​Nearly 5,000 student-musicians from 43 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) will take their first steps this week on “The Road to the Honda,” with only eight lucky bands finishing their journey in Atlanta, Georgia, at the 2010 Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase. The Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) Invitational Showcase, scheduled to take place Sat., Jan. 30th, 2010 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, is the world’s largest and most highly anticipatedHBCU musical event of its kind. The Invitational Showcase not only serves as a platform to highlight and showcase the heritage and showmanship of the HBCU college marching bands, but it also serves as the only national music scholarship program of its kind. For the 2010 program, each of the 43 participating bands will receive a $1,000 grant for their music programs, with an additional $20,000 awarded to the eight institutions selected to advance to the 2010 Invitational Showcase. Formerly known as the Celebration Tour, the “Road to the Honda,” running now through October 30th, is the path 43 HBCU bands must take in order to earn a spot on the national stage at the Invitational Showcase. HBCU bands will face-off throughout the fall football season, displaying the distinctive precision marching styles, inspired choreography and colorful pageantry that make the HBCU marching band experience an incomparable one. As in past years, the nation’s topHBCU marching bands chosen to participate in the Invitational Showcase are selected by a combination of votes from HBCU presidents, band directors and fans. Beginning September 7th, fans can vote online at www.HondaBattleoftheBands.com for the band they would like to see headline the 2010 Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase. “The Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase is truly an unforgettable event. It not only helps showcase the amazing musical talents of HBCU students, but it also gives Honda the opportunity to help make a significant monetary contribution to these school’s music programs,” said Marc Burt, senior manager, Office of Inclusion and Diversity for American Honda. “The nation’s current economic crisis has had a dire impact on black institutions, forcing many to struggle with enrollment projections and the maintenance of key programs. Despite these financial challenges America’s black colleges continue to contribute to the country’s cadre of black intellectuals, professionals and creative artists. Honda is proud, that even in tough economic times, we can continue to uphold our commitment to the HBCU community through this program.” In addition to offering fans access to the largest HBCU marching band showdown in the world, the 2010 HBOB program will also feature the fifth annual HBCU Recruitment Fair and the third annual “Fox Music Experience” music internship program. Held prior to the main event in the Georgia World Congress Center, the HBCU Recruitment Fair presents young people with the opportunity to meet with marching band and admissions recruiters from all around the country to discuss their unique music programs and distribute information about admissions requirements, academic programs and scholarship opportunities. The “Fox Music Experience” summer internship allows one lucky student the opportunity to participate in an all-expenses paid immersion into the Hollywood music and film industries. Online polling for the 2010 Invitational Honda Battle of the Bands Showcase will end Friday, October 30th at midnight (EST). The eight institutions selected for participation in the 2010 Invitational Showcase will be announced on Monday, November 9th, 2009. 2010 Invitational Showcase tickets are now on sale at www.ticketmaster.com and www.HondaBattleoftheBands.com. The Honda Battle of the Bands web site is the official online destination and clearinghouse for allHBOB information including Invitational Showcase updates, voting, polling status, photos and video footage. For more information, a list of the 43 participating HBCUs in the “Road to the Honda,” to vote for your favorite band or for details about the “Fox Music Experience” summer Internship program, please visit www.HondaBattleoftheBands.com. About Honda American Honda Motor Co., Inc., was founded in 1959 as the U.S. sales and marketing subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Honda currently produces automobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, lawn mowers and engines at its eleven major U.S. manufacturing operations, using domestic and globally sourced parts. Honda has a long-standing commitment to the support and success of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities that began more than 20 years ago with the establishment of the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge, a program designed to showcase the academic gifts and prowess of HBCU students. American Honda established Honda Battle of the Bands nine years ago as an effort to support HBCU music programs.