crunchycookie3

This is all fine and well, but I agree that they didn’t present as particularly clean-musically or visually. I’d be particularly surprised if they win all judges in the same caption.

I’m absolutely sure I’m going to end up eating my words later, but outside of that ballad, I didn’t feel like I just watched an eagle-winning show. I’m personally much more partial to their drill in 2022 and their emotional impact in 2018. Again, it’s all personal taste for me up at the top. I feel there are other top-tier groups with cleaner shows that pack a more emotional punch. All together, still an incredible show with one of the most powerful visuals of the year in that ballad!

I fear Bentonville has (deservedly!) nabbed a coveted finals slot, blocking a TX school from making it in. They have quite a cute and visually popping show with music achievement that other ‘cute’ shows lack. I’d love for them to make the pilgrimage down to San Antonio soon!

I heard a lot of hoopla about Fishers on a certain other website. They’re certainly a crowd pleaser! It’s definitely a fun show. I’m thinking Bowie may be sitting closer to the finals cutoff than I thought! Musically, even the higher-tier Indiana schools seem to be no match for that classic TX sound! I’m wondering if GE judges will reward Fishers’ very cute production, though.

They are sitting so comfortably that I’m thinking top half may be a real possibility. Although anything can happen, I suppose!

Round Rocks’s ballad flags are stunning! I love their full band singing for the final chord of the ballad. It’s beautiful and very light! Very fitting for this show. They shouldn’t have anything to worry about this afternoon, and they should get a second run at this today. Those green feet are always on the move!

I’m very surprised this Lawrence Township show was not well received at Indy SR, so I’m glad they’re getting some better recognition here. Their field design sure is busy! I’m not sure I’ve seen a show from them since they were still divided as Lawrence Central in 2013. This is a completely different band!

Centerville is a true treat! Not a ton of bands doing jazz on the field, and I really admire their commitment to doing so year after year. The reveal of the art was really interesting! Could they see their highest placement in recent memory here this year?

I have never seen people stand up that ferociously for a BOA event before- BRAVO HEBRON! No one is touching them musically. I was a little bit worried about some GE aspects until I was thrown into sensory overload in the last movement- and I loved it! I’m desperate for the Hawks fly back to TX with the eagle.

Drippings Springs… holy crap! They’ll be etching their name this evening on the long list of TX bands making Nats Finals on first attempt. That was so cool! What an interesting concept to use their props to visually convey the musical form of a fugue. That’s one of my favorites of the year for sure.

Agreed- groups that ranked above certain others in both prelims and finals at BOASA still ended up ranked below them. Hornrank I think started with the hope of ranking schools based on BOA performance and achievement, but it is evident that the rankings are established not on performance, but rather prestige. In addition, while admirable to try and rank all the schools, the competition is SOOOOOO tight that an unranked school could easily hang with the likes of someone ranked mid-teens. Anyway, I’m unsure if there’s a solution that could even be implemented (if the Hornrank folks even had interest in mending their system.) At the end of the day, these are all child performers pouring their hearts into making something on the field. As long as they inspire just one person, that’s a total win.

Wow Bowie! That read like Blue Springs pt. 2 with the similar voiceover! They are musically wayyyyy up there for sure. That brass feature early on in the show was so impressive. I’m hoping they get another run ay this show, but with so many top-notch visual programs here, it may be difficult for them to punch their ticket to finals. Musically, I feel that they are in. We’ll see!

Blue Springs’ show was not my favorite a couple weeks ago, but now I LOVE it. Those kids are some of the best visual performers in the country and they have such a challenging concept to convey, yet they pack it full of emotion! I’m much more partial to TX sound, but the strength of their visual program and originality of their show are incredible.

CTJ made a show about flamingos just feel so emotional! They will be in finals tonight—and deservedly so. The Firebird quote at the end is so exciting and equally as fitting. I loved it!

Does anyone happen to have any videos from prelims? I’m curious to see how the TX bands performed!!

I just caught a recording of it off of someone’s Box 5- I thought they were performing quite well! I thought the ending was the most impactful part of their whole show: the idea that what if everything we just watched was a pipe dream? Outside of that, I felt some big disconnect between the music and GE that I think some TX groups can cover (Keller specifically comes to mind) and I felt that the field design was a bit too familiar to other Cartwright shows in recent memory. All personal taste! I think they could be in finals, but if we’re calling that a full on lock for finals, I fear we will see at least 20 “locks” by the time the last band performs on Friday. All of these bands are about to throw down with stellar performances in hopes of finals!

Very excited to hear this about Bowie! Hoping to see them in finals on Saturday- I was unable to catch them this afternoon! Everyone is raving about their flugelhorn soloist on other forums. It must have been fantastic!

I also think that people get hung up on “bands not being as good as they used to be” when in fact the activity is moving SO fast that groups with a certain “brand” may find it hard to maintain the level of success they’re used to. CTJ has absolutely pushed the activity from a performance and design standpoint, and now everyone in the top has caught up to them. It’s the mentality of “a rising tide lifts all boats.” If you get very good, everyone around you will also get good-which is a GOOD thing! It’s not unique to CTJ- this has happened to Spring, Westfield, LD Bell, and to an extent Cedar Park and Cedar Ridge from time to time. CTJ still has an incredible product and brand and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them surge once again in a season or two like has happened for a few of the previously mentioned groups. It’s one of the best things about TX bands!

Hear me out: One area contest centered around each metro: Houston (call it East TX), DFW (North TX), SA/Austin (Central TX), and combine South & West TX. These 4 areas could then implement the 7-judge state system so that criteria at the area and state levels are identical (honestly my biggest qualm with UIL right now). This would also allow for areas to properly send more bands to state based on the allotment from regions. For example, Houston area could have sent 15 bands to state this year (instead, they sent 14.) In this case, there may not even be a need nor time for a prelims-finals format. Just one big go at it. Thoughts?

It seems like we’re due for a big UIL/TMEA region-area realignment this year. Maybe DFW will get split into 3 areas like Houston already is. I suppose we’ll see come February 1st!

Though the results can often be a bit hairy, I love that the judging of UIL allows schools with a larger minority enrollment to shine better than the BOA system does. Going from Friendswood to Roma back-to-back is very unique, and highlights the excellent performances occurring all across the state- something BOA doesn’t quite capture.

It should also be noted that there is no strings/orchestra program in Leander ISD. If kids are instrumentally inclined, they WILL join band.

Maybe unlikely but it’s how it panned out: Woodwinds (13) Brass (16) Percussion (14) It looks like going 3rd in the AM hurt them (same trend happened in 6A). Also, I don’t think the UIL penalizes scores based on rifles left on the field.

It was not close- Cedar Park was decisively 1st and the cutoff to finals was rather decisive as well. 14th place was far behind Aledo, leaving Aledo in a tier of their own.

This is untrue- 3 of the 4 music judges had them out of finals