Polonius Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 1 hour ago, phd-student-TTU said: Well, I gave them some time before I decided to make any comments but... They look and sound like a hs band. Wtf is this show about? Why all the running? I think it has something to do about the birds and the bees Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry7184 Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 (edited) 3 hours ago, phd-student-TTU said: Well, I gave them some time before I decided to make any comments but... They look and sound like a hs band. Wtf is this show about? Why all the running? The running is an attempt to put in content. But demand doesn't always equal content. Edited July 21, 2017 by henry7184 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KPinCAL Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 I cant believe how many I see out of step, this late in the season.... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake W. Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 I'm not writing this show off, and there are some fantastic moments written in. At the same time, I really dislike that this show is just morphing into another tired Cartwright design, ala Broken Arrow, William Mason, Dobyns-Bennett...the list goes on. Honestly, I don't think his style has even offered much new material to the top level BOA groups in the last few years. For those who only follow DCI, the sentiments that this is Broken Arrow Pt. 2 (or part 14, really) are true, to my eyes at least. The vaguely erie/sexy female voiceovers, the seas of flags, the nebulous it's-kind-of-a-theme theme, and even the transitions --- all pretty stale if you're involved in the BOA world and know Cartwright's design stamps. On another note that's been addressed so many times already, Pitts' brass arrangements are fabulous and full and big, as usual, and I can't help but feel like more low brass would really help bring his brass writing to fruition. We've all heard the rumor about cutting brass to add to guard --- by my count, they're marching 72 horns this year, and marched 80 in 2016, as most world class corps tend to do. The color guard is up to 45 members now, while they were at the traditional 35 last year. The numbers appear to be 24/16/20/12; ie., a full trumpet line (and a full tuba line for some top corps, although Phantom has marched 16 throughout the decade, 14 last year) and cuts to the middle and lower voices. I know it's only 8 brass they're down, but I really feel like Pitts wrote some big, big stuff (especially leading into the closer and the Rach hit) that could use the cut low 7 mid voices. I just don't feel like the brass cuts and color guard additions were wise choices that are paying off. Long story short, they've got the brass books nailed down with Pitts, but I feel like bringing Cartwright on for the show design was a lateral move --- it didn't really worsen or improve them, just produced another "meh" show (with better moments built in than the last few show that, in my opinion only, aren't being realized because of the choices made around facilitating said design style). 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocketman Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 Regiment, regiment. While many have lauded the arranging, I do have issues with some of it, namely the Shost piece. It has dramatic pauses written into at the beginning that the corps has chosen to ignore completely which, IMO, kills the piece for me. They have written the drama out of the arrangement making it sound more like a John Phillip Sousa march. If I were Shostakovich, I’d not so politely request they stop playing my music. I get supporting your corps, which I do, but there were more than a few alums that had high praise for the show. Look, I don’t hate it, but as I stated, this is not what the ‘sheets’ reward. Is it different? Yes, from other corps and for Regiment. However, the sheets are the sheets and to not design to them is a detriment to the corps as a whole. I finally saw where they are using trombones (all 15 seconds, no exaggeration) however, since the rest of the brass line is blasting away, you couldn’t hear them. To me this is an example of a reluctant attempt to ‘do what everyone else is doing’ and not quite carrying it off, almost intentionally if you ask me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdaddy Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 (edited) 2 hours ago, Jake W. said: Long story short, they've got the brass books nailed down with Pitts, but I feel like bringing Cartwright on for the show design was a lateral move --- it didn't really worsen or improve them, just produced another "meh" show (with better moments built in than the last few show that, in my opinion only, aren't being realized because of the choices made around facilitating said design style). I don't follow the band world all that closely, so I can't comment on how stale Cartwright might be growing in either activity. What I want is the 05-07 design staff, but I won't be getting that ever again. Therefore, I still find Cartwright to be a welcomed sight, even if they drop to 9th. I feel so much better about the competency of this design relative to 13-16. It's fresher than 13-16. Fresh enough to rise up? Perhaps not. But I feel so much more comfortable about 2018 with (assuming) Cartwright around than I did in 2016 when he wasn't. To each their own, but for me this show doesn't reach the "meh" design of 2016, and I consider his involvement anything but lateral. I'm far more worried about performance this year than design. Intervals, out of step, brass concerns. Some big issues to fix. Hopefully talented students will want to join the corps so that some of these likely talent-driven (maybe maturity-driven) issues won't linger in coming seasons. As for criticisms of "running": this is what Phantom Regiment does. They did it when Jamey Thompson designed the drill. Perhaps they shouldn't, but let's not be surprised that they do. Edited July 21, 2017 by kdaddy 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowtown Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 I'm not a Bando so it looks fresh to me, I like tons of flags doing the same thing and the youtube gave me a better sense of the drill than when I saw it live but that dirt.... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 4 minutes ago, cowtown said: I'm not a Bando so it looks fresh to me, I like tons of flags doing the same thing and the youtube gave me a better sense of the drill than when I saw it live but that dirt.... Via high camera the visual design looks pretty good to me. But execution is still a mess and the clock is ticking. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry7184 Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 4 hours ago, kdaddy said: What I want is the 05-07 design staff, but I won't be getting that ever again. This. Those were probably their three best designed shows ever. 2007 is so underrated. My favorite Regiment show. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xandandl Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 (edited) This is meant as an observation and not a criticism. Regiment has changed it's public relations style and no one yet on DCP has mentioned it. I think it parallels a change in the way the unit has operated in the public eye and on the field as well. Their conductor of the past five seasons (3 as lead, 2 as assistant)(now aged out) was used as a public face for Regiment similar to how Regiment used Dean Patterson, Koji Mori and Will Pitts before him. The man was competent, pleasant, and articulate. in fact, he earned the Jim Jones Award in his rookie lead year succeeding Dean who also won it. The end of seasons' videos that this now retired conductor narrated seem to present a positive espirit among the MMs even though, as with any family there were probably moments of disagreements between the siblings and challenging of authorities. However, PR used David, Dean, Koji, and Will as positive pr for the corps and recruiting. People young and old wanted to look up to them for they inspired. They connected. This year there is none of that with even a younger corps. The assistant conductor from last season who was presumed in many quarters to be the heir apparent left Regiment and returned to Vanguard which is more local to him and where he fronted their B corps. Now he is the lead conductor for a corps in the running for the DCI gold. We're seeing his picture often but not with PR. Regiment has a noobie conductor and two identical brothers as assistants. We as Phantom phriends don't know them. Not a peep in ongoing Regiment releases in the way the corps used to front David, Dean, Will and Koji. In fact, there are almost no pictures of corps members relaxed or smiling in situations apart from field ensemble or actual competitions. It's as if the rest of tour life doesn't exist. Do smiles exist? Who do young future recruits look to identify with if all the veteran faces (on the podium and off) are gone? if there is no animation of tour life apart from work sessions? if Regiment doesn't present a face with whom to connect? Is the corps afraid to express how a very rookie line is experiencing Regiment life? Where is the humanity of tour life? And with so many people concerned to see those smiles, some laughter, some return to normal life after the tragic bus accident, I think it is a set of opportunities and possibilities that PR pr is sorely missing. With its phan base wondering about placement, legacy, and phuture, is it a case of post-anniversary let down and a tired administration keeping the reins in check after such a tragedy sucked the wind out of everyone injured or not? I continue to keep the Regiment in my daily prayers and this is why I post the funny/sarcastic captions to photos that PR does release. It is not mocking but rather trying to balance. I hope the corps is able to do that on and off the field soon. We may never know either way and that's a worry that post-tragedy depression is setting in among those who make the public decisions for PR and pr. Edited July 22, 2017 by xandandl 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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