RobertoFrausto3

Me neither.

What a crazy season!!

So excited for today!

To be honest, this area is highly competitive, featuring several outstanding bands. The bands in the finals have a shot at making it to the state level, depending on their last-minute efforts to refine their performances and their individual success at the competition. It's worth noting that this region has seen significant variation between Prelims and Finals in the past, as exemplified by SFA in 2021 and Clements in 2022, making it challenging to predict the outcome. Nevertheless, here are my thoughts about the top bands in this area. (All assessments are based on the UIL scoring system, as it's the relevant standard for this competition.) 1. Pearland - Performing "Illuminate" this year, Pearland's show has exceptional music and well-executed visuals. They introduce unique moments, even featuring a bassoon, which is an uncommon solo instrument in marching bands. With their commitment to excellence, and their participation in Grand Nats this year, Pearland is a top favorite to win the area contest. 2. Dickinson - Titled "Infinite Ocean," their show delivers a good ensemble sound and a well-balanced Ballad. Their challenging drill sets are a positive feature, and they're a solid contender for a top-five placement in the region in my opinion, with their strong ensemble performance being a standout. 3. Dawson - Their show, "Connect 4," impresses with excellent music, although their visuals need some work. While their drill lacks standout moments, it's still a strong contender in the area. Their final placement may hinge on their visual scores but expect to see them in the top 5. 4-8. Clements - Presenting "Round the Fire," Clements' show stands out for its creativity and uniqueness. From the rotating sun in the opener to the ritual-like percussion break, this show offers memorable moments. Their music is strong, and their visuals have significantly improved since the previous year. With their comeback from a challenging prior season, I think they will have high-middle placement in finals, maybe top 5. 4-8. Shadow Creek - Performing "Kaleidoscope," this band's show appears challenging musically, but they seem to handle it well. Their visuals are above average, but nothing too unique. Their final placement is uncertain, but likely somewhere in the middle of the pack. 4-8. Clear Brook - Presenting "Inn Between," their music is challenging, but cleanliness is an issue. Their visuals are relatively clean, but some sets require attention. The show's conclusion lacks closure, potentially affecting their final placement. Expect them to be in the middle of the pack, contingent on improvements in both music and visuals. 4-8. Stephen F. Austin (SFA) - Showcasing "Ballerina: Pointe of Rebellion," SFA is reasonably clean with good music, though there's room for improvement. Their drill and visuals fall slightly short, but the vocal soloists blend well with the band. The early call time after a Friday night football game poses a challenge, but SFA is likely to place in the upper-middle ranks in finals. 4-8. Pasadena Memorial - Featuring "Chasing Shadows," this might be their breakout year. Their music is impressive, and their visuals are solid, requiring only some fine-tuning. With the potential to place in the top 5, improvements in cleanliness could secure them a spot in the low to middle range of area finals. 9. Brazoswood - Their show, "Silence is Golden," falls in the middle of the spectrum in terms of music, drill, and visuals. While it's clean, it doesn't present anything particularly unique. Expect them to place in the middle or lower end of the finals, but your personal enjoyment of the show may vary. 10. Elkins - Their show, "Through The Storm," shows marked improvement compared to previous years, especially in their music. The visuals seem okay, but nothing amazing. While their final placement remains uncertain, their potential to make it to the finals this year signifies significant progress compared to the previous season. As you can tell, this area is going to be super competitive, with many bands aiming for the #4 spot due to only 24 bands advancing to the area contest this year. Overall, this contest is probably going to be super exciting and we may see many upsets and surprises!

Their current band director was the past assistant band director from 2002-2019 and became the head director when the old band director for Clements moved to Jordan High School when it opened in 2020. Also, the current (new ig) band director is an Alumni from Clements, so he really cares for the band and the school. He was head band director in 2021 when Clements got third at area.

1. Clear Brook (won all captions) 2. Clements 3. Kempner 4-9. Idk all the other schools 10. Travis

Yeah I thought the same thing too.

Oh interesting, it seemed like the end of their show was the closer. Exciting to see how it turns out.

Scores from tonight, close scores between Brazoswood and Clements. Clements won visual effect while Brazoswood won the other captions. Clements took a hit in individual marching but got credit for ensemble marching (forms, cover downs, etc.). Clements music was good as usual. Brazoswood had really good music and a great euph solo. One thing to note is that Brazoswood had their full show out while Clements did not have their closer. Overall, very close and great performances from both!

Clements' first couple sets of their show is a woodwind feature that gets pretty technical, so who knows how their woodwind section will be. From what I've seen, their woodwinds have improved a lot this year already compared to last year.

I think Clements may be able to do really well this season. I've seen parts of their music and they have some really good stuff. What's gonna make or break it is probably visuals/marching.