Hungry March Band
The Hungry March Band is a marching band whose membership totals approximately 30 people, though the size of the band can vary at any given performance. They have a repertoire that borrows from global brass band music traditions, including, but not limited to, Balkan gypsy bands, Indian wedding bands, and New Orleans second line. The band is also influenced by punk rock; various jazz traditions, including free jazz and bop; reggae; and chance music, citing such disparate predecessors and influences as Sun Ra, Charlie Parker, John Cage and Sonic Youth.
Band History
The Hungry March Band was formed in 1997 at the Happy Birthday Hideout. Original members included Scott Moore on sousaphone, Sara Valentine as baton twirler, Dreiky on percussion, and Gam Mitkevich on trombone.
Performances
They have become infamous in New York City underground music circles for pulling off audacious performances in unlikely locations, including the Staten Island Ferry, subways, and unannounced on the streets in various neighborhoods around the city. They have also played numerous outdoor festivals in New York New York City and around Europe, protest marches against the Iraq war and the 2004 Republican National Convention, and at Madison Square Garden during one of Ralph Nader's super rallies during his 2000 bid for the presidency of the United States.