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Some thoughts on 2017


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Comparing some corps last year and this year:

BD: 17, better show although drill of 16 a little better.
SCV: 17, more exciting, better overall.
Crown: 16, more thematically interesting and engaging.
Cavies: 16, close but I think 16 was more fun and felt more cohesive.
Bluecoats: 16, felt more refreshing.
BAC: 17, more engaging and better design.
Cadets: 16, close but enjoyed the music and theme a bit more. 
BK: 17, amazing music that lacked in the visual that 16 had but still overall better.
Phantom: 17, much more interesting show although I felt 16 was performed better.
Bluestars: 16, better overall design despite just as strong captions in 17.
Xmen: Equally, both solid shows.
Madison: 16, close but enjoyed music better.
Academy: 16, had more memorable moments.
Mandarins: 17, great design.

2016 wins. But both pretty good years imo

Edited by Narrow
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2 hours ago, luv4corps said:

Nice to see an OP with really positive things to say about the activity and though I concur with more of it than not, I have to vehemently disagree with the even the thunderous goo wasn't as egregious as I can remember in recent years part.  IMO it was worse than ever this year and nowhere was it more obvious to me than during prelims at the theater.  And though not specifically a thunderous goo issue, I also attended one live show in which the top placing corps pinned my ears to the wall with their woofers and tweeters.  I want to be plastered with glorious brass blasts, not a sound system.

If corps can get the goo, amplification & electronics under control, the activity is greater than ever. 

To be fair to OP, he did say that the thunderous goo didn't sound bad in Lucas Oil specifically. And what he said was true: corps program their shows specifically so that they are best in Lucas Oil stadium, not some outdoor stadium somewhere midseason (or, in your case, probably early season). As for goo coming through in your movie theater... it is a movie theater :/ 

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1 hour ago, Bobby L. Collins said:

Honestly, you don't need to understand.  And your happiness is not why I'm here.

I too share a passion for the activity, but not for where it is headed.  And I will continue to speak out against it, whether you like it or not.  I would, however, like to remind you that this message board, along with any other message board, is a place to share opinions and ideas.  Nowhere in the site's terms of service does it say that those opinions and ideas must conform with yours, nor do they say that I'm required to withhold said opinions and ideas because you don't wish to discuss them.

The OP asked for our thoughts.  I gave mine.  And I will continue to do so.

He was giving you a suggestion so that both you and everyone else on here would be happier. Doesn't mean you have to listen to it. 

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1 minute ago, Cappybara said:

 As for goo coming through in your movie theater... it is a movie theater :/ 

There were a fair amount of people on the prelims thread who experienced the same in their respective theaters.  Thunderous bass goo to beat all thunderous bass goo.

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Technically Im inactive for the offseason, but this intrigued me a fair amount...I'll bite.

 

Blue Devils- Echo what Cappy posted, visual 2016, music 2017.

SCV- 2016.  Not even close.  Outside of the visual, I struggled with their 2017 show until the end.

Crown- 2017.  The ending really spoiled the 2016 show for me, and 2017 really got a bad rep.  I think by the end, this show was really sold on me.

Cavaliers- 2017.  Really tough though.  Both shows were fantastic.

Bloo- 2017.  There were some fantastic moments in that show.

Boston Crusaders- Lol.  2017.

Cadets- 2017.  Light years ahead of where 2016 was design wise.  Hope they can keep it up in 2017.

Blue Knights- 2017.  2016 was such a departure from what they started in 2015 and 2014, 2017 got them back on track.

Phantom Regiment- 2017.

Blue Stars- 2017.  Design issues, blah, blah...the hornline was fantastic.

Crossmen- From a visual standpoint, 2017, from a musical standpoint 2016.

Madison- Doesnt really matter to me.  I will say though, Im glad Madison made a change in design.  Im in the minority, but they saw in 2016, that the traditional designs werent working, and they changed it.  Something I wish more corps would try.  It worked for them, and I think they will be better equipped for a jump in placement for 2018.

Mandarins- 2017.  Great year.  

Academy- 2016.  2017 was great too.

Colts- 2017.  What a jump.

Edited by BoaDci
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BD: 2017

SCV: 2016 (by far) 

Crown: 2016 (by far)

Cavaliers: 2017 (by far)

Bluecoats: 2017

Boston Crusaders: 2017

Cadets: 2016... though neither were my cup of tea

Blue Knights: 2016

Phantom: 2017

Blue Stars: 2017

Crossmen: 2016

The Academy: 2016 (by far) 

Madison Scouts: 2016

 

7-6 in favor of 2016. Oddly enough, I found 2017 to be the more enjoyable year overall. 

 

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9 minutes ago, luv4corps said:

There were a fair amount of people on the prelims thread who experienced the same in their respective theaters.  Thunderous bass goo to beat all thunderous bass goo.

Well yes, that's what I said. And that's exactly my point. OP was saying that in Lucas Oil, the sound is fine and the shows are designed as such. But I agree with you that the thundergous goo has become too much and needs to be toned down. 

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Based on the OP I will say this too. By husband is a early 00 top 10 corps alum and....

Finals night 2012 we were somewhat underwhelmed other than Crown...and he was concerned about the overall state of the activity.

Massillon 2015 he reported that Inferno was probably the best program of all time but didn't find much else to be excited about.

Massillon 2017 he basically said "holy $#/!" I don't think our show would have been in the top 20 this year". We were sitting so close amplification was irrelevant.

Edited by ThePlanets
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5 hours ago, RetiredMusTeach said:

I first discovered drum corps in the 70’s, became a fan, then moved to Arizona and lost contact with the art form until I rediscovered it in 2016, so I can only compare the two seasons.  Last year, by the time I had seen corps’ shows 4 or 5 times, there were quite a few shows that I wasn’t that interested in watching again until finals.

 

This year, I was so pleased with the greatness coming out of corps whose 2016 shows were unremarkable to me.  Remember that I only have 2 seasons to compare and in 2016 I couldn’t tell you anything about the shows of Crossmen, Blue Knights, Blue Stars, Colts and Boston Crusaders.  This season, I remember all their shows and especially enjoyed Crossmen and Blue Knights out of that group.

 

Across the board, starting with Southwind in Open Class, there was some pretty amazing musicianship being displayed.  Open Class was a real surprise and quite a treat – nothing 2nd class going on there especially in the top 10 corps.  And as a new drum corps fan, I didn’t really go into this season with a World Class favorite who I wanted to win, so I could just sit back and enjoy the fantastic shows.

 

To give it to all you vets on here who want to go back to what was great 20 years ago, I have to admit that when Blue Devils came out with the huge full-across-the-field power line and the guard spinning all their rifles in full-body unison, it reminded me of the first competition I saw in the 70’s in the Philadelphia area – it was an adrenaline rush.  And when Crown opened up with that unison trumpet opener of Bach’s Little Fugue and the rest of the horns came in so cleanly, so beautifully, with the guards pulling out their best ballet moves, I was ecstatic.  So much beautiful music, so much entrancing drill, just great entertainment from corps after corps after corps. 

 

I was surprised by the egregious over use of amplification and I hope that issue will be addressed next season.  I enjoyed the judicious use of samples and effects and also enjoyed several of the vocalists – but not all of them.  Another thing that I hope is addressed.  But it was not enough of a drag to disappoint me, just reminded me that while 2017 was wonderful, maybe 2018 will be even more so.

 

Kudos and blessings to everyone who participated in a corps this season.  You made me happy.

 

What a lovely read. Thank you

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As someone who grew up on a music for the sake of music type of attitude, I've found that the drum corps I fell in love with  when I was in high school isn't the same as today. I think drum corps today is very entertaining. But with weird arrangements of music and lots and lots of speakers on the field, I'm not quite into it. I just get really turned off from it whenever my seat rattles from the sheer sound of not the horn line, but the bass in the speakers. It just doesn't feel as authentic. This year especially was not in my personal taste. I have strong preferences to shows like Finis. 

But I can definitely appreciate what's happening. Drum corps is growing, the activity has changed so much even in the past five years. 

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