A Bando's Blog / Marching Band (merged)

tht00 · 10-04-2005, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrialByFire

Wow! you must have an awesome band. I couldn't really tell you about my band. All that i know is that our band Director is one of the top 10 in the country, which is quite impressing if you actually know him. Weird guy....Mr. Jeff Tower of Hemet, CA. The dude's wack.

Yeah; I miss marching band a lot; not so much concert/jazz band. Eastern is a class D band by ISSMA standards (the smallest; C, B, and A are respectively bigger). Typically, the competition becomes more fierce as the classes go higher; I think that is mostly because there are more bad bands that are small than those that are big. Small schools don't generally get a great marching program going, although they can, and the competition among the best of the class D is intense as well.

I just heard from one of the drum majors that they got 2nd (out of 5 passing out of districts); I also watched the video (its online on the link I posted earlier), which there were some major improvements on (many of which I had noted as problems earlier).

If you get a chance, I highly recommend watching the newest video (Lewis Cass- Districts, as of now).

I'm going to be going to the competition this next weekend, and then I'll do what I can to go to the weekend after this (Regionals, the one that counts) and then (hopefully) State Finals, given that they make it past regionals.

TrialByFire · 10-06-2005, 06:20 PM

awesome

tht00 · 10-15-2005, 10:38 AM

For all you band nerds (and even those that aren't), I thought I might share this with a larger section of CGR (there's a thread in the forum I mod, other misc instruments), but on to the good stuff:

I graduated last year, was a section leader and all that good stuff, and I've been keeping up with how the band is doing this year, and they look great. Today is Regionals for them, which could quite possibly be the end of the line for their year. 16 class D bands at Carmel today, and only 5 move out of this Regional competition (2 regionals in the state), thus whoever makes the top 5 from each class from each regional competition will move on to State Finals down in the RCA Dome next week.

They've got a great shot at making it to State Finals, and below is a video from last week (and Carmel hosted a competiton last week, which is where Regionals is for them today).

The band director has also been taking the videos from the competitions and uploading them to the internet, and are available for download. If you enjoy marching band, or if you simply do not know what its all about, download the video and find out. Keep in mind that the videos never give justice to the sound of the band (audio), but it doesn't do too bad of a job. (and they are all between 15-20MB)

FYI, in the 4 years that I've been in marching band, we went to State once (should have gone at least another time... last year, one of the bands that 'beat' us and got into State was a joke to watch, but I won't go there). Some strange stuff has gone on with the judging before, and I hope that it doesn't happen today.

Also, State Competitions in the RCA Dome were probably the single most awesome experience I've ever had. It was... incredible.

So, they've got a good chance. I fully expect Woodlan and Northwestern to make it in, it'll be a battle between Winchester, Taylor (haven't seen their show yet, but I know they scored high early in the season), Eastern (my old school), and some others I haven't seen yet (Fairfield, Heritage, Manchester) to make it through.

List of performances and videos:
http://www.eastern.k12.in.us/band/mbperformances.php

The video I recommend watching is the Carmel competition, especially if you don't watch any others.:
http://www.eastern.k12.in.us/band/vi...8.05carmel.wmv

Complete list of bands at Carmel are on the 2nd page of the itinerary.

Oh, and a random comments I didn't know where else to put:
over 100 hours goes into preparing a typical marching band show as this, and the single goal of most bands(besides to have fun) is to get to State Finals (depending on the band, some small/bad bands are exited to get to Regionals).

Well, I've got to get going off to the competition; enjoy the videos.

Micahb · 10-15-2005, 12:12 PM

This post is too long and serious.
Get out of the CPF

Almost Enough · 10-15-2005, 01:11 PM

our school is doing our first real field show ever this year. we look so bad! for the past two years we had a director who was new, and decided that since we live in "hick country" that it wouldn't matter how we looked, so we'll just go out, get in a formation and blow, then walk off. well, we get a call up from a guy who has been out of it for a while, but he at one point coached the blue devils and a ton of other top marching bands, and he wants a small project. so the guy puts together our first field show for us, and we're going to competition in a few weeks. our goal is basically this: no person in the audience vomits when we're done. that's about it.

walkwjc · 10-15-2005, 01:53 PM

Sorry, I didn't know this would just get moved right back to misc instruments.

The vid was cool though! I played trumpet and was section leader in H.S. I had many solos, and that was my strengh. To be able to stand in the front and play was just awesome. Then run back to the line. Whoo hoo!

SageMenno · 10-15-2005, 05:25 PM

I had been wondering WHY you asked me to pay specific attention to the Carmel video, and at the end I knew why. GO LARRY! Yeah, I heard it. hahahahaha...

Hope you had a safe trip home.

tht00 · 10-16-2005, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Almost Enough

our school is doing our first real field show ever this year. we look so bad! for the past two years we had a director who was new, and decided that since we live in "hick country" that it wouldn't matter how we looked, so we'll just go out, get in a formation and blow, then walk off. well, we get a call up from a guy who has been out of it for a while, but he at one point coached the blue devils and a ton of other top marching bands, and he wants a small project. so the guy puts together our first field show for us, and we're going to competition in a few weeks. our goal is basically this: no person in the audience vomits when we're done. that's about it.

Wow... I've seen some pretty bad bands where I've wanted to vomit. yeah... enough said.

Quote:

Originally Posted by walkwjc

Sorry, I didn't know this would just get moved right back to misc instruments.

eh, whatever. I figured it might anyway... but at least it may draw some attention to this unknown and forgotten ~~wasteland~~ forum.

Quote:

Originally Posted by walkwjc

The vid was cool though! I played trumpet and was section leader in H.S. I had many solos, and that was my strengh. To be able to stand in the front and play was just awesome. Then run back to the line. Whoo hoo!

I thought some may enjoy the video(s)... and maybe get rid of some of the stereotypes of what "marching band" is and isn't...(and also show off my old band; I'm very proud, if you can't tell) but then again, it depends on the region. From what I hear, Indiana is one of the top for marching... so I guess I was born in the right state.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SageMenno

I had been wondering WHY you asked me to pay specific attention to the Carmel video, and at the end I knew why. GO LARRY! Yeah, I heard it. hahahahaha...

Hope you had a safe trip home.

Hey, its Dan!

Actually, I didn't even realize there was a 'Go Larry!' in that one (inside joke... its a tradition now); I simply picked it because it was, by far, the best show they had done up to that point.

Speaking of best shows, they rocked the stadium today, and they're going to the Dome this upcomming Saturday!! The rankings were a bit off from what I had expected. Northwestern and Woodlan, the two I thought would make it through easy, didn't make it at all; a big shock. I didn't get there in time to see either of them, so I don't know specifically why.

Taylor
Winchester
Heritage
Pioneer
Eastern (I think that is how they ranked)

Woodlan got 6th, and around a 4 point gap from Eastern (which is a lot in a band competition... scores ranked i the 60-70 range this week, and at Regionals, bands can miss state by fractions of a point (happened to some friends' band before; different class though)

Northwester, I'm not sure where they ranked, but they had a sweet show this year. They moved down a class(to ours) last year and have been some fierce competition to Eastern, but I really feel sorry for them... but as I said, I didn't see them today, and a bad run at regionals will do them in.

The judges were also a bit funky. Taylor, who had a decent show, didn't have anything really spectacular; I expected them to land 5th or 6th, and the judges placed them first. Winchester, who looked less than mediocre last week, fixed some serious problems, and they looked great. They were placed about right (2nd). Pioneer, similar to Taylor; nothing great about their opener or closer (and I noticed some serious problems here and there)... but their balad in the middle was fantastic... you really need more than just a good balad to pull the show through. The judges put them either 3rd or 4th. Heritage, I didn't see. Eastern, too, stepped it up a notch. Great performance, better than last week at Carmel, and was just awesome; still some problems with the show, here and there, but I thought they should have been placed at least 3-4th. Anyway, the numbers fall the way they do.

Anyway, its late; I'm going to bed. I may post some pictures later... I'll give a link when Sampson gets the videos up... and he has a place to post the State videos, so I'll also post a link there when they come up.

I'm very excited that they'll get to go; the main reason I wanted to goto State last year was for the new members; I had a fairly young section- myself a senior, there was a junior, two freshmen, and an eight-grader (3 first timers). Unfortunently, we didn't go on last year... but its also nice that, even after they lost a huge amount of seniors last year and gained a lot of newbies, they were able to pick this show up and run with it, and take it all the way.

Alright; I'm done rambling... g'night all.

TrialByFire · 10-17-2005, 06:14 PM

kool, i got some other person's thread merged to mine....
Hey guys, just remember to stay on topic in here....we don't want some awesome Bando blog going to the CPF.....just a reminder...

tht00 · 10-17-2005, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrialByFire

kool, i got some other person's thread merged to mine....
Hey guys, just remember to stay on topic in here....we don't want some awesome Bando blog going to the CPF.....just a reminder...

I created the marching band thread in CPF...(to get some more people involved), but it got moved to GD... and then right back here. I don't think there is any chance of this thing going to CPF... ironically, it came from there.

TrialByFire · 10-17-2005, 06:28 PM

oh kool....thanx!

sanctusfan14 · 10-19-2005, 10:39 PM

band is the greatest! well, marching is, concert band is a bore

we got this awesome show, letters from the front. we play this music that goes with letters someone is reading. they are actually real letters written by people during the war. at first the guy is all proud that he can serve his country, then he sees his first small action, and is scared. later he remembers his gf and misses how they used to dance(we play boogie woogie bugle boy

) and then, he sees his first real action, and we have this battle part, that makes no sense, and has no beat, but is actually straight forward, lol. Then he writes his parents saying hes going home and there is this big hit and its....well, its amazing, lol. especially the taps part, cuz he talks about his friend that died. We got UIL marching saturday, and area after that(we actually have a chance of going to state this year!!!!) i march the bass clarinet(yay go bass's!) well, i kinda went off on that...

tht00 · 10-20-2005, 10:12 PM

State Finals comming up. The video from Regionals is up on the website I posted above. I'll be sure to post some pictures and the results sometime next week.

bandgeek · 01-22-2006, 04:16 PM

hey. im a major band nerd, bando whatever you want to call it.

im in 8th grade but play in the high school band alot. i play bari sax and tuba. i freakin love band. unfortunetly our band director is... my mom.

uhh. well i get rid of her next year when i go to the high school.

we did an awsome feild show this year. it was "the blues brothers" our DMs even looked like them dressed in suits and sunglasses. it was moagorly cool. what was everyone elses feild show this year? (before boring concert band started.

)
bandgeek

stradigirlnhs · 03-14-2007, 06:48 PM

I play trumpet (which everyone knows is THE best instrument in the band

) and I'm more than likely going to be a section leader next year.

Has anyone heard of Mark Poole? He was my old band director and he's been around the block a few times, great man. Or um...hmmm what's his first name...oh yeah, Mason Daffinee? He marched Phantom Regiment a few years back and is one of our Assistant BDs now.