Metallica have announced the finalists of their inaugural For Whom The Band Tolls marching band competition, which they launched earlier this year.
“For whom the bells tolls, time marches on”, goes the line from the band’s 1984 song ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls’. And somehow it took them almost 40 years to think to ask school and college marching bands to compete to create the “most exciting, unique and impressive performances of some of the band’s most beloved songs”.
Over 450 high schools and colleges in the US entered the competition after it was announced in April, hoping to win a share of the $150,000 in prize money on offer. Now 25 marching bands in five categories have been announced as finalists.
The top prize of $75,000 will go to a top level collegiate band. A lower ranking college band will receive $40,000. High school bands are divided into three categories by size, with each vying for $15,000. There are also $10,000 prizes for fan favourite college and high school bands.
While the finalists have been selected by a panel of professional judges, the website for the competition notes that “Metallica will select the final prize winners in each category”. The fan favourite categories will be selected based on fan voting on the website.
The final winners will be announced in the first week of January.
