A marching band with electric guitars

Andrew J. Malanowski said three things brought him to Western Carolina University – a chance to major in commercial and electronic music, a multimillion dollar recording studio and the fact that WCU’s Pride of the Mountains Marching Band features guitars in its...
Road Report #6: Trucks cross New Mexico

Road Report #6: Trucks cross New Mexico

The band trucks started their third (and hopefully final) day on the road for transporting the band instruments, uniforms, equipment and luggage to California for the Rose Parade. They finally made it out of Texas, a stretch of more than 1,000 miles of highway, into...

Band members prep for flights to California

The first of the six flights scheduled to carry groups of WCU Pride of the Mountains Marching Band to California to participate in the Tournament of Roses Bandfest on Dec. 30 and Rose Parade on Jan. 1 leave today – Tuesday, Dec. 28. The first group to report are...

Road Report #5: Still trucking through Texas

The trucks spent all day Monday, Dec. 27, making their way across Texas and planned to stop somewhere near El Paso. The drivers saw plenty of windmills and flatlands along the way! Click here to read more about the volunteer drivers and their journey.

Update: Weather service warns of black ice

5 p.m. Update: The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory regarding widespread black ice in the mountains and other parts of North Carolina. The advisory remains in effect until noon Tuesday, Dec. 28. 12:45 p.m. Update: If band members are...

Parade helps inspire bandsman to get in shape

Cole Watkins, a senior psychology major from Charlotte who plays mellophone in the band, lost 65 pounds after he began a daily routine of running to prepare to march in the 5-and-a-half mile Rose Parade. “In the parade, endurance is a big factor. I figured I would...
Vocalist: ‘It’s like a rush of energy’

Vocalist: ‘It’s like a rush of energy’

The Pride of the Mountains Marching Band Director, Bob Buckner, has such a great ear that he can always tell when Whitney Collins runs a little flat or sharp when she sings part of “Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution” on a giant letter “U” during the 2010 field show...

Road Report #4: Trucking on through Texas

The band trucks started making their way across Texas on Monday, Dec. 27, and were approaching Dallas around noon. Read more road reports about the trucks carrying band equipment to California for the Tournament of Roses Bandfest and Rose Parade, a move that saves the...

Road Report #3: Trucks make it to Texas

The three trucks carrying band equipment across the country to California left Western North Carolina about 4:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 26, and traveled in and out of wintry conditions before stopping for the night in New Boston, Texas, near the border of Texas and...

Travel reminders, from tracksuits to snow globes

With three trucks making their way west with the bulk of WCU Pride of the Mountains Marching Band members’ luggage, there isn’t as much to pack before the first wave of band students fly out of Charlotte, Atlanta and Raleigh to California on Tuesday, Dec....