mjyaub Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 The show is this Thursday, so being from the area but living in Georgia now, I thought maybe a little background on the area. It is a huge football community with Auburn University only about 5 miles away. The Opelika bulldogs just this past year was runner up to the Hoover Bucs for the 6A football title. The Opelika High School bands nickname is "The Spirit of the South". It is ultra conservative so after seeing all the corps live in San Antonio, I wonder how these folks will receive them. Guys in guards are something that you just don't see. The Blue Stars voodoo theme with two alters set up on each side of the pit should be interesting. The MC from Academy might try to butch it up a little (a lot). I say all this in fun, but it is the puritanical south. The event has been well advertised and I'm sure it will be packed. All the corps performing put on great artistic and entertaining shows and I am sure they will be viewed as such. Since there are no shows in Florida, I am sure a strong contingent from the pan handle will be driving up. It should be a great event that I hope continues. Remember, Alabama was the birthplace of Southwind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikespeed Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 What the heck, Opelika got a DCI show??? I just graduated and left Auburn a few months ago! :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srb30a Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 (edited) Mikespeed, It might be because they had the money to produce the show. It seems these days that most of the shows are being run by the corps themselves. And you're right, there is a large number of very competitive high school bands within a hundred miles or so. I remember back when Southwind was first established, for a few shorts years there was a show in Montgomery, Al. It was very well attended. I hope that this show succeeds to become a forerunner to the Atlanta regional since it's only two hours away. I plan on going in support and look forward to it. By the way, Opelika is an Indian name. I might disagree with the pronunciation of it thought. It's more like O pa like a with no emphasis on any part of it. Edited July 23, 2013 by srb30a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikespeed Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 Mikespeed, It might be because they had the money to produce the show. It seems these days that most of the shows are being run by the corps themselves. And you're right, there is a large number of very competitive high school bands within a hundred miles or so. I remember back when Southwind was first established, for a few shorts years there was a show in Montgomery, Al. It was very well attended. I hope that this show succeeds to become a forerunner to the Atlanta regional since it's only two hours away. I plan on going in support and look forward to it. I fully expect this thing to be sold out. I don't know much about the high school band scene there, but there's about 100,000 people living within 20 miles of that stadium. And being cheaper than Atlanta, I can see many high school bands showing up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srb30a Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 (edited) I fully expect this thing to be sold out. I don't know much about the high school band scene there, but there's about 100,000 people living within 20 miles of that stadium. And being cheaper than Atlanta, I can see many high school bands showing up. As far as demographics so, if you widen the area to a hundred mile radius, there is between 2 and 3 million people, to include Montgomery, Birmingham and Atlanta. And who knows, could one day have to be moved to Jordan Hare Stadium in Auburn. Edited July 23, 2013 by srb30a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKT90 Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 As of two days ago there will still 50 yard line seats available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjyaub Posted July 23, 2013 Author Share Posted July 23, 2013 This could be a great recruiting venue for Spirit. With this show in east central Alabama and the show in Huntsville in north Alabama, they will be getting alot of exposure in Bama since they left JSU. Which brings up another point. I am not sure of the history and what unfolded, but when Spirit made the move to Alabama and JSU, things were pretty dire for them. They did have some success there. It always seemed a salvation (no pun) and actually saved them. I wonder if they acknowledge just how important how that move was to their success now. Anyone with any proper info on this I would appreciate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKT90 Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 This could be a great recruiting venue for Spirit. With this show in east central Alabama and the show in Huntsville in north Alabama, they will be getting alot of exposure in Bama since they left JSU. Which brings up another point. I am not sure of the history and what unfolded, but when Spirit made the move to Alabama and JSU, things were pretty dire for them. They did have some success there. It always seemed a salvation (no pun) and actually saved them. I wonder if they acknowledge just how important how that move was to their success now. Anyone with any proper info on this I would appreciate. They are very aware that JSU saved them, trust me on that. Without getting into too much detail they were a victim of an attempted, but failed hostile take over from a corps which is not in DCI but wanted to be. It was a well executed plan, that if successful would have dissolved SOA and moved them up north to be under the direction of a "gentleman" who wanted to make his presence known in DCI due to the the relationships he had within the DCI organization. Luckily, a few alumni, Freddy Martin, and others saved the corps and Ken Bodiford - JSU Marching Southerners director offered a temporary home at JSU. What those *** clowns did, was purposely sabotage the corps, took the members dues and all funds and then announced about 3 weeks before tour that they were disbanding...no arrangements had been made whatsoever for housing, food truck, buses, nothing...what these core individuals did, along with some generous parents did, in that short amount of time is incredible because they did in fact go on tour. Unfortunately, what that new director who was quickly found out and booted and the person up north did to the corps really set them back many many years. That's why Spirit dropped off the map for many years. Now, for the past 4 years they have a solid foundation in place and have continually improved year over year...but it took them a good many years to recover from that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjyaub Posted July 23, 2013 Author Share Posted July 23, 2013 That is very intriguing. Thanks for the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKT90 Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 (edited) That is very intriguing. Thanks for the info. I think it's ok to share this (it's very watered down in the part you are asking about)... http://soaaa.weebly....ps-history.html During the years where SOA struggled financially, many people who would have marched ended up at Cadets, BD, BK, and Cavies. Most of the drummers I know went to Cavies. The relationship with JSU goes back a long ways, unfortunately those members went to other corps. Now, they are getting the JSU, UGA contingent back in the fold and it's paying off. Edited July 23, 2013 by JKT90 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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