Favorite shows so far this year

[takigan]

Oh, and adding another to the list.  Glenda Dawson's "Sound of Silence".....love the Flute work on the main theme from that show.

 

was very impressed by Cy Fair this year

remind me of SFA and Colleyville's shows?   might have missed them and can't find any recap/performance

Colleyville Heritage was titled "In the Clouds" and had the Final Fantasy music.  The Prelude to Final Fantasy, Aerith's Theme (from VII) and another piece I couldn't place from XII along with some other tunes I can't remember.

SFA - They did a show with lots of Rhapsody in Blue (starts with the infamous Clarinet solo).  Can't remember the actual title from Area (I always end up sitting next to the parent groups that completely flip out for 30 straight seconds right into your ear while the announcer is announcing the show).  No real staging element/props but the Angels donned banana colored dance dresses which they wield almost like flags.

[ChristopherRoden]

Oh, and adding another to the list.  Glenda Dawson's "Sound of Silence".....love the Flute work on the main theme from that show.

 

 

 

Colleyville Heritage was titled "In the Clouds" and had the Final Fantasy music.  The Prelude to Final Fantasy, Aerith's Theme (from VII) and another piece I couldn't place from XII along with some other tunes I can't remember.

 

SFA - They did a show with lots of Rhapsody in Blue (starts with the infamous Clarinet solo).  Can't remember the actual title from Area (I always end up sitting next to the parent groups that completely flip out for 30 straight seconds right into your ear while the announcer is announcing the show).  No real staging element/props but the Angels donned banana colored dance dresses which they wield almost like flags.

SFA's show was "Summertime" I feel like they fit their theme really well

[zururoua]

Post-Gnats

 

-Tarpon's visual was amazing, they should have won that caption at GN

-CTJ's energy was INSANE at GN finals

-Hendrickson's trombones

-Reagan's ballad

-Leander's show design in general

-Flower Mound

-Carmel's fast moments and tuba feature (not the biggest fan of the slow parts)

-St. James

-William Mason

 

Those are the ones I can think of atm of what I got to see

[LKendrick]

Ok, I like doing these after I've had some time to process the year as a whole.  I'll start with these 5.  

 

1) Broken Arrow - Age of Discovery

• There are VERY few times when a show has every single thing that I love about marching band crammed in there, and Broken Arrow this year is not only my favorite of the year but possibly one of my all time favorites.  And no, it has nothing to do with their awesome pedal powered gimmick.  Stunning perfectly flowing drill, fantastic color guard integration and color/motion contribution, BEAUTIFUL and huge musical moments throughout the show, and a closer that is as glorious and majestic as anything I have heard in the high school world. From the bass drums giving that heartbeat at the beginning of the closer after the drum break under the brass to those final massive chords at the end this show just captivated me in a way that doesn't happen very often.  Just beginning to end it was a seamless and phenomenally performed show.  I think the departure of Cartwright almost lent itself to an incredible refresh/reboot for them.  Don't get me wrong, I love a good Cartwright show, but this year just seemed different in the absolute best of ways.  I hope they attend Grand Nationals again next year, because along with Flower Mound I think the two best shows didn't go this year.  

 

2) Flower Mound - Leonardo's Dream

• Honestly this is interchangeable with #1.  Texas has been shifting lately, in the past few years starting around 2011 or so there was no clear leading voice in Texas, which I think has lent itself to some very exciting and interesting switch ups and new names rising.  And I think Flower Mound has risen to the top.  I remember seeing this one back on the webcast from Plano, and me and everyone else I was talking to there and watching online was just in awe.  There was no way a band could be that good that early.  There were questions about that lasting through the end, and what they could do to keep squeezing points out.  And they did.  This show has so much attention to detail it is absolutely staggering.  Down to the people turning their props at the end of show being in step while they move them.  That's commitment.  Musically and visually this was so immaculate, every run and technical moment from the brass and woodwinds was crystal clear and clean, their drums and front ensemble need more credit for how dang good they are, and their guard was BEAUTIFUL, particularly on the wing flags in the front half.  I don't know who thought of putting Freebirds on the field, which is originally a wind ensemble piece featuring two dueling clarinets, but it's GENIUS.  And their arrangement of To Tame the Perilous Skies is my favorite since probably The Cadets did it in DCI back in 1992.  This show was a full package, no weaknesses, and they performed the living heck out of it.  If they're going to Nationals...they're my favorite to win.  With them and who else is rumored/attending I think Texas is about to take it back by storm.  

3)  Leander - The Fourth Dimension 

• Personally, overall at Grand Nationals I saw a bunch of repackaged shows we have seen a million times before.  Many of my favorites did not attend and while the bands that did the best were all fantastic, there was not a lot design wise that excited me, particularly in the top half of finals.  Leander was one of the exceptions (CP too).  Leander has a clear voice and identity that is so exciting and fresh.  The music they pick is so interesting and unlike the typical pieces/go to's that get beaten over the head.  A Son Lux intro is almost a Leander signature at this point, and it is theirs.  Paired with the Stravinsky which sounded like a completely new piece, and this show was just a breath of fresh air in the top half of finals.  In addition to that, the simplistic but incredibly fleshed out visual aesthetic they created just made for a show that was a treat for every sense.  The use of the big cube throughout the show to feature soloists, draw visual interest, and at the end to transport the band to another dimension was simple genius.  This show was a through thought, and phenomenal in its simplicity.  I took it as that's what a fourth dimension looks and sounds like. Regardless, Leander, just keep what you are doing.  You are one of the big boys now.  And one of my consistent favorites.  

4)  Hendrickson - 3D

• Most entertaining/fun show in a long time for me.  The first time I saw a video of this one I went absolutely nuts.  Wasn't because of the 3D aspect either which of course was fantastic, but just the amount of energy/entertainment this band gave to the audience this year.  Love the play on the title with the composers listed, and those pieces work so well together.  Red Cape Tango floored me, and then the closer with the trombones blasting away over the band...priceless.  Just 8 minutes of pure fun.  I fell in love with Henny after 2014s UnRavel show, last years show was another favorite of the year, and this year is my favorite ever from them.  Keep doing what you're doing.  It's working and people have noticed.  

5)  Keller - Ascend

• Beautiful.  Only word I can use to describe their 2015 and 2016 shows.  2016 took it to a whole other level.  Best Keller show ever?  I think so.  From that absolutely lush and full opening statement to the band just blasting away as the trumpet player does that amazing front flip and ascends the ladder, this show was just a gorgeous work of art.  So many moments in this show, the two I mentioned, the trumpet feature in the front half, and my personal favorite ballad of the year from Yagisawa.  That ballad just builds...and builds...and builds...and when you think it can't anymore...it builds again to that final climax musically and visually.  8 minutes of drop dead gorgeous.  They sound like a million bucks performing it too.  I can't wait for them to go back to Grand Nationals.  2015 sewed the seed for greatness and they're letting it grow and flourish. 

[BandG33k73]

if you're looking for a non-BOA show we did one this year that Cesario thought was a great take on an American style show.

 

[Jellyfishes]

Some bands that grabbed my attention,

 

Coppell- AWESOME music

James Martin- Just super cool

L.D. Bell- Should've been in SA finals for sure, great show all around

Marian Catholic- Always put on memorable shows

Richland- What a surge from last year. Would've been in SA finals for sure

[bandgeek900]

Everyone keeps talking about the big named bands and their shows. but sometimes bands that arent as well known as the Hebron's and Flower Mound's put out just as intriguing shows, and I think we could all appreciate that

 

Cy Fair "Deja Vu"- Interesting concepts. The muted trumpets would echo one another. One side of the field would move and perform and then the other side would follow a couple of beats later and perform the exact same thing. Their ballad was gave the audience a constant "Deja Vu" type of feel with circles constantly collapsing and reforming. 
 

Seven Lakes "The Art of Music" - Each movement had its own personality. The title sounds cheesy, but when you see the show in person, you see that their show is literally the Art of Music. They had their own painters, and even the colorguard would each have their own canvas! Love their twist in Beethoven's Fifth. Sneakily clever show design.

 

Clements "Adrenaline Rush"- Super exciting. This show demanded a lot out of its performers. From start to finish, there were no breaks. They had this projection near the front ensemble depicting flashes of videos of surfing or some fast paced activity, adding to the buildup. One of the harder Clements shows in recent years, but also one of their better ones. 

 

Dawson "Tempting Fate" - You have to give props to any band that marches to Vesuvius by Frank Ticheli. That piece is a nightmare to march with all the time signature changes. Anyhow, the ballad was one of my favorite where you can clearly hear melodies from The Sound of Silence. They have this hit before their impact moment in the end of the ballad where the entire band squatted down, and it was one of my favorite moments in their show. 

[Astros]

http://www.hornrank.com/?m=1 16 out of 40 top bands from Texas

[LKendrick]

On the topic of lesser discussed bands, North Shore is at the top of my list.

 

Their state finals performance online was one of the most clear, clean, pristine, and downright powerful performances I can remember watching in recent memory. The sounds they made are...wow. All that music we all know was played just about as well as I can remember. My eye is definitely on them in the future. I think they could

really push for San Antonio finals, and if they went to a St. Louis or Atlanta regional, they'd excel.

 

Regardless, that state finals run floored me. Don't think I've ever heard Great Gate of Kiev sound that good in the HS world.

[TexasBandAlumni]

Hello everyone! 

I know this isn't really the right place to post this.. but I've stumbled across this petition to send the 3 BISD schools to Grand Nationals in 2017!

The BISD schools are Richland, Haltom and Birdville! They are pretty good schools with outstanding shows this past season and I think this would be a once in a life time opportunity for these kids! It has been quite a long time since any of these schools have attended Grand Nats and I think we should help our Texas band family out! So lets share the word on this great petition and help send them to Grand Nationals!! 

 

Petition Link: 

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/help-send-the-bisd-schools-to-grand-nationals

[LKendrick]

......still going back to Keller.  Might be my 2016 favorite.  

[natertater21000]

......still going back to Keller. Might be my 2016 favorite.

The ballad had to be the most visually mezmorizing moment of the season.

[LeanderMomma]

Oh, and adding another to the list. Glenda Dawson's "Sound of Silence".....love the Flute work

 

 

Ok I know I'm late to the game, but I just went and found this on YouTube and you ain't kidding...the flute duet is insanely beautiful in this piece!

 

 

(at the 10 min mark--you're welcome).

 

Gorgeous.

[jps.eventing]

Favorites Categories:

 

Jawdrop - FloMo bringing the Mojo

Guard - LD Bell

Pun - Dripping Springs

Singer - Trinity

Orchestra - James Martin

Cool - CTJ

Huge Silk - Tie - Keller's clouds and Berkner's ending flyover with the shakos coming off

Accessory - Hendrickson's 3D Glasses

Lol best pun this makes me laugh...oh Drip what are we gonna do with ourselves