Hundreds of musicians are set to take centre stage at tomorrow's Bermuda Drumline: Livin' The Rhythm 2008.

The bands will include the phenomenal Howard University Band, the Brooklyn Steppers and the Milford Mill Academy Spartan Band.

In addition, the Island's own award winning Bermuda Regiment Band, Drumline Bermuda and the majorettes will also take part in tomorrow's performance at the National Sports Centre.

In an interview with The Royal Gazette, Yhoshi Productions' David Durham and Sancha Tai Durham said that this was set to be the family event of the year.

Miss Durham spoke about the bands that were coming, while Mr. Durham talked more about what it took to put on an event of this magnitude and those it would benefit.

Nearly 400 international performers will descend on the National Stadium to showcase some of America's most formidable Marching Bands with tight choreography, musicianship and precision drumming.

"A hundred performers are from the historic Howard University Marching Band as well as 100 drummers, dancers and entertainers from the renowned Brooklyn Steppers will perform with Virginia's award-winning Milford High Band," Miss Durham said.

"The Brooklyn Steppers are a band that is out of Brooklyn and they are less fortunate and this is what they do outside of their curriculum.

"They have to maintain a certain grade point average to stay in the band and they rehearse Thursdays and Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m.

"To fundraise for this event, they are selling doughnuts and candy, whatever they can do to try to get to Bermuda.

"I did an interview with one of them not too long ago and he was so excited because he said that he had never been on a plane before.

"It should bring warmth to our hearts that we can bring these kids to Bermuda, as they may not get outside of Brooklyn again, but if we can offer them this opportunity, it's great."

They are no strangers to large venues though. "When the (New York) Giants won the Super Bowl and they had the ticker tape parade, at the end of the parade, (the Steppers) performed for the Giants."

Howard University performed at Drumline three years ago and are back by popular demand.

"Everyone wanted them to come back," Miss Durham said. "They have a big alumni in Bermuda. We had a lot of applications come through, but we couldn't deny Howard."

Local alumni of Howard are also organising a beach party on Sunday at Clearwater which promises to be happening.

Millford Mill are a young, technical band, Miss Durham said. "They have been to South Africa and they are well travelled."

While organising Drumline is a mammoth project, Mr. Durham — who is also one of the organisers of the Bermuda Music Festival — said it is a labour of love.

"Drumline when it comes to promoting is probably more work for me than the Music Festival, but in terms of the rewards, not monetarily but with satisfaction, it's Drumline," he said. "Because you get people who are wheeled in, you get young kids, you get the in-betweens, white, black, everybody."

When asked why it had taken three years to bring the popular event back to the Island, Mr. Durham replied that it had a lot to do with hotel room availability with the large numbers flying in to perform.

"Sometimes the bands travel with hundreds, but we have had to limit them to bringing only a hundred people per band, but we have to do what the rooms can hold," Miss Durham said.

She said the event is so popular that they have had other bands lobbying to come to Bermuda and also celebrities trying to get a spot, but space is an issue and the organisers have to be selective — sometimes they simply have nowhere to put people.

Miss Durham said the Drumline musicians are very inspirational for youngsters and the bands will be visiting local schools.

"We are trying to get our youth involved and to show that some of these kids are so little, only 11 years old and they are playing some of the songs that these kids hear on the radio everyday," she said.

"So we felt that taking them into the schools would show them that this is something that they can get involved with and students get scholarships for these things. "The kids can do workshops and they can see what they are doing.

"For our community, we have to give something back," added Mr. Durham.

He offered a word of advice to audiences: "When the show starts, you are going to have to get your popcorn and chips, because once the show starts, you are not going to be able to move.

"There will be one act right after the other and it's going to jam and then Howard in the end, Howard has something for Bermuda."

In addition, the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs has made it possible for the performers to participate at the Bermuda Day Parade on Monday.

Drumline begins at 7 p.m. at the Bermuda Sports Centre. For more information visit www.bermudadrumline.com. Tickets are $35 — $75, depending on seating while patrons pay $125.

They are available at Yhoshi Main Office on top of Till's Hill/Court Street, Hamilton and 27th Century Boutique.

Tickets booths on Saturday only are available at Esso City Market, Esso Warwick Tiger Market, Esso Crawl Collector's Hill Tiger Market, People's Pharmacy and Scoops Ice Cream Parlour & Cupcake Café.