takigan

Seeing Cy-Fair, Pearland and Bridgeland sandwiched amongst TWHS, Reagan, CTJ & Bowie makes me wonder if Houston finally has some new powerhouse groups in their midst aside from just The Woodlands.  We'll see...

Seeing Cy-Fair, Pearland and Bridgeland sandwiched amongst TWHS, Reagan, CTJ & Bowie makes me wonder if Houston finally has some new powerhouse groups in their midst aside from just The Woodlands.  We'll see...

Seeing Cy-Fair, Pearland and Bridgeland sandwiched amongst TWHS, Reagan, CTJ & Bowie makes me wonder if Houston finally has some new powerhouse groups in their midst aside from just The Woodlands.  We'll see...

Loved Cypress Woods! That yellow snd black with the pink flags visual was so good! 

Eh, I thought it was funny. 🤷
Indeed, they do! One of my favorites this year! I heard they had *quite* the electronics issue. I think it shows great perseverance to be able to put on a finalist caliber show when something like that goes wrong. 👍

Hebron 15
Marcus 21

I always recommend that whole era of LD Bell 2005-2010 to any newcomer to the scene willing to watch/listen.  Rankings aside, it was some of the most beautifully written and performed music to ever grace a field.

Also I think TWHS '04 might've been one of the very first BOA shows I ever watched aside from groups like Westfield, Bowie, Leander and Cedar Park whom I got to watch live in HS at games and competitions.  I'd heard of bands like Winston Churchill, Spring and my senior year was the first time I heard the name "Carmel" and becoming aware of bands out of state, but I didn't watch my first marching band online video until Summer 2006. And those finalists from the '05 and '04 lineups were some of the first I watched.

I've heard of band directors going into programs where before/after school rehearsals were "optional" going in, and had to slowly reprogram the band into making those eventually mandatory.  You can't come in and instantly demand that it all be mandatory because you'll often get massive pushback and you'll even have tons of kids quit.  You have to win their favor first and then slowly introduce standards year after year.

It's all about culture.  I remember my freshman year at my alma mater being blown away on the first week of marching band seeing kids only a couple years older than I was basically acting like teachers and establishing a a rehearsal procedure and task-oriented goals.  And the atmosphere was so positive and we had goals in mind.  Rehearsals were mandatory and I attended every single one.  I didn't want to miss out.

I've heard of band directors going into programs where before/after school rehearsals were "optional" going in, and had to slowly reprogram the band into making those eventually mandatory.  You can't come in and instantly demand that it all be mandatory because you'll often get massive pushback and you'll even have tons of kids quit.  You have to win their favor first and then slowly introduce standards year after year.

It's all about culture.  I remember my freshman year at my alma mater being blown away on the first week of marching band seeing kids only a couple years older than I was basically acting like teachers and establishing a a rehearsal procedure and task-oriented goals.  And the atmosphere was so positive and we had goals in mind.  Rehearsals were mandatory and I attended every single one.  I didn't want to miss out.

I've heard of band directors going into programs where before/after school rehearsals were "optional" going in, and had to slowly reprogram the band into making those eventually mandatory.  You can't come in and instantly demand that it all be mandatory because you'll often get massive pushback and you'll even have tons of kids quit.  You have to win their favor first and then slowly introduce standards year after year.

It's all about culture.  I remember my freshman year at my alma mater being blown away on the first week of marching band seeing kids only a couple years older than I was basically acting like teachers and establishing a a rehearsal procedure and task-oriented goals.  And the atmosphere was so positive and we had goals in mind.  Rehearsals were mandatory and I attended every single one.  I didn't want to miss out.

I'm reminded of 2006 where W. Charles Akins HS made it to state for the very first time since the school opened in 2000, and even went all the way to Finals in the largest classification at the time (5A) that very first year.  They then placed 22nd in prelims the following cycle in 2008 (barely slipping in from Area) and then never made another appearance at state ever again.

They faded completely.  State Finals in '06, State Prelims in '08, Area Finals in '10, Area Prelims '12 & beyond...I admittedly don't know what happened to that program, especially considering they had the same staff in '12 as they did in '06 (at least according to the Wayback Machine), but that to me is probably the most classic example of a "breakout band". 

I always recommend that whole era of LD Bell 2005-2010 to any newcomer to the scene willing to watch/listen.  Rankings aside, it was some of the most beautifully written and performed music to ever grace a field.

Also I think TWHS '04 might've been one of the very first BOA shows I ever watched aside from groups like Westfield, Bowie, Leander and Cedar Park whom I got to watch live in HS at games and competitions.  I'd heard of bands like Winston Churchill, Spring and my senior year was the first time I heard the name "Carmel" and becoming aware of bands out of state, but I didn't watch my first marching band online video until Summer 2006. And those finalists from the '05 and '04 lineups were some of the first I watched.

Best (Execution):
[Ranked]
1. Flower Mound 2016 - Leonardo's Dream
2. Carmel 2022 - Vitruvian
3. Hebron 2022 - Odyssey FM
4. Marcus 2012 - Gilded Melodies
5. Vandegrift 2019 - Aria, Queen of the Night
6. Hebron 2021 - Penstriped
7. Hebron 2015 - 360
8. Reagan 2019 - Secret World
9. Carmel 2018 - Voyage to Valhalla 
10. Carmel 2017 - Serenity

HM:
Flower Mound 2018 - Pop - Might've made the list with another week of cleaning and a Nats appearance
Hebron 2018 - Endeavor - Probably Would've made the list with cleaner visual and a Nats appearance
Marcus 2007 - Botanika - Would definitely have made the list with 11 more days of cleaning and a Nats appearance on Day 12
Avon 2010 - Iconoclash - It's almost impossible for a pre-2010 non-Tx band to make a list like this bc I frankly think the best sounding Tx bands at this point were outplaying every other state almost every single year and this list prioritizes music....This year Avon was playing just well enough to compete while also marching the SNOT out of their sets to close in on this list.


Favorite (To listen/watch):
[Not Ranked]
1.  Hebron 2021 - Penstriped
2. Claudia Taylor Johnson 2019 - The Circle of Life
3. Vista Ridge 2018 - Lost & Found
4. Hebron 2015 - 360
5. Ronald Reagan 2015 - Every(One)
6. The Woodlands 2011 - Uninvited
7.  LD Bell 2010 - Honor: We Will Remember
8. Tarpon Springs 2010 - Paranormal
9.  LD Bell 2008 - The Quest
10. Ronald Reagan 2002 - Journey of Man

Best (Execution):
[Ranked]
1. Flower Mound 2016 - Leonardo's Dream
2. Carmel 2022 - Vitruvian
3. Hebron 2022 - Odyssey FM
4. Marcus 2012 - Gilded Melodies
5. Vandegrift 2019 - Aria, Queen of the Night
6. Hebron 2021 - Penstriped
7. Hebron 2015 - 360
8. Reagan 2019 - Secret World
9. Carmel 2018 - Voyage to Valhalla 
10. Carmel 2017 - Serenity

HM:
Flower Mound 2018 - Pop - Might've made the list with another week of cleaning and a Nats appearance
Hebron 2018 - Endeavor - Probably Would've made the list with cleaner visual and a Nats appearance
Marcus 2007 - Botanika - Would definitely have made the list with 11 more days of cleaning and a Nats appearance on Day 12
Avon 2010 - Iconoclash - It's almost impossible for a pre-2010 non-Tx band to make a list like this bc I frankly think the best sounding Tx bands at this point were outplaying every other state almost every single year and this list prioritizes music....This year Avon was playing just well enough to compete while also marching the SNOT out of their sets to close in on this list.


Favorite (To listen/watch):
[Not Ranked]
1.  Hebron 2021 - Penstriped
2. Claudia Taylor Johnson 2019 - The Circle of Life
3. Vista Ridge 2018 - Lost & Found
4. Hebron 2015 - 360
5. Ronald Reagan 2015 - Every(One)
6. The Woodlands 2011 - Uninvited
7.  LD Bell 2010 - Honor: We Will Remember
8. Tarpon Springs 2010 - Paranormal
9.  LD Bell 2008 - The Quest
10. Ronald Reagan 2002 - Journey of Man

Best (Execution):
[Ranked]
1. Flower Mound 2016 - Leonardo's Dream
2. Carmel 2022 - Vitruvian
3. Hebron 2022 - Odyssey FM
4. Marcus 2012 - Gilded Melodies
5. Vandegrift 2019 - Aria, Queen of the Night
6. Hebron 2021 - Penstriped
7. Hebron 2015 - 360
8. Reagan 2019 - Secret World
9. Carmel 2018 - Voyage to Valhalla 
10. Carmel 2017 - Serenity

HM:
Flower Mound 2018 - Pop - Might've made the list with another week of cleaning and a Nats appearance
Hebron 2018 - Endeavor - Probably Would've made the list with cleaner visual and a Nats appearance
Marcus 2007 - Botanika - Would definitely have made the list with 11 more days of cleaning and a Nats appearance on Day 12
Avon 2010 - Iconoclash - It's almost impossible for a pre-2010 non-Tx band to make a list like this bc I frankly think the best sounding Tx bands at this point were outplaying every other state almost every single year and this list prioritizes music....This year Avon was playing just well enough to compete while also marching the SNOT out of their sets to close in on this list.


Favorite (To listen/watch):
[Not Ranked]
1.  Hebron 2021 - Penstriped
2. Claudia Taylor Johnson 2019 - The Circle of Life
3. Vista Ridge 2018 - Lost & Found
4. Hebron 2015 - 360
5. Ronald Reagan 2015 - Every(One)
6. The Woodlands 2011 - Uninvited
7.  LD Bell 2010 - Honor: We Will Remember
8. Tarpon Springs 2010 - Paranormal
9.  LD Bell 2008 - The Quest
10. Ronald Reagan 2002 - Journey of Man

TWHS 2004 - Numbers: I saw this at Area E in Round Rock. They went on to perform at UIL State finals and BOA Grand Nationals finals. I just remember being so fascinated and thinking, “wow marching band can be so cool!” 
 
L.D. Bell 2005 - Ascension: This show is so exhilarating! Highly recommend looking it They are booking it for so much of the show. Between the part with the oboe playing guard member, the presto version of Light of Gold 🥵, and the back field ballad of Light of Gold… this show has so many layers. I would love to see someone revive this show and reinvent it a little.
L.D. Bell 2006 - The Remaining: I still remember the the Alamodome being dead silent besides the heartbeat they emulated. 

 

Hey everyone! I thought this would be a fun forum to start, and I think it would be a great way to help everyone expand their knowledge of marching band shows! I'm trying to make it less of a top 10 ranking, and more of a "If you could only watch 10 marching shows ever again, which ones would you pick, and why"? For me, making this list was extremely hard, but I was finally able to do it, so here's mine: 
1. Vista Ridge 2018: I doubt that this will ever not be my favorite marching show, even with the activity starting to get better over the years. It's such an emotional, powerful story, and it's what I believe to be the marching show; not only does it tell a story to the audience, but also about the band program it's self. I have yet to watch the show without starting to tear up, and the Go-Pro video they did after winning state was even harder to watch. It's literally a perfect show, and I have yet to find a show that has been as impactful as this one. 
2. Avon 2019: This is another one I love so much simply because of the story they tell, not to mention how amazing the play/marc. They tell the story of music and it's creation perfectly, from the amazing vocalist to the different song choices, this is another show as a musician myself that I find to be so powerful. 
3. Tarpon 2014: Probably my favorite show musically, feels like a book that Hebron would do, and the GE was absolutely insane! I'm amazed how they pulled this show off so well, it's just so so cool! 
4. Cedar Park 2015: I could listen to this show on hours end! They played this show with an insane amount of musicianship, and that ending will get me every time, may very well be my favorite closer ever. 
5. Hebron 2019: Yes, this is my favorite Hebron show, more than 21/22... The Ballad is just so beautiful, the soloist this year were on another level, and the closer is just amazing! This show from start to finish is just beyond incredible, another show I could listen to for hours on repeat. 
6. Blue Springs 2018: I feel like this show should be talked about more than it is, because its incredible! What they were able to do in their closer, literally, like LITERALLY jazz ran almost the whole thing, while playing!!! Might be my favorite ballad, absolutely gorgeous show, and the talent in this group this year was off the roof! 
7. Vandegrift 2021: Favorite Ballad ever, absolute masterpiece of a music book, nothing but a show full of emotions, and their percussion, as always, was so freaking good. 
8. CTJ 2019: One word when I watch this show, WOW! The duet in the "Can't wait to be king" section is like listening to two of the best musicians in the world battle! It' such a fun show, and they killed it with ease! LOVE LOVE LOVE this show! 
9. Vista Ridge 2022: BEST BRASS SECTION EVER, PERIOD! I'm still a little salty they didn't medal at state, but my GOD this show was powerful! Just Vista doing Vista things. 
10 Leander 2014: Favorite opener, absolutely stellar show! This is defiantly one I wish I could have seen live, because they absolutely rocked it! 

I have a tuba student recently who's become quite obsessed with contras and has been bugging his band director about switching to them, so I've been inspired to sort of build a reasonably comprehensive list of Texas schools that are using them.  I've combed the thread and verified all of the schools mentioned here against their 2022 competition shows and found the following schools check out as of the 2022 season:

El Paso Bel Air - ✔️
Burleson - ✔️
Burleson Centennial - ✔️
Byron Nelson - ✔️
Southlake Carroll - ✔️
Conroe - ✔️ 
Coppell - ✔️
Hidalgo - ✔️
Keller Central - ✔️
LD Bell - ✔️
Pflugerville - ✔️
The Woodlands - ✔️
Willis - ✔️

Smithson Valley didn't check out (couldn't find a video of them marching with contras).

I also went and checked every single school that attended the '22 6A State Marching contest.  Only TWHS, LD Bell and Coppell used Contras, all the rest use Sousas.  When I was in HS in the early 2000s I couldn't think of a single school that used them.  Then The Woodlands switched to them in '08 and other schools started following suit, particularly after they won Grand Nats in 2013.  I don't know if we'll ever see a broad switch to them unless one of the big dogs switch and start winning with them.

But until then feel free to add some more schools that haven't been thought of yet.

Marcus 2009. Always been a fan of Shakespeare, and this was one of the first shows that I got to watch live that I can actually remember.
Reagan 2019 Ballad. I didn't get to watch it live, but watching the recordings after seeing that they had won with the highest score at San Antonio ever, that was the point where it made sense. The flags all going up at the exact same time with the loud hit is just unbelievable. 
Hebron 2015 Ballad, mostly because I marched this show and still vividly remember being able to see the crowd react to the sax high note in the ballad. I don't remember most of the shows I marched in already, I have to go back and watch video just to remember what they sounded like, but that 2015 ballad will always stick with me. That feeling is unbelievable and is why so many kids turn to this amazing activity and put so much of their lives into it.
One of my cousins would want me to throw Reagan 2005 and CTJ 2014 in there as well. 
Going to edit this to add Cadets 2011, even though it isn't high school. If you haven't seen it, it's one of the greatest achievements by any organization on a marching field, maybe along with Crown's brass in 2013 in my opinion.

2016-2018 also marked a direction change for BOA that involved expanding the number of Texas regionals...but more notably expanding the roster for San Antonio considerably from 60 bands to over 80.  Electronics integration has also gone through significant innovations, while show design cohesion between several of the top designers has become far more streamlined resulting in some of the most stellar show designs we've ever seen in the activity.  

I thought for many years that the greatest shows to ever grace a marching field were all in previous decades.  I no longer believe that.

We used to have games 😄

We used to have games 😄

We used to have games 😄

High school band nerds with an unmatched love for Texas marching bands. 🥰🥰

And considering the Houston eagles are all 10 years apart (Spring '93, Westfield '03 and The Woodlands '13) it looks like the stage is set for TWHS to take it again in '23 😉.