GSU has improved. I don't remember anyone saying they doubted they improved. But I have a few comments on the game.
1. Why did GSU go up into the stands as soon as they reached the stadium of going all the way down and coming up the ramp like everyone else? I guess their plan was to go into the stadium there then come back out where the band is supposed to sit. I guess when it started raining, they had no choice but to stay bacl there.
2. Why did both bands stay in the back until half-time. The BOOM was probably only 15 panchos short. They could have sent ONLY the woodwinds back there.
But now on to the game. At Half-time the BOOM took it, but GSU has improved. They were never totally garbage on the field, but at times they seemed to be suffering from the way dillusions that FAMU was. But this year their drill and their performance of it was actually very good. Probably one of the better drills I saw this year with the exception of SU. I have to go back at look at the TxSU tape to determine which of them had more going on. But so far, with the exception of how dry Valley was the 2 times I saw them, all the bands in the conference seem to be pretty good on the field. I wasn't too impressed with the GSU dancing girls and I thought their dance was a bit boring compared to what I was expecting from them. But I think they proved my point that dancing while playing only doesn't make a dance more exciting. You still have to have exciting dances while playing. But GSU had a good drill and a good on the field sound. They probably had more power on the field than any band I've heard other than SU and FAMU. Their directors had good song selection at half-time. Speaking of song selection, that may be the only thing GSU did better than the BOOM this half-time. They chose powerful music that was upbeat and just felt like something you could drive to. I personally have not cared for the BOOM's drill music all season.
In the stands GSU must of thought they were SU because they tried to crank up Neck as the BOOM was coming off the field. They sounded pretty tight and were powerful as ell on it, but ofcouse Neck has always been one of the songs I thought they play 10 times better than anything else they play similar to Valley and Devil's Gun. They played one other song, and it was clean and powerful also. Then they crunk up ESPN. The same can be said about that. By then the BOOM was back in the stands and they played ESPN back and forth at each other. GSU seemed to fade out from what they were when they first started playing it around maybe the 4th time. The BOOM seemed to get louder each time until the last time. I don't know what happened the last time they played it back. IT really wasn't there. After those 3 songs GSU played, I really thought they came to give some serious. But like on ESPN, they seemed to be fading out more with each song. Power isn't usually their thing, and I guess they're not conditioned for it. I'll say the BOOM took every section except F-horns. Everyone was saying GSU's tubas were beast. I just didn't hear it. Although now that I think back, maybe the tubas were a toss-up. GSU's trumpets and trombones were weak in my opinion. I don't think our f-horns were better than theirs, but since neither had a good game, saying it was a toss-up is kinda mutt point. The one thing GSU did have was b-tones. That seems to be a consistency around the conference this season. Everyone seems to have pretty good drills and a strong b-tone section. IF they hadn't faded out as the game went out, GSU's b-tones could have been more comp.
Althought individual sections can't match-up, I think overall band GSU did a good job of putting it together. I didn't hear any individuals trying to do too much and making the same mistakes Valley did. Although as they game came close to the end GSU played a few songs that made he feel kinda like I did at the Valley game against SU. They started off sounding good, then started sounding like the same ole same ole. They have improved a lot, but arrangements seem to still be a problem.
In the 5th I say the BOOM took 4 of 5 songs. There were a few GSU people including Machiavelli who say more like 3 of 5, but I guess each has their opinion. GSU sounded aight in the 5th but not as good as at half-time or early 3rd quarter. I think they may have been running out of gas, and a few of their arrangements were ok at best. That Crazy is Love to me wasn't that good. It was a good idea though. Instead of playing exactly like the song, they mixed it up a little. That was good to hear something different, but the overall arrangement could have been better.
OVerall GSU is improved. They sounded much better 80% of the time and they didn't have people sticking out messing up the sound of the whole band. Their only problems seem to come from arrangements and maybe some weaknesses in individual sections. If GSU could look and sound like they did at half-time and sound in the stands the way they did at least at the start of the 3rd quarter and get some better arrangements, they could be a top 5 band. I tihnk they sound good on probably 80% of thier stands tunes, but there were just a few songs that sounded like the old GSU. GSU had good song selection and they have people that can play, but they have to keep improving their arrangements. I didn't really get to meet anyone but Machiavelli and 1 other GSU person. The band loaded the bus as soon as they got outside.
Overall I give GSU a B-
Although they have improved, I don't think they have enough to hang with SU in the stands just yet at the Bayou Classic.
