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Final Thoughts on 2016


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Hi all, what are everyone's final thoughts on 2016?

I attended all three nights of finals. My opinion:

Bluecoats were magnificent. To me the skate-board ramps weren't the only reason why they won. It was the unbridled enthusiasm and unleashed freedom of the musicians. It was part playground, part wild fiesta, part heavenly joy, part freedom of flight, etc. No wonder people have written this is the show that will change drum corps moving forward.

Carolina Crown's changed ending, where the guy showed him grace, instead of shooting him was a smart move. It was a show that tugged your heart strings. A brilliant visual show. LOVED the theme. Very well done.

Blue Devils - I'm not a BD fan, but I was this year. This show was so creative and so well done. The 20 or so trombones...oh my Lord. This is the show I would want non-drum corps people to see to introduce them to drum corps. It just blew me away. Most dramatic show. Love the tarp and wave. Very triumphant towards the end. Bravo!

Cadets - I didn't think they were as bad as a lot of people are saying. Great show. Very entertaining. Ok, from a design stand-point, a little unfinished, but still a very very good show.

SCV - sorry SCV. I didn't understand it. My eyes needed a break because of all the white...white pants...white posters, white trees. The beginning was sublime, but everything else was confusing, had no coherent theme (even though it's supposed to be force of nature), the pink color guard clashed completely...the music was boring (except for beginning) and content was vague.

Cavaliers - WOW. WOW. WOW. Visually exciting and brilliant. Tremendous music and horn line. Creative! Not ideological or divisive AT ALL...just explaining the phenomenon of propoganda. A show to be remembered.

Academy - WOW. WOW. WOW. One of my favorites. Drum Major was SUPERB.

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Hi all, what are everyone's final thoughts on 2016?

SCV - sorry SCV. I didn't understand it. My eyes needed a break because of all the white...white pants...white posters, white trees. The beginning was sublime, but everything else was confusing, had no coherent theme (even though it's supposed to be force of nature), the pink color guard clashed completely...the music was boring (except for beginning) and content was vague.

Really? Why did they need a theme? I found SCV true for what drum corp was and is about. Just pure music and marching. Their show is a breath of fresh air that didn't need a theme or heavy on artificial things to get a great show.

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Really? Why did they need a theme? I found SCV true for what drum corp was and is about. Just pure music and marching. Their show is a breath of fresh air that didn't need a theme or heavy on artificial things to get a great show.

Yeah, it's interesting, isn't it? Bluecoats have no real theme, it's great. SCV has no real theme, it's crap. One of my favorite shows this season. The were sort of the anti-Bluecoats. For some people, if you preferred one, you wouldn't like the other, I guess.

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And I think SCV's pit won percussion for them. The writing...the touch of playing...

I swore I saw robins flying around during the opener and reprise. Makes me smile just thinking about their magnificent touch of the keys...

(psst...their battery was pretty incredible, too, but they've GOT to switch drums to Mapex, PLEASE!)

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Surprises:

Bluecoats--I knew you would place in the top 5, but prior to the season, probably the top 3, I did not expect it to be 1st place.

Crown--I would never have guessed that the show I saw on the theater in June would be the masterpiece I saw at finals.

Cavies: I figured 7-9 at the beginning of the season, never expected I'd enjoy it as much as I did.

Blue Stars--your "Tristan und Isolde" ballad was amazing, perhaps one of the best uses of opera in drum corps.

Open Class: perhaps your strongest and most creative year yet.

Reason to eat a bit of crow:

Blue Knights--thought with a very incomplete show at the beginning of the season and reported inflated scores, that you'd be playing catch up all year and wouldn't place above 10th.

Academy--I thought 2011 should have been your first year in finals, thought you were judged a bit harshly last year, but thought in the end you'd be so close to finals my but...

I was thrilled to see BAC in finals by merit. Madison and Troopers gave it their all in semi's, but I will say I was disappointed Madison did not make finals. The corps who will remain nameless that it would not bother me if they did not make finals was too good, and I knew they would be.

Cadets--you took it on the chin on DCP, and you had your challenges on and off the field, but you had a lot of loyal supporters in the stands.

Perhaps I'll have other thoughts, but that's it for now.

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Yeah, it's interesting, isn't it? Bluecoats have no real theme, it's great. SCV has no real theme, it's crap. One of my favorite shows this season. The were sort of the anti-Bluecoats. For some people, if you preferred one, you wouldn't like the other, I guess.

That may be true for some, but for me, along with The Academy, Bluecoats and SCV were my favorite shows on the field this year.

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Was anyone as shocked as I was about Madison? When they came to California early season, it really looked as if they were threatening a run into the top 6-7, and fizzled right out of finals altogether. I thought after semis that they would still squeak in, and was wrong. I'm usually pretty good about that kind of thing, too. Congrats to Crusaders, though. With the new staff additions, I think you're going to see a resurgent Boston corps.

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