2013 Marching Band Thread

[Pembo]

Happy Friday Band Folks!
Tonight is 8th grade night and we have a group of alumni marching during pregame. Should be interesting....Plus we are playing a football team that the paper said we could beat. LOL We are currently 0-6 - ds is hoping for a perfect season, 0-10 rofl.

Tomorrow is a competition.

Good luck to everyone...

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Due to the rain we've had the past couple of days, the homecoming queen was crowned during the pep rally last night instead of the game today. The bonfire was lit in soaking rain. There was smoke everywhere, but the bonfire pile did actually catch fire, which was good thing.

The football team won today and is now 5 - 2. The band was going to play after the game (because the Homecoming court was going to be introduced at halftime), but because the queen was crowned yesterday, the band played at halftime. They wore t-shirts and jeans so their uniforms would stay clean for the competition tomorrow.

 

[marcyinPA]

For the first time in recent history, our band attended a football game wearing jeans, sneakers, the band t shirt, and their berets. Oh, and band issued raincoats. The weather stunk tonight!! The field was real grass (ours is turf- as most seem to be around here) so neither band did a field show. They just played the field show music from the stands.

We didn't go to this one, but DS14 said it was weird! Lol.

The football team lost. I think we are now 3 W 4L.

 

[PizzieDuster]

How fun for your girls! We have an amazing twirler at our high school. She went to Europe this past August for worlds. I watched her twirling 3 batons when she was still in elementary school. We are lucky to have an awesome majorette instructor, a world champion himself.

Welcome to our thread!

Awesome...post videos if you can!

 

[Pembo]

My son's dream is gone - our team won tonight so we are not 1-6. He had so hoped for a perfect season. Tradition is that after a win at a home game, the band plays. In four years we've never seen it. Year 1 - we didn't know. Year 2 and 3 they only won like 1 or 2 games. So we stayed last night and.....the director said they wouldn't be playing because we have competition the next day. Kids report time isn't until 2 pm - game ended by 9...I think he just wanted to be away from the 8th graders and the newly founded alumni band.

Our majorette advisor is a world class twirler and he twirled last night with the alumni at half time. I have no idea what else was happening, he stole the show! He threw that thing up so high, did a cartwheel, and caught it between his legs with so much nonchalance...It was AMAZING! I could watch him all day. Did I mention he's easy on the eyes too?!

 

[Gina]

About to head off to the Lone Star Preview contest... and the last competition I'll ever get to see my son march in. I'm not handling it well. But last night was awesome -- got to spend my birthday watching our undefeated Pearland Oilers win again, and got to watch my son march at halftime and even give me a big smile and wave as they were leaving the field.

Good luck to anyone else competing today!!

 

[camreesmom]

I don't think people lining up for seats is a small town thing so much as a Texas thing in general. We take our HS football very, very seriously, LOL. My friend and I have our primo reserved seats, and it's very hard to find two seats anywhere near us when my folks want to come to a game. Our town has 100K+ people -- there's plenty else to do! But under those Friday night lights is where they want to be.

You're probably right about it being a Texas thing, Gina. Our town travels well, too, and usually has more fans in the stands than the home team. We won again last night so we're 5-1 now.

I'm ready for some cooler weather! We're sitting outside right now waiting for the Fair parade to start & I feel like I am melting. The band will be 3rd or 4th in the parade but the cheerleaders will be last because the cheer sponsor forgot to register

Good luck to all those competing today & Happy belated Birthday, Gina!

 

[Gina]

Thanks Julie!

What a crazy day... We still don't know how the band did -- it was raining and lightning so much for a while and it delayed everything so bad, they had to cancel Finals. There were still 6 bands to perform, and we're hoping it cleared up enough for them to make it onto the field. We think it did. Then they're going to judge based on prelims and let everyone know. We'll see!! They sounded and looked better than we have heard them yet... we're all very proud of them.

I recorded their first movement -- it's in 720p, but you might have to change the setting so it'll play back in that resolution.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGGzsQ5qGS8

 

[Southernmiss]

Our football team won last night but our band messed up! They were so upset.

Today they had 2 competitions. In the first show they made straight superiors. Tonight they were Grand Champions!!!!!

In the six years we have had a band student (multiple kids over several consecutive years) they FINALLY bested their fiercest competitor! They have been second place to them by a tenth of a point. Tonight they were a full .75 an ahead.

I told the boys it was a good sign that they messed up last night and got it out of the way before today's competition.

Next week there is another local contest, gearing up to state in two weeks.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Thanks Julie!

What a crazy day... We still don't know how the band did -- it was raining and lightning so much for a while and it delayed everything so bad, they had to cancel Finals. There were still 6 bands to perform, and we're hoping it cleared up enough for them to make it onto the field. We think it did. Then they're going to judge based on prelims and let everyone know. We'll see!! They sounded and looked better than we have heard them yet... we're all very proud of them.

I recorded their first movement -- it's in 720p, but you might have to change the setting so it'll play back in that resolution.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGGzsQ5qGS8

Video is marked as private. Can't access it.

 

[PizzieDuster]

My daughter is in color guard. They were at practice from 9 - 5pm with the band all day today. One of the color guard broke her leg! From doing a dance move. My daughter was really upset at seeing her leg. She seems a little hesitant now.

Gosh, I wish I could post the videos I get from her coach on her routines. I tried to copy but it's not working. I get them by emails. I'd just like to know if other color guards are performing these very fast fast sets.

The color guard has still not performed at a high school game yet. The band has, not the color guard because the coach said they are not good enough.

I've watched others videos here and it looks nothing like what I'm getting on my email. If there is a color guard coach or someone who would like to see it, pm me and I'll email it to you. I did find out she is a 'back up'. She's only a freshman. No wonder, wish I could post the video.

 

[Gina]

Our football team won last night but our band messed up! They were so upset.

Today they had 2 competitions. In the first show they made straight superiors. Tonight they were Grand Champions!!!!!

Congrats to y'alls band!!!

Video is marked as private. Can't access it.

Oops...thanks for the heads up! I changed it from private to unlisted, hopefully that does the trick. Thanks!

 

[hanutedmansionmomma]

Went to Tulsa Union festival in OK yesterday. All of the bands were amazing! So much fun to watch.

Anyone else there?

 

[sm4987]

We had another competition last night and came in second place both times. There is this one band that stays just barely ahead of us each time so far and it is sooooo annoying. However each week we keep improving so it's all good.

This Wednesday is district competition. The band will also be in St. Louis this week for the BOA competition. Next Saturday is state and then it's all over! Seems like the marching season just went by so dang fast. It's all good though. The kids had fun, and we keep getting better. My hope is that the seniors get that gold medal they want so badly. My son says it like this, Mom I have a bronze, silver, now I need that gold medal! I'm praying that they make their goal!!!

 

[m&m's mom]

An update from our band competitions:
We swept everything at a competition here in Dallas area last week.
This week at BOA in Allen we got a rare 2nd place. It was a very, very long day. Kids had to be at school at 7am and due to rain/weather delays, the kids did not get back until 1:30am. It was definitely a tough day.
The weather last week was very rainy and chilly. Yesterday was HOT and humid- just miserable.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

So, the band phoned in the competition on Saturday. They weren't working at their best. It was they day of the homecoming dance, and they were supposed to go first, but ended up getting pushed to second by another band.

One of the judges gave them a summary of his observations, and wasn't too kind.

After that, the students that were going to the dance were allowed to leave early. 55 of the 65 band students students left early and went to the dance. Obviously it wasn't a good idea to go to this competition.

They had a score of 77 (exactly), and it turns out they toke second place in their division anyway. The first place team got a 78.95. They certainly could have done better, but the best score all night was a 84.5 so it's not like they were terrible compared to the rest of the bands.

 

[portocall]

Wow, missed this. I have a seventh grade tuba and a ninth grade bass drum. Both of them were playing different instruments last year but they both ended up in their schools advanced bands this year. Neither school has a football team so marching season won't ramp up until February for us. Both bands are newly establishing themselves as they are newer schools. Since they have large instruments, we bought them one for home and they use the schools so I don't have to transport them, thank goodness.

 

[luvmyfam444]

Our first competition went quite well. We were overall 3rd of 15. Yet 1.4 pt away from first. Pretty close I'd say.

Our color guard was 2nd in our class, beating out one of the excellent color guards (who came in 2nd overall).

Kinda exciting.

We only do 2 competitions a year...& they are back to back. so it'll be this Sat. We should do quite well. Only 1 school should be an issue - ya know that school that always wins everything? Who uses crazy amazing proms/costumes. Them. They are in our class. Oh great!

Can't wait!

Can't believe the season is almost over!!! We will be in playoffs so we'll go an extra week @ least.

 

[luvmyfam444]

My daughter is in color guard. They were at practice from 9 - 5pm with the band all day today. One of the color guard broke her leg! From doing a dance move. My daughter was really upset at seeing her leg. She seems a little hesitant now.

Gosh, I wish I could post the videos I get from her coach on her routines. I tried to copy but it's not working. I get them by emails. I'd just like to know if other color guards are performing these very fast fast sets.

The color guard has still not performed at a high school game yet. The band has, not the color guard because the coach said they are not good enough.

I've watched others videos here and it looks nothing like what I'm getting on my email. If there is a color guard coach or someone who would like to see it, pm me and I'll email it to you. I did find out she is a 'back up'. She's only a freshman. No wonder, wish I could post the video.

you can email the videos to me - we'd love to watch. Im sure we aren't doing anything fast enough to break a leg. Maybe a hand or finger with a rifle but not a leg!

 

[luvmyfam444]

so what's the differences in the different competition styles? BOA. etc? we compete in something that starts with an "M" I believe. and only 2 competitions
We don't have a state competition.