Jump to content

truman

Members
  • Posts

    975
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    1

truman last won the day on July 27 2013

truman had the most liked content!

Profile Information

  • Gender
    Male

truman's Achievements

DCP Veteran

DCP Veteran (2/3)

401

Reputation

  1. With the exception of the two corps noted in the announcement as being in exhibition, this is a judged competition.
  2. I normally just skip past these kind of posts, but this one is just horse****. In the first 3.5 minutes of Crowns show, they scatter into their opening set, with about 20 brass stopping and playing little clips, then they prance and dance while playing their brass impact, (is this playing on the move to you?). Then they scatter again and sit as the enter banner is unfurled, then they finally do some "marching" during the drum break when they don't play a note. So, if you equate moving and playing with GE and difficulty, a corps who doesn't do that for the first 4th of their show probably should not be Championship worthy in your mind. As far as DCI re evaluating scoring systems, perhaps when a corps doesn't have the highest visual scores, or the highest brass score, or the highest guard score, and barely a top 5 drum line, and they still come in 1st, maybe that is worth re evaluating?
  3. Great job, spot on as always! Now that the kids are grown, we have been thinking about doing Pineville, (been through there for a couple quick visits in the past). We love Pondburg, but perhaps next year...
  4. Quick note from "back at the world" In between some drill writing I researched some of Coats original material and got the answer for some of the voice samples. Some wild stuff! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67R-Y6258qo That lead me to watch the True Bloo videos on their facebook page. If you haven't watched them, they are well done and well worth it! My thoughts today about our trips and the passing of seasons and years seem really well represented by the ballad. If we could just slow down time for the good parts! https://www.facebook.com/Bluecoats/videos/vb.180000990709/10155824078165710/?type=2&theater https://www.facebook.com/Bluecoats/videos/vb.180000990709/10155883595585710/?type=2&theater
  5. Yes brother, I know... NOW! LOL thanks! I want all the American people to understand that it is perfectly understandable that the American people cannot possibly understand...hehe
  6. Sorry to be so lazy that I won't search this long thread for the answer, but I am curious about the source material for the voice samples used in the show. Can someone help me with that? The opening seems to me to be news media clips? I swear I can make out the words Bill O"Reilly, and the recorded corps introduction sounds like classic a Walter Cronkite voice. And what is the "seems to wear his hair long" segment in the drum feature? It's like an APB thing? Absolutely love the mood/vibe this show establishes using electronics, and live it's so much more effective than on any webcast. Had a great time watching them Saturday before East!
  7. Then there is our solution, we either need to go door to door across Hamilton and recruit a few more yards, or else raise enough to like time share some homes. hmmmm...we could rent a few houses for the week to host pre show warmups and post show parties. Somebody get on that please!
  8. You can count on it, can't wait to see the corps again!
  9. I felt the same way This makes sense. I wonder if this affected SCV battery? They have a local across Hamilton that hosts them every year with lights and refreshments and a roped off area in his back yard.
  10. Thank you, I appreciate that... I am looking forward to yours!
  11. The late ride up the turnpike was quiet. There was some sleeping in the back seat, and almost some from the driver's seat! Luckily, Lynn stayed awake and kept an eye on me even though I wouldn't let her drive when she wanted to. Just like many other times, we found ourselves traveling in the same direction as the tour, and we rode along with corps vehicles on their way to Buffalo. There would be no trip to Buffalo or Indy. Work and band camp means it's web casts and the theater for us. We do have 2 DCA shows and a trip to Rachacha to look forward to. It has been a great experience, and I hope you have enjoyed the story as much as we have. I know that my diet is glad for the trip to be over, but it's fun to splurge if you can. I am so thankful for those who got to come along, especially my wonderfully awesome beautiful wife. I am not the easiest to travel with, and she is great about it. Our friends are safely home in South Carolina, and I miss them all very much already. For those of you who still have shows to see, I hope you can make some great memories of your own. The competition is as close as ever, and in my opinion any of 4 have a legitimate shot at the title, and there are close races up and down the line up. It is going to be a lot of fun to see how things unfold.
  12. For dinner we stopped at a plaza near the entrance to the park on Cedar Crest Blvd. We have been doing this one of the two nights for the last couple years becasue they have a couple different food choices in one place. We all opted for take out from Mi Chongs. The Duck Pond Park parking was jammed to the limit. Saturday usually is more crowded, but the Crossmen and BAC alumni have big parties there every year on the night those corps perform, just adding to the crowd. We parked across the street and set up to eat under some shade near some warm ups. We actually had the show up on our phones and watched some from the park, a technological miracle that we never could have imagined just a few short years ago. We made our way through the park, watching some warm ups along the way. The highlight had to be watching Roger Carter playing the little kit set up as a kind of "human met" for the cool Bloo battery warm ups. This is like a show in itself, and I strongly recommend seeing it if you are in the Indy lot, or even by watching the tube clips that are out there. The picture below is one that was a bittersweet moment for my wife and I. My oldest daughter is on the "spectator" side of this warm up. She came really close to being on the performer side of this picture this year. We thought about how different our summer would have been had that been the case. She has her age out year left, and although we will be proud of whatever she chooses, I imagine that we might be watching a warm up in this park next year through watering eyes. We made our way in at INT again so the ticket holders around our seats could adjust their stuff from the extra room they had been enjoying. PR was first, and they performed the snot out of the show tonight. Power and beauty on display, we, and the crowd gave them an appreciative S/O when they finished. The goo mixer, on the other hand, gets no love from me. I would say most of time, and ALL of the impacts, the synth was way too loud. Sound board mechanical crescendos that started too loud and finished way too loud. It was a constant annoyance and a distraction. I really was left wondering who was responsible for thinking this was musical or appealing in any way. At first I thought it might be speaker/seat location, but that was not the case with any other corps we saw from these seats over these 2 nights. Hopefully they make the right adjustments in Indy, and continue some of the momentum they established tonight. 6th would be quite an accomplishment for this group. Somehow we thought this was kinda cool. Here's the multi cam live webcast on the phone with the real time show in the back round Scouts also had a great run. This crowd appreciated the recognizable music and the retro feel Madison style. The bone solo in the ballad was really well performed. As a little side note, I have noticed that EVERYTIME any "alternative brass instrument" is used by any corps, that there is an almost obligatory applause given. It seems to be more forced than when a solo on conventional instruments is performed, amped or not. Pay attention if you see things live and you will see what I mean. Out rolled The Coats. A great run for them as well. Our second favorite ballad of the year. Awesome mix for the electronics dynamics. The crowd loved them and loves to Blooo! Not really surprised by their GE caption strength, as they create a new and unique canvas of mood and effect. As close as they are, I wonder if they have enough meat on the bone to make up the difference needed to medal or even win their first. One thing for sure, that really doesn't matter when it comes to the fun and enjoyment this show provides it's members and audience. Crown continues to develop on the dark side. The brass just seems to get more angry and powerful every show. The same can be said for the guard, they are just phenominal. The enter banner still sends chills down my spine. One change I didn't like was put in in Atlanta. One front mello starts to crawl out under the red in the ballad, and is pulled back under by his leg right before it is pulled off. All around me there was laughing and giggling at this part, not in a make fun way, but because it is "amusing". I am told that the same reaction was given in Atlanta my people around those that were there. I feel that it detracts from the creepy dynamic that this visual prop establishes, and that they need to take it out. Cadets finished things off with a powerful display of marching and playing. They were definitely making the statement that they were not going away. The same feel from Chester for me on the black. Not helping the visual like they wanted I think. The battery seemed to take Colin's request to heart. and despite a couple little problems, they put on quite a display of power. We had talked about the chances of Hop and Company deciding that the black was a bad move, and if they would switch back. Had the gap widened tonight, I really think that it could have been a possibility. Not so sure about that now. After some more pictures we made the long walk back through the trucks and busses. Crown's guard was still in full uniform spinning and tossing and catching under the flood lights in the practice area. I took this as a sign that they are going to push really hard for the title. It probably is just coincidence, but ever since Hop kinda relegated them to third in his comments before Foxboro, this corps has put the pedal down competitively. We added 2 more to our group for breakfast after the show, another drummer friend and his girl friend. We decided to try something new, and went to the Golden Gate Diner by the airport off 22. Great service and good food, and excellent prices, it was a nice change! Even though the group was exhausted, the drum corps conversation and fun was energetic as we looked at recaps and talked about the shows. I found myself wishing the whole posse could travel to Indy for another week of fun, but instead we had to say our good byes until next year. Next up: some final thoughts
  13. After getting a little sleep, (I do mean a little), in our home beds, we were excited for the day. The original plan was to watch Coats in NJ, then to try and see Crown's run through in Allentown before the show. Once we had the daily schedules, it was clear that the timing would not work by about 15 minutes. Because Cadets were about 15 minutes closer to Bloo, and because they had EPL 15 minutes after Crown, we altered the plans a little. The group had grown to 8. Our oldest and a friend who marches Cabs joined us, and we met our friends and their 2 girls who were up from Carolina. It was 2004 when I was circling the outside of the Meadowlands pre show and passed a familiar face going in the other direction. After marching together and sharing an apartment in the early 80's, we had not seen each other, or even kept in touch, for almost 20 years. A friendship born in drum corps was rekindled by it again, and we have spent most summers together around East ever since, watching our kids grow up together. I am so thankful for that day. We found Bloo setting up for ensemble block at Delaware Valley High School in NW Jersey. They had the use of multiple fields but were now assembling on the stadium field, a grass surface that seemed a little slow, with sneakers disappearing into the thick grass. The box location and height does not seem to be a concern for them as they travel with their own. They chunked thorough the show working hard and responding to some great comments from the staff. Small corrections were handled well by the members. We noticed several of them wearing a "7" on their chests, including Willie on the podium. Apparently it is tradition for age outs to wear the number of days left as they count down. A cool idea that reminds everyone everyday of how precious every moment is. Also there is something that traditionally goes on during Sat blocks call Caturday when field staff patrol in a cat suit. Unlike others we had been watching, they run some reps with the brass playing at a level one dynamic rather than air and valve or bop. It was a lot of fun watching them. Every time we have had any inter action with members this year they mention how much fun they are having with this show. Make no mistake, they work as seriously and hard as anyone, but seem to have a vibe that was different than what we had seen from others. I was excited to see Roger Carter was with them. We remember some great times watching him in his early days with BD in what seems like just yesterday. We really tried hard to determine the source and what is being said for the voice samples they use. This show has grown on me with every viewing, and live, you really appreciate how well mixed, clever, and effective the electronics are. Beyond that, they are performing their responsibilities really well. The run through was solid, thanks Bloo! We took off for the 40 minute ride to Liberty High School in Bethlehem to find the Cadets, and got to see them do the the last 40 minutes of their ensemble block. As expected, they were working hard. My buddy, being a drum guy, has become a huge Cadets percussion fan. Loved the comments from Colin M. in the box, constantly asking the battery to play louder in spots. I read the a great description on DCP of their drum book saying it's like a run on sentence. I would add the words are in CAPS and there are a ton of exclamation points throughout it. Most of the box comments were related to energy and emotion. We marveled at the guard girl who got a shoulder injury and was in a sling as she fought one armed through the section of the show she is still performing. They do not do a run through, but the brass line played a nice little rendition of Happy Birthday for Gino C at the end of the block. Next up: Saturday @ East
×
×
  • Create New...