Xenon Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 Alan asked me to post this awesomeness for him. 2005 Bands of America Super Regional Championships presented by Yamaha Alamodome San Antonio, TX November 3-4, 2005 "BEEP!" That was the sound I heard when I turned on my cell phone at the airport in San Antonio, TX. "Danpod," I said. I did not have to listen to my voicemail to know it was HE who called...so I flipped open my phone and dialed the guy up. To my surprise, Danpod was here, waiting for me. The maestro of Texas band madness got to take most of the day off from work today, and because I informed him of when my flight would get in he came here to pick me up. "You didn't get a rental car, did you?" he asked. "No, not yet." I answered. "Good," he said. "You won't need one." And so with that he whisked me off to where I would stay for a short three days, and then we did lunch...or dinner...or something like that. (It was 3 o'clock in the afternoon for cryin' out loud, which was about lunchtime my time and "who knows what time?" Danpod time...but all we knew was that we were hungry, and even though my flight screwed up my eating habits as flights usually do, I was all good for chowing down.) "Chicken fried steak, chicken fried steak, chicken fried steak..." Danny boy sounded like he was having a seizure! We stopped at this restaurant that served Mexican food, American food, and food I was just not plain familiar with. "Chicken fried steak." Okay, okay! Somebody get this man a chicken fried steak! Oh, and get me one, too. After munching on tortilla chips that were served endlessly, tortillas you could douse in butter or a sauce they call "queso" (which was essentially cheddar cheese with jalapenos, tomatoes, onions, and spices), I could feel my heart murmur. "Man, this stuff is RICH!" I cried. Danpod gave me a devilish grin, which seemed to tell me that I ain't seen nothin' yet. Heh heh! When the main course came I gasped. You could almost see my mouth mouth the words, "Oooooh nooooo," in slow motion, like we were in some movie, with me the victim. On my plate were french fries, green beans, and a steak that looked like a giant piece of fried chicked smothered in gravy. "Dig in!" yelled Danpod, and did in I did...that is, until I heard a noise that sounded like somebody squeezing an empty bottle of mayo at some hole-in-the-wall deli. "What was that?" I asked. "What was what?" Danpod replied. Now it sounded like someone trying to force that last bit of white stuff out. As soon as I found out that is was my stomach making those lovely noises, I asked Danpod where the restrooms were, and ran, not walked! Heh heh! Well actually, I exaggerate, I exaggerate. The food was quite good. I think it was a combination of a McDonald's Egg McMuffin, and a Slim Jim Deli Stick and Cheese Stick (Which came in a package together) that did this to me. (I never eat like this, except when I am traveling and have few choices.) Ah well. Dan paid for the food, which was nice of him (thanks again, Dan!), and before you know it we were off again! We hung out at one of the malls, saw **** Number 2 (which was my second time seeing it...HILARIOUS, mind-numbing entertainment!), and talked life, the universe, and...yeah, band. In fact, while we were at the mall, Dan and I talked band like a couple generals discussing tactics. He and I discussed warm-up routines before BOA events (i.e. how to conquer the "limited" warm-up time/zone BOA sets for bands), as well as new trends in the marching arts. As he and I walked into an Apple product store he mentioned to me how one of the new trends for Texas bands is using an Apple iPod during performance for pre-recorded music, sound effects, and narration (to cut the risk of sampling errors on older machines). I tell you, these trips I take to see bands are definitely LEARNING experiences...and a lot of fun at that, too! The next day, Dan drove me to the Alamodome, where I met more his www.txbands.com crew, including Michael Bui, Daniel Sanchez, and Eric Salas. The Alamodome was the same great Alamodome...home to one of the most thrilling high school band shows in the nation. And now, my thoughts... PRELIMINARY PERFORMANCES (Day 1) William H. Taft High School San Antonio, TX Repertoire: (Not Listed) Comments: Ultra-modern tiki props could be found on both 20-yard lines and in the rear of the field--one on each 45. The guard wore dark, earth-tone, almost camouflage costumes. A horizontal banana-shaped form was set up by the wind players, with an arc behind them. The first notes of this group were full, but not that full "to the brim." Great spin move in motion which locks in block form which promptly dissolves. Ah! Sweet mini-running-man move. The ballad had soloists up from behind the tiki masks--a trumpet and a mello--adding some ambience. The marching technique was consistent, though the drill did not take them to the heavens. Hmmm, I kinda sorta take that back, now, since I am now seeing some crazy jazz running within a spiral form. Man, they really move in the closer. This group was full of atmosphere, with chirping bird sound effects, an elaborate kite prop that was airborne quite high, and continuous music via a synthesizer as the band made their way off the field. I was not blown away by this group, but they had solid music, solid marching, and they got their point across rather well. Excellent work! My Score: 69.90 My Placement: 26th John B. Alexander High School Laredo, TX Repertoire: "Appleseed: Humanities Last Chance at Survival" including the music of Titsuya Takahashi including "Mvt. I Appleseed," "Mvt. II Crossfire," "Mvt. III Kikan" and "Mvt. IV Password" Comments: PVC pipes formed cube "outline" props, with guard dressed in classy blue lying on their backs within. In fact, all marching members were lying on the ground like this, their arms outspread. Stomachs came thrusting upwards, and then the members rise. I love the eerie futuristic setting, with narration that had a slight reverb for every word. Ugh, some of the music sounded unsure, and crackly. Things get better with a punchy trombone section. The visuals were great, unique, and together...but they could have been much, much cleaner. Yeah, they grasped their concepts, but did not carry. Purple ribbons are stretched about on side A, when a musical impact is thrown out but does not seem to go far. Auxiliary, some rifle moves line up, and some do not. Hmmm, interesting: purple cloths drop to the rear of the cubes, and ribbons of purple hung from the instruments of the woodwinds, and ribbons of yellow hung from the instruments of the brass. Wow, this was a fascinating show. There were many times I got submerged in what they were up to. One word, though: sloppy. If they clean this up they can take more names than usual. My Score: 71.00 My Placement: 24th Robstown High School Robstown, TX Repertoire: "X" by Key Poulan Comments: The wind players were splitting the 35 and 40 yard lines on both sides of the field, and faced each other. Ah, how appropriate: the middle of the lines cave towards the 50, creating an "X" form. Okay, technique from most was in synch. Okay, trumpets, stay lined up with each other. The drum major seems like he is working way too hard. I like the snare solos in the ballad, but would they not be more effective at a piano or pianissimo? I mean, if you cut your numbers you cut your volume, so go with the flow (you know?) There are lots of shako/plume manipulations in this show, which give some added visual color. The end of their show had lots of notes and lots of steps, but not much more than that. I was not "feeling" it. The last notes of their show were out-of-place loud, it seemed. Okay, this show was coordinated well. There were some goofs here and there, with some botched step-offs, and some phasing in the feet...but for the most part, these kids stayed on target. I was impressed by their POISE. Not a bad show by any means! Good work! My Score: 65.90 My Placement: 33rd Vista Ridge High School Cedar Park, TX Repertoire: Featuring the music of John Rutter including "Gloria" and "Open Thou Mine Eyes" Comments: A gold "V" was on the corner of their black-and-red chests. Their warm-up, in a crisp block form, consisted of lush legato and crisp staccato notes. A scatter form became more organized when this group was being announced, with wind players pairing up. The woodwinds start a build that ends with increased volume...but then this power statement seems to go nowhere when the sound ends so...abruptly. The second movement is more peppy, more zany. Argh! The body movement at the end of that movement was shoddy. I see a lot of non-movement in the ballad, but caught a glimpse of a nice sabre catch by one of the auxiliary. The guard gal playing with the trumpet soloist was a fine touch. Okay, the drum parts were pretty standard. Hmmm, shortly after, the sounds that bounced off the back stands were beautiful. The end form just did not move, and though the music was "there," I could not get as involved as I would like to have been. They would do well to not be as stiff. Very fine job from all in terms of music, to sum things up...but all else, here--standard. Keep working hard, and loosen up! Relaaaaax! My Score: 69.30 My Placement: 27th East Central High School San Antonio, TX Repertoire: "Visions" by Jair Klarfield including "Light," "Shape" and "Texture" Comments: White-and-black was divided by a slight curve with buttons on the the uniform top. The "dhutting" by the drumline was quite distracting, and the initial step-off for their show was off. Low brass, yeah, give me more of that. Sock it to me! Direction change, alto sax...get it straight. These kids had their show down, but they seemed to be running through the motions. I enjoyed the rainmaker sound in conjunction with the flute solo. The alto saxophone solo was fine to start off, but then seemed to get drowned in sound by "the rest." (Turn up the volume on that mic, or invest in a better sound system.) Auxiliary, you do a decent job getting those flags around...now just work on marching each other. Okay, good: that last form locked really, really well. I was a little disappointed with the quality of sound they presented, but they were ready/steady, and did their best to push out what they had, especially in terms of their "add" moves. Keep focusing, and work, work, work blend and balance. Thanks! My Score: 63.20 My Placement: 37th James Madison High School San Antonio, TX Repertoire: "Chronometry" featuring music by Key Poulan including "Mvt. I Grandfather Clock," "Mvt. II Hourglass" and "Mvt. III Stopwatch" Comments: On the rear side A 20 was a pendulum of a half-built grandfather clock prop which swayed back and forth. The trumpet section was having trouble with some music. The bell tones were not bad, but the sustained air flow tapered off at times. Uh-oh! A flashy body move did not suffice, sad to write. I could hear individuals take huge breaths. Sustain, sustain, sustain. The last leg of the first part was not bad. "Dhut, dhut, dhut dhut dhut dhut." "Dhutting" just tells me that this band needs training wheels for timing issues...that's all. Wow, a collision of the musical sort! (Good thing they pull out of that, quick.) The lunge while facing the back stands was almost perfect, and the spacing--decent. Nice hip snap (direction change) trumpet player. The last part of their show was typical heavy volume front-and-center in-your-faces sort of stuff. They did not set themselves apart from other units, really. There was a lot of force, effortful force in their sounds. Visually, there were plenty of glitches...but I would say they "survived." They made the most of what power they had. My Score: 63.90 My Placement: 36th W. Charles Akins High School Austin, TX Repertoire: "The Pines of Rome" featuring music by Ottorino Respighi Comments: Four circular pod forms were filled with wind players, with auxiliary at the core. One of these pods had the wind players lying on their stomachs, the guard crouched down. I loved the clarinet, soprano sax, bass clarinet, and bassoon sounds atop a high platform. Whoa! Big sounds, here, big sounds! Mellos, ha ha ha! That was bright, very bright. Not bad. Oh, two bass clarinets want to play, too. Well done. I like what I am hearing and seeing in terms of interplay. The criss-cross block move was incredibly clean, yet incredibly trite. Please, please, please challenge me. Wow, I was floored by the presence--the all-around presence--of the trombones and tubas. Great chirping bird synth effects with flautist work. (Chirping birds with Respighi music is becoming more and more commonplace, no?) I see mesmerizingly clean spacing...way to work the intervals! These kids were on the mark all the time. They made Respighi sound good, which is tough to do! This show was a prime example of what a Division I rating band should sound like. They could have been a tad bit more fulfilling, however, in terms of aesthetic involvement. Nevertheless, they sold what they had very well. My Score: 79.00 My Placement: 16th South San Antonio High School San Antonio, TX Repertoire: Selections from "King Kong" including "Mvt. I King Kong Opener," "Mvt. II Beautiful" and "Mvt. III King Kong Finale" Comments: Four backdrops that were designed like walls made of stone were on the rear sideline of the field. Three small clarinet clusters were located near the front of the field, and four circle forms were made with the rest of the marchers. I like how the flute sound cut through the rest. The one-by-one horn flash move (which consisted of instruments held in a horizontal way) was gold. Whoa! They went so loud they went raspy, there. Ha ha! Great way to end the first part of their show, with a "Ha!" and then an "Ooga booga!" A giant prop of a hand is revealed, with a guard gal who danced atop it. (The hand must represent the hand of King Kong.) Mellophone soloist, you nailed most of your music...that crack had me reeling, though. I see a lot of flat feet out there. The percussion show was full of flams, but as I glance at the whole field I am seeing a lot of swell dance moves. Hmmm, this show seemed unusually short. They had a clear concept, and now they just need to present. My Score: 62.00 My Placement: 41st Seven Lakes High School Katy, TX Repertoire: "It's All About Time" featuring music by Key Poulan including "Chronometry" Comments: Five cloth obelisk props curved outwards near the front 50 to the mid right 30. Two diagonals of wind players were not really straight, and the show has not even started yet! Come on, now. The trumpet snap upwards was brisk, and the orange fabric surrounding them staged them well. Some of the form issues dealt more with lines not being straight, and intervals, intervals, intervals. Ooh! There is a trumpet stick-out there...and a few more. Is everyone not on this team, now? Everyone, everyone, everyone needs to play! I do like the leaping step sizes to hit the last form at the end of the first part. The auxiliary operate different-colored, shiny fabrics really well, really focused on the pair work. Please trumpets, work on playing and moving, because you sound hideously awkward. Woodwinds, that was a swift, clear feature near the finish. And the finish? Well, it was rushed (like the rest of their show seemed to feel like). The rhombus form ar the end lacked clarity. The music was inadequately blended. There was, however, lots and lots of effort put forth with show design, and I could clearly see the intent. This was a tough, tough show, and the kids should be commended for attempting it. My Score: 64.00 My Placement: 35th Del Valle High School El Paso, TX Repertoire: "Romeo and Juliet" including "Gymnopedies No. 1" by Erick Satie, "Romeo and Juliet" by Sergei Prokofiev and "Romeo and Juliet" by Peter Tchaikovsky Comments: The instruments were grounded, which included concert french horns. Varying poses were struck, such as arms extended, arms above heard, and hands on hips. Some marching members wore white pants, while others wore navy blue pants (to match their tops). The first hit of their show was sufficient. Auxiliary, you were fairly consistent with those rifles. Each time I saw a rifle dropped, though, I cringed. Okay, thus far they have a clear set-up, the music drives, the motion provokes interest. The woodwinds make their parts count in and out of pose, and the rest of the band contributes heartily, too. Watch the wah-wahs, high brass. Percussion feature featured, though some of the notes were out of alignment. I am hearing some sharp--that is, sharp "in a good way," not an "out of tune way"--double-tonguing. Nice! The jazz runs once and again DELIGHT, and really make the most of the contrast between the white and blue pants. The tender ending, with guard "hooking up" the arms and legs on the ground, was pretty sincere. My Score: 68.70 My Placement: 30th Coronado High School El Paso, TX Repertoire: "Road Trip" including "Candide," "Hunting Wabbits," "Sonoran Desert Holiday" and "Rocky Point Holiday" Comments: Four giant highway signs with exit numbers were seen. In what looked like prom gowns, the guard wore flowing green. I like the "body sculpting" in some of the pod forms out there. Intensity built and built, until...excellent. With legs apart, this group blasted. The car horn sound effects were cute. The difficult, difficult music of Candide was pretty stable. Wow, this whole show was pretty stable. The simple-yet-effective visuals seemed to propel them. The seated duet in flashy yellow-and-black car seats (by trumpets) gripped me. And how about that trumpet note exteeeeended? (Was that great, or what?) An "S" form slinks through a company front, and satisfies. The only complaint I have, really, is that much of the music has breathing spaces so noticeable, so lackluster. The whole of their show is not bad, though. They put out the sound, and tacked on lots of glitz. (I like that.) Their product kept clicking, and clicking. My Score: 70.00 My Placement: 25th United High School Laredo, TX Repertoire: "Attraction" featuring the music of "Scheherazade" including "Mvt. I," "Mvt. II" and "Mvt. III" Comments: With bright orange tops and black pants, this group used a lot of pods to portray their start. A few guard folks seemed asleep, and woke not at the sound of the foreboding low brass...but the sweet and succulent sounds of a flute solo. Okay, that forward chest-swiping move does not look the greatest, even though you performed it legit. Make sure that lunge looks exact, all. I was quite pleased with how this band sounded. The end of their first tune, especially, had some bite. In the second movement, the clarinets seemed on top of each other at times. Solo here, solo there...all systems were "go." Very, very nice. Again, I am looking for consistency left to right when I see moves like ripples and lunges. Ooh! These kids double-tongued like wizards. Eh! The motionless woodwind block while their pals joined them looked smarmy. The last thing they did was bend their legs and rip their horns up to the box with their own special style. Okay, this show was quite involving, and at times quite smudged. My Score: 68.00 My Placement: 32nd Winston Churchill High School San Antonio, TX Repertoire: "Deception of Perception" featuring the music of Vincent Persichetti Comments: Two very broard diagonal forms dominated the right side of the field, mimicking a lower cased "y." A sleek right triangle form could be found on side A. A trumpet soloist played next to a guard soloist who danced with his shako, then danced with him. Wow! Extreme balance was displayed when the soloist twirled her sabre in an awkward body position. Oh, how I love how the concert french horn ensemble atop platforms strip out of their uniforms, and yes, BECOME auxiliary. This is great! The band goes nuts, visually, and then shine their own spotlight on a flute soloist by staring her down. (Great staging, here.) A male sabre solo goes awry, but the guts stood out. The transition between movements was a little lengthy...but here is a dull point. Less or no "dhuts" would suit them better, I think. Geez oh geez, was this guard hot or what? All I saw were catches, some more stylized than others...and that two-handed rifle twirling--absolutely incredible! The end of their show was short and sweet. I was going to write that it was "too abrupt," but I like that they did their own thing...they were not like every other band. Wow, again, that GUARD! These kids were smokin'! My Score: 85.60 My Placement: 6th Smithson Valley High School Spring Branch, TX Repertoire: "What Dreams are Made of..." including "I. Symbols," "II. Sensations" and "III. Pathways" Comments: Eight block forms hugged the outer regions of the field--four on each side. In the middle of the field, dressed in brilliant blue, was the guard, in an "X" form, with a gal at the center of it all. I was pleased by the sound of this large group, but why the statue look? Let us break out of the mold, shall we? Move, halt, move, halt. I see where this is going. Excellent staging of the mellophone and saxophone soloists, letting the guard soloist highlight them by dancing around them. Uh-oh. (Some problem with the sax soloist's mic.) The second part of their show was so, so tame. Horn flashes to help kick off the third movement? Is that all? The heart-pounding trombones made the seats in the stands shake. The percussion feature seemed to meet the challenge. Their show ended with pride. Unfortunately, they did not push it in terms of how they interest or how they innovate. They made a move, but was it bold enough? Hmmm, not really. I applaud the effort, though. My Score: 65.50 My Placement: 34th Loveland High School Loveland, CO Repertoire: "Shadows of Remembrance" featuring sections from "Medal of Honor" by Michael Giacchino and Christopher Lennertz Comments: Three honor guard members saluted, as one raised the American flag on a flagpole. The wind players formed two circles around this flag, which soon broke and unwound, and then soon another formation flexed. A trumpet solo stirred. I got chills when I heard these kids wail. I love the grey guard uniforms which looked like band uniforms...and they even wore grey shakos with grey plumes. Whew! That was intense, man! Spacing between the saluting auxiliary line was off, and the break of the salute was sketchy. The woodwinds set up tombstones in a long rhombus form on side A, and then go on their merry ways. The guard, now dressed in "looser" outfits of purple and grey, have quite a moment with white fabric that they let drop during a high impact point. The drumline tears it up like madmen. Two rotating blocks attach, creating a long rectangle form which percussion slot into. The circle form at the end paralleled the start form, except it was tighter around the flag. Aaaaah, how appropriate that the players around the flag kneel. This was a sweet, sweet show. My Score: 76.60 My Placement: 19th Klein High School Spring, TX Repertoire: "Perennial Seasons: Breaking the Cycle" Comments: Props of large, single flowers--each differing in color--was on a splitting each major yard line from 15 to 15 on the front sideline. The concoction of sound mixed well, and I could appropriately appreciate individual parts of the whole (like the flutes and the trumpets). Wow, drumline...wow. (I hope those were not ticks I was hearing! Lots of "flah flah flah"!) The trumpets seemed to let go of some of their notes, too. Many forms were crystal clear or gelling. One noticeable form at the start of their show was shaky only because it was symmetrical, and one part was noticeably "off." The pistol hold by the winds to get the next movement rolling was "alike." I like! This ensemble sounds amazing, still. I want less "still" (you know what I mean?). Out of nowhere a yellow baseball-diamond-shaped tarp is pulled out, and guard work is performed on it. Okay, this show definitely has the moments of shine. Again, play more on the move, and I think that will help! Exceptional work, nevertheless. My Score: 75.00 My Placement: 21st PRELIMINARY PERFORMANCES (Day 2) Hendrickson High School Plugerville, TX Repertoire: "Music is" including "I. Music is Meter," "II. Music is Method," "III. Music is Melody" and "IV. Music is Movement" Comments: Old red chairs with metal legs were set up in side-to-side concave and convex arcs. The musicians (except for the synth player, in a tuxedo) wore modern looking uniforms, half white with a splash of half blue for the tops, and blue for the bottoms. "What is music?" asks the narrator, who turns out to be the young man in the tuxedo. Exiting the poses was sloppy for some. The side rim taps of the snares help keep this band tick like a clock in perfect synch. Ha! A cute moment occurs when the winds seem to bowl the narrator over with their sound. Yeah, this narrator is quite energetic, taking himself and his headphone microphone around the field. (Great acting, man!) The introduction of each section is neat, breaking down the varying elements of a music program. I love it! The guard is "almost forgotten" by the narrator, who then introduces them with a gock block. Heh heh! Classic. Superior groundwork by a solo auxiliary member near a different "leveled" flute quartet (who use one of the chairs effectively to assume their poses. Ugh! A vital sabre drop tarnished, as well as a crooked tuba section during a line rotation. The end of their show was as full of energy as their narrator was, which is great to see this early in the morning. (Talk about defying the odds, huh?) This was a show that was genuinely fun. My Score: 78.20 My Placement: 17th Harlingen High School Harlingen, TX Repertoire: "La Nouba" Comments: The diagonals set up on side B were picture perfect. The woodwinds break in and out of poses, and right away I am dunked in their show. The music was twiddled up quick in terms of volume during the 180 move, but man were these kids clean and cool. I enjoyed the "A Night at the Roxbury" style head bop to the side after a funky body swivel. A bari sax player goes skipping to the 50 yard line to do his thing, Stevie Wonder style. The orange pipe arch held up by two trumpet players while the rest of their section plays a festive diddy was cheap, yet effective (in staging). Uh! The ballad was so controlled, and the synthesizer player played a magnificent role here. Careful trumpets, on the move. (Some notes SPLIT!) I took kindly to the dance moves they performed...lots of arm movements...mmm, perhaps too many arm movements. A squat move in silence completes their show. This was a squeaky clean image type of show. I wanted a little more dirt, if just for the sake of standing alone. I have seen numerous "La Nouba" shows with similar programming. Fine job, crew! My Score: 81.00 My Placement: 14th Harlingen South High School Harlingen, TX Repertoire: "A Day in the Life..." including "Fanfare for New Era" by Jack Stamp, "Nightscapes" by Andrew Yozviak and "Push" by Rob Smith Comments: The sunrise or sunset picture divided by five backdrops looked very cartoonish, yet very stylish. A long ringing sound, which sounded like a continuous telephone ring, sounded. A bike rode by that had a paper kid on it. Wow, double-tonguing trumpets. WOW, double-tonguing trumpets! Form control was pretty strong. They got their show started with a big bang. The ballad was pretty simplistic in terms of step size and drill design. I was moved by the baritone soloist, and furthermore by the total band "hit." Ooh! Where did that trumpet stick-out come from, though? Don't be a hero, man! Saxophone lunges were aerodynamic, and the orange rifles that fell into hands fell into hands. Sleek! I was entranced by the cheesy techno sound that had the kids "feeling" the beat with precise dancing. The end of their dance segment gives me an, "Okay, we are definitely at the completion." Smoothen up the transitions some more, please. Okay, this was a solid show! These kids definitely have potential. My Score: 74.30 My Placement: 23rd Seguin High School Seguin, TX Repertoire: "Symphonic Dances" including "Symphonic Dances" by Sergei Rachmaninoff, "Scottish Dances" by Malcolm Arnold and "Wedding Dance" by Jaques Press Comments: The auxiliary wore fiery costumes of red with orange and yellow trim. There was some iffy spacing issues in the back part of the field where the winds players were lined up. This group had a lofty sound, which you sure could not take away from them. Ooh, a missed step-off by at least one person. Tuba section, then trumpet section, then trombone section show off. Hmmm, lots of splinters in the rhombus to length-wise triangle form. I was not fond of the move-halt-play thing, which this band definitely took advantage of. The saxophone soloist, in red, sounded tense. Yuck! I hate it when I see people out of step. How many weeks do we have until the end of the season? Not many, not many. There seemed to be interval issues everywhere I looked. Some rifle experts were more skilled than others. Uh-oh, some kids dropped the ball at the end in terms of tone quality. The last sounds of this band were strong and sure. Not much mesmerizes you, per se. However, they seemed to reach a solid level of musical excellence. Focus on music, but more on marching and effect. You guys get an "A" for effort, though. Good going, good going. My Score: 68.50 My Placement: 31st Marcus High School Flower Mound, TX Repertoire: "The Choral Reef-Voices from Beneath the Sea" including "I. The Seaweed Song," "II. Water Music," "III. The Crustacean Review," "IV. Mother of Pearls" and "V. The Fish Hatchery" Comments: Giant orange coral backdrops covered much of the front sideline. Like pieces of coral, the guard wore all orange with coral "twig" extensions in their hands. Holy cow. How long are they going to keep that single warm-up note extended? (This is a sure sign that they are here to play with the best of them.) So...perfect. The stick claps by the drummers seemed to reflect a trickling water, aquatic environment. Was I in a concert hall, or the Alamodome? (I could not tell the difference!) Man alive were these kids ace musicians or...wow. A few line rotations were off some. Ha ha! The seahorse march "to the rescue" gave me a great vibe! I am seeing some rock solid drill moves, and detail you wouldn't believe. Giant clam shell props are moved forward, opening to reveal guard gals with silver ball props. (Okay, I guess those were meant to be oysters, ha ha! Sorry. My bad.) I like the "squeezed" box drill move with plumes tilting. A rifle was dropped as the drill got a bit more chaotic than usual. This show was like butter, musically. Rich, rich, rich. The arm raise with some sways made them seem like they were underwater, like seaweed. This band pulled a bunch of sweet moves with this show...but it did not seem to get to the innovative stratosphere. There is more than being clean, and more than being interesting, too. Think about it... My Score: 88.30 My Placement: 2nd The Colony High School The Colony, TX Repertoire: "Water Currents" featuring the music of Key Poulan Comments: A curved pin wheel form with lots of legs rippled towards and away from the center mid-way up the 40. The flute soloist did the job, and then some. (VERY nice.) The march forward in a long rectangle form, with some spot switches thrown in, was acceptable. Excellent work, auxiliary. I caught a glimpse of that rifle catch. The vertical lines that zigzag back and forth like a rubber band during the drummer show enticed! Lovely saxophone solo, saxophonist. Quality, quality, quality. Hearing these kids was a true pleasure. They convinced during the ballad, with a note that echoed and echoed and echoed towards the rooftop. Outstanding flute and clarinet blind pass-through in the next section, and a clarinet feature that had me tapping my foot to their beat, which was Middle-Eastern-style. They engaged in a dance, which was too brief and did not exhibit the human anatomy enough. My goodness, though...for a band this size to put out such a big, quality sound...I was surprised. These kids worked hard, but made it look EASY. (I give them big props for that.) Top job, guys! My Score: 75.80 My Placement: 20th Richland High School North Richland Hills, TX Repertoire: "You Are" including "You Are What Your Thoughts Are," "Hostility," "Peaceful," "Cool," "Spiritual" and "Wild" Comments: A tight block of wind players was located in the front left corner of the field, and they faced the rear. All mics were checked before the show. Six vocalists call out words and sing, as the winds and marching percussion creep their way across the front portion of the field. Aaah yeah! The low brass are dominant, and the rest of the gang builds intensity with no snags at all. Simple music is played up to the max. The human beat box on a platform with a black curtain behind it got one kid on it doing "the robot," and was quite a moment, quite a moment. Instrumental and vocal sound were unified. I could not help but think of some of the abstract stuff Steve Reich has done when I saw this show. (Anyone ever heard, "Three Tales"?) Clarinets, fix those horn angles at the start of the last movement. A block form gets developed from intricate patterns, and then dissolves and re-forms in the same way. This was a pretty artsy and smart show. I could do without some of the edge from the low brass (and other sections). Nevertheless, wow...this was a shimmering sensation. My Score: 85.00 My Placement: 7th Bel Air High School El Paso, TX Repertoire: "Prophecy of the Earth" by David Gillingham Comments: Numerous large, black backdrops dotted the outer rims of the field. The pit was shadowed by a series of these backdrops. There was a gaping hole in the baritone section. Their sound was big, but raspy. Clear it up, folks! A charming soprano saxophonist pops up from behind one of the pit backdrops. The trumpet section takes part in some sinister music, flipping one of their legs, and then the mellos follow suit. Fine work, all. Concert french horns play a sweet melody into a set of microphones, but I can not hear them! Argh! The INTENT was there, at least. This group presented a thick ensemble sound, here. The bicycle style marching technique was utilized well. Okay, okay...impressive line rotations, guys. The move where a horizontal line of winds is "filled in" is basic, yet proper. The flute soloist in the middle portion of the field rocked, and I dug how she got involved with the guard in that body focus form. This show was a bit scrappy for my taste...but the concept shined through enough. My Score: 69.00 My Placement: 28th Clear Brook High School Friendswood, TX Repertoire: "Rite of Spring" by Igor Stravinsky Comments: Dark red pillars on yellow platforms helped align some of the wind players. The dancing by a male guard soloist is choreographed very well. Now THAT is what I call groundwork, woodwind players on side A. They are lying face down, do a stretch upwards move with the upper body, do some push-ups, and then flex on their side. A mello player needs to attach better to the sax line some time before the big rhombus-collapse. Okay, not bad, not bad at all...their sound is glorious. One of the drum majors sings on a yellow platform with dramatic arm maneuvers. Thud thud thud! (Ha ha! You have to love that big Taiko drum.) Okay, ladies and gentlemen, let's ditch some of those curvy forms for something more TOUGH. Yeah, that blind pass-through was neat. The end of their show resembled chaotic themes, but this group was not quite "Chaotic" enough, visually. Other than the petering out of the visual at the ending, this show had some spunk. They were a Division I band, for sure. My Score: 77.00 My Placement: 18th Westfield High School Houston, TX Repertoire: "The Heart of Solitude" including "Piano Concerto #2" by Sergei Rachmaninoff and "Piano Concerto #1" by Keith Emerson Comments: Scattered around the field on one knee were the marching winds and percussion. A piano player playing an actual piano upon a platform on the 40-yard line was enchanting. Here, the winds were more a background to this magnificent soloist. However, the others soon come into their own. I loved the complicated woodwind totality, fresh with snare brushing...and then a snazzy woodwind ensemble tears it up right in front of the pianist "in charge." Whoa! The sound from all melted me. It seemed perfectly blended and balanced HUGE. There it is, folks! Ha ha! And the lunge with domineering confidence (right in front of the judge, of course) must have startled. In a large rectangle form, the wind players do a shako tilt with their heads, a body reach to the side in domino fashion, and then with uniform-color-coordination-effectiveness, triangles within the formation could was created with some rotating and some remaining. Their show was frantic at the end, musically more than visually...but they showed some tenacity. They were a marvel. The piano soloist was a marvel. Spectacular work, gang! My Score: 86.00 My Placement: 5th Creekview High School Carrollton, TX Repertoire: "Divine Inversion" featuring the music of Verdi and Madonna Comments: A rigid crown form of winds stood silent as the synth carried some heavenly sounds to the roof! Yikes! These kids leaped to their spots in no time, shocking and aweing. The behind-the-back rifle twirl was magical by one guard gal, and then a set of guard gals prop themselves up on some of the trumpet players. This show had some fancy moves thrown in, along with some good ol' fast paced music and marching. Wow! I like how the quick steps immediately slowed, exercising control of control. The ballad was full of silky sounds. Ha haaaaa! The "Madonna" moment, where the whole group goes crazy on the "Material Girl" stuff, with the auxiliary screaming like cheer girls, is stunning. The sound is gruff, and somewhat choppy...but it gets the job done. This show had a sharp entertainment edge. They could pump it up a bit in terms of uniqueness, but doing Madonna was sure a curveball, heh! Way to work it, all! My Score: 81.90 My Placement: 13th Whitesboro High School Whitesboro, TX Repertoire: "In the Beginning" featuring the music of Key Poulan including "Mvt. I Let There Be Light," "Mvt. II Moon Dance" and "Mvt. III Sun Dance" Comments: A wind sound effect is made with the keyboard, the pod of wind players out there swaying like reeds. Fine flag toss at the climax of sound and drill. Trumpets and trombones, you guys hit your notes with a delicate touch. Woah there, folks...some of you were thrown off balance with that forwards-to-backwards direction change. Eh? The drill did not do much for me. The vanilla writing of marching moments weakened them. (This just made the sketchy forms, the holes in their forms, and the awkward step-offs THAT much more noticeable. I saw lots of fine posture going on--I will give them that. These kids kept the push pushing. Vary the volume some, please! Okay, that last form had the musical might. This was not a bad show, but they can do so many things to spice it up. If they master the musical and visual well enough, they can broaden their horizons...but I recommend they broaden their horizons sooner than later. Why not take a stab at a totally new direction? My Score: 63.00 My Placement: 38th Cedar Park High School Cedar Park, TX Repertoire: "Symphony No. 10 in E Minor, Op. 93" and "Novorossiysk Chimes (Fire of Eternal Glory)" by Dmitri Shostakovich Comments: Two shades of green caught my eyes off guard. I saw exact lunges, and red, erect, upside-down flags. A depressing, yet firm low brass sound stuck me from their block form. Yes! This group affirmed their presence with clenching sounds. Intense, brotha, intense! Can you give the whole brass line a pat on the back, please? Hooo! Four block forms folded, creating two block forms. Drill was, yes, on fire! Beautiful, beautiful marching technique from just about all, all right. The woodwind showcase was stellar...and it was all done on the move! The brass sounds soon came back, and were quite INTIMIDATING. (They seemed to almost blow a hole through the dome's rooftop!) A high step move is not on the same page. We have some menacing stuff, here! One trumpet player stuck out like a sore thumb near the end of their show. Okay, some things good, some things bad...but I think mostly good. My Score: 82.50 My Placement: 12th The Woodlands High School The Woodlands, TX Repertoire: "Hide and Seek" featuring "Concerto for Orchestra" by Bela Bartok and "Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap Comments: Pre-recorded music by Imogen Heap is blasted. A block of wind players are in "careless" poses, as if just back from a battle. Then, before their name is announced, they assume regimented posture. A sound modulator modulates the voice of one of the DMs. There is lots of abstract stuff going on...and I LOVE IT! "Ready-or-not-here-I-come," is shouted, and then this group is off the rocker. Oh my oh my oh my, color guard. (If there was a glitch, I did not see it.) Whoa! Two rhombus forms seal, and then a string of notes knock me out. The placement of the eerie Heap vocals throughout the show leaves me on the edge of my seat, yet smiling. The "asterisk" body poses by the woodwinds on side A look great, all the while the brass get down with their bad selves. Various musical abilities are shown off as if they are child's plays. Some forms seem a little TOO clumped near the end, but it pays off with an explosion of wind players running away from the center where a guard girl remains, with the word, "Gotcha!" shouted. These kids were a treat to see perform. My Score: 87.50 My Placement: 4th Haltom High School Haltom City, TX Repertoire: "Balance: The Yin and Yang of It" featuring the music of Nigel Westlake and Eric Whitacre Comments: A tight pod of winds on the rear 35 is encircled by winds on both knees who are encircled by sitting guard with one knee folded and one knee up. Middle Eastern sounds are generated, and after drifting melodies emerge, lightning fast tempos fly. And these kids fly like birds, man. Boom! Boom! Boom! All rifles: CAUGHT! These kids had a sweet sound, but I think individuals took them down, unfortunately. Careful there, ha ha! That was a dangerous yet fun drill move where two curvy lines of wind players slink their way through a large moving block form. The percussion slap some notes down with zero tolerance. (The wind players can only bow to this greatness, and do! And then they do a leg-crossing jump which makes them red hot.) Again, there are "the few things" that drag down the whole. I love Haltom's unique take on the oft overplayed "October," which takes the later portion of the tune at a rapid pace. This show was a treasure. My Score: 83.80 My Placement: 10th Hebron High School Carrollton, TX Repertoire: "Music from Every Direction" featuring the music of Stravinsky, Bjork, Beethoven, and Jutras Comments: Large black tarps with orange arrows pointed towards the corners of the stadium. The guard, in clashing outfits, make a stabbing motion towards us. This group takes no time at all to fire on all four cylinders. After a multi-pointing horn flash, woodwinds send off their notes with ease, as the guard toss sabres, open their arms, and then catch them. Just when you think they are putting on the thrusters, they pump it up some more. A trumpet soloist introduces us to a "new world"--that is, the masterstroke from Bjork the Great. I got goose bumps from this introduction of theirs--a prelude to a percussion diddy, and then a simplistic trumpet melody, and then...whoooooa, dude! Dance Revolution??? Too cool. "Up, down, left, right," is shouted. Arrow forms are made with drill. This group takes it to the max with some more video game jump moves, and then the pointing of the index finger towards us to conclude it...whew! Breathtaking, yeah? You bet! My Score: 84.20 My Placement: 9th Westlake High School Austin, TX Repertoire: "The Music of the Americas" including "Mvt. I Panama," "Mvt. II Argentina" and "Mvt. III America" with music selections from "Bochinches" by Reuben Blades, "Vientos y Tangos" by Michael Gandolfi and "Javelin" by Michael Torke Comments: Two orange diamond-shaped tarps cover the field--one bigger than the other. A triangular orange tarp is placed up front, to the right of the pit, where most members are kneeling. What sounds like Indian music is ejected from the speakers and pit toys after a few suspended bass drum crunches. A trombone soloist gives us a fest for the ears, with and without a mute. A downshifting change of pace takes place, and then we have another 'bone show, this time with some audience participation. (The hand claps from their fans and supporters is great!) The touchless salsa moves by pairs of wind players facing each other--awesome! The band seems to connect with outstretched arms perfect. Oops, a trumpet player almost gets tripped up on a halt. Okay, way to recover, pal. This was a clean-cut show with few errors. Coordination rocks, but they lacked the blatant. My Score: 83.00 My Placement: 11th Americas High School El Paso, TX Repertoire: "Medea Neoteric Sketches" Comments: Various curved forms took center stage, while the outer stage had members in some poses. Hmmm, the first part of their show seemed too...mechanical. Their sound was somewhat restrained. Auxiliary, your handling of the rifles was a delight. Auxiliary, auxiliary, auxiliary--great work. This group produces some great music, though I think some folks played their roles as individuals too well! Aaaaah, Adagio. Adagio is so, so tough to pull off...you are greatly exposed and doing justice to it...wow. Now, these kids did not do a bad job at doing Adagio, and I was super impressed with a super duper high toss of a rifle (by an auxiliary soloist) which was GRASPED! There seemed to be some sludge in those low brass instruments. (Clean that out, folks!) Okay, this show had some momentum, but the look and sound was like that of a bad carbon copy. This show was technically not that bad...but could use some more definition. My Score: 68.90 My Placement: 29th James Bowie High School Austin, TX Repertoire: "A Little Night Music" including "Wilder Nights," "Moon Musik" and "Shadow Musik" Comments: Several vertical lines spread fifteen yards apart, with marchers and dancers at one-step intervals, was a razor sharp sight to see. Of course, the forms fold outwards, ha ha! (I did not see that coming...NOT!) Well, I like the variations in the forms. Hmmm, some trombone grit. The trumpet section produced results! Make those lines straight in that mammoth rotating figure. A trumpet soloist makes the most of his solo while a masked gentleman in white dances with a lady in flowing white. Blech! That form which encircles the primary dance soloists could unify more. I see some kids in this band not taking full advantage of the marching style. That compacting form which has the man and woman lifted above all, was classy. I wish the guard had more tools to play with...that they use their bodies to express themselves is dandy, but...I have seen many, many auxiliary units overshadow. Their show goes far, but I'd like to see them take it further. I see they have a "Phantom" theme going at the end. Perhaps they can hone in on that "Phantom" theme and really rip out the heart. My Score: 84.70 My Placement: 8th Waller High School Waller, TX Repertoire: "Happy Holidays" including "Mvt. I Labor Day," "Mvt. II Groundhog Day," "Mvt. III Valentine's Day" and "Mvt. IV Independence Day" Comments: All right, the first several drill moves--not bad. I see one guy really emphasizing technique in marching, but this is not good when everyone else is not in the same frame of mind. I hear a bunch of trumpets in this timid band. Ah, where did that wacky trumpet sound come from? That was kinda cool that is was both hidden and "on the move." What was it that the band was yelling? If you are going to yell something out, be sure it is both loud and clear. Even spaces in drill were few and far between, I must admit (with some regret). Some of the kids did not make it to their spots in time in the last form of the ballad. Excellent horn pop to the box, brass guys! The patriotic tunes were a joy to hear, of course. Uh! Rip my face off in the company front! (That is what company fronts are all about, okay?) These kids seemed to run out of gas early on in their show. The maintained air stream, but they could have shaped it much, much more. Good effort, everyone. Good effort. My Score: 62.50 My Placement: 40th Colleyville Heritage High School Colleyville, TX Repertoire: "Reaching for the Note" featuring the music of Leonard Bernstein Comments: A goal-to-goal straight line of winds stood still, then broke into many pieces. Wowzers! They take that sound to the box with pieces of Bernstein, too. I searched for more finesse in their music, but it was rust, rough, and rushed. In the ballad, several lines of woodwinds remove their shakos and extend their arms with the shakos in hand. The mallets are on target, but seem broken at one of Bernstein's crazy musical sections. Ha ha! That is touching. I love the concept of the auxiliary conducting certain sections of the band with batons, and then getting together to conduct the whole band. (The drum major is still in charge, of course.) The many-ray form to finish off that section was all delight. Eh, there were some rough patches of sound from sections, MOSTLY the brass. (They seem to get too excited and lose control.) This was a great mix and match show, but sometimes consistency comes off, oh, more CONSISTENT. Admirable job, everyone. My Score: 74.90 My Placement: 22nd Judson High School Converse, TX Repertoire: "Once Upon a Time in Graceland..." Comments: I dig that slight but straight diagonal of sousaphones. A quintet of saxophones of varying size ELECTRIFY. Was that an Elvis impersonator I hear? The King lives? Ha ha! The side step leaps were a bit dirty. Auxiliary, you nail that rifle catch on your stage behind the saxes...great work! (Your directors seem to love it, too. I was sitting near them.) When the totality of the field squats, the holes between the knees are far too different. (I do not recommend that visual in the future...but that is just me.) The guard dance with microphone stand props on the tarp, with nightclub style. A caped crusader from the mallets does his human beat box solo, and then the rest of the band gets involved with this, and strike an "Elvis" pose, with fingers outstretched towards the roof. Okay, this was a spiffy show. Ladies and gentlemen, Juson has left the building! (Sorry, I couldn't resist!) My Score: 80.00 My Placement: 15th Hidalgo High School Hidalgo, TX Repertoire: "Incrimination" including "The Incredibles Theme," "Vodoo" from the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and "Glory Days" Comments: Eight bulky backdrops painted like brick walls were streaked along the left to back rear of field. These kids had their notes down, for the most part. The trumpets seemed to either play it too safe or struggle with the upper registers. Auxiliary, those rifle tosses while the wind players were in that block were killer. This group seems to need safe drill to make it through the day. Whoa! Were those bass drums played on their side? Drumline, that was a spark of life! These kids seemed to have a good time, and that COUNTS! The guard, now dressed in sparkling purple, do a neat trick to hid themselves with their purplish silks, and then, "Voila!" (They "appear out of nowhere.") Flute duet, way to trilllll! Ooh! Make sure the last form is the best form. Okay, nooooot bad. My Score: 62.90 My Placement: 39th L.D. Bell High School Hurst, TX Repertoire: "The Remaining" Comments: A disturbing, disturbing melody from the pit gets your heart pounding faster. The show has not yet begun! The guard rush the 50 and act like wild women. A block of wind players rotate a block, and then wreck it my sprinting wildly towards the left. Ooh! The synths go whacked, and then some more sharp, slicing notes are drilled into your mind! These kids are monsters with making you, no, FORCING you, to feel their "wrath." A super sudden collapse to kill the overwhelming onslaught of sound is just breathtaking, and makes you want to bask in what they are all about. A "mountain" of wind players forms with kneeling, and a girl in red is hoisted up in the center (like a volcano spewing lava). Haunting melodies are ejected, a flute leading the pack. Flying flags cut through the stale air, and wow does that wind player skid on the 50, ha ha! Too cool! The momentary halt in those triangle forms was too long, I felt. Move it, move it, move it! Just when you think the show is done and good, some more drill takes place, and then the band is split in two. Wow...this was just...wow... My Score: 93.40 My Placement: 1st Ronald Reagan High School San Antonio, TX Repertoire: "Symphony No. 4" by Gianinni and "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens Comments: With hypnotic drill moves pulled off effortlessly, and with guts, this band "warms up." I sat in amazement. What nerve, huh? Ha ha ha! They make no secret about what they're about. The prelude of their show is seamless into the first part. Eh! I wish some of the saxes were not placemats for drill moves. The woodwinds stage some major rifle tosses caught with pride, with two swift horizontal lines. Sabres handled with a magic touch, touched. Dual opposing and mirroring movement occur during a sweet, sweet Regan-esque synth-onic sound, and then we reach a pinnacle of sorts with a sun form containing extra long rays, with a guard girl in the center who catches her sabre on cue. In many woodwind horizontal lines of three, the woodwind at the end travels around the two in direction of drill. At times, the trumpets sound like they are forcing it. Okay, this was a solid show. I am not sure if this is the type of Reagan show you can fall in love with...but it sure was purty! First-rate job, nevertheless, team! My Score: 88.00 My Placement: 3rd END OF PRELIMINARY PERFORMANCES EXHIBITION - University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX Repertoire: (Not Listed) Comments: With some complex drill moves, including some humongous steps, this band went out to the deep end. I like the leg spread squat move, which had sound force-feeding us. The auxiliary was pretty handy with those flying rifles. A trumpet soloist squeals with fervor. As with most great college bands, the trumpet section shines greatly. One by one, a section of marchers is activated, and then we are pulled into their ballad, which enchants. Wow, excellent work on halting and moving in this. I detected no leans in any step-offs. This group knows how to let loose, too. Just look at them take off near the end of their show. Powerhouse, man, powerhouse! My Score: N/A My Placement: N/A Mid-Show Thoughts: I knew there were going to be at least one or two GREAT bands that should make it to the next round...but won't. When prelims was over, I was still in shock over L.D. Bell's AMAZING performance. Could this be the best high school marching band show of all time? Better than Plymouth '99, Lassiter in '98 or '02, and...dare I write it? Spring '93? It could be...it could be. It is not often a show like this comes around and stuns you...and this one stunned me, through and through. The other Texas bands were super. It has been said that the top 12 bands at this regional--perhaps even the top 20-25 bands here--could take down ANY of California's best (and the best bands in most states) ANY day...and I do not doubt that one bit. Now, here is the breakdown of my preliminary results and actual preliminary results: My Division Ratings (Note: Division Ratings Not Announced) William H. Taft H.S., TX - II John B. Alexander H.S., TX - II Robstown H.S., TX - II Vista Ridge H.S., TX - II East Central H.S., TX - II James Madison H.S., TX - II W. Charles Akins H.S., TX - I South San Antonio H.S., TX - II Seven Lakes H.S., TX - II Del Valle H.S., TX - II Coronado H.S., TX - II United H.S., TX - II Winston Churchill H.S., TX - I Smithson Valley H.S., TX - II Loveland H.S., CO - I Klein H.S., TX - I Hendrickson H.S., TX - I Harlingen H.S., TX - I Harlingen South H.S., TX - II Seguin H.S., TX - II Marcus H.S., TX - I The Colony H.S., TX - I Richland H.S., TX - I Bel Air H.S., TX - II Clear Brook H.S., TX - I Westfield H.S., TX - I Creekview H.S., TX - I Whitesboro H.S., TX - II Cedar Park H.S., TX - I The Woodlands H.S., TX - I Haltom H.S., TX - I Hebron H.S., TX - I Westlake H.S., TX - I Americas H.S., TX - I James Bowie H.S., TX - I Waller H.S., TX - II Colleyville Heritage H.S., TX - II Judson H.S., TX - I Hidalgo H.S., TX - II L.D. Bell H.S., TX - I Ronald Reagan H.S., TX - I My Personal Preliminary Scores and Rankings (Note: Actual Preliminary Scores and Rankings Found on BOA Website) 1. 93.40 L.D. Bell H.S., TX 2. 88.30 Marcus H.S., TX 3. 88.00 Ronald Reagan H.S., TX 4. 87.50 The Woodlands H.S., TX 5. 86.00 Westfield H.S., TX 6. 85.60 Winston Churchill H.S., TX 7. 85.00 Richland H.S., TX 8. 84.70 James Bowie H.S., TX 9. 84.20 Hebron H.S., TX 10. 83.80 Haltom H.S., TX 11. 83.00 Westlake H.S., TX 12. 82.50 Cedar Park H.S., TX 13. 81.90 Creekview H.S., TX 14. 81.00 Harlingen H.S., TX 15. 80.00 Judson H.S., TX 16. 79.00 W. Charles Akins H.S., TX 17. 78.20 Hendrickson H.S., TX 18. 77.00 Clear Brook H.S., TX 19. 76.60 Loveland H.S., TX 20. 75.80 The Colony H.S., TX 21. 75.00 Klein H.S., TX 22. 74.90 Colleyville Heritage H.S., TX 23. 74.30 Harlingen South H.S., TX 24. 71.00 John B. Alexander H.S., TX 25. 70.00 Coronado H.S., TX 26. 69.90 William H. Taft H.S., TX 27. 69.30 Vista Ridge H.S., TX 28. 69.00 Bel Air H.S., TX 29. 68.90 Americas H.S., TX 30. 68.70 Del Valle H.S., TX 31. 68.50 Seguin H.S., TX 32. 68.00 United H.S., TX 33. 65.90 Robstown H.S., TX 34. 65.50 Smithson Valley H.S., TX 35. 64.00 Seven Lakes H.S., TX 36. 63.90 James Madison H.S., TX 37. 63.20 East Central H.S., TX 38. 63.00 Whitesboro H.S., TX 39. 62.90 Hidalgo H.S., TX 40. 62.50 Waller H.S., TX 41. 62.00 South San Antonio H.S., TX Class Championships Awards (Actual): Class A 3rd N/A 2nd Whitesboro H.S., TX 1st Hidalgo H.S., TX Class A Highest Achievement Outstanding Music Performance - Hidalgo H.S., TX Outstanding Visual Performance - Hidalgo H.S., TX Outstanding General Effect - Whitesboro H.S., TX Class AA 3rd Waller H.S., TX 2nd Hendrickson H.S., TX 1st Loveland H.S., CO Class AA Highest Achievement Outstanding Music Performance - Loveland H.S., CO Outstanding Visual Performance - Loveland H.S., CO Outstanding General Effect - Hendrickson H.S., TX Class AAA 3rd Ronald Reagan H.S., TX 2nd The Woodlands H.S., TX 1st L.D. Bell H.S., TX Class A Highest Achievement Outstanding Music Performance - Marcus H.S., TX Outstanding Visual Performance - L.D. Bell H.S., TX Outstanding General Effect - The Woodlands H.S., TX My Finalists (In Random Order) Haltom H.S., TX Cedar Park H.S., TX Ronald Reagan H.S., TX Winston Churchill H.S., TX Hebron H.S., TX James Bowie H.S., TX L.D. Bell H.S., TX Westlake H.S., TX Marcus H.S., TX Richland H.S., TX Westfield H.S., TX The Woodlands H.S., TX Actual Finalists (In Random Order) Haltom H.S., TX Ronald Reagan H.S., TX Clear Brook H.S., TX Cedar Park H.S., TX L.D. Bell H.S., TX Winston Churchill H.S., TX Hebron H.S., TX Westlake H.S., TX Westfield H.S., TX The Woodlands H.S., TX Richland H.S., TX Marcus H.S., TX Mid-Show Thoughts (Continued): When the top 12 bands, regardless of class, were announced as this evening's finalist bands, we frantically wrote down and analyzed names. This is what I heard: "Wait. Who's missing? Oh my god! Bowie didn't make it! Bowie didn't make it! Bowie didn't make it!" I shot a look at the kids from Bowie who sat with blank looks...they were shocked. You could not help but feel really, really bad for these guys. I mean, you have James Bowie--a band that had perhaps one of their best years ever last year, coming in 2nd Place at this very same regional LAST YEAR, and hoping to make a run at making finals at the Bands of America Grand National Championships THIS YEAR...and they get shut out. This has to have been one of the most devastating things I have seen at a show like this. NEVERTHELESS, to Bowie kids who may be reading this, I say: "Don't give up. No matter what say each judge or how bad you think you did...don't give up." I would love to see this band who many think may be "down and out" take a bunch of big names at nats. I had Bowie in 8th, and I know for a fact that I was not the ONLY one who had them in the top 12. Keep this in mind, Bowie. Keep this in mind. And now, the rest... Alan Irons Fountain Valley High School Marching Band 1993-1996 Pacific Crest of Diamond Bar 1997 Nashua Spartans 1998-1999 UCSB Class of 2002 ***COMING UP NEXT: FINALS*** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aegis Fang Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 Just curious, how is it that you score the bands? I mean, I know there's a bunch of stuff that you look for when scoring, but how do you give certain things points *or take away, or whatever*. It's pretty much amazing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tnilli Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 wow very nice sir. Will you be attending the state contest by any chance? If not, do you know of anyone who will do a review? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G'townPIT Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 Mr. Irons gets an A+. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRS. IaN KiNSLeR Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 Mr. Irons gets an A+. agreed. a very in depth analysis. well thought out and precise. we all appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 I'm not gonna lie when I say that I only read the first paragraph. Man, he writes WAY too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serardian Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 I love hearing about different shows, and reading the details, and the little neat tricks and visuals people put in their shows. It's way better than when people write "nice winds. good guard. clean show." Good job Alan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbrih13 Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 That was long!!! But i read it though hahaha. Nice reviews man, nice reviews Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bossman Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 I think the longer the review, the better it is. Nice review man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 Well, you know what they say about people with long reviews... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsstephenyo Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 He did review 41 bands, though. I kinda expected it to be long. Last year's was even longer, I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bossman Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 I thought that last year there were about 60 bands @ the super regional. Correct me if im wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsstephenyo Posted November 8, 2006 Share Posted November 8, 2006 Yea, I think 57 was the correct number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bossman Posted November 8, 2006 Share Posted November 8, 2006 man they should just call it the Baby Grand Nats cuz it's amazing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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