Even though I never finished them because I was unable to post them on the site (I apologize for this), I am going to go ahead and post the reviews I did write for whoever is interested in reading them. Again, thanks for viewing, and I hope you enjoy.
Williamstown - "Galaxy"
This is one of the shows I was most looking forward to watching when the repertoires began to leak out. Star Trek, Moon Dance, Rocket Man, The Planets? Crazy. But high quality musical arrangement really helped pull it all together into a cohesive package (and I was particularly impressed with their arrangement of Rocket Man). Their modest props were just enough to help stage them well. It did limit their field coverage, but that's a trade-off Williamstown is accustomed to making. One of their biggest obstacles is always that they perform so early in competitions, so they have to get started so early on the morning of every competition. For this reason, their prelims performances tend to be a little more lackluster, whereas their finals performances tend to be light-years better. This was the case yesterday, as Williamstown's finals performance was very well-blended and visually clean for this early in the season. Their ability to play lyrical music is one of their greatest assets, because their tone quality and control are among the best in the lower classes, if not the entire state. I didn't even think it would have been possible that they had beaten Lafayette, but I knew they had to be top 3 after an excellent finals performance. What makes this feat even more incredible is that Lafayette performed just one movement, whereas Williamstown performed almost their entire show! Great start to the season for this band.
Fleming County - "In a New York Moment"
This is the kind of review where I have to be careful, because I do not want to insult anyone or burn any bridges. At the same time, though, there was exactly one good thing about this show, and that was the good clarinet soloist during their rendition of "Rhapsody in Blue". Their arrangements were okay, but their musicianship and marching ability completely sabotaged any chance they had to impress the judges. Bad phrasing, no air support, no confidence except for one clarinet player, very little marching technique, themes that are only marginally recognizable at times. This seems like a band program with no ambition at all, and I really don't blame them after all the shuffling around there has been at the band director position there. This is now Allyson Martin's third year there, so maybe she can finally provide some stability to her program and start building it up again. I have my fingers crossed for them; they deserve better than what they've been given in the recent past.
Henry County - "Joy!"
This kind of show is unfortunate in that it has been performed recently by a really good band (North Hardin), and comparisons arose to my mind as soon as I saw the title in the program. I didn't mind their selections, but they didn't really stand out, either. They made liberal use of a synthesizer, which at times overpowered the rest of the band. Their marching technique is going to need a lot of work, because it contributed to a plethora of other issues like audible footsteps and form tears. Their music was a mixed bag, but there were bright spots. They were able to project and blend well with the synthesizer at times and had a couple of pretty nice moments. Their music was much better last year than the year before that, and this year is continuing the trend. They need to work on air support and completing phrases, but keeping in mind where they were at the beginning of last year, this performance was a very good start for them.
Danville - "My So-Called Social Life"
Over the last couple of years, Danville has put together darker, more tense shows, and Dante's Inferno really came together in 2012. However, 2013's Gears of Defiance never did (in part due to staff changes), and it contributed to a vacuum of quality in the class last season. With this show, they have moved back toward the style they had with Band Gab in 2011, giving it a more lighthearted feel and performing more identifiable pieces. I like the touches they've added to the show with band members taking selfies and taking part in various types of social media; later in the season when the show cleans up, those little things will really start to add up. Right now, though, their show is just rough. Inconsistent energy level, togetherness issues, phasing in both the music and the drill. Typical stuff for Danville, since they opt not to use a field commander; I still say they need to cave and elect one so that they don't always have to fix these issues before they can start cleaning. However, I digress. They're at about the same point where they have been to start the season for the last few years, and it's just a question of how quickly it all comes together for them. I believe they will be back in contention for finals this year.
Lewis County - "How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse"
I won't lie... I cringed when I saw this title for the first time on the boards a couple of months ago. After seeing this show for the first time, though, it's not nearly as cringeworthy as it first sounded; however, it does seem to me like the show leaves a lot of bonus points on the table from a standpoint of show design, especially with the color guard. First, there were no zombies. Second, there was no makeup. Third, the color guard was all drest in dark and olive green colors that seemed militaristic, and I'm guessing that made them the survivors, but wouldn't it be more effective if they were the zombies? Also... and this is where my opinion would probably diverge from those of many other marching band fans, but I believe this is the kind of show that NEEDS voice-overs (perhaps in the form of survival tips) to tie everything in together. Anyway, I digress. The show itself was decent, but pretty forgettable. Marching Technique and projection of sound are both key points that they will need to improve to boost their performance scores throughout the season, but I think their #1 priority should be adding more stuff into the show to make it memorable.
Garrard County - "From the Ashes"
I should be sighing and rolling my eyes at yet another appearance of The Firebird in a marching band show, but you know what? It suits this bold, brass-heavy band, and I think it's going to sound amazing by the end of the season. After seeing Garrard's shows progress over the last few season, I can say pretty definitively that their show design is not yet complete; they will probably be introducing props, guard uniforms, and maybe even more / better flags into their show in the next few weeks. This was just the rough draft of their show, and already it was really high quality. They did not have as many problems with tone control in prelims as they usually do, but those problems did pop up a bit in finals. I like where the drill is going, because it has a lot of organic movement and forms and provides great staging for soloists and the color guard, and other than the aforementioned tone quality issues, there was not much musically to hold them back. Listening in and blending will be their #1 point of improvement going forward, and their show design will really help separate them from the pack visually. This is a good start, and unless other contenders in the class step up, this band could end up destroying the rest of class AA in November.
Estill County - "Nevermore"
Before I start this review, I would like to admit that I am completely biased. I love this band, I have for a long time, and I am very proud of the effort they gave in Class AA last year. Prop failures or not, I believe they should have been in finals with a chance to win it all, and I really felt for them when I heard they had received 5th because of their props malfunctioning. This year's show is dark like last years, but there are a couple of key differences that I believe will hold them back in the beginning and then put them in a very good position at the end of the season. First, the only real props they have are a big door and a chair, both of which can easily be anchored. Much less risky, which should eliminate the possibility of history repeating itself. Second, their show is tougher both visually and musically than it was last year. It maintains the dark, brooding style introduced last year, but has more velocity and excitement, which will serve them well by the end of October. Like last season, they have opted to put their whole show on the field now, which means it's all going to be rougher than other shows right now. However, as they clean it up, they will catch up with and surpass other bands. There are a couple of specific issues that will need to be addressed going forward: I spotted a couple of awkward staging moments when people march in front of soloists, which I think could probably be fixed easily enough. They will also need to improve their physical endurance going forward, because their sound production dropped whenever they marched while playing. However, regardless of whether or not they made finals at this competition (which I still think they should have), they will clean up as well as any other band in this class, and they will be a big threat for finals and maybe even the governor's cup in November.
Paul G. Blazer - "Jazz"
Wow. So this is what marching band looked like 40 years ago when Jaws came out. No front ensemble, no props, 4 color guard, very simplistic drill, music that was popular around that time. I'm not saying their show was bad (in fact, it was performed rather well for the beginning of the season), it was just extremely dated and had very little effect or show design. The color guard all looked adorable and did a good job of being just about the only eye-catching part of the show. They need to keep a death grip on those yellow cloth sheets, though; they had a tendency to lose those things in the wind. The field commander's trombone part was a highlight of the show, and played very well into her duet with the baritone player and the rest of the band. You could tell from listening to them play that they are all very good musicians; I just wish they would turn away from the West Virginia style of super-old-school bland marching band and join the rest of the state with a visually appealing show that is designed to hit all of the caption sheets. If they would make that change, then I believe they would do very well in their region and be a consistent semifinalist, if not more than that. However, if they don't, what's the point of going out to competitions if you're just going to be a show band?
Mercer County - "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger"
This band is always an enigma nowadays. You never know exactly what you're going to get out of them. Last year, they were about 2/3 of the size they usually are, and they sounded maybe half as big. I lamented both of those traits last year, and rooted for them to bounce back. This year, they seem to be doing just that. Their numbers are back up, their sound production is way up, and their musical selections are unique and bold. They still don't sound huge, but they blend well, and they provide good dynamic range throughout the show, which are both at least as important as sound projection. The show itself is a return to the introspective, motivational style of years past, and it actually gives the viewer the feeling of doing a workout. The smaller ensembles who performed throughout the show all did a great job, and I was especially pleased to hear a bass clarinet (very underrated instrument) featured in one of them. The last movement, which was actually an arrangement of Daft Punk's "Harder Better Faster Stronger", is a bit frenetic and will need to be cleaned up going forward, but I like the direction in which it is going. The drill is pretty blocky and could use at least a couple more unique sets that are challenging, but look really good. I believe this band is capable of contending for a finals spot this year, but they will have to take their show's theme to heart and practice up a storm in the next couple of months.
Boyle County - "Fixation"
Because of the retirement and subsequent reemergence of Tim Blevins, the last two years have been pretty crazy for the Boyle County band program. Now that they have re-adjusted, they are getting back to where they were before Mr. Blevins retired. Interesting, original show designs, great sound projection, and an air of bravado that I have not seen from this band since 2011. The show itself is very amusing (and at the same time very identifiable), narrated by a wife who is lamenting her husband's addiction to his television. The props are appropriate, eye-catching, and utilized very well throughout the show. The selections reflect the narrator's frustration, anguish, and even fear for her husband very well. Visually, the show seems designed to "fixate" the viewer on the narrator, because while that part of their visual performance is great, other parts seem to be lacking. The drill in particular is a little bland and could probably use some more velocity and variation. They definitely sound as big as they did in 2011 and earlier, though sometimes voices (especially trumpets) stuck out and lost tone quality. It's really amazing how just a few runaway voices can ruin an otherwise really good performance. They will also need to work on their marching technique going forward, because I heard some footsteps in a couple of voices. Overall, I like where they're starting this season; I think it will put them a great deal ahead of where they ended up last season. Finals? Maybe. If they can rein in their renegade voices and add more visuals to the show, then they have a great chance.
Corbin - "The Matador"
It wouldn't be marching band without a Spanish show, would it? It's good to see this band doing a show where they can feature the talented guitar players they have had since James Cornn took the reins in 2006. I absolutely love the acoustic guitar solo in the beginning. Fantastic staging, great performance, and it helps set the stage for the show itself. The red screens in the front and back are very eye-catching and add color to the show, though they limit the band's field coverage and I worry that they will collapse or fly away in the wind. Because of the screens, the drill is a little compact and that limits what all can be done with it. They will need to add more visuals into their show going forward, but that doesn't ever seem to be a problem by the end of the season with this band. I like their musical selections, because there aren't any cliche pieces; it's all pretty unused material. The trumpets tended to have a pretty shrill tone quality and overpowered the low voices and the woodwinds a lot. There were intonation issues in their finals performance, as well, which were likely caused by temperatures that were lower than expected that night. If they can balance out the sound, find the upper limit of where they can play loud but with good tone quality, and continue to add to the show, then they will be a contender for finals again by the end of the season.
Woodford County - "Beloved"
This is the season I've been waiting for Woodford county to have ever since they started competing again. This is pretty easily both the best band and the most complete show they've put on the field to date. It is a dark, sad show narrated by a recitation of the poem "Annabel Lee" by Edgar Allen Poe. The band gives their selections a very somber tone, giving it a funereal feel while at the same time refraining from becoming too heavy and bogging down the energy level of the show too much. Their blend was very balanced and was well maintained throughout their performance. The drill is very expansive, which I think is risky, but will reward them in the end. Judges tend to like seeing band fill up as much of the field as they can. Their marching technique is better than it was at the beginning of last season, and I would like to see it improve further over the next couple of months. There were some timing issues because the drill covered the field so well; those will need to be ironed out going forward. This is a good start from them, but they will need to build on it in order to improve on their eighth place finish from 2012, the last year they were in class AAAA.
West Jessamine - "Walking With Heroes"
I apologize for being blunt, but I'm just going to come out and say it now. After having their budget slashed and replacing their head director, this will likely be a rebuilding year for West Jessamine. They have about 10-15 fewer total members than they usually do, though their color guard does seem to be growing. Their show is sort of patriotic, but takes on a darker approach with Mars from Holst's The Planets, and dissonant, tense arrangements of Taps and Caisson Song (commonly known as the theme song of the United States Army). It seems to imply more of the dark, haunting nature of war, which is a new and interesting approach. However, for some reason, I'm just not a big fan of this show at the moment. I hope they put in more visual cues or some sort of voice-overs that will give the show more direction going forward. The performance level was okay, but was nowhere near where it has been in the past; their sound output was anemic, their energy level needed to be higher than it was, and their marching technique needs a lot of work. I think they still have much of the musical ability that they had before all of the changes, they just don't seem to have that fire that pushes a band forward and makes them all want to practice as hard as they can to make the show great. Maybe they're just still getting used to the new director. I hope they can turn it around during the season and make a strong push to the finish.
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