Shows for the weekend of September 13, 2025

[Dan Balash]

Feel free to make your predictions here!

Chicagoland Marching Band Festival: Wheeling, IL

Class 1A
6:30 PM: William Howard Taft
6:45 PM: Dwight D. Eisenhower

Class 2A
7:00 PM: Crystal Lake South
7:15 PM: Leyden
7:30 PM: Lake Park

7:45 PM: Break

Class 2A
8:00 PM: Buffalo Grove
8:15 PM: Rolling Meadows

8:30 PM: Break

Class 3A
8:45 PM: John Hersey
9:00 PM: Greendale, WI
9:15 PM: Prospect
9:30 PM: Davenport Central, IA

Exb
9:45 PM: Wheeling

10:00 PM: Awards

Limestone Marching Rockets Field Competition: Bartonville, IL

Class 1A
3:30 PM: Morrison
3:45 PM: Ridgeview
4:00 PM: Tri-Valley

4:15 PM: Break

Class 2A
4:30 PM: Sandwich
4:45 PM: Monmouth-Roseville
5:00 PM: ROWVA

5:15 PM: Break

5:45 PM: Awards

Class 3A
6:00 PM: Dunlap
6:15 PM: East Peoria
6:30 PM: Pekin Community
6:45 PM: Canton

7:00 PM: Break

Class 4A
7:15 PM: United Township
7:30 PM: Geneseo
7:45 PM: Washington Community

Exb
8:00 PM: Limestone Community

8:30 PM: Awards

 

Metro East Marching Classic: O'Fallon, IL

Class 1A
11:00 AM: Windsor
11:15 AM: Effingham
11:30 AM: Civic Memorial
11:45 AM: Mater Dei

Class 2A
12:00 PM: Rockwood Summit, MO
12:15 PM: Hillsboro, MO
12:30 PM: Mascoutah

Exb
12:45 PM: OTHS & Middle School Band
1:15 PM: Racer Drumline

1:40 PM: Awards

Class 3A
4:15 PM: Alton
4:30 PM: Fort Zumwalt West, MO
4:45 PM: Lafayette, MO
5:00 PM: Granite City
5:15 PM: Francis Howell Central, MO
5:30 PM: Fort Zumwalt North, MO

5:45 PM: Break

Class 4A
6:00 PM: Collinsville
6:15 PM: Belleville East
6:30 PM: Lindbergh, MO
6:45 PM: Edwardsville

Exb
7:00 PM: O'Fallon Township
7:15 PM: Racer Drumline

7:30 PM: Awards

 

Victor J. Andrew High School Marching Invitational: Tinley Park, IL

Note: No schedule available yet; list of competing bands below.

Class 1A
A.A. Stagg
Bloom Township
Huntley
LaPorte, IN
Lemont
Providence Catholic

Class 2A
Downers Grove South
Glenbrook South
Lake Central, IN
Plainfield South
Warren Township
Wheaton North

Class 3A
Davenport Central, IA
Marian Catholic
Oswego East
Plainfield North
Romeoville
Yorkville

Exb
Victor J. Andrew

Murphysboro Drums at Appletime: Murphysboro, IL

No schedule available yet

Pontiac Indian Showdown: Pontiac, IL

No schedule available yet

Sage City Invitational: Monticello, IL

No schedule available yet

North Knights Marching Festival: Grayslake, IL (September 14)

No schedule available yet

 

 

[Suburbanbandfan]

Schedule for Andrew HS Field Competition is out on their FB. Sorry, I can’t add the photo. 

[Dan Balash]

14 hours ago, Suburbanbandfan said:

Schedule for Andrew HS Field Competition is out on their FB. Sorry, I can’t add the photo. 

[ShowMeMusic]

Murphysboro Drums at Appletime: Murphysboro, IL Schedule

https://midwestmarching.com/wp/index.php?gf-download=2025%2F08%2F2025-Drums-at-Appletime-Schedule.png&form-id=1&field-id=7&hash=5c393a3ed43dd45f3585c8b17fd7d458608863db9b41acd1bddf77eddee4a8e7

Edited September 1, 2025 by ShowMeMusic

[Dan Balash]

Carlyle added in 1A at 10:45 at MEMC; Timberland, MO added at 4:15 in 3A, everyone in 3A moved back 15 minutes, everyone in 4A moved back 30 minutes from their original start times.

[Zdsmith]

Drums at Appletime (Murphysboro, IL) below

Because I Can't Figure Out How to Upload a Picture in my Reply lol

 

https://imgur.com/a/DdNDKql

 

Edited September 5, 2025 by Zdsmith
i am bad at formatting.

[Dan Balash]

16 minutes ago, Zdsmith said:

Drums at Appletime (Murphysboro, IL) below

Because I Can't Figure Out How to Upload a Picture in my Reply lol

 

https://imgur.com/a/DdNDKql

 

[Band]

Before getting to predictions, how cool is it that this weekend we have schools from Wisconsin, Indiana, Kentucky, Iowa, and Missouri competing in Illinois. Most of them are not are strangers to coming and competing in the state, but feels like a lot in one weekend which is cool.

Chicagoland Marching Band Festival: Wheeling, IL

Class 1A: A presidential showdown here! Eisenhower is my pick here. 
Class 2A: Fun class including 3 programs that only started competing in the last 10 years. But my prediction here is long time competitor, Lake Park. 
Class 3A: Prospect (GC) with Greendale in 2nd. 
 

Limestone Marching Rockets Field Competition: Bartonville, IL (SHOUT OUT FOR THE RETURN OF THIS SHOW)

Class 1A: Nothing informing my choice here aside from historical background, let's go with Tri Valley
Class 2A: Same as 1A- Let's go with Sandwhich!
Class 3A: East Peoria with Dunlap close behind!
Class 4A: Washinton (GC)

 

Metro East Marching Classic: O'Fallon, IL

Class 1A: Windsor
Class 2A: Rockwood Summit (Small school GC)
Class 3A: WOW this class is STACKED. I'll go with Zumwalt North with Howell Central in a close second. A massive battle for 3rd. 
Class 4A: This is a tough one. Edwardsville is perhaps a slight underdog Lindbehrg, but I'm going to go with EHS for the 4A win here! 
 

Victor J. Andrew High School Marching Invitational: Tinley Park, IL

Class 1A: Lemont
Class 2A: Lake Central, DGS, and Warren are my pick for top 3, and honestly I think it could go in any order.
Class 3A: Marian Catholic (GC) with a TIGHT race for 2nd
 

Murphysboro Drums at Appletime: Murphysboro, IL

White: Anna Jonesboro looks to repeat from last year

Red: Potosi

Silver: Waterloo

Gold: McCracken County (GC)

 

I'll do a separate post for the other three shows once we get scheudles!

 

[Dan Balash]

Grayslake schedule:

[Marchguy]

Pontiac Schedule - 9/13/25

Class A
3:45  St. Joseph Ogden
4:00  Herscher
4:15  Watseka

Class B
5:00  Streator
5:15  El Paso-Gridley
5:30  Prairie Central
5:45  University
6:00  Coal City

Class C
6:30  Alan B Shepard
6:45  Bloomington
7:00  Joliet West

EXH
7:15  Pontiac

[Band]

Grayslake

Class A: Eisenhower looks to continue their competitive success with a win here

Class AA: Lakes

Class AAA: Grayslake Central (GC)

Pontiac

Class A: Herscher

Class B: University

Class C : Bloomington (GC)

[Suburbanbandfan]

09/13/2025 Predictions

Grayslake North Competition:

A. 1. DDE 2. Johnsburg 3. Marengo Community

AA. 1. Elk Grove 2. Lakes Community 3. Antioch Community

AAA. 1. Round Lake 2. McHenry 3. Grayslake Central 

GC: Elk Grove or DDE (toss up) 

Pontiac Township Competition

A. 1. Watseka Community 2. Herscher 3. St. Joesph
AA. 1. University 2. Coal City 3. Streator  
AAA. 1. Bloomington 2. Shepard 3. Joliet West

GC: Bloomington

 

Edited September 8, 2025 by Suburbanbandfan

[TheAngryBavarian]

Monticello Schedule (Source: Event Page on Instagram (@sagecity2025))

1A

3:00 Blue Ridge

3:15 Paxton-Buckley-Loda

3:30 Maroa-Forsyth

3:45 Hoopeston Area

4:00 BREAK

 

2A

4:15 Richland County

4:30 Paris

4:45 Newton

5:00 Unity

5:15 BREAK

 

3A

5:30 Mattoon

5:45 Jacksonville

6:00 Rantoul

6:15 Lincoln

6:30 BREAK

 

4A

6:45 Urbana

7:00 Centennial

7:15 Danville

5A

7:30 Belleville West

7:45 BREAK

8:00 Monticello (Exh.)

8:15 Awards

 

 

 

 

[Band]

Monticello Predictions:

Class 1A: PBL

Class 2A: Newton

Class 3A: Jacksonville

Class 4A: Champaign Centennial

Class 5A: Belleville West (GC)

Edited September 9, 2025 by Band

[Dan Balash]

I hate to sound like an old fart, but directors: PLEASE ensure that your students are eating and drinking enough this weekend.  It's going to be hot.

[Zdsmith]

1 hour ago, Dan Balash said:

I hate to sound like an old fart, but directors: PLEASE ensure that your students are eating and drinking enough this weekend.  It's going to be hot.

Fine, only because you asked nicely.

[Dan Balash]

Pontiac will be livestreamed this weekend.

 

 

[Dan Balash]

Predictions:

CMBF:

A: 1) D.D. Eisenhower 2) Taft

AA: 1) Lake Park 2) Buffalo Grove 3) Rolling Meadows

AAA: Tough class for 2 and 3 to predict.  Greendale, Hersey and Davenport Central are all excellent bands.  1) Prospect 2) John Hersey 3) Greendale, WI

GC: Prospect

Limestone:

A: 1) Tri-Valley 2) Ridgeview 3) Morrison

AA: 1) Sandwich 2) ROWVA 3) Monmouth-Roseville

AAA: 1) East Peoria 2) Dunlap 3) Pekin Community

AAAA: 1) Washington Community 2) Geneseo 3) United Township

GC: Washington Community

 

MEMC:

A: 1) Effingham 2) Mater Dei 3) Civic Memorial

AA: 1) Rockwood Summit, MO 2) Mascoutah 3) Hillsboro, MO

AAA: 1) Timberland, MO 2) Fort Zumwalt North, MO 3) Granite City

AAAA: 1) Edwardsville 2) Lindbergh, MO 3) Belleville East

GC: Edwardsville

 

Murphysboro:

A: 1) Anna-Jonesboro 2) Nashville Community 3) Pinckneyville Community

AA: 1) Potosi, MO 2) Carterville 3) Breese Central

AAA: 1) Centralia 2) Paducah Tilghman, KY 3) Waterloo

AAAA: 1) McCracken County, KY 2) Cape Central, MO 3) Northwest, MO

GC: McCracken County, KY

 

Pontiac:

A: 1) Watseka 2) Herscher 3) St. Joseph-Ogden

AA: 1) Prairie Central 2) UHigh 3) Streator Township

AAA: 1) Bloomington 2) Joliet West 3) Alan B. Shepard.  2 and 3 are interchangeable.  ABS had a REALLY good year last year.

GC: Bloomington

 

Monticello:

1A: 1) Paxton-Buckley-Loda 2) Maroa-Forsyth 3) Hoopeston Area

2A: 1) Newton 2) Paris Cooperative 3) Richland County

3A: 1) Jacksonville 2) Mattoon 3) Lincoln Community

4A: 1) Champaign Centennial 2) Danville 3) Urbana

5A: 1) Belleville West

GC: Belleville West

 

VJA:  All of these classes are pretty good.

1A: 1) Lemont 2) Huntley 3) Providence Catholic

2A: 1) Warren Township 2) Lake Central, IN 3) Downers Grove South

3A: Really good, really tough class to call.  Honestly, it's early.  Any one of these bands could win, any one of these bands could finish last in class.  Plainfield North had a really good start to the season, finishing right behind Hersey at Lake Park.  Oswego East beat Marian Catholic last year at NIU, and finished 4th in 6A at ISU.  Romeoville made finals at ISU (and won Stagg last weekend),  Yorkville had a great season, and Davenport North is really good as well.  I'm probably way wrong on this, but:

1) Plainfield North 2) Marian Catholic 3) Romeoville

GC: Plainfield North

[Dan Balash]

Whoops, forgot about Grayslake.

1A: 1) D.D. Eisenhower 2) Grant Community 3) Marengo

2A: 1) Elk Grove 2) Grayslake Central 3) Round Lake

GC: This is a tough call.  I'm going with Elk Grove, but I think it'll be close.

[TheAngryBavarian]

My Predictions:

CMBF
1A: Dwight D. Eisenhower
2A: Lake Park
3A: Prospect
GC: Prospect

Limestone
1A: Tri-Valley
2A: ROWVA
3A: East Peoria (Fun Class!)
4A: Washington Community
GC: Washington

MEMC *I'll be at this one, trying not to melt 🙂*
1A: Windsor [I believe this is the Windsor from Imperial, MO]
2A: Rockwood Summit
3A: Fort Zumwalt North
4A: Edwardsville (They've started faster than Lindbergh traditionally)
GC: Edwardsville

Drums At Appletime
1A: Nashville
2A: Potosi
3A: Waterloo [Could be Paducah Tilghman, but I don't know a ton about them]
4A: McCracken County
GC: McCracken County

Pontiac
1A: Watseka
2A: University
3A: Bloomington
GC: Bloomington

Sage City
1A: Blue Ridge
2A: Paris [Newton maybe]
3A: Mattoon
4A: Centennial
5A: Belleville West
GC: Centennial

Victor J. Andrew
1A: Lemont [Without knowing anything about LaPorte]
2A: Warren Township [Tough class to predict]
3A: Plainfield North [Could be Marian]
GC: Plainfield North

Grayslake North
1A: Dwight D. Eisenhower
2A: Elk Grove
GC: Elk Grove

[Dan Balash]

VJA will be live streamed as well today.

 

https://fan.hudl.com/usa/il/tinley-park/organization/5333/andrew-high-school?fbclid=IwdGRjcAMyXbFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHjH0r_o8LAumptQBV9cRErknPqTxNakQPp8LPMu_hix2egUwmM5jli4qK2GI_aem_azxYHkg1JxSL1zf2UfZ0ag

[Iltrumpet1]

Y'all aren't reading the Grayslake schedule correctly. It is a 3 class competition.

As an instructor for one of the groups present at that show, I will refrain from making predictions. However, I just wanted to let you know that this contest does have 3 classes.

[Dan Balash]

1 hour ago, Iltrumpet1 said:

Y'all aren't reading the Grayslake schedule correctly. It is a 3 class competition.

As an instructor for one of the groups present at that show, I will refrain from making predictions. However, I just wanted to let you know that this contest does have 3 classes.

Yeah, that’s on me for not reading the schedule correctly.  Whoops!

[Director42]

O'Fallon Small Schools

1A Music - Effingham

1A Visual - Mater Dei

1A GE - Effingham 

3rd - Windsor, MO

2nd - Mater Dei

1st - Effingham 

2A Music, Visual, and GE - Rockwood Summit 

3rd - Hillsboro 

2nd - Mascoutah 

1st - Rockwood Summit 

Small Schools GC - Rockwood Summit 

[Dan Balash]

VJA 1A/2A:

1A:

1 Lemont (Music, Visual, GE, Percussion)

2 Huntley

3 Providence Catholic

 Auxiliary: A.A. Stagg

 

2A:

1 Lake Central, IN (Music, Visual, Auxiliary)

2 Warren Township (GE)

3 Downers Grove South (Percussion)