LKendrick

They woke us up here in the stadium too. And CAMDENTON! That is one of the most fun shows I’ve seen this year. Have a feeling we will be seeing them again tonight. We shall see.

O'Fallon Township live was just........wild. In the best of ways. That show is unlike anything else I've ever seen, SO much depth and simultaneous stuff going on. It was an absolute blast to watch. Catch that show if you can, it has some serious gas in the tank for GN in a few weeks!

Well I made it to St. Louis, this gon be fun.

I really wish I wasn’t in bed healing up today but I am so happy to see Odessa Permian in finals, great people and they’ve improved so so so much over the last three years. Congrats to everyone else as well!

I live 60 miles east of Clovis, they definitely still do. They’re easily the dominant band of New Mexico and West Texas and are usually on top when they compete against El Paso programs. They’ve been out of BOA for two or three years now but they’ve not faltered a bit. I saw them in 2015 and they were mighty impressive (that Penny Dreadful show was AWESOME).

Alas ‘twas not meant to be. My body decided it needed to stay in the hospital a few days (nothing too bad so no worries, should be out tomorrow) so Midland and I will not meet this fall. I wish all the bands good luck and am so excited to see BOA in my neck of the woods. Looking forward to (hopefully) watching online and hearing from friends how it goes!

Probably a good idea.

I’m pretty excited, and will do! But has to be shorts cause it’s looking like it’s gonna be around 90 degrees (after being down in the 30s this morning up where I am).

Quick thoughts: Vandegrift - Absolutely beautiful show that they are performing at such a high level already. I love the added layer of depth thematically dealing with the tinnitus and Beethoven's hearing. Great all around. Ronald Reagan - I love love love the effect of the split guard and dance team this year, there are some truly spine tingling moments of how they portray the theme through this visual effect. The ending is bone chilling, easily one of my favorite moments of the year so far. A very relevant show perhaps.......love it. Leander - I love their ethereal tone they present in such different ways every year, their theme is truly fascinating. Their visual program is very strong this year, the guard improved a TON from last year, they're great! Love what I heard of the Apres Moi closer, can't wait to hear the rest. James Bowie - I'm so glad to see them coming into this year so strong, after the big change in staff last year it warms my heart to see them doing so well. Man, what a jump from Austin! I love the minimalist tone of the show, the visual aesthetic is truly fascinating to look at. And their guard.........absolutely phenomenal stuff this year. Can't wait to see the show finished. The Woodlands - What a beast of a show, like every year their shows take some time to really mature and grow due to the complexity and difficulty and this year is no different, and I think the payoff in November could be huge. The ballad is gonna be absolutely incredible, that's something I am dying to see in San Antonio. Hendrickson - I have loved Hendrickson since the UnRaveled show in 2014 and am so so so happy to see them doing pretty much their best ever. Again the design is super engaging, effective, and like Ronald Reagan very now depending on how you look at it. LOVE the closer that was new for Conroe. I think they're gonna have an amazing season, it's been a blast watching them grow to an elite. Round Rock - I was a little hesitant on this show in Austin but I really loved it on the Conroe cast. It's non stop, high intensity, super difficult, and just super interesting. I think the added voiceovers were great, they added some clarity thematically that really helped guide me through the show. I think it has a ton of potential to really peak when it needs to late in the season. And the drums are FANTASTIC. Cy-Fair - Glad to see them so strong again after what I thought was a great show last year. They sound VERY good this year, great sounds from all sections. Love the drum writing and performance as always from these guys, Box 6 knows how to write some sick drum books. Winston Churchill - This show has so much exposure! So many isolated hits, super linear forms and rotations, etc. I admire the kids for tackling it and I think the payoff is huge down the road when they really start to polish this thing. LOVE the drum book in the closer, some really difficult stuff in there they're tackling well. Guard has a very difficult and exciting book to they're tackling well. Clear Brook - Oh my gosh this show is FUN! The bit where they BIT (haha) the drum major and dragged him off the podium especially. If you didn't have fun watching this show I'm sorry. Loved the bat set as well. And as always, Clear Brooks drums were top notch. And again..........Pearland really found a place in my heart. I loved the show design and they sounded fantastic. Placement aside I still maintain this is my favorite show from them and I think one of their best designs as of late. I cannot wait to see it later in the season!

I will share some thoughts tonight, lemme survive school first.

Like you said keeping the kids safe is the priority, totally woulda loved to see a finals rematch but I'm glad everyone is home safe. LOVE how the show is progressing, I can tell the closer, what's there and what else is to come, is gonna be absolutely epic. Cannot wait to see the show in San Antonio!

Pearland missing is probably the most bummed out at a result I've been in a really long time.

Will say shoutout to Pearland for what I think is an absolutely landmark show for them, that's the most I've ever enjoyed a show from them.

Love love loved prelims.........tons of great shows. Too many to talk about at once for me, Ronald Reagan capped it off amazingly though. Some absolutely stunning moments, effects, and packaging there.

I love when a band comes on and shell shocks you outta nowhere. Pearland was AWESOME!!! That show could go a really really really long way this season.

El Dorado by Two Steps from heck

I caught Roma in prelims, catch that show if you can. It shows off their concert horns amazingly!

And I will be joining.

Well regardless of who places where, I have a feeling Atlanta is going to be a very very very good day for Cedar Ridge was well as the rest of Team Texas heading out to Georgia!

They might have had my favorite show of the day, so well designed where they are as a band in terms of size, talent, etc. Some incredible sounds coming out of them, AMAZING drums, and some of my favorite drill of the day at the end of Niagra Falls where the Empire State Building set gradually builds with the guard member running up through it. Great stuff.

Cedar Ridge was great, LOVE the show design, the drill at the end of Niagra Falls with the building block/Empire State building form with the guard member running up through it was very cool.

If Pioneer keeps improving this much every year they’re going to be a very well known name soon, that was great!

Loved their show as well, the guard costuming and color palette are just to die for beautiful. There are several just jaw dropping beautiful moments visually in that show.

Have it pinned on my browser ^ Would reccomend.

Regarding to Prosper, in terms of my own expectations I think they have the ability to strike pretty high for a few reasons. Pretty steady but rapid improvement and growth as a program over the last few years, they're definitely not slowing down and if they keep the rate of improvement at the same level and improve off of last years very solid show that much again that could put them in some pretty great company. They scored REALLY well in music at San Antonio in a pretty deep and crowded field last year at BOA, and it was well deserved. Very powerful, balanced, and great ensemble sounds coming from that group (as well as an amazing percussion section). I know Grand Nationals doesn't automatically equate to a band being better or having a better season but going for their first time they must be very comfortable and excited about where the program is at to be embarking on an endeavor like that. I'm not predicting anything concrete or saying that will happen but I can certainly see an argument why they could potentially strike pretty high up the ladder at state. I've really enjoyed watching theme emerge and I can't wait to see how they do this fall.