brichtimp

Checking the records for 6/22/2014 in Bowling Green, I see that Cadets beat Crown by about 0.7. If that is correct, then Finals night was the only show where Cadets lost to anyone other than BD; and the latter will always be debatable in my mind (but I am biased in that regard). I totally agree that the 2015 theme was not worthy of Shostakovich; but aspects of the drill at insane tempos exposed individual member marching flaws despite fabulous brass and percussion execution.

I think some were connecting their exit with the fact that they slipped to 3rd after placing no lower than 2nd all summer.....a punch to the gut on one level; but the Cadets were true to their on stage personna.....it's also what I like when they march a parade. Most corps fairy dance down the street..... Cadets at least attempt to get feet in phase, etc.

The CSO is hardly struggling! Their long time principal horn, Dale Clevenger, retired; and they have not replaced him. Their principal flute, Mathew Dufour, won the same position in Berlin; and the CSO has a fine replacement. Their principal oboe went back to his former orchestra in SF. I am a bit puzzled with the Chris Martin situation...we'll see how that works out. What I hear from a reliable source is that the morale there is high, and there is no shortage of incredible players looking to fill any openings.

I was thinking that a significant number of DCI lines include kids who perform in WGI....Coats, Devils and Cadets come to mind. The physical demand/field coverage of a top DCI show adds a challenge beyond what WGI requires.....coordinating complex rhythmic patterns with brass and pit that may be 40-60 yards away with the expectation of absolute precision, and doing this at the 'Oil Can' is almost surreal in difficulty.

Thanks, MakeMKV worked great to backup then rip the 2015 BR disc to mkv files; and then I used iSkysoft Media Converter Deluxe to transcode to MP4.....looks and sounds great on my Mac and iPad Mini.

So, for 2014, I was able to back up my purchased Finals BluRay disc using something like MakeMKV. Is that still a viable application for backing up the 2015 DCI BluRay, or is there a better process. Of course, I am not looking to make copies to distribute or post, although being able to transcode for personal viewing on an iPad would be cool.....any thoughts from the hive mind here?

This 2016 battery has the potential to be one of the best in DCI annals....rising on the shoulders of the great sections from the past few years. I hope that the musical essence of Pines will not be obliterated by the overwhelming chops on display. When you hear Pines in concert performed by a world class orchestra....ie. Chicago, Berlin, Cleveland, Concertgebouw....the Appian Way portrays the approach of the unstoppable Roman legions so that by the time you get to the last minute of the movement, the wall of sound is incredible...but that effect depends on the ensemble not 'shooting its wad' too soon.

If I recall accurately, 50% of the 2014 snare line returned in 2015, augmented by strong guys coming over from Madison Scouts snare line.....2015's beast line was maximized with a tremendous McNutt book and great staging in the show....awesome sauce! That said, I think the Cadets have an excellent line just about every year......just slim degrees of difference in talent, the book and the design. I really enjoy that Colin demands nuanced playing....not just a ram fest.

So, with Pines of Rome, they have the raw material to create a beast of a show....will be interesting to see what Cadets do with it.

Could you summarize those philosophical differences?

Both WCUs would blow Stanford right through the goal posts, and they are powerful, creative and entertaining for the average football fan.

I have laughed hard over the years at some of the Stanford band skits. But, then they ruin it all by playing almost as well as your average 6th grade band...for me, they are a double edge sword.

Quality can be a relative term, ranging from the imaginary ISIS All-Mideast Honor Band and the Stanford Marching Band on the low end, to Ohio State and a few others in college on the other end. I don't agree that all college bands are just for credit or just for fun. However, I suspect that many are. And, 'in the grand scheme of things,' I doubt there are many viewers out there who view a Stanford performance and come away thinking that the dreck on display was awesome sauce.

For those of us who dug the irreverent humor of Firesign Theater, the Stanford schtick would be a lot more palatable if they could play their buns off; but Stanford lacks any cred on the musical front....... Just poseurs, imho.

Yep, but there are middle school bands that, in terms of simple musical proficiency, would leave Stanford in the dust.

We could pull spectators at random from the stadium, hand them a kazoo, noise maker, etc., and they could blend right in with the Stanford band with minimal rehearsal. Some times, I laugh with that band's satire....too often, I cringe at the chaos.

My issue with the Stanford band is their obviously putrid playing....irregardless of their attempts at humor.

Yes, he was on that 2014 snare line..... They were very strong and a collection of solid musicians, beyond the obvious strong chops. Additionally, the two years in C2 were excellent preparation for Dan to gain the skills and confidence to hang with the Cadets.

Exactly....when those Bb horns are played in tune with proper support, pushing a bunch of air, and the chords are balanced, the cumulative impact is more than loud enough to impress.

My son, Dan, had a great time working with the C2 battery kids this weekend, injecting some of his Cadets snare line experience.

Kids all the way down to middle school have access to better instruction and instant access to view and hear inspiring DCI percussion sections. As a result, the level of performance has gone through the roof for percussion technique and musical awareness. And, then you have easily accessible videos featuring the very top pro players in every musical idiom. This is the golden age for percussion, IMHO.

I can relate to your experience. My son auditioned for the 2011 Cadets, but needed more experience...so, he marched two summers with C2, and that prepared him well to earn a slot on the great 2014 Cadets snare line. It's a lesson in perseverance and sustained desire. Best of luck for your son!

Although Revelli created a beast at U of Michigan (Symphony Band especially), his Hobart, IN high school band back in the 1920s was strong....there are some sound files floating around youtube. https://youtu.be/XJVoW2Uc7MU

I try not to confuse quality of show design with quality of the musicians and arrangements. I think the best DCI performances contain some of the best playing.....of course, the sheets look for the other elements.

Interesting thought....as someone who grew up exposed to the quality of sound produced by the best bands in a concert hall, I hear fabulous controlled power, phrasing and dynamic contrast produced by the elite DCI corps.