Applauding Bands in National Comps

[Griffis]

I was at the Welsh Regionals today (Sunday 14th) and I witnessed something that happens a lot of the time when it comes down to competitions like these.
Not that I am trying to make a fuss, but why do people applaud SOME bands (i.e. BAYV Cory, Tredegar etc) whilst they walk on stage?
The thing is...this immediately tells the adjudicator that it is one of the "Big Boys" walking on stage.
Surely this gives the other bands an immediate dissadvantage.
The same thing also happens at the British Open and the National Finals (not just to the named bands above but again to some of the "Big Boys"!)
I find this unfair, and I think that either ALL bands should be applauded on stage or none at all.

Any comments on this??!!

By the way, before anyone has a go, I heard Cory and they were very good indeed and worthy winners, and I heard Tredegar from the bar area and they too were worthy of 2nd place!!

 

[johnmartin]

Yes, you are paranoid.

If you do not have faith in the impartiality of an adjudicator to judge a band based on their performance then you may as well not compete.

 

[Trigger]

No I have to agree with Griffis here. After all, the adjudicator is only human and whilst they may try not to let it bias their decision, it is bound to have some sort of effect. I think it should be either clap them all or none of them at all.

 

[AJSOP]

I also agree with Griffis. All the bands who compete should get the same amount of applause.Even if it makes no effect to the audjudicator, it is nice to have a warm welcome to the stage no matter which band you are.

 

[Accidental]

Isn't it just as likely to bias the judges against a band though? If they think more claps = "better" band, then surely if anything it would give them higer expectations, which could result in the performance being judged more critically.

I'm with Johnmartin on this one - if you can't trust the judges to do a decent job, don't contest (or get involved in the committees that pick the judges in the first place :lol: ).

 

[yr_epa]

I agree with Griffis's comments. But why do the big bands get applauded onto the stage? I do think its completley wrong.

 

[Naomi McFadyen]

Meh...

I kno we're talking top section here.... but I bet some **** band in 4th section has had some of their supporters clapping before they play and come last...

Besides, it shouldnt make any difference to the dude in the box anyway... so I'm in agreement with johnmartin on this one.

 

[davidquinlan]

I think it's more annoying when supporters start to shout and cheer applaud etc .. before the named bands have even finished!!
e.g. Fairey's yesterday in Blackpool... I'm not sure that they had even hit their last chord before the frenzy started...

 

[nickjones]

If you can totally trust the judge to make an unbiased decision then have open adjudication or more than one judge .
I played at the welsh area yesterday and I have to say I am losing faith in the system in place at the moment , what do you have to do to win ? maybe I should have played with a really thin hard tone and put loads of Eb bass cues and put them down the octave...and get people to clap the band on stage..It was great to see Martin Ellerby at the contest , I would like to know what he thought of the different interpretations there were on the day...
Does anyone have a clue why some area's have two judges ( Yorkshire and Scotland) and Wales ( with the added incentive of the European Championchip qualifying berth which is the same as Scotland )...

 

[johnflugel]

This annoys me, simply because they ask you not to applaud: no different to being asked to switch your phone off (some people struggle with that!) and asked not to mention names or numbers of bands within earshot of the box. Why people cannot follow it I do not know.

In my experience, it has happened at both the Open and Nationals. On two occasions Dyke and Cory being clapped on stage. I remember Dyke being applauded on the stage by a minority then despite the couple of thousand 'ssshhhh', Cory's supporters then did it. The MC then came out and reminded everyone that they had been asked not to applaud and strongly told people not to...that got one of the biggest cheers of the day!

I can understand the odd 3rd section 'auntie come to support' clap but for bands in the top section, i would say 99.99999999% of support know the etiquette of contest and know they should not applaud. It's a simple request.

John

 

[Griffis]

Isn't it just as likely to bias the judges against a band though? If they think more claps = "better" band, then surely if anything it would give them higer expectations, which could result in the performance being judged more critically.

Ok, lets say that you've just played for one of the big bands, and that the adjudicator heard the applause as you walk on and then you played well enough to get 2nd place, but, because the judge is only human after all, and like you said above, gave him or her higher expectations, when the results came out the comments were : (for example) "one band played very well, but I knew they had to be one of the big bands due to the clapping, and therefore i was a bit more harsh with them, so they should've had 2nd, but because they didn't quite play as well as a top class band should have, I've given them 3rd...no automatic qualification!!

This probably would never happen in the comments bit just before the results, but...it could have happened in his result making process. :?: :!:

 

[Accidental]

Just to clarify.... the main point I was trying to make was that I don't really think it affects the judges either way. I just made that comment to play devils advocate! :lol: :wink:

 

[WoodenFlugel]

While I don't think it affects the adjudicators in any way (most of them are deaf anyway! :evil: ) I think it's wrong. Either we clap all the bands on or none of them. As has been said most of the people indulging in this are hardened contest goers so should know the protocol.

This reminds me of a time at Leicester a few years ago on High Peak. The end of one band's performance was met by ecstatic cheering and applause from about 20 of thier own supporters. This was despite the fact that they had made a complete sow's ear of the piece from start to finish. Pathetic. :roll:

 

[impycornet]

what do you have to do to win ? ...

Ermm.. play better than the bands that beat you & Impress the man/men in the box.??

Obvious really ?

 

[Trigger]

Everyone is saying that you must trust the man in the box, otherwise there is no point competing. But how many people can trust another person 100%? I mean, other than my close family, there is no-one I trust 100%, let alone a complete stranger sat in a box??

 

[Dave Euph]

I'm certain at the Yorkshire Areas that none of the bands (including Dyke, Brighouse and YBS) were applauded. We were all there mind watching all these international virtuosos come on stage without a sound, it almost felt rude! :lol:

 

[Griffis]

I was playing at the Yorkshire Areas and I can concur that as far as I can remember none of the top bands were applauded on to the stage.

 

[bassinthebathroom]

I feel that as a matter of courtesy, all bands should be handled in the same way. As a matter of artistic courtesy perhaps all bands should be applauded onto the stage, as is the case with orchestras.

 

[nickjones]

Well the important thing is Beaumaris Band have qualified for the National Championchips .
am sorry Rob I did not see you in Swansea and I dont know if you listened to the bands who were placed 1 to 4 . it's good for welsh banding to know we have 4 bands in the Albert hall this October.

 

[angie]

I was in Swansea and the clapping of Cory etc definately caused a stir. It's not about whether or not we can trust the judges to be impartial despite their knowing who is playing on stage- the fact is they shouldn't have to be put in that position. Its not fair to put that pressure on the judges, its not fair on any of the bands and its un-proffessional. Plus it proves that everyone loves Cory and nobody loves us! :cry: