2003 NCBA Fall Season/Looking Back

Topics and polls that cover the overall marching band activity

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Hostrauser
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Post by Hostrauser » Sun Dec 14, 2003 6:07 pm

The Top 5 NCBA Parade Bands that I saw in 2003:
1. Benicia
2. Golden Valley
3. Foothill-Pleasanton
4. Fairfield
5. Santa Cruz
(did not see Las Plumas/Oroville)

The Top 5 NCBA Field Bands that I saw in 2003:
1. Leigh
2. Homestead
3. Saratoga
4. Bella Vista
5. Madera

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ILL~BE~BACH
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Re: Ncba Scores

Post by ILL~BE~BACH » Sun Dec 14, 2003 7:02 pm

Paul wrote:In regards to the score of 97...a little inflated maybe? I've seen some pretty out of this world scores at NCBA competitions in the past! In the fall of 1998 at Westside Band Review in Newman,Ca. Fairfield HS's ID line recieved a score of 99!
Obviously this is an example of someone talking about scores and the NCBA.
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huh?

Post by clusknay » Sun Dec 14, 2003 9:07 pm

Your point?

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This Topic Is Squashed!

Post by Paul » Mon Dec 15, 2003 12:36 am

Anybody who has followed this forum for the past three years will tell you that the topic of NCBA judging has run its course! Russ Campbell, Phantom Phan, ETC. have all stated their cases concerning the inconsistencies regarding parade/field judging sheets! We all need to come to terms with the scoring and hope that newer/future versions of NCBA judging sheets will be in the best inerests of all the performing groups in this circuit! In response to "ILL~BE~BACH"...what is your point? All that was previously posted were poignant remarks about 'out of this world' scores we have seen in the past!

To Mr. 'Phantom Phan'...what was your criteria of judging when you placed Foothill(P) ahead of Fairfield? Musically and showmanship wise I thought Fairfield had a much more crisp solid performance. Las Plumas/Oroville was very good this season. I think they deserve that number five position.

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Re: This Topic Is Squashed!

Post by Hostrauser » Mon Dec 15, 2003 12:55 am

Paul wrote:To Mr. 'Phantom Phan'...what was your criteria of judging when you placed Foothill(P) ahead of Fairfield? Musically and showmanship wise I thought Fairfield had a much more crisp solid performance. Las Plumas/Oroville was very good this season. I think they deserve that number five position.
1. I didn't see LPO this year, which is why I put Santa Cruz at #5.

2. Fairfield vs. Foothill-Pleasanton on parade. JUST MY OPINION, so if anyone gets upset by what I'm about to say, TOUGH. :twisted:

The difference is very, very slight, as I feel both bands are of roughly the same caliber. Let's not forget they were only 0.15 apart at Del Oro in mid-October. Caption by caption:

Color Guard - Fairfield's guard is far better than Foothill's on the street. However, I don't think they are unquestionably the best guard in the NCBA. I think five or six bands could make an argument for having the best parade auxiliary in the NCBA, and Fairfield would be just one of those. Honestly, the best guard I saw all year was quite possibly Santa Cruz HS.

Marching - Both are "fair" but not great. Both bands have trouble with their rows "bending" as the march progresses. And don't give me that "size of the band" argument: there's PLENTY of other bands that march 9-10 across and have no trouble keeping their rows straight. At most band reviews both of these ensembles should finish 5th-10th in marching, but that simply never happens because... well, we've already been over the NCBA judging issues.

Showmanship - Tough call, again, this year I'd say they were about equal. Fairfield was more technically precise, but lacked the fire and energy put out by Foothill. I'd say Fairfield has the edge in the visual part of showmanship, whereas Foothill has the edge in the musical part.

Music - Again, these two are just about equal. In the end, I thought Foothill was just a little bit better than Fairfield musically this year, and that's what led me to rank them ahead of the Scarlet Brigade. Fairfield did a terrific job with a technically demanding march ("Law and Order" by H. Alford)... but then so did Foothill ("Stars and Stripes Forever" by Sousa, no piece of cake itself). As I've said previously in my reviews, I thought Fairfield was lacking that "presence of sound" I'm so accustomed to hearing from them. That and, as I touched on in the Showmanship caption, I thought all of the Fairfield performances I heard this year were kind of "eh." Very precise, and they hit all the notes, but it wasn't as MUSICAL as it should've been; and, quite simply, Fairfield couldn't hold a candle to the spirit, fire, and energy Foothill put into S&SF.

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coolio...

Post by clusknay » Mon Dec 15, 2003 8:50 am

Excellent explanation of your picks Phantom...Personally...I've always found it hard to get really excited about parade though...I just can't see myself throwing babies over a really good parade performance. I'm a field guy 99% of the time. Nothing against parade...but, it's just how I feel.

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Post by Spyder » Mon Dec 15, 2003 9:12 am

Wow, this topic lost it's point. I was just pointing out that the ncba DID have something stand out, but it just wasnt in the world of marching bad. It was the drummers year, now from me saying that i see it's turned into an argument of judging... oops
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Post by Spyder » Mon Dec 15, 2003 9:19 am

Maybe we should all bake a giant cake and roast some marshmellows over a camp fire..... anything to stop talking about judging.... for once :(
no longer dealing with high school ^_^

"If it doesnt hurt your not doing it right,"-Darrin Byrd

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