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Post by macwinlin on Oct 21, 2019 15:34:23 GMT -6
I'm hoping Mustang can make it in. They have a fun show.
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Post by Jake W. on Oct 23, 2019 4:47:58 GMT -6
Alright, I'm taking a stab at a lengthy review of this Super Regional for those of you playing at home. Unfortunately, I've got THIRTY bands pegged as potential Finalists...16 of which will be left out of the Saturday night show. Quite a deep field coming to Indy this year.
Avon & Carmel are obviously locks for 1 & 2. Like most, I too think Avon has the show and mid-season cleanliness to run away with this one.
Blue Springs & Homestead are the two clear leaders beyond Avon & Carmel. As others have pointed out, this will be Blue Springs' last BOA appearance of the season, while Homestead still has weeks left to clean an extraordinarily difficult show. I imagine BS will come away with the medal, but I do expect Homestead to make a splash and let everyone know they're essentially a lock for GN Finals.
Fishers, O'Fallon Township, Centerville, Castle, & Lincoln-Way will be the five groups trying to round out the top half of Finals, with two (or more?) getting pushed to the back half. After a slower start to the season with a meaty music book, Fishers' most recent video from ISSMA Regionals is impressive. Their guard shines through as last year's WGI SO champion, and that music book is all Bernstein and not watered down at all. I need to remind myself from now on that Fishers has established themselves as slow, steady growers --- hell, the first year they made Indy Finals (2016), they didn't field their closer until ISSMA State Finals the week before. OFT isn't quite as solid as last year, and those VisEns scores from STL (both rounds) show that they're vulnerable, but I do love what they've put on the field this year. Similar to BS, this will be the end of their season, but I don't think that means anything here --- they could easily spend another 3 weeks cleaning leading up to GN if they were attending. Centerville made a splash winning Muncie Finals over Fishers & LW and will be looking to prove that wasn't an early season fluke. Castle clearly has a non-GN design this year, and that's fine. Nothing wrong with a lighter season. They'll be clean, but I don't think the demand & design is there to guarantee they'll be in the top half of Finals like in years past. Lincoln-Way has a really wonderful show, but with a fair amount of demand, and they aren't as sparklingly clean as they were last year. Based on their ISU video, I'd have them hovering on the top half/bottom half bubble, somewhere in the 6 - 9 range, but I'm sure they will have cleaned a ton in the week between ISU & BOA Indy.
Marian Catholic & Center Grove are our two absolute wild cards at this show. Both have EXTREMELY difficult music & visual books (honestly, probably a bit more than most sane groups could chew), and both will likely have cleaned their high-demand shows to varying levels of not in the slightest. Depending on each program's level of cleanliness, I certainly wouldn't be shocked to see one or both left out of Finals in this deep field. On the other hand, considering the quality of writing in both shows, I wouldn't be surprised either to find the judges rewarding content over mid-season cleanliness and one or both of these groups finding themselves in the top half of Finals. On another note, with the assumption that both groups are still quite dirty and have not quite gotten holds on their difficult books, either unit's performance levels could vary widely between Prelims & Finals, and subsequent results could vary widely for each group between contests or across subcaptions.
North Hardin is the one group I can guarantee will be in Finals but won't be in the top half. Consistency is the name of the game for my favorite KY group. Maybe even the AA champ depending on how dirty Marian still is? NH plays well, moves well, has competent and engaging designs...all of the pieces are there! Just a rock solid group all around who will definitely be playing on Saturday night.
Lakota East, Lockport Township, Plainfield, & Lawrence Township are the four "most likelies" in my mind to play again on Saturday night. Lakota East made GN Semis by a comfortable margin last year, Indy Finals less comfortably so but still in nonetheless. A 2nd place finish in Columbus started their 2019 BOA season off well and they'll be looking to repeat their Indy Finals appearance from last year. Lockport has *never* made Indy Finals, despite making GN Semis a few times now. They are the definition of a late bloomer, finally cleaning their concert-esque shows to perfection at the last minute each season. This year seems to be different; they leapt into Iowa Finals, and were nicely ahead of Marian and not too far behind LW at ISU Finals this past Saturday. I'm impressed with the videos up of them. They're much stronger mid-season than usual. Plainfield comfortably made Indy Finals last year and appears to be even stronger this year, looking to show that their first BOA/ISSMA Class A year's success wasn't a fluke. They do have the staff to make sure their growth has been sustainable. After a slow start to the season, I'd put good money on Lawrence making Indy Finals. They've improved rapidly and I love the direction they've been going the past few seasons. As long as Matt James is at the helm still, we know they'll be playing & moving with the best of them.
Blue Springs South, Ben Davis, Brownsburg, & Mustang --- All groups with moderately-likely chances of breaking in. Blue Springs South made Indy Finals the last two years, and started their 2019 season by making Iowa Finals comfortably (over Lockport, even), but then dropped in Finals later that night. I think the field will be too tight, but it's hard to count them out after beating out so many groups the last two years. Ben Davis last made Indy Finals in '16, was just a few bands out in '17, but then dropped to 234th place last year and scored a 19.4 (roughly). That was a head-scratching result for sure, but so was much of 2018's Indy Prelims results below 14th place. I think BD has a terrific show lined up this year, and they're eager to make their way back into Indy Finals, ISSMA State Finals, and GN Semis. I'd like to see this historic program accomplish all 3 for the first time in a few years. Brownsburg made Indy Finals in '16 & '18, and of course were in at the tail end of Orlando Finals a few weeks ago. I loved what I saw of them on FLO! A stunning show that had a long way to go, and I'm curious to see what shape they're in by this weekend. If they have cleaned up well, they're a sure bet for Finals. I imagine they'll still have a lot left to clean and they'll be squarely on the Finals bubble, but then most likely in great shape in 3 weeks for GN. Mustang was BEAUTIFUL last year at GN and deservedly earned their place in Semis. I have no idea what to expect of them in late October, though, and don't know how they'll fare here. If they show up with to Indy in the same manner they did to GN last year, they'll easily be in the hunt for Finals.
Concord, Pickerington North, & Grove City --- Our three traditional groups, two vastly more evolved in show design than the other. As a native Hoosier, I'm really looking forward to Concord's first BOA appearance in years!! They're an INCREDIBLE group whose kids can outplay almost anyone in Indiana, and they regularly field 280+. But wow they haven't been able to put a competent show design on the field to save their lives. Performance quality and showmanship is absolutely there, and their guard program is quickly rising in quality, but every single year I always find myself questioning their design choices in big ways. I do think their performance captions could get them at or near the top 14, though. Pick (N.E., do they have a shorthand name in Ohio?) has learned & grown SO MUCH in their short stint (2-3 years?) in BOA. I love the direction they're headed. After catching their OMEA video from this past weekend, I still don't think their visual package is anywhere near up to snuff with Brownsburg/Ben Davis/LT/Lockport/etc, and I imagine that's what will ultimately hold them out, but I believe they'll land closer to Finals than they've been yet. I love seeing their rapid growth!! Grove City plays beautifully, but I truly cannot imagine that show making Finals. It's so far removed from the BOA world! But, I'm really anticipating their performance and seeing where they land on BOA sheets. The GE is fairly...well...non-existent (for example, I don't think there was a single moment where the drill reflected what was going on in the music, besides vague curved forms to match the more lyrical ballad), but, again, their musicality is impeccable, as are their individual performance levels. Their performance levels probably are probably top 20, but seriously, PCEP's early 90s shows from 25 years ago are still more innovative than what Grove City likes to put on the field. Nothing wrong with tradition, of course!!!! I just don't expect the design to fare well on BOA sheets against so many equally-talented groups fielding high-demand, intuitive designs.
Greenfield-Central, Greenwood, & Fort Zumwalt North --- Our non-Marian/North Hardin AA groups. Greenfield, WOW they're incredible this year. They play better than any other ISSMA Class B group. What a sound! They could absolutely make some noise at this regional, especially in AA. I expect them to take ISSMA B State Finals. Greenwood went through a director change this year, but still seems to have maintained performance & design quality, and they've been close to Indy Finals the last few years. FZN is terrific, love their show. Everything they do is great --- playing, marching, design, it's all there. I don't know if it's *enough*, but I can't imagine they'll be too far out of Finals. Just a consistent group in every caption.
Prospect, Goshen, Penn, & Eden Prairie --- The last four groups, all with outside chances, but chances nonetheless. Prospect last made Indy Finals in 2014, but seems to be having a great year so far. Their videos are impressive. Goshen made GN Semis last year, but then missed Muncie Finals surprisingly by like 30 points earlier this season. No idea what to expect from them. Penn last made Indy Finals in 2009, but are generally top 20-25 and rarely too far from Finals. I do think they've got a great show lined up, and they're always one of Indiana's best-playing groups, with their top concert band frequently attending Midwest and usually their top 3 (!) concert bands all competing for State Finals. Finally, Eden Prairie --- I know they're on everyone's radar after making STL Finals for so many years, but after switching to Indy two years ago, they've failed to make Finals, and were quite far out last year. I just don't see it happening in this stacked field.
---------------- So there you go, everyone! Your 30 potential Finalists!!!! ----------------
Other great groups showing up and worth catching:
Franklin Central, Noblesville, Zionsville, Hamilton Southeastern, Lake Central (RIP), Portage, Northrop, & Lafayette Jefferson are Indiana's other Class A groups (generally BOA AAA/AAAA). Franklin Central, Noblesville, & Zionsville all moved on to Semi-State. Portage, Northrop, & Lafayette Jeff are towards the top of ISSMA Scholastic Class and are still worth catching.
F.J. Reitz, Evansville Harrison (William Henry Harrison on the schedule) & Pendleton Heights are three potential State Finalists for ISSMA's Class B (generally BOA AA). Three great groups also worth catching.
Edgewood, Western, NorthWood, Beech Grove, Concordia Lutheran, Northwestern, & Norwell --- all groups that will likely be 7/10 ISSMA Class C State Finalists, with the first 5 mentioned almost guaranteed to be your top 5 in ISSMA Class C at the season's end. The top 2/3 ISSMA C bands (divided by school size, for the non-Hoosiers wondering) fall into BOA AA, with the bottom 1/3 falling into BOA A. Western & Edgewood famously flip flop in between A & AA, and no one typically knows which class either group is in until Prelims awards. Beech Grove is at the top end of this class and for sure AA; Concordia Lutheran is near the bottom and usually A. Either way, seven VERY talented small groups with terrific shows that are always worth catching on FLO.
Lewis Cass, Fairfield, Springs Valley, & Forest Park --- All four groups likely in ISSMA Class D's top 5 once State Finals rolls around. All 4 groups will absolutely be Class A in BOA, and all could easily place in class, depending on Western & Edgewood's class alignment. Either way, all 4 groups are absolutely worth catching on FLO. Indiana does shine in small groups!
Dublin Coffman (OH), Kettering Fairmont (OH), Morton (IL), East River (FL), Bryant (AR), Grain Valley (MO), Victor J. Andrew (IL), Henry Clay (KY), Summit (TN), Central Hardin (KY), Lake Park (IL) --- Nine EXCELLENT out of state groups traveling to Indy that there simply isn't room for in the top 20-30, but beautiful groups nonetheless. Dublin Coffman last made GN Semis in 2013, and was mid-range at Columbus Finals earlier this year. Kettering Fairmont is always a wonderful, huge band, but can never seem to gain any traction at late-season BOA Super Regionals. East River put on a great show at Orlando a few weeks ago and really impressed me. Bryant is one of AR's best groups; a large, traditional group that has been slowly embracing BOA over the last decade or so, on and off. GV is of course...a hefty group who really seems to be feeling the director change this year. I had them in STL Finals bubble last week, but 28th and 14 bands out of Finals just ain't gonna cut it at the stronger Indy regional. They're squarely out. Henry Clay made a very respectable showing at Louisville to start the season. Central Hardin always has neat, well-planned shows worth watching. Morton made GN Semis last year (LOVED that show), but went through quite a tumultuous director change. The great Lake Park has gone through too many director changes over the last ten years since Ken Snoeck retired and isn't what they once were, but is still a respectable, solid group.
Well there you have it.....if you're watching Indy Prelims on FLO, 30 groups that could land in Finals, and 63 total groups that I've starred as groups you should watch!
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Post by thewho on Oct 23, 2019 8:59:23 GMT -6
Thanks for the post, Jake! Wanted to add that Concord apparently went a different direction this year and are squaring up for BOA big time. I don't think they'll make finals given how strong the field is overall, but I wouldn't call it out of question to think Concord could be in 15-20 pack.
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Post by tpetdad304 on Oct 23, 2019 9:36:30 GMT -6
Blue Springs & Homestead are the two clear leaders beyond Avon & Carmel. As others have pointed out, this will be Blue Springs' last BOA appearance of the season, while Homestead still has weeks left to clean an extraordinarily difficult show. I imagine BS will come away with the medal, but I do expect Homestead to make a splash and let everyone know they're essentially a lock for GN Finals. My money is on Homestead with this match up. I think they have the superior design (Music and Visual GE) and I think they have been cleaning up very nicely since the beginning of the season. Yes, they are not done cleaning, but I’d still say at this point this is the best looking and sounding Homestead we’ve seen in years. Blue Springs has a great show too and I’m sure it will be very close, but I think Homestead takes the bronze medal this year. I’ll be at LOS for finals and I can’t wait for all the super competitive matchups!
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Post by thewho on Oct 23, 2019 9:50:06 GMT -6
Quick update: IU is performing exhibition after preliminaries, Miami University is performing exhibition after finals.
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Post by TeamIndiana on Oct 23, 2019 10:26:53 GMT -6
Blue Springs & Homestead are the two clear leaders beyond Avon & Carmel. As others have pointed out, this will be Blue Springs' last BOA appearance of the season, while Homestead still has weeks left to clean an extraordinarily difficult show. I imagine BS will come away with the medal, but I do expect Homestead to make a splash and let everyone know they're essentially a lock for GN Finals. My money is on Homestead with this match up. I think they have the superior design (Music and Visual GE) and I think they have been cleaning up very nicely since the beginning of the season. Yes, they are not done cleaning, but I’d still say at this point this is the best looking and sounding Homestead we’ve seen in years. Blue Springs has a great show too and I’m sure it will be very close, but I think Homestead takes the bronze medal this year. I’ll be at LOS for finals and I can’t wait for all the super competitive matchups! I haven't seen Homestead since the Fishers invite, so it is hard for me to compare them to Blue Springs (who I saw last weekend via Flo). Overall I am a fan of Homestead's show more, but if we were betting I would still put the money on Blue Springs. I do think that it will be relatively close between the two.
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Post by N.E. Brigand on Oct 23, 2019 12:11:59 GMT -6
Alright, I'm taking a stab at a lengthy review of this Super Regional for those of you playing at home. Unfortunately, I've got THIRTY bands pegged as potential Finalists...16 of which will be left out of the Saturday night show. Quite a deep field coming to Indy this year. [...] Pickerington North --- Pick ( N.E., do they have a shorthand name in Ohio?) has learned & grown SO MUCH in their short stint (2-3 years?) in BOA. I love the direction they're headed. After catching their OMEA video from this past weekend, I still don't think their visual package is anywhere near up to snuff with Brownsburg/Ben Davis/LT/Lockport/etc, and I imagine that's what will ultimately hold them out, but I believe they'll land closer to Finals than they've been yet. I love seeing their rapid growth!! Not to my knowledge, but as a Clevelander, I have very little knowledge about the Columbus suburbs.
Fantastic post, by the way.
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Post by OldSchoolTrumpet on Oct 23, 2019 12:15:50 GMT -6
I haven't seen Homestead since the Fishers invite, so it is hard for me to compare them to Blue Springs (who I saw last weekend via Flo). Overall I am a fan of Homestead's show more, but if we were betting I would still put the money on Blue Springs. I do think that it will be relatively close between the two. Homestead vs Blue Springs will be interesting. It'd be particularly nice if they manage to play back to back. My guess is that Homestead will probably prevail in VGE, and that Blue Springs will prevail in the Visual Performance caption. As far as Music Performance, hard for me to say as I've only seen Blue Springs on Flo. Homestead has had some tough ones from the MPI judges in the last few years, and they do have a lot of exposed sections this year (cough, trumpets). My guess is MPI to Blue Springs, and MPE a tossup. MGE will likely be the deciding factor, and honestly it's the caption that Homestead seems to have a tough time figuring out compared to the other GN Finals caliber groups. They just haven't seemed to program the music (or the arrangements) that BOA judges respond to at the top levels. With only a relatively uncontested BOA event in Toledo as a guide this year, hard to say how it'll stack up to the upper level groups. This Indy Super will tell us a lot about them and whether some of this mini-hype is warranted. A solid MGE score would be fantastic for them. But if they get beaten in MGE again by Fishers...well, then here we go again. But I'm saying Blue Springs on Saturday. I feel like the edges will still be too rough for Homestead right now.
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Post by marimba11 on Oct 23, 2019 14:10:21 GMT -6
I haven't seen Homestead since the Fishers invite, so it is hard for me to compare them to Blue Springs (who I saw last weekend via Flo). Overall I am a fan of Homestead's show more, but if we were betting I would still put the money on Blue Springs. I do think that it will be relatively close between the two. Homestead vs Blue Springs will be interesting. It'd be particularly nice if they manage to play back to back. My guess is that Homestead will probably prevail in VGE, and that Blue Springs will prevail in the Visual Performance caption. As far as Music Performance, hard for me to say as I've only seen Blue Springs on Flo. Homestead has had some tough ones from the MPI judges in the last few years, and they do have a lot of exposed sections this year (cough, trumpets). My guess is MPI to Blue Springs, and MPE a tossup. MGE will likely be the deciding factor, and honestly it's the caption that Homestead seems to have a tough time figuring out compared to the other GN Finals caliber groups. They just haven't seemed to program the music (or the arrangements) that BOA judges respond to at the top levels. With only a relatively uncontested BOA event in Toledo as a guide this year, hard to say how it'll stack up to the upper level groups. This Indy Super will tell us a lot about them and whether some of this mini-hype is warranted. A solid MGE score would be fantastic for them. But if they get beaten in MGE again by Fishers...well, then here we go again. But I'm saying Blue Springs on Saturday. I feel like the edges will still be too rough for Homestead right now. At least this year Homesteads shows are usually more of an acquired taste. Fishers is the exact opposite this year
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Post by ohioguy2 on Oct 23, 2019 14:14:24 GMT -6
Alright, I'm taking a stab at a lengthy review of this Super Regional for those of you playing at home. Unfortunately, I've got THIRTY bands pegged as potential Finalists...16 of which will be left out of the Saturday night show. Quite a deep field coming to Indy this year. [...] Pickerington North --- Pick ( N.E., do they have a shorthand name in Ohio?) has learned & grown SO MUCH in their short stint (2-3 years?) in BOA. I love the direction they're headed. After catching their OMEA video from this past weekend, I still don't think their visual package is anywhere near up to snuff with Brownsburg/Ben Davis/LT/Lockport/etc, and I imagine that's what will ultimately hold them out, but I believe they'll land closer to Finals than they've been yet. I love seeing their rapid growth!! Not to my knowledge, but as a Clevelander, I have very little knowledge about the Columbus suburbs.
Fantastic post, by the way. I have frequently heard Pickerington North shortened to “Pick North.”
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Post by N.E. Brigand on Oct 23, 2019 14:32:30 GMT -6
Not to my knowledge, but as a Clevelander, I have very little knowledge about the Columbus suburbs.
Fantastic post, by the way. I have frequently heard Pickerington North shortened to “Pick North.” Thanks. I'm so ignorant of other parts of the state that I didn't even know there was a town called Obetz before BOA announced they were holding a show there this year.
And turning back to "Pick North", a further thought on Jake's comments about how they have "learned & grown SO MUCH in their short stint (2-3 years?) in BOA. I love the direction they're headed."
This is their third year attending BOA. I actually think their show this year is less cohesive and sophisticated (as those terms are generally understood) than their previous two shows, but what interests me is that I feel they changed their approach in 2017 to be more like what they thought BOA wanted and have been moving back toward what they were before, only they're doing it a little bit better. Their breakthrough year for me was 2016.
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Post by srv1084 on Oct 23, 2019 18:39:00 GMT -6
Ben Davis last made Indy Finals in '16, was just a few bands out in '17, but then dropped to 234th place last year and scored a 19.4 (roughly). That was a head-scratching result for sure, Holy Moly!
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Post by angelee on Oct 23, 2019 19:14:23 GMT -6
Is anyone else just immensely excited for this show to get going? I can hardly wait to see some of these groups finally in the same venue!
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Post by LeanderMomma on Oct 23, 2019 19:34:53 GMT -6
Ben Davis last made Indy Finals in '16, was just a few bands out in '17, but then dropped to 234th place last year and scored a 19.4 (roughly). That was a head-scratching result for sure, Holy Moly! 234th place? That’s impressive.
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Post by marimba11 on Oct 23, 2019 21:27:54 GMT -6
Holy Moly! 234th place? That’s impressive. Pretty good considering there are 20,000 high schools in the USA! Lol
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Post by LeanderMomma on Oct 23, 2019 21:34:49 GMT -6
234th place? That’s impressive. Pretty good considering there are 20,000 high schools in the USA! Lol I thought he meant in that particular competition. I was like, I’m pretty sure there weren’t even 100 bands there, but ok! 🤣
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Post by Jake W. on Oct 24, 2019 2:57:06 GMT -6
I thought he meant in that particular competition. I was like, I’m pretty sure there weren’t even 100 bands there, but ok! 🤣 I was referring to Indy Prelims last year! Just speaking in hyperbole. Ben Davis had been in BOA Indy Finals for 15+ years up through 2016, dropped to just a few bands out (19th place) in 2017, and then last year randomly dropped to 32nd place in Prelims, 6.5 points out of Finals and scoring a 73.10. It was a bizarre result because they landed around bands they had never placed near and far below bands they had beaten before and after Indy prelims within that season. Anyway, point being, it was an odd result that severely broke with their years of being in contention for Indy Finals, but I assume they'll be scored back in line with their historical results this weekend, sufficiently making last year's 32nd place merely a head-scratching outlier.
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Post by LeanderMomma on Oct 24, 2019 5:13:09 GMT -6
I thought he meant in that particular competition. I was like, I’m pretty sure there weren’t even 100 bands there, but ok! 🤣 I was referring to Indy Prelims last year! Just speaking in hyperbole. Ben Davis had been in BOA Indy Finals for 15+ years up through 2016, dropped to just a few bands out (19th place) in 2017, and then last year randomly dropped to 32nd place in Prelims, 6.5 points out of Finals and scoring a 73.10. It was a bizarre result because they landed around bands they had never placed near and far below bands they had beaten before and after Indy prelims within that season. Anyway, point being, it was an odd result that severely broke with their years of being in contention for Indy Finals, but I assume they'll be scored back in line with their historical results this weekend, sufficiently making last year's 32nd place merely a head-scratching outlier. Yes I thought you were being sarcastic on 234th place. That’s why I said impressive! Hopefully they’re having a much less impressive season this year. (sarcasm intended)
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Post by das88 on Oct 24, 2019 12:00:24 GMT -6
This time tomorrow I might be away from my desk. Haha. Anxious to see Homestead, Homestead, Homestead.
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Post by thewho on Oct 24, 2019 15:47:09 GMT -6
I was typing all of this up with the intention of finishing this off with info about Broad Ripple and Fountain Square, but ran out of time. I wanted to get this out today at the very least so any of you interested could plan ahead of time. Hello to all of you! Indy Super is a just few days away, and if you’re anything like me, you’d be beyond ecstatic. One for one of the best years yet of Indy Super, and another for not having to deal with the cold weather we’re having now. Can’t wait to break out those shorts! So who exactly is thewho? I’m just a moderator on the Hornrank forums right now, I’ve been a member of the marching community for nearly 10 years. Like many of you, I began freshman year of high school and was immediately hooked. I joined a now-defunct forum called IndianaMarching back in 2010 and had stuck around ever since. I began volunteering back in 2010 and volunteered when I could (2012), before being able to consecutively volunteer consistently for the Indy Super and Grand Nats starting from 2015. I am working fall staff for BOA this fall, so you’d likely had bumped into me at some point during the competitions. The past fall, I had moved back to Indianapolis after nearly 7 years away. I can assure you that a lot has changed since the last time you likely had visited the city and I’m incredibly excited to share them with you. If you have downtime to relax and enjoy the city, feel free to enjoy some suggestions! The major change and reason why I’m writing this post….. The IndyGo Red Line!What is it?This is Indianapolis’s first shot at mass transit, using electric bus rapid transit (BRT) under the Indianapolis transportation corporation, IndyGo. It runs through the heart of downtown from University of Indianapolis (UIndy) to Broad Ripple. Buses arrives at stops every 10 minutes during the week, every 15 minutes during the weekend. This is the first step in expansion of mass transit across the Marion county, with the Blue Line and Purple Line in plans at the moment. [map of Red Line] Why am I telling you about this?It’s free for you! Yes, it really is! IndyGo opened Red Line with no fares for a month to encourage riders to jump on and discover the service. This was supposed to end Oct. 3rd, but due to several problems in inaccurate time arrivals on the monitors, the free-service period has been extended to Nov. 2nd. If you have been stuck in downtown Indianapolis every time you’ve visited, this is your chance to explore! Downtown Indianapolis is a wonderful place, but unfortunately spread out enough that getting around by cars is a necessity. The places the Red Line passes through are major cultural centers for the city. It’s not all, but they absolutely are places to visit while you’re here. Great! How do I get around?- All you have to do is wait at a bus station and jump on! That’s it!
- As said before, however, the monitors showing bus arrival times are not accurate. My recommendation is to download the “myStop” app to see how far away the buses are.
- Keep in mind buses run later on the weekends. Please plan accordingly if you are a student in band and your director gives you permission to ride the bus.
- Assuming you are walking from Lucas Oil Stadium, your best stop will be at Washington & Capitol, just a block north of the Convention Center. Just find the Cultural Trail, follow the trail away from Lucas Oil (walk north), and you will be there.
- A full loop around the city from UIndy to Broad Ripple is roughly about an hour. Since you will likely start from downtown, traveling to either end of the route will be roughly 30 minutes.
- The Red Line runs for 24 hours but be warned: later hours will have longer wait times. The Red Line stops will have buses every 10 minutes on Mon.-Fri. from 5 am to 9 pm, and then 15 minutes from 9 pm to 1 am. On Saturdays, buses arrive every 15 minutes from 6 am to 1 am.
- Students, if your band director tells you to return at a certain time, return at that time. Plan accordingly.
That’s all dirty and downlow on the Red Line. Two places along the Red Line that come highly recommended by Hoosiers: Broad Ripple and Fountain Square. Broad Ripple Village is located about 6 miles north of downtown Indianapolis, within walking distance of Butler University. Broad Ripple has long been considered Indianapolis’s best-known secret (that isn’t a secret anymore), but since has grown since to be a cultural center for Indy. Easily some of the restaurants in the area- in fact, if you’re a burger person, you might as well call the place Burger Ripple. I don’t have any recommendations as I haven’t had much time to visit the area since moving back. Fountain Square is a straight shot on Virginia Ave., away from the downtown area towards the southeastern part of Indianapolis. Again, not being able to travel down due to being busy and all, but Fountain Square had gone through a ton of renovations and development to become a thriving area. Tons of food, activities, and best of all… duckpin bowling. Enjoy your time down there!
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Post by bandauntie on Oct 24, 2019 18:03:15 GMT -6
Also regarding the Redline addition...if your are driving into Indy there are new Redline lanes on the roads! Absolutely do not drive in The Redline lanes for any reason! There could be hefty $$ consequences
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Post by thor19 on Oct 24, 2019 18:19:41 GMT -6
After seeing Chesterton regionals last weekend it looks like the North is bringing more than 2 bands that have a excellent chance to make the finals Saturday. Along with Homestead and Carroll Goshen and Penn both have strong shows but I think Brownsburg and Concord have the potential to place in the finals. Brownsburg looked really clean and music was very good, Concord has awesome music and the Visual is excellent as well. I think these are 4 strong shows with finals potential.
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Post by thewho on Oct 24, 2019 18:23:25 GMT -6
Also regarding the Redline addition...if your are driving into Indy there are new Redline lanes on the roads! Absolutely do not drive in The Redline lanes for any reason! There could be hefty $$ consequences Yep!!! You may enter the lane only when the Red Line lane is striped. Do NOT enter a solid red lane! If that sounds complicated, just avoid Capitol and Meridian completely.
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Post by srv1084 on Oct 24, 2019 18:27:24 GMT -6
The IndyGo Red Line!Why am I telling you about this?It’s free for you! Yes, it really is! IndyGo opened Red Line with no fares for a month to encourage riders to jump on and discover the service. This was supposed to end Oct. 3rd, but due to several problems in inaccurate time arrivals on the monitors, the free-service period has been extended to Nov. 2nd. If you have been stuck in downtown Indianapolis every time you’ve visited, this is your chance to explore! Downtown Indianapolis is a wonderful place, but unfortunately spread out enough that getting around by cars is a necessity. The places the Red Line passes through are major cultural centers for the city. It’s not all, but they absolutely are places to visit while you’re here. Here's hoping that Indy's first attempt at mass transit works out (coming from a Bostonian who spends over an hour commuting a total of 8 miles to work).
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Post by 70sguardchick on Oct 24, 2019 18:40:01 GMT -6
So far it’s a rousing success!
Also - even though Capitol is one way south for cars, there ARE northbound buses. Be sure to look both ways when exiting parking garages.
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Post by 70sguardchick on Oct 25, 2019 5:16:16 GMT -6
Just a heads up - the forecast for Indy on Saturday calls for “Pouring rain”. Proper rain gear strongly advised.
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Post by Allohak on Oct 25, 2019 6:39:46 GMT -6
Good thing LOS has a roof
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Post by TeamIndiana on Oct 25, 2019 7:00:25 GMT -6
Anyone at prelims today?
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Post by indyguardmom on Oct 25, 2019 7:17:36 GMT -6
Watching on Flo this morning.
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Post by tubamom on Oct 25, 2019 7:20:51 GMT -6
I am here....for awhile....
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