Jaminbenb Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 well Bucs had a snare drummer break big time. that could have affected the drum numbers I thought there was a little lapse at one point during one of their tunes, that seemed to have a little side to side delay...could have been something that dropped them a slight as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 26, 2014 Author Share Posted August 26, 2014 ok some of the corps: First up was Carolina Gold presenting “the Darkest Hour”. The steady rain during their performance added to the aura the corps wanted to portray….all they needed was some fog! The pre-show started with the front ensemble and soloists playing as the corps ‘arose from the dead”. The field was covered with tombstones, which I’m told have the names of departed corps on them, but the weather conditions didn’t allow me to see the actual names. The corps layered the musical voices in playing backfield, set on stage2 before they turned for the initial hit, framed by the guard on purple flags during “Moonlight Sonata”. The corps then surged into “Hall of the Mountain King” featuring each of the brass sections, followed by each of the battery percussion sections. Due to staging, there was some ensemble uneasiness.The percussion had a nice break during this which also had the color guard featured in the front of the field, but upon the brass re-entry, ensemble uneasiness continued and as a result, the pacing just didn't flow. Setting the stage into the next movement, the corps used chimes to introduce the crowd to the next hour of the evening. “Danse Macabre” again had some features for both brass and percussion as well as the color guard. Fatigue started setting in for the brass, but after a short battery break, the brass was able to get some air in the tank. The corps slowed the pace with “Lacrimosa” featuring the brass for the big musical hit on side 2 with the large guard covering side 1 with flags of black, grey and white for a great visual moment.In fact, this moment may be the highlight of the entire show.The corps picked the pace back up with “Sleepy Hollow” but it was obvious the corps was struggling with fatigue and the weather, but after the last note the corps fell to the ground as if to return to the dead. Kudos to the corps for fighting through the weather. The guard is easily the strength of the corps. I'm sure percussion got chucked under the bus for some ensemble issues that were clearly brass fatigue. Lots of feet sloppiness, and some staging decisions have to be causing the ensemble issues. I also questioned why they had some brass solists playing and competing volume wise with a full battery score at several points. The idea for the show is there, and I do realize the rain had to suck as they got the worst of it. But some of the issues were created as soon as pen hit paper and you can't blame the rain for that. Presenting their 2014 show “Arabian Nights” were the defending DCA A Class Champion White Sabers. The corps came to let everyone know they have no intentions of giving up their crown. Their pre-show began with the front ensemble creating some ethnic grooves as the brass starts to layer in under solists, playing backfield as the battery enters continuing the slow build. When the low brass turns front the full corps hits the crowd with “Arabian Dances” from Scheherazade with a sound larger than a corps this size should produce. The tempo picks up with “Jezebel” and “The Story of the Kalendar Prince”, which showed the corps could do loud and fast as well as soft and musical, especially the battery percussion. Several sections had features, including a really well performed roll by the battery that decrescendoed to pianissimo. For the ballad, “The Young Prince and the Princess” was mashed up with “Nights in White Satin” by the Moody Blues that started off with a really expressive front ensemble moment. When the corps got to the musical hit, the guard opened up light blue double swing flags that made the corps to visually appear huge. After a strong release of the phrase and a slight pause, the corps turned backfield layering the voices out down to just soloists. The percussion was featured at the start of “The festival at Bagdhad” which included a lot of body movements by the percussion as they played a strong feature. The low brass then entered from side 1 follow by the upper brass voices pushing into the final charge. The brass formed a company front that moved at an angle as the percussion moved double time behind them leading to a strong ending that the crowd appreciated. The eding could have had more as some brass fatigue set in, but some brass holes were noticable, which may have played a part. Really I have little bad to say about WS. I love this show and honestly had them scored higher. Their percussion had great quality of sound, even with the weather issues. From a design standpoint, the only thing that bothered me was the push seemed to come abruptly out of nowhere, almost as if the corps has mastered slow teasing builds didn't do that here. But hey, they're probably the leading contender in A Class, and it's kind of later to fix that. Maybe it was just a performance glitch. WS recaptured the formula that made last year so successful, and with one more week to clean, hopefully have all of the bodies in and erase any fatigue issues, they could have a really fun drive down 390 after finals. While a large part of the crowd came to see the showdown between the Bucs and Cabs, many came to see this year’s surprise, Fusion Core. Presenting “Dreamscapes”, Fusion tries to lull the crowd to sleep with Brahms “Lullaby” with the guard, clad in purple shirts and black shorts due to the weather asleep on a giant bed. The brass enters backfield with a soloist playing but with no back stadium wall, the sound was somewhat lost. The corps turns for the initial musical big hit in “Rhapsodic Celebrations”, and the giant guard takes over the field with bright yellow flags. In “Pure Imagination”, the brass voices were all featured trading off back and forth, turning it over to the battery for a moment to shine. One of the highlights was the trumpets being featured up front with the rest of the brass accenting their work with some strong isolated attacked before joining in for the end of the song with some really eye catching countermotion in the drill, surrounded by the guard with blue/purple flags. I did feel however that the brass volume didn't quite line up with the body work they were doing. The ballad of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” started off with a strong performance by the front ensemble, then had the brass playing backfield with the guard doing great dance work. The corps teased the crowd as they turned for the big musical hit, drawing it out and making them want it more. The corps then fades out until only the front ensemble is playing. Fusion however shocks the crowd back awake with “Dias Irae” with the familiar big musical stabs and the guard on red flags. The percussion section was featured including the tenors up on the giant bed. I will say that while the tenors on the bed is cool, getting them off and back into the drill is awkward. The brass re-entry was really strong. The corps charged to the finish starting with a very strong front ensemble moment full of notes that continued to build to a full corps company front push, aided by the guard on a rainbow’s worth of colors on their flags. My only concern was at the very end I was unsure which brass voice had the lead line, as it seemed like 3 were happening at the same time. Easily Fusion's best effort ever. They even got the Bag of Doughnuts out there on tympani! The guard was easily the best of the night, and I can't wait to see them in uniform. The tenors coming off the bed is awkward, and a few times i think if they can get the brass to crank out some more sound, it's going to make some moments epic. I'm not sure if they'll challenge the Cabs/Bucs/MBI group, but they could make it really interesting. Ok, that's it for tonight, stay tuned tomorrow for more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 26, 2014 Author Share Posted August 26, 2014 Oh: Fusion: your guard has fun out there! So much so that in the top row 50 yard line we could 85% of everything you said, chanted, etc. this was far more annoying that even the dhuts I had to do in 1995 when I was the only person in the battery that could truly see the dm. Tone it down 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.Holland Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 oy. i don't mind some dhuts, or counts. to me its just part of the art form. its like seeing the seams on a theatre set. Its just normal somehow. that being said, i think hearing them that far up is a bit excessive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 oy. i don't mind some dhuts, or counts. to me its just part of the art form. its like seeing the seams on a theatre set. Its just normal somehow. that being said, i think hearing them that far up is a bit excessive. Hearing them in Row 1 is excessive. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.Holland Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 If I'm in row one, i figure i'm going to hear some. If I hear it throughout the show... boooooo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 26, 2014 Author Share Posted August 26, 2014 If I'm in row one, i figure i'm going to hear some. If I hear it throughout the show... boooooo it wasn't dhuts. it was chatter, guard hype stuff. laughing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.Holland Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 (edited) it wasn't dhuts. it was chatter, guard hype stuff. laughing. aaahhhh now the soup thickens. that's not cool. that's BUSH LEAGUE!!! Edited August 26, 2014 by C.Holland 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fecontra Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Heck... I've seen every crowd go nuts for Empire!!! not to mention an announcer being chastised on video for getting too excited over POTO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 not to mention an announcer being chastised on video for getting too excited over POTO! Hey... what can I say???? LOL It was a great show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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