RenMacnary

Loved Westlake's show. BOA Austin was SO early, really didn't mean much in the long term! You all improved so much since then. The way I see it, once you get to a high level, it's somewhat random the order. I mean the judging HAS to be subjective, so if someone just doesn't respond well to a style of marching, they follow that impulse. CTJ's style doesn't match everyone's eye. Same with music, we have to depend on a judge's reaction to a particular performance. The key is are you in the discussion? The cool thing about making State is you're in the discussion! So 11th is great. Westwood making 13th? We're over the moon....great result for our very first time, and a clear indication that we've improved greatly since the beginning of the season! We weren't in ANY discussions when people were discussing who would advance in Area D, and we weren't in any discussions about the possible top 10 in and the next 5. We came close to making the finals with a 13? Happy campers here. But the aim is the work, the improvement, the music, the movement. It isn't the placement. We had a great run at the end of our year, students are happy, directors are happy, boosters are happy....hey, it's Marching Band in Texas! Westlake is always in the discussion, deservedly so. You always have great musicianship, and I always want to see your show. So as a proud Westwood booster, I say I'm looking forward to what Westlake does next year!

Westwood second on Colorguard.

Yep, they're getting back! It's nice to see. I love a smaller band, it just takes so much courage to put out the sound and to keep everything going when you only have a few on a part. I thought it was a great performance, good sign of things to come.

That's right, 34. I groaned when I heard Stony Point get a 2 on Saturday night. Only one more.....just like two years ago.

All the Regions that have had their contests advanced 24 Bands to the Area D contest. Only Area 18 left (tonight) and they have 10 potential schools in the the contest. So if all 10 get superior marks, still is only 34, less than the 35 needed for 7 bands to advance to State from Area D. At least that's my reading of the situation, so no possibility of 7 now. Bummer.

I was sitting in front of two of the Reagan directors when Cedar Ridge played. Turned to them and said: "They aren't afraid of the Big Hits, are they?" Vista Ridge was 11th, Westwood 12th, Westlake 13th, Aledo 14th, James A. Taylor 15th and Pflugerville 16th in prelims. No one saw Westwood, I was there with about 60 others watching Cuero start off things at 9:15 with Westwood at 9:30. I watched every performance except Ronald Reagan....what a day. GREAT Bands, really a fine day!

God willing I'm not violating anything....found a high res video of Westwood's run at Duncanville:

Well, don't know if we were "supposed" to video. I don't think we're forbidden to post if we recorded it. I didn't, I was too busy enjoying the show! But we're doing the full run tonight at our Stadium, if we record that one I think I can post the link!

All of us Westwood folks are PROUD PROUD PROUD of how well we did! We're having fun watching the directors take us in a new direction. I can't wait for next year....we've been building the program on complex drills and weird arrangements. Heck last year we combined Alanis Morissete, Kashmir(Zeppelin) and Scheherazade, this year Muse and Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich. Too much fun. I LOVED sitting with the Haltom group. They have the right color! In fact, that's what I'm remembering the most....the fact that Haltom, Plano East, Marcus, Flower Mound and Westwood fans were all cheering for each other's bands. I thought all the bands were outstanding. I'm passing on your comments to our Facebook page.....I think they're going to LOVE that you wanted them to win 1st!

I must say I enjoyed ALL the bands all day. Nice contest. During the finals, it became a joke for those around me as I was a broken record: "THAT"s a nice band!" Very interesting shows, fun. One thing that no one has mentioned....don't know who the lead trumpet is in the Stephen F. Austin band is, but that is some NICE trumpet playing. Clean, in tune, easy, just REALLY nice tone up high. Made me wish I was 18 again. Loved it. Can't help myself, like the live blogger for the contest who can't help but focus on flutes, I can't help but listen for the trumpets! Ok, in the interest of full disclosure, Go Westwood!