Why the Bluecoats are overlooked at times

[oldbandguy]

I thought about digging up the old Bloo 2013 thread, but I thought since this one is hot right now, I would put it up here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYkCDGyLvH8

It's not the best audio/video, but it's their most recent run-thru. Tonight is their first show after several rehearsal days. I can already see some changes/enhancements in that video, and I love it. Just a really well-rounded show, the brass makes me wanna cry sometimes.

Thanks for posting this link. Some nice changes to the show this week. Even in this rehearsal video (without uniforms) you can see that the corps is becoming much more confident in their performance both visually and musically. The execution level is greatly improved. 85+ tomorrow.

[danielray]

Feel free to dismiss this as just my opinion, but I've been in the activity for a little while now and was just curious of something that I've noticed. While browsing this forum, it seems as though much of what the Bluecoats do goes almost unnoticed, if that is the appropriate word to use for it. Just going through a show thread and seeing the discussion of each corps and their show, especially in the top 8 or so, there seems to always be much less discussion when the Bluecoats go on. I don't know if it is something they do that people just don't seem to care for, or if their fan base isn't as well-represented on here, but it is something I've seen. On a similar topic, when it comes to scoring, the Bluecoats have topped Phantom at two shows this year, yet very few, if any, seem to talk about them being able to rise up to that again, and even more I see actually predict Bluecoats falling in the rankings to Madison, a corps that Bluecoats have not lost to head-to-head since 2005. Just my two cents.

I'm loving Bluecoats this year. One of the best shows out there... can't stop watching it.

Drumline is incredible and their scores will move up as they clean things up.

Their guard is also not so readable because of the uniforms. Cool concept with the street clothes, but doesn't read well. A bit more continuity in the uniforms and the guard would magically "feel" a bit tighter. It is pretty psychological.

The biggest problem though, is their feet. The technique is a cool experiment, but it isn't working. It just looks messy.

I remember being a young designer and trying these sort of funky slotted poles (silk was coming out through a slot in the pole, rather than being wrapped around) with one of my guards. I was so married to the idea because of the novelty of the concept, I couldn't let go of the fact that it wasn't effective.

Really, if they just changed their foot technique and tweaked guard uniforms, they would jump up 2 places.

[nero14]

with regard to scoring--

Bluecoats, IMO are not at their compeditive best until you bring in the full panels-- the second half of the season-- we thrive on some of the details and the subtle things that you're not going to get rewarded for until there's a full compliment of judges....

there are some other more GE-first corps (not going to say the name of the one I'm thinking of here) who's supporters ALWAYS come out early season and say how great they are doing-- and how they're gonna beat the bluecoats etc- and they're gonna crack 5th place or they're gonna _____. but the second half of the season they fall back a bit in the judging sheets--- just give it a few weeks :-)-- the fine tooth comb of that many judges has a way of separating out and rewarding the subtle, the details, etc.

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In 2003... I can remember countless times when the scores were announced, expecially early season- from the field because there was always full retreat--- how many BOOOOs (not blooos) we got every time we beat the Crossmen. People couldn't believe that the group that played "somewhere over the rainbow" and had a super long loud chord at the end of their show was beat by a group that really didn't play as loud (we didnt...) and whose show concept wasn't as accessible etc. and I remember how that always made me mad-- why couldn't they appreciate what we were doing down there?

I've come to think that the Bluecoats are an acquired taste... maybe like a fine wine/cheese :-) hehe, but really-- a lot of the things they try to achieve are SUBTLE in nature-- it's not the rotating company front or the 32 count final chord...or the rehashing a song the corps had in their show 10 years ago and is a fan favorite---and that's what, for us in the NON-judging world- often gets our blood pumping "whoa that was loud!!" "did you see that big ol straight line move like that??" "whoa i loved it when they played that song for an encore-- and NOW it's in their show-- awesome!" or "remember back when they played that song before- that brings up some memories..." - and the cluecoats for better or worse are not going for those hooks... would working Autumn Leaves into a new show create buzz, heck yeah, would throwing out some of the tone quality for volume get people on their feet-- absolutely!----- do those things always translate into compeditive success? not really

we, as fans, aren't the ones who put the numbers down on that sheet-- who have been judging DCI brass/percussion lines for 20 years, etc. and if you want to win and be a consistent high scoring group-- those are the people you have to appeal to, etc. hopefully you can entertain the bandos and the first time show attendees and the people who don't know how to play an instrument or the people who just want their hair blown back by sound along the way... but it's more sophisticated than that-- and for better or worse-- that's a big part of the identity--

to truly elevate to the top-- in my opinion-- we've gotta go after a big name visual designer... too much fluctiaton there. and we've gotta risk more -- I think the groups that push to the top try soemthing, visually, that makes you think "whoa- how did they do that? " and we've played it a bit safe

lastly... not finishing below 7th the last 10 years. especially when a corps like crown surging in and taking top 3 spots-- if you can't respect that consistent quality- or think that the only definition of a top teir corps is one that has ay ANY point in their history won a gold metal-- I don't think I can respect your opinions

[N.E. Brigand]

Speaking of wider awareness of the Bluecoats, here's something that has been on their website for a couple weeks but not, I think, previously mentioned in these forums:

The Bluecoats are proud to announce a new partnership...

Just stumbled across a local news story from August about the Cleveland Browns drumline that the Bluecoats are running this year:

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2013/08/cleveland_browns_add_drumline.html

It's disappointing that the Blueocats were never mentioned. I hope they're getting paid well!

Edit: And then there's this misguided article:

http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2013/08/19/cleveland-browns-to-feature-all-white-drumline

At least the Bluecoats are referenced in people's comments on it.

And the Bluecoats are actually mentioned in the text of this article:

http://www.the-daily-record.com/local%20news/2013/09/07/norwayne-s-ratica-playing-with-new-cleveland-browns-drumline

And here's some youtube footage of them performing outside the stadium:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUFT0_Svkkc

Edited October 18, 2013 by N.E. Brigand

[Kansan]

I keep confusing Blue Coats with Blue Stars. During the Season, I tend to look for the Madison Scouts, Crossmen, Phantom, Cavaliers, Boston Crusaders, Santa Claira, Cadets and Blue Devils. I expect to see certain things from each of these corps. I guess I don't have as much time in watching Blue Stars, Blue Coats and even Blue Knights.

I'll make more of a point to look at these corps in 2014.

[perc2100]

Just stumbled across a local news story from August about the Cleveland Browns drumline that the Bluecoats are running this year:

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2013/08/cleveland_browns_add_drumline.html

It's disappointing that the Blueocats were never mentioned. I hope they're getting paid well!

Edit: And then there's this misguided article:

http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2013/08/19/cleveland-browns-to-feature-all-white-drumline

At least the Bluecoats are referenced in people's comments on it.

And the Bluecoats are actually mentioned in the text of this article:

http://www.the-daily-record.com/local%20news/2013/09/07/norwayne-s-ratica-playing-with-new-cleveland-browns-drumline

And here's some youtube footage of them performing outside the stadium:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUFT0_Svkkc

As a Cleveland native, and life long Cleveland sports fan (insert jokes and/or sympathy here), this is awesome!

Also, I have much sympathy for the drummers having to play in that stadium in the next few months. I was born in Cleveland but grew up in Central OH & my HS would perform at Browns and Bengals halftimes annually. It was not a pleasant experience performing in Cleveland Muni in November/December/January (though the crowd was always awesome, albeit uber inebriated).

[perc2100]

Just stumbled across a local news story from August about the Cleveland Browns drumline that the Bluecoats are running this year:

Edit: And then there's this misguided article:

http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2013/08/19/cleveland-browns-to-feature-all-white-drumline

Holy cow that article is awful; you calling it "misguided" is polite. I get that it's a little inconspicuous to have a non-racially diverse looking organization in this day-and-age, but wow that's a lot of (virtual) ink for a non-story IMO

[N.E. Brigand]

Also, I have much sympathy for the drummers having to play in that stadium in the next few months. I was born in Cleveland but grew up in Central OH & my HS would perform at Browns and Bengals halftimes annually. It was not a pleasant experience performing in Cleveland Muni in November/December/January (though the crowd was always awesome, albeit uber inebriated).

For that matter, October sometimes can be miserable enough, even away from the lake. I attended a high school marching band contest Saturday near Akron where the temperature started at 40 and dropped over the course of four hours with a steady cold wind blowing the whole time. Ugh.

[N.E. Brigand]

I keep confusing Blue Coats with Blue Stars. During the Season, I tend to look for the Madison Scouts, Crossmen, Phantom, Cavaliers, Boston Crusaders, Santa Claira, Cadets and Blue Devils. I expect to see certain things from each of these corps. I guess I don't have as much time in watching Blue Stars, Blue Coats and even Blue Knights.

I'll make more of a point to look at these corps in 2014.

I'll save Michael Boo some effort: "Bluecoats" is one word.

The Blue Stars are from LaCrosse, Wisconsin and were founded in 1964. They placed second in the inaugural DCI Finals in 1972 and were a top twelve corps through the 1970s, but then had a spell of lower placements and even some inactive years before a lengthy rebuilding period as a Division II/III corps. They returned to World Class in 2006 and have made Finals five times since then, including three years in a row at eighth position, one of which ("Houdini") earned the highest score ever in that placement. In their early years, like many corps then, they played an eclectic mix of music including pop, classical, jazz, and show tunes. More recently they have mostly played more classical-sounding music, including movie themes and original works, although this year's "Voodoo" show included two pop standards.

The Bluecoats are from Canton, Ohio and were founded in 1972. They first made DCI Finals in 1987. Since then, they've been top twelve every year except 1999, including eight placements of sixth or better, with a best finish of third place in 2010. Their 2007 show, "Criminal", is the highest-scoring seventh-place show ever. Their repertoire has traditionally been jazz, though they have supplemented or supplanted that music in recent years with movie scores, pop songs (like "Creep" and "The Boxer"), and wind ensemble works.

There is one more active DCI corps in "Blue": the Blue Saints from Sudbury, Ontario, who compete in Open Class.

[Tim K]

I would wonder whether Bluecoats are as overlooked by younger fans as those of us who may be of a certain age (I'm 51) who can remember the earlier days of DCI . Part of Bluecoats being overlooked may be due to history. If we look at last year's finalists, BAC, Cavies, SCV, Madison, Cadets, and Blue Stars were all charter members of DCI. Blue Devils and Phantom have been finalists since 1974. Spirit has a sentimental pull on fans and dates back to 1977 and while Crown would be the new kids on the block, they have a certain infectious charisma. I know that by the time Bluecoats arrived on the scene and later Blue Knights, I already had my favorites and I'm not sure I always paid attention to either Bluecoats or Blue Knights over the years. In the case of Bluecoats, I'm not sure why: They have made finals all but once since 1987 and they have consistent shows that are well performed. I also own all the Legacy DVD's and finals DVD's, and I find that most years Bluecoats have enjoyable shows, and they are fairly regular visitors to the Boston area.

However, I realized the error of my ways last year. I connected with "Unmasked" when I saw it for the first time in Allentown,and in 2013, I saw Bluecoats live seven times, and once at the cinema. I enjoyed them each time I saw them, especially at Bristol, RI where they performed the encore. When they performed "Autumn Leaves" it reminded me they've been around for a while and they're not going anywhere.

While this may be anecdotal, when I saw the early season show at the movies, the theater was filled with teenagers, most of whom marched in local bands. Though Boston Crusaders got the best reception (I was in Foxboro, MA), Bluecoats seemed to generate a real excitement. Bluecoats have been finalists all their lives. Perhaps it is generational.

Edited October 22, 2013 by Tim K