Rubisco

Hey, if we're going to be picky about stuff like that, at least this show is Rome-related! Unlike that one show from 2014 that also had Pines of Rome in it. You know, the one with all the faces... 😩🤔😂

One with sound! 👍 I think the designers have set the ball up very nicely for Pearland this year; the performers just need to spike it. It's a very fine start. I can't wait to watch this one grow! Think they're going to have an amazing season.

No, don't let them! But yes, should they want them, they can easily acquire them. 😂

Bridgeland looks great again! The weapon line is perhaps slightly weaker in execution, but overall the visual performance seems pretty on par with last season. I could see them contending for the visual caption at this contest, at least from an upstairs perspective -- with the caveat that musicality is part of that caption, and without sound that's impossible to judge. I still think they could branch out a bit in terms of the theming -- could be a little less conventional -- but they've got the rest mostly down. Pearland definitely seems like they could have a beast of a show this year, visually. There's a fair amount of dirt right now, but this seems like a more complex package than last season -- more layered, more detailed, maybe less symmetric, just overall more interesting, too. Yes, there are still some recycled Cartwrightisms, with the flags and the capes, the overall theatrical feel of it. Probably there will be another duet choreographed between the band guy and the guard girl in the black cloak, who do the slow, processional walk forward. But the look is at least a little less stale, a little more stripped down for now, without dozens of the same set piece cluttering the field. (Perhaps those will come later?) Anyway, definitely one to look out for both here and late season, as long as the music matches it. Actually, Pearland's show has me wondering: when was the last time Houston produced more than one band in the top half at BOA San Antonio finals? I thought it was 2003 at first, with Westfield, Stephen F. Austin, and The Woodlands, but it actually happened a few times after that, the last time being 2010, with Spring joining TWHS. So, 14 years ago. That's quite a dry spell! But I think there's a chance this year. The Woodlands looks and sounds stellar throughout most of their full opener, like they'll contend for the title again. Meanwhile, Pearland is giving me even stronger vibes than last year. Of course, this year's BOA SA contest is beyond stacked, so it will be difficult.

To be fair, they seem to have been focusing more on learning new parts of their show as opposed to cleaning what they already have -- considering they have, like, their full show on the field already. The kids are probably still getting a handle on everything. Whether that will work out in their favor at this early contest, I don't know. They're definitely capable of major improvements over the course of a full marching season.

That what I want to hear!

It happened last year in finals! Granted, I have no idea how Pearland looks this season. I can confirm that Cy-Fair is at least around as good as last year, maybe even a little better.

I do wonder if Pearland or one of the other Houston bands gets their first regional win here. Reagan heads into this as the default prediction for champion, given their success here over many years. That could easily happen -- their show is quite effective this year, lots of wit. But I'm also wondering if they're a bit more vulnerable than usual on the performance side of things. Their show is very challenging, and visual clarity is a major issue right now. Where will it be in a few weeks? I don't know. I saw Bridgeland on TexanLive, sans audio, and think their visual program is a bit clearer than both Reagan's and Cy-Fair's right now. Music is an unknown. Pearland is also an unknown. I haven't seen or heard anything from them. (They and Broken Arrow are the two left that I would really like to see.) Pearland is hot off of their first National finals appearance, and I'm hoping Wes gives them something special that could help them break into the upper half of late-season finals. They're capable of it!

I don't know if there's a public one with sound. The one I saw was shared with me in private, so I don't feel comfortable sharing it with others. That's also why I'm being a little skimpy with the details. 😶

I LOVE it! I've seen their show, by the way. And they look GREAT!

I opened up a can of off-topic worms, it seems! I am genuinely curious about your perspective, @ChristopherRoden, since your two points taken together seem to suggest that the top 20ish visual programs from Texas are nearly matched to Avon's and Carmel's in those considerations that @packwick mentioned. I feel like even just guard alone makes that stance hard to defend. But then maybe you simply have your own set of considerations? Or value certain ones more strongly than others? You are certainly correct that it's a very subjective activity, even for judges!

I was wrong about Tomball Memorial's design team. Drill is by Greg Dalton. Music is arranged by Brandon Smith, no longer Richard Saucedo. They sound good!

That extra rehearsal time also allows them to take on more complex visual programs than what we see from most, if not all, Texas programs. This is part of the reason why I take early videos of Avon and Carmel with a grain of salt, because they have the rehearsal time to clean those complex programs and make major adjustments, if needed. So, they might not seem so impressive right now, but by late season... 👀

My first thought was, "That's a lot of stuff on the field for Carmel!" I think it's a strong start. Their approach to music design/pacing is very interesting again.

Thank you! I'm aboard the Cy-Fair train again this season, too. Well, maybe I never really got off of it in 2022, but you get the point. It's so cool to see both them and Bridgeland reach this level. Hopefully, we see other bands in the area rise up this season, too. One of the greatest pleasures of every marching season is witnessing a band blossom -- reach a real developmental milestone.

The ones I'm viewing are on TexanLive, by the way. Is Flower Mound not loading for everyone else, or is it just me? This is... frustrating. It's so tantalizing! I think Wylie East looks pretty awesome for their first show. I love how the circle in the middle spins like a gear and sort of cranks out the follow-the-leader drill into the center of the field. I like how it all feels connected, too -- not just isolated moments. Plus, it has a clear focus. Just gotta hear it with the music now! Honestly, I feel like getting the visual to match the music is quite easy. What you really want to do is elevate the music, and I feel like part of accomplishing that might just be having an interesting visual program even without music! I'm confused by The Woodlands. Am I watching TWHS or BAC -- their guard is that good! Some of the same skills, too. Ensemble 7s the new scholastic world class standard? Whatever the standard is, they're going to crush it this year. I love the clarity and energy of the choreo from the band, too. Those hips! So much attention to detail already. Lots to take in. I do, however, wish the video showed more of the field. Hard to judge the overall package.

All this talk, but where are the videos? 😭 Okay, I found the soundless ones, because I remember them from last season. Does Michael Gaines write the drill for Tomball Memorial now? I know it was the Avon guy before. Gotta say, they look quite Carmel-ized this year. It helps that their uniforms are also blue. Plus, Saucedo arranges for them, right? I wonder what it sounds like. Very clear, formal drill program, with all those pods collapsing into double files like you see from Gaines pretty often. Flags around the band could use some work, but my interest is piqued.

Vandegrift's performers are just flying around again, while playing a billion notes. This is going to be a major flex when they clean it. Chasing Infinity. I definitely see the infinity symbol pop up a couple of times. They've got the speed and the follow-the-leader drill for the "chasing" part, although it does look a lot like their previous drill programs. What's it about?

Marcus' show is called In a New Light. Keller's is called Distant Voices. Not sure if either has been posted yet. There's a football game video with both performances on YouTube. It seems like Marcus is keeping with the more aggressive style this year. Actually, the pacing of the music is quite similar to last year as well. Front ensemble and mello solo build-up into the first big hit, which kind of sounds like a pop tune (I'm not sure about that), followed by fast, belligerent single-tongued and double-tongued brass features. I'm really enjoying this style for them. I think they could have success similar to last year. Keller also has a solid show. Like Marcus, a slow-burn start. Wonderful flute solo, with lots of expanding circles on the field. It didn't seem like they had as much of their program on the field as Marcus, although it may just seem that way because they stopped right after the first full-ensemble hit. Strong starts overall!

I'm watching some of the finals videos on YouTube right now. I tried not to burn myself out by watching the shows too much this season, which I feel is easy to do when you follow the DCI season religiously. I'm quite enjoying the slight design changes and performance improvements that have accumulated over the last few weeks, I have to say. Nicely done! 👍

Anyway, moving on... 😂 Westlake is doing a show called Nouveau.

This. I don't think you choose a concept like Tianlong in this highly sensitive environment without really, earnestly trying to be respectful of the culture. As far as the music selections go, I'm guessing they probably saw the flying dragon in Spirited Away (which is certainly influenced by Chinese culture, just like all of Japan) and started to shape a show around it.

Troopers over Cavaliers! That's more interesting to me, honestly. It has been a while since that happened. Boston's next direct match with the Bluecoats is at that Canton, OH show just before the World Championships. So, if a change happens at the very top, and that's a big if, then it will be pretty much right at the end of the season. There are the two Allentown contests as well, but those provide a less direct comparison, with the corps split up over two days.

Dawson is listed as the 6A State Honor Band on the TMEA entries website. Wow! Congratulations! Amazing accomplishment! And of course congrats to all the other amazing finalists. Over 100 submissions this year!

Updated the post to reflect that. Thanks!