LabMaster Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 10 minutes ago, jwillis35 said: Well stated. Very honest -- nothing wrong with that. Today's Cadets are a different corps. These are not your father's Cadets. Times are changing in DCI, and things have changed with the Cadets. We can all throw blame or accusations, but ultimately these things happen. Staff moves around. Styles change in DCI. Even the best drum corps have to retool, rebuild. The Cadets have gone 34 years as a perennial top 3 corps until last season. Only the Blue Devils can match and better that record. Eventually the time was going to come for The Cadets to make changes in style and staff. So yes, this years Cadets are not going to come out of the gate as they did in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 -- with Championship quality brass and percussion, veteran leadership, experienced marchers, etc. It's ok. They have to find their footing and build. I'm excited to see where they go with this show. I believe it has some potential and I can see Marc Sylvester's footprints all over the design. I personally like the uniforms (except for maybe the 1st guard uni, but I need to see that from up high). This is a big step for The Cadets. So if they take 7th or 8th come finals, who cares? As long as the show progresses I feel they are heading the right direction. I, too, have been sad that some of my longtime favorites, like Phantom and Madison, have struggled and/or been inconsistent over the last 15 years. It's difficult when the landscape of recruiting changes either due to staff, location, style of show, or other factors. It's difficult when some corps jump start new dimensions and paradigm shifts in design and show style. This is both good for the activity, but can also throw certain corps into a tailspin if they cannot adjust and modify fast enough. I believe we are going to see more than a few corps take steps into new territory this summer. I agree with everything you've said here. One area that requires improvement or a paradigm shift in corps, is their operating model. The function of a corps today has to begin with the resetting of their long range function and how the support structure is developed or redeveloped as the case may be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 This DCI season could shape up to be potentially one of the most exciting competitive one in years. Or..... not. Many people for years having been asking for more " change " in the placements landscape in DCI... not pretty much the same ol, same ol, tiers, year after year. Well, maybe that shake up is about to occur this season, up and down the DCI placements ladder. If so, thats a GOOD thing for the health of this activity, imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoaDci Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 14 minutes ago, BRASSO said: This DCI season could shape up to be potentially one of the most exciting competitive one in years. Or..... not. Many people for years having been asking for more " change " in the placements landscape in DCI... not pretty much the same ol, same ol, tiers, year after year. Well, maybe that shake up is about to occur this season, up and down the DCI placements ladder. If so, thats a GOOD thing for the health of this activity, imo. No, this is a big change year- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry7184 Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 (edited) 13 hours ago, jwillis35 said: Well stated. Very honest -- nothing wrong with that. Today's Cadets are a different corps. These are not your father's Cadets. Times are changing in DCI, and things have changed with the Cadets. We can all throw blame or accusations, but ultimately these things happen. Staff moves around. Styles change in DCI. Even the best drum corps have to retool, rebuild. The Cadets have gone 34 years as a perennial top 3 corps until last season. Only the Blue Devils can match and better that record. Eventually the time was going to come for The Cadets to make changes in style and staff. So yes, this years Cadets are not going to come out of the gate as they did in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 -- with Championship quality brass and percussion, veteran leadership, experienced marchers, etc. It's ok. They have to find their footing and build. I'm excited to see where they go with this show. I believe it has some potential and I can see Marc Sylvester's footprints all over the design. I personally like the uniforms (except for maybe the 1st guard uni, but I need to see that from up high). This is a big step for The Cadets. So if they take 7th or 8th come finals, who cares? As long as the show progresses I feel they are heading the right direction. I, too, have been sad that some of my longtime favorites, like Phantom and Madison, have struggled and/or been inconsistent over the last 15 years. It's difficult when the landscape of recruiting changes either due to staff, location, style of show, or other factors. It's difficult when some corps jump start new dimensions and paradigm shifts in design and show style. This is both good for the activity, but can also throw certain corps into a tailspin if they cannot adjust and modify fast enough. I believe we are going to see more than a few corps take steps into new territory this summer. Well said. Yes, I understand DCI has changed, but corps that don't change with the times (Spirit, Madison and Phantom, and now the Cadets) fall behind. Last year, every time I saw Bluecoats and Crown, I thought, this should be where Madison and Regiment should be. You have to stick with the times, or it's over. We saw those three corps I love tumble and now I'm seeing another one that I love tumble. No, the Cadets are not going to come out of the gates blazing hot like the years you mentioned. That's not what this is about. It's not about placement either. It's about giving the members of your corps a design that can elevate them, and the Cadets staff has failed on a massive scale with this year's show. Really disappointing. Edited June 20, 2017 by henry7184 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 I won't see the Cadets until Thursday, but I wholeheartedly agree about Bluecoats/Crown vs. Madison/Regiment. Crown has done a wonderful job of integrating old school classical, new school classical, brass band and some completely divergent pop into a cohesive whole. There's no reason Phantom couldn't have done that ages ago. (Of course, there were years where they *did* do that, then deliberately turned away from it - but that's a story for another day.) Actually, I spent all last summer wondering why the Blue Devils couldn't have done a show like the Bluecoats. Not exactly jazz, but not full-on symphonic either. And I won't speak to Justin Bieber. Grrr... Mike 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brass34 Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 29 minutes ago, henry7184 said: It's about giving the members of your corps a design that can elevate them, and the Cadets staff has failed on a massive scale with this year's show. Really disappointing. You are the only person that I have seen that shares this view. So forgive me if I take your opinion with a grain of salt 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tobias Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 6 minutes ago, Brass34 said: You are the only person that I have seen that shares this view. So forgive me if I take your opinion with a grain of salt Honestly (and I'm no judge), I really think Cadets design is very strong and this is before cleaning, layering, etc. Definateky a younger Brass but that will come along but the vids I've seen (about 5 from 6/13-last night are pretty sharp. Dirt, yes, but very cohesive and entertaining. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry7184 Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 (edited) 21 minutes ago, Brass34 said: You are the only person that I have seen that shares this view. So forgive me if I take your opinion with a grain of salt You're entitled to your opinion and I'm entitled to mine, but I guarantee I am far from the only person that has this view of the 2017 Cadets. You will see Thursday night. Edited June 20, 2017 by henry7184 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwillis35 Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 58 minutes ago, MikeN said: I won't see the Cadets until Thursday, but I wholeheartedly agree about Bluecoats/Crown vs. Madison/Regiment. Crown has done a wonderful job of integrating old school classical, new school classical, brass band and some completely divergent pop into a cohesive whole. There's no reason Phantom couldn't have done that ages ago. (Of course, there were years where they *did* do that, then deliberately turned away from it - but that's a story for another day.) Mike Very true. One of the reasons Bluecoats and Crown have become so popular and appealing to youth today is their ability to be chameleon corps. They do not seem worried about history, tradition, old school definitions, or latest trends. They have found their niche in design and they did so at a time when Phantom, Madison, Spirit, Crossmen, and many others were unsuccessful at finding their old selves let alone their new voice. Even Santa Clara was inconsistent as they struggled to find their new look and feel. The Cavaliers fell off the ladder after 2011, and in the last 3 years The Cadets have struggled to put finishing touches on their shows, with last year's show being a rotten egg from day one. All this basically opened the door for Bloo and Crown to sit aside BD as the new BIG 3. And that's how it happens. A few years of bad design, poor planning, stagnation, whatever the issue might be, and before you know it you can't get the recruits or the best instructors and designers. It is a vicious cycle. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general_tsos_chicken2 Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 (edited) I'll make a 1-12 prediction once I see all the shows, but for now I will do it pre-season sports style STOCK UP: SANTA CLARA VANGUARD They have been steadily climbing the last few years and now have one of the best designers in the activity with them in Michael Gaines. STOCK DOWN: CAROLINA CROWN They will be okay, but hard to improve when you lose so much of the design team. Show will be good, but not quite as enjoyable as some past shows. STOCK UP: PHANTOM REGIMENT They have been given absolute poop for their show designs as of late, but the members somehow managed to perform the hell out of it regardless. They will be MUCH MUCH improved in the design area this year with the addition of of Wes Cartwright, and have some very enjoyable music. Percussion may be an achiles heel. STOCK DOWN: THE CADETS Hard to recover when you lose those who give you your identity in the design department, much like phantoms situation when they lost JD Shaw. They will take a while to find their identity again. Percussion will be a strength. STOCK UP: BLUE STARS Another corps that has been strong lately and just needs another push. I think the new (old) arranger will give them that push. Guard/visual looks to be fantastic. STOCK DOWN: BLUE KNIGHTS No reason for this other than the corps around them may be improving at a faster rate than them right now. After an incredible 2015 many were looking to see a big jump in performance and placement in 2016 and it didn't quite happen. They will without a doubt be a strong corps, but how will they get over this hump? STOCK UP: BOSTON CRUSADERS Obvious choice is obvious ;) . Edited June 20, 2017 by general_tsos_chicken2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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