jwillis35 Posted June 22, 2016 Share Posted June 22, 2016 (edited) What did you think of the preview shows? I just caught-up on some YouTube video of a few preview shows. I really haven't seen much until now. Nothing scientific here since it's early and each recording was quite different. Couldn't see the field as well, and audio was horrible, with Cavaliers. Cadets audio was also not great, but video was decent. Carolina Crown was in HD (the one I saw) and the sound was awesome, and the same for BD where the sound was excellent, although the video feed was good but not quite HD. My gut instinct to this point, without having seen Bluecoats, SCV, Blue Knights, Phantom, etc., is that Blue Devils and Crown will be hard to beat. Both are fairly clean for this time of the year. Both have great musical books, and I love both shows. I'm definitely hoping the Bluecoats will be right in there with BD and Crown. Carolina's take on a Western is something I've been waiting to see, only maybe from Troopers. This show fresh and imaginative and will be a treat when cleaned fully with added layers. Their brass sounds fabulous. Percussion also sounds fabulous to my ears. The guard is a beast, again. Love the drill even more than last year's, and they again are masters at staging. I must say I love how they utilize one side of the field for the brass almost exclusively through the show until the end. The sound effects in this show, especially the Ennio Morricone stuff, is just wonderful! The Blue Devils have already impressed me more than what their show did last year at this time. Now, in fairness, they had to make big changes last year to get that thing to "sing." In the end it was my favorite show and I was glad it won. Just watch their marching technique at the family day show. Holy cow! Brass sounds fabulous, and I once again love their music book. The guard is amazing, and there is a rifle toss in BD's show toward the end that is unreal. They clearly have some final drill to put into the show, but this thing is a beast. I would be SHOCKED if BD was not top 2 come finals. Cavaliers have one of the more intriguing shows you will see this summer. Propaganda will cause a "stir" with fans of the traditional Cavies "look and feel," but the show has a wonderful drill, incredible guard integration, and solid captions in brass and percussion. If they can find the right GE magic as they layer, this could be a surprise show. The Cadets are very different this year -- and very very dirty. Kind of like the old days when they would run into each other and fall down all over the place during the month of June and early July. Visual is a departure from the normal controlled velocity we usually see from them. More staging, and way more guard integration in this show from last year. Brass and percussion are going to be strong. Guard work is demanding but way behind Crown and BD at this point. Visual should be strong overall with the level of integration and some excellent drill. I worry however that GE will be their challenge. The show ultimately needs a stronger emotional finish and perhaps more color than what they are giving us. But make no mistake, with that brass and percussion section, and once marching cleans, they will be a force, but for June and early July they also may be battling in the 4th/5th area. Just remember that this is the group that brought you 1992. :) Can't wait to see a few more. I am excited to see my hometown Bluecoats. I hear things are going very well for them, and Thursday should be a wonderful surprise for all! :) Edited June 22, 2016 by jwillis35 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Windish Posted June 22, 2016 Share Posted June 22, 2016 I've only watched the DCI-produced Preview from Ada. Both Cadets and Cavaliers looked strong as ever, Cavaliers maybe ahead of schedule. Hard to compare one corps with the other because the performances didn't take place under the same conditions. VERY impressed by Cavaliers color guard. The uniform designs (all sections) were disappointing. Not enough "Cavaliers Green" displayed for my taste. The newsprint on the sleeves will only be discerned on camera, probably not for many in the grandstand. I've never been a fan of these "public protest" type shows, either, so this year's production will take some getting used to. I'd like to see Cavaliers drop much of the piped-in megaphone stuff. We'd get the picture with much less of that. Been a fan of Cavaliers since the 60s, so I want them to place high, and believe they will. Cadets performance should be a real beast by the second half of the season. An earlier poster said the color guard will be a key to making this Cadets' show a true heavyweight contender. I agree. The music is wonderful, and talent level of musicians high. No surprise there! Yes, the overall show does have a DIFFERENT feel to it, but in a good way! If anything, seemed to me, the drill formations were more compact than usual. As George Hopkins described during the interview, there is so much still to be added. The "base" here is certainly well done. I can see Cadets pushing into the Top 3. Again, as to uniforms, seeing these two corps with high camera shots, they BOTH looked too monochromatic, black & white, and pretty nondescript. Except for Adonis, whose package was easy to spot from a distance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeRapp Posted June 22, 2016 Share Posted June 22, 2016 I know it is dangerous and unfair to compare one era to another, but it seems as if most of the 6-9 place corps would smoke the field even a decade ago. The sheer complexity of the shows is off the charts. It's difficult to understand how kids can learn and execute these shows at any level, and yet they're going out there and doing it. The scores are continuing to rise across the board, and that means the differences between shows is almost inconsequential to the viewer/listener. I can only imagine how difficult it is to execute a show with the complexity of Propoganda, knowing that it's very unlikely you will have a realistic shot at medaling! Kudos to ALL these corps, they are really bringing their A games. One footnote, the one thing that really has blown me away is the level of achievement/complexity that Crown's guard is already displaying. You can already hear people in the crowd gasping, and they haven't even played a show yet. I have no doubt BD will be at the same level. Pretty amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rd Glasgow BB Posted June 22, 2016 Share Posted June 22, 2016 Crown - Very enjoyable, end needs work, just kind of died for me. I guess they couldn't get permission to use the actual scream from the good, the bad and the ugly movies which is a shame. As ever they will be there or there abouts come August. Will their percussion be their achilles heal again...? Devils - Never thought I would say this but that trombone section is electric. As ever they will be the corps to beat. Cavies - Looks like their staff have finally got a hold of the show design (post Gaines). looks good, potential top 5. Cadets - Better show potential than last season... the only 10 they left out last year was "10 year old show concept". again as with Crown will be there or there abouts come August. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted June 22, 2016 Share Posted June 22, 2016 Like others here, I 've only seen Cadets, BD, Boston, Cavs, Crossmen, Crown's full field shows, so I really can only comment on these 6. Personally, at the moment ( and its too early, imo ) the Blue Devils are clearly a step up from all the others, imo. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwillis35 Posted June 22, 2016 Author Share Posted June 22, 2016 (edited) Like others here, I 've only seen Cadets, BD, Boston, Cavs, Crossmen, Crown's full field shows, so I really can only comment on these 6. Personally, at the moment ( and its too early, imo ) the Blue Devils are clearly a step up from all the others, imo. Agree. From what I saw this morning, BD is maybe a point up on Crown. But that's coming from my personal perspective, from a video feed, of which both were not quite centered. By the way, I found Crossmen's preview. WOW! I like it. Now that's a colorful guard (pink and light blue at times). Some nice drill. The music seemed engaging and fun. They are quite dirty, but I see them challenging for another top 12 spot, no doubt. Edited June 22, 2016 by jwillis35 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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