Bands in the PNW - 2023

[antroot]

Hello, I realized I didn't make a PNW thread like I did last year for bands primarily in the NWAPA circuit up here in the beautiful PNW.

The first competition of the season, the NWAPA Pacific Coast Invitational hosted by Sprague HS, happened down in Salem, Oregon. Here are the results.

1st Place - Grants Pass, 81.00
2nd Place - West Salem, 76.25
3rd Place - Roseburg, 72.33
4th Place - McKay, 66.93
5th Place - North Salem, 66.60
6th Place - Westview, 65.13
7th Place - Southridge, 62.78
8th Place - Hillsboro, 60.00
9th Place - Crater, 58.43
10th Place - Beaverton, 58.40
11th Place - Forest Grove 58.20
12th Place - Liberty, 56.18

There you have it. Pretty much the results I expected. Grants Pass is bigger than the second biggest band by about 80 people. West Salem holds up despite still being a bit small compared to their pre pandemic numbers. Some bands I'm seeing are finally looking about the same size they did before the pandemic (Grants Pass, Mountainside, Kamiak).

Next week's NWAPA competitions are Kamiak's Music in Motion, and the Liberty Marching Arts Challenge, and an independent competition, the Cavalcade of Bands in Kennewick, WA.

Attending bands for...

NWAPA Music in Motion:
Kamiak (host) *
Oak Harbor
AC Davis *
Eisenhower
Cascade
Southridge
Bainbridge
Tahoma
McMinnville
Ferndale

NWAPA LMAC:
Liberty (host)
Sunset
Sprague
Glencoe
Sherwood*
Aloha
Tigard
West Salem*
Kelso
Mountainside*
Westview
Century*
Sheldon
South Albany


Independent - Cavalcade of Bands:
Kennewick
Southridge (different from the Southridge going to the Kamiak show)
West Valley
Naches Valley
Richland
Ridgeview
Timberline
University
Mt. Spokane*
Wenatchee
Hermiston
Mead*
Sunnyside
Hanford*
Chiawana*
Central Valley*
Ridgeline*
Pasco
Cle Elum
Vallivue
Kamiakin

I put an asterisk next to bands that I would be on the lookout for (at the moment). They're likely to put on a good show! If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

See you next week!

Side note: Marching band activity this season seems much more alive in the state of Washington than Oregon, for the first time in forever (to me, at least). Maybe something to do with the Seattle Cascades and the Columbians coming back this past DCI season? Something to chew on.

[antroot]

Was gone this last week, but will quickly update on happenings up here!

Two competitions on Saturday, October 21st. NWAPA Sunset Classic and the independent Harvest Marching Band Festival.

So, what happened?

NWAPA Sunset Classic - Portland, OR
----------------
1st Place - Grants Pass, 87.15
2nd Place - Kamiak, 87.10
3rd Place - Sherwood, 85.80
4th Place - Tahoma, 78.25
5th Place - Sprague, 75.75
6th Place - Skyview, 73.30
7th Place - Westview, 72.25
8th Place - Hermiston, 70.15
9th Place - Crater, 64.45
10th Place - South Albany, 62.90
11th Place - Brookings-Harbor, 59.95

High GE - Kamiak
High Music - Grants Pass
High Visual - Kamiak
High Percussion - Grants Pass
High Color Guard - Grants Pass

Just 0.05 of a difference between the top two bands! Really fun to watch. Honestly did not expect this, as Grants Pass is just about twice the size of Kamiak (approx. 100 vs 200 members). Both programs are good. Also, first time in a while that neither Kamiak or Sherwood have gotten High Percussion when both are present. (Reminder, Sherwood won gold in the Scholastic Open class at WGI Champs in 2022.)

Farther up north, there was another competition happening...

Harvest Marching Band Festival [Independent] - Yakima, WA
----------------
1st Place - Ridgeline, 89.88
2nd Place - Cheney, 88.93
3rd Place - Mt. Spokane, 87.06
4th Place - Pasco, 86.33
5th Place - Mead, 82.13
6th Place - Hanford, 82.10
7th Place - Chiawana, 81.48
8th Place - Century, 79.41
9th Place - Kennewick, 77.90
10th Place - West Valley, 77.43
11th Place - Sumner, 74.05
12th Place - Wenatchee, 73.85

High GE - Ridgeline
High Music - Ridgeline
High Visual - Cheney
High Percussion - Ridgeline
High Color Guard - Mt. Spokane

Most of these bands will be going to WSU Championships in Pullman to finish out their season next week.

Except one. Ridgeline will be making the journey all the way to Eugene to compete at NWAPA Championships.

NWAPA Championships at the University of Oregon is going to have what I think will be the most competitive top three I've ever seen. Grants Pass, Kamiak, and Ridgeline will all be performing for that top spot. Will be fun to see some great bands that day!

See you next week! (and if you have any questions, just ask!)

[boahistorybuff]

Making us all wish for another BOA regional in the PNW.