HechYeah08

Still trying to sell 2 Friday Prelims tickets if anyone is interested.... message me.

I have two FRIDAY PRELIMS tickets that I'd like to sell. They are general admission. Ticketmaster has them for $17.00 plus fees for a total of $23.20. I'm trying to get rid of them so I'll sell them face-value at $17.00 each. Please send me a message if you are interested. I can mail them to you or meet up in the San Antonio area.

When does DMI normally post the score recaps? Does anyone have them already? Seems like Coppell had a solid performance; interested to hear from anyone that was there...

It has happened=) There is some good video footage (not on youtube though) of Coppell rushing the field at Floyd Casey in 1999 (4A State). You'd have to dig up the band video for that year, I think. And no, the band wasn't reprimanded... heck even the directors joined the kids on the field. It was super neat to see the entire Coppell band do the Drill-to-the-order-of-attention in one huge mob on the field. Even their former drum major, who was then a Baylor Golden Wave Band member got to help lead the chant. I do remember the announcer at Floyd Casey making a jovial announcement about the sprinklers about to be turned on, though...

Good analogy. And maybe Round Rock will be the "Baylor" that knocks out some of the big-hitters that are usually at the top of the rankings =) Sic 'Em.

Your post, however, seems to suggest that coppell's shows are not entertaining to the crowd. If you believe that is the case, then that is your personal opinion and it should be respected. I would argue, though, that "entertainment" is awfully subjective. While you may not find Coppell's shows entertaining, others might. And I must point out that I think you misunderstood my earlier post. If all you took out of it was that Coppell only aims to please the judges with its musical selections, then you missed the message. Coppell, much like another poster mentioned about Duncanville, tends to play musical choices from classical composers. In the end, Coppell takes pride in looking back and equipping its students with a classic repertoire of Shostakovich, Elgar, Hindemith, etc. And don't for a second think that the students don't enjoy this music... If they didn't then there would not be 350+ members each year. Same goes for Duncanville. The kids love what they do, they get to play amazing classical pieces, and they DO have an audience that is truly "entertained" by what they do. To suggest otherwise is to not appreciate the true value and emphasis that Coppell and other similar programs place on music education.

With all do respect, how do you define "good?" Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm assuming you mean "entertaining" instead of "good." Marching at 172 can be incredibly entertaining for an audience, especially if executed very well. However, fast marching is not always necessarily "good." Do you happen to know what Marcus' fastest tempo was in their last two gold-medal-winning shows? I'm a huge Marcus fan and I think that fast marching has absolutely nothing to do with the accolades they are collecting...

Oops... posted twice.

When it comes to Coppell, there is also something to be said about tradition and consistency. I'm not sure how long you've followed band in the state of Texas, but there are a handful of programs that have been consistent finalists at UIL contests for the last decade or two. In my opinion, these bands (Coppell, Duncanville, Bell, etc) are successful each year because they stick to a formula that works for their respective bands. For Coppell, the formula has ALWAYS been music first. It's director places a HUGE importance on music, especially at the individual level (Coppell consistently is one of the top 5As that sends the most individuals to All-State, State Solo, etc.). When it comes to marching band, Coppell sticks to traditional composers and pieces resonate more with the trained ear (such as adjudicators and seasoned band vets) rather than with the typical band "fan" in the stands. Over the years Coppell brings the sounds of Dvorak, Bernstein, Shostakovich, Barber, Hindemith, Holst, Copland, etc. to the field. NEVER will you watch a Coppell (at least not until its current director retires) band play original Poulan, Higginbotham, etc. music. You'll NEVER hear Coppell pull out Cirque du Soleil on the field. I mean this with absolutely no disrespect to other bands who play original music... I happen to love many of those bands. However, it's just not what Coppell's "formula" is.... With regards to drill, guard, and overall design... Coppell has really stuck to a same "formula" in that department too. You'll see a bit slower drill as compared to other bands. You'll see a lot of rotating blocks, a lot of follow-the-leader sets. I would say that the Coppell shows in the last 3-4 years have had a bit more innovative drill, but it is still reminiscent of the Coppell in the early 2000s. Even this year's drill, from my observation, is nothing too difficult but it is executed cleanly and performed well. And at the end of the day... that is what Coppell's staff and students shoot for... strong music and marching performed cleanly. I'll be honest, incredible creativity (a la Flower Mound Marcus, a band that I am a huge fan of) has never been Coppell's forte. Perhaps Coppell 2008 (Planets) and Coppell 1999 (New World) were the two shows that came closest to capturing an overarching theme that was evident in both the music, drill, auxiliary work, etc. But Coppell doesn't care about all that... they do what they do and they do it pretty darn well. This is why Coppell was a state finalist every year when they were in 4A. This is why Coppell is a consistent finalist in 5A (let's not talk about 2002-2003 when they were in Area B... whole other can of worms there.) I guess my point is, I don't see them changing that formula any time soon... and they shouldn't.

I would have to throw in 1999 Coppell (4A State Marching Champions) playing Dvorak. 4A Finals at Floyd Casey was the BEST performance (see link below). For me, nothing tops minute 8:00 in this video... the end of New World IV when the entire Coppell Band, in their all white, forms a huge globe and rotates over the entire field... speechless! I definitely understand the weather concerns, but I sure miss the days of outdoor SMBC. I thought Floyd Casey in Waco was the perfect venue!

I might be making this up... but didn't Coppell perform right after Marcus in 2008 prelims? (Or maybe Marcus was right after Coppell...). If this was the case... it seems like it wasn't really a detriment to either band in the end!

You were in the audience so your opinion is just as valid as mine! From a music and marching standpoint, I just felt like La Joya delivered a clean and well-executed package... in my opinion deserving of a top 7 spot. Sometimes I feel that the size of the band (in this case a smaller band than its competition) is frowned upon for no justifiable reason. Though they were smaller, they had just as mature and powerful a sound as some of their larger counterparts. That all being said... I'm no expert myself=) Judging from your screenname, I'm guessing you are in O'Connor drumline... way to go this weekend! As I mentioned in my review, your drumline was one of the most impressive and definitely added a lot to the excitement of the show. Good luck in San Antonio! (By the way, I was rooting for O'Connor as my "home team" Saturday night because I'm in school in San Antonio in the med center!)

Area G FINALS Recap/Review A quick caveat before I begin this review: I am about 6-7 years removed from high school band but I was (and still am!) a huge band nerd. I'm originally from a large North Texas band so, naturally, I am a bit biased towards the style of marching and music selection that I was used to in High School. However, I've been attending region, area, state and BOA contests for the last 8 years (younger sibling in band, too) so I feel like I've seen a great variety of show styles and concepts. Although I was a drum major for two years, I am in no way an expert and have no experience adjudicating, nor am I one of the TXBands rockstars who do amazing reviews (y'all are awesome!). My comments are simply observations from someone who enjoyed participating in and now enjoys watching marching band! So here we go... *General Observations* As I mentioned above, I hail from North Texas and Area C specifically. I honestly did not know what to expect at Area G but I was pleasantly surprised and impressed with what I saw! There are some fine marching bands down here in South Texas and they will represent this area well at State! The weather here was beautiful last night, although a strong breeze did give some guards the fits. Sometimes the wind also revealed some phasing issues with the larger bands, as well. Otherwise, the bands were full of energy for such a late contest and the crowd was amped up as well... this was marching band just as I remembered it! 1) Donna HS (Donna, TX) Unfortunately I was a bit late to the contest and I only got to see the end of this show from the video booth downstairs. That being said, I could tell from the monitors that this is a quality program. There were beautiful drill sets towards the end of the show and some great guard work to go along with it. I was especially impressed by the power and sound of this band, which I could easily hear as I walked towards the stadium from the parking lot. I wish I could have seen the full show! 2) Sharyland HS (Mission, TX) One of my favorite bands of the night! And now that I know the finals results, I must say that I had this group easily in my top 7. The low brass in this band was just phenomenal, some great sounds that really showed off their hard work. The ballad was beautiful, as well. I especially enjoyed the Sharyland guard; definitely one of the best groups of the night! There was a fantastic drumline feature that featured the guard with blue flags that was very well performed and got the crowd cheering! Spacing in some of the larger drill sets was a bit off, but otherwise a show very well done. 3) PSJA HS (Pharr, TX) - "Computer vs. Man" Talk about a crowd pleaser! This show's theme was all about computers and electronics and their battle with humans. An interesting computer prop was on the 20 or 30 yard line which lit up and eventually produced a guard member with a computer for a head... and boy could this kid dance! The show featured a beautiful alto sax solo and some creative drill. Phasing was an issue at times and the full band's tone was a bit forced during the big hits. Otherwise, a very creative show which really got the crowd going! 4) Harlingen HS (Harlingen, TX) - "Entrapment" This show featured a neat theme of entrapment all throughout the show. The drill and guardwork all played to this theme and it was very effective from a general effect standpoint. The trumpet feature at the beginning was remarkable... such mature sounds and tone from the trumpet section that could definitely rival some of the bands upstate! The marching was very clean, as well, with many rotating blocks that were executed with perfection. A flute solo leading int the ballad was just gorgeous, and the guard work with the purple flags in the ballad was very well done. I'm not a huge fan of narration during shows (can you tell what band I'm from, haha!) so I wasn't too big on the voice overs. Other than that, I can see why this show received high marks for its clean music and marching execution. 5) O'Connor HS (Helotes, TX) - "Phobia" With original Poulan music, this show captures you from the very first eerie notes and keeps your attention through the very end. A narrator (again, not the biggest fan) introduces each movement by defining a certain "phobia" for the audience. Some of these"phobias" are very fitting and lend themselves well to the overall general effect of the show. The fear of heights featured some neat guard work with very long neon green sticks. The fear of love produced a beautiful ballad with neat heart-shaped drill and gorgeous flag work. There was also an impressive drumline feature which led into what, I think, was the most exciting closer of the night. Tons of big hits and fast drill and it was all performed fairly clean with no major tears or mistakes. This was definitely a well-designed show and one of the most exciting of the night. 6) Lopez HS (Brownsville, TX) - "Rite of Spring" and other selections If you couldn't already tell, I'm not a big fan of narration. However, if I had to pick a band that pulled off the narration, it would be Lopez. The guard or band member who was the focal point of the show had a very dramatic tone of voice and performed his narrations so that it was very believable, albeit at times somewhat loud and forced. At the beginning, I did think this show was a bit of "narration with full band accompaniment." However, with time the band proved itself, especially the woodwind section! As a former clarinet player, I was very proud of the Lopez clarinet section! They had great tone as an entire group and were just as loud as some of the brass sections in other bands! The hornline of this group was also one of my favorites of the night. The show had a very somber and quiet ending, and I was particularly worried about timing (does timing apply at Area Finals? I forget) since the official time clock was right at 6 seconds when the show finished. Definitely a strong performance by a great band. 7) Hanna HS (Hanna, TX) - "Equus, Lux Aurumque, Sleep" and other selections Hanna wins the award for loudest and proudest crowd of the night! The stadium absolutely erupted in cheering once Hanna was announced as the next band to perform! I was immediately drawn into the show from the very first big hit of the show with the beautiful grand tone of the entire band highlighted with the guard with huge yellow flags. This ended up being one of my favorite performances of the night, as this band really exemplified solid music and marching and great sounds. I especially enjoyed how they used the entire field; a great example is in their ballad which really showcases the band and the entire guard as they spread from endzone to endzone and maintain beautiful sounds. Great performance! 8) Alexander HS (Laredo, TX) - "Classical in Toon" This group had some of my favorite musical selections of the evening (Barber of Seville, Flight of the Bumblebee, etc.). The music was performed well and I have to give mad props to the pit who performed all of Bumblebee while the band and guard marched for visual effect in the background. Speaking of marching, it seemed as if a lot of the footwork was a bit dirty, but I might have to attribute this to the uniform. Don't get me wrong, I love the uniforms... the white coats and white shakos/plumes are beautiful (I guess I just gave away what band I was in in HS!) but the pants with the different colored legs seemed to only highlight some inconsistent footwork. Anyways, this was a very pleasant and playful show with cartoon characters popping up throughout the movements to entertain the crowd! I was concerned about timing with this group, as well, because there was a little sax quartet that played a little jingle after the show ended... interestingly they hit their last note as the official timeclock hit 00.1 seconds! 9) La Joya HS (La Joya, TX) - "Firebird" (not sure if this was the actual title of the show...) Another one of my favorites of the night. For such a small band (as compared to the other finalists), La Joya really captured the audience with a huge opener complete with huge red flags and equally as huge full sounds from the band. I was very impressed with the musical technicality throughout Firebird... this is a tough piece to play sitting down, much less marching at 140-160bpm! The ballad with the male and female guard member was beautiful and the Firebird closer was excellent. Some of the big musical hits were a bit overblown, maybe the "smaller band" felt they had to overplay to compensate... but there were times when this small band actually had some of the most mature full band sounds of the night! Maybe I like rooting for the underdog, but I had this band in my top 7. 10) Taft HS (San Antonio, TX) - "Cathedrals of Our Mind" This show featured all original music with a theme that sold itself with the large cathedral props and with narration as well. It was neat to see about half the band suddenly emerge from behind the 12 or so huge white cathedral windows/arches at the beginning of the show. I must say, I was not at all expecting the sudden change of colors when all of the white windows turned around and revealed bright colors of stained glass. To be brutally honest, it seemed like a bit too much color that might have distracted from the band. That being said, I truly enjoyed the musical performance. I'd say this band had the most "jazz" feel to it complete with a trapset and a bunch of synthesizer effects throughout the show. Some of the large full-band sounds were a bit forced but it wasn't at all a consistent mistake. If anything, I wonder if the band suffered from such a late performance time (11:15pm!). I love the "flash" of this band... their shiny uniforms and instruments really glistened in the stadium lights. **FINAL COMMENTS** Overall, I am so glad that I drove over to McAllen to watch the Area G finals. These are some top notch bands and I have no doubt they will represent south Texas well in the Alamadome next week! I must say, having been in the North Texas side of things for many years, I can honestly say that there are some bands from Area G that could definitely compete for a few of those finals spots! I don't think anyone should ever be so complacent or arrogant to completely "write-off" an Area G band from making State Finals. Having been in their shoes, I really value and appreciate the hard work and dedication of these high school students... it really brought back some great memories from back in the day! As far as placements go, I'd say I agree for the most part. However, if you want my personal opinion, I think that Sharyland and La Joya could definitely have had one of those top 7 spots. I'm no expert and I have no intention of offending anyone so I won't share which two bands in the top 7 could have been switched out for these two. Again, I hope y'all appreciate these comments for what they are worth. A huge round of applause to all of the bands that I had the pleasure of watching last night!!

Wow! I knew you guys would be the ones to ask. Thanks so much for the quick responses. I'll be the nerd watching the contest with cnn.com open on my laptop!

Random Question for you folks who have been to the Alamodome a million times... Does the Alamodome have WiFi? Is the "San Antonio Free WiFi" that is around the city available at the Alamodome? Or is it a T-Mobile hot spot or anything? Reason I ask is that I will be there for State Marching on Nov 4th which most of you know is the same night as the Presidential election. I would like to follow the election while I watch the contest. PS: I'll be rooting for both Coppell and Obama that night... Thanks in advance for anyone who can help answer this!