East Texas Symphonic Band: The Longview Symphony’s More Accessible Cousin

Another trip to the majestic Belcher Center in Longview for the annual East Texas Symphonic Band holiday show. This was the 38th season, which means they've been at it since about the time my mom was still explaining the difference between a VHS and a Betamax. And honestly, it’s a wonderful, wholesome, and delightfully East Texas way to kick off the most wonderful time of the year. I say kick-off the season but time is going so fast it feels like Christmas is tomorrow! Although at lunch today, my sister said she MIGHT put her tree up today, which, WHAT!! 

Look, if you’re heading to the ETSB expecting the hushed, reverent tones of the Longview Symphony Orchestra, where every note is surgically refined and the patrons wear their finest inherited pearls, bless your heart. You've come to the wrong show. You've come to the show where you can pay $10 (and students get in FREE), and the biggest piece of drama is whether the third-chair clarinet player's reed is going to hold out through "Sleigh Ride."

The Atmosphere: Less 'Carnegie Hall,' More 'Really Good High School Band Reunion'

The musicians, a noble collection of dedicated adults, high school directors, and maybe a very talented high schooler or two, are clearly there because they love it. There's no pretense, just a bunch of folks hauling their instruments in from their minivans, ready to make a joyful noise.

The music itself is exactly what you want from a holiday band concert: bombastic marches and a slightly too-fast rendition of a carol medley. A singer joined for a song and she was amazing. The percussion section had its moment, the gentle chimes genuinely felt like the kind of soothing, sleepy music I'd put on for a newborn. I had to check to see if Joe was still awake. 

I’m fairly certain I saw at least two people in the audience discreetly conducting from their seats. You just don’t get that kind of grassroots enthusiasm at your fancier Longview concerts. 

Let’s address the elephant in the Belcher Center: The Longview Symphony. The LSO is your black-tie, polished, $50-a-ticket experience. Or so I have read… they didn’t have tickets out when I bought these in July.  The ETSB, bless its wind-powered soul, is the best dang holiday casserole you’ve ever had. It’s comforting, it’s generous, and it’s made with love—even if there are one or two notes that were maybe just a smidge flat, like when Aunt Mildred accidentally uses salt instead of sugar in the pumpkin pie.

You go to the ETSB for the pure, unadulterated holiday spirit. That spirit was perfectly captured during the performance when a distinctly skinny Santa, dashed across the front of the stage for a quick, hilarious cameo. The whole production had a fantastic, homespun feeling. For instance, the conductor, with his benevolent smile and slightly rumpled bow tie, absolutely had the look of Clarence, the beloved Guardian Angel from It's a Wonderful Life. You half expected him to ask the band to start playing "Auld Lang Syne" so an angel could get his wings!

In a world obsessed with perfection, the East Texas Symphonic Band's holiday concert is a breath of fresh, slightly humid East Texas air. Was it a pristine, world-class musical experience? Honey, no. But was it a genuinely fun, heartwarming, and excellent way to spend a Sunday afternoon getting my heart full of holiday cheer for the price of a fancy coffee? Absolutely.

If you need your Christmas music played by a band that genuinely seems like they're having a good time, and you appreciate the efforts of hardworking volunteer musicians, this is your ticket. Go. Enjoy the brass section's sheer enthusiasm. And for the love of all that is holy, please remember to silence your cell phone before the conductor raises the baton. We're not animals. We're semi-refined East Texans.

Did you go to the show? Which part made you smile the most? Let me know in the comments