TexasPRfan

That's a very low bar (transparency)... More like an impenetrable fog might be 10% less foggy.

This all sounds cool and I hope Spirit does great. I loved last year's show. My only pause is this... "Expansive stages". 🤮

Make that 3 good shows in a row (counting the Celebration Year). 🙂

Any news on how auditions are going or otherwise? Harvey

I remain a huge fan of the re-organized board and leadership team that came out after the 2019 season, and this just reinforces it yet again. This is also consistent with other communication through this year about their financial situation (I think the term "strongest it's ever been" has been used before earlier this year). Bravo, Regiment!

Have to amend with Cadets not touring (come back strong in '25, HNSB!) I'll lay out 13 - just in case SCV isn't back in Indy. 1. BD - You know they gotta be drooling over being the first to get a 4-peat. Will pull out all the stops - like we've never seen. 2. Bloo - Bridesmaids for a 3rd time in a row. Hoping for fresh approach. 3. Boston - Hoping they find more shows like Wicked Games that grab the heart and fully integrate the sections. You know the guard will be amazing 4. Crown - Until they solve for better, cohesive design and take some smart risks (not risks like Not Here, Not now), all that talent will not yield the results they want. Please stop with the endless crazy technical passages that serve no purpose. 5. Regiment - Looks like the I'm the only one on the momentum bandwagon. Multiple years in a row now most predict Regiment to be static or to slide back. They keep proving everyone wrong. I think 2024 is when that staff & design team take it up a notch. Stability will yield great results and position them to challenge the top 4 in 2025. 6-12 is a complete crap shoot to me... 6. Colts - This is a bit of a wild card, but the more I think about Colts this year, they have a lot of momentum and balanced strengths. Might be over-reaching, but I would not rule this out. 7. Mandarins - Not a huge fall back in performance levels. Hard to have that kind of lightening in a bottle 2 years in a row & more west coast recruiting competition. I could see them as high was 5th though. 8. Cavies - So much ongoing turnover is never a good thing. Still, this could be low. 9. Troopers - If the guard is elevated, look out... 10. SCV - Rennick & Gaines can't be underestimated. So much uncertainty. How much will potential members (and parents) be put off by what SCV did to their audtionees a year ago? If I was a parent, you'd REALLY have to work hard to convince me that my kid should go there. We will know more after the audition turn out & quality is known. 11. Blue Stars - Could bounce back or flounder with another lackluster program. 12. BK - My heart says Spirit, my brain says Blue Knights. There is still a lot of underlying organizational strength, and it seems like they made good & needed staff/design moves 13. A knife fight in a phone booth between corps knocking on the door of top 12 (or IN if SCV doesn't make it out for full tour) between Spirit & Corpsmen. I give the nod to Spirit. I also think Madison is closer to threatening top 12 than being give credit for. Harvey

I saw that on my feed too, @kdaddy It was hilarious! And not dissimilar to my reaction seeing them live the first time in Denton! Harvey

Going smaller & raising the bar sure worked for Colts! In 2022, they came out with amazing performance levels with smaller numbers, and boom! Top 12. Then they grew in size and maturity of members & design again in 2023 and delivered their best year ever. If not for Cavies Drum Line, I would have placed Colts 8th in front of Cavies. Cavies drum line saved them.

Any news with Regiment? Or is no news, good news? Harvey

Can we please stick to the prediction topic, and any personal bickering move to direct messaging between the parties. It's beyond old...

Agreed, but you could blend modern staging & props with some iconic drill moves and references to them pretty seamless I think. The last two years there has been a noticeable trend back towards drill vs 2018-2019. I've heard from some pretty "in" visual judges that they think that trend will continue. We shall see I suppose. Back to my point, I really think there is a way to do this, and it would be an emotional powerhouse.

I wish Cadets would do a Zingali tribute show. Doesn't have to be a rehash musically, etc, but with his style of whiplash drill and some of the most iconic moments. You could make the theme expand to remembering loved ones lost & celebrating their lives. Packed with the right music, just imagine the emotional punch - and yes, closed with the Cross to Cross. Harvey

Oh why not. I'll lay out 13 - just in case SCV isn't back in Indy. 1. BD - You know they gotta be drooling over being the first to get a 4-peat. Will pull out all the stops - like we've never seen. 2. Bloo - Bridesmaids for a 3rd time in a row. Hoping for fresh approach. 3. Boston - Hoping they find more shows like Wicked Games that grab the heart and fully integrate the sections. You know the guard will be amazing 4. Crown - Until they solve for better, cohesive design and take some smart risks (not risks like Not Here, Not now), all that talent will not yield the results they want. Please stop with the endless crazy technical passages that serve no purpose. 5. Regiment - Looks like the only one on the momentum bandwagon. I think 2024 is when that staff & design team take it up a notch. Stability will yield great results and position them to challenge the top 4 in 2025. 6. Cadets - Toss Up with Regiment, just like much of 2023 was. This time Regiment takes the nod. I expect Cadets to be better than 2023 and also start to threaten the top 4. 7-12 is a complete crap shoot to me... 7. Colts - This is a bit of a wild card, but the more I think about Colts this year, they have a lot of momentum and balanced strengths. 8. Mandarins - Not a huge fall back in performance levels. Hard to have that kind of lightening in a bottle 2 years in a row & more west coast recruiting competition. 9. Cavies - So much ongoing turnover is never a good thing. 10. Troopers - If the guard is elevated, look out... 11. SCV - Rennick & Gaines can't be underestimated. So much uncertainty. How much will potential members (and parents) be put off by what SCV did to their audtionees a year ago? If I was a parent, you'd REALLY have to work hard to convince me that my kid should go there. 12. Blue Stars - Could bounce back or flounder with another lackluster program. 13. BK/Crossmen/Spirit - My heart says Spirit, my brain says Blue Knights Harvey

And that is part of the problem. If DCI's "Oversight" is that feeble, the enter org needs re-structured. Finances are black and white. If oversight can't be successful there, how in the world with oversight for member safety every be what it needs to be?

It sure would make far more sense too have a separate thread for all this judges crap and let this thread actually be for what the title implies...

I like the dark, angry, modern (show-wise) western theme. It fits them like a glove and is competitive. This is a very good design team, so if they are going to go white, I'm sure they have a great idea planned. Can't wait to see it! With some tweaking in the Guard caption (and the guard was honestly better this year than last), they could really be on the cusp of a single digit placement. The top 11 has gotten hyper competitive (I consider Blue Stars an aberration in 2023). Better doesn't = higher placement right now. All 11 seem to have figured out some very important things to be sustainable. Hard to look at any of them as say, oh, I'm worried about them for next year. Go Troop!

I think Regiment has a GREAT team in place and it just needs to marinate. Hang on to this team, PR. The turn around from 2019 is astonishing. And YOY improvement has been by leaps & bounds from 2021 to 2022 to 2023. The needed changes got made after 2022. I think it was hard for the design team to fathom just how much the talent leaped up in 2023, and in combination of that with changing marching techniques, the team under-estimated how far they could have pushed demand. That said, I loved 2023 and can't wait to see the next leap in 2024. Harvey

I went to Finals first in 1989 (what an incredible first year), the year before I marched in 1990. I've never missed a Finals since starting in 89 - and even went to the celebration year, which turned out to be amazing. So that is 34 Finals and counting, with tickets for my group already bought for next year. It's truly hard to narrow down to just one, but I'll have to choose 2008. Amazing performances across the board, with great shows, from Spartacus, Contantly Risking Absurdity, Samurai, Finis, Bluecoats boxing show & Le Tour. And an electric crowd - not to mention the once in a lifetime experience with virtually the entire crowd willing Regiment to win (and going absolutely berserk when they did). Hard to top 2008. HMs to 1989, 1991, 1992, 1995, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2012, 2014 and 2023. Harvey

Three I'd love to see re-visited (not literally, but conceptually): Phantom Regiment's 1995 Rachmaninoff show - dark & aggressive Phantom Regiment - Not necessarily 1997's Ring show, but more Wagner Carolina Crown's Jeckyl & Hyde show

I too listen in daily life year round. So much great material and MEMORIES. And energizing when exercising, for certain. Harvey

So thrilled with Regiment this year. They really grabbed by the throat and never let go. Bold, modern, intense and PASSIONATE. I too am shocked Lucas Oil still has a roof. As you saw from the roar of the crowd, you delivered spades. The right team is in place to take Regiment forward into hieghts not seen in a decade & I can't wait to see it. Harvey

I agree with many that 2023 was one of the most entertaining years from top to bottom which makes this really hard. BK was the only show in the top 15 that I didn't find thoroughly enjoyable. So this is almost splitting hairs. I'm going to recognize everyone I enjoyed here. This is purely on personal favorite - not performance/where they should have placed. 1. Blue Devils - Not just unbelievable performance levels, but a fantastic, highly entertaining design. When I saw the closer live in Allentown I got goose bumps. First time ever from BD. Ballad was sublime. Just everything about BD's designs are so seamless. They know how to point your attention exactly where they want it. How many times do you not even notice the props are moving, but when you look they are someplace else? I thought this show was fresh, innovative and emotional. Bravo. 2. Phantom Regiment - So amazing to see them climbing back up so rapidly. 5th, 6th or 7th, I didn't care. They feel and sound like Regiment again. So many huge, impactful moments. Loved the modernity of the show. The tarps and props (this is something I hardly EVER say) were perfect and added so much to the show. The ballad, omg, it made me tear up every time. Rach & Regiment have always been a perfect marriage. The big push in the closer was sheer goose bumps too. And just a glorious brass sound. They are growing by leaps and bounds year to year. If the final part of the ending hadn't been so disjointed, I'd have them #1. Easily the best they've been in a decade. 3. Troopers - Man, have they found their niche with modern, angry western. Such a lush, dark sound. Loved the low brass. The music was sublime, the prop was fantastic, and when they figured out how to lasso the sun (even with the technical glitch on Saturday), the show hit another level. Loved the heck out of the closer, and the traditional DM was the perfect icing on the cake. 4. Mandarins - What a powerhouse design! I would have liked more drill, but the music performances were great, as were the arrangements. So many creative elements that just WORKED (Smile, Take me to Church, etc). And the kids clearly bought in 1000%, selling the hell out of the show (pun intended). And the cage spinning thing in the closer just brought the house down. Bravo, Mandarins! What an incredible year. 5. Bluecoats - For the 2nd year in a row I was not sold at all on Bloo when I first saw them. However, just like last year, this show grabbed me by Allentown & Finals week. Such great musical moments and they move so well. I still want more drill, and I do hope they chart a bit of a different path from the 60s vibe, but one of my favorite shows yet again (2022 ended up being my #1 favorite show). They have such a knack for finding a fun ear worm and putting it into the stratosphere. 5a. Spirit - This show connected with me the very first time I saw it. Loved the music and the performance levels of the brass. From opener to closer, this was a great show musically & what a triumphant return for Spirit. Can't wait to see where they go next. HMs: 7. Colts - this was such an inspired great show. Even the narrative bits (which I usually hate) were touching (like the kid saying goodbye on the phone as the busses were leaving). Great music, guard and great performance levels. Also a lot of great drill. So excited for the trajectory of this corps. 8. Cadets - This is another show that I was so off-put by the uniforms, visual design and overall design when I first saw it in Texas, but, wow, it transformed and grew on me. I loved the music book and performance levels. The Ballad was a true highlight for the year, with amazing guard work on flag that made it shine even more. I never dug the main character (and the dramatics of holding up a pole like it was heavy (though I get the representation), but as I tuned that out I fell in love with Cadets - this show FELT like Cadets. Nice back to back years, Holy Name! 9. Boston - When I first saw this show in Ft. Collins I didn't embrace it. It was choppy, didn't flow well, was technical without being engaging, and the closer was just not right. They did a remarkable job evolving ALL of that. The show flowed better and better by Finals, and the closer came to life with the big banners, the ship being destroyed, and FINALLY on the last night they got it right with the whale prevailing, as it should. They still have a challenge in grabbing the HEART like BD did this year. I'd say for a complete show that did that end to end, they haven't since Wicked Games. Incredibly technically proficient and an amazing guard. 10. Crown - I wanted to love this show, and I kinda did. The choreography & such of the 3 characters was so annoying. I mean, Arthur is killed - let him be dead! I also thought that for a king & a knight, the choreography needed to be more masculine. NONE of that is the fault of the kids. Musically, the show had a lot of cool moments. Loved the echoes of First Knight music. The guard was stellar in unison work. Loved, as always the finale & Crown set. 11. Cavaliers - Drum line from heaven. They stole the show - and I rarely focus on or get excited by drum lines unless they have cool gimmicks (Like the xylophone skeletons from Academy's Drum Corpse Bride show, etc). It was also a treat to experience the nods back to so many standout Cavalier shows. They DID feel more like Cavaliers this year. Now go get your drill mojo back and improve the brass line and look out. 12. Genesis - This show was so fun and entertaining. Combine that with improving performance levels and a larger guard and Genesis could be on to something. Thank you so much for making us laugh, Genesis! 13. Crossmen - There was a sustained vibe and mellowness to this show that was really nicely done. Loved the color contrasts with the guard, the music was performed so well and the guard work really highlighted the show. Strong technical performance from all captions, but without enough high points put push them back into finals. Super nice recovery from what was a very challenging start to the season for X-men. 14. Academy - I really enjoyed this show musically. Such a step up for Academy vs last year. Nice to see their horn line rounding back into form. Some great musical highlights with a really nice close to the show. 15. Blue Stars - Whimsical & creative, with some nice musical moments in the back half of the show. Some fresh thinking in design, and less of a kitchen-sink approach with props and more focus on audience engagement with the music books and on performance levels would help Blue Stars move up. They have so many good foundational pieces. 16. Pacific Crest - Wow, what a year for PC! To me the show was a bit safe, but very technically solid. I think they peaked a bit too early without more demand to challenge the members. Some really great highlights toward the end of the show though. So terrific to see this corps now threatening for finals! I appreciate the efforts from the kids from ALL the other shows - thank you for entertaining us. After I felt like 2022 was really a down year entertainment wise, I thought 2023 was stellar. Great music books with hooks to pull you in, more musical continuity (less choppiness) and nice to see drill making a good comeback in general (which I hope continues). Can't with for 2024!!! Harvey

Just in case tonight doesn't happen, thank goodness the Phantom-Cadets-Mandarins showdown is tomorrow night!!! By the way my little group has 2 good seats in section I, row 26 if interested, DM me. Harvey

A couple of folks in my group can't make it this year. I have 2 extra tickets in section I (letter i), row 26, Seats 11-12. Will sell for face value paid ($49). Send me a DM if interested. Harvey

Dying to know what's happening with Phantom's annual lock down practice days this week to set the stage for the late season surge! Hope everyone is healthy and the cleaning and additions to this wonderful show are amazing. Here's to a great show tonight in Lawrence! Harvey