so marching band's already over...

[cc]z@nd! · Post by **[cc]z@nd!** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 2:42 pm

well, i just finished off my senior year of marching band, and i have to say it was really fulfilling. kind of sad it'll be my last year marching (unless i try out for a drumcore....) and it was weird going to a different high school for my senior year, but we had an amazing show at state finals.

to put things in perspective, there's this band in michigan called plymouth canton, and they've won states far ahead of everyone else ever since there was a state finals competition (they've even won grand nationals once!). Everyone here doesn't like 'em too much because they always win, and they always complain about how they have 3 schools worth of kids and all sorts of money, etc. but i've always felt they've just been real intense. Anyways, my band (Lake Orion) placed just barely behind 'em at states this year. we had an 89.15, they had a 91.7, and third place was way behind us with 82.25 (yes, it is a 100-point system) (source).

you might think it's kind of odd to be so happy about second, but the highest score this band's ever had before this was an 82, and we shattered it and put ourselves in the super-awesome-flight I category everybody puts plymouth in.

if i can find a video on youtube or something that's recent, i'll give a link, but so far the only one i've found is from a few weeks ago when the entire show wasn't even on yet.

so, anyone else here in band? how was your season, etc?

RvB}X · Post by **RvB}X** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 6:31 pm

We're going to state tomorrow and if we play like we did when we rehearsed tonight then I believe that we will do really well.

Unfortunately I messed up my left knee pretty bad three weeks ago so I haven't been able to march much until last Friday (which hurt horribly), but I'm still marching at state tomorrow mostly because I haven't done so (I was a Freshman and a shadow two years ago so I didn't get to) and my knee felt much better the beginning of last week compared to the week it happened.

And congratulations on second; the closest we've ever made was third and that was four years ago.

Edit: We (Connally) got second!

stephen10101 · Post by **stephen10101** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 8:26 pm

I march trumpet at Klein High School in Texas. We did really good, but the judges in BOA only care about how much money they get from people, so we didn't make finals, but everyone is really happy about how we did. Marcus won, they were incredible, and L.D. bell was second, I don't like them, because the way to get to grand nationals is to pay, and they already did, so its no wonder they got a high ranking. They won grand nationals last year, but that was an amazing show. I think I can find it on youtube, I can find ours too I think...

Here is L.D. Bell
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ay2k9mX0dXE

Here is ours from a football game http://youtube.com/watch?v=I_cRLQNJoCk

[cc]z@nd! · Post by **[cc]z@nd!** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 1:48 pm

it's not always about the money, but it is a factor depending on how things go. and as far as grand nationals, i think they take the first 90-100 bands that apply, so it's not such a great measurement of the best of the best really... it would be more accurate to take all state champions, or finalists or something, but they don't :\.

i can see how LD bell would score high in music and general effect, but their show you linked me to felt like it was made to score high, but it just wasn't really exciting or anything...

and i liked your show, although a show about a sidewalk cafe doesn't seem so exciting, and i've never seen the pit put on-field like that before but the props were creative. but what's the deal? if you have a time machine, tell me, i wanna see what 20007 is like!

stephen10101 · Post by **stephen10101** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 2:45 pm

Yeah, thats kind of how I felt about LD Bell.

Thanks man, our director had to make that at the last minute and was making some while we were learning what was already made, I was kind of disappointed about a sidewalk cafe show lol. No idea why the pit was on field though. I actually just noticed it said 20007 lol, so here is the future: We like in a world controlled by evil goats... not much more to say

Dsoup · Post by **Dsoup** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 4:56 pm

Our high school doesn't have a marching band, but our jazz band is ranked very high nationally, (in the top 10), and our honors concert band is pretty sweet as well.

Rio Americano High School that is.

[cc]z@nd! · Post by **[cc]z@nd!** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 7:30 pm

yeah, apparently my old school was about to do a show called "church windows", then the director slapped himself and realized "earth, wind, fire, and water" would make a better show.

and i'll hold out another day or so before i post my band's youtube video. there's one on there, but i'm gonna see if a more recent one pops up... if you don't wanna wait, just search for "lake orion band" and watch the 10 minute one.