Bandwoww

Yesss I love pop art. Can they please have a moving soup can. Like when Marcus had that giant lady bug.

I’d have to disagree. Most band programs that are very successful teach their kids not to care about results. Obviously it is impossible to completely disregard them but most students actually buy into it. They truly care about the things that are more important in the long run.

Yeah...that’s what I meant, I just worded it wrong :/

Let's remember that no matter the results (as nothing is ever guaranteed), the PROCESS is what is important. Their amazing efforts are to be commended as top notch, regardless of placement. That's what our kids are taught!! And they thrive from support!!

I’d have to disagree. Most band programs that are very successful teach their kids not to care about results. Obviously it is impossible to completely disregard them but most students actually buy into it. They truly care about the things that are more important in the long run.

That’s what I assumed too. Their online etiquette is disgusting and does not meet the standards of such a respectable program.

I would love to see Dripping Springs win this. Not because I dont like Round Rock, but because it would represent a major milestone in the growth of that program. They will be competing at Waco in a week also.

I was similarly shocked at how competitive this competition was. The top bands are REALLY good this year!
 
I saw some people discounting Marcus as being much weaker than the past but the reality is that they are still really good, they always start off slower. Haltom, Wakeland, Prosper, and Keller are all ahead of where they were last year at this point, by a pretty good margin.

Early Top 5 Prediction
1. Keller
2. Marcus
3. Haltom
4. Prosper
5. Wakeland
 
I’m predicting a win for Keller just because this competition favors music to visual and GE to execution.
 
I think Marcus will still be strong but I’m uncertain if they can match last year’s success.
 
I think it will be a very close competition between the top 3 maybe even the top 4 with Prosper pushing hard for Nats.

Ha, they will be finding out just who Cedar Park is REAL SOON !!!    

I believe Keller has attened this competition every year it has been held. In the early years Dan Potter (of BOA fame and glory) was the announcer. Fun times with various "dancing baby" versions and Godzilla clapping on the end zone video screen. 
And historically, Finals have been rained out half the time.

A show that contrasts the music of Japanese antiquity (y'know, stuff like koto, shamisen, taiko drums etc.) with modern JPop/JRock (think what Blue Devils 2015 did with KPop).  So we'd see a slow transformation from the stuff we've seen before like with the Cavalier's 2008 show "Samurai" or Round Rock's 2010 show "The Dragon" into a more cybernetic Japan with neon lights, robot dogs, and the Harajuku kawaii visual style.  I want to see a marching band simulate the famous "Shibuya crossing" utilizing full-field coverage.  I also want to see a visual device that pays homage to Kyoto Tachibana's signature parade step style

.

---

Or how about a show that combines Indian classical music (stuff like Ravi Shankar and his sitar music) with Indian Bollywood cinematic music and also Indian Goa Trance music.  It would be an Indian show that contrasts several hundred years of Indian music into the modern day.  I think there would be a whole closetful of guard costuming options available for that kind of concept.

Or how about a Polynesian or Tropical Island show that crosses over the Bali Gamelan tribal music and House/Trance music of Bali, Indonesia with....like....the soundtrack of Moana or something.

I could see Timber Creek doing very well at area after a 1.6 lead over coppell at Midland, its early season but still.

Just jumping in in the Carmel assessment- I personally was floored by them. Not quite as visually captivating as last year, but matching that would be a big ask. I’m very impressed with their book and how well they’re already playing it. Gorgeous sound, and I’m not usually singing Carmels praises musically.

CTJ does seem on top of things musically- warm sound, crisp articulation, all around great- but the design this year feels a little bit like throwing paint at the wall and seeing what sticks. I often think their shows are less focused than than their nationally competitive counterparts but this one in particular just feels messy. Don’t get me wrong, what these kids are taking on is staggeringly difficult and I’m so impressed that they could even perform it. But will they be steamrolling through this season like they did last year? I don’t think so. At the end of the day, I think had Carmel and CTJ been head to head yesterday, Carmel would come out on top, probably by a somewhat significant margin.

Thank you for saying this. I had been mulling over how to say this politely but couldn't figure out how.

I wouldn’t give much clout to Horn Rank, especially in pre-season.

I wouldn’t give much clout to Horn Rank, especially in pre-season.

I can't help but agree. I think they're gonna do great and all, but it's a little weird.

Yeah the weather is really a bummer this year. Even though the Austin, San Antonio, and Houston areas are getting more rain, some North Texas schools have yet to perform at a football game. I was at the Grand Prarie vs Keller football game and there were hardly any other audience members in the stands and we ended up getting dumped on by the rain for a few minutes. The band didn’t get to perform with the front ensemble and I talked to some parents after and it was the first time they actually got to perform the show. I really hope the weather doesn’t effect contests.

No problem just trying to be helpful.

Thanks for the heads up! Just submitted the contest info.

I have seen a video of their opener from the front. And a standstill of a good portion of their show.

1. Vandegrift
2. Leander
3. Cedar Park
4. Bowie
5. CTJ
6. Cedar Ridge
7. Round Rock
8. Vista Ridge
9. Hendrickson
10. Churchill/Westwood

I remember seeing a video from early October of CTJ last year and not seeing all the hype whatsoever. But I was absolutely amazed when I saw them in San Antonio. The way is see it is...it’s super dirty? Good. That means they have a super challenging show that pushes their boundaries but will cause them to grow exponentially by the end of the season. I think what they have is phenomenal if you look at it long term. 
It’s extremely hard to top your best season yet especially if it’s was a BOA San Antonio championship, but I do think this will be a phenomenal year for CTJ.

They can have their own opinion... We already what yours is