Hello Everyone! Another Show Choir Saturday in the books, as this seasons continues to progress. This is the time in the season where groups really begin to solidify their shows, and find themselves as a group (If they hadn't already).
The way I'm going to do this review will be slightly different. I'll be doing a few individual group analysis points, then I'll be breaking down my personal analysis of this competition as a whole.
PETAL - Breathtaking show. The song selection this year is also fantastic and the level of difficulty in ballad alone is rather outstanding. very glad to see that you all will be taking you show to Glenwood to test your metal against some show choir giants, because that's how you improve! All around clean show, with regards to choreography. THE CLOSER GAVE ME LIFE // It reminded me of your show from last year, and shoutout to my lil bro Remi I luh you dude and I'm so proud.
GRENADA - My wig. snatched. My edges. long gone. Best energy of the night hands down. This was my 4th or 5th time see your show, and I'm STILL catching new things. If I see your show anymore, I may know all of your choreography. Finals performance was your best one for sure! The show was much more of a controlled power and I like that vibe. You all really turned it up. Good job really putting your bodies into the choreography more that helped tremendously! #V4L
JACKSON PREP - What an Improvement from when you competed at JA! My goodness! Your show yesterday night was worlds away! I enjoyed the song selection and someone please get me in touch with your ballad soloist bc I'm like in love. You all have a very exceptional vocal presence this year and it was like hearing audible chocolate. AND YALL SNAPPED IN FINALS BIG TIME. Some of you were nearly breaking bones to hit the moves, the intensity was cray. Wonderful show.
NE JONES - Oh my, also another major improvement from JA! AND YOUR BAND WOAHHHHH. I'm personally not a fan of the style in the first half, but even then your show was still very enjoyable. Wonderful vocals! I've never seen I Love Lucy and now I never have to because you guys showed me enough!!! Great Show
MADISON CENTRAL - My bebes I'm so very proud of you!!! It was refreshing to see you all finally begin to get extremely passionate about your show. Like the two above, major improvements from JA. The Vocals especially were tremendously Improved. The ballad was out of this world and everyone in the auditorium had a very still soul while watching. Rev It Up <3
JACKSON ACADEMY - Despite the sound issues, you guys were amazing. It didn't phase you at all, and I really didn't mind because I could hear all of the vocal parts completely. Hands down, my favorite girls number this year. Someone sign Latham nance to a recording contract please and thank you. Dark themes are usually iffy for me, BUT THIS SHOW was fantastic. Everyone was on the same page and your choreography was simply spectacular.
OKay now.... my thoughts on the competitions as a whole.
I'm going to start off by saying, to me, the auditorium and the sound (in the auditorium) Is the best I've heard this year. The acoustics are amazing and I really could hear very well! The competition remained on schedule, which is always a plus. Well run competition over all, shout to the West Jones peeps for their hard work here.
Let me preface this next part with a few things. 1- this is my personal opinion, and may not reflect the ideas of those around me, I'm a college student I did not compete. 2- I watched all of the Tier II/III groups in their entirety. 3- every group that competed had a wonderful show and I respect you all for getting out there and doing what you love. 4- I'm horrible at math so im also pretty bad at reading score sheets (unless it's musical scoresheets of course) 5- I am biased towards MC as I graduated from there, so keep this in mind.
This was the overall placement score Break down from Finals
Petal - 1 (578)
Grenada - 2 (560.5)
NE Jones - 3 (555) (5 and a half point gap between them and Grenada?) (huh?)
PRC - 4 (527)
Prep - 5 (512.5)
(Again, speaking from myself.) This is confusing. Perhaps I didn't watch the same shows? Jackson Prep definitely should have placed around the 3rd place spot and the only people who were excited with the results were the prep kids because this was their 3rd 5th place, I believe (Don't we all love it when things look the same?) As good as groups as PRC and esp NE jones are, They were not better than prep. Also let's take a step back to prelims going into finals. I'm not at all surprised that NE Jones made finals. I believe that (to the judges) the southern style was more appealing than JA's dark themed show, and Rev/JP's more modernized choreography and arrangements. I am genuinely confused as to how PRC managed to place over JA, Prep, and MC. In all categories these 3 groups were simply stronger, especially JA/Prep. All they can do is take the advice the judges gave them and decide whether they hold any ultimate value, but if I were them, I would not be too discouraged by what happened last night. I'm not sure exactly what the judges were looking for but it seems a few groups didn't have it and others had it in abundance. I'm sure there are those who disagree, and I'm not here to argue or anything, just to simply give my personal opinion (who am I, anyway?) but no, these results were something else for sure.
To end on a high note, I just wanna take the time again to thank the West Jones, choir, staff, faculty, parents etc..., for a very well run show. The southern hospitality is alive and well and can't wait to see what your competition suits up to be like next year!
If you made it this far, you real. Much Love, congrats to all who competed!
-brad
West Jones Invitational 2019
