packwick

u have any predictions? in most classes i don't see anything quite as obvious as BA's BOA Nats win. you could see that one from space, even before St. Louis.

puhraise Jeebus, i've finally got some free time to catch up on some of these 2022 guards. figurin' out what to record at wooorlds. this is my olympics, guys. y'all, i watched your favorite, coppell. this show was definitely designed by somebody fierce. LOVE it. haha. hopefully they can clean it up enough for finals. i think avon's show is very nice. though they seem to be cutting some corners this year compared to other years when they've been magnificent. their weapon line is only 6 members out of 20, less than 1/3rd, when the other top groups have more like 1/2. they've also got a group of performers that don't pick up any equipment until the very last flag feature. carmel's show is impressive. i can see why you'd find it austere though. i contemplate the unbearable lightness of being every day tho, so yeah. kinda my thing. give me my Sartre fix. arcadia's show is super pretty. have you seen it yet? diamante's performers are rockin' it, but "it" is an Onyx pastiche. and the music sounds like generically urgent television drama music. in my head i see Gillian Anderson hunched over an interrogation room table demanding to know where the bodies are buried. TELL ME!

i can't imagine the staff caring much about a somewhat sucky design score. the point of a JV group besides personal growth is developing skills for the varsity group. from that standpoint they probably exceeded expectations, especially considering the strength of the A class in Texas this year. they didn't even start out in National A this season, so...

i want to add one more thing: a message to the booster organization. try not to get in the way of what is best for the band program. give whoever takes on the director role a chance to succeed, even if that doesn't happen right away. i don't want to see what happened at Lassiter happen again. that was ugly, with the parents running directors out of town and the band imploding. back to winter guard, please.

i'm afraid not, my dear. oh god, i've been out of the program for so long, as if i'd know anything about that. i'm ignorant af. what i can say is that Joni will be VERY difficult to replace. rare talent. she made a huge impression on me her 1st year as an assistant back in 2005. even at 17, she seemed to me more knowledgeable, had a better ear, and she was driven and commanded respect without being mean. she just noticed things other directors didn't, like balance issues or issues with intonation. also she was very committed and hands-on. i distinctly remember a time i was sitting around practicing with the band president many hours after rehearsal had ended, and we were just joking around or whatever, not playing, and Joni came out of the office and approached us and asked us if we'd like to play our area audition music for her and receive feedback. we were just like, "wait, what are you still doing here, Joni?" commitment. i thought she would take the band to the next level, if she ever got the opportunity. we all knew Brett was retiring within a few years. he was ready to leave, hahaha. i recall when that actually happened, i was at a bar called Molly's with probably six other band graduates, some younger than i, and there was some fear that the new head director wasn't going to be Joni. no offense to the other assistants, but we were in unanimous agreement that Joni should be picked. so i wasn't alone in my opinion. but yeah, this is scary for TWHS. if one were sticking around, i'd feel a little less concerned, but replacing both non-perc directors with people who don't know the ropes, i don't know about that. got a bad feeling. also why would a talented director join a program that keeps burning out its directors? i remember back when i was a freshman, we had 5 directors, including Andy, the percussion director. now they have 3 including Andy. i don't know why that happened. i'm also wondering if their very talented design staff will stick around. maybe for the money, i don't know. speaking of which, it kind of grosses me out how slickly corporate the marching arts seem to have become, even if the shows are great. that's a different conversation however.

also, yes, i hate the music. but they're talented.

i've been searching for this forever to add to the drive. McCullough JH varsity guard. this account also has the JV one and a "spin club", whatever that is. both main guards are freakin' massive. they've been doin' some recruitin'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCWdawP7WoM

great music. !!! *sigh* *grumbling* another low hanging fruit idea of mine taken. probably it was already done. it's okay. i'm like the Library of Babel of ridiculous band ideas.

hmmmm... maybe i should have said i started watching all of them. i liked the Utada Hikaru one. very nostalgic. i'd recognize that thin, warbly voice anywhere...

any of you guard enthusiasts catch the Japanese guard recordings on Flo? like, JMBA 5th annual color guard championships, something like that, i don't remember. i was curious and watched all of them yesterday. can't read Japanese, but it seemed like lots of A and Open class guards. readin' my scribbles, from top of the screen to bottom: BcP Soka Gran Esperanza Showagakuen HS Meijo Gakuin HS Brass Band Club Queenstar The Second High School, Tokyo University of Agriculture Marching Band "Emerald Knights" Kanto Gakuin Marching Band Kamimuragakuen Junior HS and HS Wind Orchestra Kaetsu Marching Band Esteam Hirano Junior HS those were my standouts. like Japanese marching bands, conservative, kinda similar from guard to guard, not a lot of personality, blah blah blah blah. big empty gym floors just eat up the small ones. some were quite technically proficient however.

i know, right?

oh yeah, that Tarpon show hits hard. Banksy's "art" is twee, sentimental crap, but those kids have energy. for. DAYS! i like that TWHS choreographed the last part of their show more than the last time i saw it. that lift is a yass queen moment.

The Woodlands is doing 2CoolTW: An Homage to the Velvet Knights. juuust kidding. i have no idea what the heck they're doing. kids already know their shows? and have graphics and videos?! what?!

it wasn't that bad. i wouldn't have been there in the first place if it totally sucked. i have an appreciation for how difficult learning all that choreo is and how progressive the activity is. i've digged it since i first encountered it a couple decades ago. you probably won't be seeing me at any sportsball games unless i'm drinking and getting hotdogs.

was at WGI Houston prelims from the 2nd A round 'til the end of prelims. suuuper impulsive, last minute decision. sat near the upstairs judges. survived a lot of bad pop music with my IQ intact. favorites: Bridgeland. everything had great musicality, from the staging to the choreo. sprinkle of above level tricks well performed but noooot commiting class fraud thankfully. accurately predicted they'd win the round by at least 2 points. Clear Brook. Creep is overplayed, but the towering backdrops with the paintings of deranged Bratz doll faces left an impression. strong performers. Grand Oaks. are gypsy shows in good taste? don't know, but for such a young program, they were very impressive. if Lady Gaga says it's ok, i guess it's ok. is Mike still the band director over there? ah, the memories. my alma mater's groups were good. a little disappointed they didn't have any costumes yet. they were the only two groups without them. incomplete silks as well, unless they're going with solid colors. i found myself criticizing the A group like they're a varsity group. why aren't they projecting style and energy and character in between phrases? whyyyy aren't the phrases connected? why wasn't that uniform? would it kill them to toss higher than a quad? what in the world is this show about? add some fork in the road arrow signs or something. the fact i thought these things of a JV group is kind of high praise. keep it up. world class group, lots of room to grow, lots of moving parts, maybe a little too busy at times. music design is.... diiifferent, kinda strange. lacks a bit of forward motion in the middle section. there's a part where they just kind of stop everything and slowly walk to the middle of the floor. certainly isn't generic. explosive flag feature at end looks like it'll hit the ceiling. wow, ok. always project confidence and clarity, don't look confused. but overall very impressive.

also, i appreciate you doing this. i can't sit through an entire guard contest. too much bad music/treacly pop ballads. i'm like a fat guy on a chaise longue eating bonbons. i pretty much only watch the top independent world groups.

i didn't know Charlie retired from directing Pride. great guy, very fond memories from high school. i like that they're still innovating. i get sick of seeing the same crap over and over. have your whole guard do an exchange but with a saut de chat mid-air catch or something. something different, anything!

i think Center Grove had a director change. not 100% sure but it used to be Mike Bolla I think. maybe lost a strong senior class too.

i saw them at an early football game last year. recall taking note of how strong the guard was. no big surprise. Wayfaring Warrior Soul. it is a lyric from one of the two songs featured: "Sylvan Song" and "Dream of the Archer" both by Heart. The Doors. all of it i think. floor reads more expressionist, like a painting by Edvard Munch. not a big deal. a little less gaudy than some bright, lava lamp-looking monstrosity.

no, unfoooortunately my mom's rapacious quest for marching band videos didn't extend as much to winter guard. i don't think she has that finals. i've got a personal collection of favorite WGI videos with Logan, but it's still muted. i may have to contact the YouTube uploader. wonderful show. probably their best. you judging WGI this year?

i don't think people are really underestimating them. in fact, i think it's really great to see how people are responding so positively to the show, especially the people who have seen it live. when i saw it at BOA Conroe this year, i was standing up and applauding before the end, which i've never done before. it's great to see kind of a similar response from other, less biased people late season. if they're not being predicted for the very tippy top this year, it's because there are lots of other really great programs, and we're all trying to figure out what the panels will think. the competition is insane, and gets more insane every year. don't get me wrong. i'd LOVE to see TWHS improve on their San Antonio placement, but if it's not in the cards, who cares? a great show is a great show is a great show.

i don't think this is really accurate, is it? people "took for granted" what Hebron brought to the table? it actually seems like the case for Hebron was building as we got closer to San Antonio. with no direct match-ups, either, which is impressive. see page 6 of the BOA San Antonio thread. several highly positive remarks, and straight up speculation they could win. i think the real problem is that people fixate on the critiques to the point where they ignore the favorable stuff.

anyone have the more specific judging panels? 1, 2, and finals. much appreciated!

here are the judges for the obsessive weirdos. didn't see any bios or specific panels posted at the director's lounge. BOA is dragging their feet this year. Music: Tim Allshouse, George Boulden, Dave Carbone, Don Hill, Jay Kennedy, Matt McCready, Stephen Meyer, and John Phillips. Visual: Ken Giese, Michael Gray, John Howell, Bruce Jones, Greg Llacer, and Adam Sage. Chief: Richard Saucedo.

hahaha. you're welcome, hon. i'm glad i could contribute to your essay. but maybe write about more than just the same 5 bands over and over? i'll drop that into the suggestion box. still pretty much the only person on any marching forum that comments in an interesting, informed, or useful way.