Jump to content

Underrated Shows


Recommended Posts

The Devils Staircase,,,,2011 SCV...LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEE it !

Was just about to post this one.............haha.

It's probably absolute blasphemy to say I prefer this over Crown 2015 in terms of presentation of similar themes. I think had the hornline not been rebuilding with a staff change that year and were at the level they are now that show could have pushed much higher than it was. The improvement they made from day one in 2011 is nothing short of astounding, I remember hearing them in the theater and wondering if they were going to make the top 10. Still some brass issues end of season, but they didn't sound like a corps struggling to make finals.

2011 and 2010 are both probably my favorite drill offerings by Pete Weber, that's the definition of organic drill. All sorts of crazy stuff in there, and some pretty clever symbolism in it. That's the first Rennick year, but it sure didn't sound like it. Guard was pretty aggressive and portrayed the themes of that show to a T. The ballad "Eternal Knot" is emotionally stunning, still one I listen to a lot.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Was just about to post this one.............haha.

It's probably absolute blasphemy to say I prefer this over Crown 2015 in terms of presentation of similar themes. I think had the hornline not been rebuilding with a staff change that year and were at the level they are now that show could have pushed much higher than it was. The improvement they made from day one in 2011 is nothing short of astounding, I remember hearing them in the theater and wondering if they were going to make the top 10. Still some brass issues end of season, but they didn't sound like a corps struggling to make finals.

2011 and 2010 are both probably my favorite drill offerings by Pete Weber, that's the definition of organic drill. All sorts of crazy stuff in there, and some pretty clever symbolism in it. That's the first Rennick year, but it sure didn't sound like it. Guard was pretty aggressive and portrayed the themes of that show to a T. The ballad "Eternal Knot" is emotionally stunning, still one I listen to a lot.

There are few corps I would go out of my way to see while on tour over the years BUT with that said SCV 2011 was one of them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BK 2012: Avian

To me, this show was the beginning of the BK surge. It had it all...great, well-written music, emotional ups and downs, suspense, majesty, well-integrated guard, pit, drumline and brassline. Michael Cesario, that year, called BK's show ahead of it's time and I believe he was correct.

It had two defects...1) people didn't understand it and 2) while Sully is a legend, his somewhat outdated show design just wasn't the best for the show and the theme. BK corrected those two deficiencies in the next 3 years...and here they are.

OH YEA! Forgot about that one. I love BK! Another one I love is 2001-2003 SCV

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BK 2012: Avian

To me, this show was the beginning of the BK surge. It had it all...great, well-written music, emotional ups and downs, suspense, majesty, well-integrated guard, pit, drumline and brassline. Michael Cesario, that year, called BK's show ahead of it's time and I believe he was correct.

It had two defects...1) people didn't understand it and 2) while Sully is a legend, his somewhat outdated show design just wasn't the best for the show and the theme. BK corrected those two deficiencies in the next 3 years...and here they are.

LOVED Avian...it is on my personal all-time favorite list.

Regiment 1990...all Saint Saens, including the Organ Symphony...another on personal favorite list.

Hard to say a 2nd place show is underappreciated, but I loved BD 2001, Awayday Blue. It doesn't get a lot of mention.

It is a long time ago, but St Lucy's 1966 show is one I still recall...a jazzy swing show..."My Heart Belongs to Daddy", "On a Wonderful Day Like Today", "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone" was a great exit tune.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Spirit 1991. I wore out this show on my audio cassette tapes. I thought they sounded like a finalist corps. Only heard the show, never saw it. Maybe they moved horribly???

Z

Any idea how I could get a recording of this? If its anywhere near as good as 1990, musically completely underrated, Im sold.

While were on the topic of non-finalists, Southwind from 1992. Again, never saw it and lost my recording like 8 years ago, but wow what a show. Wish I could find it somewhere.

Edited by Hrothgar15
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Troopers 2011 - The Road Home - I absolutely adored the musical selections of this show, in particular Stephen Paulus's The Old Church and the 3rd Movement from Copland's 4 Piano Blues (neither of which I believe have ever been seen on the field before or since). When I heard the corps land on the first big hit of the Paulus opener, I was amazed at how warm and rich their brass sound was. The entire show design was executed fantastically, and who can forget one of the best moments of the 2011 season with the infinity chord?

This. This is one of my favorite shows of all time and never fails to get me choked up. Others that I'd like to put forward are Cascades 2002 (the only year they made finals) as well as Magic 2003. The Mass section of Magic is gorgeous and I often listen to the show just to hear that again. But Troop 11 would definitely be my top on this list. I just wish I could've seen it live in Lucas Oil just to get that wonderful feeling of comfort listening to the chimes..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jeez, I could name a dozen or more shows from Corps that the judges did not like, but I sure did. I suppose then that I'll respond to this question where the score and placement wasn't much, but I found the show enjoyable, nontheless. So the context here for me is the "underrated" in relationship to the placement.

From Santa Clara Vangard.... in 1990, the Corps placed 6th ( their lowest in a decade at the time). But I enjoyed their show " Carmen " that season far more than the judges did. Wonderful music,,, fabulous arrangements, and mostly true to the original composers too.

From Santa Clara Vanguard again...... in 2005, SCV finished 8th, their lowest placement ever in DCI. The show theme was " Russia : Revolution- Evolution ". It had its flaws, but I didn't care. Russian Christmas Music ending sent the Boston Finals crowd into a thunderous ovation at the end. Major Standing O all across the stadium. SCV lit up the audience on Finals Night. Judges didn't think so. But hardly anyone in the audience cared what the judges thought that nite either. SCV was a huge hit that nite, no question about it, despite the Corps lowest placement in DCI ever. Funny how these things work sometimes.

Edited by BRASSO
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's probably absolute blasphemy to say I prefer this [sCV's "The Devil's Staircase" (2011)] over Crown 2015 ["Inferno"] in terms of presentation of similar themes.

Conceptually, I disagree pretty strongly about this. SCV made no effort whatsoever to explain what made it possible for their protagonist figures to escape Hell--and for that matter, once they had done so, were they souls in Heaven? Were they alive again on Earth? Were they ever dead in the first place?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...