Spokane, WA Review

[Lance]

It was a beautiful evening for drum corps in Spokane with a great lineup: Oregon Crusaders, Spokane Thunder, Seattle Cascades, BK, and SCV. I'm not much of a percussion or guard person, sorry.

Real quick, I have to mention a few things that irked me ever so slightly throughout the night. This was a packed house which is awesome, but several performers from the Spokane Thunder came up to the stands during intemission and deposited themselves in paying fans' seats. From what I saw, none of the fans really knew how to react to kids from the hometown corps doing that, so they moved...mostly into the aisles. Not cool. Plus, the performers got up and walked in and out of the aisles while BK was performing. Not cool. The corps' staff needs to teach their performers a little etiquette is all I'm saying. Also, the program said in big bold italics that SCV and the Spokane Thunder would be performing encores. SCV did not. Oh well. Don't sweat the small stuff, I guess. On to the review...

Oregon Crusaders--WOW. This corps gets better every year. And what a tremendous sound they put out for only having about 30 brass. Colorguard and percussion were better than last year, too, IMO. This program is perfect for them, and come championship week, I think they'll have it cleaned and set up to do very well. Big brass hit at the beginning, lots of driving rhythms throughout, a ballad full of really nice solo and duet work, and a power-packed closer. They move fast in a lot of places and perform the drill very well, though the grass on the field was really thick and a little long, so it really magnified marching technique problems and dirt for all of the performing corps. A performer fell near the end of the show, but all was well. The crowd ate this show up. Best of luck to these guys in DIV II finals. :)

Spokane Thunder--This is only the corps third year in existence, and they've gotten exponentially better ever year. This corps is very young. Their average age can't be much over 17. Their show is well-designed for their abilities, and the audience could tell they were having fun performing it. They actually march a few more brass than Oregon does, but they don't quite play with enough support to get nearly as loud and controlled a sound. Their closer is highly reminiscent of the Cadets '93 closer (Holsinger's "Ballet Sacra"), and while it's rough right now, I think they'll have it down by August, when they'll be heading to finals week for the first time ever. Woo hoo!

Seattle Cascades--I was hoping that the scores they've been getting just weren't doing them justice. It's just isn't so. Dirt everywhere in a not-so-well-designed show. It begins quietly on one side of the field, there's some random stuff in between, it ends quietly on the other side of the field. Redemption is the name of the show, and I have no idea why. There are a couple of moments that are programmed to get the crowd to clap, and some of them might even work, except that the performers aren't executing them. It looks and sounds like they just started working on this show. 3 early entrances by lone brass players in the worst possible spots for them. And I know they can play well because there are some really nice moments when their brass plays soft and with support. It just doesn't happen when they're playing loud and fast. Nevertheless, I think that if they cleaned the #### out of the show, it might be a contender for top 15.

BK--This show is dark dark dark, and I really really really enjoyed it. Lots of body movement that complements the music very well. The drum major kind of cocks his leg in his opening salute to the judges box. Looks kind of odd, but you figure out pretty quick that it's a running motif for the whole corps throughout the show. They have a big brass sound and use lots of dynamics, and yes, the pp are very good which helps make the fff very very good. :) There are several musical GE spots that aren't quite "there" yet for the show, but if the few that they really nail are any indication of what the future holds, this might be one of my favorite shows of the year musically. It won't be for everybody, that's for sure. If they can fix some big balance problems that make some of the chords sound rough right now, they'll help pull the audience in more. Visually, it's not terribly demanding, though it has its spots. They perform it very well, though, and have plenty of cleaing left to do. The colorguard was really quite good. Very musical, IMO, and they used a nice color pallete for the silks in this dark show. I see this easily being a top 8-9.

SCV--This show has the potential to be top 6. It's a pretty ambitious show, and that's a good thing. Visually well-designed, and the music is really fun. The demand is there. Right now, it's just not being executed anywhere near its full potential. I saw tonight's performance as a kind of "chain reaction" of missed opportunities. There are some built-in moments of combined musical and visual brilliance that the corps simply misses, either because of extremely dirty drill, lack of musical phrasing and dynamics, or both. Boy do they move in this show, but some of the forms that were supposed to be straight lines/boxes/etc were horifically off tonight, so much so that I thought BK might just take this one. But I think SCV's show just has too much demand to get beaten by BK in GE right now. The second number, which is kind of jazzy and playful, is the highlight of the show for me. It's the only part that isn't just plain old forte throughout. It's actually got dynamics, with both the loudest and softest moments of the show. I see them getting the music cleaned well before the visual, and I'll probably listen to this show a lot on the CDs. Also, for the first time in awhile, I think the guard work fit the show concept well. If I'm being optimistic, I say this show can make top 6. Being realistic, though, I'd say anywhere between 7-9. A lot will depend on how well they clean their visual program.

And good night. :)

[freakyswotboy]

Thanks for the review. You answer some of my concerns regarding the lack of spread between BK and SCV so far this year.

[Matt_S]

Thanks for the review! After catching the Indy show, it's good to hear some news about how SCV and BK are doing. I hope to see them both do well in Madison.

[Lance]

Thanks for the review. You answer some of my concerns regarding the lack of spread between BK and SCV so far this year.

No problem. Both have lots of potential, but I think SCV's has just a bit more. We'll see.

Ooh, and I forgot to add something to my review. I got a glimpse of SCV's new "tag" ending that they're adding to the show. Right now, everbody in the corps can march it, and the horns can sing it and kind of play it, but not the drumline yet. They're obviously not ready to add it to the show yet. Anyway, after their final box, they file into two serpentine, follow-the-leader lines and march straight to the back of the field and into their exit stage left...while playing some music, of course. :)

[The_Reasonable_Man]

Spokane Thunder...They actually march a few more brass than Oregon does, but they don't quite play with enough support to get nearly as loud and controlled a sound.

Great review! Don't mean to nitpick, but I counted brass for Thunder and Oregon Crusaders at the Hillsboro show, and I seem to recall Crusaders marching 42 horns, and Thunder marching something in the low 30s.

[scott414]

It was a beautiful evening for drum corps in Spokane with a great lineup: Oregon Crusaders, Spokane Thunder, Seattle Cascades, BK, and SCV. I'm not much of a percussion or guard person, sorry.

Real quick, I have to mention a few things that irked me ever so slightly throughout the night. This was a packed house which is awesome, but several performers from the Spokane Thunder came up to the stands during intemission and deposited themselves in paying fans' seats. From what I saw, none of the fans really knew how to react to kids from the hometown corps doing that, so they moved...mostly into the aisles. Not cool. Plus, the performers got up and walked in and out of the aisles while BK was performing. Not cool. The corps' staff needs to teach their performers a little etiquette is all I'm saying. Also, the program said in big bold italics that SCV and the Spokane Thunder would be performing encores. SCV did not. Oh well. Don't sweat the small stuff, I guess. On to the review...

Oregon Crusaders--WOW. This corps gets better every year. And what a tremendous sound they put out for only having about 30 brass. Colorguard and percussion were better than last year, too, IMO. This program is perfect for them, and come championship week, I think they'll have it cleaned and set up to do very well. Big brass hit at the beginning, lots of driving rhythms throughout, a ballad full of really nice solo and duet work, and a power-packed closer. They move fast in a lot of places and perform the drill very well, though the grass on the field was really thick and a little long, so it really magnified marching technique problems and dirt for all of the performing corps. A performer fell near the end of the show, but all was well. The crowd ate this show up. Best of luck to these guys in DIV II finals. :)

Spokane Thunder--This is only the corps third year in existence, and they've gotten exponentially better ever year. This corps is very young. Their average age can't be much over 17. Their show is well-designed for their abilities, and the audience could tell they were having fun performing it. They actually march a few more brass than Oregon does, but they don't quite play with enough support to get nearly as loud and controlled a sound. Their closer is highly reminiscent of the Cadets '93 closer (Holsinger's "Ballet Sacra"), and while it's rough right now, I think they'll have it down by August, when they'll be heading to finals week for the first time ever. Woo hoo!

Seattle Cascades--I was hoping that the scores they've been getting just weren't doing them justice. It's just isn't so. Dirt everywhere in a not-so-well-designed show. It begins quietly on one side of the field, there's some random stuff in between, it ends quietly on the other side of the field. Redemption is the name of the show, and I have no idea why. There are a couple of moments that are programmed to get the crowd to clap, and some of them might even work, except that the performers aren't executing them. It looks and sounds like they just started working on this show. 3 early entrances by lone brass players in the worst possible spots for them. And I know they can play well because there are some really nice moments when their brass plays soft and with support. It just doesn't happen when they're playing loud and fast. Nevertheless, I think that if they cleaned the #### out of the show, it might be a contender for top 15.

BK--This show is dark dark dark, and I really really really enjoyed it. Lots of body movement that complements the music very well. The drum major kind of cocks his leg in his opening salute to the judges box. Looks kind of odd, but you figure out pretty quick that it's a running motif for the whole corps throughout the show. They have a big brass sound and use lots of dynamics, and yes, the pp are very good which helps make the fff very very good. :) There are several musical GE spots that aren't quite "there" yet for the show, but if the few that they really nail are any indication of what the future holds, this might be one of my favorite shows of the year musically. It won't be for everybody, that's for sure. If they can fix some big balance problems that make some of the chords sound rough right now, they'll help pull the audience in more. Visually, it's not terribly demanding, though it has its spots. They perform it very well, though, and have plenty of cleaing left to do. The colorguard was really quite good. Very musical, IMO, and they used a nice color pallete for the silks in this dark show. I see this easily being a top 8-9.

SCV--This show has the potential to be top 6. It's a pretty ambitious show, and that's a good thing. Visually well-designed, and the music is really fun. The demand is there. Right now, it's just not being executed anywhere near its full potential. I saw tonight's performance as a kind of "chain reaction" of missed opportunities. There are some built-in moments of combined musical and visual brilliance that the corps simply misses, either because of extremely dirty drill, lack of musical phrasing and dynamics, or both. Boy do they move in this show, but some of the forms that were supposed to be straight lines/boxes/etc were horifically off tonight, so much so that I thought BK might just take this one. But I think SCV's show just has too much demand to get beaten by BK in GE right now. The second number, which is kind of jazzy and playful, is the highlight of the show for me. It's the only part that isn't just plain old forte throughout. It's actually got dynamics, with both the loudest and softest moments of the show. I see them getting the music cleaned well before the visual, and I'll probably listen to this show a lot on the CDs. Also, for the first time in awhile, I think the guard work fit the show concept well. If I'm being optimistic, I say this show can make top 6. Being realistic, though, I'd say anywhere between 7-9. A lot will depend on how well they clean their visual program.

And good night. :)

LanceSquire, Gotta agree with your post from the show... It did turn out to be a beautiful evening after the sun went down. Drum corps and Spokane, Wa are growing in popularity.

By the way..where were you sitting?? I was on the Left side; top row right next to the door that went to the judges box. I know when I returned after intermission there were about 5 or so people sitting in the doorway to the judges booth. I know that I got there at the show at 5:15 just to get a good seat... If tha twas you on the other side of the aisle, then I feel and knew your pain.

As for horn lines; for Spokane Thunder I counted 33 horns, for Oregon Crusaders I counted somewhere in the neighborhood of 42, Cascades were about 49-low 50ish..... SCV and Blue Knights I didnt count

And I miss america/O Canada... whatever they played last night didnt blow me away like america/o canada.......

A good review for a good show. Maybe next year the show will be later in July and feature more shows on their way to LA for finals....

Scott

[Lance]

Thanks. And yeah, that's where I was sitting after the intermission. Right next to the doorwary you were talking about. Was that you to my right, wearing the hat on the other side of the door? Small world.

And you guys are both right about the horn count. I got a little mixed up. Thanks for correcting me. And I'm really hoping you're right about more corps coming up to our neck of the woods since finals are in LA.

[rai-mello]

Can you please tell me BK's and SCV's theme this year?

Edited July 12, 2006 by rai-mello

[Lance]

BK="Dark Knights"

SCV="Moto Perpetuo" (perpetual motion)

[Maleko13]

Don't know what it is about Spokane, but the Cascades never perform well there. On a side note I dare Central Valley to mow their field before the show, no one likes having to overwork themselves when it is hot, not that is an excuse.