FormerWildcat

Reedy HS - Unity Through Colors & Numbers Got to love the reed line!Ensemble sound was ridiculously crisp. Very demanding drill that could use some cleaning, but was very impactful. As with other shows I have seen throughout the day, the theme was a bit underwhelming, but that statement is a minor nitpick. This band is going places.

Argyle HS - Shades of Autumn Definitely an ambitious book. Pretty strong execution overall, but there were a few slip ups that are somewhat concerning. Definitely going to be interesting to see how they place at area.

Emerson - Maverick I didn't realize the show title corresponded to their mascot: the theme is a great nod to school spirit while being much more mature than a pep rally. That's a good way to describe this program: mature. Despite not having any seniors, the sound and visual cleanliness and execution already is top-tier 5A stuff. They are confidently a top 10 area B group in my view, and if they keep improving at this rate, they could be very dangerous come next year.

Guyer HS - Evening Under the Big Top It is always a good visual when a big band is hidden behind backfield props. Ensemble sounds were the best of the night so far. Transition between some sets was a bit rough.

Denton HS - L Themed after the one letter I can never pronounce correctly on my first try, this show mixes 2010s pop songs and Pachalbel. Very clear sounds throughout. Visuals looked decent, though I noticed a couple moments where upper body strength could have been controlled better.

Memorial HS - Iconic Some really extreme body movements that I am all for. Not bad in terms of cleanliness as well. Some fantastic sounds on display, but some ensembles just didn't do it for me.

North Lamar HS - Enso it Goes Congratulations on being a 4A band that actually made it to finals! Quite the clean show visually. Some really difficult features pulled off very nicely. Narrator was a talented saxophonist and his ending move was quite cool, but I'm not sure if the narration added that much.

Nimitz HS - For All Mankind Love whenever gym balls are used by auxiliaries. Really nice mellophone lick. Really impactful visual movements towards the end. Sound was just a tad splatty for my liking.

Frisco HS - Guiding Light The lighthouses - have lights! And synced ones at that! Very strong visual performance. Loved the staging of the soprano sax solo. Biggest weakness at this point is probably ensemble sound.

Royse City HS - Piece by Piece Much improved from prelims! While basic, the visuals looked very crisp. Nice ensemble sound and good soloists. Effect didn't do that much for me, however.

Mt Vernon HS - Lost in the Jungle I got concessions during this one, so I couldn't catch all of this one. However, I still know this is excellent. Music and visuals looked very nice from out back. Trombone feature got big applause! Great prop (pun intended) in the plane pieces.

Valley Mills HS - The Fire Within (Exhibition) This band has had huge success in 2A, and after seeing this show, I can definitely see why. BOA style shows are hard to pull off with smaller bands, but they did very well. Considering their size, the sound was about the most balanced you could get. Clean visuals as well.

Princeton HS - "BUZZZ" (Exhibition) Bee-themed shows have become surprisingly commonplace over the past couple years, but I really like the attire on the tech guy in particular. The guard had big flags that gave off a massive effect, and their cleanness certainly helps. Princeton in general has greatly improved since joining 5A, with my only criticism being that some of the more challenging musical phrases are somewhat airy.

Results Class AA 1st Valley Mills Class AAA 1st Mt Vernon Class AAAA Music North Lamar Visual Canton Percussion Springtown Auxiliary Anna 3rd Celina 2nd North Lamar 1st Canton Class AAAAA Music Melissa Visual Reedy Percussion Argyle Auxiliary Argyle 3rd Reedy 2nd Argyle 1st Melissa Class AAAAAA 3rd Nimitz 2nd Guyer 1st Royse City (all captions) Finalists Royse City Frisco Nimitz North Lamar Memorial Denton Guyer Emerson Argyle Reedy Canton Melissa

Lebanon Trail HS (5A) - "Tapestries" Opening had strong street band vibes. They use concert French horns and can really play them exceptionally. Overall ensemble sound and visuals were technically solid, but I'm not sold that they're the best Frisco ISD band at the contest.

Liberty HS (5A) - "Queen Bee" This show's queen bee is a flute player, and she does a great job in her starring role. No props, but field images of hexagons and Carolina-style crowns aid in promoting the effect. While there were some nice moments musically, it didn't feel 100% locked in. While the drill had some inspired formations, the marching itself wasn't that clean.

McKinney Boyd HS (6A) - "Beacon of Hope" Very strong Hebron vibes here, and the execution is pretty solid. There are some rich ensemble sound and standout visual moments here. I'm not huge on the theme: it feels like given the title, they could have gone a little deeper. What was there was strong, but I do have some concern that none of the closer has been put onto the field.

Lone Star HS (5A) - "Primal" EXCELLENT ensemble sound. "Hold On" can almost be considered a marching band cliche at this point, but this band put a completely fresh spin on it. Visuals were not only challenging and clean, but also really impactful. These performers put everything into this show. I would be very surprised to see them outside of finals not only here, but at BOA DFW.

Summit HS (5A) - "The Circle's Edge" Always appreciate caped uniforms, and there was one particular great use of them in particular. Visual was overall fairly ambitious, but definitely far from spotless. Sound was good overall with the only real negative being that the low brass was a bit raspy in certain sections. I know that they just underwent major leadership changes, and if the directors stay on and gain more experience, I can see them remaining a perennial 5A contender.

Legacy HS (6A) - "Clouds" I think the color guard instructor went to my high school, and if so, it's a nice start to his career. I appreciate the cloud touches on the podiums. Great soloists, especially the trombone with the "Thunder Road" introduction. Ensemble sound definitely needs to be improved for any shot at getting far in 6A Area B. I noticed multiple spacing issues, which I think is a big issue considering the drill isn't exactly complicated.

I'm going to watch some of the prelims performances online. I might skip some bands since I have to study for a fluid mechanics exam, but I'm going to comment on some of the more notable participants.

I just made a poor attempt at a joke, that's all.

Why do you have to ruin the fun for everyone else?

There are actually two! The first one starts with an a and ends with an e. The second one starts with a m and ends with an a.

Is anyone covering this contest?