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2019 BOA San Antonio


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I never did do my own analysis of the weekend, not that it matters really at this point. There was so much I wanted to say, but just haven't been able to find the proper words really to talk about all of the amazing experiences I had last weekend at what was easily the best and most incredible band contest I personally have ever witnessed. Part of me is even a bit apprehensive of going to Grand Nationals now in fear that it will be a giant letdown after what I experienced last weekend in the Alamodome. I know that it won't, and that it will still be amazing, but I am not sure it will be able to capture the same magic that the 2019 BOA San Antonio Super Regional did for me.

 

I will just touch on some highlights because there isn't enough time or words for me to really portray how incredible the weekend was. And as chatty as I am, just giving you the highlights will be enough, I'm sure. Probably more than you ever asked for....but I digress. Here we go...

 

  • this was easily the most incredible level of competition I've ever witnessed as far as bands go. Not only did Reagan have the highest score ever recorded at a Super Regional, but Leander had their personal best highest score as well, and that was a FOURTH place score. The competition level was through the roof.
  • there were bands I had only vaguely heard of in recent years who absolutely blew me away. Some examples of that were...
  • Obra D Tompkins and their beautiful Danza Espanola show. The colorguard was just incredible...and those POLKA DOT FLAGS...wow. This show was just gorgeous.
  • Cypress Falls was another great group that entertained with their brilliant Wonderland show. Just phenomenal.
  • Weiss and it's stunning Scarlet Dance Company. That Egyptian "Golden Goddess" show was just so thrilling and beautiful to look at. And the music so gorgeous. I truly couldn't get enough. I didn't want it to end!
  • Coppell....just WOW. So innovative with everyone wearing those long head dress filmy things. The music so raw and powerful. It was a superb show that would have been top half of finals in any other Regional or Super Regional I have to believe. Soooo good.
  • Vista Murrieta showing us what an insanely talented color guard looks like and why they are one of the top two bands in the entire state of California. I'm SO glad they came to Texas and I almost wish it hadn't been as intense of a year for Texas bands so that they could have made finals. Almost...
  • Roma giving us a taste of why they are so good and what a huge shame it is that they were disqualified from 5A state because of that unfortunate timing issue at Area. They would have done SO WELL at state and I hope they just come back next time better than ever. They will be back!!
  • Pioneer, one of my favorite valley bands these past two years, just really brought it and they played Chris Isaac which is always a big plus in my book. They will be rising higher and higher in coming years as well, mark my words.
  • CY FAIR!!! How cool was that Fall For You show?!! Not only was it musically beautiful, but the trees with the falling leaves?! I will never forget that one. Just a gorgeous show. And how impressive were all those kids pulling out rakes to get all those leaves up in mere moments?! Great stuff there Cy Fair!
  • Wakeland. Oh how I loved their Rocketship show about Apollo 11! Definitely one of my top favorite non finalist shows, hands down.
  • Dawson may have blown me away more than any other non finalist band on Saturday. That show was absolutely STUNNING. Visually and musically just so powerful and beautiful. I didn't want that one to ever end. Look this one up on youtube if you can find it. It's so good!
  • Aledo...another really powerful performance that was just brilliant. This band was on fire Saturday.
  • John B Alexander. Have I mentioned before how much I love them? Their Minutes to Midnight show was so intense and the props were just fantastic. Where did they get that COOL vault?! And how did they unroll an entire football field sized tarp and then march their show on it without missing a beat? Their show definitely gave me Leander vibes, but yet it was most definitely very unique and very JBA. And they played so well. It was just another brilliant show that really moved me.
  • ALL of the finalists bands. Every one of them was beyond brilliant. There are no words for the level of performance that the finalist bands brought this year. No words.
  • Leander...of course. The band of my heart. When they performed Radioactive in prelims, the crowd was just on FIRE. It was the hugest rush I have ever gotten from watching the activity and that show is truly the best Leander show to date. I can't wait to see it in Lucas Oil next week. I hope the crowd is as responsive there as it was in San Antonio. Just wow, what an enjoyable show, and you can sure tell that the kids are enjoying performing it.
The most uplifting and incredible experience that I had last weekend was getting to briefly meet the John B Alexander band. Yes, the ENTIRE band. Their director reached out to me and asked if I would, and I was so honored (and slightly terrified) to say hello to those amazing kids and tell them how fantastic I think they are. I wish I had had more time to spend with them and that I could have let them each know how much their performances move me. I can't wait to see how much this band grows because the potential there is just huge. JBA, let me just say that I love you guys, and I am so anxious to see what you all bring to the field next year. You are just an incredible group of performers and fantastic human beings, and please don't ever think that you aren't as good as other Texas bands because you guys are beyond impressive. Keep doing what you do, and you will gain the recognition that you deserve. But most of all, you will gain self respect and the respect of your peers for all of your hard work and incredible talent. You guys KNOW how good you are. Pretty soon, others around you will come to recognize it as well.

 

Okay, we can shut down the 2019 BOA San Antonio thread now. :lol: What a weekend. What a contest. What an incredible massive field of phenomenal talent.

Now it’s leander/jba momma

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Random Factoid:

 

Ronald Reagan now owns the highest and lowest score ever at San Antonio Finals: 77.35 in 2009, and 97.3 in 2019.

 

What a perfect stat to show how far the State of Texas and BOA SA has come in 10 years.  77.35 would have been 52nd place in 2019.  Amazing progress from both Reagan and the entire state!!

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  • 4 weeks later...

Ok, I'm a late for the post, but this SA trip was the blast we had been hoping for. Mrs AvonDad and myself finally arrived Friday afternoon to start our lineup with John B Alexander. (you can keep your Dallas/Austin traffic, felt like I was driving for NASCAR) The Mrs is a voice teacher and teaches kids to sing and can only take so much band at a time... until then. I've been lucky to get her to watch 3-4 bands in a row before she's ready to find something else. In the local comps our band is normally last and she likes to get there a band before, I prefer to watch all I can...but I digress.

 

After JBA blew us away, I think it was Keller that was up next to peel paint. I'm discovering from watching on Flomarching that you don't have to watch the Texas bands to enjoy them as you can close your eyes and listen to the music itself as that good. The visual is the icing on the cake. Watching the shows live is worth the trip and then to see the Texas 6 pack live 2 weeks later was a definite memorable time. I was a bit shocked that the Mrs wasn't ready to leave after a couple of groups and was wanting to learn what she should watch for. I was trying to give her some pointers and LeanderMomma was a help as well. She saw what made SA such a treat for me and got into it herself. We needed that 4.30 break to wrap our heads around what we had just experienced....absolutely mind blowing...and then came more. We did take off for the evening after Alter as we have friends who are connected with the band and they are from where we both grew up, plus with the time difference and she's not a night owl. sidenote: I've always found it fascinating that Alter takes the field without a drum major.

 

We made it back later than we wanted on Sat as we messed up trying to get around on the bus after lunch at the Riverwalk, heading on the other way around our loop. Oops! Weather was beautiful with temps starting in the 30s and pushing 60s in the evening, unlike the 90s we had in 2017. Again SA Finals blew away anything we had experienced at LOS. The quality of the programs and music put out on a field is worth the trip to experience live. Streaming is a great way to see what a group is doing, but you can't experience the overwhelming sound that hits you square in the chest, crisp, clean, solid, the dynamics, all while moving on a field. You have to be there to feel the energy those kids produce from the field.

 

I know I'm going to leave people out, so please don't take it as any slight, it was all you can do to keep things straight with all the stellar performances happening. Keller made an impact with their horns, CTJ - love the show with the guard jumping over the band like gazelle, the cubs "fighting with each other" on the side, the kids sold it, The Woodlands made you believe they had gotten off the ship for the first time in 6 months with their enthusiasm, Leander with Brittney and Tchaikovsky on the same field filling the field with streamers with energy and excitement you can't feel from streaming. Vandy, Reagan, Hebron, Flower Mound....not enough words to describe. I think it was Hendrickson with the I Will Survive / Bacchanale duet that put chills down us yet didn't make it to finals. Unreal. Did I mention that the Mrs is a vocal teacher? To that singer, you had her attention. :) I was asked when we got back home if Reagan really was that good. Yep. Then they told me they wished Reagan was coming to GN. My drummer of a son still talks about Round Rock's drum line. He was able to see them live at GN during semis and was greatly impressed with their splits and wonder if they competed during the winter season.

 

SA Finals was what makes it SA SR. Run the same groups again and the placements could easily change as the kids are all that good. Hours and hours of long work with practice, memorization, drill all culminating for a run in the finals. Wow. Just wow.

 

We got to put names and faces together from these forums while there and had a blast the entire time. We are still in awe with the warm welcomes we received and the Texas hospitality, the taffy and some Bush's Chicken Tender Rolls on the way out of town from a well know recommendation. :) I would highly recommend if anyone who has not been to SA SR is thinking about it, do it. We made a week of it running through about 9 different states, 2700 miles, looping through a couple of places the Mrs wanted to see, but the highlight was that Fri and Sat at the Alamodome. Ok, the Mrs really enjoyed our stop in Oklahoma at the Pioneer Woman cooking show something or another....

 

2017 we experienced a record breaking score with CTJ and a spread of 1.05 pts between 2nd through 6th place and a band winning a caption without taking a medal, twice.

2019 we experienced a record breaking score with RR and a spread of 1.12 pts between 3rd through 7th place.

 

So......2021? Yeah....already planning on a return trip. :rolleyes: Still haven't put our house on the market to move there though as someone asked on another forum. The Mrs likes her different seasons, which we can do all 4 in a day here. :)

 

Thanks again for your Texas Hospitality!

Wonderful review of the superb SA SR we had this year. And I’m so happy y’all came down on one of the best Texas years to date! Hopefully we can serve up another fantastic trip for y’all if/when you return in 2021. :) Our Grand Nats experience was equally phenomenal and I can’t wait to do it again!

 

My next goal is to attend WGI Worlds in 2021 when Leander goes back.

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