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Posted

I watched the video of CTJ from last night too. I've always been a fan of their designs and this year's no different. The preshow is very unique and I thought visually they were quite good even with the complexity of their drill. I had to watch the ballad a couple times to really get my thoughts on it. The vocalists are both very talented and do a great job as the main spotlight of the ballad, but I probably would've preferred a ballad without vocals. That said I still enjoyed it and thought the big hit was excellent. Excited to see this in two weeks!

Posted

Just watched the CTJ Video. Got to say, I’m not a fan. They play well and the drill is cleaning up but the ET bike at the beginning is weird to me. A little too on the nose and “standard HS Band” for a program like CTJ imho.

I like the arrangement of the opener but the ballad isn’t for me. I’m hit or miss with vocalists, but that’s a lot.
 

Will be interesting to see how BOA Katy play. If Reagan doesn’t clean up, I think the door could be open for Cedar Ridge or Seven Lakes or someone like that to take a run at the top spot. 

Posted

What a wonderful post by Mr. Lipman. Any band kid would be beyond blessed and privileged to be under the tutelage of @jarrettlipman and part of the incredible Claudia Taylor Johnson HS marching band!  I am blessed to call many of the folks there my good friends, and they are truly some of the best people I know!  The program takes a lot of grief for sure, but when you are one of the best at what you do, you expect that. I can’t wait to see this show at BOA San Antonio. I’m just super sad they won’t be in Austin this weekend. 

Posted

ew, this was all sickeningly sweet. i wanted to see someone get dragged by their weave kicking and screaming.

but now that mr. lipman is here, might i pitch u, good sir, my amazing show idea for either CTJ or Boston Crusaders? it's an ode to movies and art so bad that they're good. i'm calling it Trollgirls 2. a portmanteau of Showgirls and Troll 2, and a sequel to a show that doesn't exist. the show will be THRILLING, ~*~sexy~*~, and kewl. and of course an incisive intellectual commentary on delusional artists and their feelings when their art is "misunderstood." it'll be great. trust.

Posted

It is nice to see CTJ go “back to basics” which is what I originally thought Opposites Attract would be (and boy was I wrong). I think this is a really good show to refocus on the basics while still maintaining a lot of strong GE moments by virtue of being straightforward and clean. It’s rare we get a post from the man himself and it’s always great to see. We’ll miss them in Austin but they’re going to do great at Katy.

Posted

i thought i had found drone footage of Reagan but it was from last year. :(

i keep fforgeting that Cedar Ridge is coming to Katy. aall these central TX bands coming to Houston to dominate. :angry:

Posted
  On 9/19/2022 at 4:35 AM, packwick said:

ew, this was all sickeningly sweet. i wanted to see someone get dragged by their weave kicking and screaming.

but now that mr. lipman is here, might i pitch u, good sir, my amazing show idea for either CTJ or Boston Crusaders? it's an ode to movies and art so bad that they're good. i'm calling it Trollgirls 2. a portmanteau of Showgirls and Troll 2, and a sequel to a show that doesn't exist. the show will be THRILLING, ~*~sexy~*~, and kewl. and of course an incisive intellectual commentary on delusional artists and their feelings when their art is "misunderstood." it'll be great. trust.

Expand  

JL has enough ideas that are "out there" without your help 

Posted

My final predictions for this one:

1. Claudia Taylor Johnson (GE)
2. Cedar Ridge (M)
3. Ronald Reagan (V)
4. Seven Lakes
5. Cy-Fair
6. Pearland
7. Lake Travis
8. Cypress Woods
9. Clear Brook
10. Friendswood
11. Oak Ridge
12. Stephen F. Austin

Really looking forward to this one!

Posted

Northeast ISD streamed their marching festival tonight with each of the high schools performing their shows. Reagan performed what appears to be their entire show, while CTJ possibly has another movement to add (can't quite tell but the show ended somewhat awkwardly). For Reagan, the full show design is very similar to the style of the Path, Secret World, Loop, etc. Musically, the technical demand is incredibly high across all sections, from high woodwinds to low brass. It's not entirely clean right now but they're doing a good job tackling a very difficult book. Visually they're quite clean, as Reagan always is, and the ending is especially visually pleasing. For CTJ, seeing the show with all their props and uniforms is a whole different look for me. They sound fantastic as always, the low brass especially, and even with the visual demand being at CTJ's typical absurd difficulty, it's quite readable. The ballad is growing on me more and more every time I see it. Unfortunately, there was about a forty five second gap in the stream between the ballad and the next movement that makes it hard for me to comment on it, but the soloists sound excellent. Kind of a weird ending, but I'm guessing they have more to add later. 

Posted

Reagan is a lot to take in on first viewing. There’s just SO MUCH happening visually at all times that I can barely focus on what’s happening musically. The show has me really really excited though. Guard costumes are super cool too. CTJ is much more intelligible right now. The show is really coming along. I’m a big fan. 

Posted
  On 9/28/2022 at 2:40 AM, BandFan59 said:

Northeast ISD streamed their marching festival tonight with each of the high schools performing their shows. Reagan performed what appears to be their entire show, while CTJ possibly has another movement to add (can't quite tell but the show ended somewhat awkwardly). For Reagan, the full show design is very similar to the style of the Path, Secret World, Loop, etc. Musically, the technical demand is incredibly high across all sections, from high woodwinds to low brass. It's not entirely clean right now but they're doing a good job tackling a very difficult book. Visually they're quite clean, as Reagan always is, and the ending is especially visually pleasing. For CTJ, seeing the show with all their props and uniforms is a whole different look for me. They sound fantastic as always, the low brass especially, and even with the visual demand being at CTJ's typical absurd difficulty, it's quite readable. The ballad is growing on me more and more every time I see it. Unfortunately, there was about a forty five second gap in the stream between the ballad and the next movement that makes it hard for me to comment on it, but the soloists sound excellent. Kind of a weird ending, but I'm guessing they have more to add later. 

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yes, you are correct - there is more to come. Show is coming slower this year due to the much earlier start to their school year and the impact it had with a shorter band camp. they would normally have the full show on the field for BOA Austin. Tonight's fall fest launched the new show uniforms - similar to 2018 Sea of Love, new plumes and shirts, sleeves and neck scarfs. Guard costumes will be arriving this week in time for BOA Katy - I am looking forward to seeing CTJ, Reagan and Cedar Ridge in Katy as I this those 3 will battle for the top 3 spots.

 

Posted
  On 9/27/2022 at 10:02 PM, BandFan59 said:

My final predictions for this one:

1. Claudia Taylor Johnson (GE)
2. Cedar Ridge (M)
3. Ronald Reagan (V)
4. Seven Lakes
5. Cy-Fair
6. Pearland
7. Lake Travis
8. Cypress Woods
9. Clear Brook
10. Friendswood
11. Oak Ridge
12. Stephen F. Austin

Really looking forward to this one!

Expand  

I think the bottom half of this list could easily be exchanged for a hand full of other groups. I’m very interested to see how things shake out. The Houston area has fewer top tier groups (Woodlands is really the only one consistently), but has so many very good programs that are in the bubble for a contest like this. 

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