Post by Whup Em All on Dec 22, 2023 16:38:29 GMT -6
I first made a Bands of CUSA post shortly after Jackie, Sammy, Libby, and Annie Em joined the kids in CUSA. The Realignment Apocalypse was still raging at the time, and no one was sure who else would be leaving (MTSU and WKU) were prime suspects, and who would be joining us (did anyone seriously believe at the time it would be Kenny?).
As it turns out, Kenny did join, and we didn't lose anyone else, so I updated my original post to add the Marching Owls.
My plan was to continue editing that same post as the conference membership evolved, but it's been two years since the original post and a full year since Kenny came on board, so I kind of want to let that post fall naturally into the abyss. Let's start from scratch for the coming year: 2024!
WELCOME TO THE CUSA FAMILY, DELLA!!!
From a band standpoint, even though the chances of our two bands meeting at a game are practically non-existent, this is reason for excitement. Delaware is good, y'all. No, they haven't won a Sudler (yet... I'm pretty certain they're on the short list) but they're very active in the same circles as the Marching Southerners. In fact, the two bands DID meet at BOA Grand Nationals in Indianapolis in 2002. We played for semifinals; they played for finals, so we didn't exactly go "head to head" on the field, but we did play together across a courtyard in the cold and flurries in downtown Indy for some sort of ill-thought-out civic function. And while the cold surely didn't bother them as much as it bothered us, I have it on good authority, their feelings about that event were exactly the same as ours: "Why are we here? Can we please go now?"
So let's talk a bit about the new kids. They are simply known as the University of Delaware Marching Band (UDMB). They are a large band, averaging 300-350 members. If you search YouTube for them, your results will be a bit schizophrenic. They do multiple shows. Most of their halftime shows are crowd-friendly cheese. Are they performed well? Sure. Do they ooze with awesomeness? Not in the least.
But when you're lucky enough to find their exhibition show -- Sidenote: Are Southerners seriously the only band purposefully videoing and uploading every show to YouTube? I mean, it's 2023, folks... -- it's worth it.
Are they in Southerners' league? Heh... no. But mostly I'm judging the hornline sound. Their drumline is right up there with ours. Their colorguard and visual design is right up there. But 12-15 sousaphones just can't match the sound of a fully armed and operational 20J section. But don't let that distract you. They're a freaking GREAT college band, and will be a welcome addition to CUSA's already strong lineup of bands. I'd rank them No. 2, behind Southerners, and just slightly ahead of Liberty, who's pretty awesome in their own right. That's a purely subjective opinion, though. We have some good bands in this conference, you guys.
So we'll do the new kids a solid and list them first:
University of Delaware Marching Band
"Spellbound" from Oct. 2, 2021
I found a series of videos from 2023's show, but couldn't find a full-length video to share. This was a better show, anyway.
Jacksonville State Marching Southerners
"Reflections" from Nov. 17, 2023
This was the special Friday night show for the Southerners Alumni Reunion. What a freaking performance. For any visitors who aren't aware, this show celebrates Dr. Ken Bodiford's 30 years as director, and features charts (and quotes) from across those three decades. In other news, how has it been 30 years already???
Liberty Spirit of the Mountain
Exhibition performance from finals of the Virginia Marching Band Championships, Oct. 28, 2023
These guys keep getting bigger and better. This is a freaking great show.
MTSU Band of Blue
Halftime show - Sept. 23, 2023 - Celebrating the Women of Disco
Sure, it's crowd-friendly cheese, but they do perform it well.
WKU Big Red Marching Band
Halftime show - Sept. 9, 2023
They may have stuff other than crowd-friendly cheese, but the absence of show videos makes it impossible to know for sure. As with MTSU, though, it's performed very well.
SHSU Bearkat Marching Band
From Oct. 2022... It's a bunch of TV and movie theme songs. Not sure what the title of the show was.
Big band, big, punchy sound. More cheese, but man, do they sound good. Just wish there were more videos of them.
NMSU Pride
2022 Tournament of Bands Finals Exhibition
Their style is a bit dated compared to east coast bands, but these guys are big and good. They need more 2023 videos...
Bonus Video: Alma Mater / Salvation is Created
Did you know that NMSU's Alma Mater is based on "Salvation is Created"? Neither did I. But it is:
UTEP Marching Miners
From UIL, Oct. 8, 2022
Like so many others, they need more videos from 2023.
FIU Marching Band
From Sept. 2023
They're a young, smallish band, but bring from South Florida, they have a different idea of what "crowd friendly" should mean than most others. Points for that. Shiny field and all. Again, need more videos.
La Tech Band of Pride
Halftime at SMU: Sept. 2, 2023
A comparatively tiny band, but they're not bad at all. And they appear to understand the concept of "YouTube" in 2023. My only complaint... several videos are shot from backfield. Do better, guys.
KSU Marching Owls
From an exhibition at Sprayberry High School, Oct. 21, 2023: "Celebrating 90s Boy Bands"
And people wonder why I despise these guys.
As it turns out, Kenny did join, and we didn't lose anyone else, so I updated my original post to add the Marching Owls.
My plan was to continue editing that same post as the conference membership evolved, but it's been two years since the original post and a full year since Kenny came on board, so I kind of want to let that post fall naturally into the abyss. Let's start from scratch for the coming year: 2024!
WELCOME TO THE CUSA FAMILY, DELLA!!!
From a band standpoint, even though the chances of our two bands meeting at a game are practically non-existent, this is reason for excitement. Delaware is good, y'all. No, they haven't won a Sudler (yet... I'm pretty certain they're on the short list) but they're very active in the same circles as the Marching Southerners. In fact, the two bands DID meet at BOA Grand Nationals in Indianapolis in 2002. We played for semifinals; they played for finals, so we didn't exactly go "head to head" on the field, but we did play together across a courtyard in the cold and flurries in downtown Indy for some sort of ill-thought-out civic function. And while the cold surely didn't bother them as much as it bothered us, I have it on good authority, their feelings about that event were exactly the same as ours: "Why are we here? Can we please go now?"
So let's talk a bit about the new kids. They are simply known as the University of Delaware Marching Band (UDMB). They are a large band, averaging 300-350 members. If you search YouTube for them, your results will be a bit schizophrenic. They do multiple shows. Most of their halftime shows are crowd-friendly cheese. Are they performed well? Sure. Do they ooze with awesomeness? Not in the least.
But when you're lucky enough to find their exhibition show -- Sidenote: Are Southerners seriously the only band purposefully videoing and uploading every show to YouTube? I mean, it's 2023, folks... -- it's worth it.
Are they in Southerners' league? Heh... no. But mostly I'm judging the hornline sound. Their drumline is right up there with ours. Their colorguard and visual design is right up there. But 12-15 sousaphones just can't match the sound of a fully armed and operational 20J section. But don't let that distract you. They're a freaking GREAT college band, and will be a welcome addition to CUSA's already strong lineup of bands. I'd rank them No. 2, behind Southerners, and just slightly ahead of Liberty, who's pretty awesome in their own right. That's a purely subjective opinion, though. We have some good bands in this conference, you guys.
So we'll do the new kids a solid and list them first:
University of Delaware Marching Band
"Spellbound" from Oct. 2, 2021
I found a series of videos from 2023's show, but couldn't find a full-length video to share. This was a better show, anyway.
Jacksonville State Marching Southerners
"Reflections" from Nov. 17, 2023
This was the special Friday night show for the Southerners Alumni Reunion. What a freaking performance. For any visitors who aren't aware, this show celebrates Dr. Ken Bodiford's 30 years as director, and features charts (and quotes) from across those three decades. In other news, how has it been 30 years already???
Liberty Spirit of the Mountain
Exhibition performance from finals of the Virginia Marching Band Championships, Oct. 28, 2023
These guys keep getting bigger and better. This is a freaking great show.
MTSU Band of Blue
Halftime show - Sept. 23, 2023 - Celebrating the Women of Disco
Sure, it's crowd-friendly cheese, but they do perform it well.
WKU Big Red Marching Band
Halftime show - Sept. 9, 2023
They may have stuff other than crowd-friendly cheese, but the absence of show videos makes it impossible to know for sure. As with MTSU, though, it's performed very well.
SHSU Bearkat Marching Band
From Oct. 2022... It's a bunch of TV and movie theme songs. Not sure what the title of the show was.
Big band, big, punchy sound. More cheese, but man, do they sound good. Just wish there were more videos of them.
NMSU Pride
2022 Tournament of Bands Finals Exhibition
Their style is a bit dated compared to east coast bands, but these guys are big and good. They need more 2023 videos...
Bonus Video: Alma Mater / Salvation is Created
Did you know that NMSU's Alma Mater is based on "Salvation is Created"? Neither did I. But it is:
UTEP Marching Miners
From UIL, Oct. 8, 2022
Like so many others, they need more videos from 2023.
FIU Marching Band
From Sept. 2023
They're a young, smallish band, but bring from South Florida, they have a different idea of what "crowd friendly" should mean than most others. Points for that. Shiny field and all. Again, need more videos.
La Tech Band of Pride
Halftime at SMU: Sept. 2, 2023
A comparatively tiny band, but they're not bad at all. And they appear to understand the concept of "YouTube" in 2023. My only complaint... several videos are shot from backfield. Do better, guys.
KSU Marching Owls
From an exhibition at Sprayberry High School, Oct. 21, 2023: "Celebrating 90s Boy Bands"
And people wonder why I despise these guys.