Edgy/Risqué Content on Field

[FaultLineBlues]

As the title says, what's the most risky or mature show/movement a high school has put on field? I don't just mean in terms of like shock value, I also mean stuff like the Plymouth Canton in the 1990s and early 2000s, with shows that had some level of a look at social standards and a bit of a of parody of those standards. I'm especially interested to see if there's anything more modern that contains something like that.

[gmtb617]

I wonder what reactions Hendrickson will garner with their “Music for a Decadent People.”

[zoomer]

  On 8/12/2019 at 10:49 PM, FaultLineBlues said:

As the title says, what's the most risky or mature show/movement a high school has put on field? I don't just mean in terms of like shock value, I also mean stuff like the Plymouth Canton in the 1990s and early 2000s, with shows that had some level of a look at social standards and a bit of a of parody of those standards. I'm especially interested to see if there's anything more modern that contains something like that.

SFA walking into grand nats finals with a dance team lol

[LeanderMomma]

  On 8/13/2019 at 1:20 AM, zoomer said:

SFA walking into grand nats finals with a dance team lol

And doing it WELL!

[Samuel Culper]

  On 8/13/2019 at 1:20 AM, zoomer said:

SFA walking into grand nats finals with a dance team lol

Like Vandegrift is going to this year?

[justabandkid94]

Broken Arrow 2011 - Destiny Leaves You No Choice.

 

While a championship show, I recall mixed reception from multiple audiences I saw it with -- most gripes being from parents of other bands. The show is a love story and has all the typical BA/Cartwright theatrics. I remember complaints about the guard dress, as well as some pretty sensual choreography where guard members would literally throw themselves into the arms of wind players. Nothing insane enough that ignited debate on forums (if memory serves right), but the audience side comments were definitely there. Beautiful show, and I personally never viewed it as objectifying, but I've yet to be a parent so.. Hope this is an answer you are looking for

[ctex1994]

Marian Catholic 2012 - My Brothers Keeper

 

A show about mans inhumanity to man. This show was haunting. It begins with narration from Holocaust survivor and author Ellie Weisel. There was a segment where they played the Aria from "music for prague" and had news clips from 9-11 playing in the background. You can even hear hitler and osama bin laden at one point. The closer features haunting narration from Dr. Martin Luther King. 

 

[LeanderMomma]

  On 8/13/2019 at 4:59 PM, ctex1994 said:

Marian Catholic 2012 - My Brothers Keeper

 

A show about mans inhumanity to man. This show was haunting. It begins with narration from Holocaust survivor and author Ellie Weisel. There was a segment where they played the Aria from "music for prague" and had news clips from 9-11 playing in the background. You can even hear hitler and osama bin laden at one point. The closer features haunting narration from Dr. Martin Luther King. 

 

 

Evidently another band took some flack for doing something similar right after 9-11??

[notmyfirstrodeo]

I know Forney’s show from this year, entitled Barriers, has a wall of props that extend the entire length of the field and move throughout the show. The first thing that comes to mind is “the wall”, although it is meant to represent many situations.

[An Inspirational Pinecone]

  On 8/13/2019 at 9:52 PM, notmyfirstrodeo said:

I know Forney’s show from this year, entitled Barriers, has a wall of props that extend the entire length of the field and move throughout the show. The first thing that comes to mind is “the wall”, although it is meant to represent many situations.

I'm pretty sure that The Woodlands had a show like that in 2002 or 2003 about numbers. They had a nice little segment for 9/11

[SpartanBandAlum]

  On 8/13/2019 at 6:36 PM, LeanderMomma said:

Evidently another band took some flack for doing something similar right after 9-11??

Tarpon Springs ‘01 at the Atlanta regional, possibly? They had a bunch of props with pictures of the towers on them on the field during Adagio for Strings, from what I’ve read on the forums. I believe they changed that part after the backlash from Atlanta

[LeanderMomma]

  On 8/14/2019 at 12:05 AM, SpartanMarcher said:

Tarpon Springs ‘01 at the Atlanta regional, possibly? They had a bunch of props with pictures of the towers on them on the field during Adagio for Strings, from what I’ve read on the forums. I believe they changed that part after the backlash from Atlanta

Yes that was it.

[LKendrick]

  On 8/13/2019 at 4:59 PM, ctex1994 said:

Marian Catholic 2012 - My Brothers Keeper

 

A show about mans inhumanity to man. This show was haunting. It begins with narration from Holocaust survivor and author Ellie Weisel. There was a segment where they played the Aria from "music for prague" and had news clips from 9-11 playing in the background. You can even hear hitler and osama bin laden at one point. The closer features haunting narration from Dr. Martin Luther King.

 

That show makes my spine tingle. Shows like that are risky, but I think they 100% pulled it off.

[Bandnerd03]

While this isn't necessarily "on the field", Northmont's 1997 WGI show "Dante's Inferno" was definitely controversial. It even includes a fake hanging of a guard member. 

 

[lost]

Plymouth-Canton 1999 as a whole could be considered a pretty edgy show and they won grand bats with it

[FloMoParent]

I remember the color guard member "dancing" on Hebron's sax solo during preliminaries of the 2015 BOA-DFW.  I heard (no real source) that someone complained that the dancer was "dirty dancing" with the saxophonist and it was noticeably toned down for finals and the rest of the season

[LeanderMomma]

  On 8/16/2019 at 7:06 PM, FloMoParent said:

I remember the color guard member "dancing" on Hebron's sax solo during preliminaries of the 2015 BOA-DFW. I heard (no real source) that someone complained that the dancer was "dirty dancing" with the saxophonist and it was noticeably toned down for finals and the rest of the season

Ha now that you mention it, I remember feeling a bit uncomfortable when watching that sax solo video on YouTube because they zoom in on the girl. It’s definitely a bit of a sexually charged dance by the entire color guard during that solo. Even toned down. I can’t imagine what it was like earlier in the season! (Now everyone is going to look that up on YT).

[josephbandfan]

I remember being caught off guard by it. But I liked their final version. Felt like it added a bit of maturity to the show. 

[LeanderMomma]

Haha haha the edgiest thing this season may be the CTJ parent flash mob I just saw on Instagram.

[justabandkid94]

Considering the religious themes, did Avon 2008 push armchair critics’ buttons the time? Just revisited this show for the first time in a while and don’t remember that season at all

 

Side note, I think their 2007 show may actually be superior to this one...

[LeanderMomma]

  On 8/30/2019 at 6:44 PM, justabandkid94 said:

Considering the religious themes, did Avon 2008 push armchair critics’ buttons the time? Just revisited this show for the first time in a while and don’t remember that season at all

 

Side note, I think their 2007 show may actually be superior to this one...

2007 was spectacular.

[LeanderMomma]

2008 was a phenomenal show as well. They won GN with it. It’s definitely bit controversial for such a Christian part of the country and I’m not exactly sure whether the message was supposed to be serious or tongue in cheek. It’s an amusing show with quite a serious message. Great rifle work too during that Ave Maria ballad. Avon has always had an incredible guard and 2008 was no exception.

 

Here’s a link to a less than stellar quality video, but you can get the idea. I think a colorguard dad must have filmed it.

 

[justabandkid94]

  On 8/30/2019 at 10:30 PM, LeanderMomma said:

2007 was spectacular.

Agreed! One of my faves of all time