and have been dubbed, “world famed.”
“It’s a high honor to me,” Simmons exclaimed when asked about his rank as one of the best music arrangers. “I don’t understand what the big fuss is about but it is still a high honor to be in the mention of those who have come before me. I just hope I do good work for everybody. That’s all it is.”
With several of their arrangements, being “Hello” and “Can You Stand The Rain,” the Human Jukebox has truly captivated the nation through social media and has shaken the very core of every band’s dream to someday be a fierce competitor.
Over the course of this semester alone, the Jukebox will not only be part of one battle of the bands, but a total of 4, one every month. With a schedule as packed as the Jukebox’s, there is no way the band won’t show out for this performance. “Often imitated, but never duplicated,” is the only way to describe the Jukebox as they take out each challenger they have faced this season.
“On many stand points as far as working together, as far as maturing, the band has grown a lot. We’ve been together for a long time. I think the band is at a really good standpoint, and this may be the strongest band we’ve had since we’ve been here,” said Simmons with a smile on his face.
With this being the final week, the band will be practicing day in and out to get everything perfect to ensure that these band members will march into the Mercedes-Benz Stadium with beaming confidence.
Bayou Classic is right around the corner, and one can now only wait and see what the Jukebox has under their sleeve for Grambling. It’s not just Louisiana watching anymore, the world is now marking its calendar for the date. Be sure not to miss it!