2022 BOA Austin (Sept. 24)

[Tubalord11]

1 hour ago, Cityscapes said:

They had the same amount of tubas, and maybe about 90ish winds total, but still placed 7th at state, 6th at BOA San Antonio, and 2nd at BOA Katy. They will be fine. 

Oh I’m not worried at all! I don’t think anyone is! I thought last year was 6 but ig I was wrong. That’s impressive, snd they are looking so alive already! 

[J-Mike16]

2 hours ago, Cityscapes said:

They had the same amount of tubas, and maybe about 90ish winds total, but still placed 7th at state, 6th at BOA San Antonio, and 2nd at BOA Katy. They will be fine. 

Oh, I know that they will do just fine and even better. I was very impressed with them last year and I am rooting for them this year. It is just crazy about their tubas only being at 4, that's all.

[MoonLite]

On 8/30/2022 at 11:35 AM, Talia said:

Posted a vid of Vandegrifts half time show, so far its coming along, the props for the show will be 60 led controlled "backdrops" that will pulse with the band and travel the field, dm me for link (props arn't finished yet)

I just saw their field design with props and I have to say, I am a fan

[Rubisco]

On 9/7/2022 at 11:08 PM, packwick said:

Cedar Ridge's show seems like they're going for a Broken Arrow style. drill = lots of isolated simpler shapes with a lot of flags around them. not quiiiite as interesting to me as BA's, go figure, but they're solid performers.

Yes, but you may want to watch a more recent video. They've added their full set. The excess empty space has been filled in and the overall "mise-en-scene" is in better balance. It's pretty colorful as well, in a midnight sort of way. Appropriate, given the theme! For whatever reason, I was reminded of a couple William Mason shows, mostly I guess the set from 2020, with the deep red and purple, and maybe a little 2019 in there as well to get the yellow. Interesting drum feature, for sure. I'm thinking they've got a bit more choreography to add.

Vista Ridge gave me my first kind-of, sort-of goosebumps of the season with their ballad and the transition into it. We seamlessly enter a new and interesting musical space there with the waltz after the fire of the opener, and the beautiful elongation of the drill reflects it well. Set is simple and elegant. I say kind-of, sort-of goosebumps because the performance clarity isn't there yet. But I can see what they're trying to do, and it's very effective indeed.

[BandFan59]

Cedar Ridge sounds really good so far. It's very impressive that they're able to produce that much volume with such a small ensemble (4 tubas for a 6A school is just tiny). That said, they're doing a superb job playing a Shostakovich piece that is admittedly rather overplayed now, but I've always liked it. Visually it's not the most exciting, a little bit too basic for my taste, but I think they'll be in the top half solidly and in contention for a medal here.

[Samuel Culper]

3 hours ago, BandFan59 said:

Cedar Ridge sounds really good so far. It's very impressive that they're able to produce that much volume with such a small ensemble (4 tubas for a 6A school is just tiny). That said, they're doing a superb job playing a Shostakovich piece that is admittedly rather overplayed now, but I've always liked it. Visually it's not the most exciting, a little bit too basic for my taste, but I think they'll be in the top half solidly and in contention for a medal here.

Pretty bold considering the competition.

[AlphaOmega]

I caught Brandeis HS at the Vista Ridge competition last year, and they're pretty freaking good. Keep your eyes peeled for them, because I think they have a shot at finals. 

Good luck to all the bands next weekend! Unfortunately I can't make it, but the lineup looks pretty good! 

[FaultLineBlues]

2 hours ago, Samuel Culper said:

Pretty bold considering the competition.

I've seen some of the competition, along with Cedar Ridge and I agree with their sentiment. It's not gonna be easy, but it's a definite chance. 

[Rubisco]

I'd be surprised to see Cedar Ridge outside of the top half, maybe even the top 4, personally, although I understand this is a very competitive regional, and I haven't seen all of the bands who could threaten them. (Westlake, for example, could put up a fight for the top half of finals.) Anyway, I think top 3 is a decent possibility for Cedar Ridge as well. The show has good performance clarity for this point in the season and has some elegant writing.

Cedar Park is another one that's impressing me. The opening choreography and music are very evocative, and as others have mentioned, they're really pushing air through those horns. This will be a very exciting show for the live audience, I'm sure. It's sometimes maybe a little too blasty for my tastes, but I wouldn't say they sound crass or anything like that. Visual program is solidly performed for this point in the season, although maybe not the most gripping thing in the world. I do love the shiny silver guard dresses. Those really pop under the lights!

All will be revealed soon enough.

[MikeKyu]

2 minutes ago, Rubisco said:

-

Cedar Park is another one that's impressing me. The opening choreography and music is very evocative, and as others have mentioned, they're really pushing air through those horns. This will be a very exciting show for the live audience, I'm sure. It's sometimes maybe a little too blasty for my tastes, but I wouldn't say they sound crass or anything like that. Visual program is solidly performed for this point in the season, although maybe not the most gripping thing in the world. I do love the shiny silver guard dresses. Those really pop under the lights!

-

I get what you're saying about Cedar Park but Cedar Park usually doesn't even work on dynamic control until mid-October. That's when their shows start to breathe. Plus this is the first time that I can remember they have marched this many high brass. I assume (not involved with the band anymore) that there are some woodwind players still learning to buzz. 

Cedar Ridge and Cedar Park will be in that 3-6 dog fight that always happens in Austin. 

[Rubisco]

19 minutes ago, MikeKyu said:

I get what you're saying about Cedar Park but Cedar Park usually doesn't even work on dynamic control until mid-October. That's when their shows start to breathe. Plus this is the first time that I can remember they have marched this many high brass. I assume (not involved with the band anymore) that there are some woodwind players still learning to buzz. 

Cedar Ridge and Cedar Park will be in that 3-6 dog fight that always happens in Austin. 

I actually think either of the Cedars could contend for the top, depending on how much performance clarity and sheer energy moves the needle for the judges. Unfortunately, Cedar Park has a somewhat lousy prelims slot, as does Vista Ridge. If either of those two manages to come out at or near the top after prelims, that could be bad news for the others. I think the likeliest scenario right now is Vandy winning in prelims, given both the quality of the show and the performance time. But who knows!

[Origin]

Saw a video of Vandy with their new show uniforms, props, etc. The dance team looks great and really pops off the field. The show is classic Vandy with a bit of a modern twist. I like how they assemble the “grid” at the beginning.  Usually they do an amazing job at showcasing a strong dynamic range, and I’m kindof missing that so far (But that could easily be due to nuances being lost through video). I like the mood the flute sets in the ballad, but the ballad feels a bit anticlimactic to me so far. Someone said that the props are going to light up and pulse with the band? Fingers crossed that they can pull that off. 

[MoonLite]

14 hours ago, Origin said:

Saw a video of Vandy with their new show uniforms, props, etc. The dance team looks great and really pops off the field. The show is classic Vandy with a bit of a modern twist. I like how they assemble the “grid” at the beginning.  Usually they do an amazing job at showcasing a strong dynamic range, and I’m kindof missing that so far (But that could easily be due to nuances being lost through video). I like the mood the flute sets in the ballad, but the ballad feels a bit anticlimactic to me so far. Someone said that the props are going to light up and pulse with the band? Fingers crossed that they can pull that off. 

I've heard the whole show and I'm hoping that their closer makes up for the anticlimactic ballad

[packwick]

honestly all of these Austin groups are pretty freakin' great this year. and that's all despite the crappy band director pay scales in Austin. i don't how they're all living there on those salaries without rummaging through garbage cans and shoplifting, but good for them!

[MikeKyu]

53 minutes ago, packwick said:

honestly all of these Austin groups are pretty freakin' great this year. and that's all despite the crappy band director pay scales in Austin. i don't how they're all living there on those salaries without rummaging through garbage cans and shoplifting, but good for them!

Well, they probably aren't having avocado toast and mimosas with every meal. 

[Rubisco]

1 hour ago, packwick said:

honestly all of these Austin groups are pretty freakin' great this year. and that's all despite the crappy band director pay scales in Austin. i don't how they're all living there on those salaries without rummaging through garbage cans and shoplifting, but good for them!

There is some truth to this though!

[natertater21000]

I'm sure most of us frequent both forums but for those that do not, these are my thoughts copy pasted from hornrank forums.

So far I've only been able to watch videos due to not living in the area anymore so these are based on what 
I've seen and my knowledge of the programs.

1. Vandegrift: No surprise here, they are MASSIVE and are already producing good tones on the full ensemble moments. There is some challenging staging going on in the show that is causing some phasing but I imagine they'll have the worst of it under control enough by Austin to grab another title. Sidenote: I've been waiting and waiting for Vandegrift to use some less traditional repertoire and the Tron opening is just the sort of thing I was looking for.

2. Cedar Park: I really think this is going to be one for the history books for CP. They are producing the biggest ensemble sound I've heard from them since 2014/16 and I'm a sucker for a simple but well integrated visual idea.  The symmetry in both the drill and the body work is very well done from what I have seen so far. The brass has once again stepped up their content to be more in line with the technical features that are expected from the top competitors at this point. 

3. Cedar Ridge: The sound they are able to produce with an ensemble their size is VERY impressive. I could easily see them getting second solely based on the quality of performance from player to player. I like the integration of the guard within the drill in the opener and the flag work does a lot to add to the energy of the music. The opener is Shostakovich 10 on a marching field for the 387,000th time but they play it very well so I don't mind too much. 

4. Vista Ridge: I'd love to gush about Vista like the other groups but sadly I haven't been able to see any footage of them. I've heard the show is as ambitious as we have come to expect from them so I could see them placing anywhere from 2nd-5th depending on how clean it is come Austin.

5. Rouse: I Haven't seen any footage of Rouse either this season so i'm pretty much basing this placement solely off of last year's success. I'm hoping to see a more ambitious show from them this year.

6. Westlake: Wow! They are quite clean given how early it is. Full ensemble moments are hitting nicely, and I love the clarinet soloist in the opener. This could be the start of a new standard for Westlake.

7: Leander: I've only been able to see one video of them that had audio and it was very early. I'm not sure I'm completely sold on the concept of the show so far. The pacing feels a bit off and the lack of any guard work until recently is a tad concerning. They're still making good sounds and visual design seems to have stayed the same as well. I have a feeling this show might be a late bloomer similar to last year. 

8. James Bowie: I like the visual design of having the pit moved off the front sideline and into the field. I like the drill but I do feel that the spheres could be integrated into the forms a bit more. The video I saw was very early season so I expect a lot of the stick outs to be more in control by Austin.

9. Round Rock: I'm still not a fan of the overall visual design that RR has right now but I do think that the drill works better than their last couple shows. I also think that this is the best RR has sounded at this point in the season in a few years so that may help make up for some GE troubles.


10. Hendrickson: Lot's of cool ideas in this train show. I really like the opening set and the guard work looks very tough. This is definitely a grand nats show, lots of moving parts. They'll have to get some of the rough edges under control to get back into finals but I see them pulling it off. Hoping for a great return to form from them.

11/12:I expect Weiss and Lake Travis to take the final two spots in finals but I have yet to see their shows.

I'm very excited to get to see this contest live this year, I expect my perceived rankings to change quite a bit after pre lims. 


 

[quenslays]

3 hours ago, natertater21000 said:

I'm sure most of us frequent both forums but for those that do not, these are my thoughts copy pasted from hornrank forums.

So far I've only been able to watch videos due to not living in the area anymore so these are based on what 
I've seen and my knowledge of the programs.

1. Vandegrift: No surprise here, they are MASSIVE and are already producing good tones on the full ensemble moments. There is some challenging staging going on in the show that is causing some phasing but I imagine they'll have the worst of it under control enough by Austin to grab another title. Sidenote: I've been waiting and waiting for Vandegrift to use some less traditional repertoire and the Tron opening is just the sort of thing I was looking for.

2. Cedar Park: I really think this is going to be one for the history books for CP. They are producing the biggest ensemble sound I've heard from them since 2014/16 and I'm a sucker for a simple but well integrated visual idea.  The symmetry in both the drill and the body work is very well done from what I have seen so far. The brass has once again stepped up their content to be more in line with the technical features that are expected from the top competitors at this point. 

3. Cedar Ridge: The sound they are able to produce with an ensemble their size is VERY impressive. I could easily see them getting second solely based on the quality of performance from player to player. I like the integration of the guard within the drill in the opener and the flag work does a lot to add to the energy of the music. The opener is Shostakovich 10 on a marching field for the 387,000th time but they play it very well so I don't mind too much. 

4. Vista Ridge: I'd love to gush about Vista like the other groups but sadly I haven't been able to see any footage of them. I've heard the show is as ambitious as we have come to expect from them so I could see them placing anywhere from 2nd-5th depending on how clean it is come Austin.

5. Rouse: I Haven't seen any footage of Rouse either this season so i'm pretty much basing this placement solely off of last year's success. I'm hoping to see a more ambitious show from them this year.

6. Westlake: Wow! They are quite clean given how early it is. Full ensemble moments are hitting nicely, and I love the clarinet soloist in the opener. This could be the start of a new standard for Westlake.

7: Leander: I've only been able to see one video of them that had audio and it was very early. I'm not sure I'm completely sold on the concept of the show so far. The pacing feels a bit off and the lack of any guard work until recently is a tad concerning. They're still making good sounds and visual design seems to have stayed the same as well. I have a feeling this show might be a late bloomer similar to last year. 

8. James Bowie: I like the visual design of having the pit moved off the front sideline and into the field. I like the drill but I do feel that the spheres could be integrated into the forms a bit more. The video I saw was very early season so I expect a lot of the stick outs to be more in control by Austin.

9. Round Rock: I'm still not a fan of the overall visual design that RR has right now but I do think that the drill works better than their last couple shows. I also think that this is the best RR has sounded at this point in the season in a few years so that may help make up for some GE troubles.


10. Hendrickson: Lot's of cool ideas in this train show. I really like the opening set and the guard work looks very tough. This is definitely a grand nats show, lots of moving parts. They'll have to get some of the rough edges under control to get back into finals but I see them pulling it off. Hoping for a great return to form from them.

11/12:I expect Weiss and Lake Travis to take the final two spots in finals but I have yet to see their shows.

I'm very excited to get to see this contest live this year, I expect my perceived rankings to change quite a bit after pre lims. 


 

Dripping Springs might be able to take a spot in finals this year cause I saw their show and it’s pretty good and the band is sounding nice and loud.

[Band2021]

I am lucky enough to live in the area and to have seen most of the bands that will probably make finals  My top 5 predictions below: 

1. Vandegrift: No real shockers here they are a grand national champion and they are clearly showing it this early in the season. I would be surprised to see anyone over take them. What sets them apart is their challenging show design both musically and visually. I always love when a band really goes all out with their design both aesthetically and visually which I expect nothing less from vandy. I have seen CTJ which will not be attending this contest but in my opinion would come in second to Vandegrift. 

2 - 4: Very hard to predict because there are so many groups that are doing great early in the season. 

Cedar Ridge: A group I believe will likely surprise a lot of people which is a shocker because they are one of the most consistent groups in the country. I saw them perform with props and colorguard all decked out. All I can say is this is the their best early season performance I have seen of them since 2014. They are usually a group that starts a little messy and gradually as they clean become more of a threat. I think they are moving towards a more offensive approach and really showing that they are a music powerhouse. Not sure what other posters were watching because visually they are on top of their game this year. Their Guard  in my opinion is the best I have seen so far this gives them a lot of general effect points that I think may put them over Cedar Park or Vista. 

Cedar Park: Clean and simple can still be a winner with the right touch. Cedar Park is one of my favorite groups historically when it comes to their musical approach. Big fan of their work from 2008-2012 which I feel is the direction they are going with this year. My only fear is general effect wise it may lack compared to the ridges which i see as their main competition. However, they still are super clean which could benefit them in an early season contest.  

Vista Ridge: Musically they are finding themselves this year than last which i felt got lost mid-season. To me they are the group with the most potential if they can dedicate themselves to believing in their production. My favorite part of their show is their ballad which to me always should be apart of every show design. They are returning to a simpler model this year which is possibly due to the reception of 2021. In my opinion they are stronger GE wise than Cedar Park but weaker than Cedar Ridge. They are are stronger than Cedar Ridge in music but weaker then Cedar Park. This is why it is so difficult to rank these three. 

5. Rouse: The only group I have not seen but have spoken with a few people who have and will rank them here but they could easily score higher. The only thing that hurts this group is something they have no control over and that is their size. I hate looking at factors that are not related to performance but when it comes to Texas the bigger the band the better your chances are of success. This is something that I also believe effects Cedar Ridge but they have been growing since 2018 where Rouse seems to be stagnant.  I was captivated by last years show and would be surprised if they are not in top 6. 

[BandIsAwesome]

5 hours ago, Band2021 said:

I am lucky enough to live in the area and to have seen most of the bands that will probably make finals  My top 5 predictions below: 

1. Vandegrift: No real shockers here they are a grand national champion and they are clearly showing it this early in the season. I would be surprised to see anyone over take them. What sets them apart is their challenging show design both musically and visually. I always love when a band really goes all out with their design both aesthetically and visually which I expect nothing less from vandy. I have seen CTJ which will not be attending this contest but in my opinion would come in second to Vandegrift. 

2 - 4: Very hard to predict because there are so many groups that are doing great early in the season. 

Cedar Ridge: A group I believe will likely surprise a lot of people which is a shocker because they are one of the most consistent groups in the country. I saw them perform with props and colorguard all decked out. All I can say is this is the their best early season performance I have seen of them since 2014. They are usually a group that starts a little messy and gradually as they clean become more of a threat. I think they are moving towards a more offensive approach and really showing that they are a music powerhouse. Not sure what other posters were watching because visually they are on top of their game this year. Their Guard  in my opinion is the best I have seen so far this gives them a lot of general effect points that I think may put them over Cedar Park or Vista. 

Cedar Park: Clean and simple can still be a winner with the right touch. Cedar Park is one of my favorite groups historically when it comes to their musical approach. Big fan of their work from 2008-2012 which I feel is the direction they are going with this year. My only fear is general effect wise it may lack compared to the ridges which i see as their main competition. However, they still are super clean which could benefit them in an early season contest.  

Vista Ridge: Musically they are finding themselves this year than last which i felt got lost mid-season. To me they are the group with the most potential if they can dedicate themselves to believing in their production. My favorite part of their show is their ballad which to me always should be apart of every show design. They are returning to a simpler model this year which is possibly due to the reception of 2021. In my opinion they are stronger GE wise than Cedar Park but weaker than Cedar Ridge. They are are stronger than Cedar Ridge in music but weaker then Cedar Park. This is why it is so difficult to rank these three. 

5. Rouse: The only group I have not seen but have spoken with a few people who have and will rank them here but they could easily score higher. The only thing that hurts this group is something they have no control over and that is their size. I hate looking at factors that are not related to performance but when it comes to Texas the bigger the band the better your chances are of success. This is something that I also believe effects Cedar Ridge but they have been growing since 2018 where Rouse seems to be stagnant.  I was captivated by last years show and would be surprised if they are not in top 6. 

I agree with this! I personally would switch Vandegrift with Cedar Park, both programs are performing phenomenally but I feel like Vandegrift just isn't quite there yet

[peshbandkid]

Based on what I've seen so far this year, I think there are a few brackets Austin can be broken into

1:Vandegrift

They have been phenomenal so far this season and are incredibly clean

 

2-4: Vista Ridge, Cedar Park, Cedar Ridge

Any placement of these three is justifiable. Cedar Park sounded exceptional, Cedar Ridge was incredibly enjoyable, and Vista Ridge feels like the Vista that gave us Turning The Tables. These three will be phenomenal over the season!

 

5-8: Westlake, Rouse, Leander, Round Rock

The only footage of Leander I saw was a bad football stream early, so it's hard to fairly judge them. Westlake is sounded super mature and like a big contender in this contest! Although I haven't seen anything from Rouse, I think last season was a stepping stone for long-term consistency for them! I think Round Rock will bounce back this year. Some of their visual work is still strange to me, but they sound really good so far!

 

Finding four more finalists in this group is DIFFICULT. Hendrickson, James Bowie, Westwood, Dripping Springs, Weiss, Brandeis, and Lake Travis are among the group that I just don't know how to place yet, but this contest will be fantastic!

[Tubalord11]

34 minutes ago, peshbandkid said:

Based on what I've seen so far this year, I think there are a few brackets Austin can be broken into

1:Vandegrift

They have been phenomenal so far this season and are incredibly clean

 

2-4: Vista Ridge, Cedar Park, Cedar Ridge

Any placement of these three is justifiable. Cedar Park sounded exceptional, Cedar Ridge was incredibly enjoyable, and Vista Ridge feels like the Vista that gave us Turning The Tables. These three will be phenomenal over the season!

 

5-8: Westlake, Rouse, Leander, Round Rock

The only footage of Leander I saw was a bad football stream early, so it's hard to fairly judge them. Westlake is sounded super mature and like a big contender in this contest! Although I haven't seen anything from Rouse, I think last season was a stepping stone for long-term consistency for them! I think Round Rock will bounce back this year. Some of their visual work is still strange to me, but they sound really good so far!

 

Finding four more finalists in this group is DIFFICULT. Hendrickson, James Bowie, Westwood, Dripping Springs, Weiss, Brandeis, and Lake Travis are among the group that I just don't know how to place yet, but this contest will be fantastic!

To me, especially after McAllen, I wouldn’t think Brandies is in contention for finals here anymore, unless the cleanup a ton. I’d say probably Hendrickson and James Bowie are locks unless they aren’t like past years(although 19&21 was ruff for henny, but super close both times) I’d also say Westwood just based of these past 2, and DS,LT and Weiss for the last, but personally I’d give it to Lake Travis

[Origin]

As always, this competition is insanely hard to predict. The 7-12 range was especially hard to rank because they could be in any order honestly. 

1. Vandegrift

2. Cedar Ridge

3. Cedar Park

4. Vista Ridge 

5. Rouse*

6. Westlake

7. Westwood

8. Round Rock

9. Leander 

10. Lake Travis 

11. Hendrickson 

12. James Bowie

———————————

13. Dripping Springs

*I haven’t seen anything from Rouse so I’m just assuming that they’re as good as they were last year

[SleepySeal]

Just adding Harker Heights' is looking good. The music is exciting and energy is up.This regional will be their BOA debut.  

 

[yayband914]

Throwing my hat in the prediction ring. Impossible to predict this contest. Couple of dark horses just outside of finals to for sure keep an eye on. 

1. Vandegrift H.S., TX
2. Cedar Ridge H.S., TX
3. Cedar Park H.S., TX
4. Rouse H.S., TX
5. Vista Ridge H.S., TX
6. Westlake H.S., TX
7. Leander H.S., TX
8. Westwood H.S., TX
9. Round Rock H.S., TX
10. Hendrickson H.S., TX
11. James Bowie H.S., TX
12. Lake Travis H.S., TX
-----
13. New Braunfels H.S., TX
14. Dripping Springs H.S., TX
15. Louis D. Brandeis H.S., TX
16  Weiss H.S., TX
17. Anderson H.S., TX
18. Tom C. Clark H.S., TX
19. Liberal Arts and Science Academy H.S., TX
20. Harker Heights H.S., TX
21-27th. No Clue H.S., TX

A - Manor New Tech H.S., TX
AA - Liberal Arts and Science Academy H.S., TX
AAA - Cedar Park H.S., TX
AAAA - Vandegrift H.S., TX