March Madness

By Captain Comannokers

John Lackey poster of MMB show.

John Lackey’s poster art for the March Madness Marching Band benefit show at Buster’s on Saturday, February 19, depicts a bus flying through a ring of fire and a blasting trombone from one of the windows. I’m not sure the band’s bus will actually go into orbit, or if it will perform any circus tricks down the highway, but I wouldn’t put any of it past ‘em.

The show is a benefit to get the massive Lexington ensemble, consisting of dozens of musicians and color guard members, down to Austin, Texas, for the Honk! festival in March.

Honk! is a madcap celebration of community street bands from all over the country performing for FREE all over the city—unleashing laughter, hops, skips and jumps of musical joy into the Austin atmosphere.

And if you have ever seen March Madness Marching Band perform in any number of parades or at countless events over the past two years you know that this event is like a pilgrimage to Mecca (no, not the one that they practice at each week on Chair Ave in Lexington, but a spiritual journey of some sort – however marching bands sift through that sort of metaphysical experience.

I know some of these outlandishly fun folks in MMMB and they deserve this trip. They deserve it because they are in it to make people smile. That’s always been their goal – that, and supporting the community organizations they believe in. They don’t get paid to play, but they certainly help others in raising funds by supplying their unique flair and style when called upon by their beloved community.

Leif Rigney plays trumpet for MMB.

And now they are asking that same community to help them represent the city of Lexington on a national stage—where bands from New Orleans, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle and Boston will all be throwing down massive party grooves for a city that knows a thing or two about a party.

I say we christen that crazy, flyin’ bus with a bottle of the bubbly, and watch as it rolls away—instruments hanging out the windows, making a glorious clamor all the way to Austin and back.

Outside of the MMMB playing three sets at the Buster’s show, there will also be performances by Rebel Without A Cause, FUMA, Prefab Rehab as well as appearance by Gail Winters, Rakadu Gypsy Dance, Sabi Diri, Hallwa, Chip Chop, Amalgamation Fire Nation and Holler Poets. Doors at 8:00 p.m. 18 & up.