Some of my favorite bands at the 2025 Rose Parade for New Year's Day

Happy New Year! I'm sharing my favorite bands in the Rose Parade for New Year's Day, courtesy of Luis at Music213. I begin, like last year, with the official band of the Rose Parade, 2025 PCC Tournament of Roses Honor Band & Herald Trumpets (Day 1) - 2025 Pasadena Bandfest.

The 2025 Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band & Herald Trumpets performing their musical selections at the 44th Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Bandfest on Sunday, December 29, 2024.

That was worth it just to hear the percussion play Espresso, which will probably be the Record of the Year at the GRAMMYs.

Next, a band I may end up recycling for the 2028 version of Marching music for the Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, and Ohio Presidential Primaries on the Vernal Equinox, Lincoln-Way High School Marching Band - 2025 Pasadena Bandfest.

From Frankfort, Illinois Lincoln-Way High School Marching Band performing their field show at the 44th Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Bandfest on Monday, December 30, 2024.

I couldn't resist leaving this comment on the video.

Here is the music for the field show:
0:32 Music from "El Cid"
2:20 "The Death Hunt" from the movie "On Dangerous Ground"
4:00 "The Magnificent Seven"
6:00 "Gone with the Wind"
8:45 Reprise of "El Cid"
8:56 "Hurray for Hollywood"

The song for the pass in review at 13:12 is "Land of Make Believe."

Anyone who has been reading this blog for any time knows that I love movie music, so of course I'd know. Also, drum corps have played every single song in this repertoire, just to reinforce my familiarity with them.

Now, my favorite marching band from Japan, Kyoto Tachibana High School Green Band - 2025 Pasadena Bandfest.

From Kyoto, Japan, the Kyoto Tachibana Senior High School Green Band performing at the 44th Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Bandfest on Monday, December 30, 2024. This exceptional group will also be performing in the 136th Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on Wednesday, January 1, 2024.

As in 2011 and 2018, they were the ONLY band to receive a full standing ovation during the two-day festival. Their performance was truly spectacular! A huge THANK YOU to Kyoto Tachibana!

Field Show:
00:07 - Introduction
04:04 - Johnny B. Goode
05:16 - We Are Your Dream Girls
07:50 - Happy Birthday (Tournament President Ed Morales Birthday)
08:55 - Memory (from Cats)
11:58 - Sing Sing Sing
18:00 - Photos

Pass in Review:
18:41 - Fantasmic!
20:16 - High School Musical (High School Musical 3)

Wow! In case they look familiar, I featured them in Two Rose Parade marching bands playing 'Thriller' for Halloween and Two drum corps and some of my favorite bands marching in the New Year for 2018. Welcome back!

Follow over the jump for more of my favorite bands.

Now for a band I first featured in 'Warm Bodies': Love, zombies, and marching bands on Valentines Day and returned in Marching music for Super Tuesday, part two, Fresno State Bulldog Marching Band - 2025 Pasadena Bandfest.

From Fresno, California Fresno State Bulldog Marching Band performing at the 44th Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Bandfest on Monday, December 30, 2024.

I failed to include their previous appearance in the Rose Parade, which turned out to be spectacular, so I'm glad I included them this time.

Speaking of returning bands that I didn't include the first time, here's Rancho Verde Crimson Regiment - 2025 Pasadena Bandfest, who last appeared in 2020.

From Moreno Valley, California The Rancho Verde High School Crimson Regiment performing their field show at the 44th Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Bandfest on Monday, December 30, 2024. The Crimson Regiment will make their second appearance in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on Wednesday, January 1, 2025, having last appeared in 2020.
Congratulations, Crimson Regiment!

Again, I'm glad I included them this year.

Here's another returning band from 2018, Homestead HS Mighty Mustang Marching Band - 2025 Pasadena Bandfest.

From Cupertino, CA Homestead High School Mighty Mustang Marching Band performing their field show at the 44th Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Bandfest on Sunday, December 29, 2024.

Welcome back!

I close with a band that, like Pasadena City College, returns every year, 2025 LAUSD All-City Band - 2025 Pasadena Bandfest.

From Los Angeles, CA The 2024 Los Angeles Unified School Beyond the Bell All-District High School Honor Band performing their musical selections at the 44th Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Bandfest on Monday, December 30, 2024

Program:
00:05 - Photos
02:08 - Taking the field
04:01 - Song 1: "Before I Let Go" by Frankie Beverly and Maze
05:26 - Cadence
05:52 - Song 2: "Illusion" by Dua Lipa
07:32 - Cadence
07:58 - Song 3: "Can't Stop the Feeling" by Justin Timberlake
09:51 - Cadence
10:17 - Song 4: Patriotic Medley V, arranged by Ken Dye
Finale:
13:10 - Battle Hymn (from Patriotic)
Pass & Review:
15:30 - Song 5: Spanish Skies (Malaguena) by Ken Dye

As I mention nearly every time I embed this band, my little sister marched in this band decades ago, so of course I'm showcasing them.

This year's parade features many more fine bands, like The Ohio State University, which didn't perform at Bandfest, their Rose Bowl opponent the University of Oregon, the University of Wyoming, and Jackson State University. I may end up saving the first three for 2028, but I will be showcasing JSU on MLK Day for The Norfolk State University Spartan Legion at the Rose Parade for MLK Day two years ago. There is something else happening that day that I'm pointedly ignoring, much as I did in 2017. Stay tuned.