Drumline incorporates Top 40, New Age feel

In fact the show features marching band alumni of historically black colleges and universities, primarily in the southeastern United States. The ensemble of 30 performers includes four who are primarily singers and dancers.

	If you go WHAT: “Drumline Live” WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 23 WHERE: Popejoy Hall, UNM Center for the Arts HOW MUCH: $20, $39 and $49 in advance at www.unmtickets.com, at ticket offices in the UNM Bookstore and at the Pit, at select area Albertsons supermarkets, by calling 925-5858 or toll-free 877-664-8661 or at the door

But there is more to the show than the drumline. It also has the quality of a musical revue.

“We’ve incorporated some electronics for our drums to give you a New Age feel. … It’s become one of the most popular parts of the show – glow in the dark in percussion,” said Reggie Brayon, a producer of “Drumline Live.”

“We’ve also updated some music to do more recent Top 40 stuff and we’ve changed some choreography since the last time we were in Albuquerque. We figure we’ve improved it.”

The show, which will come to Popejoy Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 23, was last on the Popejoy stage in October of 2010.

The show has an assortment of R&B classics like “Respect,” which Aretha Franklin sang, and “Baby, Baby, Baby,” which James Brown popularized.

“We have some big-band tunes like ‘Sing, Sing, Sing,’” Brayon said.

There’s even a segment with a West African drum known as the djembe.

“It’s not in a drumline but it’s a percussion scene. It’s the essence where the drumline started. That’s the concept,” Brayon said.

Most of the ensemble members are from Florida A&M University, he said, because the show’s creative director Don Roberts and percussion director Demetrius Hubert are FAMU alumni.

Among the schools other performers attended are Jackson State, Prairie View A&M and Clark Atlanta University.

The Popejoy stop is one of 55 performances “Drumline Live” has in its 2012-13 national tour. It has performed in Japan and in Korea and is working on plans for a tour of Europe.