Best/favorite show for your favorite groups?

[nomorehoney]

This could be what you think is objectively the best show for any group (scores, placements, overall success), and/or your favorite show for any group. You can pick whichever groups you want, whether it be your alma mater, your favorite groups, the top groups from whichever state you're from, etc. 

I'll start:

O'Fallon Township:
Most successful year: 2018 - Stretching the Canvas
Favorite show: 2017- The White Canvas

Lincoln-Way Community:
Most successful year: 2019 - Scene Unseen
Favorite show: 2018 - Las Rosas

Castle:
Most successful year: 2017 - Fly to Paradise
Favorite show: 2017 - Fly to Paradise

Blue Springs:
Most successful year: 2018 - From a Different Angle
Favorite show: 2018 - From a Different Angle

Broken Arrow:
Most successful year: Arguably 2015, possibly 2011
Favorite show: 2014 - FACEme 

[marimba11]

Nov 4, 2021 14:48:04 GMT -6 nomorehoney said:

This could be what you think is objectively the best show for any group (scores, placements, overall success), and/or your favorite show for any group. You can pick whichever groups you want, whether it be your alma mater, your favorite groups, the top groups from whichever state you're from, etc. 

I'll start:

O'Fallon Township:
Most successful year: 2018 - Stretching the Canvas
Favorite show: 2017- The White Canvas

Lincoln-Way Community:
Most successful year: 2019 - Scene Unseen
Favorite show: 2018 - Las Rosas

Castle:
Most successful year: 2017 - Fly to Paradise
Favorite show: 2017 - Fly to Paradise

Blue Springs:
Most successful year: 2018 - From a Different Angle
Favorite show: 2018 - From a Different Angle

Broken Arrow:
Most successful year: Arguably 2015, possibly 2011
Favorite show: 2014 - FACEme 


Wando:
Most successful year: 2018 - By a Thread
Favorite show: 2012 - Immortal (2013 is a close second)


James F. Byrnes:
Most successful year: 2019 - Pinball Fantasy
Favorite show: 2013 - Rush (not Scott Rush lol, but seriously it was so high energy). 2016 is a close second

Fort Mill:
Most successful year: 2017 - The Golden Age 
Favorite show: 2011 - Vertigo (although 2015 Torn is a close second)


Nation Ford:
Most successful year: 2012 - The New World (argument could be made for 2015)
Favorite show: 2011 - The Grid

Summerville:
Most Successful year: 2019 - We The People (arguments could be made for 2014 or 2016)
Favorite show: 2016 - Jeux

[verysaxy]

2010’s Edition:

Lafayette, KY (home state) —
Most Successful: “Seeking Refuge”, 2019
Favorite: “Seeking Refuge”, 2019

North Hardin, KY —
Most Successful: “Both Sides Now”, 2015
Favorite: “No Beginning, No End”, 2018

Avon, IN (#1 in my heart) —
Most Successful: “Iconoclash”, 2010
Favorite: “UnBAROQUEn”, 2019

Hebron, TX —
Most Successful: “360”, 2015
Favorite: “360”, 2015

Carmel, IN —
Most Successful: “Voyage to Valhalla”, 2018
Favorite: “Eternal Beloved”, 2019

Flower Mound, TX —
Most Successful: “Leonardo’s Dream”, 2016
Favorite: “POP”, 2018

Tarpon Springs, FL —
Most Successful: “Man Vs. Machine”, 2014
Favorite: “RP1”, 2018

Castle, IN —
Most Successful: “Fly To Paradise”, 2017
Favorite: “Fly To Paradise”, 2017


Notable mentions from the programs above:
Avon 2010, 2017, 2018
Hebron 2019
North Hardin 2017, 2019
Carmel 2017
FloMo 2017

[marchingmaniac]

The following are just some of my favorites over the years:

The Woodlands: "Crossing Boundaries", 2013
Coppell: "Fury", 2013
Leander: "The Fourth Dimension", 2016
Claudia Taylor Johnson: "The Forest Through the Trees", 2017
Hebron: "Sculpt", 2017
Flower Mound: "Fractured Dreams", 2017


Definitely a lot more that I love but these are just the ones off the top of my head. I have a LOT of favorites this year as well but I'll wait till the season is over to talk about those.

[cp823]

Picking one favorite is always exceedingly difficult but here goes

Carmel - 2012 “What a Tangled Web We Weave”
Avon - 2013 “Statuesque”
Broken Arrow - 2014 “FaceMe”
Blue Springs - 2015 “Subliminal”
William Mason - 2014 “Once Upon a Time”
Tarpon Springs - 2010 “Paranormal”
Ronald Reagan - 2014 “Hourglass”
The Woodlands - 2015 “Timebenders”
Flower Mound - 2016 “Leonardo’s Dream”
Claudia Taylor Johnson - 2014 “Chameleon”
Leander - 2014 “Color Study”
Hebron - 2014 “When Midnight Comes”
Marcus - 2012 “Gilded Melodies (BWB2012)”
Vista Ridge - 2018 “Hide and Seek”
Vandegrift - 2017 “Symphony of Silence”

[charredbrown]

Oh, this is going to be fun!

• Morton: 2008 "AF: 632 Brave New World" 
      - I had to put my alma mater on this list - not only because I'm swelling with Morton pride this year, but also because this show is the one that inspired my love of the program. It affected the entire trajectory of my life: I'm a band director now because of this show.
• Avon: 2009 "CommUNIFORMity"
      - Possibly my favorite show of all time. A simple yet engaging concept, fantastic music, an unstoppable guard, breath-taking brass - truly the whole package. It also helps that 2009 was my freshman year and my first BOA experience.
• Broken Arrow: 2011 "Destiny Leaves You No Choice"
      - Still a little salty that Avon didn't get the four-peat, but with this show being as flawless as it was I can't complain. WAGNER.
      - Honorable mention goes to 2008's "RUNaWAY" which was absolutely bonkers and fantastic.
• Carmel: 2016 "Adagio Presto"
      - I think I might have a thing for Romantic-era harmonies? Love seeing Mahler marched.
• Marian Catholic: 2010 "On Being Hit On The Head"
      - A bit of a dark-horse pick here. Even when I was in high school I thought the concept of this show was fascinating. Too bad there isn't a quality video of it anywhere.
• Ronald Reagan: 2003 "Beyond Perimeters"
      - Two words: Drill. Design. (secret third word: Grainger  )
• LD Bell: 2006 "The Remaining"
      - I'll never forget my freshman year when the seniors were describing their experiences seeing this show live. "It made me want to cry, throw up, and cheer all at the same time!" What amazing GE!
• Tarpon Springs: 2010 "Paranormal"
      - I had the pleasure of seeing this one live a couple times, and it was AMAZING. The floating bed prop will go down in history.
• Hebron: 2015 "360"
      - This show really put Hebron on my radar, and it made me wish I had been watching them the whole time! 
• Flower Mound: 2017 "Fractured Moments"
      - I streamed Grand Nats Finals for my fellow music ed friends in college that year, and we all liked Flower Mound's show the best. Those woodwinds!
• The Woodlands: 2011 "Uninvited"
      - What a weird show! But I just adore it. It was the year of Beethoven's 7th - and what a year it was!

[OldSchoolTrumpet]

Homestead

Most Successful (2011) "Children of the Sun"
Favorite (2012) "The Lost Melody"

Notes:

Both pre-BOA shows. Choosing 2011 as most successful is a no-brainer, State Champion, winning over three time defending BOA champion Avon, though a lot of things had to fall into place for that to happen. Good judge lineup, fortuitous performance order on Finals night, etc. But Homestead did "win" at semistate the week before as well, so it wasn't a single night fluke. I doubt Homestead would have eclipsed (see what I did there) Avon (or Carmel) at BOA, but it was a show built for ISSMA and was a huge success. Almost all original music, save for the "Eclipse" segment in part 3.

My favorite might seem odd to Homestead watchers but I loved 2012's The Lost Melody. One of the last of their all original music shows, it was prop-free, tarp free, and had the best brass I've seen from Homestead. Texas would have been proud. Honestly, I think the 2012 production was better than 2011 (they beat Avon at State again, and for the last time) but they ran into Carmel's "Tangled Web" show and finished 2nd by .4 or .5. I think they'd have easily finished top 6 at BOA had they gone in 2012. This was a hugely strong Homestead band. Probably the best on pure performance that I've seen.

[ilikeguard]

Nov 5, 2021 6:35:56 GMT -6 charredbrown said:

Oh, this is going to be fun!

• Morton: 2008 "AF: 632 Brave New World" 
      - I had to put my alma mater on this list - not only because I'm swelling with Morton pride this year, but also because this show is the one that inspired my love of the program. It affected the entire trajectory of my life: I'm a band director now because of this show.
• Avon: 2009 "CommUNIFORMity"
      - Possibly my favorite show of all time. A simple yet engaging concept, fantastic music, an unstoppable guard, breath-taking brass - truly the whole package. It also helps that 2009 was my freshman year and my first BOA experience.
• Broken Arrow: 2011 "Destiny Leaves You No Choice"
      - Still a little salty that Avon didn't get the four-peat, but with this show being as flawless as it was I can't complain. WAGNER.
      - Honorable mention goes to 2008's "RUNaWAY" which was absolutely bonkers and fantastic.
• Carmel: 2016 "Adagio Presto"
      - I think I might have a thing for Romantic-era harmonies? Love seeing Mahler marched.
• Marian Catholic: 2010 "On Being Hit On The Head"
      - A bit of a dark-horse pick here. Even when I was in high school I thought the concept of this show was fascinating. Too bad there isn't a quality video of it anywhere.
• Ronald Reagan: 2003 "Beyond Perimeters"
      - Two words: Drill. Design. (secret third word: Grainger  )
• LD Bell: 2006 "The Remaining"
      - I'll never forget my freshman year when the seniors were describing their experiences seeing this show live. "It made me want to cry, throw up, and cheer all at the same time!" What amazing GE!
• Tarpon Springs: 2010 "Paranormal"
      - I had the pleasure of seeing this one live a couple times, and it was AMAZING. The floating bed prop will go down in history.
• Hebron: 2015 "360"
      - This show really put Hebron on my radar, and it made me wish I had been watching them the whole time! 
• Flower Mound: 2017 "Fractured Moments"
      - I streamed Grand Nats Finals for my fellow music ed friends in college that year, and we all liked Flower Mound's show the best. Those woodwinds!
• The Woodlands: 2011 "Uninvited"
      - What a weird show! But I just adore it. It was the year of Beethoven's 7th - and what a year it was!

YES Marian Catholic 2010! I don’t know how I stumbled upon it a couple of years ago, but it’s always a show that I bring up to people. So so so good (and there’s no one out there who can argue it isn’t interesting).

[ilikeguard]

These will probably mostly be recent shows, seeing as I’m a relatively younger user of this forum. Although there are some shows I’ve found on youtube or been recommended that predate me and I absolutely love them!

Marian Catholic 2010- “On Being Hit On The Head”
I stumbled upon this show somewhere on youtube a few years ago and it’s always enthralled me. I can count myself among the vocals-in-marching-arts haters, but this show uses narration so flawlessly that it’s impossible to hate it. The expert use of narration coupled with the unique presentation of music blends together so seamlessly that I really feel like I got hit on the head (in a good way). The only good use of constant narration that I can even begin to compare this show to is Bixby’s 2021 show, but they can’t truly be compared.

L.D. Bell 2007- “Transcendents”
I don’t know how many times I’ve seen this show. It’s ethereal and makes you feel feelings you didn’t know you had. If there’s a singular show that I’ll always recommend to people, it’s this one! I went into it unaware it was part of a trilogy, so my understanding and appreciation of it has only deepened, but it says something that my out-of-context first impression was so good. I think I need to go watch it again now!

Broken Arrow 2018- “The United States of America”
I think I’m particularly sentimental about this show because I watched it grow. This was my senior year, and BA rehearsed on our campus and the students were allowed to mingle with us afterwards. I gained a lot of friends that day (and my future college roommate received an admirer, which I’ll always laugh about). I met freshman that year who are seniors now about to walk onto the field at Indianapolis in uniform for the last time. This show has a copious amount of class and is just a delight to watch. I feel more patriotic after just the first few opening notes. That flag reveal in semifinals was fantastic. Despite their placement, I feel like this show was just incredibly impactful and I’m so glad it was performed with such honor and purpose.

Broken Arrow 2012- “Surrender to Hope”
Two BA shows…what do you mean I have a bias? I was looking back through my youtube liked videos and I had to include this show. It’s a stunning departure from BA’s ethereal, classy style that is so poignantly dark it’s a treat to watch. I love the guard from this show! Those black flags with the yellow tips have such a cool effect combined with the high-energy, aggressive flagwork that carries across the entire show. I love feel-good shows, but creepy shows withstand the test of time and will always have a place in my heart.

Blue Springs 2017- “Burtonized”
Another creepy-ish show, if only because of the subject material. I remember watching this show live as a color guard rookie and being in awe of how fast the flags moved. Blue Springs has some of the most interesting performers to watch in the activity. I particularly really liked the color scheme and design of this show- it appeals to me more than the past few years have.

Vista Ridge 2018- “Lost and Found”
Another show from my senior year of high school that I was so privileged to see live. This show got me hooked on Vista Ridge. (I’m not just including it because I happen to know the clarinet player from the quartet particularly well). I love the way the props are used, and surprisingly the drill doesn’t feel restricted despite all of the large pieces on the field. I also REALLY love that you’ll see a different band wearing that uniform every season now, haha. It’s like a fun little game!

Camdenton 2019- “Transformation”
To close, I have to give my alma mater some love. I was torn deciding which show to choose between ones I performed in and ones since, but despite how near and dear Tickled Pink is to my heart, I have to go with this one. It’s debatable whether this year, 2018, or 2021 were the most successful, but 2019 seems to be an easy averaged out choice that made finals at both regional and super regional (Red Hot missed Clarksville finals but made semifinals and class medaled at San Antonio, and It Is won the Iowa regional but missed St. Louis finals). I feel like a proud older sister watching this video. The story is the culmination of the past 4 years before it, loosely represented as the colors on the backdrops, and the “Transformation” of the program from a small-town band into a Grand National semifinalist. The brass choir will always make me emotional. I could write more but I don’t need to clog anyones screen more than I already have!

[QuadSquad03]

Broken Arrow:
Most Successful: 2015 - Wild Blue Orchid
Favorite: 2014 - FACEme

Bixby:
Most Successful: 2018 - HERESY
Favorite: 2018 - HERESY

Blue Springs:
Most Successful: 2018 - From a Different Angle
Favorite: 2018 - From a Different Angle

Flower Mound: 
Most Successful: 2016 - Leonardo’s Dream
Favorite: 2015 - Surreal

Union: 
Most Successful: 2011
Favorite: 2017 - This Bitter Earth

O'Fallon Township:
Most successful: 2018 - Stretching the Canvas
Favorite: 2017- The White Canvas

Tarpon Springs:
Most Successful: 2014 - Man vs. Machine
Favorite: 2018 - RP1

[es203]

Nov 5, 2021 6:35:56 GMT -6 charredbrown said:

Oh, this is going to be fun!

• Morton: 2008 "AF: 632 Brave New World" 
      - I had to put my alma mater on this list - not only because I'm swelling with Morton pride this year, but also because this show is the one that inspired my love of the program. It affected the entire trajectory of my life: I'm a band director now because of this show.
• Avon: 2009 "CommUNIFORMity"
      - Possibly my favorite show of all time. A simple yet engaging concept, fantastic music, an unstoppable guard, breath-taking brass - truly the whole package. It also helps that 2009 was my freshman year and my first BOA experience.
• Broken Arrow: 2011 "Destiny Leaves You No Choice"
      - Still a little salty that Avon didn't get the four-peat, but with this show being as flawless as it was I can't complain. WAGNER.
      - Honorable mention goes to 2008's "RUNaWAY" which was absolutely bonkers and fantastic.
• Carmel: 2016 "Adagio Presto"
      - I think I might have a thing for Romantic-era harmonies? Love seeing Mahler marched.
• Marian Catholic: 2010 "On Being Hit On The Head"
      - A bit of a dark-horse pick here. Even when I was in high school I thought the concept of this show was fascinating. Too bad there isn't a quality video of it anywhere.
• Ronald Reagan: 2003 "Beyond Perimeters"
      - Two words: Drill. Design. (secret third word: Grainger  )
• LD Bell: 2006 "The Remaining"
      - I'll never forget my freshman year when the seniors were describing their experiences seeing this show live. "It made me want to cry, throw up, and cheer all at the same time!" What amazing GE!
• Tarpon Springs: 2010 "Paranormal"
      - I had the pleasure of seeing this one live a couple times, and it was AMAZING. The floating bed prop will go down in history.
• Hebron: 2015 "360"
      - This show really put Hebron on my radar, and it made me wish I had been watching them the whole time! 
• Flower Mound: 2017 "Fractured Moments"
      - I streamed Grand Nats Finals for my fellow music ed friends in college that year, and we all liked Flower Mound's show the best. Those woodwinds!
• The Woodlands: 2011 "Uninvited"
      - What a weird show! But I just adore it. It was the year of Beethoven's 7th - and what a year it was!

I absolutely loved Avon 2009, that brassline is arguably one of the best in high school history. I also loved watching their drum major Robert Walker, and I'll throw this video in here as example why:

[nomorehoney]

Nov 5, 2021 12:10:37 GMT -6 es203 said:

Nov 5, 2021 6:35:56 GMT -6 charredbrown said:

Oh, this is going to be fun!

• Morton: 2008 "AF: 632 Brave New World" 
      - I had to put my alma mater on this list - not only because I'm swelling with Morton pride this year, but also because this show is the one that inspired my love of the program. It affected the entire trajectory of my life: I'm a band director now because of this show.
• Avon: 2009 "CommUNIFORMity"
      - Possibly my favorite show of all time. A simple yet engaging concept, fantastic music, an unstoppable guard, breath-taking brass - truly the whole package. It also helps that 2009 was my freshman year and my first BOA experience.
• Broken Arrow: 2011 "Destiny Leaves You No Choice"
      - Still a little salty that Avon didn't get the four-peat, but with this show being as flawless as it was I can't complain. WAGNER.
      - Honorable mention goes to 2008's "RUNaWAY" which was absolutely bonkers and fantastic.
• Carmel: 2016 "Adagio Presto"
      - I think I might have a thing for Romantic-era harmonies? Love seeing Mahler marched.
• Marian Catholic: 2010 "On Being Hit On The Head"
      - A bit of a dark-horse pick here. Even when I was in high school I thought the concept of this show was fascinating. Too bad there isn't a quality video of it anywhere.
• Ronald Reagan: 2003 "Beyond Perimeters"
      - Two words: Drill. Design. (secret third word: Grainger  )
• LD Bell: 2006 "The Remaining"
      - I'll never forget my freshman year when the seniors were describing their experiences seeing this show live. "It made me want to cry, throw up, and cheer all at the same time!" What amazing GE!
• Tarpon Springs: 2010 "Paranormal"
      - I had the pleasure of seeing this one live a couple times, and it was AMAZING. The floating bed prop will go down in history.
• Hebron: 2015 "360"
      - This show really put Hebron on my radar, and it made me wish I had been watching them the whole time! 
• Flower Mound: 2017 "Fractured Moments"
      - I streamed Grand Nats Finals for my fellow music ed friends in college that year, and we all liked Flower Mound's show the best. Those woodwinds!
• The Woodlands: 2011 "Uninvited"
      - What a weird show! But I just adore it. It was the year of Beethoven's 7th - and what a year it was!

I absolutely loved Avon 2009, that brassline is arguably one of the best in high school history. I also loved watching their drum major Robert Walker, and I'll throw this video in here as example why:

Wow, he's incredible lol. Best energy I've ever seen from a head drum major

[Shroom]

[/quote]I absolutely loved Avon 2009, that brassline is arguably one of the best in high school history. I also loved watching their drum major Robert Walker, and I'll throw this video in here as example why:


[/quote]

Avon 2009 is my favorite show of all time. I understand that things change but I do miss their late 2000s/early 2010 style

[statechamp1239]

Carmel 2005 is finally out after years trying to see the show.

[boahistorybuff]

Nov 6, 2021 18:05:00 GMT -6 statechamp1239 said:

Carmel 2005 is finally out after years trying to see the show.

A definite must see. Unique music, amazing percussion, awesome guard and exquisite marching.

[warehouse314]

LOVED Carmel's 2005 show! An all-time favorite of mine!

[TXHillCountryBands]

Nov 6, 2021 18:11:53 GMT -6 boahistorybuff said:

Nov 6, 2021 18:05:00 GMT -6 statechamp1239 said:

Carmel 2005 is finally out after years trying to see the show.

A definite must see. Unique music, amazing percussion, awesome guard and exquisite marching.

That is amazing. So great. 2021! Carry on …

[brivi0800]

Was doing a quick stalk through the forums since I'm a bit more new and came across this thread and wanted to drop my favorites... 

Broken Arrow (2014/2013/2017) - This is incredibly tough for me. I remember seeing FaceMe live at State and this was the first like BIG marching band production I had ever seen as a freshman and I was blown away. Who knew that marching band could that artistically developed and that humongous of a production? From that point on, I became so enveloped with the thought of the concept and designs of show. Also, the tag ending for 2014 was incredibly gorgeous (John 19:41). BUUUT...it's a toss up between that and 2013 and 2017...and 2021...lol. 2013 was such a gorgeous show and very simple. It was the first time I was really wowed by the simplicity of choreography and those dresses. The tag ending with Promise of Living brings tears to my eyes every time! 2017 was just so eccentric (the concept of those aliens in the purple wigs send me) but the costume design that year was sick. Very graphically pleasing to see. 2021 was my favorite purely because of how gorgeously set it was from the pre-show to end. Design masterclass. Honorable mentions include 2016, 2012, 2011, I could go on about BA lol. Thanks Wes for all your years!

William Mason (2023) - This is also a toughie for me. I think, realistically, 2023 or 2022 is my favorite. The more recent, more abstractly designed but conceptually ethereal shows. That being said, I saw 2016 live at Grand Nationals and I fear I ate it up lmfao. Those bubbles were so odd and I remember everyone being like what lol but it just clicked in the right, most odd way (kind of like BA 2017). Musical selections were immaculate with Barber and I loved the tag ending (and the beginning when the performers were crawling). I also had 2015 as my favorite Mason show for a very long time. Just a gorgeous interpretation of West Side Story. I think Mason has my favorite ballads out of all the bands (other honorable mentions include 2013 the wedding show lol). I know they've been through a lot as well so it's so amazing seeing how the program has rebuilt itself from success to success. Also does anyone happen to know where the ballad of 2022 is from? Have been trying to decipher but think it's just a custom Pitts arrangement? 

Avon (2015) - 2015! Easy! Hinshaw is a beast when it comes to creating the most exhilarating, intense movements and drills. When it comes to 2015, I think of that one moment in the second act when all the groups start running in drill towards one huge clump in the middle but they're like...booking it kinda running lol and then the form spreads so fast so quickly til the end of that movement, it's phenomenal to watch. When I think of Avon, I think of how fun it must be to be marching in one of those shows. Another close second is 2017! Love Maslanka so seeing it render into a show that had so much meaning as well, was fun to watch. 

Tarpon Springs (2016) - I used to always be a BA vs. Tarpon fiend but now I think of them as very separate entities for good reasons on their owns. When it comes to Tarpon, sort of like Avon, I'm expecting a super maximalist, fun show that's just really entertaining to watch. Might be a hot take but I think because of personal anecdote and seeing this show live for the first time at Grand Nats, it has to be 2016 (Pandora) for me. The pre-show with the ominous Sound of Silence with the woodwind arpeggios is just...yes. Symphonic Metamorphosis in the second act was also just so fun to watch (same thing with Avon where you can just imagine how fun it was being on that field, literally running around, running down woodwind licks as clean as they did). Close second is 2022. I loved the WGI 2016? (the NYC one) show and this felt like a righteous full-fledged sequel/spin-off of that. Extremely well-designed and very fun to watch. 

Leander (2016) - I always thought Selaiden was ahead of his times when he was with Leander. I think of the show he used Lana del Rey in and the other show that used Danzon. But my favorite was definitely 2016 (as I saw this one live as well, can you see a pattern? Lol). The very futuristic pre-show (opener?) where they develop these abstract shapes where they're moving SO SO fast before the first hit got my heart racing. 

Flower Mound (2017/2021) - This one is also tough. FloMo is probably my favorite Texas band out of them all. I feel like they're also ahead of their times in terms of concepts and design development. Some of the more artful shows goes beyond my head but it's super fun interpreting it like a piece of art. I love that approach to their concepts. Fractured Moments (2017) was absolutely gorgeous, especially when the pieces come together in the cathartic, closer moment. But I say it either goes between that one...or 2021 with the absolutely well art-directed Seuss show. Like how freaking fun was it to develop that show from start to finish? It was just so playfully joyous and so well-curated with the Bryant (unsure on this one but I think the opening and second act???) piece. The props are so effective as well. It feels like a proper set and production design from start to finish, something you can see on Broadway. 

Thanks for indulging in my rant! Can talk about BA shows any day of the week lmao

[bandirectorman]

Webster 1997

[dbbandalum]

Dobyns-Bennett:
Most successful year: 2017 - Paradisium
Favorite show: 2014 - I Will Wait

Hebron:
Most successful year: 2021 - Penstriped or 2022 - Odyssey FM
Favorite show: 2015 - 360

Flower Mound:
Most successful year: 2018 - Pop
Favorite show: 2017 - Fractured Moments

Franklin:
Most successful year: 2015 - ...But now I see
Favorite show: 2015 - ...But now I see

Elizabethton:
Most successful year: 2021 - (Forgot the name of the show)
Favorite show: 2022 - Hypnotized

Castle:
Most successful year: 2017 - Fly to Paradise
Favorite show: 2016 - A Sirens Song

[kdivine]

Lake Hamilton--
2019 --"Where I Belong," AKA "Country Roads," AKA the "Mountain Momma" show--it was the start of the regionalism philosophy we keep coming back to at regular intervals. The first semifinals appearance at Indy, it is memorable for me because that was my daughter's freshman year in Color Guard, but she had a broken wrist from early on in September [in a school library event, of all things] and thought she was done for the year. Her director [and I will always love him for this] looked at her and said, "Go march your dots. We'll figure the rest out when we get there." She was able to do hand flags within a couple weeks and was finally tossing flag a few day before GN prelims [there were no rifles that year]. The show ended with the whole Guard catching a 45-double on the last note, and she hadn't done it in competition until prelims. She landed it perfectly, even with a brace still on her arm, and that is one of my best memories of Indy.

2018-- "Midas' Touch," My kids were still in middle school/junior high and as such got to do a lot of concessions work during varsity games, and as they weren't driving yet, I got to see this show whilst they were selling cokes and nachos. A Lot. "Midas' Touch" was the first real flyby of making semis-- not quite there but it really made it possible to get there the next year.

2023-- "Revival--" I won't rehash it again because most of y'all here have seen it somewhat recently, but this show has been special to me personally because I have gotten to watch my son turn into a leader, and a pretty good sax player, too. [He landed a spot in the pre-show/5th movement quartet on the stage as the 3rd part alto sax and he also was the opening sax solo on "How Great Thou Art."]

2018- Winter Winds "City Trees--" this show won Scholastic A at WGI Worlds in Dayton.

2021- Winter Winds "Pinball Wizard--" competing in Scholastic Open, this show because it was where we could start to see the light at the end of the Covid tunnel, and also because it was the first time I really experienced parents from other schools pointing at our kids and just going "Whoa...duuuude...your kids are freakin' awesome...."

2023- Winter Winds "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse--" my daughter got to ride on a giant horse head and the kids were just off a medal in Scholsstic World at Dayton.

Blast from the past: Austin, MN, 1986-- "Bernstein"-- It was my sophomore year in high school. We were extracurricular/football only, but we 1. did really difficult music ["Mambo" from WSStory is not easy], and 2. pulled off a freakin' double Ferris wheel move, in which the drum line connected two rotating circles, all of which also orbited around the center bass drum at the same time. Not exactly a Blue Devils' Diamondcutter, but we were over the moon.

Other schools:
Hot Springs-- 2023-- "Orpheus--" this is the school where I work and these are my students. They worked their tails off, made State [5A] for the first time in a while [since 2019], and had a vastly improved color guard. It will be a hot minute before they go to a full BOA event, but associate events could be in the cards soon.

Dobyns-Bennett 2022-- "Candide--" this one was just nuts-- the color guard in pink gowns and Marie Antionette wigs, the awesome props, full tuxedos on the hornlines, and animal heads. Just freakin awesomely nuts.

Dobyns-Bennett 2023-- "Avatar--" They. Painted. Their. Color. Guard. Blue. I was really hoping they'd do GNs, but, alas...

Dobyns-Bennett 2023- Winter Guard--"The Bride--" Oh, this was so much fun, and it won Scholastic A.

Arkadelphia 2021-- "Flight:The view from above..." One of the better flyover stunts I've seen, this had an airline/airport theme and they won Class 4A at Arkansas state competition.

Archbishop Alter 2022-- "Stevie Wonder--" They have great understanding of 1. How to define space on the field, and 2. How to multitask your way into appearing like your band is six times larger than it actually is.

Greene County Tech 2023-- "Recess--" Okay, the biggest set of brass-somethings I have ever seen in in a marching competition. Ever. They had a rather sizable horn player sit on one end of a seesaw and a guard girl climb up to the other end, turn about, and do a trust fall from roughly 6 feet in the air with the bottoms of her shoes above the tops of the heads of the people who were supposed to be catching her. The rest of the show was good, too, but that stunt was awesome.

Bentonville 2023-- "Sunflowers--" Bicycles and the color yellow everywhere. They had visual effect down cold.

Carolina Crown, I don't know the exact year, probably 2013, but there is a Tiktok of them warming up with Bach's Little Fugue. Awesomest hornline ever.

[mtnxdrew]

Jenison had some great shows in the late 90s/early 2000s that were quite successful (2nd in AA in 1999), however, their resurgence since 2019 has produced, in my opinion, the “favorite” shows as well as the most successful shows:

2019: Urban Canvas
2021: Spirits of the Canyon
2022: Heart of the Jungle
2023: Deco

I would say 2022 and 2023 would be the most successful, both winning the Toledo regional and state finals. They finished in the top 22 in 2022, and we can only imagine where they would’ve finished had they attended in 2023.

[boahistorybuff]

Nov 22, 2023 6:17:17 GMT -6 mtnxdrew said:

Jenison had some great shows in the late 90s/early 2000s that were quite successful (2nd in AA in 1999), however, their resurgence since 2019 has produced, in my opinion, the “favorite” shows as well as the most successful shows:

2019: Urban Canvas
2021: Spirits of the Canyon
2022: Heart of the Jungle
2023: Deco

I would say 2022 and 2023 would be the most successful, both winning the Toledo regional and state finals. They finished in the top 22 in 2022, and we can only imagine where they would’ve finished had they attended in 2023.

Yes Jenison is much much stronger now then it was in the 90s. The competition is just so much stronger. Of their two GN Finals appearances (1992 and 1994), 1994 was the strongest and my favorite Jenison show of that era. I did like their 1990 and 1991 shows a lot too.

[mtnxdrew]

Nov 22, 2023 16:17:45 GMT -6 boahistorybuff said:

Nov 22, 2023 6:17:17 GMT -6 mtnxdrew said:

Jenison had some great shows in the late 90s/early 2000s that were quite successful (2nd in AA in 1999), however, their resurgence since 2019 has produced, in my opinion, the “favorite” shows as well as the most successful shows:

2019: Urban Canvas
2021: Spirits of the Canyon
2022: Heart of the Jungle
2023: Deco

I would say 2022 and 2023 would be the most successful, both winning the Toledo regional and state finals. They finished in the top 22 in 2022, and we can only imagine where they would’ve finished had they attended in 2023.

Yes Jenison is much much stronger now then it was in the 90s. The competition is just so much stronger. Of their two GN appearances (1992 and 1994), 1994 was the strongest and my favorite Jenison show of that era. I did like their 1990 and 1991 shows a lot too.

Absolutely. A couple of my favorite shoes outside of the recent ones would be 1999 - The River, and 2001 - Wheels of a Dream

As for the recent resurgence, I would think their next goals should be placing/winning in a non Tarpon year, AA at Nationals, and inching closer and closer to Finals. As an alum, it really has been a joy to watch over the last 4 years.

[statechamp1239]

My favorite shows from each group:
Dartmouth - 2019: The Witch Hour
Cheshire - 2004: The Storm
Norwalk - 2002: Vegas Dreams
Bridgewater-Raritan - 2012: Scheherazade 
Hunterdon Central Regional - 2005: Visions of the Matrix 
West Genesee - 2006: Oklahoma & 2004
Southington - 2018: Destiny West
Piscataway - 1997: Leonard Bernstein's Music for the Theater
Immaculata - 2011: The Planetarium
Baldwinsville - 2012: Godzilla Eats Las Vegas
Passaic - 2016: House of Cards
Jackson Memorial: 2013 - Les Misérables & 2010 - Miss Saigon
Arlington - 2006: Winter Solstice & 2003: The Elements 
Newtown - 2016: Something Wicked this way Comes.
North Penn -

• 1986: ?
• 1995: The Mass
  
• 1996: Romeo and Juliet 
  
• 1997: The Struggle and Rebirth of a Nation
  
• 2009: Beethoven Plugged In

King Philip Regional - 2009: The (W)rite of Poe
Lancaster Catholic - 2005: The Eternal City 
Blackstone Millville Regional - 2001: Carmina Burana & 2004: Inferno
South Brunswick - 2016: Man vs. Machine
Pocono Mountain - 2000: & 1997: War Tour
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bassett - 2006: Phenomenon
Ben Davis - 1995: Don Ellis Portrait
Center Grove - 2005: Conspiracy Theory
McGavock - 2004: Cirque du Soleil
Lake Central - 2014: 3 Hours & 2010: - Sev7n
Reeths-Puffer - 2018: - A Thousand Paper Cranes & 2008: - Brooklyn Bridge
Union - 2000: Distorted Reality
Lawrence Central - 2010: Evolución & 2009: Begin Again
Owasso - 2004: Reverberate
Petal - 2007: Man vs. Machine 
Cedar Park - 2003: Claustrophobia
Bellevue West - 2016: Unsinkable & 2015: On Pins and Needles
Father Ryan - 2011: Networks
Winston Churchill - 1996 - 2005
Pomona - 1999: Stonehenge & 2001: City Sketches
Westfield (TX) - 2004: The Game Within
James Logan -

• 2004: Wind Dances

• 2005: The Secret Garden
• 2006: Snakes, Lizards, and Dragons

• 2008: Shangri-La
• 2009: Where the Wild Things Are
  

• 2011: Burning Music
• 2013: The Tempest
• 2014: Point and Line to Plane

• 2015: Seen / Unseen
• 2017: The Warrior

[boahistorybuff]

Going old School

Of bands that had a top three GN Finals finish

1980s

JM Tate - 1980
Flushing - 1980
Sprayberry - 1980
Chesterton- 1984
Norwin - 1989
Rocky Mount - 1986
Ben Davis - 1983
Marian Catholic - 1989
Westfield - 1988
West Genesee - 1987
Cicero North Syracuse - 1987
Lake Park - 1987

1990s

Plymouth Canton - 1999
Westfield - 1995
Lake Park - 1993
Marian Catholic - 1997
Kiski Area - 1994
Centerville - 1998
Spring - 1993
Lassiter - 1998
Center Grove - 1995
Carmel - 1998

[slysvgcbg]

Nov 21, 2023 3:26:11 GMT -6 brivi0800 said:

This is also a toughie for me. I think, realistically, 2023 or 2022 is my favorite. The more recent, more abstractly designed but conceptually ethereal shows. That being said, I saw 2016 live at Grand Nationals and I fear I ate it up lmfao. Those bubbles were so odd and I remember everyone being like what lol but it just clicked in the right, most odd way (kind of like BA 2017). Musical selections were immaculate with Barber and I loved the tag ending (and the beginning when the performers were crawling). I also had 2015 as my favorite Mason show for a very long time. Just a gorgeous interpretation of West Side Story. I think Mason has my favorite ballads out of all the bands (other honorable mentions include 2013 the wedding show lol). I know they've been through a lot as well so it's so amazing seeing how the program has rebuilt itself from success to success. Also does anyone happen to know where the ballad of 2022 is from? Have been trying to decipher but think it's just a custom Pitts arrangement? 

Here is the link to the 2022 Mason Ballad source music

[came]

Nov 26, 2023 13:01:51 GMT -6 statechamp1239 said:

Reeths-Puffer - 2018: - A Thousand Paper Cranes & 2008: - Brooklyn Bridge
Union - 2000: Distorted Reality

Real

[brivi0800]

Nov 26, 2023 14:15:27 GMT -6 slysvgcbg said:

Nov 21, 2023 3:26:11 GMT -6 brivi0800 said:

This is also a toughie for me. I think, realistically, 2023 or 2022 is my favorite. The more recent, more abstractly designed but conceptually ethereal shows. That being said, I saw 2016 live at Grand Nationals and I fear I ate it up lmfao. Those bubbles were so odd and I remember everyone being like what lol but it just clicked in the right, most odd way (kind of like BA 2017). Musical selections were immaculate with Barber and I loved the tag ending (and the beginning when the performers were crawling). I also had 2015 as my favorite Mason show for a very long time. Just a gorgeous interpretation of West Side Story. I think Mason has my favorite ballads out of all the bands (other honorable mentions include 2013 the wedding show lol). I know they've been through a lot as well so it's so amazing seeing how the program has rebuilt itself from success to success. Also does anyone happen to know where the ballad of 2022 is from? Have been trying to decipher but think it's just a custom Pitts arrangement? 

Here is the link to the 2022 Mason Ballad source music

Is this not the source to BA's 2022 ballad? Or are they the same? I saw this one on the BOA programs too but it didn't make sense to me...

[slysvgcbg]

Nov 27, 2023 0:09:35 GMT -6 brivi0800 said:

Nov 26, 2023 14:15:27 GMT -6 slysvgcbg said:

Here is the link to the 2022 Mason Ballad source music

Is this not the source to BA's 2022 ballad? Or are they the same? I saw this one on the BOA programs too but it didn't make sense to me...

Wouldn’t suprise me. Cartwright loves to use different parts of a piece within his shows. He just recently took an entire show from WM and used it for Brownsburg lol