|
Post by Aggie One on Jun 23, 2021 17:10:17 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by aggie2039 on Jun 24, 2021 21:59:25 GMT -5
I will in attendance
|
|
VA's Finest
Official BDF member
BDF Riders
Posts: 3,015
|
Post by VA's Finest on Jul 4, 2021 9:25:07 GMT -5
Meant to post this earlier but I wonder if the BGMM attendance at this event will mean it won't be at Furman the following weekend.
|
|
|
Post by Aggie One on Jul 4, 2021 12:09:52 GMT -5
Its an 3-hr bus ride, Furman has a fairly decent band plus their stadium capacity is 16,000 so I would think its likely the BGMM will be attendance for the season's opener.
|
|
919aggie
Official BDF member
Posts: 2,499
|
Post by 919aggie on Jul 4, 2021 15:36:56 GMT -5
I’m wondering about that 16hr bus ride to Houston🤔 That’s a loonngggg ride!
|
|
aggie75
Official BDF member
BDV
Posts: 255
|
Post by aggie75 on Jul 4, 2021 17:49:33 GMT -5
Also, don't forget the Duke game the following week.
|
|
Maxell
Official BDF member
Director of BDF Marketing
Posts: 12,437
|
Post by Maxell on Jul 4, 2021 23:20:01 GMT -5
I’m wondering about that 16hr bus ride to Houston🤔 That’s a loonngggg ride! The Battle of the Bands is flying both A&T and Norfolk to Houston.
|
|
|
Post by Aggie One on Jul 5, 2021 15:43:03 GMT -5
Meant to post this earlier but I wonder if the BGMM attendance at this event will mean it won't be at Furman the following weekend. Well then since that's the case, I think the answer to your question will probably be an affirmative.
|
|
|
Post by marchingband1969 on Jul 5, 2021 19:46:05 GMT -5
I’m wondering about that 16hr bus ride to Houston🤔 That’s a loonngggg ride! The Battle of the Bands is flying both A&T and Norfolk to Houston. Damn, those folks are serious if they are flying whole marching bands cross country. Our band kids will be ready!
|
|
Maxell
Official BDF member
Director of BDF Marketing
Posts: 12,437
|
Post by Maxell on Jul 5, 2021 20:25:30 GMT -5
If Dr. Ruff doesn't get a fighting spirit, we'll walk over there and limp back. It's war, but I'm not sure he understands that. Hodge did. This is not about a "good performance, or good music". This is about beating dey azz in EVERY aspect of bandsmanship and being intense from the very first whistle. It's not about "playing while happy". This has to be different than a Honda show and the dance committee needs to develop some choreography for the stands to be comparable with the excellent on the field work. Stadium entrance and exit is a part of the show, don't neglect how you enter the venue. This is an opportunity to step the game waaay up. We'll see if they do. For this kind of show, band camp should be pure hell, but it will be worth it if the directors want it. Notice I didn't say the kids, I said the directors. Ruff and his staff need to get some fire under their azzes and realize they are going into the lion's den. If you want it, prove it. Go into it to win it, not to "perform".
|
|
tony
Full Member
Posts: 153
|
Post by tony on Jul 5, 2021 20:50:08 GMT -5
If Dr. Ruff doesn't get a fighting spirit, we'll walk over there and limp back. It's war, but I'm not sure he understands that. Hodge did. This is not about a "good performance, or good music". This is about beating dey azz in EVERY aspect of bandsmanship and being intense from the very first whistle. It's not about "playing while happy". This has to be different than a Honda show and the dance committee needs to develop some choreography for the stands to be comparable with the excellent on the field work. Stadium entrance and exit is a part of the show, don't neglect how you enter the venue. This is an opportunity to step the game waaay up. We'll see if they do. For this kind of show, band camp should be pure hell, but it will be worth it if the directors want it. Notice I didn't say the kids, I said the directors. Ruff and his staff need to get some fire under their azzes and realize they are going into the lion's den. If you want it, prove it. Go into it to win it, not to "perform". I'm thinking about that last competition in Charlotte with SU and TSU. Hmmm.... There's not a lot more that the kids need to do. Trombone section has been relatively thin, and the freshman video isn't encouraging. Switching players from other sections NOW would help a lot. Better mouthpieces - deeper cups - would too. They can get a lot fuller sound from the same players and horns. Otherwise I like what I've been seeing from the students. Last year's Covid videos were great. Like you said, it's up to the arrangers and staff to put the pieces together.
|
|
|
Post by ohsixrain on Jul 6, 2021 9:02:12 GMT -5
If Dr. Ruff doesn't get a fighting spirit, we'll walk over there and limp back. It's war, but I'm not sure he understands that. Hodge did. This is not about a "good performance, or good music". This is about beating dey azz in EVERY aspect of bandsmanship and being intense from the very first whistle. It's not about "playing while happy". This has to be different than a Honda show and the dance committee needs to develop some choreography for the stands to be comparable with the excellent on the field work. Stadium entrance and exit is a part of the show, don't neglect how you enter the venue. This is an opportunity to step the game waaay up. We'll see if they do. For this kind of show, band camp should be pure hell, but it will be worth it if the directors want it. Notice I didn't say the kids, I said the directors. Ruff and his staff need to get some fire under their azzes and realize they are going into the lion's den. If you want it, prove it. Go into it to win it, not to "perform". I'm thinking about that last competition in Charlotte with SU and TSU. Hmmm.... There's not a lot more that the kids need to do. Trombone section has been relatively thin, and the freshman video isn't encouraging. Switching players from other sections NOW would help a lot. Better mouthpieces - deeper cups - would too. They can get a lot fuller sound from the same players and horns. Otherwise I like what I've been seeing from the students. Last year's Covid videos were great. Like you said, it's up to the arrangers and staff to put the pieces together. Good Point Tony! If Dr. Ruff doesn't understand what's required after the Charlotte Battle of the Bands then, I don't know what the hell to say. It's the same event, same promoter just a different venue. Now, what our staff really needs to understand is the crowd(s) down in the south have a great understanding of marching bands. So, you cannot pull off some gimmick show and come away wanting kids to come to your program. So, we will see...
|
|
tony
Full Member
Posts: 153
|
Post by tony on Jul 6, 2021 21:04:19 GMT -5
I'm thinking about that last competition in Charlotte with SU and TSU. Hmmm.... There's not a lot more that the kids need to do. Trombone section has been relatively thin, and the freshman video isn't encouraging. Switching players from other sections NOW would help a lot. Better mouthpieces - deeper cups - would too. They can get a lot fuller sound from the same players and horns. Otherwise I like what I've been seeing from the students. Last year's Covid videos were great. Like you said, it's up to the arrangers and staff to put the pieces together. Good Point Tony! If Dr. Ruff doesn't understand what's required after the Charlotte Battle of the Bands then, I don't know what the hell to say. It's the same event, same promoter just a different venue. Now, what our staff really needs to understand is the crowd(s) down in the south have a great understanding of marching bands. So, you cannot pull off some gimmick show and come away wanting kids to come to your program. So, we will see... It's not all on Dr. Ruff. Everyone talks about those Hodge bands from back in the day, but Dr. Hodge never wrote a song and didn't direct most of what we played. We had a different arranger the last time around, and he wasn't bad, but I like what we're doing now better. If we can just get the trombones to do more when needed we'll be fine. It's been two decades since I've heard the second half of Velvet Rope SMH!!!!
|
|
Maxell
Official BDF member
Director of BDF Marketing
Posts: 12,437
|
Post by Maxell on Jul 6, 2021 21:50:28 GMT -5
Good Point Tony! If Dr. Ruff doesn't understand what's required after the Charlotte Battle of the Bands then, I don't know what the hell to say. It's the same event, same promoter just a different venue. Now, what our staff really needs to understand is the crowd(s) down in the south have a great understanding of marching bands. So, you cannot pull off some gimmick show and come away wanting kids to come to your program. So, we will see... It's not all on Dr. Ruff. Everyone talks about those Hodge bands from back in the day, but Dr. Hodge never wrote a song and didn't direct most of what we played. We had a different arranger the last time around, and he wasn't bad, but I like what we're doing now better. If we can just get the trombones to do more when needed we'll be fine. It's been two decades since I've heard the second half of Velvet Rope SMH!!!! It is Dr. Ruff. He has to set the tone, determine the priorities, and green light the appropriate changes. Instrumentation (trombones ARE foundational) and arrangements are important, but that's not what wins battles. Attitude does. If we even had the attitude of Savannah State's band, we'd be different in a good way. I'm not holding my breath for Ruff to change. There's more to HBCU bands than playing the music. We had a song back in the day that said, "We can march, we can play, and we got soul!" The current band does not exhibit all three elements from whistle to whistle. SWAC bands do. Norfolk State does. We do sometimes. The assistant directors lead the band from the ladder like they have a stick up their butts. The band has the feel the spirit of the music, not just play all the notes correctly. As much as I love my band, they can be dry as hell sometimes. And that's on the Director of Bands, period.
|
|
919aggie
Official BDF member
Posts: 2,499
|
Post by 919aggie on Jul 6, 2021 23:27:21 GMT -5
If Dr. Ruff doesn't get a fighting spirit, we'll walk over there and limp back. It's war, but I'm not sure he understands that. Hodge did. This is not about a "good performance, or good music". This is about beating dey azz in EVERY aspect of bandsmanship and being intense from the very first whistle. It's not about "playing while happy". This has to be different than a Honda show and the dance committee needs to develop some choreography for the stands to be comparable with the excellent on the field work. Stadium entrance and exit is a part of the show, don't neglect how you enter the venue. This is an opportunity to step the game waaay up. We'll see if they do. For this kind of show, band camp should be pure hell, but it will be worth it if the directors want it. Notice I didn't say the kids, I said the directors. Ruff and his staff need to get some fire under their azzes and realize they are going into the lion's den. If you want it, prove it. Go into it to win it, not to "perform". Great points! I always think back to the 2016 botb in Charlotte. I couldn't believe how much louder TNSU band was. I really hope they don't pair us up with Southern or Jackson State..lol we just don't have the brass instrumentation to compete. Even the next incoming class looks like mostly woodwinds.
|
|