Favorite shows this year (2010)

[takigan]

We have one of these pretty much every year, and I figure since most of the major contests except Grand Nationals are over and everybody has pretty much seen everybody (or as many as they're gonna see), it's time we bring this back up. Feel free to write why you liked it or what in particular you liked about it.

 

I'll start off:

 

Claudia Taylor Johnson

McNeil

Ronald Reagan - Amazing finish!

James Bowie - rich, dark sound and slick marching.

Duncanville - Love Angels in the Architecture....the uniforms look really cool too.

Edited November 5, 2010 by takigan

[TxRaider13]

5A

Duncanville

Plano East

Berkner

Allen

Woodlands

North Mesquite

Pflugerville

 

4A

Canyon

Poteet

Forney

 

3A

Argyle

Canton

 

2A

Malakaff

[wilburtuba]

Duncanville

Berkner

L.D. Bell

[whitewing09]

Bell- Definitely different than their recent shows, but I still loved it. My favorite ending, will the epic music and intense visual design.

 

Johnson- This was definitely their debut to the top of the marching world. Their drill was pretty awesome and the music had an awesome groove.

 

The Woodlands- Loved the beginning. I also really liked their drill and their show was cool all around.

 

Reagan- It's nice to see them back. Loved the dark show.

 

Spring- I don't quite understand the theme of their show, but I loved it especially the ballad.

 

Bowie- I watched their SA finals show and it looked so clean and had nice musical impact.

 

Churchill- I really liked the music especially the solos.

[The Brass Messiah]

alright my favorites,

Marcus - one of the most amazing arrangments by this program ever, well done marcus

C.T. Johnson - the colors where pretty, and they nailed the sound

Duncanville - That english horn solo was SOOOO beautiful

Hebron - Those trees where something new to the table, and they really pulled it off (could have gone w/o the trees in the middle of the feild), but their theme was relayed very well, and they perforemed quite well, and I loved the lamps.

[morebueno]

Bell

Berkner

Round Rock

[Joeyz]

Bowie - I was captivated by their energy, I've never seen them look or sound so fantastic. If it were up to me, they'd have placed 1st.

 

Marcus - Their music was incredible, as always. They were SO clean. Their shadows were so cool to watch, and they were so well choreographed. I got chills from them in the part that they were spread across the field in two rows, and then morphed into the waves. It was awesome. I only wish I'd felt emotion from them like I had Bowie.

 

The Woodlands - When I fist saw it I was a little disappointed, expecting something as innovative and awesome as their Nats show last year - but the more I saw it, the more I loved it. They always have fascinating shows in my opinion, and this one was no exception.

 

Hebron - I couldn't ignore their awesome clarinet section, personally. I felt as if they were the only band where I could actually hear the woodwinds, and they sounded beautiful.

 

I was personally very disappointed with Bell's show this year. I usually LOVE them - perhaps because they're so different from everyone else. They're shows are so complex, dark, mysterious, and, above all, unique. But the military show idea is just to tiresome now. I feel like Nats prelims last year was just military show after military show after military show - and now here Bell is with yet ANOTHER military show. They performed it beautifully (although I thought their drill was dirtier than in years past), but just by nature of having the theme they did, I could not appreciate it fully. I also thought, having a family member buried there, that the building of Arlington Cemetery in the back of the field was in poor taste.

Please, don't think I'm slamming them in the least - I'm a huge Bell fan. And I thought they executed it fantastically. It was merely the show design I have a problem with. Their guard was beautiful, incredible, and spilling with energy, though. THAT part, I loved. Good luck to them at Nats!

Edited November 6, 2010 by Joeyz

[NewMexicoBandsman]

Marcus-LOVED Vivaldi's winter

Hebron-I didn't love this show specifically so much as the improvement Hebron brought to the table this year. They seem to rachet things up every year, and this year was no exception

Bowie-They were extremely clean, and kept me constantly engaged.

[aaron067]

  Joeyz said:

 

How could the building of Arlington National Cemetery in the backfield be in poor taste? The show is about honoring service men and women, especially those who have fallen in the line of duty. They're simply acknowledging those fallen soldiers and making sure everyone watching the show knows who they are honoring.

 

Personally, I felt like the tombstones were never utilized properly, but after watching the new ending tonight I think they went in the right (and respectful) direction. Wait to see the final product at Grand Nationals, and I think you might change your mind about the use of Arlington National Cemetery.

Edited November 7, 2010 by aaron067

[biznock]

Coppell.

Should have at least won third.

[TxRaider13]

  biznock said:

Coppell.

Should have at least won third.

 

Umm I believe Duncanville and Bowie would beg to differ

Edited November 7, 2010 by TxRaider13

[MahBoi]

Johnson - Just a beautiful show. "Life as a House" chokes me up. I'm really excited for the future of this program

North Lamar - I first saw this show performed by Churchill in 2004 and loved it. To see a 3A band nail it like they did just blew me away

Dekaney - Really fun to watch, and you could tell that the kids loved performing it

Tarpon Springs (FL) - They've actually been growing on me since 2006, and it feels like this year's show takes all the coolest concepts from the past two years to create the total package. Plus, the level they perform at physically, and the precision with which they do so, just makes my jaw drop. Seeing them live for the first time was a real treat

[Montoya]

  Joeyz said:

How could the building of Arlington National Cemetery in the backfield be in poor taste? The show is about honoring service men and women, especially those who have fallen in the line of duty. They're simply acknowledging those fallen soldiers and making sure everyone watching the show knows who they are honoring.

 

Personally, I felt like the tombstones were never utilized properly, but after watching the new ending tonight I think they went in the right (and respectful) direction. Wait to see the final product at Grand Nationals, and I think you might change your mind about the use of Arlington National Cemetery.

 

 

 

I just wanted to clarify that what they are forming is NOT Arlington Cemetery. The cemetery in Arlington, VA has different tombstones than those that are on the field.

 

 

 

 

What I think Bell is forming is the Normandy Cemetery.

 

 

 

Nitpicky, I know...

[aaron067]

Interesting find. I was at Arlington National Cemetery when I was in high school, and for some reason I was remembering it has having cross-shaped tombstones. Thanks for the clarification.

 

So they're honoring fallen soldiers from World War 2, which makes sense considering the vintage flag colors and guard uniforms. It also gives the theme a much more narrow focus than the general "patriotic" or "military" show that someone was saying had been overdone recently.

[KlarinetteRed_64]

LD Bell

Coppell

Bowie

Duncanville

Marcus

 

These bands all deserve finals spots at state for their amazing shows. The only one I woudn't include if we were going off of the concept might be Bell because of its non-originality.

[mrt0106]

Order in which I liked them

Marcus

LD Bell

Brazoswood

Bowie

Duncanville

Hebron

Rowlett

The Woodlands

[Drummantx]

I like me some drum shows, and Round Rock nailed it for me. Fast intense drill, emotional playing, and that drum line. Mmm

Claudia Taylor Johson's show was just all around designed well. Loved the Music, the uniforms, and definitely the colors.

Cy Fair for some reason was my third favorite this year, I don't know why, it just fit with me.

[alinktothepresent]

In order:

 

Hebron

Marcus

Duncanville

[smoke_dawg_08]

Cedar Park

[drummerjoe]

CT Johnson - They were new and I really wanted to pull for them. And what do you know, they did well too

 

Westlake - HINDEMITH. haha, long story.

 

Pflugerville - Beautiful music, and amazing percussion section. They really should have done better this season :\

[Prof. Chaos]

Favorites from State Finals:

 

Duncanville - Best show of the night.

Spring - Most creative. Not my favorite music, but excellent thematic unity.

Marcus - Fun show to watch. Not my favorite combination of music and visual but very fun show. I had to force myself to watch the band after watching the shadows the entire time during the prelims. What a clever idea!

Hebron - Very well done.

 

Favorites from Prelims that didn't make finals:

 

Brazoswood - Great, great show.

Reagan - Great brass playing. Didn't get the whole "Re..." thing but enjoyed the show anyway. (I really thought those two bands would make finals.)

[Drum major]

CT Johnson: great overall show, one of the favorites of the day

Round Rock: incredible drum line, awesome new uniforms, great crowd pleaser show, this band has come a long way since last year.... deserves some props

Marcus: loved the shadows concept, hard to beat by shear volume alone

[Joeyz]

Oh yeah! I almost forgot - Round Rock was great! I LOVED them! Just so much FUN to watch.

[rock_that_bass_DVILLE9211]

  The Brass Messiah said:

alright my favorites,

Marcus - one of the most amazing arrangments by this program ever, well done marcus

C.T. Johnson - the colors where pretty, and they nailed the sound

Duncanville - That english horn solo was SOOOO beautiful

Hebron - Those trees where something new to the table, and they really pulled it off (could have gone w/o the trees in the middle of the feild), but their theme was relayed very well, and they perforemed quite well, and I loved the lamps.

 

 

For Duncanville it wasn't an English Horn solo, it was an Oboe

[Cole Train]

Brazoswood- I had heard legends from my private lesson teacher about their trumpets, and I didn't exactly believe them until I heard this performance. I also thought that the music was absolutely phenomenal and I loved that they had the very beginning of their song based on New Born by Muse.

 

Berkner- I thought that the piccolo solo went very well with the theme, I also laughed quite a bit when the soprano sax and clarinet came in playing itsy bitsy spider. overall a very great performance.

 

C.T. Johnson- I have been a huge fan of them ever since I saw their show at USSBA state last year, and this only made me like them more.

 

Woodlands- I love Pictures at an Exhibition and I thought their arrangement was awesome.

 

Round Rock- now unfortunately I wasn't able to see their drill for parts of their state performance since I was so low in the stands, but I thought their music was amazing.

 

Marcus- ...Do I really have to explain?