TroyFest 2018 will officially kickoff Monday night on the square in downtown Troy and everybody will be up and kickin’ no matter the age, said Shelia Jackson, Troy public relations and tourism director.

“We invite everyone to come out and get TroyFest off to a great start with music by the remarkable Southeast Alabama Community Band and POPulus, Troy University’s popular music ensemble made up of students in the university’s Music Industry Program.”

While the Southeast Alabama Community has been entertaining audiences for years, POPulus is a new band in town.

“The community band will play the patriotic music that we all love and the marches that are familiar to all of us,” Jackson said. “We are looking forward to this special performance by these musicians who continue to love to play band music while they are raising families and pursuing careers.”

Around 8 p.m. POPulus will take the stage and close out the TroyFest Kickoff event.

POPulus is a different kind of band. It’s composed of 30 university vocalists and audio engineers, who are rapt with the Trojan Warrior spirit, said Ray Smith, director.

Aside from jazz, POPulus plays the music that is popular with today’s younger crowd and, perhaps, with more members of the “senior” crowd than one might think.

POPulus plays everything from rock and classic rock to country and R&B.

Don’t be surprised to hear rapping because Smith did mention the name, Chance the Rapper.

POPulus also plays covers from well-known artist and original songs written by students from “the industry.”

POPulus plans to debut its 6th album, which is all student written and produced.

So, when POPulus takes the stage and the lights go dim and the band begins to sing, “In the heart of Alabama sits a mighty Warrior town ..” expect things to really start rocking.”