Marching Observer

I'd have to give a big nod to Seven Lakes. They keep on making the correct strides and have thoroughly entertaining shows that have a lot of energy in them while simultaneously being accessible to the audience.

I'd have to give a big nod to Seven Lakes. They keep on making the correct strides and have thoroughly entertaining shows that have a lot of energy in them while simultaneously being accessible to the audience.

I'd have to give a big nod to Seven Lakes. They keep on making the correct strides and have thoroughly entertaining shows that have a lot of energy in them while simultaneously being accessible to the audience.

I'M CRYING WE'RE BEING NOTICED
 
 
also thank you so much for the kind words i'm very excited for next season in terms of us and how other bands will perform!!!!!!!

Irrelevant? Never. But the quality of TX bands has grown a lot in the last 15 years. TX is more competitive than ever which is great! Like Dan said earlier, it's unlikely you'll see a slew of bands suddenly coming to SA. Heck, I hear all the time how bands in TX don't go to some contests cause it is too far away in their own state, it's just as far for a lot bands outside of it too then lol. SA isn't exactly a border city after all. Still, I think it would be great if more bands went to give even more variety to it.

Homestead has the resources for that kind of trip. But it would pretty much require them to miss ISSMA which is something that I don't really ever see them doing. They do have a 30+ year streak to maintain after all!

The priorities of programs like Broken Arrow and Tarpon Springs (and Union) make it such that San Antonio is very unlikely. Carmel and Blue Springs are much more likely to return. Schools like Dobyns-Bennett or Homestead or Marian Catholic don’t have the resources financially to make a Texas trip. I can’t see Castle making a trip, but not necessarily due to financial reasons either (Southern Indiana is far from rich, but Castle doesn’t draw from a poor area either). And Wando just doesn’t travel, but they have the resources to come if they wanted.

Irrelevant? Never. But the quality of TX bands has grown a lot in the last 15 years. TX is more competitive than ever which is great! Like Dan said earlier, it's unlikely you'll see a slew of bands suddenly coming to SA. Heck, I hear all the time how bands in TX don't go to some contests cause it is too far away in their own state, it's just as far for a lot bands outside of it too then lol. SA isn't exactly a border city after all. Still, I think it would be great if more bands went to give even more variety to it.

This cracked me up.

I highly doubt that the flood gates will open and you will suddenly see a ton of big name programs from out of state show up at the San Antonio Super Regional.  Even though San Antonio is freakin' awesome, it is still just a Super Regional and Grand Nationals still has the allure of being hosted in the Marching Band Capital of The World.  Grand Nationals won't lose its level of awesomeness because of the sheer variety of bands, both stylistically and geographically, that attend.  
 
In turn, there are some really awesome Texas programs that you may never see at Grand Nationals.  You'd be surprised how many programs in Texas feel that the Super Regional is enough for them and that doing an extra week of marching band is not desirable.
 
One of the main reasons we saw what we saw at the Super Regional this year was because this was a Non-6A UIL State year.  Programs were free to explore visual ideas that they would not normally risk during a State year.  The Eight Minute Rule was not a factor as these 6A programs began putting together musical repertoires.  On State years, you usually see more "buttoned-up" visual concepts since the UIL system really focuses on polish and cleanliness.

Here’s my hot take.
 
Texas bands hype their GN trips too much and craft shows that are too hard, too half-baked, and/or too over-developed (yes, simultaneously!) that’s why we’ve been left with disappointing results the past couple of years and probably this year as well. Of course, we aren’t as fortunate as Carmel and Avon (and even BA) to have GN be our normal. There’s no such thing as a Grand Nationals trip for them. But what every Texas band did the years before they go to GN was perfectly fine. Yes, a standard fare visual program in the state won’t cut it and does need to be stepped up, but the GN programming isn’t working on the whole for bands that have shows in other years that would easily medal or take the eagle.

They earned it today and didn't in SA.

There were so many things that stand out from the SA show. Obviously the finalists could get their own blog post and are talked about enough already so let me focus in on those that didn't make it.

Coppell was one that really stood out with that amazing woodwind section, beautiful dresses, and that fantastic clarinet pitch bend!
 
Seven Lakes! If I didn't know that was a Texas band I would have sworn the band came from the midwest with that show design. Loved it and they played the theme perfectly.
 
Vista Ridge with their incredible playing ability all around and execution.
 
Brazoswood told a minimalist but solid theme and really like how the flowers bloomed at the end of the show. Plus wicked cool skull props.
 
Pearland just knocked my socks off with Ghost Train and that opening accelerando! Definitely a fan favorite show.
 
James Madison's opening hit was unforgettable...
 
I now know that it's THAT Wyile band too who really knocked it out too!
 
Keller Central with the tarp golf cart flooring it!
 
Weiss achieving so much with just sophomore and freshman! I can't wait to see where that program heads as they mature. Good things in store for them I think.
 
And that's just the ones off the top of my head. You really could take something from each of the groups.

Well heck, just look at the shows that elementary or middle school groups do and what they are able to achieve already! Yes, they do have groups that young. The talent level is just on a different planet! Someday I think it would be really cool to go to their national championship and experience it.

Oh my word, I can't even imagine the US ever being at the level of that Nishihara band.  They are not even human!!

We have a watch party going on at our house this morning.  Had a breakfast casserole, coffee, muffins, and MOJO!  Half a dozen crazy alumni band parents watching the early am show.

Look at you committing to band this early morning! Dedication when you have no skin in the fight as it were.

You missed “each” in “each Prelims.” It’s max 42. 2 per day.

It's from each day though that two bands from each class need represented. So technically the max would be 42 bands in semi finals. Say all of the 30 highest scoring groups were in AAAA. That means they would then take the two highest scoring groups in each class from EACH day. So 2 from A on Thurs AND Friday, etc for AA and AAA. I think most people believe we are expecting 37 or 38 to advance to semi's today.

No skin...just a deep and abiding love for all things "Texas marching band."  Oh okay fine, go ahead and call it an obsession.  You wouldn't be the first.  

There were so many things that stand out from the SA show. Obviously the finalists could get their own blog post and are talked about enough already so let me focus in on those that didn't make it.

Coppell was one that really stood out with that amazing woodwind section, beautiful dresses, and that fantastic clarinet pitch bend!
 
Seven Lakes! If I didn't know that was a Texas band I would have sworn the band came from the midwest with that show design. Loved it and they played the theme perfectly.
 
Vista Ridge with their incredible playing ability all around and execution.
 
Brazoswood told a minimalist but solid theme and really like how the flowers bloomed at the end of the show. Plus wicked cool skull props.
 
Pearland just knocked my socks off with Ghost Train and that opening accelerando! Definitely a fan favorite show.
 
James Madison's opening hit was unforgettable...
 
I now know that it's THAT Wyile band too who really knocked it out too!
 
Keller Central with the tarp golf cart flooring it!
 
Weiss achieving so much with just sophomore and freshman! I can't wait to see where that program heads as they mature. Good things in store for them I think.
 
And that's just the ones off the top of my head. You really could take something from each of the groups.

There were so many things that stand out from the SA show. Obviously the finalists could get their own blog post and are talked about enough already so let me focus in on those that didn't make it.

Coppell was one that really stood out with that amazing woodwind section, beautiful dresses, and that fantastic clarinet pitch bend!
 
Seven Lakes! If I didn't know that was a Texas band I would have sworn the band came from the midwest with that show design. Loved it and they played the theme perfectly.
 
Vista Ridge with their incredible playing ability all around and execution.
 
Brazoswood told a minimalist but solid theme and really like how the flowers bloomed at the end of the show. Plus wicked cool skull props.
 
Pearland just knocked my socks off with Ghost Train and that opening accelerando! Definitely a fan favorite show.
 
James Madison's opening hit was unforgettable...
 
I now know that it's THAT Wyile band too who really knocked it out too!
 
Keller Central with the tarp golf cart flooring it!
 
Weiss achieving so much with just sophomore and freshman! I can't wait to see where that program heads as they mature. Good things in store for them I think.
 
And that's just the ones off the top of my head. You really could take something from each of the groups.

There were so many things that stand out from the SA show. Obviously the finalists could get their own blog post and are talked about enough already so let me focus in on those that didn't make it.

Coppell was one that really stood out with that amazing woodwind section, beautiful dresses, and that fantastic clarinet pitch bend!
 
Seven Lakes! If I didn't know that was a Texas band I would have sworn the band came from the midwest with that show design. Loved it and they played the theme perfectly.
 
Vista Ridge with their incredible playing ability all around and execution.
 
Brazoswood told a minimalist but solid theme and really like how the flowers bloomed at the end of the show. Plus wicked cool skull props.
 
Pearland just knocked my socks off with Ghost Train and that opening accelerando! Definitely a fan favorite show.
 
James Madison's opening hit was unforgettable...
 
I now know that it's THAT Wyile band too who really knocked it out too!
 
Keller Central with the tarp golf cart flooring it!
 
Weiss achieving so much with just sophomore and freshman! I can't wait to see where that program heads as they mature. Good things in store for them I think.
 
And that's just the ones off the top of my head. You really could take something from each of the groups.

And did you see how the angel held him at the end. With the guard member in white "flying" away with the blue bird silk? Ah crap, I have more onions to cut now. I'll be back later.

No...you aren't alone. But then the stadium is just cutting onions here. Don't ask me why. It's weird...