TXTrumpetGuy

It may be recency bias, but that might have been the cleanest run of the day for me.

How are the judges supposed to pick three medalists if there's four or five bands that are gonna show up and perform like Vandegrift just did?

My favorite thing is when bands use source music that was also used in DCI the summer prior, and enjoying the different nuances of both. It seems like every year I hear a school put something on the field I haven't heard before, and then I remember that *insert drum corps here* played it the summer before or something.

It's a popular piece, and pretty much anything that John Mackey wrote translates well to the field.

Both Klein Oak and Harlingen played excerpts from the third movement, primarily the main theme.

That was my thought too. I've definitely been there - it's so hard to catch that and adjust mid-performance when you're in front of the speakers the whole time.

All I can hear are the soloists and pit sounds. I can hardly hear the band

Fourth block, perhaps my favorite of the day so far! Vista Ridge: Wow. They sound so good. The brass book is so well written and the kids play the heck out of it. The duet in the ballad is gorgeous, and the soloists sound so good together despite being so far apart from one another. The drill in the closer is so crazy and they nail it. Absolutely a medal contender, this may be the best Vista Ridge show I've ever seen. Coppell: The flute soloist is so good! The rest of the band complements the soloist really nicely with a huge opening statement. They just keep getting better with the music in the opener. A beautiful saxophone solo in another killer ballad. The trumpet feature to open the closer is my favorite moment of the entire show. Every musician handles the rhythmic challenges of this music really well, making for an exciting finish. Definitely their best run of the year for me! Seven Lakes: Holy wow. What a big sound. The guard work at the end of the opener was *clean*. There are a lot of notes in the closer, and everyone is pulling it off. A really fun show and I think in the finals bubble. Oak Ridge: Every section in the brass balance really well together. The entire band really sounds good in all dynamic ranges. The low brass is throwing down, and their formations look really good. Overall a very solid performance! Wylie East: The brass knows how to pack a punch. The Little Fugue arrangement is great, and showcases a lot of skills. The trumpet soloist sounds great, and really kicks off what is a beautiful ballad. The trombone feature in the closer is AWESOME, and I love how the crowd gets into it. The ending is so much fun, and the band is having a blast, as they should! Tomball Memorial: What a fun show. These kids move so well on the field, everyone looks the same. The musical selections are really great all throughout, but the music in the closer really brings the show home. A really entertaining program. Klein Oak: That first movement is sick. The double silk moment at the end of the ballad is really impactful too. Everyone looks really good in their movement, but especially their choreography. Mackey continues to play really well on the field, and they kill their rendition of Wine Dark Sea. Harlingen: More Wine Dark Sea! The low brass is really holding it down with their volume. The ballad is beautiful, and the trombone solo might be the best brass solo I've heard today. The trumpet double tonguing feature in the closer sounded really good! You can tell how much the band loved performing this show at the end. A great performance!

I for one would love to see Carolina Crown compete at UIL.

I could definitely see them hanging with some of the world class hornlines. The gap is not that small.

It's crazy to think about when they're between the ages of 14-18, but the system they're in sets them up for success so well. The performers have all the tools they need to sound like a world class hornline, thanks to excellent teaching.

Block three: Hebron: What else is there left to say? The brass book leaves me trying to catch my breath from the comforts of my couch. The props are perfect, the guard looks great, the soloists are probably the best I've heard all year (even though the mics were a bit hot in the ballad), is it a stretch to say they could make semifinals at the DCI World Class Championships? Probably, but who cares! This show is a delight to witness every time the opportunity arises. The Woodlands: One word: COLORGUARD. Nobody on the field looks like they're having as much fun as them. The crispness of the brass articulation in the opener gets me every time. It's no surprise why this show earned a silver medal and won GE this past weekend - it is "effective" in every sense of the word. I could see them slipping into the medal conversation here as well (especially given how close they were to Hebron in finals this past weekend), but we will just have to wait and see how it plays out. Waxahachie: This show is like when you eat a dish so good that it takes you back in time to when your grandma used to make it: It hits you in the feels. The set pieces are beautiful, and the costumes compliment them very well. The dynamic control in the ballad is beyond impressive, and all the soloists really help bring this thing home. A strong finals contender to me. Westlake: There's a lot going on in this show, partially because the clarinet soloist is absolutely shredding most of the time. Put his mic through a distortion pedal and he'd sound just like Eddie Van Halen. Kiss from a Rose is awesome, and I think works with the theme so well. The drill in the closer is sweet - and they execute. I would've been happy with just 8 minutes of jazzy clarinet solos, but what we get is a solid alternative. Taylor: What a beautiful show. From the props to the uniforms to the music, it definitely puts an emphasis on emotional impact moments! The soloists were excellent, just icing on the cake! Dickinson: I love anything having to do with movies, so they won me over pretty easily. They have some cool formations and they all looked really clean, and their impact moments are very effective. The Psycho music is a great way to finish off this wonderful homage to cinema. Alexander: The way they play with dynamics in the first impact moment is so cool. Those mellophones!!! The "scale" set is a great moment. Overall, a very solid show (with a very timely message) and a great run. Midland: This show gives me big Academy 2016 vibes. The Sound of Silence always makes for a great ballad. There are lots of fun visual moments in the closer, and the soloists sounded very good! Hanna: I adore this show. The props, the colors, the musical selections, all perfect. The kids look like they're having a blast too. They wanted to make a show for their community in Brownsville, and they've accomplished exactly that!

Agree about Hebron. The Woodlands execution is quite excellent, I'm just not sure the content judges are going to reward them on the same level as Hebron, Vandy, Reagan, etc. I'm curious to see how the rankings turn out for prelims, but I can definitely see some things shifting tomorrow night!

Everything about this show is right up my alley, so I have to just sit back and soak it all in. Ever since Skyfall was released I've wanted to see it on a marching band field, and their arrangement is just about everything I could ask for. Would love to see them sneak into the top 3, but I fear all of the GE greatness will not help them as much here.

What a treat to get Hebron and TWHS back-to-back

Both are excellent musical choices - I feel like Sweet Dreams fits so well but I can absolutely imagine Dream On being an incredible moment. I wish we got to see that, but I definitely have no complaints with the music that made it onto the field.

It's a nice touch every year - I believe there was also a choir that emerged from an egg in the closer at one point a few years ago as well...

Second block thoughts: Reagan: It could have been the stream, but it felt like there were some weird timing issues between the winds and front ensemble that I haven't heard before. Regardless, it didn't detract from the overall performance; I discover something new in this show on every viewing! Flower Mound: The drill in the closer is so cool. One thing Flomo is going to do is hide musicians inside a big prop, and they never disappoint! Keller: The bicycle set is one of the best drill moments of the year for me. The music in the opener is HARD and they are playing it really, really well. They may have my favorite ballad of the year too. Still don't think we've seen Keller at their peak yet this season, but I have a feeling we will tomorrow! Lake Travis: I love the dynamic contrast of the music in this show. Those kids know how to have you on the edge of your seat listening to some beautiful soft playing, but then they can smack you in the face with some huge sounds. Wylie: Those are some BIG sounds! The multiple tonguing from the brass in the closer is sick - they are playing snot out of that music book. A great performance! Bridgeland: I'm a sucker for any show that uses music from RENT. I loved seeing the energy and excitement from the band on the field, and their directors on the sideline! I know there's tons of proud parents and teachers cheering them on right now. Frenship: Let's go color guard! Some beautiful flag work in the ballad. The brass sounds great in the closer - I hope the students had as much fun performing this show as I did watching it! Stephen F. Austin: Super fun show. I hadn't seen this one all the way through yet, and it was thoroughly entertaining! Really enjoyed all of the musical selections. Three blocks to go; it's going to be so difficult to pick just 14 bands from this lineup. The judges definitely have their work cut out for them!

Here are some thoughts on the bands who performed in the first block: CTJ: This isn't my favorite Claudia Taylor show by any stretch, but it's steadily growing on me. I thought their run on Saturday night was stronger musically, but they will be solidly in finals and the top 5 conversation. Cedar Ridge: The colors of the props and guard flags serve as a nice contrast with the band uniforms - and the jam session at the end is so fun. Timber Creek: Best run of the year, in my opinion. The staging of the brass in the ballad is so great, especially given how well they play timing-wise in that section. The guard was on fire today! I hope we see this again tomorrow afternoon. Pearland: Wow! I really love this show. I missed their BOA runs this weekend but I definitely understand why they're becoming a perennial San Antonio finalist. They look and sound so, so good. Cy-Woods: The best run I've seen from them too. I never thought I'd hear Four Scottish Dances on a marching band field, but I'm sold! L.D. Bell: Another beautiful field design, I think that might be the best I've heard the brass sound all year! Bell being back at State is good for the activity. College Park: Some really wonderful ensemble sounds from the brass today. The execution is phenomenal across the board; from the music and drill to the choreography, solos, and guard work. I really enjoyed this show. Duncanville: I only got to catch the last couple of minutes due to the stream starting late. The vocalist is nails every time, and I loved hearing about the collaborative efforts of the Duncanville fine arts community in bringing this production to life!