Wow, I don't know where to begin! It's about 12:28 AM right now, CST as I'm writing this, and I'm so pumped I wouldn't be able to sleep if I tried.

Today, we travelled an hour and 45 minutes to our north to Richmond, KY for the Madision Central Tournament of Bands. As I believe I posted before, MC is where the best bands in the state come together! To name a couple that were there, Tates Creek (consitently in finals, 4A), Boyle County (same, 1A) and a line up of 24 of the best bands in this state, in all classes. There wasn't a band there today that wasn't good.

So, anyways, we pull out of Russell County at about 9:30 AM and travel...

Go through the normal routine. We get to Madison Central, they mark our hands, we travel over to the semi, get our things unloaded, go and change, have sectional time...I could tell my section wasn't with it today. We just weren't ready for this afternoon. I wasn't even pumped up. Not that I'm ever particularly peppy. Peppy isn't me But, I'm usually ready to go.

We go to the warm-up area, around some tree...It was a really skanky spot. Construction work, and not big enough that we could get in our usual big arc. I was listening around the band. We didn't sound our best. I mean, it just sounded like...I dunno, crap! We break off to tune, I tune my bass clarinet section, we've got the tuning going on. We talk through the show. Go back to concert set, play a few things, get ready to take field.

So here I go, on to the field. I don't even want to go in-depth about this afternoon, because as I said, we weren't focused. I wasn't focused. I wasn't ready. I didn't believe in the "party" Ackerman was talking about. I got smacked with a flag in the wrist in The Rite of Spring, and trather than doing what I knew how to do, I fucked up the next 2 moves TERRIBLY thinking "What fucking flag girl was that, I'll fucking smack her with my clarinet." I was well-pissed. I knew she was going to hit me. But we can't move for the flags, they're supposed to move for us. That's the golden rule. WE are more important than the flags. So I just went on. I did it right, and my wrist was numb for the longest time...Sort of like how it feels when you bang your elbow.

On to the awards for this afternoon. In our class, we were up against Seneca High, Wayne County (the county right next to us...our rivals...) and Bryan Station - one of the best bands in the state for 3A competition.

And now the awards for class 3A...
We go to attention like normal...
Best Flags: Wayne County...I just thought to myself "FUCK! FUCKING WAYNE COUNTIANS! FUCK THEM!"
Best Percussion: Russell County...
3rd Place: I'm thinking, don't let it be us, please don't let it be us...Bryan Station.
2nd Place: Wayne County...HELL YES! They'd been gloating for weeks about how they were going to kick our ass. It was great!
1st Place: With a distinguished rating...Rrrrussell County High School...I'm thinking, "Hell yeah! That wasn't even our best performance!"

So then they announce who's going on to Finals later that night. We, of course, placed in the top 10 of 24 bands and went on...

We go in, and sit with Mr. Ackerman, and watch our tape. I see all of my screw-ups But they're things that wouldn't be noticed by a judge from up there in the pressbox, simply because the places I made them in were insignificant to the show. You'd have to have been looking for it. They weren't as bad as I'd thought. I still felt shitty about it.

Ackerman announces we were 4th overall out of 24 bands, and
and scored an 83. We had scored first place in Visuals and Visual effect. Later in the evening, we would lose that to Tates Creek... We drew 7th out of 10 in Finals, which is a PERFECT spot, anything 7 to 10 is great. The earliest bands get screwed simply because they're first.

We had our sectional time. We talked through our mess-ups...

Skip awhile...

On the field...Man, the feeling was great, it was another one of "those" feelings, where we're all there to accomplish one goal, and we're all set on the same wavelength, so to speak. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, I probably sound nuts, but it really is an awesome feeling, just knowing these people are here to accomplish something, and you're a small fraction of something great...

Ackerman had said "These bands, they're all coming to a party. They don't know it yet. And it's all for you guys." He was almost right.

The sound of the band tonight was awesome, it was...Man...I can't explain it. Not awesome enough, but as good as we could do.

On to awards...
Everyone gets a trophy...10th place...

On down to 5th.

They announce 4th place with a Distinguished Rating, Russell County High School. I don't know our precise score yet. We were beat out by Eastern, by Boyle County, and Tates Creek..3 of the best bands in their classes in the state - 3 who make finals, 3 who win. So I'm not at all displeased...

Next week, Pulaski County and North Laurel, all in one day...And the results will be even better!

Oh, and I forgot to say...

I was so pumped up, and pissed with myself for my shit performance this afternoon, and so ready for Finals, I didn't mess up a damn thing tonight. I didn't get off-step, my double time was perfect, my shoulders...Heh heh. I rule. So screw you, 9s :-p

Good For You BBMD!!!
I'm glad you're glad...

Congratulations, BBMD. You guys are doing very well!!!

Whoo Hoo! From that description it's almost like I can taste the beer under the bleachers!...

I hope you SMACKED that flag-girl after the show!

P.S. You should submit this to the Bild-Zeitung.

I painted the big "R" on my chest but you didn't even "Acknowledge me".

Ah, I miss the old Band days. Good times. even for a first-chair drummer who couldn't really read music that well...

Sheboygan Falls High School, National Bands Competition, Tampa Florida 1988

"SUPERIOR"

BattierBeMyDaddy said:

I remember the show we did one year... we (the drum line) had to pass through a line of flags while marching backwards, so we couldn't even see the flags as we approached them. It's amazing that none of us got hit on the head.

Matt
(Panther Regiment drum line, 1992-94)

matt said:

The drumline from Eastern, one of the bands that beat us in Finals last night, had shirts that read:

"You may not like us, but your girlfriend does. Eastern High Drumline."

BattierBeMyDaddy said:

I saw someone from Wayne County wearing a shirt that said, "You may not like us, but Shane Battier does."

Well done Rhonda.

Great result!!

lovemachine said:

You're so funny.

Look at me, laughing away.