Serardian Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 So I was at the Dome on that magical night last night, and it was AWESOME! Here's just what I remember. I'm not a judge, I don't have a degree in music, so don't take everything I say like I know what I'm talking about, because I don't. 12. James Bowie HS "A Little Night Music" -Happy to see them here after what happened at BOA SA. The show was very well designed but executed a little sloppily, in my opinion. There were some forms and diagonals that were way off. They had a great sound, though. 11. Marian Catholic HS "Variations" -Musically, I thought it was excellent; different variations on a solo played by a (i think) soprano sax. The color guard coming out with neon weapons during the jazz variation was a neat touch. There was a narrator that actually walked in and out of the band and interacted with the band members. I don't like how the woodwinds and the brass have different pants colors. Visually, they were alot stronger in semi-finals. 10. Winston Churchill HS "The Deception of Perception" -WHAAAT?! Those aren't woodwind players! They're guard members! I was deceived! I focused really hard to pay attention to the band, and I liked the drill. They fooled me again with the "ending." This show just made me feel foolish overall, and I loved it. 9. PCEP "The Passion Within" -This was definitely my favorite show of the night. They chronicled the passions of 3 different types of artists (a dancer, a painter, and a musician). The solo violinist was outstanding, even on a simple tune such as "Ode to Joy." At one point the color guard pretended to play on toy violins...the expression and theatrics were amazing. And the music, WOW. Dynamic contrasts that we're not used to hearing, and then ending with the most passionate, driving version of "Ode to Joy" I've ever heard by a band. I had goosebumps for the entire last 2 minutes of the show. Beautiful. A little bit more difficulty drill wise and I think they would have been near the top. 8. Carmel HS "Revolution" -I agree with their placement, and actually wouldn't have been surprised to see them even lower. To me there was nothing unique or original. They had some music from the Beatles, and they played it very well. One snare drummer marched without his drum and with one drumstick for some reason, but he went through the strokes and everything. Good for him. 7. Avon HS "Push" -I really liked this show. They had some really cool effects in their drill, with lots of arrows pushing and bending other forms. They even threw in some push-ups, haha. I loved "Wild Nights." 6. Lawrence Central HS "One Hand, One Heart" -Very interesting that they won visual, but still finished in 6th. They did have quite a bit of dancing, but it fit the theme(West Side Story) nicely. The band was dressed in pants and newsboy caps. At the end, the band falls to the ground as Maria and Tony are united on a platform. Awwwwwwwww. 5. Tarpon Springs HS "Something about destiny, I don't quite remember the name" -This show was about inner strength. They laid an orange tarp all around the field in the shape of a running track. There is a guy that runs around the track for the entire show (2 miles)! I'll admit sometimes I got distracted from the band and just watched the runner and worry he doesn't collapse. I mean, having to do it in semi-finals and in finals in the same day, you'd have to be in good shape. But the band & guard were great. Really clean/uniform articulation. I couldn't even tell they didn't have a drumline. In the end the band is at the finish line and cheers on the runner as he crosses it. 4. The Woodlands HS "Hide & Seek" -Yay Woodlands! They had a great run in semis (1st place), but struggled a bit visually in finals. Some woodwind players looked lost in a rotating block in the front. There seemed to be lots of holes too. Musically, excellent. The mic problems were unfortunate, but they got them fixed. The solis and solos were incredible (especially trumpets, wow! Sounded like one trumpet playing that part). 3. Kennesaw Mountain HS "Stages" -The members of the band had sashes on their uniforms with different colors of the rainbow. This was a typical KM show, which is not a bad thing because I love their shows. This one shows the stages of growing up, from childhood to adolescence to young adulthood. Each stage of life had its own giant see-through cube on the field in which the soloists stood. The music was great, they played different nursery rhymes. "Frere Jacques" in particular was outstanding. I love the big KM sound. For the final movement, they took off the colored sashes, I guess representing transition from a child's word into adulthood. To those who were skeptical of them playing nursery rhymes, it definitely worked. 2. LD Bell HS "The Remaning" -Really nothing I can say that hasn't already been said. It was fantastic. I loved the new ending they pulled out for finals. The guard pulls out a giant white tarp over the field that swallows the screaming guard girls. In the end, one member emerges from the top dressed in all white. I still think it would be so much fun to be in this show. Great season LD Bell! 1. Broken Arrow HS "Aqua" -So we had the very interesting privelege of being seated next to the Broken Arrow parents' section. Awesome, humble people. Broken Arrow's uniforms are all white except for one of the legs, which is black. They can create some REALLY cool effects when they turn to one side. At the end of the show they laid on the floor and rolled over in a ripple, rippling the field from white to black. They marched, they played, they did it all, and that's why I think they won. It was the most complete package, and I'm glad to see that is what BOA is rewarding. One mom was telling us that they just started letting freshmen into the band a couple of years ago, so they were nervous about how everything would work out for the season. After their performance I told her they'd easily be Top 5...I didn't know I'd be so right! Definitely unexpected. By the time they announced 5th place, the parents were shaking in anxiety. It was so awesome. I couldn't help but feel so happy for them when LD Bell was announced in 2nd place and I saw the tears in the parents' eyes. It was incredible. So yeah, so many great shows. I don't see how the judges did it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mculbert07 Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 One mom was telling us that they just started letting freshmen into the band a couple of years ago, so they were nervous about how everything would work out for the season. After their performance I told her they'd easily be Top 5...I didn't know I'd be so right! Definitely unexpected. By the time they announced 5th place, the parents were shaking in anxiety. It was so awesome. I couldn't help but feel so happy for them when LD Bell was announced in 2nd place and I saw the tears in the parents' eyes. It was incredible. We had some BA parents on our first flight home, and struck up a conversation. When we congratulated them, they said that their only goal was to make finals. They were just elated, and so kind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavinrh Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 One snare drummer marched without his drum and with one drumstick for some reason, but he went through the strokes and everything. Good for him. ahahhaha are you serious? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serardian Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 Yep, no joke...really odd. Forever immortalized on the DVD, too. I wonder what the story is. Maybe his drum got stolen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itspjw Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 I was there with binoculars and noticed as they were entering the field and setting up that he ran over to the directors and it looked like his drumholder (whatever you call it) was broken. There wasn't time to fix it, so he marched without. I though he had both drumsticks, though. I felt really bad for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serardian Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 Yeah, the harness, I saw he was wearing that too. At least the drum wasn't stolen, that's good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bossman Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 I was there with binoculars and noticed as they were entering the field and setting up that he ran over to the directors and it looked like his drumholder (whatever you call it) was broken. There wasn't time to fix it, so he marched without. I though he had both drumsticks, though. I felt really bad for him. that THING is called a carrier. And that had to be really embarassing for him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeshulEddie Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 he covered for his lack of drum quite well i thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joemac Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 well, it was quite unfortunate, I remember someone telling me about it and that it had (the carrier) broken, but the good thing is, is that he kept going and should have been proud to still march even if he didn't have a drum. I personally wouldn't feel any different with how well they march and perform. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TX Suh-nare Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 My P.D. went to Nats and told the perc section the whole story. It was one of the snares in Carmel. He was a senior, but, from where he was, his carrier attachment somehow broke (for you drumline illiterates, it's the hardware connecting the drum to the carrier). He made up his mind he would march his last show, so he just did it with no drum. Drummers...imagine that listening environment the guys on his outside had to deal with. He was one way from center, too, so at least two or three snares had to listen EXTREMELY hard to pick up the captain's sound! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mculbert07 Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 he covered for his lack of drum quite well i thought. Wait, he was missing a drum? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serardian Posted November 14, 2006 Author Share Posted November 14, 2006 Well it wasn't missing, it just broke right before they went on, and there wasn't any time to fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeshulEddie Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 i would hate to march my last show without my instrument :\ but i'd still wanna march it anyway big props to him for marching and doing so well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mculbert07 Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 Well it wasn't missing, it just broke right before they went on, and there wasn't any time to fix it. I was being sarcastic :-p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acsc1312 Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 Yep, no joke...really odd. Forever immortalized on the DVD, too. I wonder what the story is. Maybe his drum got stolen? kind of reminds me of SA Finals where a Churchill guard member dropped her rifle when they were on the risers. I felt so bad for her, but she kept on doing the hands movements...what a trooper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serardian Posted November 15, 2006 Author Share Posted November 15, 2006 I was being sarcastic :-p Hahaha, okay good....I was thinking to myself, did you miss the entire thread..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeshulEddie Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 Hahaha, okay good....I was thinking to myself, did you miss the entire thread..? aha, i was wondering the exact same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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