... university bands performing in the Obama Inauguration Parade ... is the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, with four schools' exuberant, high-energy bands: Florida A&M, Howard, Hampton and Delaware State.

The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) had two rousing and festive entries: Grambling and Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

(The only other big-school bands in the parade were from U's of Tennessee, Delaware, Utah and Ohio State.)

Gee, I like marching bands. :-) Even California's entry ... from a local middle school ... sounded great. It's quite an ordeal to get set up for such a big parade in the cold ... there's a lot of standing around doing nothing until it's your time to move. I always thought the marching and music parts were fun.