bandgeekofthecentury

My alma mater, Seven Lakes High School just announced their 2020 program: Birds of Prey! Show reveal video below.
https://t.co/VbRrTM8sj5?amp=1

Final Results-
 
1 Seven Lakes High School 97.600
2 Bridgeland High School 96.000
3 Klein Collins High School 94.900
4 Tomball Memorial High. School 94.600
5 Klein Cain High School 92.800
6 Dickinson High School 91.900
7 Klein High School 90.300
8 Kempner High School 90.100
9 La Porte High School 88.500
10 Ridge Point High School 87.600
11 Lumberton High School 86.400
12 Channelview High School 85.600
 
I’m a fellow Bridgeland marcher and it was a pleasure to be able to end our marching season out with a bang. Good job to every band that participated in today’s competition , and a much well deserved 1st place from Seven Lakes , amazing show!

Alright, my personal placements, excluding Burleson Centennial since I missed them
 
9. JJ Pearce
———
8. Aledo
7. Dripping Springs
6. Richland
———
5. James Martin
4. Seven Lakes
———
3. Waxahachie
———
2. Bowie
1. Keller
 
I can change my mind on a whim on bands within each marked tier. Lots of competitive performances. Here’s some thoughts on some of the programs on an individual basis.
 
JJ Pearce: I loved their show aesthetics and the overall ambience. A beautiful show design, and the performers sell it really well. Just the least refined musically and visually out of the 9 in my opinion.
 
Richland: Unfortunately missed their closer. From what I saw, their show also struck me as entrancing, and beautiful. I think their performance level is above that of 9 and slightly above that of 8-7. Musical balance and refinement keeps them out of the top 5 for me.
 
James Martin: An ENERGETIC performance with solid performance-driven GE. Really enjoyed the closer; I am a sucker for Wine Dark Sea. They have a lot of opportunities to display blended ensemble sound. I think their visual program will be the factor that ultimately settles them in 5th; I just don’t think it’s as ambitious — or sold as well — as the top 4. Super proud of this group nonetheless! I’ve not heard of this group until now!
 
Seven Lakes: My alma mater!!! Super proud of them; best run of this show I’ve seen yet. I think this show sits on the opposite end of James Martin in terms of design, but they are similar in performance quality. This show is WILD!! This gives them a lot of opportunity to show off GE, but their visual program is TOUGH, and it’s difficult to perform well! The performers sell it well but they need to clean up! However I love love love the show; and of course I’m a sucker for their closer.
 
Waxahachie: Another AMBITIOUS show design! First time I’ve gotten to see this group ever. This begins the medalist tier in my opinion, based on overall quality in everything. However, I don’t think they’re as refined, especially musically, as the top 2 (HOWEVER — dear lord...those soloists.)
 
Bowie: I think these guys take visual over Keller, but I still find it hard to believe that their musicality and GE overtake that of Keller’s. I do love their Traveler though! Saw them at Austin, now here — Awesome stuff!!
 
Keller: I absolutely agreed with Rubisco about their visual program (esp at the closer) struggling, but man do I love what this show design allows the Keller band to show off. Just constant opportunities to show off the ensemble cleanliness; they will be rewarded!! Cleanliness = Effect.
 
Still learning the odds-and-ends of this activity as a spectator. This is my first year doing this. Take my comments with a grain of salt! Doing this is an invigorating — and frankly fun — mental exercise. So glad I was able to watch finals today!!

Super proud of Tompkins for Best Guard, Brass, and Percussion! By far it was our best run through.
 
ALSO, out of all the bands we could've share a tie with, I think Seven Lakes is the best. So much support for each other after and during.

Yay for Seven Lakes Performance time. Their comeback will be at this regional.

Finals Results.
 
Katy ISD Champion (Tompkins vs Seven Lakes) : SEVEN LAKES!! Let’s go!!
 
9th place: 72.7 - Galena Park
8th place: 74.15 - Magnolia
7th place: 74.4 - Shadow Creek
6th place: 76.6 - Tomball Memorial
5th place: 78.65 - Foster
4th place: 79.9 - Tomball
3rd place: 81.05 - Bridgeland
2nd place: 81.6 - Westfield
1st place: 82.25 - Friendswood
 
Well done to all!!!

I know I am a bit late on this, but it was disheartening to say the least to see Seven Lakes out of finals. The scores from the judges for each category were... interesting to me, with 7L sitting at 13th for individual music and 3rd for ensemble music (averaging out at 5th), 8th for individual visual and 21st for ensemble visual (averaging out at 15th), 14th and 10th for music GE and 15th for visual GE, averaging out at 13th overall for GE. Obviously it's very inconsistent across the board, and whether the fault lies with the band or the judges is neither clear nor important at this point. I am very confident that Seven Lakes will be able to polish up and have a great run at Waco, so don't give up on them just yet!

IF true...
Any serious claims like this need to be communicated to Music For All immediately.
 
If false....
Stop. We don’t do that here.
 
Thread is locked because James Harden travels.

<getting out the popcorn>

I can tell you all with 100% certainty that this is false. The only people in the field house before their performance & the prelim award ceremony was the 7 Lakes food crew. The band was second from last to play and were in the stands, SE corner of the stadium for the prelim ceremony. The band DID eat their dinner in the banquet room after the prelim ceremony but that’s it.

Nah.

I know I am a bit late on this, but it was disheartening to say the least to see Seven Lakes out of finals. The scores from the judges for each category were... interesting to me, with 7L sitting at 13th for individual music and 3rd for ensemble music (averaging out at 5th), 8th for individual visual and 21st for ensemble visual (averaging out at 15th), 14th and 10th for music GE and 15th for visual GE, averaging out at 13th overall for GE. Obviously it's very inconsistent across the board, and whether the fault lies with the band or the judges is neither clear nor important at this point. I am very confident that Seven Lakes will be able to polish up and have a great run at Waco, so don't give up on them just yet!

I know I am a bit late on this, but it was disheartening to say the least to see Seven Lakes out of finals. The scores from the judges for each category were... interesting to me, with 7L sitting at 13th for individual music and 3rd for ensemble music (averaging out at 5th), 8th for individual visual and 21st for ensemble visual (averaging out at 15th), 14th and 10th for music GE and 15th for visual GE, averaging out at 13th overall for GE. Obviously it's very inconsistent across the board, and whether the fault lies with the band or the judges is neither clear nor important at this point. I am very confident that Seven Lakes will be able to polish up and have a great run at Waco, so don't give up on them just yet!

After seeing Austin, Houston, and DFW play out, this is how I see things going into this competition.
 
1. Keller - I just hope they get the whole show on the field for this competition. I know that should probably be a given but sometimes they wait till the week before SA to perform the whole thing. They are a consistent SA finalist and have been close to the top half for 2 years. One of the most consistent bands overall in Texas and will be looking for their first ever regional championship.
 
-gap-
 
2. James Bowie - Very solid at Austin. Could be closer to Keller but their recent success has been good yet somewhat inconsistent.
 
3. Seven Lakes - Shocked they weren’t in finals at Houston, but it was extremely close and the performance was pretty messy.
 
4. Waxahachie - Shockingly and undeservingly low in DFW prelims but better in finals. Just needs a few weeks to clean.
 
5. Hendrickson - Could probably be as high as second but Austin results were definitely concerning. A previous SA finalist so watch out for them as the season progresses.

I know I am a bit late on this, but it was disheartening to say the least to see Seven Lakes out of finals. The scores from the judges for each category were... interesting to me, with 7L sitting at 13th for individual music and 3rd for ensemble music (averaging out at 5th), 8th for individual visual and 21st for ensemble visual (averaging out at 15th), 14th and 10th for music GE and 15th for visual GE, averaging out at 13th overall for GE. Obviously it's very inconsistent across the board, and whether the fault lies with the band or the judges is neither clear nor important at this point. I am very confident that Seven Lakes will be able to polish up and have a great run at Waco, so don't give up on them just yet!

I know I am a bit late on this, but it was disheartening to say the least to see Seven Lakes out of finals. The scores from the judges for each category were... interesting to me, with 7L sitting at 13th for individual music and 3rd for ensemble music (averaging out at 5th), 8th for individual visual and 21st for ensemble visual (averaging out at 15th), 14th and 10th for music GE and 15th for visual GE, averaging out at 13th overall for GE. Obviously it's very inconsistent across the board, and whether the fault lies with the band or the judges is neither clear nor important at this point. I am very confident that Seven Lakes will be able to polish up and have a great run at Waco, so don't give up on them just yet!

I think you guys have a good chance at placing highly this Saturday, I like this year's show a lot

from one tuba di to another, I think pearland are one of the top programs in the houston area

I find it kind of frustrating, honestly. There's just so much inconsistency with Houston marching bands, which you don't get as much of in Austin, Dallas, or San Antonio. Is it because of staff turnover? Is the (swamp) weather that much worse? I'm not convinced. Houston has produced three of the four Texas national champions, but you really wouldn't guess it based on how inconsistent Houston groups have been for the past decade (at least). I've just reached that point where I stupidly pine for the old Spring and Westfield days, which I know will probably never come back. These days, you've got The Woodlands, and then you just cross your fingers hoping that whichever group was the 2nd-best group out of Houston the previous year has still got it. That's not to say the groups out of Houston are bad or anything. There are some groups that are consistently pretty good to good; there just aren't many consistently great programs. I think it's telling that a Houston-area group hasn't won the Houston-area regional in 6 years. The last time Houston has really rocked it was in the SFA days.
 
On that note, I'm still going to predict a Reagan win here. I'm not jumping up and down about their show this year like I was last year, but overall, it's an excellent show, based on the first half or so that I saw in that crappy football game video. Their nearest competition, The Woodlands, has me a little bit concerned. Yes, I adore their music book this year. I think it's fun, it's full of character and variety, it's thrilling, it's inspiring, it's challenging, it flows well. But in the recording from the football game last weekend, you can hear them still using a metronome for parts of their opener, which, at this point, they really shouldn't need anymore during a major performance. It makes me think that they're struggling a bit. Also, the pictures that the football group posted revealed that TWHS still doesn't have any props. This makes me concerned that either A.) The props won't be ready in time for Saturday, or B.) If they're ready in time, the kids will not have had much practice with them, whatever they are. Obviously, the visual program and the level of performance (both musically and visually) are still giant question marks, so there's a chance I'm overreacting.
 
Westlake is a group I haven't said anything about. They're consistently pretty great, so they're a logical choice to round out the top 3, but I've got my hopes set on a Houston-area group. You know, Seven Lakes or something...

BOA Houston Nerd-In with all these potential finalists!!

 

What is the best interaction you've had with a band member from a different school?
My favorite interaction was after prelims at BOA Houston 2018 at dinner. We were eating in the same space and one of their members noticed me spacing out and offered me their food. We talked for a bit and bonded over our performances.My school technically has a rivalry with Seven Lakes and you always hear a bunch of trash talk like "Seven Snakes" and etc. It was a very simple, small thing, but I thought it was so nice to defy the enemy stereotype.

Saw 7L live tonight. Wow. Its a special show. All I'll say.

Not to mention that the Areas are definitely not evenly balanced with each other (for better or worse). Results at Area have little bearing on state in light of this fact, since the Area champion may be competing with bands at state they haven't even competed with all season. In a weaker area, taking the championship can definitely result in a finish in the middle of state prelims, and that's nothing to be ashamed of.

I second.  
**nods to fellow Spartan band members**
 
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So I found Seven Lakes's prelims run in the depths of YouTube, and its,,, stunning. It's a Flo Marching recording so it isn't the best quality but you still get the gist.