burgerbob

BD 2008- entire line played some other kind of drum part of the opener, never learned what it was. Not the usual kind of sticks either.

Not necessary. Corps don't look small on the field and all the sections are large enough as it is. Plus, it would just be another difference between the top corps and the middle of World Class, since corps at the bottom/out of finals have a hard time getting 150 members as it is.

Agreed... that should have been Bluecoats' first 2nd place finish IMO.

Yup. It's already one of my favorites ever. There are a lot of shows that I really love, even just from BD (2000!!) but there are always movements or moments that kind of make me drift off. None in 2014. If I compare it to other "greats," it is going to come out on top almost every time. That gate turn was the bomb diggity.

I've marched in an exhibition show in Oregon (2009) that had fan voting for scores. SCV got a 95.something and we got something like a 50. Yuck. I'm glad to see others agree that we should stay away from that sort of thing. It's honestly demoralizing as a member when you aren't the absolute fan favorite and it's made clear like that.

Injuries happen no matter what the design- I was injured and sat out for a couple weeks my age out (during spring training) and none of that was due to the show. We had people step in prairie dog holes and get injured out, other get stress fractures in their feet from running... In any physical activity there is a chance at getting hurt. Running around for 12 hours a day for 3 months just happens to produce some more of them. With props of course that is a little different, but I don't have experience there.

Wouldn't they have to start in Open Class?

Maybe it's my age, but I didn't really find their costumes to be glaringly sexual. Much different lines than what is considered to be that way in modern fashion I think. They fit the theme, and though I don't usually pay attention to guard whatsoever (sorry! Hornline guy) their performance is pretty captivating in itself.

Yup, they are customized hand signals for exercises. Some are the same across corps (like a C shape for tuning Bb) but they are usually come up with on the fly from year to year. This way the guy in front doesn't have to yell in 4-5 different directions over drumlines and other hornlines warming up.

I'm a fan of certain types of shakos... ones that don't sit too far down on the head. BD's shakos are pretty much the epitome IMO, especially paired with a tall, light plume (no black!!). They make the member look extremely tall.

My biggest one is '07 Cadets. With or without narration it's probably my favorite Cadets show of this generation. Unreal performance quality too. I'm torn over BD '08... but they really had a lackluster Finals show and Phantom didn't. I was there! '93 of course... but Phantom is probably my favorite show that year. in '09 I really liked Crown but there's no way they were on the same level as BD. Great show though, probably my last real favorite from Crown. I miss those uniforms. 2011 was a toss up. Cadets had a great show but the visual performance especially was not quite up to par. BD just didn't have the same edge as they usually do. 2012? Nope, BD solidly in first. Crown had a very difficult show, definitely. That's all I can say about that! 2013 BD was really great. I like Crown 2013 but it's really a toss up as to who should win- and of course the crowd wouldn't have it any other way.

I'm not sure how many people played brass in this forum, but what they did is impossible on the horns. The first slide is down a major third, then up a minor seventh. Only the first one is possible on trombones and the second impossible on any wind instrument.

Cavaliers' show in 2008 was Samurai and many of the hornline "died" on the field in various positions at retreat. One enterprising trumpet player decided to cross the boundary into Cadets' block and George gave him a little talk. I think he scooted back soon after.

If we're looking at rehashes, then just do '99 already!

Like the Dude said, looks easy=/=is easy, and the other way around. All those snakey curvelinear forms? So difficult. The trumpets coming forward at the start in a circle while rotating and playing? Impossibly difficult.