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Well, the plot thickens in DCA. Got to love some of the recent conversations on different threads. I guess it comes down to "Controlling the message". :satisfied: The problem is, I'm usually somewhat out of control, for good or bad.

I feel like Rocket Raccoon on DCP sometimes. That crazy guy that just whips out the oversized gun and starts shooting. :satisfied: I guess it's time to shoot away again, since I did make it to Scranton. I'm locked and loaded, so here we go!

I had seats on Side 2, 43 yard line, directly under the judge's box, an excellent vantage point for a great read.

The starting corps was one that, had you told me even 2-3 years ago, "Oh, you'll see the Skyliners compete again", I'd have shaken my head in disagreement. Seeing is believing, and I saw on Saturday. In this case it's good to be wrong, very, very good.

Sky, (8FE/ 4DM/9 Battery/28 brass/12CG), and their show entitled, "A New Dawn, A New Day" has a fine vehicle for a corps filled with history and tradition to return to the field with.

It's been mentioned before in other reviews and comments that the corps is young, and it shows at times. "Happy feet", stick-outs in brass, body issues with effort changes in the drill, yes. They're learning, and they do need to keep working hard and to develop inner self-confidence and command of their performances.

The show's still a good one to watch and enjoy, though. The brass arrangements swing well, and feature a lot of old warhorses like "Blue Skies", It Ain't Necessarily So", and "Caravan". The trick is, each of these arrangements are very fresh, imaginative, and thoughtful. I really appreciate the fact they're using deeper harmonies and a broad tonal palette. I know the corps understands what's expected of them musically, and they need to keep bearing down, working for quality in what they do and to grow as performers with every rehearsal.

It was good to See Adam Burdett on podium. He's relaxed, and brings a great positive vibe to the performance. I personally saw guys like Butch Anderson, Walt Winkleman, and Ray Richardson front the corps over several decades, and was always impressed and respectful of their conducting ability, intensity, and ability to reach to the crowd. Adam's his own man, which to me is very important, and he does all of the above. He knows the activity, knows his craft. I know Adam personally mentioned in a recent thread welcoming all hecklers, but I know him too well, and frankly, I couldn't think of anything to bust on him about. He's a good guy, period. I definitely DO know how to heckle. Ask the '91 Cadets. :satisfied:

In conclusion, Sky's got great arrangements, a lot of enthusiasm, and is on a good start to returning to the competition field. It's all 'blue skies above' from here on for Sky.

Bush entered the field next, and the addition of the speech from "The Great Dictator" was a well placed new touch to the pre-show segment.

Their performance is markedly better than when I last saw them at Wayne. The ideas flow a lot more free from one concept to the next. The show's a lot easier to follow and really had me absorbed with the story the corps wants to tell. "Blowin' in the Wind" is really shaping up as a great moment for the corps. I'm also getting into the idea of the Brass as the white hat-good guys and percussion being the black hat bad guys (though some folks on DCP would claim the opposite :tounge2: ), and it works well for me. The feeling that freedom inexorably marches on from show segment to show segment, the confidence the corps gains throughout their performance, the greater musical nuances and layering (even though there are still some issues there to lock up, don't think that Bush is getting off easy from me!), and a really fine push at the end from "only" 36 brass.

Just so make sure I'm not all about the Care-Bears in the review, Low Brass- make sure your feature in the opening segment is musically clearer, more readable, and less muddy, (backing out a skosh and centering the pitch and timbre of the instrument may be what's needed there) and please, watch those duts that sneak out here and there to the stands in the performance.

Conclusion: Bush is shaping up very well into a meaningful and thoughtful show to watch, appreciate and truly enjoy. An appreciative and respectful "Thank you" to the corps members! :cool:

Dinner time, more later. :satisfied:

Edited by BigW
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One more before bed.

The Hurcs took the field after Bush, and the pulse issues were much better than they had been at Wayne. The next step is for the brass section to sink their collective teeth into Ray's arrangements and bite harder. They know where the hits are, they're pretty much getting them, but there's still some doubt coming out of the Brass in the more challenging musical and physical segments. I was concerned at the end that they may have ran low on gas as well. There's a lot of weight/responsibility on the shoulders of every one of the 32 Brass players, the drill makes them hustle, and they sounded a bit winded the last 30 or so seconds.

With the brass playing with more clarity, I was able to appreciate some subtle structure in the arranging this go-around that i was unable to before. The brass arranging isn't afraid to explore not only the higher range of the instruments, but also the lower end. Playing with a good focused sound in the lower range is more challenging then many people realize. The Hurcs need to relax, drop the jaw, fill the tube without forcing, and make it pretty and sonorous, especially in the "Make our Garden Grow" segment.

I also was able to really appreciate the Magnificent Seven recap this time as well as how it layers with Candide, smart slick arranging that I really enjoyed. The activity's tough. You fix one thing, it can be like peeling an onion- more layers of issues become exposed to the ears by fixing other issues. The Hurcs are in that stage, and just need to keep peeling, revealing, and cleaning. It can be frustrating, but it must be done.

I also have to offer my respect to their guard. They really make what they do look easy and effortless. I'm no guard expert by any means but I know that what they do isn't easy at all, and that I really appreciate how well they perform.

Conclusion: The Hurcs are moving in the right direction, the show's making a lot more sense, but they still need to hack their way out of the woods and not give up on what looks like it could be a neat program come Rochester if they can push hard.

Fusion up next!

Edited by BigW
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Fusion's had the breakout season many of us have thought they'd be capable of. They pushed hard at Scranton and had a great ensemble sound, which lit the crowd up at the big moments. I could hear the crowd reactions around me that I hadn't really heard at that level to that point of the evening.

The moments hit, the corps appeared to have a pretty tight and exciting run, and I'm still gobstopped as to how they get 35 horns to read like 52. And it's not by stacking them between the 35's and in front of the front hash for the whole show, either. They still project and sound great outside that sonic sweet spot. Their technique is strong and there's opportunities in the book to display it.

I have in my notes that it was a "Tight Run!", but the word out there was that Fusion's capable of a better performance out of the percussion, and a more lit-up run out of the brass. There was a blip at the end of the program out of the brass due to some over aggressiveness, but those kinds of things won't happen again. Always best to get them out now before finals weekend. The guard evidently performed a max-effort run, so what you saw was what they were capable of- which is a lot. The corps knows what it can do, and if they have a better run in them, wow!

I'm certain we'll see that run at Big Sounds, and I look forward to seeing it. Right now, they're definitely gaining fans, and gaining serious respect, though they've already had that from most of the old schoolers and cognoscenti.

Edited by BigW
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nice work. I'm glad someone got to review this. I was busy moving the lady's crap into the apartment this weekend. I'll never NOT pay for piano movers again.

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Sorry for being a bit slow. I do take my time on this, because as hard as I know the corps and staffs work, I want to put some effort into this as well, they deserve my best crack at trying to figure them out. :satisfied:

The only A Corps present were the White Sabres (8FE/27 brass/16CG/13 Battery/7 Main Guard/3DM)with their "Arabian Nights" show which uses music from "Scherezade" and the "Misirlou" as the body of the program.The charts are well-written, somewhat reminiscent of the 2004 SCV and 2012 Kidsgrove charts but obviously re-tooled and prepared for their specific ensemble and package.

The ensemble has a really solid homogenous sound and is of high quality. It's no wonder that they'd outscored Bush earlier in the month at Schulyerville, but it's obvious that Bush has began to get some serious traction on their program since then. It's no surprise they outscored the Hurcs at this contest. The White Sabres understand everything is the sum of the small things done very well and the show provides a well-concocted vehicle for the brass, percussion, and guard that's smartly staged. I also dug the twists in the charts where "Nights in White Satin" and the Bacchanal from "Samson and Deliah" were quoted as well.

There's a lot of substance and meat to the program. The feature players blew some serious white heat at the end of the program and really helped propel the program to a solid finish. Before I gush too much, there was some thinness in the ensemble in some phrases, which I'm sure will be worked on this week. The corps may also need a bit more spice and punch to top off what's a solid and smart program, especially when the Govies are masters of the "Spice and Wow" factors, and the Sun Devils are pretty good at it as well. I'm certain we'll see more of that punch on Saturday when they'll be pushing hard to make sure they make their best effort to grab the top seed for Prelims.

Conclusion: White Sabres are a solid corps with a very rock-hard, meaty program. They have the vehicle and talent to defend their Class A Championship. Can they add the "something extra" to cover all the bases? They should be more than able to. We'll see at Big Sounds.

When the Bucs entered the field, all I could think of was the girl in "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" asking Meat, "Well, boy, what's it gonna be?" Everyone had discussed the improvement at Downingtown, and a lot of speculation was out there about how the Bucs would come out at this contest. I figured they'd be rolling hot, and they were.

The initial set-up of the show is long, and it's not easy to sustain a long prep for the initial statement and strike, but they did well. The Mellos were a gas in their feature with the ostinato. It's a beast section to play, let alone repeatedly while moving the way they move while playing with consistency and excellence. The corps showed a lot of energy and hustle, and the plates impressed me with some of their work.

In the Wayne review, i was pretty serious about the need of the corps to make the concept more tangible and believable, for the corps to sell the idea of breaking through.

They've began to add the things they needed to. Again, everything is the sum of smaller things done well, and the Mellos walking to the edge of the barrier and touching and examining it at one point made it tangible and believable. That's the kind of thing that needed to begin to be done to draw the audience into the story and engage them.

I commented on the visual package on another thread after someone panned it. It's very well-constructed, the transitions flow smoothly and logically from one idea to the next, and the sections that need to be featured visually are when they need to be. They're not running for the sake of running, folks. It adds to the energy and intensity of the program. When I got the high look at it, I also have to wonder whether moving everything back and having it more framed by the edges of the field has also enhanced the look/aesthetic of the show. I'm not a visual maven. I've been cliniced in the art by great people, tried to learn as much as I can about art and design, and asked a lot of people who are good at it about it, looking for answers and trying to learn. The package seems right, with only one concern beyond the actual design itself that lies in the back of my mind:

Is moving the brass back in particular compromising the overall impact of the corps musically? A tough thing to think about and mull over. The brass does play strongly when set back, and it does leave you wondering how they'd sound if they were closer. More on this later.

The bari feature near the end is jaw-dropping- it's great to hear that good of a Bari section cut loose and clear out their feature so well. The Front Ensemble and Tenor feature might be the highlight of the program at this point.

The corps finally unwinds and cuts loose flat-out for the final 30 seconds of the program, and it's pretty impressive, especially as the power's been hinted at throughout the show and finally unleashed at the very end.

The issue is, can people wait that long for their ultimate gratification? It's a tough wait for some fans. Patience is not a modern virtue. :satisfied:

The overall result was that the Bucs clearly threw down their best effort and hustled hard in the field and a solid run. How would the Cabs respond to the Bucs' challenge?

Edited by BigW
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The Cabs were ready. The thing I'm loving about this pairing right now is that both corps are pushing hard, performing, and not flinching when challenged. That's what it's all about in this activity- rising to challenges and not backing down from them when pushed hard.

The thing that really gassed me about the initial sequence of the Cabs were the Low Brass, who were flat out top drawer. I can't write what my notes were after the initial impact. To be polite and as we used to say, "DCA Approved" BITD at Westshore, It was eye-poppin'. Take note that the Cabs also take awhile to set up their first statement. They're not into instant gratification, either.

This horn line is.... look at my notes, I can write this.... bestial. :thumbup: They sound great, fat, deep, and they're in your face when they need to be and very, very engaging. It's no wonder that the ensemble score's solid. They just wow you with some well played and exciting licks, and the company front at the end of the show's explosive. The feature trumpets and mellos in the hocket section, WOW.

The percussion's battery's also pushing hard and markedly improving. their feature at the end of the program's shaping up in a tasty way. how far can they take it? It's up to them.

The Guard is also tightly woven into the story and very integral to the overall program. I'll try and break down how Bucs and Cabs directly relate later.

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The final performance was from C2. I realized Ive spent about 2 hours typing at the computer so far and am mentally exhausted, and this one will take some time and rest. Please forgive me, I'll be back tomorrow refreshed, get C2, and the overall conclusions and summaries then. :satisfied:

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Thanks for the kind words of the Skyliners show and of me personally. I'm having a blast with this endeavor and the corps looks forward to bringing the house down in Rochester in under two weeks.

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I spent all day mulling over C2. I have the feeling if anyone from there reads these they have to be thinking, "Dear God, what do we have to do to please this guy!?" It makes me feel bad, but at times I feel so frustrated watching them for a lot of reasons.

I'll get to that. I'll get the good stuff first and then go from there.

The overall show from Wayne, much better, but... I'll get to that.

Brass-wise, it sounds like the leads are starting to get it and lead their sections and try to set examples of how to perform and play.

The Baris are starting to gel, but compared to the top-end sections the Cabs and Bucs front from top to bottom, they lack... hmm... the DCA approved term is "Sphericality" when they need to cut loose, I believe.

The Mellos are finally beginning to understand what they have to do and the way they have to do it in the Z-Fold in Rocky Point, they need to be a little less clinical and surgical about it, though. That part's written to cut and slice, not to be Hello Kitty cute. :wink:

The Tenor feature's the real high point of the program, they're playing well and exciting. The one thing you have to respect with C2 is the Battery and Front Ensemble. There's a real sense of completeness and professionalism that I have appreciated from day 1 with the corps.

When the brass play the long tones after the percussion feature, I'm hearing that characteristic Cadets patina and sonic footprint. When things get past the quarter notes- then I get this gnawing feeling inside.

It's the maturity/quality issues that concern me. I've already talked about being a DCA brass player at 16. The thing is, I musically bucked up fast. If I can, being the goof I am, well, I'd think they could.

There are times I think of the brass at Westshore being told to "Stop playing black notes on white paper, we make music here, do it again, please!" with C2. The shoe fits in several instances. They may have to adjust dynamic levels when it gets to piano and lower. It's not easy to play supported at those dynamic levels, I know- and it's causing the ensemble to really lose the perception of quality.

They're getting better at producing a fuller, more mature sound, but still need to keep working.

I'm sure as an old college colleague/Ex-Crossmen gentleman used to say, they "got out da hose" on some of the arrangements. Certain key elements of Rocky Point went AWOL on Tuba, for instance. I hope they'll get some of those elements back. Otherwise it's turning into plain vanilla when it shouldn't be.

I'm hoping they can crank out an inspired run at Reading like they did last year. I really enjoyed them and felt enthused by their effort and growth last season at Big Sounds, and I hope they can do it again.

There's no doubt in my mind that they're 6th right now, and why. What's frustrating is that they could be higher than that if they can just buckle down and work on quality issues and finesse.

And I haven't even talked about the three holes until now. :sly: If anyone wants me to go into detail all of the problems those cause for individual performers, ask, I can write a text wall for you. :biggrin:

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