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Showing content with the highest reputation on 07/11/2011 in all areas

  1. I went to the Colts home show last night in Dubuque. And I'm sorry to say that I found myself completely entertained despite the fact that not one G8 corps was there. I thought that type of thing was NOT supposed to happen!! I think somebody owes me an apology. It all started with the Colt Cadets. I knew those kids were up to no good the minute I heard the hot drum licks and saw their energetic marching. Then they had the gall to play music that entertained the crowd. Notorious indeed! But it didn't stop there. Next came Teal Sound. And how were they? Well, lets just say they committed the 8th sin with their show - being entertaining! I took a few minutes to compose myself. "Maybe they just didn't get the memo," I thought. "Spirit is up next. Surely THEY know how it's supposed to be. They'll follow the rules and come out flat and dull like - wait a minute..." Spirit was entertaining too! Then it just wouldn't stop... Glassmen? Entertaining. Madison? Entertaining. Boston? Entertaining. Colts? Entertaining. It was as if EVERY corps planned on being entertaining from the very beginning!! Dear God, what a disaster. Oh, and I'm not the only one who was entertained. I looked around and all I could see were rows and rows of smiling faces. "Stop, STOP!" I cried, "This is NOT the way it's supposed to be!" But people just kept on enjoying the show and cheering for all the corps anyway. The poor fools. So today I'm upset and a little worried. If this entertainment thing catches on with every corps that is not G8, well, I just don't think drum corps will ever be the same again. Heaven help us.
    40 points
  2. From the Cascades Staff: Thank you for your concern about the student’s welfare from the Omaha performance. He is an excellent baritone member, hard worker and is doing well. He passed out from a combination of heat exhaustion and incredible foot pain, his body just decided to shut down. He has been drinking plenty of water, a brass staff member also witnessed him drink a bottle right after warm up. This student has extremely flat feet and the staff purchased appropriate orthopedic supportive shoes for him near the end of “all days” as he was not aware of his condition beforehand. Due to the NW Drum Corps season being unique from most Corps, this is only our third week being together. Our two weeks of all days was windy, wet and cold. The first week of tour is always very physically and mentally challenging for NW students as we are not conditioned for the extreme temperatures and sun. The staff is well prepared and consistently educates and trains the members for what their bodies and hearts are about to go through. This being the end of our first week, the members are hitting their traditional first wall and are fighting hard to grow past it. Last season it was Arizona for us. We do have multiple layers of medical protocol in place, appropriate staff and first aid training to support it. I can’t imagine a Corps that doesn’t have medical protocols as medical issues are a daily occurrence with all Corps considering the quantity of people and athleticism involved. As per the actual moment during the show: the sound board operator was training other staff and none of them witnessed the young man go down as they were focused on their jobs and visually trapped behind the front ensemble & drum major. The first staff to witness was Jeremy Permen and he rushed down to the field jumping the fence. It was said that he got there within 10 seconds of identifying the problem. Five staff attended him as the show completed. The young man blacked out for about 15 seconds and was coherent during the end of the show telling the staff that he was ok. He was sweating, salty and focused, so they waited patiently with him until the end of the performance. He is now doing fine. The student’s welfare is our biggest priority as they are our customers and family. We want them to have incredible lifetime experiences as a Cascade and would do nothing to jeopardize their safety. Thank you again for your concern and support.
    7 points
  3. Random thoughts from a negative internet troll. The site: -Parking was easy and free -Tickets were expensive -Warmup site too close to the field. Got to hear cavaliers bassline warm up for a large part of the show. -It was HOT, but got way better as the night went on. Cascades: -I haven't seen you in a while. I love you, but want you to go back to the quirky SCVish style you had in the early 2000's. Please! -Your props are cool, but they get in the way of the staging. It is difficult to segue from behind the hash to in front of the hash, with all that stuff in your way. -Why is there a mellophone all alone, on the 50, with an 8 step interval, at your loudest impact in the show? Poor person was doomed to stick out no matter what, and they single-handedly ruined your biggest impact moment of the show. -The pandora box is an interesting concept... but the ballad doesn't work with it. She hooks herself into it... and it looks like she wants to be there. It is odd, and she's the visual center of the show for 3 minutes. -Please figure out what you are going to do in case of an injury! That was a bit of an embarrassment. -Awesome show and if this is low tier big kid drum corps, that makes me happy, because that means it is a summer of good product. Santa Clara Vanguard: -Are you ever going to fill those holes? For the Cadets and SCV, those holes take away a ton of the general effect (especially in the pod transitions throughout the show). -Some of the members who were running for so long can barely play when they get back to their spots. You can literally pick them out of the ensemble when they get back, it is a vibrato... like a winded vibrato. -The Santa Clara Vanguard Drumline is the best drumline I have ever heard. I was around for tons of Cavs, Cadets, Devs, PR drumlines for years. Nothing compares to them. Snares are the cleanest I've ever seen. -The hit in the ballad makes me want that sound from you the whole show. -The Cavaliers marching technique only works if you are a.) in step, or b.) wearing black pants. Please do one or the other. It looks like a game of paper, rock, scissors out there. -Cadets going on after SCV only served to exaggerate how bad the SCV hornline is right now. It was a tough draw. -Please clean your show, because if you do, it will be incredible. Cadets: -You are loud. -Some of your hits have individuals sticking out, badly, really badly, and no, I'm not talking about the parts where this is written into the show. -Turn down your synths, they are consistently too loud. -Jeff Sacktig deserves a hug for this drill. -The big hit in the ballad needs work. Bad. Staging doesn't help you, but the greatest moment of your show sounds like your weakest link. -Please fix the fight scene between the angel and the pink guy. It is very immature and not well done compared to the rest of the show. -Holes will kill you when you have alternating uniforms, because it looks like the design is flawed and the holes are much harder to follow. -Too much stuff going on in the pit. Too much wet, metallic sounds in basically every impact point. It is kind of disgusting, annoying, and makes it impossible to hear the harmony in the ensemble. Phantom Regiment: -You have the best "sound" in DCI right now. -Your trumpets are your weakest link. -The pacing of this show is slow going. -Your visual program looks like the classic shows of the late 80's and early 90's. That is both good and bad. -The story of Juliet is lost about 30 seconds in, and is hard to follow for most of the show, then the next thing you know she is running on the podium for the helmet trick. When your entire show is predicated on telling a story... you should probably do more than read the first page and last page to us. -The drumline isn't Paul Rennick, but it is far from a weakness. -You have white pants on and are rocking out the hard visual spots in your show... but the second the drill is easier and has less responsibilities, you are out of step. This is unacceptable when your show is only effective when clean. -The colorguard moves well. -The sabre work is lost in most spots other than the rockford file -Elsa's comes out of nowhere -March the whole closer in double time and show us some drill. The climax of your show is phrases at tempo, then a set or two at double (barely going anywhere). It feels like the show just ends. Cavaliers: -BRASSLINE thank you for finally playing out again. I have missed this Cavaliers sound. It sounds much more like 00' and less like 01'-09'. -There is a little meat to the brass book this year, as well. -The parts of your show people will remember the most are the gimmicky upside down tricks and stilts. That makes me sad with so much other greatness going on. -Don't use that synth recording stuff at the beginning and end unless you can fix your equipment to sound better. It was like a 1989 Emerson Analog Television, in a bad way. -There isn't any work by the guys on the stilts or those around them. -When you have that many contras, all with aussies pointing the other direction... why not just change the aussies for the ENTIRE corps? There is some visual mud because of this difference member to member---now that the contraline is bigger it is exaggerated more. -Why are the fattest members in the hornline making the big X poses? It is kind of laughable, and I'd hate to be those guys getting laughed at. Blue Devils: -I counted at least 14 "impact" moments where you aren't moving or are doing simple bodywork. While SCV, Cadets, and Cavaliers are killing themselves in theirs (PR even is a little more than you). -The guard is UNDERrated this year, they are very nice. -The mic'd trumpets were disgusting and covered the hornline. Plus, they sounded like they were playing on straws, they were so thin sounding. -Tons of mellos and euphs frequently stick out of the ensemble. -When you rotate the box and jazz run, numerous people are out of step. Then when they come back in, playing, it takes at least 16 counts for them to recover. -Some members use the same "spread and wail" moves in each impact... I can pick out and follow people the entire show because of these quirks and patterns.
    6 points
  4. If you have an issue with the colts organization, contact then directly instead of airing your dirty laundry on a public forum. :p
    6 points
  5. We have the full rights to arrange, perform and sell our audio performance of Empire State of Mind. The issue that has not been resolved is what is called the "sync rights", or the combination of the audio component with a video component in situations where it is sold on media. This is why the Fan Network can show a live performance of the show, but must mute out audio during a replay of the show. We have been in this process since February and will continue to work on getting this to some sort of resolution the best we can. It has no bearing on our ability to perform the piece. Chris Komnick Executive Director Madison Scouts
    6 points
  6. The reason Crown did not win last year is because Herbert doesn't believe second chances exist due to the fact he never needs one.
    5 points
  7. There were no less than three Cascades staff members managing the sound of their amplifications and synths... but there wasn't a single staff member that came to the aide of a horn line member that passed out in the show for 34 seconds. The audience watched, with literal gasps, as a corps staff member FINALLY went over and checked on this kid... the numerous people managing the sound equipment, most readily available to help... chose to ignore the problem. Only one person can run the sound board... so what they were doing, that was so important they couldn't help a member, is beyond me. Yes, heat strokes, and heat related things are frequent in the summers... but the maturity level of the staff and their response time in this show was unacceptable. Period.
    5 points
  8. Please don't take this in the wrong context; but if that's really your attitude and you have no problem expressing it as such, then DCP readers may well decide they "got better things to do" than offer an honest response. Just a thought.
    5 points
  9. Herbert once urinated in a semi truck's gas tank as a joke....that truck is now known as Optimus Prime.
    4 points
  10. How did Troop do? I hope they pop a big score tonight!
    4 points
  11. Brasso if everytime someone posted something on here that was wrong, Should we crucify them??? I mean most of us are told things by people we know and we tend to trust what's said! That said I already said I had my doubts, SO I do not need to go rub anyones face in anything! Fact is Madisonis having some rights issue that has now been cleared up! It needed to be cleared up anyway so that people who had Fan Network and can't see ESOM on demand understand why!?! I don't think it's a bad thing that he cleared this up! It's good that Corps Directors are able to follow fans and their views and also steer correct info when needed! Calling someone and saying YOURE WRONG, YOU'RE WRONG, is not the answer! I heard something, I knew it was a bit sketchy and wasn't a true believer and it got cleared up. Period!! I'm glad too, I like their closer!!:-) Wes P
    4 points
  12. This year, the DCI Finals DVD will feature 3 camera angles for Carolina Crown. High Cam Multi Cam and Herbert Cam
    4 points
  13. drum corps didnt lose it's soul. it just lost fans.
    4 points
  14. I beg to differ. It would be beneficial if no such organized Group Slotting System took place within the World Class Division in the first place, imo. It is inherently divisive, thoroughly unfair to the concept of fair competition, and frankly would never be found instituted in any competitive sport in the world. The notion that what one did in competition in a given year would advantage one the FOLLOWING year with an announced advantage to the public, future campers, and competitors itself is both unseemly and portends a rigged system that benefits a few at the expense of the others. I hope the concept of a" G8" falls apart. I think if it did, it would be a most positive thing for the future health of the activity as a whole, and provide us MORE unpredictability and upward mobility opportunities for more Corps. I will go so far to state that no person who truly values a level playing field in the World Class Division can support such a terrible slotted system... whether it is a G4, G6, or a G12. I will fight it tooth and nail. And hope others do too.
    4 points
  15. 3 points
  16. The Cavaliers 2011 show is based on Herbert.
    3 points
  17. I hope you mean "nice sound" not "mice sound"! I was told when I first started playing baritone that I sounded like a nest of mice moved into my bell!
    3 points
  18. This is an outrageous situation and must be dealt with immediately. Just think of the threat to the power structure if word gets out that ALL of the corps are amazingly talented, entertaining, and populated with good kids. Total collapse, that’s what I’m talking about! (agreed, best thread in a long time!)
    3 points
  19. Alex, You presume a lot when speaking for most fans. I disagree with you entirely. But more importantly, your argument is petulant. Recognizing whining is very easy, but still the whining gets annoying. But, you remind me of a politician that does not have an answer, so refers abstractly to "most" people or most of my constituents. Take it up a level...
    3 points
  20. Yes.... it is used heavily by many marching bands... especially competitive ones like at BOA. My rational on why drum corps have begun using it is because the staffs of nearly all the drum corps are also on staff at many of the top marching bands...... and that's just what they do. Somebody somewhere decided that an acoustic outdoor activity needed to be balanced like pop music you hear on a recording (with bass being the most prominent part). I don't now why they thought this. There is no correlation to any art music (classical, jazz), or even most rock n' roll. In these genres of music, which drum corps probably 90% on the time is trying to emulate, there is a more even balance across the ranges, if not more middles and highs. I'm really at a loss as to why any of these people actually think this sounds good.
    3 points
  21. Tough call. These are the two best championship shows of the decade. I saw these two corps a lot both of those years. I considered each corps unbeatable in their respective years. I'd have to give the edge to 2002 Cavaliers.
    3 points
  22. I think this problem started in 1990. Before then, all people were upstanding and caring. The internet made people not care anymore Gotta love sweeping statements. Facts be ######.
    3 points
  23. What is a "big long moment"? Actually, your oxymoron is symptomatic of an issue some people may still have. BD's book still devotes a lot of time to breaking music into 10-second segments, and reassembling them in a different order. It's not as pervasive as last year, though, so that is appreciated.
    3 points
  24. Thank you for articulating why you'd be a poor judge. It's not about what's your favorite. It's about what's executed better.
    3 points
  25. After doing a run through in 2007, we were told that we could do quarterfinals for that run. That was in Colorado, two weeks before finals. I almost though George was joking, but after being a part of the corps for 25+ years, he would never lie. But I believe there is no score high enough for Cadets 2007....after being a part of that corps, I will not lie, we were truly monsters and conquered the show. I will talk about it until the day I die. I also have to give props to Crown 2009. I hated to admit their brass was top-notch, but it was the truth. If you did this poll with the same corps, but with brass as the focus, I would have given it to Crown 2009. Sensemaya at 210/220 in 7/8 time? And it sounded freakin' good. Show concept flowed beautifully, and the beginning of the show was, and still is, the most musical and most innovative of all time in DCI. So there. My two cents.
    3 points
  26. It's probably a venue thing or perhaps it's just different in different parts of the country. But in my observation, the 6 live shows I've attended over the last 4 years, I would guess the average age of the audience was over 50. Some were young, but it looked more like those who qualified for AARP were the norm, not those that qualified for school scholarships. The last 6 years that I've gone to DCI shows in the movie theatre there were more ticket takers under the age of 22 than ticket givers. Here again, the average age appeared to be even older... perhaps average age 60 or so. So I really don't understand what you mean when you state that " the audience for Corps is getting younger and younger", other than perhaps you are older than you think, and those under 60 appear younger to you these days. Or perhaps your shows are filled with a lot of young people that mine clearly don't have.
    3 points
  27. Save your pennies and go to the DCI Southeast Championships in Atlanta. Find out where the corps you're interested in are practicing and show up to the rehearsal sites and politely request from someone (not an instructor who is working at the time) if it might be possible for you to meet someone in management to express your desire in marching their corps. Ask if it might be possible to meet the tuba tech during a break and ask for advice. Also ask to meet a fitness trainer with the corps to find out what you would need to be able to do physically. Don't be a pest about it, but be sincere and be patient, because it might be a few hours before anyone could realistically spend a little time with you. I think you'll find these people will be happy to say "hello" and give you some advice, but you've got to ask for it at a time when they aren't running around in pre-show panic mode.
    3 points
  28. In 2006 when Phantom Regiment/Faust sold it to the devil.
    3 points
  29. I know many, MANY people who disagree with you, myself included. It is what it is.
    3 points
  30. Some people wear Superman pajamas. Superman wears Herbert pajamas.
    3 points
  31. When Herbert looks through a glass darkly, the glass cries.
    3 points
  32. No disrespect to Madison, but I have to agree with this post. It's not really doing enough for me right now. Hopefully they'll make it better toward the end of the season.
    3 points
  33. As the OP - I feel the need to explain a little bit. At the end of the show last night I happened to realize that none of the "top 8" corps were there - and that I had never even noticed! Was everybody perfect? No. But every corps gave a performance of what I would call quality entertainment value. The crowd never missed seeing who wasn't there... we all loved seeing who WAS there. So I gave it some thought, added a twist and had a little fun with it. I hope you had some fun too.
    2 points
  34. At the end of the 2008 season with Troopers, Dean Westman stood in front of the corps, and said "you may move on to a top 12, or top 6 corps, that's fine. But why join something great when you can make something great?" 2 years later, after briefly associating myself with the Cadets, I decided Troopers were my home, and I aged out with them.
    2 points
  35. I just tried sending Herbert an e-mail for another interview request, but my server turned me in to the FBI for trying to harass a national treasure.
    2 points
  36. Michael,your comment really struck a chord.I have been an observer of this amazing evolving art form since before you marched.Enjoyed reading your columns over the years.Have been a Cadet vol for a dozen years. Even after a couple hundred shows my heart rate still jumps when I get near a stadium and can hear warmups.Not a typical fan. Heavily involved in Jazz world including as columnist covering college jazz.Got three live doses already this year including Cabellero show last Sat.This will be a year to remember. May the flame always burn brightly .
    2 points
  37. Oh boy!!! Sets up a keg and grabs some popcorn and a lawn chair to watch the fireworks. It's July 4th again! Anyone one to join me? There's plenty for all!
    2 points
  38. I actually tried to. But MR. Cavalier fan (who weighed about 500 pounds and breathed thru his nose so loudly it covered up other corps ballads) wouldn't get out of the way fast enough.
    2 points
  39. I guess I could take it a step farther... why didn't the show have a medical team available? Lets not bring up "the cost"... the ambulance crews that attend the football games in the SAME facility, are there for free.
    2 points
  40. I tried to interview Herbert for DCI.org last year, but the memory card on my digital recorder melted into a little pile of silicon when he started talking. It was probably just as well, as there wasn't enough bandwidth on the Internet to contain his words. We then tried an old-fashioned paper and pen interview, but the paper exploded into flames when he asked to see what I had written down and the ink in the pen shot up through the top and splattered on the underside of some passing clouds.
    2 points
  41. I can't believe I just read this entire thread. And all I remember is that someone yelled move that bus and he used gps and still got lost in Omaha. Or something....
    2 points
  42. I dont have a huge problem with BDs music... it doesnt do much for me, but at least its not the crap that last year was. Their visual design however... leaves much to be desired.
    2 points
  43. Once upon a time Herbert dropped, just to see if he could....
    2 points
  44. 2 points
  45. Madison's going into the top eight for sure, and IMO, they should be performing in Murfreesboro. Why is DCI taking away the current season rankings, and allowing last years rankings to qualify for the Masters show? Makes no sense to me. Maybe this is valid for the first couple of weeks of the season, but last year is OLD NEWS!
    2 points
  46. I think it mediocre and doesn't go anywhere at the end. Not to mention, any song/show that ends on a unison just doesn't do it for me. Sorry. That being said...I'm glad the Scouts are good again.
    2 points
  47. Good to know we have are priorities in line here... Dear kids, all that matters in the arts is whether you win or lose. Who cares that most of your audience doesn't appreciate you, we are winning.
    2 points
  48. If Wayne Downey is losing it, I hope he sends some of "it" this way, because I'd love to be as out of "it" as he is. He's just come off two (and almost three) undefeated seasons. One doesn't lose "it" in just one year. A funny thing is, when many others heard the corps was doing Bacharach, they were ecstatic that BD was doing something different from last year, (a show that I loved). If BD doesn't win, it will mostly be due to so many other corps being spectacular this year. "I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."—Michael Jordan
    2 points
  49. Bah... Political Correctness is nothing more than living with the delusion that you can pick up a turd by the clean end.
    2 points
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