Moorpark Class 3A-1 Review

[formermarcher]

Well guys...here are the 8 bands that marched in the class 3A-1 part of the show. I warn you...the reviews are long. But I sat out in the wind...the cold...and the rain to write these. It was fun! All the bands did good out there!

And I apologize for the latter ones...they are short comapred to the earlier ones. I was getting tired...I'll go back and legnthen them later.
Alright...8 down, 10 to go.

Bakersfield
Music: Music from Chance
First off, I loved the song they played (Variations on a Korean Folk Song). I have played it before and it can be a challenging piece to play, but Bakersfield did a good job pulling it off. I personally liked the background drops they had, as it accurately reflected the type of show that they were doing.
This show was the first one I saw in the cold weather and wind of Moorpark High School. Right off the bat on the first downbeat, there were a few discrepancies, but they were quickly corrected to reveal a nice overall balance between the wind instruments. Towards the end of the 1st part of their show, I noticed the clarinets locked in perfectly with each other when it came the various trills they went through. Overall, I loved the song they played (Variations on a Korean Folk Song)
Sadly, the second movement was a drop from the first. Marching problems plagued the group some more…and some sections (flutes and saxophones) stood out from the rest of the band. However, there was a very nice mellophone solo, and that seemed to set up a nice ending to the second movement. It was also around that time that the flags used by the Color guard fit in perfectly with the music being played. Aside from some discrepancies, a well done second movement.
The third movement combined the 1st and 2nd when it came to technical aspects. Again, the marching wasn’t quite up to par…and around this time I thought the flags didn’t lock in too well. Still, the mood was maintained and the group did a good job overall.
The last movement held some nice flag work, but still problems with the band. There were some tuning issues, but they still drove through the piece in good fashion. They ended the show with the slight bow that can be found in the Korean and Asian cultures. It fit in perfectly with the show, and it gave a sense of closure.
My message to Bakersfield: You guys have the potential to sound so much louder, but you guys did a good job as is.

Pacifica
Music: Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
My first impression as they set up reminded me of an Italian restaurant. The pillars and vine reminded my of the Olive Garden, which isn’t so bad because I love that restaurant! Also, I noticed a white clarinet on the field…I’m so jealous…
First movement started off a little off musically, but visually was great. They performed a great move across the field, but the marching technique rippled from the front of the band to the back. I was impressed with the sound the group emitted in the first movement, and I think each section performed in great harmony.
Second movement. First thing I noticed was the solo player…the band did not seem to lock in as accompaniment to the soloist. However, visually, the band looked good during the second movement.
The third movement seemed to feature the color guard, with poles made of grass and even a staged duel between the members of the color guard. That worked out pretty well considering the theme of the show, and was entertaining to watch.
Although I did not get a sense of closure from the show when it ended, I was impressed with the marching of the group. I felt they could work a little bit harder of the music (especially staying in tune), but I enjoyed the show nevertheless.
My note: I like how your drum major conducted the group. It was more flowing than the tradition hardcore conducting. A nice change to watch!

Long Beach Poly
Music: Music of Bill Chase
I was initially set off by the long introduction of the group, but the performance of this group stunned me.
They started off with an incredibly sounding trumpet line, and then had the rest of the band join in. The music and marching were both very clean, and the sound the group had was probably equal to that of a 4A or 5A band. On the field, there was a dance involving the color guard and it went in superbly with the solo player. The first movement left an awesome impression and I was blown away by it.
In the second movement, the sound got even better, but at the cost of visual marching. Some advanced formations failed and there were a few people off step and out of phase. Somewhere in the second movement was an incredibly trumpet/ sax combo that was great to watch. Overall in the second movement, I felt that the group lost some of its visual but maintained its music superbly.
There was only one thing that bothered me in their closer. Towards the end of the show, the group was spread across the field, and you could easily hear the music ripping from one end to the other. In every other aspect though, music and visual, the third movement was the most impressive of them all.
Overall, the group seemed to lose its intensity as the show went on, but I was still incredibly impressed by the group’s performance. I think the band took away from the drumline and Color guard a bit, but when I was watching that group it was all about the sound. Superb job guys! I put you down for the winner of 3A-1!
Note to group: All you guys need to do is get nitty-gritty on the music, and maybe work a little bit on the formations. Other than that, you guys look, and sound, great! You sound so much larger than your size.

Crescenta Valley
Two things I noticed right off the bat as they walked in was that the drumline had a different uniform from the rest of the band, and that they had no color guard! All they had was one baton twirler…I wasn’t sure if she was a band member or a cheerleader. Either way, she was there.
1st: I think that the first thing off the bat set them up for the rest of the show. There were some false entrances…marching-wise. The group never seemed to recover from them. I liked how the brass played in the first movement, although at times they themselves didn’t lock in. I just didn’t feel anything from the group, and it sort of set me off.
2ns: The band danced on the field! Very nice! Get that funk on, guys! Along with the dancing was an attempt to get the audience into the show by having them clap along with the beat…unfortunately it didn’t work. Te baton girl was right there as well, spinner her baton. I though I saw her hit herself in the face with it, but I wasn’t sure. It didn’t effect her performance.
3rd: The only thing I have to suggest is that you take up the tempo a bit. The music is catchy, but it was played without much emotion. I think that if you guys got more into it, it’d improve by itself.
4th: Power to the trombones! They were just blasting away there in unison! It was very entertaining! Again, the band danced on the field. This movement had the most visual effects in it, but the music wasn’t anything exciting.
Note: I didn’t understand the point of the baton girl…but at times she was entertaining to watch. If you guys can get more into the music you are playing, the show would be so much more fun to watch. It is fun as it is, but you can never have enough fun!

San Marino
Music: Fantasmic 1,2 &3
This show I guess was Disney-based, which is a change. I have never heard a show based on music from Disney. I recognized the first two songs, but no clue what the third one was. I was saddened when I saw they had no props…props could have worked really well with this show.
1st: Welcome to Disneyland! Disneyland and more baton spinners! Two of them this time. The whole opener was fairly good, with the only real problem was the vague sound the group played on the field. They could have been louder, but it worked well as it was.
2nd: Beauty and the Beast. The small number in the pit was swelled when the Drumline played some pit instruments. I think this movement went to the color guard, as they were right on in everything. The band…well nothing bad, but nothing spectacular. There was also some dancing as seen in the movie…but it was near the pit for some reason. There was a nice open space in the middle of the field, and I think the dance would have been more visible there.
3rd: Whatever it was, it was a darker type of music. There was an evil quality to it, and the band played it with an evil taint to it. It worked out nicely. When the band spanned across the field, there was no discrepancies, musically, and I though that was quite an accomplishment.
What really was something to see was when one of the baton players came up with two flaming batons. That was…WOW!!! I have never seen that before, and it worked out great. She dropped one though, and for second I expected the field to burst into flames. Just kidding. The ending of the show was a visual one, but the band did leave a sense of closure. Good job!
Note: You guys looked so much larger than a 3A band…all you need to do is sound like a bigger band. Looked good out there!

Mira Costa
Music: Santana
From start to finish, a great job by this band. They had a loud sound, good marching, and a very nice color guard. However, with the loud sound comes a problem. Dynamics. I don’t want to say that there was only one…but it is like one dynamic with variations. It was concisely loud, but different levels of loud. Throughout the show, I noticed how the trumpets were doing a great job. I was also impressed with the Color guard in this show. I think this group is a very good group, and can grow to be great!
Note: Malanquena! I love that piece! Kudos to you guys!

Santa Barbara:
Music: Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Ah! Another Robin Hood show…that’s cool. I like the music for it.
I was supremely disappointed in the sound of this group. I thought maybe they were being conservative for a surprisingly loud ending, but that never happened. Oh well.
Marching-wise, however, one of the best of the night. They not only had superb marching, but they had a lot of well-executed visuals. As for color guard and drumline…well both of them were ON FIRE! I enjoyed they drum solo…wowness. But I just couldn’t get over the fact at how soft the band played.
Note: Good show, just work more on the sound of your band and you’ll be an awesome band!

Littlerock
Music: Tapestry of Sound
Power and props to the color guard of Littlerock High School. You girls RULE! Drumline was pretty good…nothing spectacular. The horn line…well music wasn’t exactly the best I have heard. There were a lot of tuning issues as well as note discrepancies. But overall, the still had a great sound.
Note: I had you guys down for top Color guard of the night. Just amazing!



Phew...on to 3A-2 now...that should be coming either later tonight or sometime tomorrow.
Sorry that I don't have the scores...they have seemingly vanished from the world.