Hard Core Band Fan

Tarpon Springs' musicians are so impressive. They played like professionals. I don't think there is any high school around that has enough good jazz players to compete with what they put out there.

I assumed that, but I can't distinguish which event is which. Obviously not a percussion person, but willing to learn. I have a nephew in middle school and want to expose him to what is possible as a percussionist. I had the good fortune to have someone expose me to great musicians on my instrument and it set my expectations at a high level. You don't know what good is until you are shown it.

A bit off-topic, but does anyone follow the WGI percussion events? I know there are two types of events - concert and movement, but I can't figure out which of these will be held next week. Both? Concert? Movement? The schedules don't appear to indicate. Any help would be appreciated.

Maybe another Make-a-Wish deal?

You just watched the worst show in a very long time.

Which is a shame as this competition has rivaled the Grand Nationals in the past. If I could only watch State or BOA SA, I would always choose BOA SA. For me, it is the complete marching arts package.

But a good one, though.

Still a really impressive performance for these ladies. I have to keep reminding myself that they are high school students and not off-season DCI performers.

Years ago, I remember seeing a Tarpon Springs marching practice schedule that was 20 hours per week!

Or like Marching Band on the Field.

Loved Hamilton's show "Flags in a gym". Clever idea. Someone needs to do a marching show like this.

Well, maybe a geriatric class should be considered!

From my perspective, you're just a pup. People would pay to NOT watch people my age. Heck, I'd pay not to watch people my age perform...

Maybe just a little early yet. For me, I'm more into WGI right now and starting to think about DCI. Trying to manage my obsessions!

My initial comment about a handicap system was sarcasm. Sorry I didn't mark it as such. My point is when you start to overly make things "fair", many times it has the opposite effect. It's only a level playing field where everyone has the same opportunity to succeed and to fail. Someone will always be better and sometimes much better. There is point disparity in all classes and shifting groups around during the season is likely manipulating the outcome. Again, in my opinion. Just a statement, not an argument.

Or they could institute a handicap system where the lower-scoring groups are given points to get them closer to the higher-scoring groups. The integrity of the competitions exists when there is consistency in how and when groups are promoted. I'm not seeing that. It's almost a penalty to be doing well in a season where you are promoted that season. Just my opinion. Not saying I'm correct. I wonder if Leander would have won SO years ago had they been promoted from SA during that season they did win. I'm glad they had the opportunity to knock it out of the park and set that scoring record.

Well, it seems what is most fair is to promote them starting the coming season. Even then, if you have a bunch of really talented seniors in the year you get promoted and have a rebuilding year the next year, it can be a problem. Not all top notch programs have the depth of talent to be consistent year to year. Oh, and also, it really doesn't matter that you have been in a higher class in previous years. You may not have many or any of those same students or even the same directors, designers, or staff.

I just don't see this as a positive thing, mid-season. Scoring well in SA with their current show is one thing as the show was designed for SA. But I don't see this show competing as well in SO. Am I wrong about this?

Did anyone else just love the ear-piercing screams at the end of The Woodlands flag and rifle ensemble elements? I so miss experiencing this excitement live. Reminded me of being in Dayton in 2015 watching Aimachi in the finals..

Mount Pleasant came out on top of the SA class a couple of weeks ago at the Mansfield regional. Their JV made the finals as well.

Good job by Mt. Pleasant varsity. They are the sole guard from the vast wasteland of military bands in Northeast Texas that compete in WGI events. Correction: Pine Tree from Longview competes in WGI as well.

Well, it's a tradition there and they are protecting that. Change is very slow to happen, especially there. I grew up there as a kid and just recently moved back after 40 years when I retired. My father was a band director there as was two of my sisters and I was a music education major myself. I know this area very well and know the directors and their attitudes towards non-military marching bands. Again, my interests are in the students having the opportunity to experience a more challenging and relevant style of marching. Military style had it's time in marching history and there is a better, modern style for today's students. I've marched both and there really is no comparison. There was one high school where the students and parents collectively decided they wanted to change to corps style and approached the band directors and district superintendent. They were told this would not be allowed and if they didn't like it, they could all quit the program. In my opinion, it's the band directors and district superintendent that needed to quit and give these students and parents a chance at something more exciting and challenging.

Agreed! Everywhere there are BOA competitions, the quality of the area programs is increased. I just wish there was a competition in Northeast Texas, maybe in Tyler or Longview. I know there aren't many corps style programs here, but I think that would change if there were more exposure to them. It's a corps style dead zone there and the students in the military bands are actually told that the corps style bands aren't real marching bands and aren't any good. It's the students who lose when they don't get a chance to experience something more fun and challenging.

No way to know how this will affect the finals in these competitions until this continues to happen for a few years. What it may do is give the groups that don't do well at BOA and do do well at State a better opportunity to make a finals every year. It's a lot of travelling and expense to do this every year and that may be the biggest factor in any changes in attendance. Personally as a fan, I prefer to watch the BOA competitions as they are the full experience of the marching arts. State is a subset of them.

I had a recent video of Pride of Cincinnati's show come up in my YouTube feed. I just can't stop watching it! So many fine shows this year and a good year for guard fans.