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First off good job to Crown for being ready and having a compete show. This is a champion contender, but much work is still be done. The uniforms work well, but at times it makes them look too slender, but it really helps define spacing and visual clarity. What I stated earlier about their practice, was still evident at times in their performance. The drill is definitely attainable this year, and that will work in their favor as their season progresses. Guard colors really pop this year and their equipment work is well written. Hearing both positive and negative comments about the narration from the people in the stands. The females actually are liking it more than males (probably due to the love theme). Thank you so much Crown for coming out west. More pics to follow soon.

Just got back from watching Crown rehearse, will get to that in a minute. Have a few things to say to everyone on DCP first. We need to remember that shows are designed to be seen live, not in a video. There are SO many things you will not notice unless you see it live, as I came to once again realize today. See it live, then make your judgement. I think we more often than not forget that these groups are comprised of people doing something they absolutely love, with a staff behind them that does as well. Next time you're writing your trash comment (not directed at everyone), think about the fact that these young men and ladies, regardless of the show, are doing something absolutely incredible and greater than anything they themselves can do alone. You don't have to like the show, just be respectful in how you word your criticism. If you are a parent and your kid is doing this, you should be absolutely out of your mind proud of them. They are inspiring kids like me and reminded me today why I love this activity so much. It's a group of amazing people doing amazing things under amazing circumstances. Have some respect for that. I could care less what you all think about the activity, I wouldn't by a long shot say the activity is dying after today when it made me feel how it did. On to the show. I'm not going to give away anything, you NEED to see this show live, there are things I didn't notice and never would have noticed if I didn't see this show live. Still taking this beast of a show in, so my comments will be brief: Brass - The strongest section as expected. Some early season issues as expected, but that is a hell of a book. If you can't get past the vocals (which I'll get to) and throw some babies at some point in this show, you are pathetic. There are some moments that are going to be ABSOLUTELY incredible in August. Guard - Not a guard expert by any means, but there are A LOT of tosses in this show. Work was very appealing, and liked the use of equipment. Percussion - This show could not stand without the percussion this year. They are fantastic too, so many more features than last year in my opinion, and they are a lot better as well. I think they have a top 4 drumline. The Vocals/Electronics - Questioned them in the videos, absolutely fell in love with them today. They are an integral part of the source material and this show. The number counting stuff is REALLY cool, especially in the drum feature. Ballad stuff is still growing on me, but I quite enjoyed it today. Overall - If it is any easier than last year, it's not by much. The brass has some ABSOLUTELY incredible moments, and if they get clean, this is going to blow your freakin mind. The body work in the opener is some of the best body work I have EVER seen. The closer had my ears ringing. The ballad was gorgeous, and the drum feature was my favorite part of the show. That's all I'll give away, I can't count on two hands how many little things there are in this show you have to be there to see. In my opinion, with some tweaks, this could win. The talent is there, the show is there, it's just a question of if they can get as clean and effective as BD. They have some balls doing this show and what they're doing in it. In my opinion they found the perfect balance of innovation/out there type stuff and still being the Crown we've come to love over the last few years. So that's all I have to say, thanks Crown for an incredible experience and making me feel all mushy inside and reminding me of how I felt back in June 2009 when I saw my first corps live. Crown has a special place for me now. Will definitely be giving the souvie booth a visit in San Antonio. Some pics:

It's a SHOW DAY !!

Pacific Crest 57.90 Academy 59.70 Blue Knights 65.80 Carolina Crown 73.20

More BK

Thank you Whiskey for being our voice from the show! And thanks in advance if anyone else gives some reports.

BD's uniform has gone from iconic to just plain fugly.

Wow! Check out Boston's equipment truck!

CC may be a bit dirty tonight (who wouldn't be)...but they have their best design ever...so I think the judges will love it and reward them with a 74+. I don't much care for predictions but my guess is that BD and CC will be within .5 of each other all the way to finals.

Thanks. I am of two minds on what should be expected of an audience. When J.R.R. Tolkien was, at his aunt's suggestion, compiling poems for the collection The Adventures of Tom Bombadil in 1962, he sent them to her for review, and she questioned whether words like "plenilune" and "argent" were too difficult, particularly for children. He replied at length, saying among much else of a possible younger audience that "As soon as you limit your vocabulary to what you suppose to be within their reach, you in fact simply cut off the gifted ones from the chance of extending it." So I believe that art or entertainment, including drum corps, should challenge audiences. A little. But most audience members, without whose ticket purchases there would be no drum corps, are going to see any show only once in a season. (And it is difficult to judge how much the audience is likely already to know. I was stunned last year by how many people seemed never to have heard of Dada before.) To tell that audience they have to do some research to appreciate the show will turn them off. The show has to be enjoyable enough in the first place that they want to do that research. I hope that's true of Crown this year.

Nice comments. Regarding this point: Do you think audience members who don't know the source material--i.e., almost everyone--will feel this way?

It only takes a little mud for Jimmy to end up looking like a mushroom if he's wearing the wrong hat... You can hear his horn from space, but you might not be able to see him from the 20 yard line...

What drum corps is that?

BAC has been quiet this off-season. I have a feeling they may surprise a few people this year.

Part of me thinks this thread is only the result of Dan being bored with score prognostication and preliminary opinions of shows. But still I ask: What's the problem? Why does it have to be a question of "needing" to get away from current uni design? Why can't it be that there are no limitations and, so far, none of the reasons Dan cites has prompted the corps to do anything different? Why do we NEED to look like WGI? I've never heard a compelling reason to adopt what seems to work on the floor. With all the emphasis on visual in this activity (:throwupen:/>) you'd be rational to think that the "fabric and frills" guys would have a cutting edge viewpoint on what works and sells. So far, they march bibs. So what? What's the problem again? We want MORE emphasis on visual than we have now? Until Surf does a Jersey Shore show where all the girls are in bikinis and guys in cargo trunks, this subject just doesn't seem worth the effort.

Planner: Finally you admit to being a Santa Clara homer!!! :w00t:/>

That is the most casual post-ensemble schedule I've seen in my life! Back in my day.....

GOOD LUCK CROWN!

With all due respect, I wonder if Michael Cesario has too much involvement with too many corps creating a more uniform look throughout I strongly dislike many of the WGI uniforms but they are form = function so what might work in a gym on 30 people would never work on a football field for 100 plus – someone will make that mistake soon Often, after a big uniform change, it take the visual staff a year to create a drill that works better for that uniform

Here is what they received (as opposed to "scratch"): 1) Professional brass staff input and instruction for a total of 14 hours. 2) Individual auditions with actual scorecard input and ratings to help them understand what to work on next. 3) The chance to push themselves for an entire weekend to see if this is what they expected/wanted. 4) 5 meals/2 snacks 5) An unforgettable experience of playing with a top tier brass and percussion line -- where no one sits and watches. Unlike some places, you don't just show up and get cut on Friday night and mope around. The approximate 450 auditionees who did not make it got all this and much more. The majority of them came back a couple of times because the experience is worth it. We didn't have to twist anyone's arms to show up -- it's made very clear in advance exactly what the auditionees will experience. They are treated with respect, given excellent instruction, given tons of information about how to succeed -- and encouraged to be their best, whether they make it or not. There are precious few places you can go for that little money and get the same experience outside of drum corps. If it was a bad experience, or something not worth the money, word would quickly spread, and we wouldn't have the auditionees in the numbers that came out this year. Perhaps coming to one of these camps in person would be advisable to really understand what's happening in today's drum corps. It sure isn't anything like when I marched and first started instructing. :thumbup:/> :cool:/> :music:/> :whistle:/> all the best, Chuck Naffier

Pants don't work. Look at Madison in 2010- they had a white belt with the shirt tucked in. I'm not sure how it went together, but the white belt just accented the hip movement and looked bad. I guess I don't see the problem with bibs. Half of the reason they're like they are is so the legs are right- feet are put into stirrups which are put into the shoes. Otherwise you get baggy, ill-fitting legs that ride up all the time. The bibs usually don't show up in a show anyway... I can only think of one? If you don't like seeing guys wear coveralls, then don't go to warmups.

To each his own, but I like to support every corps on the field even if it doesn't appear to be be very exciting. Just remember that every corps is working very hard right now and will keep working hard all the way until finals week. I hope these corps surprise you this season.

I'll post more Crown when I get home. And thanks for all the compliments. I tried my best and I hope others can do the same this summer at all the shows.

Shouldn't that stage be a circle instead of square? Details, people...

Go BK GET CIRCULAR BABY!!

Bluecoats win the 2013 uniform sweepstakes, in my opinion.

The competition season begins! Yeah!

Start of the season you say?!

Good luck to all the corps! Yay, for the start of the season!

I guess that making finals for fourteen years in a row, being competitive, having a long, continuous history, solid leadership, plans for future growth, and fans who have stuck with the corps in lean years as well as in more recent years where it has not been all that difficult to be a BAC fan are not good enough reasons for some people to "feel the love" for the Boston Crusaders. However, BAC is consistent and not controversial. Controversy gets ink on DCP. Maybe they don't get the love on DCP, but they do in the stands, and they do from their loyal fans and I have a feeling that this year, they will see some love from the judges.

Narration during the ballad has improved a lot since the speaker has practiced it more and gotten more confident with it. Went from kind of corny to pretty powerful. Fantastic show, absolutely fabulous. I'm not sure I've seen anything like that this early in the season.

Drum Major, Chewbacca, is your corps ready?? Kashyyyk Kadets, you make take the field in competition...

Have the morning off and was perusing through the wonder that is "Youtube" and ran across ten videos of their rehearsal on June 17th. I am just amazed at the growth these performers are already showing. I can't wait for the staff to get ahold of some tapes and see where they draw the show to next! Here's one of my favorite clips of their rehearsal that day: And here's another run through for your viewing from later that rehearsal:

My son is marching PC this year. I have been impressed by the growth in their sound over the last few years. This years corps has stepped it up even more with a very mature sound and a fairly solid visual show. It will be interesting to see their season unfold and watch them contest with some other very good drum corps for the last couple of spots in Finals. My opnion...The real battle is down in the 11 to 16 realm. Four awesome drum corps who are worthy of a Finals spot will be left out. Whoever wants those last couple of spots bad enough will be working their butts off to get there! One less break for more rehearsal, one better runthrough, one note that has better intonation, one drop that didn't occur, better group esprit de corps...it's going to be so tight that the little things will be the difference that gives the judges the nudge. Go PC! [Of course BD will win! :-P]

Free floating snare drums appeared in DCI's top 12 in 1988. Kevlar heads a few years prior to that. Are you really bringing up an argument from 25 years ago? Mike

You mean this one??? :tongue:/>

Yes, saw it in East Troy last night, The guard unis only add to the whole effect, IMO. Opener is AWESOME, and no "slow spots" in show- lots of action, so much is going on, one needs to see the show multiple times to really grasp it. Show went by so fast, I couldn't believe 12 minutes had elapsed. Average age of crowd was about 82, but they were pretty wild, saw one lady throw her undies and another guy whipped his O2 tank...(just kidding on this last part)

Nope. SCV 2013 is definitely not a retro show. People are going to say that because it's also definitely not a "checklist" show, but those aren't the only two alternatives. Incidentally, I know it irritates some DCPers, but It's nice to see that SCV's cone of silence is fully functional.

The Enter key is your friend. Get to know your friend.

First off, I have no spat (no pun) with BD, but if you want to talk about "busy" unis .... Madisons pale in comparison with the half skirt(s), one striped leg, a striped half-sleeve and a half sequined sleeve (on the same arm), a 3 foot feather in the plume, and ... well you know where I'm headed. At least the camo pattern is used as an accent throughout including the drums and the silks as well ... and it also reflects the "Corps of Brothers" theme and their rep this year – Corps of Brothers - 75 Years of Survival - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 * Corps of Brothers FanSmith, Robert Wfare * Night on Bald Mountain * The Battle Rages * Afghanastan 2025 * You'll Never Walk Alone (from Carousel)

Here's to hoping they do that voodoo that they do so well.

I think that's the key to great shows nowadays. They should be good enough musically and visually to stand on their own merit with one viewing....but they should also reveal things with each viewing and understanding of the theme to those that see the show numerous times. I think that's the only way to keep the die hard fans and judges engaged throughout a season.

Sorry buddy - I'm looking for a corps to wow me with precision and powerful sound..... Not elf costumes and "body movement"

I thought this thread was going to be about a Cadets step-off...

Have you seen the video of BK? I'd have em as low as 63/64 personally.