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First Friday Night Lights Performances


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It went great for Westlake! We just finished putting the opener on the field a few days ago (our usual speed) and we were all happy with our run through. Just have to learn all of the second movement before Friday!

Also we beat Southlake, which I find noteworthy. Our QB is a beast. Varsity QB Sophomore year, and just committed to UT going into his Junior.

Here's the best video I could find of us. It's kinda pixel-y:


 

 

EDIT: Here's another video. Better video quality, worse angle, and worse audio. Hopefully next week we'll have a better recording. Skip to 2:40 for beginning.

 

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Claudia Taylor Johnson (backfield unfortunately):

 

 

Hebron:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb4_f98v0PU

 

 

 

Johnson's drill is looking insane. Obviously you can't really hear what they're playing but they're really pushing the visual envelope on this one, and it looks pretty good for only being August 28th. I think they're going to be tough to beat by the time San Antonio rolls around. Are the rumors true they dropped out of UIL in order to exceed 8 hours a week? 

 

Hebron's show is very... Hebron. That's all I really have to say about it. Insane musical technique but probably what I'd consider a safe visual design. They know how to play to their strengths though.

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Claudia Taylor Johnson (backfield unfortunately):

 

 

Hebron:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb4_f98v0PU

 

 

 

Johnson's drill is looking insane. Obviously you can't really hear what they're playing but they're really pushing the visual envelope on this one, and it looks pretty good for only being August 28th. I think they're going to be tough to beat by the time San Antonio rolls around. Are the rumors true they dropped out of UIL in order to exceed 8 hours a week?

 

Hebron's show is very... Hebron. That's all I really have to say about it. Insane musical technique but probably what I'd consider a safe visual design. They know how to play to their strengths though.

I don't think you can just drop out of UIL I think it's a state requirement. And with Hebron, I would agree it does seem a little safe, but that's for that tempo. I went to their August preview performance and they played it a little faster than that, and if they are truly trying to play john gibsons music like it's made (Pegasus mvt 1) then they'll play the opener at 180 or 182 in that range (that's the tempo for Pegasus). I might be wrong but considering Hebron always plays fast music I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case, that will also make everything quite a bit more difficult.

 

Also, does anyone know anything about Marcus/Flowermound/Coppell? I believe Coppell played Hebron on Friday

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Wow, some awesome stuff going on this year.  

 

Wakeland's VERY impressive, a show that should compete extremely well in both UIL and BOA.  Their "Venemous" show last year was a huge step up for them, they seem to improve every year, and this

year seems no different.  Opening is BEAUTIFUL!  I expect them to compete very well at state!  Love the drill.  Shoutout to that guard, fantastic performers.  

 

Hebron, as stated, is VERY Hebron.  Of course that is meant in the best of ways.  When it is in its final form, it's going to be an amazing display of virtuosity, simultaneous marching, playing, and staging difficulty, paired with what I'm sure will be an incredibly pleasing color pallet.  Hard drill just isn't fast high velocity stuff, what they do with staging and simultaneous demand is rivaled by few in its difficulty, I still think back to the 2012 "In Concert" show and the 80 yard spread woodwind isanity that they just nailed.  Wouldn't surprise me to hear the opening just a tad faster, played that piece a year or so ago and it moves.  Some really cool things in the drill that relate back to the 360 theme, and not just the circles.  Really love the clarity and cleanliness in the design of the drill.  Paired with the Pitts music book, should be a spectacular package for them tot take to nationals.  

 

Can't tell much with Johnson other than that drill looks pretty dang high velocity.  

 

Ronald Reagan is impressive.  Can definitely tell Mr. Guidry is back on board, opening has a VERY early 2000s Reaganesque vibe to it.  Some great drill, guard looks pretty great.  They have some more size to them it seems.  Some great music as well.  Should be nice!  I find Reagan's shows tend to really bloom later on, and if this is now, can't wait for later.

 

So the big boys in Leander ISD.  Cedar Park also seems to have a lot more size.  Great music, nothing less than I'd expect from them.  Definitely keeping to the genre's they excel in.  Drill is incredibly complex, when cleaned, should really sparkle.  Vista Ridge is really solid as well.  Some really high velocity drill in there, can definitely see the Hinshaw influences in there.  Their evolution has been exciting to follow in recent years, this year seems to be right on track.  Interested to see what those pyramid frames turn into.  Leander, woah.  That opening hit is pretty dang awesome, electronic stuff sounds a lot like what Bluecoats have done in recent years.  Pretty neat.  3 schools that should do REALLY well at 5A state.  

 

Nice show from Westlake, always love hearing "Kingfishers Catch Fire", nice music overall.  Some great drill, should clean up nicely. 

 

Lots of great stuff going on early on.  I'm thinking 5A state will be absolutely killer.  

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Holy heck. Johnson's drill book is tough not only by Texas standards, but national standards. Not only that, the execution is at an incredibly high level for August. When they go to Grand Nationals again, the Indiana bands and Broken Arrow need to watch out because the visual caption is not promised anymore.

 

Also, Wakeland's woodwinds are ON FIRE and the guard work looks awesome. They'll definitely have something to say about LISD sweeping at state again and should be a force in BOA too.

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Honestly, I'm amazed by how much drill and movement Johnson seems to have on the field already. Like others, my first thought was, "Did they drop out of UIL this year?" They really do look ahead of the game in terms of total amount of stuff learned. That said, there's so much going on and it's so difficult that I'm concerned that it's going to be VERY tough to clean everything. We'll see! Regardless, I'm glad there's at least one Texas group willing to tackle a show like that.

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Anyone have any videos of the Area D finalists last year?

 

I can find Westlake, Reagan, and CTJ, but can't find Cedar Ridge, Round Rock, Westwood, Anderson, Pflugerville, Bowie, and Henderikson.

Other programs typically don't post their shows early on in the season whether it be because of copyright or because of the program not wanting other competing schools to see their show or both. Like I know that Bowie is usually very private and does well about keeping their show off the internet until the end of the season.
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