OKBC Review

Bands of America Super Regional Championships
(prelims)

In addition to the 12 outstanding bands from Oklahoma, there were an additional 38 bands from 10 other states that participated in this Super Regional, making it one of the most diverse events outside of Grand Nationals.  This year's event featured a collection of great performances from BOA powerhouse states like Illinois and Ohio, as well as a powerful contingent of upper-Midwest bands from Minnesota and South Dakota.  I was also delighted by the strong lineup of Missouri bands this year, with a record 3 home-state bands in Finals.

BLUE RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL
Farmer City, Illinois

Show Title:  Heroes...

Featuring a rather random collection of heroic movie themes (including music from James Bond, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Rocky, Superman, and Schindler's List??), this tone of this show was all-over-the-map.  The Schindler portion was actually somewhat moving and was the best part of their show.  It made me wish that they had built the entire show around real-life heroes.  The fundamentals with this band were somewhat lacking.  They were able to deliver a passable sound at times, but there seemed to be a few "heroes" sticking out occasionally (I'm looking at you, trumpets).

WHEATON NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
Wheaton, Illinois

Show Title:  Dimensions of Existence

This actually could have been a really interesting show if it had been even moderately clean.  They delivered a decent sound for their rather small size, but just need to work on their tone quality and balance a bit.  Visually, the drill was fast-paced and demanding.  However, the band members just couldn't seem to keep up.  It was one of the sloppier marching performances of the entire competition.  But, hailing from the Chicago area, they have plenty of talented ensembles in that area (Prospect, Lake Park, Marian Catholic, and the Lincoln-Way's, to name a few) to help inspire them to better themselves.

NIXA HIGH SCHOOL
Nixa, Missouri

Show Title:  Vertigo

I must say that I was incredibly impressed with how much Nixa has improved.  To quote someone from the BOA Forums, "I didn't know they could do that!"  Their musical sound was by far the best I have ever heard from them.  Their visual repertoire was a vast improvement from a couple of years ago when their shows usually consisted of easy drill and lots of park and blows.  The drill was challenging and interesting to look at despite numerous incidents of dirty feet and shaky lines.  This was their first foray into the BOA world and I hope they decide to come back next year.  They just need to work on cleaning up their feet a bit.

HILLSBORO HIGH SCHOOL
Hillsboro, Missouri

Show Title:  Chronometry

Considering this is only their second or third year fielding a competitive show, Hillsboro did a pretty fair job.  It can be very difficult starting a marching program from the ground up.  They performed a passable rendition of Key Poulan's music but still need to work on developing their overall tone quality.  I liked their "clock" formation where the band was in a circle and the battery provided the "clock hands".  Of course, that has been done many times before, but it is still a nice visual.  Their marching was probably their weakest area.  The drill didn't seem very challenging and there was still a lot of people struggling to keep in step and hit the formations.  However, if they can manage to get a Division II rating at a BOA event after only a couple of years experience attending local Missouri contests, it certainly bodes well for them.

LEE'S SUMMIT NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
Lee's Summit, Missouri

Show Title:  The Age of Industrialism

This was an enormous improvement over their performance here 2 years ago (where they performed Godzilla Eats Las Vegas with a poor student wandering around the field in a fuzzy Godzilla outfit).  They had a loud, commanding sound although the high brass needs to be careful not to overwhelm the balance of the ensemble as a whole.  The theme of machinery dominated this show.  I liked how they had counter-rotating circles that resembled cogs of some giant machine (although the circles themselves seemed a little wobbly).  It appears they may be on their way back up.

FORT ZUMWALT NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
O'Fallon, Missouri

Show Title:  Shhh!  Silence is Golden

I admit that I usually don't care for Fort Zumwalt North's shows, and this one was no different.  For the last several years, they have been performing music by John Meehan.  Although I like a couple of his pieces (such as Clocks), I find many of them to be rather boring.  However, even though I don't like their shows, I recognize that this band is pretty talented.  Their numbers are starting to get larger so they are starting to develop a more well-rounded sound.  They play well and march well, but the show is just not very interesting.  I'd like to see them break away from Meehan and perform something a little more exciting.

FRANCIS HOWELL HIGH SCHOOL
St. Charles, Missouri

Show Title:  The Machines

Performing the exact same music as Lee's Summit North, I have to say that this version pales in comparison.  Lee's Summit North (being almost twice the size of this band) was able to deliver a loud, energetic sound that Francis Howell just couldn't match.  This band also had some balance issues caused by some people frequently sticking out.  Visually, they seemed to be much stronger, aided in part by nice guard work.  I was surprised by this band's rather disappointing performance.  I saw a video of them from earlier in the season where they did quite well, so perhaps it was just a bad run.

ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Show Title: The Art of Tango

Utilizing a giant, black & white, checkered tarp as a dance floor, as well as large professional-looking backdrops which featured couples embracing in the midst of a dance, I knew that Roosevelt's show would be incredibly visual.  For the most part, I was not disappointed.  The music was demanding and their playing was technically proficient, but I felt that their high brass had a somewhat harsh sound at times.  Their marching was fairly good, but their forms could use a little cleaning.  This was a show that was definitely designed with GE in mind.

KICKAPOO HIGH SCHOOL
Springfield, Missouri

Show Title:  Aquatic Dances

As many of you may know, I graduated from Willard High School.  Our main rival in marching band was Kickapoo.  The rivalry was almost as intense as the one between BA & Union back in the day.  However, I was very happy that Kickapoo became the first band from southwest Missouri to make BOA finals.  They had a far more difficult and mature show than I am used to seeing from them, although there seemed to be some slight phasing during Equus.  Making the most of their outstanding guard, they performed the show really well, although they need to work on refining their sound a little.

IRONDALE HIGH SCHOOL
New Brighton, Minnesota

Show Title:  Nevermore

Irondale is one of those bands that always has an incredible visual design.  They usually have lots of props and tons of GE.  It would seem like they were trying to overcompensate if their musicianship and marching weren't so great.  But thankfully, they have proven themselves year after year to be one of the very best bands from the upper Midwest.  This year's production was based around Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven".  Spread across the field were 18 (count 'em, 18) large, ornate doorways from which the band slowly emerges.  I had to wonder, wouldn't 9 or 10 doorways have been enough?  Apparently not.  But the powerful music and drill combined with the creepy narration of Poe's most famous work made this a really memorable show.

PROSPECT HIGH SCHOOL
Mount Prospect, Illinois

Show Title:  Marching Metamorphosis

I've always loved Prospect.  While their music is consistently strong, I am always amazed at their drill design.  Fast-paced and quirky with surprise drill formations popping up almost out of nowhere, it's a real feast for the eyes.  Their production this year was an intriguing blend of very, old-school Sousa-type marches combined with Symphonic Metamorphosis.  The way the music is arranged is like a constant battle between the two disparate styles vying for musical supremacy.  There was a great, funny touch throughout the show as a lone band member keeps trying to "fit in" with both the traditional marching music and the more modern arrangement with frustrating results.  It was their best show since 2004 and very deserving of 2nd Place.

BLUE VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Stilwell, Kansas

Show Title:  We Came to Play

After the departure of their longtime director a few years ago, this band has really had trouble finding their footing. This year's show revolves around a game of dominoes.  There are large domino props standing on end that the guard periodically pick up and lay down on the field to "play" their game.  I felt that the show design had some promise but wasn't really as well thought out as it could have been.  The musical selections really failed to make any kind of impact as well.  I really liked their show last year and thought that they were, perhaps, on their way back up.  But with this year's show, it unfortunately doesn't look promising.

BLUE VALLEY WEST HIGH SCHOOL
Overland Park, Kansas

Show Title:  Primary Forms

I find it really interesting that this is probably the best they've ever been, and yet, they failed to make finals as they have for the last 2 years.  While I felt that their 2005 show had some incredible visuals, their music seemed rather weak.  And last year, their music was catchy and well-performed, but the visuals were somewhat lacking.  This year, they struck a solid balance between the two extremes.  The design concept was more apparent and the musical and visual execution were more well-integrated.  Personally, I felt that they didn't really deserve to be in finals last year but should have been this year.

MILFORD HIGH SCHOOL
Milford, Ohio

Show Title:  Q:  The Queen Symphony

Being a frequent Regional finalist and Grand National semi-finalist, I had assumed they would be a lock for finals.  But this was a really strange show, and perhaps that hurt them with the judges.  Featuring a symphonic arrangement of the music of the 70s rock band Queen, they seemed to blur the lines between past and present with a large portrait of Queen Elizabeth I in the background.  The guard was also dressed in Elizabethan-inspired costumes.  It created a really bizarre disconnect for me between the musical design and the visual design.  However, the music and especially the drill were quite well-executed (Bohemian Rhapsody was a particular favorite with the crowd).

OAKVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
St. Louis, Missouri

Show Title:  Heritage

This band has long had a stigma associated with them for having very clean, but somewhat easy shows.  While I feel this is true to some extent, I have always felt that their overall show designs and lack of attention to General Effect is what has really held them back in the BOA arena.  After years of coming very close to making finals, they finally broke through the barrier this year not once, but twice.  Although their show was probably the least challenging of the finalist bands, it was by no means easy.  However, they made it look so with nearly flawless musical and visual execution.  They sounded like a concert band on the field.  Their balance and tone quality were impeccable, as was their marching.  Wearing white pants really helped accentuate how incredibly clean and in unison their legs and feet were.  I do admit to being a little weary of hearing Aaron Copland on the field, but their arrangement was fresh and the sharp visuals really complimented the music.  Welcome to the big leagues, Oakville!

DESOTO CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
Southaven, Mississippi

Show Title:  Realizations

Having been open only 2 or 3 years, DeSoto Central is a new school that has been making waves at local contests in their home state of Mississippi.  Marking their first appearance at a BOA event, they certainly made a promising first step.  They had a nice, big sound but still need to work on controlling it a bit.  The brass section seemed to overwhelm the whole ensemble at times.  I liked their drill design but their marching was really quite sloppy, in my opinion.  The fundamentals don't seemed to be very consistent from individual to individual, but this is a very young program.  Give it a few years and they may be one to watch out for.

SYCAMORE HIGH SCHOOL
Cincinnati, Ohio

Show Title:  We'll Show You the Ropes

First of all, I must say that I really didn't agree with the rather low score that Sycamore received.  I feel a few of the judges were a little unduly harsh.  Although the show design did seem a bit random, I felt that they played and marched very respectably.  They really played up the "ropes" theme by having some of the brass performing their music with one had while carrying a long rope between them that was used to round up and encircle the band.  Personally, although I would have placed them just outside of finals, I feel they certainly deserved much higher than the placement of 34th that they received.

PARKWAY CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
Chesterfield, Missouri

Show Title:  Quidam

I have to admit that I am growing weary of shows featuring music from Cirque du Soleil.  That is largely due to the fact that so many bands of lesser abilities have been performing their shows in recent years.  This band seemed to struggle quite a bit.  Musically, they had a weak sound with poor balance and tone quality, although I did detect a few individuals that have some real talent.  Their marching was slightly better, but they had a lot of trouble keeping lines straight and feet in step.  Having seen this band through the years, I know they are capable of better.  They just need to focus on developing their fundamentals.

HOLT HIGH SCHOOL
Wentzville, Missouri

Show Title:  Songs of the Earth

Usually, Holt delivers well-performed but rather low-key and unimaginative shows.  They generally have a nice, but subdued sound and solid, but unspectacular drill.  This year however, their performance was pretty disappointing.  Their music and marching were much sloppier than normal and the design concept of the show was not sufficient to help create a memorable experience.  This must have been a rebuilding year for them.  Earning their first ever Division III rating will hopefully inspire them to recover next year.

CONNER HIGH SCHOOL
Hebron, Kentucky

Show Title:  Conan

I remember being rather impressed with this band's classical show a couple years ago (Beethoven, I believe) and thought they should have scored somewhat higher than they did.  Therefore, I was interested in seeing them this year, but must admit I was pretty disappointed.  Featuring really annoying voice-overs by narrators that were a little over-enthusiastic, their show was based on music from "Conan the Barbarian".  Their show was pretty original (I can't really remember anyone ever choosing to do "Conan" before), but their performance execution was seriously lacking.  They had a shrill, ragged sound much of the time, although the ballad sounded nice.

SOUTHAVEN HIGH SCHOOL
Southaven, Mississippi

Show Title:  Elvis...Everywhere

Southaven is just south of Memphis and only a few miles from Graceland, so it is only fitting that they are performing a show about Elvis.  Although I am not a big fan of Presley's work, the band had a great sound and the drill was nicely done, if not particularly exciting.  The musical book was an interesting arrangement of some of his more famous songs.  The guard performed fairly well and were dressed in the more garish fashion of the King's later years.  This group has proven once again to that they are one of the top bands in Mississippi, along with Tupelo and Grenada (a major BOA player back in the 80s).  This was a very nice performance, but I preferred their show last year more.

BLUE SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL
Blue Springs, Missouri

Show Title:  Into Thin Air:  Where the Earth Meets the Sky

Based on music from the IMAX movie "Everest", this without a doubt the best designed show that Blue Springs has ever done.  They had a solitary mountain climber trudging his way around the field as the narrator recounted his journey.  I liked how the design of the flags mirrored his progress, from the cloud-like pattern early in the show to the snowy, white flags of the climax as he nears the summit.  The theme was also incorporated into the drill design with various forms representing the mountain itself.  The music was loud, powerful, and well-balanced.  Their marching (which is usually a bit shaky) was fairly solid, with only occasional trouble maintaining lines and diagonals.  If they can have a clean performance at Grand Nationals, they have a strong shot at becoming Missouri's first Semi-Finalist.

MARTINSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
Martinsville, Indiana

Show Title:  Suite for Mankind

This was a show that just wasn't very memorable.  Featuring movements entitled "Creation", "Devastation", "Salvation", and "Jubilation", their musical arrangements didn't seem to flow very well from one to another.  The music had a shaky and tentative sound much of the time.  Their marching wasn't too bad, but they just need to work on developing their fundamentals and especially need to watch each other a lit bit more to make sure their lines and formations are lining up correctly.

O'FALLON TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL
O'Fallon, Illinois

Show Title:  Synergy:  Thought, Motion, Sound!

They haven't really added or changed anything since I last saw this band at the Broken Arrow Invitational.  They were, of course, a bit cleaner.  But I still have to admit that I liked the show even more upon repeat viewings.  The music and visuals work well together.  Their uniforms look sharp and their color guard and especially their drumline did a great job.  Although I loved the musical arrangement, I thought that they didn't have as mature a sound as many of the other eventual finalists.  With their new director doing such a solid job with them this year, I look forward to seeing great things from them in the future. 

FRANCIS HOWELL NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
St. Charles, Missouri

Show Title:  Questions

I don't think I have ever laughed this much at a marching band performance.  I mean that in a good way.  As the narrator began asking a variety of random questions (such as "If 2 out of 3 people suffer from diarrhea..."), there were backdrops across the field that revealed humorous follow-up questions ("Does that mean the 3rd person enjoys it?").  Although the band performed this same music a few years ago, the visual design of the show made it seem completely fresh.  The questions themselves seemed to be really random and inconsequential, but the band seemed to understand that with the final question of "Who Cares?".  And then they proceeded to do the "Hokey Pokey".  I'm not kidding.  But this was a really fun show with very nice musical and visual execution.

EDEN PRAIRIE HIGH SCHOOL
Eden Prairie, Minnesota

Show Title:  Call of the Dragon

Yet another impressive band from up north, they really made a statement in their first BOA appearance.  Based on music by Joseph Curiale, this show definitely had an Asian feel which was reflected very well in the show design.  Some people thought the Chinese dragon that they used near the end was a bit over-the-top, but I think it worked very well.   They were large and had a big, yet controlled sound, although there were some ragged tones a few times.  The drill was well-performed and fun to watch.  I certainly hope they continue to make the long trip south to St. Louis in the future.

ROSEMOUNT HIGH SCHOOL
Rosemount, Minnesota

Show Title:  Move or Be Moved!

Every time I see this band, they are better than the year before.  They did have a few slight musical issues a couple of times (which were thankfully fixed in Finals), but for the most part, they had a fantastic sound.  Their drill was incredibly fast-paced much of the time, but they kept up with it very well.  Although I am not generally a big fan of their show designs, that area is improving as well.  This show was based on music from Cirque du Soleil.  Thankfully, they stayed away from "La Nouba" and "Quidam" which have been so over-used and instead went with the lesser-performed "O".  I'm sure they get told this all the time, but they really should to come to Grand Nationals some day.  With this rate of improvement, they could certainly be a solid Semi-Finalist and eventually perhaps become Minnesota's first Finalist.

FRED J. PAGE HIGH SCHOOL
Franklin, Tennessee

Show Title:  Seven

After their strong showing last year at the Atlanta Super Regional, I was eagerly anticipating this band's performance.  I have to admit that I was a little let-down.  While the show was designed and programmed extremely well, their performance execution both musically and visually was not as strong as I had expected.  That's not to say they sounded or marched poorly.  They had a nice sound for their size but just need to fine tune it a bit and their visuals were pretty good, but not as clean as they would have liked, I'm sure.  The show was about the Seven Deadly Sins and they interpreted them visually very well through props and good use of the color guard.  If they can clean up the show a bit before Nationals, I think they stand a good chance of making Semi-Finals.

PARKWAY SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL
Manchester, Missouri

Show Title:  Electronica

Considering the title of the show, I was expecting a bit more of an electronic sound during the performance.  Although I'm not a huge fan of electronics in marching band shows, if you're going to title your show after it, you might want to make it a bit more prominent.  I wasn't familiar with the musical arrangements, but felt that they weren't very memorable despite being energetic and fast-paced.  Overall, they had a decent sound, but the high brass sounded a little shrill at times and there wasn't enough use of the woodwinds and low brass to help balance the sound.  Their marching fundamentals were pretty good but they need to watch their lines a bit to keep them straight.  There were some rippling body movements at the beginning that were quite effective though.  Although I've definitely seen Parkway South give better performances, this was a fairly decent show.

PIKE HIGH SCHOOL
Indianapolis, Indiana

Show Title:  The Dark

This was a show that was very well programmed and has the potential to be really cool if it ever gets cleaned up.  Based on music by Patrick Doyle, they had a very dark sound as expected.  There was some nice work by the woodwinds and low brass.  There were just some occasional ragged edges to the band's sound that needs to be refined.  As with most Indiana bands, the visual design was really their strong suit.  I really liked the asterisk shaped formation where the band lays face-down on the field and then rippled their bodies, although their timing seemed to be off a little.  They just need to clean up the drill and get the body movements timed right to create the maximum effect.  This band certainly seems to be improving.

LINDBERGH HIGH SCHOOL
St. Louis, Missouri

Show Title:  The Flight

Lindbergh proves once again that they are one of the top programs in Missouri.  Their music sounded fantastic.  They had a really full, rich sound and they managed the more difficult passages with ease.  In fact, they were stronger musically than a number of the finalist bands.  I've always felt their shows lack General Effect, but that area was much improved this year.  The show was about Charles Lindbergh's first flight across the Atlantic.  Throughout the show they played audio clips of Lindbergh describing his journey and had silver-suited guard members portraying his plane (complete with matching silver flags as the "wings").  What held them back this year was their rather sloppy visual execution.  If their marching had been cleaner, they probably would have been contending for a spot in Finals.

BELLBROOK HIGH SCHOOL
Bellbrook, Ohio

Show Title:  The Next Step

After a severely disappointing season last year, Bellbrook has made major improvements this year.  Their musical and visual execution were solid, although there were a few feet issues and people that were a little late hitting their formations.  The show's overall design package was much stronger than last year.  There were several staircases around the field which were used effectively throughout the show.  I'm not sure if their show title was a deliberate attempt to demonstrate their determination to move beyond last year's challenges.  But in any case, they definitely took their first step to returning to their former glory.

MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL
Marshall, Minnesota

Show Title:  Chain Reactions

Marshall is a very large band from a rather small rural school, but they are another powerhouse Minnesota band.  They must put something in the water up there.  They played very well and had a big, well-rounded sound.  Their marching was actually much sharper than the last time I saw them a couple of years ago.  After their performance, many people around me thought they would be in Finals for sure.  However, I think what really hurt them was the fact that they lacked a cohesive show concept.  When General Effect counts for 60% of your score, just marching and playing well is rarely enough to get you into Finals at a major BOA event.  The show usually has to have some unifying design or concept to help sell your theme.

EASTVIEW HIGH SCHOOL
Apple Valley, Minnesota

Show Title:  And Now, the Weather

I remember being very impressed with Eastview last year.  I couldn't help but feel rather let-down with this year's production.  Reminiscent of Carmel's headline news show from a few years ago, this show portrayed a weather broadcast.  They even had an anchor desk with a reporter recounting temperatures and weather conditions from towns that performed before and after them (Skiatook & Odessa).  Using different colored flags with temperatures on them (blue for cold, yellow for mild, red for hot, etc), they really went all-out for General Effect.  However, their marching and especially their music was not up to the standards they held last year.

ODESSA HIGH SCHOOL
Odessa, Missouri

Show Title:  American Impressions

This show started off very well but seemed to run out of steam towards the end.  I'm generally not a big fan of patriotic shows.  They had large backdrops that displayed various uniquely American images at different points throughout the show, culminating with the large, central backdrop which was revealed at the climax.  It was a enlarged photo of the massing of the finalist bands at Grand Nationals.  While that is certainly a distinctly American image, it did smack a little of brown-nosing to me.  However, I'm sure it will go over well with the judges and audience when they travel to Grand Nationals in a few weeks.  Luckily, their musical arrangements were fresh and stayed away from the more traditional, patriotic fare for the most part which helped cut down on the "cheese" factor.  They delivered a good sound up until the last movement or so and the marching was decent, but could still do with a good cleaning.  They still have time before Grand Nationals to whip this show into shape.

JEFFERSONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
Jeffersonville, Indiana

Show Title:  enCODEed

It can't be easy performing music that is so well-associated with one of the top bands in the nation (L.D. Bell's 2002 show "Binary Systems").  To Jeffersonville's credit, they didn't water down the difficulty of the music that much.  But unfortunately, they just couldn't meet the challenge entirely.  They seemed to be struggling to stay on top of the musical book.  Visually, there were some nice ideas.  Each of the band members had a 0 or a 1 on the back of their uniforms that created a "binary code" when they faced backfield.  It was an interesting show that could have been more effective had it been cleaner.

FORT ZUMWALT WEST HIGH SCHOOL
O'Fallon, Missouri

Show Title:  Schism:  A Journey Into a Fractured Mind

This show was based on Danny Elfman's Serenada Schizophrena, which is an intriguing piece that seemed to be way above this band's skill level.  There were some good ideas in the visual design that helped interpret the theme of split personalities.  However, the ideas became a bit muddled due to the sloppy visual execution.  The show had some good potential but was just way too difficult for the band to perform well, both musically and visually.  While I support the idea of challenging the students, it must be done within reason. 

CENTRAL CROSSING HIGH SCHOOL
Grove City, Ohio

Show Title:  Into the Light