BaritoneMarcher Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 (edited) Honest question: what feels fresh to you about this show? Is it mandatory for every BD show, regardless of theme, to have a tear jerker balled and a "surprising" dance break out? I give them enormous kudos as an organization, they are the gold standard, but why can't BD do something truly surprising and creative? Seems they have found their formula and are riding it until it no longer gets awarded. Which is their right, but I would love to see kids go to see shows and see BD do something like Coats, Crown or even Cadets. Or heck, Vanguard. All four of those shows are more unpredictable and exciting to watch, imho. To be fair, the Cadets are the only corps from last years top 4 that are really changing it up. Bluecoats have done the same thing since Tilt, and Crown has done the same thing since E=MC^2. All 3 of these corps have the same style shows every year, just with a different twist or storyline each year. EDIT: For the record, I enjoy ALL of these corps' shows year after year. I'm not trying to rip on Bloo or Crown by any means. Just pointing it out. Edited July 3, 2016 by BaritoneMarcher 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeRapp Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 Every single person has #####ed and complained the last 2 years about them staging and dancing. Now you lok at 95% of corps that is what they are doing. They have cleaned up the field and have moved back to nice drill and hauling ###. As I read on the coats page "it's drumline with brass accompaniment" this show gives you all the marbles all the time. I believe (my opinion worth absolutely nothing unless you like me) that BDs music is more accessible and more entertaining. Their shows are not shows they are produnction that put you on an 11 minute journey which is why I like story shows compared to concept shows. Concept shows have a repetitive nature (WGI shows are notorious for this) where a storyline will stay fresh as long as you develop it. Just ny thoughts but everyone enjoys shows differently. Side note - BD, SCV, Crown, and Cadets shows all grab my attention and I love them. One thing that is obviously intentional about the Bluecoats show is they have made a clear effort to deconstruct the sort of show formula you like and are laying out. That is jarring to people who, again like you and to some degree me, watch all kinds of shows. But that is sort of the Bluecoats MO. The thing that is probably most jarring about them this year is they are trading marching group moments with smaller more individualistic moments and even soloist moments. Make no mistake about it, that direction is wholly planned and intentional. That's why I also love what is Vanguard is doing this year. Polar opposite of both BD and Coats, and Crown. I think that, if you want the three part concept with ramp up, big ballad, slow burning finisher that ends in a massive company front -- equal parts musicianship and guard--then pick a literary or artistic figure or idiom, and BD will fit it into their outline and kill it. But I for one would much rather see Cadets create something more challenging and see if they can perfect it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeRapp Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 To be fair, the Cadets are the only corps from last years top 4 that are really changing it up. Bluecoats have done the same thing since Tilt, and Crown has done the same thing since E=MC^2. All 3 of these corps have the same style shows every year, just with a different twist or storyline each year. EDIT: For the record, I enjoy ALL of these corps' shows year after year. I'm not trying to rip on Bloo or Crown by any means. Just pointing it out. Completely disagree on Bluecoats. Compare this show to their last two, there is almost literally no comparison other than the use of a large prop concept with Tilt, but even that is really a minor issue to the much larger idea of show design. Crown to me is the band most high schoolers would want their high school band to be. Within that construct, they work their show concepts to near perfection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cappybara Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 Honest question: what feels fresh to you about this show? Is it mandatory for every BD show, regardless of theme, to have a tear jerker balled and a "surprising" dance break out? I give them enormous kudos as an organization, they are the gold standard, but why can't BD do something truly surprising and creative? Seems they have found their formula and are riding it until it no longer gets awarded. Which is their right, but I would love to see kids go to see shows and see BD do something like Coats, Crown or even Cadets. Or heck, Vanguard. All four of those shows are more unpredictable and exciting to watch, imho. Honest question to you: what is so new and innovative about Crown this year? Vanguard? How about Blue Knights? Many corps have shows very similar to what they have done in the past this year. As for what's new in this BD show, the style is completely different! This BD show is MELODIC, way more than they've been in the past, like, 7-8 years. The drill formations in this show are very diff from BD's past. No more rotating blocks, sharp lines, and isolated blocks of players. This show features lots of curves and flowing drill that we don't very often see with BD. Finally another small visual difference are the props! You may have seen the show with the white props, but no longer are they that style. This show is ironically probably the biggest stylistic change BD has made for a long time 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaylogan Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 Blue Devils are amazing this year. I love the different movement they have on the field and the curvilinear forms apparent throughout the show from all the performers. I LOVE the music and how they use the horns to create effect. This is the most mature show on the field to me. They always bring something new to the form and I'm rooting for them all the way. Along with The Cavaliers, who are returning to form in a good way. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cappybara Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 One thing that is obviously intentional about the Bluecoats show is they have made a clear effort to deconstruct the sort of show formula you like and are laying out. That is jarring to people who, again like you and to some degree me, watch all kinds of shows. But that is sort of the Bluecoats MO. The thing that is probably most jarring about them this year is they are trading marching group moments with smaller more individualistic moments and even soloist moments. Make no mistake about it, that direction is wholly planned and intentional. That's why I also love what is Vanguard is doing this year. Polar opposite of both BD and Coats, and Crown. I think that, if you want the three part concept with ramp up, big ballad, slow burning finisher that ends in a massive company front -- equal parts musicianship and guard--then pick a literary or artistic figure or idiom, and BD will fit it into their outline and kill it. But I for one would much rather see Cadets create something more challenging and see if they can perfect it. I was with you until Crown and Vanguard. I don't see the difference in show design in any way whatsoever for those two corps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaritoneMarcher Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 Completely disagree on Bluecoats. Compare this show to their last two, there is almost literally no comparison other than the use of a large prop concept with Tilt, but even that is really a minor issue to the much larger idea of show design. Crown to me is the band most high schoolers would want their high school band to be. Within that construct, they work their show concepts to near perfection. Bluecoats entire style for the past 3 years has been to pick a music book that for the most part hasn't been done before and apply it to some kind of visual concept that they can do a lot with. That is exactly what they did with Tilt and Kinetic Noise, and its what they've done again this year. I would honestly say this year they've done the worst job at it out of the three years they've done it. They are just really really clean at this point in the season this year, but I think their placement is gonna drop as other shows have more room to improve (but i would be glad to be proved wrong). Crown has had the same style or formula as well for the past 3 shows. I would say they've done more differently than Bloo or BD though, but you can still tell all their shows are similar. They pick some kind of story to tell (lovers on the moon?, going to outer space, going through hell, getting revenge), and play with an amazing brass sound, but usually don't have the same level of thought put into their shows as BD (which is probably why they are such a fan favorite. That, and they are usually the underdog against BD). I guess its just my opinion against yours, but I think it is fairly evident all 3 of these corps have been doing a similar trend for awhile, and there is nothing wrong with that. Having an identity is important. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ApathyJones Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 I honestly think this may be one of the all time great brass lines by the end of the season. Hell, might be an all time great drum line too for that matter :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeRapp Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 I was with you until Crown and Vanguard. I don't see the difference in show design in any way whatsoever for those two corps I think Crown has their "formula." Might also call it their brand. That is, quite honestly, why I don't find myself rewatching this year's show over and over again. I got it early. Not sure about Vanguard, other than they intentionally stick to a traditional style that at times reverses the predictable DCI show order. But the first five minutes of this year show, including the pre show, is mesmerizing. It stands out from literally everything else out there. As said above, every successful corps has their brand. Over time, every brand can get predictable and stale. The things that people point out about BD this year are there, I see it, but to me they are the proverbial difference that lacks a distinction. For me, given the sheer talent of the BD organization, it would be so awesome to see them break their mold and do something outside of their box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cappybara Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 I think Crown has their "formula." Might also call it their brand. That is, quite honestly, why I don't find myself rewatching this year's show over and over again. I got it early. Not sure about Vanguard, other than they intentionally stick to a traditional style that at times reverses the predictable DCI show order. But the first five minutes of this year show, including the pre show, is mesmerizing. It stands out from literally everything else out there. As said above, every successful corps has their brand. Over time, every brand can get predictable and stale. The things that people point out about BD this year are there, I see it, but to me they are the proverbial difference that lacks a distinction. For me, given the sheer talent of the BD organization, it would be so awesome to see them break their mold and do something outside of their box. The only corps really doing anything "outside of the box" this year are the Bluecoats, and even then I see a ton of similarities between their show structure here and the past two years. But it's fine, I'm not here to convince you to change your opinion, I'm just trying to explain to you what is new about BD since you asked. You're free to form your own opinion 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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