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Blue Devils 2018


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57 minutes ago, kdaddy said:

I searched for his name in this thread and didn't find anything... any back story on why Wayne Downey isn't on the staff this year? Just taking a year off or did he retire altogether? 

Quietly retired, I believe. He didn't do last year, either.

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Watching the top shows over this morning, I realized BD probably has my favorite moment of visual design this year. Not sure how to describe it — late in the show, after the quad feature, during the sultry soprano solo/snare feature, the soprano and alto lines are backstage gradually participating in this.... sentient squiggle form. It’s like a weird lil worm. Anyone know what I’m talking about? It’s gnarly. The counts on that thing! 

One thing I love about it is that it typifies something BD drill has never gotten enough credit from fans for, not even in the ‘90s: evolving curvilinear drill. People call it “follow the leader” but they aren’t watching closely; curvy drill that changes its contours and shape as the phrase progresses is some of the hardest stuff I can think of. 

Edited by saxfreq1128
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39 minutes ago, saxfreq1128 said:

Watching the top shows over this morning, I realized BD probably has my favorite moment of visual design this year. Not sure how to describe it — late in the show, after the quad feature, during the sultry soprano solo/snare feature, the soprano and alto lines are backstage gradually participating in this.... sentient squiggle form. It’s like a weird lil worm. Anyone know what I’m talking about? It’s gnarly. The counts on that thing! 

One thing I love about it is that it typifies something BD drill has never gotten enough credit from fans for, not even in the ‘90s: evolving curvilinear drill. People call it “follow the leader” but they aren’t watching closely; curvy drill that changes its contours and shape as the phrase progresses is some of the hardest stuff I can think of. 

APPLAUSE FOR THAT.... they get badly criticize for some of the most genius things they do visually, and they not really easy to do but they make it look so easy.

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1 hour ago, saxfreq1128 said:

Watching the top shows over this morning, I realized BD probably has my favorite moment of visual design this year. Not sure how to describe it — late in the show, after the quad feature, during the sultry soprano solo/snare feature, the soprano and alto lines are backstage gradually participating in this.... sentient squiggle form. It’s like a weird lil worm. Anyone know what I’m talking about? It’s gnarly. The counts on that thing! \

I know exactly which move you are talking about, because it stood out to me instantly. It reminds me of the stuff Marc Sylvester did with the Cadets in '92 and '93 (and maybe a few more times), where one part of the form would move and connect with a static form, which would then "activate" and seamlessly get pulled into the already moving shape.

What BD is doing is not exactly the same, but that similar idea of the drill coming to life from rest, and it's really effective. I've often wondered why more designers don't attempt ideas like that which are so clearly readable and easily understood by the audience.

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1 hour ago, saxfreq1128 said:

Watching the top shows over this morning, I realized BD probably has my favorite moment of visual design this year. Not sure how to describe it — late in the show, after the quad feature, during the sultry soprano solo/snare feature, the soprano and alto lines are backstage gradually participating in this.... sentient squiggle form. It’s like a weird lil worm. Anyone know what I’m talking about? It’s gnarly. The counts on that thing! 

One thing I love about it is that it typifies something BD drill has never gotten enough credit from fans for, not even in the ‘90s: evolving curvilinear drill. People call it “follow the leader” but they aren’t watching closely; curvy drill that changes its contours and shape as the phrase progresses is some of the hardest stuff I can think of. 

I call it the noir section and I love it too! The curvilinear shape just morphs and grows, meanwhile the members stage right also forms this smoky, malleable slow-motion block that the curvilinear shape draws from. It’s so well done and evocative. Nobody else pulls this kind of stuff off!

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6 hours ago, ftwdrummer said:

Quietly retired, I believe. He didn't do last year, either.

He's been only marginally involved the past few years, but he has been around. Chatted with him at length at Grand Terrace last year. It was time to retire. 45 years with one group is amazing, and he has so much going on elsewhere, it only made sense. 

Edited by BDCorno
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6 hours ago, saxfreq1128 said:

Watching the top shows over this morning, I realized BD probably has my favorite moment of visual design this year. Not sure how to describe it — late in the show, after the quad feature, during the sultry soprano solo/snare feature, the soprano and alto lines are backstage gradually participating in this.... sentient squiggle form. It’s like a weird lil worm. Anyone know what I’m talking about? It’s gnarly. The counts on that thing! 

One thing I love about it is that it typifies something BD drill has never gotten enough credit from fans for, not even in the ‘90s: evolving curvilinear drill. People call it “follow the leader” but they aren’t watching closely; curvy drill that changes its contours and shape as the phrase progresses is some of the hardest stuff I can think of. 

Thank you! People simply don't see these things. As they say "the Devils are in the details"...and it's really true. To better describe the move, you have most of the horn line on the far left in a large, spread block. They start with a line of trumpets and mellos near center. It starts undulating like an octopus arm, and progressively picks up people from the block, eventually collecting everyone. So the line gets longer and longer. Constantly changing directions and perspectives. Hella hard stuff. 

Another great example of what you describe is the drill that followed the ballad, all the way to the clump and horn push as they recapped "Children will Listen". Some outrageously difficult drill and builds, done almost spotlessly. Easy to miss and appreciate the quality of the design and performance unless you watched closely. It explains why many "don't get" BD's scores in visual. 

EDIT: I'm thinking 2016 really, but both years are similar in the types of things they did. Lots of blind builds, reverse marching of forms that look like "follow the leader", etc. 

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I'm really enjoying this show as it comes together. I've never been a BD fan, but after being properly schooled last year on these forums about their incredible design process that progresses with the season, I've grown a deep appreciation for the corps, and have fallen in love with their last few shows (always by the season's end). This year appears to be another masterpiece. To think this show isn't easily championship material is either to delude oneself or to be ignorant of their process. Tons of excellent moments already cropping up and we're barely into July. I really like where the corps is headed with this program, and that Natural Woman ballad is hot hot hot. The glass breaking guard feature is BIZARRE and I love every second of it, although it's obvious that the crowds don't know what to do with it yet! Really love the dim, noir, gritty mood of this year's production, and it's a nice mood shift from anything else they've offered up in recent years. 

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