I got home at around midnight last night after spending two days watching brass soloists, brass ensembles, and brass bands. I already touched on the solo & ensemble stuff. The band competitions on Saturday did not disappoint. I missed the two lowest sections (three total bands) because I got tapped to help the dude who takes pictures of the bands before they go on stage, but I did manage to catch most of the bands in the 1st Section (that’s the section that my own band normally competes in) and all of the entrants to the Championship Section (the big boys).
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| NABBA President-Elect Stephen Allen throws himself into conducting the Princeton Brass Band to a tie for the 1st Section Championship. |
I was completely blown away by the first two bands that I saw in the 1st Section. Central Ohio (our nemesis) played very well, and I thought that Princeton was equally amazing – in fact, I put status updates on my facebook account to that effect after hearing each of them. The other bands that I saw in the 1st Section were okay, but there was a clear gap between Central Ohio/Princeton and everyone else.
As it turned out, COBB and PBB ended up tied for first, and COBB was declared the winner on a tie-break rule (their score on the required piece was highest). I’m not sure how Georgia would have fared had we competed this year. I can’t imagine us sounding as polished as those two bands, particularly given the lack of esprit de corps that has plagued us since last year. Maybe we’ll have our personnel issues ironed out by next year.
In the Championship Section, the reigning studs of the North American Brass Band scene, Fountain City Brass Band, gave their typical wall-of-sound performance, and I was fairly certain that they would win, although I was also awed by the performance put in by the Atlantic Brass Band. After listening to Atlantic, I remarked to one of the stage hands, “That band is from another planet!” I had them as a solid #2 after my sentimental favorite, Chicago, turned in a pretty flat attempt. I think that, had a poll been taken of the audience, 99% of the people there would have called it Fountain City, Atlantic, Chicago.
Everyone in the building was therefore somewhat stunned when FCBB was announced as the runner-up, and the crowd went completely crazy when Atlantic was crowned champion. Fountain City is an amazing band, deserving of any accolades that you can throw at them; but I don’t think I’m telling any tales when I say that an awful lot of people have gotten tired of them winning every year.
This was actually the second let-down for FCBB this year, as they lost to a band out of Florida at the U.S. Open Championships. Are they slipping or are other bands stepping up their games? I guess we’ll find out next year – maybe sooner, as FCBB is slated to compete in (I think) The Netherlands later this year.
As I said up front, though, the bands did not disappoint. For those of you who’ve never heard top-flight brass bands playing at their peak, let me just say that it’s an indescribable sound. When that kind of power, in control, hits you….I don’t know how many chills I got listening to the Championship Section bands.
Back to work tomorrow, unfortunately, and not much to look forward to before the Deep South Brass Band Festival happens in early May.
TWD