Home Depot Center News

Earth, Wind & Fire's Verdine White to Perform with the Spirit of Troy, the University of Southern California Trojan Marching Band

CARSON, CA (Thursday, August 30, 2007) - Tickets go on sale Tuesday, September 4 for the fourth annual Battle of the High School Marching Bands, the \"Southern Show Style\" marching band competition on Saturday, November 17 at The Home Depot Center, featuring six finalists from across the United States. Just added to the show is a special one-time-only performance featuring Earth, Wind & Fire's Verdine White, who will perform \"September\" with the University of Southern California Trojan Marching Band. This special performance marks the first time a collegiate band has ever performed at the Battle of the High School Marching Bands.

\"The USC Trojan Marching Band is proud to share the spotlight with the top six high school marching bands from across the nation who will be competing in the Battle of the High School Marching Bands,\" says USC Band Director Dr. Arthur C. Bartner. \"Performing with Verdine White will make it a memorable night that celebrates the power of music education in our schools.\"

Under the direction of Bartner since 1970, the Trojan Marching Band has become one of the most popular and innovative collegiate marching bands in the country. The band has performed with internationally known Fleetwood Mac twice and appeared in the 2004 Grammy Awards, performing with OutKast. In 1984, Bartner directed an 800-member All-American College Marching Band for the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. In addition to numerous appearances at Disneyland (Anaheim, Florida and Europe), in Super Bowls and elsewhere around the world, the 275-person Spirit of Troy Trojan Marching Band is most well known for its support and performances at USC Football games and at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Together, the USC Trojan Marching Band and White will perform Earth, Wind & Fire's 1978 hit single, \"September\" at half-time of the marching band competition.

\"The Battle of the High School Marching Bands is an outstanding annual event, and I am honored to return to The Home Depot Center to perform with the USC Trojan Marching Band,\" says White. \"As a strong believer in the power of performing arts and music, I encourage everyone to join in this night of music celebration.\"

White, who is a three-time judge for the competition, will perform for his first time at The Home Depot Center. In addition to performing, White will be a celebrity awards presenter, and will be joined by event alumna Shelia E., Bobby Brown, Earth, Wind and Fire's Verdine White, 93.5 KDAY DJ YOYO and cast members from the Sony/Screen Gems November release of This Christmas starring Mekhi Phifer, Regina King, Columbus Short and Chris Brown.

The event also showcases a panel of judges who hail from some of the nation's most prestigious collegiate marching bands, including Dr. Arthur C. Bartner, Director, University of Southern California Trojan Marching Band; Dr. O'Neill Sanford, Director, Norfolk State University Marching Band; Albert L. Jackson, Band Director, Langston University Marching Band; and Ronald G. Turner from Florida A & M University, a \"Marching 100\" Marching Band Alumni and former high school band director.

The high schools will also be observed by members of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association's Music Committee, who will be on the lookout for marching bands to participate in future Rose Parades. Tickets for the $10 general admission event go on sale Tuesday, September 4 at The Home Depot Center Box Office and online at www.ticketmaster.com. The annual event, featuring six high school marching bands competing \"Southern Show Style\" for the grand prize of $10,000 and prizes, raised more than $100,000 for The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation and the VH1 Save the Music Foundation in 2006.

The six finalists include two local, Southern California high schools including I.C. Norcom High School Marching Band (Portsmouth, Virginia) Jordan High School (Long Beach, Calif.), Percy L. Julian High School Marching Band (Chicago, Ill.) Redan High School Marching Band (Stone Mountain, GA), Xavier Preparatory High School Marching Band (New Orleans, LA), and the 2006 winner Inglewood High School Marching Band-Inglewood, Calif.).

About the VH1 Save The Music Foundation
Since 1997, the VH1 Save The Music Foundation has successfully restored and sustained instrumental music programs in 1,500 public schools in 100 communities across the country, including Memphis, Houston, Chicago, New York, Denver, Baltimore and Milwaukee. Over the past ten years, various artists and celebrities have shown their devotion to the VH1 Save The Music Foundation by partnering with the organization as they've reached out to struggling school districts across the country. Celebrities including Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Sting, Billy Joel, Kiefer Sutherland, John Legend, Rob Thomas, Alicia Keys, and Jewel have donated their time and efforts to the organization in attempts to raise awareness about the importance of music in a child's education.

To date, The Foundation has provided more than $40 million in new musical instruments, affecting the lives of more than 1 million children. For more information on the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, please visit http://www.vh1.com/partners/save_the_music/.

About The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation
The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation was established to provide financial and in-kind support for educational, recreational and social service programs which improve the lives of young people in the Greater Southern California region. The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation has given more than $400,000 to youth organizations since The Home Depot Center opened in 2003.

About The Home Depot Center
The Home Depot Center is southern California's home of world-class competition and training facilities for amateur, Olympic, collegiate and professional athletes. The $150 million, privately financed facility was developed and is operated by AEG on a 125-acre site on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) in Carson, California. The Home Depot Center features an 8,000-seat tennis stadium, a 27,000-seat stadium for soccer, rugby and other athletic competitions and outdoor concerts, a 10,000-seat facility for track & field and lacrosse, the ADT Event Center (a 2,450-seat indoor velodrome for cycling) and other facilities for softball, baseball, beach volleyball, basketball and other sports. The Home Depot Center is home to three professional sports teams - Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA, and Major League Lacrosse's (MLL) Los Angeles Riptide. Named an Official U.S. Olympic Training Site, The Home Depot Center is also home of the United States Tennis Association's (USTA) High Performance Training Center and is the national team training headquarters for the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF). The David Beckham Academy for youth soccer, Andre Agassi's Safe Passage All-Stars at-risk youth tennis program and Athletes' Performance's training center for elite and professional athletes are all based at The Home Depot Center. The Home Depot Center has additionally been designated official training sites for USA Cycling and USA Track & Field. For more information, please visit homedepotcenter.com.

CONTACT
Alison Groendal
The Home Depot Center Communications
(310) 630-2032