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Showing content with the highest reputation on 06/20/2017 in all areas

  1. 13 points
  2. How recently did he take over? So not everyone likes his taste in uniforms. Who cares? I had more fun watching drum corps last year from Bluecoats down to Les Stentors than I ever had. And part of that is what he's talked about over the last few years. Every corps has a voice. Every corps has something in their show to get us on our feet. And IMO he has had a part in that, and for that I'm very grateful to him on what he's done for the activity. He always seems incredibly passionate, excited, and just like he loves the activity. It's so easy to pin blame on him for what we might not like in shows, but when it comes down to it corps themselves made that decision. I wish him a happy retirement and all the best. I'm certainly not gonna trash talk the guy from behind my keyboard as he is finishing up a pretty big part of his life and I imagine he's pretty emotional about this being his last season. I hope Mr. Cesario has a great 2017 drum corps season.
    12 points
  3. Feel like we spent the entire off season talking about Boston moving up and we forgot about the Blue Stars. Wow! That was impressive!
    9 points
  4. Thank You Scientist concert was AWESOME. The corps loved it! So exciting to hear the lead singer talk about the band hearing the full run. Said "That was the BEST musical experience OF MY LIFE." The guitarist told me "Hearing our music performed at this level had some of us in tears!" The band played about 90 minutes, then did a question/answer session with the corps. What a tremendous experience, and a deserving Thank You, for the members.
    9 points
  5. I'm a little upset that they wasted a lot of time on fluff instead of focusing on the 2 shows and The Cavaliers were the victims of that choice. That being said, FloMarching did a great job with the video and audio aspect and I will subscribe.
    8 points
  6. My wife is gonna kill me, but I'm getting the subscription. If they can do this kind of audio all season, I'll eat PB&J's for the next 2 months to pay for it.
    8 points
  7. I remember meeting him at TMEA a few years ago and talked about the new judging sheets. Heck, he signed my reed case... sure I have questioned a few things like electronics and even the current uniform trend. But I greatly respect this man... I am happy to have met a person who is truly in love with music. He did what he felt was right for the marching community and dci is still alive... that is a victory if you ask me.
    8 points
  8. Bloo just finished their first full run-through. Holy cr@p! This show kicks @$$! I can't believe that was their first full run-through! They look and sound amazing!
    7 points
  9. I've seen the Crown youtube video and don't agree. I'm not saying they won't beat Boston. But IMO, they are not ahead of 2015 & 2016.
    7 points
  10. http://www.flomarching.com/event/255628-2017-dci-spring-training-finale No chance of rain and a lovely high of 79 Degrees! First kinda show-ish event of the year! We're gonna get a taste of what FloMarching is all about but more importantly get a taste of two of last years finalist corps. VERY excited to see Blue Stars and Cavaliers.
    6 points
  11. Some concluding thoughts about 2017 Bluecoats' Spring Training: 1) There was a poll recently which asked which is your favorite Bluecoats show. As I recall Tilt won. I was thinking about this on the way home tonight, and I think this is my favorite. I'm serious and this isn't a caught in the moment kind of thing. I really love this show. 2) This is the anti chop-and-bop show. Prelude / Psychopomp, Grow 'Till Tall, One Study and Zomby Woof are all fully developed pieces. Bloo takes its time to flesh out the tunes fully and richly. 3) Steve Roninaro last year remarked after seeing Bloo that there were no weaknesses in the corps. Guess what? This year, there are no weaknesses in the corps. It is the total package. 4) There is a lot of buzz about BD's guard and BAC's guard. After Thursday night there may be a lot of buzz about Bloo's guard. I am serious. They are very, very good. 5) Ditto the drum line. This is vet loaded line that will turn some heads. 6) Drill is not dead. There is a lot of raw drill meat to munch on with this show. Yes there is a ton of body movement and choreography, but there is some excellent run-and-gun, clocking over 200 bpm. 7) Yes, I am hyping the show, and I will keep on hyping it until I get my Blu Rays hopefully in November. Edit: 8) Especially if you experience it live, the ballad will bring tears to your eyes. 9) Yes, there is the kind of soundscape you have come to expect from Bloo, but there is no gratuitous thunderous sub-woofer goo. In many ways, the electronics are tastefully subtle -- until they aren't, but when they aren't they are very purposeful and not gooey. You will understand what I mean when you see (hear) it, especially if you experience it live.
    6 points
  12. Sucks they got cut short, I checked the forecast yesterday and it had a 0% chance of rain. I'm gonna need like 10 more viewings of this show. There was A LOT going on, the weather, getting cut short, etc. Like. A lot. I did five quick thoughts for Blue Stars, five quick thoughts for Cavaliers: Colorguard staging and usage is fantastic, and I have a feeling they're pretty awesome...kinda hard when the windpocalypse happens! Loved the percussion writing! I'm pretty progressive/okay with electronics so I really liked what I heard/expect to see grow with this show. Another VERY aesthetically pleasing show to look at. This one's A LOT to process, without seeing the rest especially. I need to see the whole thing like ten more times before I form any kind of opinion on it.
    6 points
  13. It's DCP. The day the complaining stops, the site might shut down.
    6 points
  14. I'd argue he's helped keep this activity relevant. It's 2017 and he's helped push corps into getting with the times. If the shows were still like they were in the 90's, I don't think the activity would have the same appeal to the younger generation as it does now.
    6 points
  15. 53 hours and 30 minutes until the welcome and national anthem.
    6 points
  16. Hello All, Just a couple of weeks back I thought it would be nice to do a project called 'My Drum Corps Summer 2017'. Basically I am planning on making a handful of vlogs covering all the drum corps events I will be taking in this summer. I will be covering DCI, DCA, Alumni corps and others. I invite each one of you to follow along and maybe even post your own vlogs throughout the season. Introduction video has been posted and in the description is a basic outline of events I plan to cover....enjoy!! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK9sMKJl2xvU93BMIQ9gkCA
    6 points
  17. Wow they're seriously one-upping Tilt with this sideways football field
    6 points
  18. I'm baffled by what people are seeing in crown's design that's so amazing
    5 points
  19. Well, you know what we say in the drum corps world... The weather is always perfect in Lucas Oil Stadium!
    5 points
  20. wow - I think they pushed it a little too close with pending lightening. Hope everyone gets in out of the open safely! So - Cavaliers look fantastic with what should be a very strong program this year. I'd currently put them on par with Crown. Cavaliers show structure gives them plenty of space for any adjustments and I'm sure a bunch of layering is also planned. That looks like a top 4 program to me - but it will get very "crowded" at the top this year from everything we are seeing & hearing. I also saw the Cadets run tonight - they are cleaning quickly and improved from the night prior but Cavaliers program is more complete and clean at this time. I'd put them a competitive level (ie: 3 points) ahead of Cadets right now. Crown probably close to Cavaliers and we'll have to see where Coats fit in (#1?) on Thursday The season is really rolling out to be a strong one. Better than last year? At this early juncture I'd say YES - so far I've seen 8 corps complete programs and 7 of the 8 I would say are improved over 2016!
    5 points
  21. :) Blew me away. More later. One word. BRASS.
    5 points
  22. The Blue Stars have never had a brass line sound this good this early. Great job, guys.
    5 points
  23. Must be the Pied Piper algorithm.
    5 points
  24. If that's necessarily true, then many of those of marching age from last year would not have left the corps (based on what I have heard, which also may not be true). And let's not minimize my question. It has nothing to do with homerism. It is genuine concern based on the last few years. Cadets lately have been falling while other corps have been rising. So you all can call it what you want. But the realistic situation is out there for anyone to see. This season will hopefully be a great one for Cadets. But they need to be on their A game if they want to continue being competitive.
    5 points
  25. The thing about the human voice is that we humans pay a lot of attention to it. If one singer is in front of an 80 piece orchestra, most people are going to focus on the singer. In DCI where we have genuinely fantastic brass and percussion, I find that voice is best used sparingly. It can be very effective - think e=mc2 - but it's always going to draw attention to itself. It's hard for a college-aged vocalist to be as awesome of a singer as Crown's brass is of a horn line. So if your attention is constantly being pulled from a world class brass section to a decent singer, you might get a little annoyed as an audience member. I think finding the sweet spot here is tough for designers. Crown will hopefully cut it back some as they get feedback on the show.
    5 points
  26. And I think I and everyone owe you a big fat THANK YOU (scientiest) for your awesome, respectful to not revealing anything, consistent reviews of their progress. :)
    5 points
  27. Some pics from Crown's Facebook....
    5 points
  28. Very true. One of the reasons Bluecoats and Crown have become so popular and appealing to youth today is their ability to be chameleon corps. They do not seem worried about history, tradition, old school definitions, or latest trends. They have found their niche in design and they did so at a time when Phantom, Madison, Spirit, Crossmen, and many others were unsuccessful at finding their old selves let alone their new voice. Even Santa Clara was inconsistent as they struggled to find their new look and feel. The Cavaliers fell off the ladder after 2011, and in the last 3 years The Cadets have struggled to put finishing touches on their shows, with last year's show being a rotten egg from day one. All this basically opened the door for Bloo and Crown to sit aside BD as the new BIG 3. And that's how it happens. A few years of bad design, poor planning, stagnation, whatever the issue might be, and before you know it you can't get the recruits or the best instructors and designers. It is a vicious cycle.
    5 points
  29. I actually LIKED most of the vocal additions the past few years, particularly from Boston Crusaders. It's all a matter of personal taste, obviously. As an older fan, I prefer my drum corps to feature BRASS in primary position, PERCUSSION next, then GUARD. I do admit the growth of Guard participation has been a wonderful addition to the overall production! The vocals, either spoken or through song, should be a bit of SEASONING on this recipe, not so much to change the flavor of it all. Having a voice dominating brass arrangements to this extent is a problem to this geezer. But, I understand to need to add new elements. For the most part, the past decade has seen MANY fine enhancements. I'm sure the newer vocal portions will reach a happy medium for everyone's taste. I'm not going away! Best wishes to all the corps!
    5 points
  30. People called Bloo's ballad last year "old school" for a reason. This jazzy, groovy style ballad is in BD's DNA. And with this being an anniversary show, it's a very fitting ballad for them
    5 points
  31. Oh god please not another summer of "they don't march enough" comments from the anti-BD folks. Pretty sure BD is not trying to imitate Bloo.
    5 points
  32. Fascinating. What that reminds me most of, more than anything, is the lights-out video from 1999. Not the whole "finishing the show with the power out" bit, but how...unfinished it sounds. If you go back and watch the lights-out vid, and watch the finals run after it, it's bloody amazing (a) how good they sounded already at the start of '99, and (b) how much of the show they still had to add in. Rewrites of the opening, the up-tempo bits bookending "Adios Nonino," the entire bit with the quads on the djun djuns in the closer, the tag on the end of the closer...hearing the two in context, the early-'99 video sounds incredibly incomplete, even by BD standards. And similarly, it sounds like they have a lot to add here, too. There's pretty great bones on the thing already, to be sure, but there's like a whole 'nother section of the closer to add on, to my ears. Probably some other bits, too. Which, if they do with it what they did in '99...there goes #18.
    5 points
  33. Recent (June 18) standstill performance. Better and better.
    4 points
  34. See PR 2012...then get back to me...
    4 points
  35. I heard more electronics than horns. Guess it wasn't just me?
    4 points
  36. If this is where BS and Cavies are in mid June, this is going to be one hell of a season.
    4 points
  37. men are from mars men no like cameras men crush cameras with their twirly flags
    4 points
  38. That hornline. Wow. Concept is underdeveloped, but who cares it's June 20th
    4 points
  39. Dan Acheson is one of the most cool-headed, logical-minded, forward-thinking people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting and if he trusts FloMarching, I'm inclined to!
    4 points
  40. LOVE getting to hear the Cavaliers describe their show!!! This is neat content. :)
    4 points
  41. Blue Stars uniform for tonight:
    4 points
  42. It's just a big, floating logo, how are you guys already judging the stream?
    4 points
  43. Just rolled into Indy. Here all week for a big church function. Ticket in hand to opening night. I tears me up that it is just coincidentally the same week. Lol i forget how big LOS is. Blows me away every time I see it!
    4 points
  44. It isn't my cup of tea at all. Waaaaaayyyy to much singing. Visual doesn't seem up to par as last year. Guard design has definitely taken a hit.
    4 points
  45. BD pioneered that sort of ballad anyway...but you know...its whatever....
    4 points
  46. You've illustrated very well the point I was trying to make. There is hardly any room nowadays for "rebuilding".
    4 points
  47. Don't fall for it lol. I almost responded but chose not to take the bait. BD fans will never win this argument.
    4 points
  48. Besides the screamers you'll also hear two low brass solos, a great tuba feature (of course, it's the Bluecoats), some improvisation and a couple of surprise features :-)
    4 points
  49. I have a hunch the Blue Stars just might be the most underhyped, most underrated Corps/show this off season.
    4 points
  50. Found the video. As I mentioned in other discussions, all anyone should care about at this point is whether a framework for a good show is apparent, and HOLY #### it's apparent with Boston. I'll get my one non-positive (though not negative!!) comment out of the way first: I don't believe the brass book has been written with nearly enough meat to sustain a season that ends with Boston in the top 6. Full disclosure, I have only heard Crown & snippets of BD, but based on the technical books of last year's top 6, there just isn't a difficulty comparison; it seems to me as if Boston is still playing a lower-half-of-finals brass book in terms of technical passages & lack of exposure. AND THAT'S JUST FINE!! Clearly, design & visual was tackled for this season, and they got it right. My initial impression is that it they are fielding a STRONG horn line who will probably outpace the book. In my opinion, there isn't enough substance there to musically hang with the big guys, who will have more difficult brass books that are just as clean. I'm TOTALLY buying the hype that this is a new BAC, just not the hype that they'll be a top 6 BAC (yet). Ok. Visually, a monster. The groundwork is clearly being laid for the future. Please hang onto this staff, Boston!! I actually was actively fawning over the color pallatte that the uniforms & props created (on a low quality video, no less!). The browns, greys, & whites...it all looks so puritanical. The show setting is unquestionably early America during the Salem Witch Trials. I mean, job well done on this show design. Cohesive, clear, captivating, detailed...this is a home run of a show for them. Musically, Moonlight Sonata leading up to the first big Prokofiev hit is all just erie and terrific. And that Prokofiev hit <3 The Ginastera after the ballad is relentless, intense, and accurately wicked. Favorite musical moment: the thick, dissonant chord that the brass pushes into to end the ballad impact just when you think it's resolved and they've reached the end of the phrase. Dark and delicious and crunchy as hell. My biggest takeaway from that video: obviously, all of the members are on board 100%, and that's the most important part. I don't mean fuzzy feelings most important part, I mean that Boston (during the middle of the season) and Madison (end of season) found out last year that it's nearly impossible to draw a passionate performance out of a show the performers feel tepid about. When the emotion is there (and holy hell is it there for this show), the keys are yours. This just feels like an entirely new corps, like new life has been breathed into the members in the form of out-of-the-gate ferocity and intensity. What a huge turn around. I look forward to seeing this show progress through the season!
    4 points
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