Liam Allen
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Posts posted by Liam Allen
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Yeah... The WWs don't tend to watch DCI b/c its all brass. Adding WW elements will make it more friendly to all fans.
Me, a saxophone major, obsessed with DCI lol
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I don’t really care. If that’s the direction that the corps want to go then they are allowed to do that. It’s one featured soloist. The end of drum corps is not nigh.
All the stuff about tradition being broken doesn’t really make much sense to me. The tradition is being the best in the marching arts. One dude ripping on sax is not going to change that. Also it’s not just woodwinds; it’s anything. I suspect that this will function basically like BD’s violin in 2019.
Now to what I’m sure is the big controversy: full woodwind lines. When it happens(and it will sooner or later), I still won’t much care. The argument for not doing this seems to be along the lines of “you can’t hear them over the brass, you’d have to mic them”. My response to that is what are we already doing to the brass? Micing them. No difference whatsoever. In addition, all you have to do is look at bands such as Hebron to see that you can certainly hear woodwinds through brass. Just adds texture. Personally I don’t see any reason why we should be preventing half of eligible wind players from participating in high level music making. The obvious response is they can just learn brass. I think that while that’s good for expanding brass knowledge and pedagogy, it also reduces woodwind pedagogy that could be acquired. While these players may know some high-level woodwind techniques already, the same can be said of brass players and brass technique. They may also not be high-level woodwind players just as some brass members may not be great brass players. I see no reason to keep them out of marching music’s major league, especially since it has always been marching music’s major league(except for woodwinds, you nerds can take your wood planks and go somewhere else).
- Tubalord11 and Rubisco
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High school bands:
Man this is a hard one. Of course Hebron 21 is the undisputed god-tier show. On a combination of skill and just my preference, Hebron 22 is still my favorite. Keller 19 is another absolute banger and I’ve stolen a lot of that source music. Broken Arrow 21 is a work of art. The last 30 seconds of Hebron 23 induces the holy goosebumps. Managed to see Hebron 24 live and almost fell over.
DCI:
Personal champ pick is Down Side Up. Babylon, Change Is Everything, E=mc2 are other great gold winners.
To prove that I’m not a fan of just the last decade, I really like We Are the Future.
A hot take is that Felliniesque is not a good show. Stupidly well performed though.
Some favorite non-winners include Exogenesis, Live! From the Rose, SCV 88, Into the Light, In ABSINTHEia, and Tilt.
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A reminder that this realignment isn’t for next year but the year after. This would, however, send tremors through 4A. Suddenly CS, SS, and Davenport would be fighting for the medals.
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Panther Creek in the winners circle. Celina narrowly behind. Davenport still narrower behind. CS and SS still battling it out for fourth.
I want to see Krum make it out of Area B. Thought they’d get it this year.
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Technically CS has 5 if you count 2020. Got 10th.
Oh this is a year old lol nevermind
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These programs now have the longest active streak for State finals appearances in their classification:
1A - Whiteface (5)
2A - Sundown (5)
3A - C. H. Yoe (7)
4A - Calallen & China Spring (4)
5A - Cedar Park (9)
6A - Marcus (10)If I’m wrong on any, please correct me! This is just what I could find.
Technically CS has 5 if you count 2020. Got 10th.
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lol. Oh and don't forget pay to win. I was watching from the stands and could he was on an ex or z couldn't tell which one but probably an ex and he was also on a concept. Talk about pay to win rich celina...
Oh buddy I’m gonna tell you right now switching to an ex and a concept does not automatically make you a good player. Have to have good fundamentals especially with the concept since it’s a slightly more open mouthpiece facing. I’m on a 62III and concept(just switched to concept a few months ago) and it took some work to get used to even at my college level.
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The head drum major.
Thank you
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I know the kids are heart broken but I cannot believe someone would say it. I’m sure having beaten Panther Greek in the Area championship with a program that developed and became even better and was ranked by judges very differently from state is what confuses and frustrates them.
We all know the hours that the kids put in, so it may seem like… here are the rules until we get to state and now these are the rules… so I’m sure they are upset. It does not justify what might have been said and I’d like to know if it was said or just by 1 person and inflated. Still not okay for 1 person to say that ever.
But we all know the Argyle program wins and those who replicate it wins in 4A. It’s not an opinion but an objective fact, regardless if you think it is exciting, difficult, and powerful. That does NOT diminish from the fact that Celina did amazing. We also know once you go to 5A or 6A, it does not work and things must change, as Argyle has been doing to get closer to making and finally getting to State and finals finishing 7th this year, their best in 5A. There program is very different than when they’d sweep 4A over and over and the couple of years in 5A.
So this is why folks say there is a formula and if you follow it, it certainly helps you. This is also why some 4A schools moving to 5A do better in that style of judging because they are more attuned to the 5A & 6A programs.
But I’m sure there is not a bunch of China Spring kids saying this. Maybe they could have agreed about being frustrated, but I’m inclined to believe they would decry such a statement. No one wishes ill-will on anyone because the kids all deserve a huge congratulations for making it to state. That is amazing and doing it 5 years in a row and celebrating 36 years of sweepstakes in the Area qualifier is pretty amazing. I will miss seeing my child in band but am hoping they might play at their college next. LOL.
In my biased opinion, China Spring won and would have won state had they not even made it past Area. Ha-ha.
I hate to say it but being an alum of the program I can say from experience that at least a few people are definitely saying that. People said that back when I was there. They are certainly entitled to their opinion(I thought Panther Creek was more deserving of the gold this year), but there are definitely a small number that go beyond the scope of rational disagreement. I think that the kids thought they had the best performance of all time when they did not. They’re on the field doing all the things, and judges are sitting in the box. Heck, I was in the stands, and you can go back and see exactly where I put them in my finals prediction despite my obvious bias toward them. It’s unfortunate that a few are making the program look bad, and it happens when you don’t get the result you wanted. They’ll come back next year with a score to settle, and hopefully will be all the more bought-in to the process because of it.
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Hello, to all the china spring players here! I caught your performance on YouTube and your ballad is so good. Like, whoever your music composers are, wow. And the way you guys played the piece too just sells it. Does anyone know the name of the song?
Hurt by Trent Reznor. However it’s based on the Eric Whitacre choral arrangement.
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ExpandThank you! We had so much prep of letter e, I guess all the practice of the woodwind features payed off!
Oh my god yes
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ExpandPanther creek got robbed just saying. they not only marched better but played way better than celina. But also not a judge. 😂😂
Clean and boring will always beat clean and ridiculously hard. To be honest I almost think that they refuse to let that difficult of a show win because of what it would do to 4A. The standard would be through the roof and most bands would be left in the dust.
Again just my opinion. You can and probably will disagree.
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And bands can now break ranks and end the season.
It’s been awesome to commentate on the many BOA and UIL events this fall! I will be back next year with even more negativity and Hebron glazing!
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Celina gets the threepeat
- KellyT, cheeto2401 and whatsbandman
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4. Sulphur Springs
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UIL 4A State Marching Contest 2025 (Nov 5)
in UIL: Upcoming Contests
Posted
Managed to catch the preview performance from China Spring yesterday - about two thirds of the show and a closing hit. Impressive stuff for four rehearsals over a month and a half. Very excited to see where it goes over the season.
For those wondering about the show, the reveal is here:
Music includes Symphony No. 9 by Dvorak, It’s the End of the World As We Know It by REM, and piece by Son Lux which I will not say anything about other than BLOOOOOO.