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Spirit of Newark - the show began, the same as Monday, with Spirit of Newark. Unlike the previous day, the jitters were gone and the corps members seemed to have a good time presenting their Spanish Flavors show. Monday was their first competitive show of the year and I am glad they were able to make it to finals. The show featured a very good trumpet soloist and this very enthusiastic performer in the pit who also provided some conducting leadership to the group. The music was familiar and hummable, something that you want from a group of this size and ability. All in all an enjoyable show.
Blue Saints - the corps presented their show Stranded about an airline crash with people stranded on a deserted island. The show starts with their Air Cancorps plane taking off. The corps featured a very enthusiastic snare line, some challenging music and an easy to follow storyline. The corps continues to find ways to keep competing despite many challenges. As with Spirit of Newark, they put out a stronger performance on Tuesday.
Racine Scouts - Their Resurrection show featured some beautiful musical moments including Ave Maria. The brass line was well balanced while the small battery provided a solid rhythmic foundation.
Les Stentors - I'm not sure about their repertoire. I don't have it and it isn't on DCP. What I remember about the show was the expressive guard work and some solid pit playing.
Colt Cadets - always a crowd favorite, the Cadets did not disappoint me with their show Notorious. With some challenging music by Copland, Rota and Shostakovich the corps was well balanced musically. I particularly enjoyed watching the pit and battery.
Jubal - DCI fans are fortunate that Jubal chose to spend their 100th anniversary on the DCI tour. I saw them in Atlanta earlier in the season. The Back to the Future theme seems to take some shots at old school drum corps, while recognizing its historical importance. The lead character does all she can to bring the corps into the modern era. At one point she tries to help the drum major conduct and finally succeeds in transforming her with a quick uniform change, leading into a great rendition of Remembrance.
Forte - I had the pleasure of seeing Forte a few times this summer and see the show develop. The show "DreamZzz" starts with a father trying to get her daughter to go to sleep. The daughter resists but eventually climbs in bed. Using Brahm's Lullaby as a recurrent theme throughout the show, the music includes Eric Whitacre's Sleep and Burly Brawl from the Matrix. After falling asleep, there is a calm dream sequence before entering a more nightmarish phase, ending with bringing dreams to life as the guard uniforms change from pajamas to a more typical costume.
Raiders - Seems like almost an entirely different show from what I saw in June and early July due to significantly improved performance. The Bluecentric show explores various shades of blue and how that one basic color really can carry with it a range of emotions. The show opens with an aggressive Blue Shades and closes with Rhapsody in Blue. The narration telling us about the different shades of blue was unnecessary as the corps music conveyed those thoughts very well. Particularly loved the cymbal line - looked like they were having a lot of fun.
Legends - Next up the corps from just up the road in Kalamazoo. I really enjoyed their show last year and was looking forward to see what Skyscapes was all about. The music was not very familiar to me, though their opener "Cloudburst" was done recently by Blue Knights and SCV in 2008. Some great guard work, including this behind the back catch. In one of the best visual tricks of the night, there is the surprise appearence of a snare drummer with a yellow plume. Then suddenly the whole corps turns their black plumes to yellow - it appears the black covered the yellow, so it was a matter of pulling off the black cover. It all happened quite suddenly and had a great effect.
Yokohama Scouts - It was great to see them again at DCI for the first time since 2007. Their "In Rhapture" show was about as American as you could get with lots of George Gershwin music. Elegant is the word that came to mind watching the guard. The show was entertaining and the corps received a well deserved enthusiastic response from the crowd.
