LKendrick

Some very telling things could occur in my eyes. If Richland wins, and I expect them to be up there in the top 3, that bodes very well for them in St. Louis. Stephen F. Austin won last year, and they seem to be back on the rise again. That could bode well for them in terms of Area/State. If Lafayette wins, that would be a great accomplishment for them and would be a great sign for Grand Nationals. After that I expect Oak Ridge, Clear Brook, North Shore, Dawson, and Clements to be well in the mix for finals with a few others obviously in there.

What I've seen of Argyle is very impressive, they also did very well against their peers North Lamar and Princeton at Golden Triangle. They're definitely the Marcus of 4A. On another note with them, they should totally do BOA at some point, from what I can tell of their enrollment numbers they would be in 1A, and they could do some serious damage in that class just about anywhere in the country. They have the show designs and performance levels to do it.

I'm really keeping my eye on Johnson. They've started about right, but out of all the shows I've seen this year, Texas or not, it has the most potential for growth by far in my eyes. I'm not really making a prediction as far as their placement goes but I do think that show is going to place as high as they can clean it and add to it. They can do a ton in both of those regards, it's really designed to peak in November. I could say similar things about Leander, still a lot to add and they can do a ton musically, and they tend to really blossom late in the season as well. I also think The Woodlands has a ton of potential with some scrubbing and additions.

Yes. As long as 25 make 1s and compete then 5 bands will advance to state.

I don't think judges favor Texas bands, I just think they tend to deliver more often than not when they head out of state. The ones that usually venture out are usually higher caliber and probably don't want to make the trip if they don't think they can make finals. Birdville missed in 2013 so they don't always make it in. I definitely see Richland in and in the top 10. I think their show is incredibly well designed and based on some TOC videos I have seen they are really starting to reel the performance levels in as well. I could see them as high as 3rd to 4th or so, but that is assuming the absolute best. Honestly though finishing in the top 8 will be a great accomplishment, because that means being in a league with these bands: Blue Springs Bellevue West Bentonville Broken Arrow Eden Prairie O'Fallon Township Owasso Rosemount Union And others. Previous Grand National Champions, finalists, finalists at this regional and medalists. It is especially stacked this year. I could definitely see Haltom in again, I think they have a stronger project this year than last year. They tend to really peak around that time as well. And as far as Birdville and Fossil Ridge you never know!

19th at BOA Conroe. The show is perfectly fine but it was REALLY dirty. Nothing they can't clean just a slow start.

Some other highlights, because top to bottom this was one of the strongest shows I have ever watched. Flower Mound - Already gushed about them. Marcus - I really loved their whole show. Probably my favorite of theirs since 2012. Really well put together, performed incredibly well, and has more energy than I've heard from them in awhile. Hebron - This show is really stunning, incredibly beautiful and fantastically flowing drill that is really evocative of the theme and they sound just as good as always. Loved the Jellyfish thing in the ballad, and that brass feature in the closer, dang! LD Bell - This is their best effort since The Circles Edge, easily. Absolutely stunning visual program as always but musically I love how all these pieces are interwoven and really given new life. Thought the ending was stunning. James Bowie - This is my favorite show from them in awhile. I love love love how they've woven in all the Queen music with the rest of what they're doing. The ballad with Who Wants to Live Forever thrown in is beautiful. Keller - WOW. The ballad was probably in my top 3 favorite moments of the day. So beautiful, so emotionally satisfying, and so well designed. They're not slowing down after making Grand National Finals last year. Can't wait for the closer. James Martin - Such a clever and well designed show. Love all the string instrument references in the drill, and the Orawa reprise in the closer is so well done. They came out of nowhere for me. Winston Churchill - I had doubts about them early on, but this show is really coming into its own. So many cool flower things in the drill, and they sound really great. They're pushing for a San Antonio finals spot. Keller Central - So fun! Love the uniforms and how they look up top. Really fantastically fun music program they play really well, love the Ryan George stuff in the middle after the opening. Waxahachie - Bohemian Rhapsody hasn't sounded that good in the high school world in awhile. That opening hit and then the ballad with the flute soloist soaring over the lush brass, so good. I'll pick one non finalist I loved for now, will talk about some others at a later date. I think Prosper had one of the strongest designed shows of the day. I loved the visual design, thought they performed it really well. The opening stuff from Ashes of War was so well done, and the closing was epic. I could see this show going a long way at San Antonio when they get it cleaned up. They're really growing.

If I had anything to critique or question about FloMo I really would. But I don't. I can with everyone else in the top 5 but not them. I'm sure anyone there would agree. That performance was really end of the season good and the show is top to bottom side to side back to front air tight.

I wouldn't be saying those kinds of things if I didn't mean them. The numbers agree.......and some people I know there definitely agree. What would you like to know?

That kind of spread over the reigning for 10 years 6A State Champion, prior BOA Grand National Champions and finalists, and other amazing bands should shock the heck out of me. But watching finals online it was pretty obvious that Flower Mound is on another plane this year. That is NO detriment to the other bands because boy Marcus is clean and sounds amazing, Hebron sounds amazing, LD Bell has their best show since 2011 and performed really well, and James Bowie was outstanding...........but Flower Mound is performing the best I've ever seen a high school this early, and their show is perfection in terms of flow, GE moments, details, and how they're selling it. There isn't a weak spot. I'm not sure if they'll 4 point the field in San Antonio but I don't see them losing all year. They could VERY well be our 6A State Champion too. What is surprising to me is this show actually relies VERY little on gimmicks, prop usage, electronics, ect. It is AMAZINGLY well arranged and exciting music with fantastic drill that just flows and goes together effortlessly and they are performing it like the best. They're just straight up out marching and out playing everyone right now with a show that is so well put together it doesn't need a bunch of extras. I would place them 1st in any competition this year, including Grand Nationals. I don't see anyone touching them, and like I said it's not because the other bands aren't fantastic, Flower Mound just has the right combination of staff, students, design, and performance coming together in perfect Harmony. Incredibly stunning.

Flower Mound. They got the show design down last year and this year they brought the performance to that level too. Absolutely incredible.

Flower Mound was UNREAL.

Prosper has a SUPER well designed show and a killer percussion section.

In terms of bubble type bands. Waxahachie was VERY good. Timber Creek was a huge surprise too, they improved a ton since Conroe.

Ok, thoughts on another big dog at Nationals after this weekend. William Mason - World out of Balance This is a fantastic show. The music is so tired in terms of it being used (it's your typical Barber stuff) but they breath a ton of new life into it and still make it fantastic to listen to. So kudos to them on that, if you can make Medea sound like something new then good job. Some HUGE Music GE moments throughout the show courtesy of their pretty amazing brass and some fantastic subtle synth usage that is pretty chilling. Visually, really unfinished in an aesthetic way. No costuming or silks or any kind of aesthetic stuff outside their uniforms and props. But drill wise and color guard wise, it's top tier stuff up there with what I've seen of Carmel and expect from Tarpon Springs. Show stopped at the ballad. But overall, easy medal contender as of now and I expect big things from them.

What I have seen of them is pretty spectacular, I feel like they took the issues from last years Nats show and fixed them all this year. I have them pretty high on Saturday in my prediction.

The Woodlands has a ton of room for growth in addition to the ones you mentioned. There are some really spectacular moments in that show that, with some late season cleanliness, will be absolutely spectacular.

http://ldbellband.org/hebmarchingcontest/16_HEBMC-recap-prelims.pdf http://ldbellband.org/hebmarchingcontest/16_HEBMC-recap-finals.pdf

After their showing at HEB they could very well win this. Excited to see how they do.

Kingfishers Catch Fire - John Mackey

Excited to see CY-Fair I will say. I really liked how their show turned out last year in San Antonio.

Well I've learned rumors are just that many a time, so we'll see what's what tomorrow. The only thing that's gonna matter is what we see on that field tomorrow. I'm sure they'll be fine.

I would keep your eye on HEB. Think you might be surprised at who finishes where. Just a hunch.......

The strongest things about Vandegrift are why I think they're a state champion underdog. INCREDIBLY proficient and clean marching and their playing is just unreal for this early. At a minimum they'll at least hang with the big dogs. It is REALLY hard to pick 10 - 12 bands for finals, the 10 - 12 I have in an early prediction could honestly make an argument for medaling. Gonna be a tough one. I feel like the medalists/top 2 have been VERY cut and dry for a few years. Not so much this year......

Currently watching Dawson from last year and WOW, great stuff. I'd love for them to be in finals. This is a surprisingly hard one to predict, lots of bands on similar levels so there is potential for a band or two to shoot up and shake things up. Most interesting for me is Hendrickson vs. Churchill. I'm interested to see how Hendrickson does with another panel, I REALLY think they have something special there design wise. Interested in what a week of cleaning can do.