FormerWildcat

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?

I'm probably going to be at this contest for finals. If anyone is already there, feel free to give updates.

The 2022 Sounds of Fall Marching Classic will be held in Princeton, TX on October 1. Among the enrolled are so many 4A State contenders that this could as well be the UIL championship. There also appears to be a substantially larger group of 5A and 6A bands enrolled, among them one very special returning guest. 2022 SOF Public Schedule.pdf

Finalist Predictions: 1. Highland Park 2. Forney 3. Royse City 4. North Forney 5. Poteet 6. Red Oak 7. Texas Given their finalist appearance at BOA DFW, I think Forney could potentially pull off the upset, though I do think Highland Park ends up in first. Had only two bands been able to advance, I am fairly confident that my top two would be locked in.

My Predictions: Finalists (State Advancers in Bold) Burleson Colleyville Heritage Burleson Centennial Richland Summit Midlothian Legacy Birdville Aledo Grapevine

I know for a fact that Kennedale will not be attending this year's state contest. I'm not sure if they plan on even attending area, though that wouldn't affect any potential state advancers as long as they get a 1 next Saturday.