Home Depot Center News

CARSON, CA (Thurs., Oct. 7, 2010) – Grammy-nominated entertainer Omarion will headline the 2010 Battle of the High School Marching Bands halftime show on Sat., Nov. 20 at The Home Depot Center. The event, returning to Carson after a one-year hiatus, will also feature Martha Wash of the C+C Music Factory and young artist Scooter Smiff. Each artist will perform live during halftime at the sixth edition of the charity event to raise money for The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation and the VH1 Save The Music Foundation and their combined efforts to support music and arts education for youth.

Omarion makes his long-awaited return to the music scene this year with his new album and label imprint, Starworld Entertainment, through EMI Label Services. The multi-platinum superstar released his third studio album, Ollusion, on Jan. 12, 2010. Omarion has released two-chart topping solo albums since leaving the multi-platinum selling group B2K. In addition to music, the artist is an actor who has appeared in several films, including You Got Served, a no. 1 box office hit.

Also performing at halftime Martha Wash, the voice behind hits from The Weather Girls, Black Box and C+C Music Factory. She’ll be performing the no. 1 single Gonna Make you Sweat (Everybody Dance Now), alongside the Black Diamond Drill Team and Drum Squad from Los Angeles.   Wash has been performing since the early 80s, and has had numerous no. 1 hits, including It’s Raining Men (1982), Everybody Everybody (1992), You Lift Me Up (2004) and Keep Your Body Working (2007). This November, Wash is releasing a new CD and continues her dedication to a variety of charities, including being a spokesperson for QSAC, Inc., a non-profit organization which provides comprehensive services to individuals with Autism and their families.

Joining Omarion and Wash in the halftime show is up-and-coming artist Scooter Smiff, performing songs from his debut CD from the CBE label. Special guest and Urban Management recording artists Josh London will sing the national anthem, backed up by the Fernando Pullum Performing Arts High School choir. Josh recently performed on season 2 of VH1’s Break’ N Through Save the Music Foundation showcase, highlighting the music industry’s most talented young artists (airdate TBA).

The sixth edition of the Battle of the High School Marching Bands raises funds to support music and arts education in schools across the U.S. New to the event this year, local, Southern California high school marching bands, choirs, drill teams and glee clubs are invited to participate in a school fundraiser, and the school who raises the most money will also perform at halftime. For more information on the school fundraising program, please visit homedepotcenter.com.

Eight high school marching band finalists will battle it out “Southern Show Style” in the 27,000-seat soccer stadium in front of thousands of fans, a judges panel of collegiate band directors and drill/dance team alumni and VIP celebrity guests for the grand prize of $10,000 to purchase new instruments or uniforms on Sat., Nov. 20, starting at 5 p.m. Joining the 2006 and 2008 champion Inglewood High School Marching Band from Inglewood, Calif. will be three other high schools from the Los Angeles area; Compton High School (Compton, Calif.), Crenshaw High School (Los Angeles, Calif.) and Dominguez High School (Compton, Calif.), plus four schools from out of state; Lithonia High School (Lithonia, Georgia), James S. Rickards High School (Tallahassee, Florida), Stephen F. Austin High School (Houston, Texas) and Clifton J. Ozen Magnet High School (Beaumont, Texas), who placed second in 2008.

Tickets for the $10 general admission event are on sale now at The Home Depot Center Box Office and online at www.ticketmaster.com .  The annual event, featuring seven 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 year’s past.

About the VH1 Save The Music Foundation

The VH1 Save The Music Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music education programs in America’s public schools, and raising awareness about the importance of music as part of each child’s complete education.  To date, VH1 Save The Music has provided more than $45 million in new musical instruments to 1,700 public schools in more than 100 cities around the country, impacting the lives of over 1.4 million children.  With the support of people across the country and the 2010-2011 Ambassador Class including: OneRepublic, Chrisette Michele, Nick Lachey, Mandy Moore, Kelly Clarkson, Jason Mraz, Fall Out Boy, Colbie Caillat, it is The Foundation’s renewed commitment to donate one hundred million dollars worth of new musical instruments to ensure that even a greater number of students receive a comprehensive music education in the coming decade. Get involved and learn more at vh1savethemusic.com.

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 $500,000 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 Facilities 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 a 2,450-seat indoor Velodrome for track cycling.  The Home Depot Center is home to two Major League Soccer teams, the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA. 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, the national team training headquarters for the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) and Athletes’ Performance, an international training center for elite and professional athletes.  For more information, please visit www.homedepotcenter.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Alison Groendal Salcedo
The Home Depot Center Communications
(310) 630-2032

-- www.homedepotcenter.com on the campus of www.csudh.edu --