World of Pageantry

Congratulations to ALL of the bands in today's 123rd Annual Pasadena Rose Parade. Arcadia HS was wonderful - RCC had a great opening and the entire parade was a pleasure to watch and listen too. Nice TV coverage on KTLA - channel 5 in Los Angeles.

I agree,Tom! Despite many opinions to the contrary, I thought that the overall quality of bands, as far as musical quality and entertainment, was much better this year. I think it's important to remember that the Tournament of Roses Parade isn't a band review, but more of a national pageantry event.

Teever wrote:I agree,Tom! Despite many opinions to the contrary, I thought that the overall quality of bands, as far as musical quality and entertainment, was much better this year. I think it's important to remember that the Tournament of Roses Parade isn't a band review, but more of a national pageantry event.

This ftw.

Entertainment and Effect? Sure, fine. But musical quality? Not in my book. Arcadia was great. American Fork and Avon were pretty good. Everyone else ranged from decent (Needham B. Broughton) to atrocious (Lubbock, Pulaski, and Siloam Springs).

Arcadia - a class act. They choked me up. Thank you Tom Landes & Tom Forbes. Thank you Arcadia Band & Color Guard. You made the new year start off well!

Amy

cgamy wrote:Arcadia - a class act. They choked me up. Thank you Tom Landes & Tom Forbes. Thank you Arcadia Band & Color Guard. You made the new year start off well!

Amy

As an alumni, I couldn't be more proud when I saw the big "A" come down Colorado Blvd, and I'm sure the thousands and tens of thousands others that have come before me feel the same way.

Tom Forbes does great work with the Color Guard as their academic advisor and has contributed much to the program as assistant band director and director of Arcadia's Orchestras.

But one man that often goes unnoticed and receives too little credit for the insurmountable work he does is Kevin Sherrill, who is the other band director that is on equal footing with Tom Landes. The man is a force of nature and the Apache Marching Band and Color Guard owes much of its success as a field band to him, and not to mention Arcadia's THREE percussion ensembles, one of which is the reigning WGI World Champions!

Now back on topic --
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL BANDS ON A FANTASTIC JOB WELL DONE!!!
You all worked so hard to get here, but the hours of work and gallons of sweat more than paid off. This is an experience you will remember and cherish forever the rest of your life. Someday you'll be watching the parade with your children on a New Year's day morning years down the road, and you can proudly say to them "I was there" and NOBODY can take that away from you.