BY JOSH SNEED

The first weekend of BOA shows has come and gone, and although the rain tried to put a damper on things in Oxford, OH, spirits were sky high and groups brought the fire! The drummers slammed beats, the guards spun, and the winds played their hearts out, providing the audience with an early season glance at their shows.

The defending BOA Grand National Champions from Carmel HS, started their 2018 season off with a bang. Their 83.30 was the highest score from week one across the country and solified their place amongst one of the favorites at every contest for the rest of the season.

Carmel HS took the field with their show Voyage to Valhalla, and just like in the show title, their performance took the audience to a heavenly place. The metal longship, Viking style uniform, and accessories of the guard were truly impressive and played well with the powerful music the band played such as “Ride of the Valkyries.” The guard also wowed the crowd with their “fight” choreography using their rifles and Viking shields, with a dark warlike mood created by the low brassline.

Centerville finished second with a very impressive 78.50.

Centerville HS brought the swing with their show That’s How We Roll and brought the house down with their jazzy show and huge energy! The show came complete with a jazz quartet, a trombone feature on the front sidelines, and the entire front ensemble playing from a raised platform on the back 50. It truly made you feel as if you were in an old-school jazz club!

Lake Central took third overall, 74.95, with their show Alone in a Crowd. Lake Central made excellent use of the tarp they placed on the front half of the field with the clarinet section and some of the guard having features there. The guard took further advantage of their props by having a spinning feature by the guard on a set made of large stacked blocks.

In one of the more imaginative shows of the night, Decatur Central’s show entitled Singularity, asked what would happen if human and robot became one and earned them a 4th place finish with a 74.70. 

The show heavily featured robotic voice-overs, stiff bionic movement, and futuristic sound effects which played well with the recurring theme. 

A musical highlight was a flute solo set to John Lennon’s “Imagine”, which was followed by a guard performer who embodied the singularity performing impressive spins and body contortion.

Russel County HS finished with a 73.80 while debuting their show which is centered around winning, and how it wasn’t everything. The opening tune gave a sense of determination which fit the theme well, and their use of large, glowing number twos on the field quite literally caused the audience to “oooh” and “ahh” when turned on. 

Their props along with an incredible voiceover moment during the second movement made their show a memorable one.

Franklin Central HS (6th - 73.40) took the field with their show The Pretenders and was definitely one of the most visually impressive groups of the night. 

Their use of beautiful paintings hid underneath “paint-by-numbers” coverings along with their body movement vibed well with the “who am I?” motif of the show. One of the more musical highlights of their performance was the pit’s rendition of “Clair de Lune” during the ballad, which caused goosebumps throughout the audience! 

In 7th place with a 72.15 was Lakota West, whos show was a take on the film “Marry Poppins.” The guard brought this concept to life with their bright, colorful uniforms complete with umbrellas, which fit the whimsical feel of the groups opening tune. The ballad differed, however, by having very soft and sad music contrasted with the chaotic body movement of the brass players.

Eastern HS kicked things off in finals with their show Divinations and brought the house down with their in your face brass sound. The theme about using fortune to glimpse the future was especially evident during the ballad which also featured an amazing vocalist that could rival any DCI vocalist of recent years! 

Eastern finished 8th with a 70.65.

Following Eastern was Miamisburg HS (9th - 70.50), who’s show called One Bad Apple is an abstract take on the Snow White Story. Throughout their performance they reprised Beethoven’s 7^th Symphony, showcasing the low brass and giving the show a dark, sad, and mysterious feel.

Rounding out finals was Beavercreek HS with a 69.15. 

Beavercreek’s Mirrorball dazzled the crowd with their energetic performance,  starting off strong with the music of Earth, Wind, and Fire. Throughout the show, the pop tunes along with the guard uniforms give the feeling of being in a 1970’s disco club, and made you want to get up and groove!