For You Band Fans

Well another season of the Lafayette High School Mighty Lion Marching Band has (mercifully) come to a close and I have my son back until next July. The Louisiana Showcase of Marching Bands was awesome as usual. Here are a few highlights I wanted to share!


These drummers were very dedicated and actually incredibly loud.

Fontainbleu High School had an awesome show. They were very sneaky and who could be cooler in that Cavalier hat with Red Feather and a cape? I ask you!


Here's my "Where's Waldo?" shot from St Thomas More's performance. The line judge was everywhere and completely distracting, but with this band he almost matched.

This band's theme was "Primitive" and the spears and shields were really cute. They came out in a Roman block though which confused me but looked really really cool on the field. Even with the orange.

I will post separate for our band. If all this loads the first time I'll let you know and do the happy dance!!

12th in the Nation!

The Lafayette High Mighty Lion Marching Band came in 12th in the Nation at Indianapolis Indiana National Marching Band competition! I am so proud of those guys! They were the only band in the finals that didn't have band uniforms made for each marcher every year. Can you imagine? In our school system each band gets new uniforms every 7 years (There are 7 high schools so one a year, rotating). There are already two YouTube videos of the performance at SuperRegionals in Atlanta. I am told the performance at Nationals was much better but we'll have to wait to see that. Here are two versions, one from a fan and one that looks converted from wide screen with cuts in and out of three camera angles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRl6zuc91vg&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M9DUKi2fAs&feature=related
So let me know if you get to see it. I have watched them already a bunch. Boys home safe :)

Tilly's Pony

Here is Tilly with her Pony that makes noise :)

And just an update on the band. They made FINALS at NATIONALS!!! That means they are in one of the top 12 bands in the country! GO BAND!!!! :) We'll find out how they did in about 4 hours!

Backtracking a bit - SuperRegionals Atlanta

Well our little Louisiana band (300 strong) did well in Atlanta, sorry I didn't post "the rest of the story" but they came in 3rd over all. They got First for Music. I thought the music was awesome too but was hoping they would get first for General Effect, which is the whole picture more like. The colorguard and band worked so beautifully to complement each other and the music it was a total picture thing... The Orchids start by blooming then have a life and grow and the petals fall off and it's reborn again, it was just beautiful. Anyway that's my prejudiced viewpoint, to be sure, but I liked the whole general effect. Have not heard how they did at Nationals but hope to hear soon. Still, coming in 3rd at Superregionals is UNHEARD of for a Louisiana band, this is the highest they have placed. I am hoping they'll do well and see a lot of great shows at Nationals to get ideas for next year!!

Tilly is playing with her puppy toys... One of which is a pony the girls no longer wanted with buttons on it that make sound effects. The puppy LOVES making the horse make noise! Too funny... she is such fun!! (When she is not chewing on shoes or furniture!)

Wild Orchid Video - Showcase 2008

Greg shot this from the second balcony so the sound is going to be lacking in details, but you can see the marching formations this way. Beautiful show!! Hope you like it!
Oh and Lori, Mr. Kilcrest, our Color Guard coordinator, works with Pleasant Hill band in the summer! Small world, huh!!

Wild Orchid Full Show

This is the performance of the Lafayette High School Mighty Lion Marching Band at Showcase October 25, 2008. There are 60 color guard and over 300 people on the field.

Jackhammer

Well it's Monday and the jackhammer is going again. Big chunks of cement. I am glad Greg decided to get someone else to do this. He would not have enjoyed the job! They put down forms and visquene ok how do you spell that? and now are haggling over putting down wire... and they are supposed to pour in about an hour. Very exciting...

Cat's on my desk, Dog at my feet, sitting by a nice computer it's not so bad! I am really excited to get the wall up and get going. I think we've decided to move the computers out there. Puppies chew on wire and if we can keep a baby gate up we can keep her out of there. I want either rubberized paint on the floor or indoor outdoor carpet. I am tired of waxing. Greg wants more linoleum tile. The chairs at the computers do a number on my wax so I really, really don't want to have to wax in there. I wonder what we'll get....
Greg told the contractor he was going to build the wall out of brick. He asked, "How much brickwork have you done?" and Greg said, "This will be my first project." It was funny to watch the face of the contractor as he struggled not to laugh. I hate to tell him that Greg can do anything. Especially if you tell him it can't be done. I have complete faith it will be the finest brickwork in the neighborhood.
So in the front on the right of the door we have the two windows from the kids' rooms, then the door with an arched brick thing going on, and Greg wanted to do two windows in the rec room to match. I kind of wanted more windows so I was hoping for 3. Now that I have priced windows I am more inclined to cave on this. Maybe if I fuss a lot and finally cave, I will get my painted floor. I am sooooo not into waxing MORE floor. I don't care what color he paints it or how it's decorated, I just want to be able to clean the floor without renting something. Is that too much to ask? Maintenance Free is what I am looking for. Brooms are cheap, and I have a terrific dust mop.
Ok all that mundanity aside, the Mighty Lion Marching Band performs at District Festival tomorrow. It's gonna be something to behold. They still don't have the full performance ready but they will for Showcase (State) on October 25. I can hardly wait. They are terrific this year and will be doing two out of state performances, one Halloween weekend in Georgia and one in Indiana Nov.15 for Grand Nationals. After seeing the color guard (they drill every day. EVERY day. All day. It shows. And the outfits this year are stunning.) and hearing the music and seeing the band march, I think they will do well. The drummers are so dedicated... they do things while they are drumming that you would never think-- throwing drumsticks to each other in rapid succession in the middle of the drum solo....and they are just fun to watch. There is nothing like a marching band to renew your faith in teenagers. You see all those kids who have sacrificed time, money, sweat and tears on this and you think about how America isn't as doomed as you thought!!