Leaderboard

Finally home from the theater. Didn't feel like typing up all my thoughts on my phone, so here they are, in order of performance: Madison - I feel that they are already stronger than last year on the achievement side of the house, but I just can't connect with this show. It feels like the late 1980s meets early 2000s drum corps. There's nothing even remotely modern about it to me; everything from the arrangements to the drill to the cheesy acting from the guard seems old fashioned. Choppy arrangements with a lack of clarity in theme just makes it hard for me to love... I will say that there was a great amount of visual clarity for this early in the season, as well as some great brass moments. Drums in 3rd is laughable. Blue Stars - I generally love Blue Stars shows... this is a major exception. This was ROUGH, even for this early in the season. The brass had no clarity, neither in music or visual performance. It seems like there were lofty expectations for the show design, but it falls flat in most regards. With a title like "Side Show," I'm expecting a spectacle of a show with lots of great visual moments. When they started explaining how it had to do with a depression-era carnival, I immediately felt a disconnect with the show title, even moreso when I heard the choppy musical arrangements to little effect. The drumset was distracting and sounded very out of place stylistically (tuning and concert-hall style amplification made it worse). It works for Grom's indoor writing, but much less outdoors, especially in this show. One bright spot for this show was the guard, which makes me scratch my head after seeing the recaps. They have a ton of work to do, and I unfortunately think they will be on the outside looking in this year unless they make some MAJOR changes, both compositionally and in execution. Madison was clearly better, at least in my opinion. Crown - Holy crap... I wasn't expecting much initially after seeing some clips online, but they really came across well today. Brass is already performing at a high level, but there are some moments that are super exposed and will need a ton of work. The guard is phenomenal, as was the entire corps visually. Everything works thematically except for the closer, but others have already mentioned that this is likely going to be scrapped. Drums in 6th is puzzling to me and I can't help but feel a bit concerned over last place in composition. I will say, to the ire of many on this site, Crown NEEDS to embrace their use of electronics even more for this show! They didn't come across at all in prior clips, but the little I could hear of them tonight made a HUGE impact on the show. They weren't relied upon to carry the show, but they provided excellent effect and ambiance that I feel will be necessary to convey the sinister themes in this show. Overall assessment of potential: I'm expecting this will likely challenge for a medal, certainly moreso than last year, but will miss out on a top 2 spot. Cavies - The opener was great ... after that, what a mess! That "Run Boy Run" section ... what exactly were they thinking? Nothing appealing about the music, and the awkwardness of the singing made me very uncomfortable. Everything after the opener felt like a total it was trying to recreate the magic from early 2000s Cavaliers shows, unsuccessfully. Major re-writes coming folks. They have talent, but the vehicle they were given is an incomplete thought. Cadets - Already being performed at a high level. The instrumentation is a bit strange (not much bottom end), but works for the most part. The percussion section is amazing. Flam city in the drumline and some pretty interesting orchestration in the front ensemble. The french horn feature was phenomenal, but I really hope they watch where they're going on those podiums! All that said, they will do well based on how much they are integrating the "ten" concept, but there's nothing supremely innovative about this show. It's a typical fast-paced, exciting Cadets show with a basic, easily-conveyed concept rather than a theme, and it will work out very well for them competitively. I'd be surprised if they fell out of medal contention. Bluecoats - I need to apologize for the fellow audience members whose babies I will inevitably throw. I don't have any of my own, and the Bluecoats deserve to have some tossed in their general direction. I can't even begin to say how impressed I am with the sheer amount of risk the design team has taken with this show. I already know that a majority of fans will not like or identify with this show due to lack of melody, heavy electronics, etc. I have no issue with any of it, and even embrace it. It's so different than anything that has ever been put on the field. It's almost like the entire show is one continuous effect, perfectly wrapped into one full length show. I can't wait to see where they take this show once they work on some balance issues. One other area to work on will inevitably be individual visual performance. LOTS of bouncing and some uniformity issues. Overall, I really feel this show, along with the Cadets, has the potential to challenge BD for the top spot this year. The only way to go is up!

The 2015 Bluecoats are presenting THE MOST revolutionary show we've seen since 1993 Star of Indiana. Period. You can make a argument with Blue Devils 2010 (with the mirrors), but the use of effects, electronics, surround sound, minimalist music construction, mixing techniques, and then bringing the visual into the mix in such a gorgeous and evocative way is truly wonderful. Not everyone will like it, and not every corps should follow suit, but the activity has been heading this way for some time with a lot of experimentation. The Bluecoats and Blue Devils, to me, have done the best job of pushing it forward in a logical way. Bluecoats have been the leaders and have a better understanding of audio setup, clarity, mixing, and construction of a show around these components. But this year's Bluecoats takes the whole thing to another level where we can clearly say "This show was designed to be modern, electronic, something completely new, yet with excellent brass and percussion contributions." There is nothing straight-forward about this show. It's a whole new experience for drum corps fans. I personally like it even more than last year's show. Mark my words...the activity will follow.

I'm writing a pretty detailed review tomorrow if anyone's interested, if not I won't worry about it. But that's the most exciting opening night of drum corps I've had since I went to my first cinecast 8 years ago. There's not a single show I didn't really enjoy. I need to go to bed right now, my head hurts.

I posted this on Facebook. I see this show being really divisive, it's really simple but extremely complex at the same time. And I beyond loved it. Champions push the activity. They change it. I see this as one of those shows. Not for just the electronics that I'll get to. Their use of modern, minimalist, 21st century untouched, new, and fresh music and their approach to arranging it in a way that grooves and is appealing is fantastic. They've found their signature sound. Their approach to visual design is refreshing, it morphs, changes constantly, and is full of ALL sorts of unconventional things. And finally, their integration and usage of electronics is unparalleled. Something tells me the speakers around the field create effects you have to hear live, but the stuff they were doing with morphing sound, entrances and finishing phrases, ect. was just amazing to me. I need to see that show again, I think I absolutely loved it. Will it win? I don't know, but IMO this is a game changer. Their brass sounded AMAZING tonight, Percussion was absolutely fantastic, the color guard seemed HUGELY improved, visual design was refreshing, and Music GE could be huge. I'm not saying they'll win, but I think they can.

The Venue As promised, here we are. Will try to give as many thoughts as possible! Been going to these things since 2008. The first time I went in 2008 there were probably 5 people there for the Big Loud and Live, including my mom who probably didn't want to go (but she went with me last night, I've given her the DCI bug, she loves it!). Wasn't any better from 2009 - 2010, probably around 5 - 10 at each. But the last few years, there's been some traction going, when I was in high school I pushed it quite a bit and I think kids at other schools have as well, because the attendance last night was 50 +, the most I've seen at this first one. They added the event to another theater in town, probably because the Big Loud and Live event has been a complete sell out the last three times, bus loads of high school kids being brought in, audible gasps, laughs, cheering, clapping, ect. It's pretty cool to see it getting some traction. Volume was LOUD! I like it like that, quality I thought was solid, video as well. The Night Easily my favorite of the Tour Premier's that started in I think 2011? Last year there were 4 shows that didn't really captivate me and stayed that way through finals week, this year there were 0. None. I found something incredibly enjoyable in all the shows. Certain shows have downfalls, weaknesses, and performance issues, but nothing that left a bad taste in my mouth, not even remotely. I saw some shows that have an incredibly high ceiling, and some that have a slightly lower ceiling. None of these shows will peak, NONE of them. They all have obvious growth through cleaning, performance maturity, and design changes to come with the season. The Recap I love some numbers analysis. First read of the season, there's always liable to be some weird numbers thrown out, so this part is probably meaningless. What a curious recap. Only one of them kinda took me by surprise, GE 1, not disagreeing with the placement, just the spread. That's pretty big, before that score the 1.6 spread between Cadets and Bluecoats was only 2 tenths of a point! I'm not disagreeing with that score per say, but it's pretty striking. Notable things I that were dully noted after I noticed them being notable: The Cavaliers Brass were given the largest spread between content and achievement out of any judged caption of the night, with a .8 spread in favor of their content. I definitely agree, which I will get to. Blue Stars percussion were given the second largest, a .6 spread in favor of their content. I also agree here. The lower 3 corps were given overall much high scores in their content/repertoire. Indicative of three shows that could have a lot of growth in them. Cavaliers with a 3.2 spread between the two sub-captions. The Shows Madison Scouts - 78th and Madison · NYC from Annie - by Strouse, Charles · Gotta Dance from Singin' in the Rain - by Brown, Nacio Herb (not available on US Spotify) · Good Morning from Singin' in the Rain - by Brown, Nacio Herb · I Got Rhythm from An American in Paris - by Gershwin, George · Moses Supposes from Singin' in the Rain - by Eden, Roger · The Boy Next Door from Meet Me in St Louis - by Martin, Hugh; Blaine, Ralph · Traffic Jammin' from New York Cityscape for Wind Ensemble - by Tyzik, Jeff · Get Happy from Summer Stock - by Arlen, Harold; Koehler, Ted · Happy Days are Here Again - by Ager, Milton; Yellen, Jack Show: First of all, don't they look fantastic in those new uniforms? What a fun show, the theme works very well with what they're trying to portray and do with this music. Overall I think that this show is much stronger than the score indicates it to be (I can say that FOR ALL CORPS last night), and I think this could do great things for them. As stated, the corps proper looks extremely sharp, and the guard costuming works well with the theme. The suitcases, big and small work very well. The opening fanfare is fantastic, the MGM lion roar a very nice touch, starts off right in your face with Madison Screamers, huge musical moments, and some absolutely whiplash drill towards the end of that segment! Was a treat to watch. That Madison M in the drill makes a few appearances in the show, fun to see. The arrival of our Gene Kelly sudo is highlighted very well by the change in music and the visual design highlighting him extremely well, going to doors to try and trying to dance his way into NYC. A very nice ballad is to follow, falling over themselves over a beautiful dancer, the mannequin-esque things they dance with are interesting. Drum feature to follow, drumline is laying down some notes! The medley closer works well, that Fleur de Lis set looks fantastic! Performance and Thoughts: As stated, a much stronger offering than last year. Visual design was a blast to watch, they're absolutely hauling it through segments of that, notably at the end of the closer and before the drum break where there is a block form and it ripples in and out of itself into a line, that was a highlight moment for me. Lots of visual performance issues and what I sensed were early season jitters, but overall it's not unclean-able, just a lot of hard work. Hornline sounded nice, music was overall good. In the middle I found myself trying to figure out what they were playing and got lost a little, but overall in the big moments it is solid. Get those in between moments there and they'll be great. Guard looked a lot better tonight than Monday, some nice stuff going on from what I can tell. Percussion, great. Sparling is doing a fantastic job with them. This show felt very retro in an overall good way! From the uniforms, to the percussion, to the music, to the drill, it had that Madison spark. I think this show has some work to be done on it, more so cleaning then changing, but overall, very impressed. Blue Stars - Side Show · Entrance of the Gladiators- by Julius Fucik · The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze - by Gaston Lyle, Alfred Lee · I Will Never Leavge You (from Side Show broadway original) - by Henry Krieger, Bill Russell · Send in the Clowns - by Stephen Sondheim · Carnivale - by Jeff Beal · Original music - by Richard Saucedo, Ian Grom, John Mapes Show: Overall, a very fun show with massive potential. As we arrive at the carnival we hear that familiar tune as the brass enters backfield leading into that theme being stated in a big company front, morphing into what looks like a big circus tent, guard interspersed. Things get busy next, jugglers, contortionists, trombones, sword swallowers! That juggler had my nerves on end, but he nailed it. Great job! Pit ripping away in spots in here, drill is booking it as well, really cool FTL up front around the high striker. Ballad to follow, a mash up of "Send in the Clowns" and "I Will Never Leave You", which is portrayed by some siamese twins on side one, and clowns on side two in a strikingly different blue and white costume. Some beautiful writing here, I love the final moments of this movement. Next is the closer, which starts out finally featuring their fantastic percussion section, which builds as our strongman tries to get that striker to hit 100! That drumline is ramming away, as is the pit, they're a real show stopper! Brass is booking it with some fast drill. Finally our trip comes to the end with a huge rotating Ferris wheel, and finally that star we saw last year. Performance and Thoughts: Enjoyed the show, surprised at the roughness, was a lot rougher then anticipated. Not unfixably so however. Particularly the front half. I sense a lot of first show jitters, but some pretty glaring visual issues. LOTS of difficulty though, I think there's some great stuff happening design wise. When we hit the ballad it really started to pick up, and when we got to the closer I was a lot more at ease. Brass was ragged first half, overall nice 2nd half. Can say the same for the drill. What wasn't rough was the guard and percussion, as usual both are the highlights of the corps. Guard needs to be more convincing in parts, the high striker moment is the only time in this show that could have been extremely cheesy, was extremely cheesy. Not very convincing at all, that thing is gonna hit 100 you need to smack the #### out of it. But how about that percussion package! In a time where we only focus on drumilne a lot of the time, their front ensemble stood about above almost everyone elses, they're killer! The drumline is getting there too, their feature was absolutely fantastic. Overall I think they have some editing/layering to do and a LOT of cleaning. However once it does, this show has an EXTREMELY high ceiling, this show will either peak finals week or not at all, they won't ever hit a wall, it's just a question of how much they can do with it. A little worried at first, but I think it has huge potential. Carolina Crown - Inferno Show: As we enter hell to the sounds of Beethoven, we're met with a pretty striking entrance. Those lime green silks come out of nowhere, they're absolutely sinister. As the last chord plays, the words "Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here" fly over the corps, rifles flying out from underneath as it moves backfield. As we enter, the drumline gives us a fast, sinister, intense feature as the brass books it backfield, morphing, rotating 3D Pyramids, and 9 circles encompassing the guard. Brass sounds absolutely evil as the familiar stabs of Verdi's "Dies Irae" ring out. Some very technical passages in the brass that they nailed. Guard looks fantastic here. Things get purely evil in "Organ Symphony", I'm assuming that's where we meet Satan. Rifles are in the air almost consistently, that guard is killer. Brass is LOUD at the end of this as the organ plays. The tarp incident is really unfortunate, you could see them trying to fix it to no avail, regardless that is going to be an absolutely goose bump inducing moment. Finally we exit hell to the sounds of "Ode to Joy" as the brass plasters us back and that guard is twirling their butts off. Performance and Thoughts: Quick thoughts on performance, cleanest of the night to me. Brass and Guard obviously, drumline is great but someone else brought up Front Ensemble, and I can't remember anything about them. Great marching as well. I like this show, however............I can't put my finger on it. I thought seeing this on the big screen would help but I feel the same way I did last weekend. It didn't feel sterile, but for a show theme that should be absolutely heart wrenching and intense, I didn't feel a lot of emotional response. I think they have a lot of layering to do thematically, there are times where it's just spot on, like the end of the Beethoven intro, and the beginning of "Organ Symphony". If they're wanting to portray Dante going through hell being guided by Vigil, they're going to have to do more than two members running out at the end of the show. Others, like the Verdi and ESPECIALLY the closer, it felt sterile. The closer I think will change, that's a given. And I think there are plenty of opportunities to layer the show. So we'll see. None of my comments are anything that I think can't be fixed I don't think. They're a monster corps. The Cavaliers - Game On · Fetes from Nocturnes - by Claude Debussy · Macrotus - by James Newton Howard · On The Shoulders of Giants - by Peter Graham · Run Boy Run - by Woodkid · Symphony No. 8: Finale - by Anton Bruckner The Show: The opening minutes of this show are some of my favorite moments this year, the Bruckner/Debussy is just glorious. "Fetes" is exciting, fully of notes and glorious impact moments. Brass sounds great in these opening minutes, some really cool visual things going on too. "Run Boy Run" is an interesting section, the drum feature I suppose? We see the athletic part of this show for sure. Trombone Quartet was not mic'd well last night that sounded a lot more fitting this previous weekend. Not sold on the singing, that needs some looking at. After this though, I love the end of this section, it's pretty fun. Ballad is beautiful, some interesting visual things going on. There's about a minute and a half of show that wasn't shown this previous weekend, it was obviously new, was A LOT rougher than the rest of the show. That said I think the closer is awesome! When that cleans it is going to be awesome. Love the brass writing here. Performance and Thoughts: So I was surprised, a lot dirtier than I was lead to believe this weekend watching it online. However I still stand behind my statements, I think this show is dangerous. I say that because I think the first half is a sign of where the second half will get. It's right up there with Blue Stars in room to grow, I don't see this show ever peaking this season. They have A LOT to do. Thematically, I myself found it pretty easy to get. Athleticism and the Spirit of competition. Closer and ballad need some work in this respect, but the front half is where it's fine to me. Brass sounded fantastic at times and really winded at times. Colorguard had some great moments and some not so great moments. Percussion was overall solid. I think this show is still in its early stages, it rang off as unfinished. I think right now, they need to get that closer under hand and then start cleaning like there is no tomorrow, there is a show that can be something amazing in there. Looking at the recap, that brass content score is very promising, they have a lot room with this show. Whereas Blue Stars show ended strong, this one started strong. We'll see, cleaned up I see this being fantastic. The opener is a sign of what's to come IMO. The Cadets - The Power of Ten · Symphonic Movement - Vaclav Nelhybel · Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93 (mvmnt ii and iv) - by Dmitri Shostakovich · Mulholland Drive/Love Theme - by Angelo Badalamenti The Show: You know that first hit is coming, as that last rifle snaps and year hear 10 it doesn't make it any less awesome. That's a face melter. Jeez. Next we move into Shostakovich 10, which is FULL of technicality from the brass, they sound fantastic. Love the guard scheme here, the reds and yellows along with the corps proper look striking. All sorts of 10s and such going on in the drill in countless ways. Love the ballad from "Mulholland Drive" absolutely gorgeous. Some very cool stuff done in the within 10 yards ballad with body movement and choreography. The guard members running side to side through the brass was neat. Here we go, the Waltz section I think will be the most difficult thing on the field this summer. Absolutely insane, that drumline being at the headline of it. Just wow, they're incredible. The horn feature is really neat, a bit short, but neat. Drill makes my legs hurt just watching. The closer is intense, just pure drum corps. The tag ending is OBVIOUS placeholder. Performance and Thoughts: Yup, they're going to be contending. Brass is fantastic, guard will probably clean well, and I'm not even going to try and talk about the drums. Just mind blowing. A little less polished than previous years, but I'd rather it be that way because of an insanely hard show and them finish strong than them come out super polished and not grow. Up through the ballad this show feels complete, I think that's probably what got them the high GE numbers. Waltz felt very complete too. The closer is interesting, not as much symbolism and presentation of it here. I think there is some layering to be done in that respect in the closer, I'm excited to see the real ending which I'm sure will be fantastic. They're going to be amazing. Bluecoats - Kinetic Noise · Shaker Loops - by John Adams (as arranged/performed by Jon Anderson) · Electric Counterpoint - by Steve Reich · Woods - by Bon Iver · Gene Takes a Drink - by Michael Gordon · The Animated Description of Mr. Maps - by The Books · Dense - by Univers Zero The Show: If you've seen me ranting and raving, sorry you get to hear it again. If you knew me and asked my friends and family who have gone to shows with me you would probably hear that I always have something to say about shows after they're done. Didn't after this one, first time I've been speechless after a show. At first I wasn't sure if I absolutely hated what I just saw or if I completely loved it. It's the latter. After sleeping on it I feel no less intrigued by it. That opening impact moment just made me smile huge, emerging from white noise and other noisy things going on at the beginning, it was glorious. Loudest moment of the night in my theater. The way this corps explores moods and energies of music is amazing, the transition to the next section is almost ethereal, dream like. And here comes the brass again, mello's and high brass with some very technical passages licks as the guard comes out with some psychedelic flags that really pop. Drill is very organic almost, no stark direction changes, it just flows together in complete thoughts between impacts. That entire time the drumline is throwing it down, they're aggressive and fantastic. Those Bluecoat's contra features that I always remember them for are back. After that we see the brass playing into some mic's backfield for what I sense is something really cool with the sound and location of it. Guard comes out with some really striking silks here to finish out this section with a really cool brass hit, electronic echo, and back in. "Woods" is a fantastic break from all the chaos, beautiful baritone soloist. I think it makes great use of some silent moments and builds to a fantastic ending chord that was just spine tingling. Here come the drums, still my favorite writing, and they play the crap outta it too. Here comes "Dense" the brass flowing around the props for for some very quirky, intense passages. This closer is dark, groovy, and fun. Some really cool layering things going on musically. The tension building in it is unrelenting, it's definitely going some where. Next we hear some echoing from the trumpets as the brass does some of the cooler drill I saw last night, sprinting in some follow the leaders that morph and build into a little tag of "Woods", building to the end where the brass fades out to static and finally silence. Performance and Thoughts: I'm going to start with the things a lot people are not talking about. Brass sounded fantastic, easily up there with Crown and Cadets. I think the writing showcases them in many ways and they deliver. Percussion is killer as always, writing and performance. I love their aggressiveness, that feature was awesome. Color Guard looked HUGELY better than this time last year, I thought they were striking, looking forward to seeing some show silks in the closer. But I thought they were stronger than in years before. I found my self enjoying the drill quite a bit. Some dirt, but it's incredibly organic in the way it changes and moves, especially when it's involved with the props. The way it morphs around them in the first hit and the closer is just awesome. Musically this is their niche. This minimalist, 21st century, untouched crazy music works so well for them. The way it is arranged is just seamless to me, it shouldn't work but it does. The moods, textures, and sounds they create are just refreshing. Rarick and Thrower, my hat is off to you. Well done! Performance wise, I think musically it's going to be very strong, and visual has the potential to be. I think cleaning the visual package will be a determining factor in how they ultimately do. Some really cool stuff going on. GE 1 judge, that's interesting. 1st read of many, I won't fret too much over it. I thought Cadets were stronger in that respect, but not by 1.4 points. I'd say .5 or so. If you take out that number............it was close. Really close. .2 We’ll see. Finally, the elephant in the room. I think that their usage of electronics will be incredibly divisive, you're either going to love it or hate it. They went for it, I give them major props for that. So many of those things I bet need to be experienced live, but it was #### cool in the theater too. I found a lot of it looked to be them playing and it being manipulated rather than being prerecorded, which I think is great. The way they are manipulating sound is just incredible, they have a completely different sound than anyone else. There isn't going to be another show like this, they're unique. I think this show is a game changer because of the use of the music they picked, its arranging, and the integration of the electronics into it. In that respect it's unparalleled in my eyes. Champions push the activity. They change it. I see this as one of those shows. I think they have a shot. I'm beyond excited to see what they do with this show. It's incredible. Other Thoughts Scores were really low, but at this point I think spreads are more important. I think Madison and Blue Stars both easily have finalist shows, and will place as high as they can clean. I think Cavaliers are in the same boat. Crown's show needs life, they are going to perform the hell out of it for sure though. Cadets and Bluecoats were so different but equally enjoyable. Both were amazing in their own respects, and both shows I really enjoyed. I saw two contenders last night and one that could get there. This season is going to be amazing, some incredible stuff last night.

How about this: CADETS HAD A GREAT FIRST SHOW LAST NIGHT!!!

Here are my personal thoughts on the theater experience: We had probably between 100-125 people in attendance at the theater in the NE Atlanta burbs. My first time doing the DCI at the movies. Was a bit concerned as to how it would go from all of the past issues I've read with regards to the production. Our particular theater had great sound, great video, and never missed a beat so overall I was quite glad I came out. Madison Scouts: It's a very MS show. The performers and the product are very entertaining and I'm sure live was even more amplified. My concern is that this show could have been performed anytime in the last 30 years. It was lacking in innovation and almost seemed like a step (or a few steps) in the wrong direction. Blue Stars: After hearing the introduction interview I was excited to see Side Show. While it was still very dirty (as it should be for this time of year) I was pretty disappointed overall. I was expecting a little more freak show and got more of a family friendly show. It was still entertaining but leaned towards gimmicky for me. I'm sure that as it evolves the idea of it being a depression era traveling circus side show will become more evident. Cavies: Had heard so many positive things coming from the corps and that this was the product to launch them back into the mix. After seeing the show, I'm not sure where I stand. Part of me wants to really like it and think that it can be competitive with the big guns. The other part of me thinks its really flat and the "game on" idea doesn't read at all except through the uniform. I really hope that I'm wrong and that as things move along it does become a powerful show. Tons of fast energy but sadly, this show received the least response from our theater. Carolina Crown: I really want to like this darker side of Crown. And the first 2/3s of the show I really do like it. The color guard is really kicking it right now and the corps was a lot cleaner than I expected. As always, the brass was fantastic. I'm sure that this is far from complete but the transition to Ode to Joy is very abrupt and that is where I was lost. I understand the storyline but it just felt like we jumped from the middle of the book to the last chapter. The overall set design seemed to be lacking from a visual standpoint. I want to see more "hell" on the field (and maybe it will come...props??). Overall it was highly entertaining but a bit of a head scratcher for me. Cadets: Wow...this show is VERY Cadets on all fronts. It is full of powerful music and tons of visual elements (all the things we expect from the Cadets). The idea of the number 10 is portrayed in many different ways, sometimes hitting you over the head and others more subtle. Fantastic percussion. Color guard was pretty dirty (for the Cadets this kind of surprised me, I'm sure they will come along nicely though). Overall, it is quite a production and one that will be towards the top of the heap all season I'm sure. For what it's worth, this show received the largest ovation from my theater. Bloo: After last seasons success, I was really excited to see this. And I was not let down at all. It's like they continued right where they left off. This show is LOUD!!! I can't wait to see it live where I'm relying on my ears vs. the microphones on the field and theater speakers. Holy cow, this corps is moving! And the level of clean was the best of the night across the board. Another product that will be near the top in August. Again...these are MY opinions only. I really enjoyed the show and can't wait to see more from these corps and the rest of the field. Best of luck to everyone on a great 2015 season!

Sorry I'm late to the party, just got home. but..HOLY CRAP PEOPLE. This season is going to be legendary. So many good things going on. Here's my review: Scouts - missed it, but saw it on the Monday webcast. SO no comment here. Blue Stars - To be totally honest, this show was a solid "meh." The members were throwing down their best, but the show just didn't "WOW" me. And I'm sorry, but I still just don't like how the red plumes look with those uniforms. Carolina Crown - yeeeaaaah brass! Crown Brass is out and doing their thing as always. Lots of cool moments in the show both musically and visually. There were several, rather hilarious to watch incidents with the tarps though, with the red sheer material getting twisted up and then caught on that poor baritone player's horn. Overall, I'm digging this show and it's music, but there's a few design issues that are holding it back in my opinion. The show seems a little slow/choppy between some of the movements, which always kills the momentum for me. But, I've got faith in the design team that they're going to smooth it out come August. Also, I really sense that the current ending is a placeholder, and that something much bigger will replace it eventually. I also felt that they shouldn't have placed quite as far ahead of the Cavaliers as they did. Cavaliers - I'm loving this show concept. It just screams Green Machine. Gotta love some Bruckner 8 in the opener. Drill is VERY classic cavaliers - and there are enough notes in the brass to compete with Crown and the Cadets design-wise. Obviously, it still needs some TLC both in performance and design, but we've got whole season ahead of us. The ending definitely could use some more wow factor. And the "Run, Boy, Run" singing....yeah. It was a little awkward sounding. Again, I like where they are going though, and hope they continue to build upon it. The Cadets - Definitely one of my favorite shows this season. Man, they can move really well for the beginning of tour. Still some dirt in the horns, but they came out of the gates playing louder than Crown did, and kept that up most of the show. The French Horns...wow. That is one of the coolest moments musically I've seen so far. But...it seems really short. So short it's almost out of place. I really hope they add to it by season's end. Love the staging for the baritone solo as well. This is going to be a medal contender for sure. Bluecoats - WOW. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this show. I went in thinking the Cadets show was going to be my overall favorite...but then this happened. I am deeply impressed with this show. This is a corps and a staff being innovative and pushing the boundaries in a way that works, extremely well. If they can keep this show up, I feel it will go down as one of those moments in DCI history that changed the activity forever. And, dare I say it, I think this show could give BD a challenge for the gold if they can clean it up. Absolutely amazing work, Dean Westman and the rest of the team. I'm excited, y'all. No matter what, this is going to be a great season to watch from start to finish.

My two-cents worth from my first "drum corps at the theater" experience (and with full knowledge and acceptance that there is an entire season to go -- so my observations from tonight actually mean next to nothing in the grand scheme of things): 1) Really, really p***** at myself that I waited until now to attend one of these. The theater I attended is known for having a great sound system -- but Jesus!!! So nice to be in drum corps glory on the 18th of June. 2) Scouts: I'm a Scout lover from waaaaaaay back. But for me, something wasn't quite there. But as I said above...it's only the first night. Horn line is basically a Scouts hornline...though as a trumpet player, I kind of...no...REALLY...miss the old "hang it out there" Scout screamers. But I accept that it's a different age, so that's that. 3) Stars: Unfortunately, the early show problems I repeatedly saw in terms of alignment and spacing bothered me -- to the point that they lost me after a while. Funny thing that ran through my mind: they use that "use your mallet to make the iron ball go up the tower and ring the bell" thing. How funny would it be for the last instance to consist of positioning the snare line in such a way that one of the snares merely reaches over and "taps" the target, resulting in the most successful result. As I said, funny but insignificant thought... 4) Cavies: Nice tonguing dexterity (and keep your asides to yourselves on that one). Kinda' sorta' typical Cavie style and design. Kids (guys) were playing their butts off...but unfortunately, it was only a "meh" for me. 5) Crown: This is where things got interesting for me. One, I love the unis this year. No purple...no teal...the all-black with red accents screams "WE MEAN BUSINESS." Loved it. The sudden full hornline hits in the opener made me forget some of the unfortunate trumpet fracked attacks leading up to them. Oddly enough, once they set that bar with their total sound, I found the "Dies Irae" to be somewhat less than totally convincing. It's "Day of Wrath," for heaven's sakes. I don't think it's possible to play it with enough anger or forboding...yet I was almost underwhelmed. I also perceived a drop in the energy (synergy) level of the show (both design-wise and performance-wise) through the final third of the show. Loved the dark theme. Can't wait for it to get even darker. Oh...and as much of a Beethoven devotee as I am...I'm not sure I'm convinced of the closer. But yet again...it's early. 6) Cadets: Ok. I've never been a huge Cadets follower (except for certain years, especially those of the Zingali era). But MAN!!! I think Shosty would have been pleased...very pleased. It was difficult to reconcile the heavy use of electronics in a Shostakovich work, but again, I guess that's where we are. I'm just not certain that it is entirely necessary. Very nice ballad; in fact, I found this program to contain the greatest amount of subtlety of any of the programs. The short authentic French Horn feature? Our entire theater let out a very satisfied "sigh" upon its completion. Being an old-school idiot, I've not been a fan of the horn changes. BUT...this worked, and for me, it worked big time. And as everyone else has pointed out...that percussion section is to kill for. 7) Bluecoats: Only one thing to say -- I predict that this show will be the most controversial show of the entire summer. It's a New York Yankee or Dallas Cowboy type of show...either you love it, or you hate it. And I think there will be plenty on both sides. Sorry for being so long-winded. I guess I'm just still on a high from the whole experience.

of course

Unrecognizable music is a bad thing...? Huh. Different strokes for different folks I guess. I'll take new music every year over corps blurting phrases from Simple Gifts and Phantom of the Opera every few years.

Telling you... this show has championship written ALL over it!

If Bloo became "The Corps That Does Electronics" that'd be just fine. It would give them a solid identity, which I feel like they've lacked for a good portion of their existence. Heck, every year in the prediction thread it's majority "oh yeah, I have to stick Bluecoats somewhere...uh....SIXTH. Nailed it!". People don't think about them. I think TILT and now this show will help change that. Love it or hate it, having a solid, recognizable identity is worth a lot.

Ok.. now for some kudos. Kudos to ALL the performers and staffers for having their Corps ready to go last nite. Some of us dinos recall Corps on this date doing standstills for their closer on the fiield with guards just standing there or, marking time. These show are very hard to execute, and all the Corps last nite deserve our appreciation for having full shows ready to go. Sure, they'll add stuff, delete stuff, but all of 'em were ready to go last nite with their shows.

I find interesting at how some of you guys can be so critical of these shows during the first show of the season and not even take into consideration that it's just that, the first show! Everyone one of these young people in each of these corps work their butts off in all types of elements so the say absurd things like "disaster" or someone got "screwed" really shows your understanding of what's really going on. Just because you don't like a choice of music or theme personally should not objectively want you to trash it, it's just your Monday morning quarterback opinion. It's early and I'm sure most of these corps finished products will look markedly different by DCI finals. You tell by some of the comments made who is knowledgable and who is not. For example, I really appreciate the knowledgeable comments by Horn Teacher. Definitely knows the activity as a performer and instructor. I will close by saying this, it is going to be a very competitive year this year in DCI, which is good for the activity. Some that we expect to place higher will not in the end, and some we expect to fade will not this year. Again, this is all good for the future of the activity.

I am literally thinking about quitting work and becoming a groupie this year it was that good. Oh My God. In my 25 years of DCI, I have NEVER seen anything like it. More please.

I think you're right, Jeff. I was a bit surprised that nobody broke 70. And I chalk that up to one simple thing...and which, by the way, I predicted in one of the threads regarding this season.... 99.65.

Love this show or hate it, falling flat or winning its first championship, they're giving us something completely new, pulling out the stops, and risking a lot with this show. You've got to give them props for that. There is not 1 safe, easy thing about it.

I went to the cinecast at Tinseltown in North Canton. Really good stadium theater setup with excellent video and audio quality. Whoever does the sound in the theater for this show knew what they were doing. It was jacked up and very LOUD. I liked all the shows to some extent. From an entertainment standpoint I'd say Bluecoats and Cadets grabbed me the most. Probably not surprising since I've been a fan for sometime of both corps. Overall performance: Carolina Crown was the cleaner of the top 3. Bluecoats were the next cleanest, then Cadets. Blue Stars are very dirty but I believe they have the better overall package than Madison. I actually really liked the Cavaliers show and think they just need a few tweaks and a cleaner performance in music to make this thing sparkle. Scoring: I wasn't surprised by the scoring of the top 3. That can shakeup any number of ways as the season progresses. None of the other corps present at this show will catch Cadets, Coats, or Crown. I do believe Cavaliers will be better than a lot of people are giving them credit for at the moment. I really liked them tonight. I would have had Blue Stars over Madison. I like both shows. Madison sounds wonderful but the first half of their show is too disjointed for me. Love the second half. They do have a MUCH better visual package than last year. Blue Stars have major potential and a fun show. As for the top 3 here, they are all medal worthy. BD will be as well (we would assume), and we'll have to see how SCV does. The Cadets have some MAJOR demand, wonderful music, and incredible drill (which was expected for any of us who heard their off-season offerings). It's a monster show that should both entertain and show off the corps' amazing ability to perform at a high level. When they finished the opener I sat their thinking that most corps don't play that many notes in their entire show. Sheesh!! Love their ballad, and the waltz. Clever. Can't wait to see their real ending in July. This is a fantastic show from top to bottom. They will be a force. Definitely top 3, and likely a contender. The Bluecoats have perhaps taken it up another notch (if that was possible) from last year's amazing production. No doubt the talk about them will begin with their unique approach to electronics and music construction. I have been waiting for a show like this for around a decade. Many drum corps out there have tried various types of electronics, amplification, synths, singing, narration, etc. Usually it just comes across cheap, not effective, or as some side effect that's not necessarily needed in the show. What the Bluecoats are giving us is THE MOST adventurous show from a standpoint of using the electronic palette, and they are doing so without taking away from an outstanding brass and percussion book. They are giving us 3D dimensions of sound effects, rhythms, and dissonant clusters; and they are masterfully integrating it with minimalist patterns used to build the phrases (their music is highly minimalist in composition). The Bonn Iver chart might be the best ballad this year by far. If you're a traditionalist, this might not be your cup of tea, but I think this may well be the one show that even "old timers" turn to and say "I dig it." Definitely a contender! Carolina Crown is doing a very dark show based on Inferno from the Divine Comedy. I love the use of Beethoven's Ninth. I love the Verdi as well. Brass is wonderful and powerful. Percussion I do think is better, and I would not read too much into scores from tonight. This show was a little more polarizing for me. Some of the effects are blah (for me), and others are bold and reel me in. The build up to Ode to Joy is awesome, but from Ode to Joy to the end is a let down. That will chance I am sure. I am not sure they have the visual vehicle. They are cleaner than Coats and Cadets for a reason. They are moving much less and their visual is very compact. Now, more will be added, so it's early and I'm only reacting off of one read. I would have had Crown under Coats by over a point. I do love their guard. WOW! Wonderful. I however do NOT like the uniforms for brass and percussion. Yuck. I understand the color combination of black and red, but that candy cane like squiggle up the left leg is ugly for my taste. Still, there is plenty to enjoy about this show.

Her uniform is so tight that you can see her bones, poor girl.

I love how irreverent this part of the thread has gotten. It must be driving Xanandi batty.

I REALLY like Vanguards look, a lot.

I sense some serious sarcasm in response to something he was responding to. lol

Cappybara approves of this message.

Yes, I was close to calling last year's show the most modern thing we'd seen since Star 1993, but the Blue Devils productions of 2010 and 2012 rank right up there, and in the end I felt Bluecoats could still take it up one notch. They've taken it up 10 notches. This is a good thing. The activity has long needed a guide, a blueprint, on how to create shows with all the "goodies" available to them in today's DCI. This is the FUTURE! Seriously. Sure, some corps will still give us traditional straight up drum corps, and you know what...I'll love that too. Cadets are more traditional this year in part because of the beating they take when they try to be modern. It worked a little in 2011 (speaking more so about the electronic contributions). Their show was fabulous in 2011. I think their show is fabulous this year too. For corps like Cadets, BD, Bluecoats, Crown, and others, having awesome brass and drums was not the question. BLOOO has had amazing brass and percussion for a long time. The question to me was this: with all the new rules and changes to the musical pallette, who would really showcase these ideas and make sense of it? Ironically, it was George Hopkins who pushed for a lot of this stuff, but aside from his corps' obvious amazing talents and great shows, the Cadets have struggled with electronics. Not necessarily in a horrible way, but not quite to the "OMG this is so cool" way. The Blue Devils have embraced these changes and have given us some excellent integration. The Bluecoats took it to another level last year (and the show from top to bottom was awesome), but this year's production by BLOOO is on another level. This will open the creative flood gates for many corps, and in the long run that's a good thing. It's time for something new, which in turn may re-invigorate the older traditional styles as well.

I honestly hope the rest of the activity didn't follow. I LOVE all the effects the Bluecoats use, but this is becoming their identity. I'd rather the heavy electronics use stick to being a Bluecoats thing. I don't want all corps to sound the same.

RE: Bluecoats and reality vs. synthesized. Do y'all remember the pitch bend last year? And how they visually showed you that they were NOT playing the bend? There are times in this show, like in the pitch bend last year, where they use obvious movements that display the fact that they are NOT playing at certain times. If you pay attention, they are not trying to trick anybody. It is definitely more sophisticated. As they have matured the techniques and the audience is maturing with them. Now, it might be argued that this little visual techniques were created by adults and the kids (think of the kids) are only repeating what the adults told them. So nevermind. Scratch this entire post.

There is one member who does this and I promise you, he is of DCI legal age. I believe his name is Nick. Where do you get this idea that there are "adults" who are "manipulating" live shows? This is a new argument, I guess. It never came up during Tilt. The Bluecoats have been quite open that they are working with different sound engineers in spring training and in doing so, these sound engineers have trained their members on how to recreate these sounds in a live environment. But don't take my word for it. Look here: https://twitter.com/Bluecoats/status/608276187765424128 This is no different than hiring brass, guard, or percussion techs. Actually, about ten years ago, it became the norm to also have dance/movement techs, as well. The Bluecoats have just added sound engineer techs. You know, educated adults who teach members how to do things professionally. Yeah, this is just a bit ahead of the DCI design curve, and I am fairly certain other corps will follow suit.

I think he means in reference to the sound effects that do not come out the same. I have seen this show live. I have seen (ahem) three different digital recordings of it; two from a theatre and one from a periscope app. The recorded versions are bastardizations to the spatial auditory effects in the show and I am sure Tom Blair will be scratching his head how to best recreate these things on Blu-Ray. If you haven't seen this show live, then you simply can't debate which venue hurts this program more than any other corps. The live science effects created (multiple doppler and other type things I'm not even sure if there are words for yet) can't be heard on the recordings I have seen. Now, Cadets and Crown have great shows but what I think mingusmonk was suggesting is that the Bluecoats show has sound effects that can't be recreated in a theatre or at home, unless it has a 27-point Dolby system in a HUGE room. Yes, there are created electronic sound effects but that is not what makes the show unique from an auditory standpoint. Space and distance are used in such ways that recreating the dimensions of a football field in your entertainment room will be tough, not to mention the volume necessary to match it live.

. They picked up their marbles and went home!

Madison- disaster Blue Stars- potential Cavies- no theme, no glue Crown- holy crap Bloo- you have to be s_______en me Cadets- I can't even begin to think this possible in f___ing June

Rondinaro said after their performance tonight that at the beginning of Bluecoats' show he wanted a bit less electronics and a bit more brass. DeLucia replied that "some people say that this is the future", and that the Bluecoats are leading the way. I hope not. Let me clarify! I hope that not all or even most future shows make this much use of electronics. It's going to be a great show. I'd be perfectly happy to see it win everything at Finals in eight weeks. But I'd be equally happy to see Crown or Cadets win it all (to go just by tonight's performances), and I'd hate to have Bloo's style predominate at the expense of the others. Vive la difference, right? But to the degree that electronics do get used, then by all means let the Bluecoats example lead that use. Beyond that, it was fun to finally see what my Denison-alum friends described to me a couple weeks ago after watching a couple hours of rehearsal during the "Big Red Reunion Weekend". They told me it was going to push the envelope--and they really liked the props and the slow-motion effects in the drill. Finally, tonight's performance should put to rest the unsubstantiated predictions that "Kinetic Noise" would be designed as "Tilt 2".

For those that are calling "foul" for Crown's drums...just because a section is improved...doesn't necessarily mean that the groups around you didn't improve as well...I really LOVE drum judges because they are the one's that are not afraid to throw down a number that is not always popular sometimes with the consensus...

Awful lot of heat up in here.....

Yes.

Are you finding Jeff being taxing the death of us yet?

Let the DCA Season Begin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZRezLnHVBQ (select HD ) Tickets are Still available All Seats $18.00 All Seats General Admission Gates open at 5:30 pm Show starts at 6:30 pm Go to http://Cabs.org and order now.

I guessed they crashed.

I don't know if leveling that thing to the ground would be such a good idea; lest you suffer the wrath and eternal haunting of "Sarah."

They appear to be Tesla coils.

So "usually" must mean that most of the amplification and electronics used over the past six (for the latter) or eleven (for the former) years have been tawdry, but when those of us in the anti-electronics crowd, as it were, dared to say so, we were told repeatedly how wonderful it was and that we were trying to stop the glory of progress.

That picture looks a lot sharper than the images at the cinema.

I agree with every word of this review.Bluecoats knocked my socks off. They will get standing ovations every night. With all the new corps, shows like these( and last year's) and three internationals coming to finals, this beloved activity is clearly on the upward track that we have been waiting for , Theatre attendance was a little disappointing in Aliso Viejo CA, but adult ticket price was $24 which is less than reserved seat at the big 12 corps (BD,SCV, BK,Regmnt,PC,Acad.,Mand.)show on the 28th in Riverside. Show will sellout (2,000 reserv.)like last year.

I think the Cavs are an improved Corps. I like the theme " Game on ", and when the Designer before they took the field mentioned the vibe of athleticism, It peaked my interest. Guards drive these themes. I did not get the vibe of " athleticism " at all from the Cavs Guard however. The moves were more in the realm of ballet. . Graceful, yes, but not " athletic " to me. Madison Scouts.... if you are going to do a show that draws its supposed inspiration from " Gene Kelly ", then by gawd have the guard perform a dance step, and moves that Gene Kelly would have done, not one that looks like it might have been inspired from the old TV sitcom Beverly Hillbillies. The guard character looks like a goofball,, ... and by Scouts intention. But Gene Kelly was anything but a happy go lucky goofball in my assessment of Gene Kelly... a man's man dance icon. I loved the uniforms however, and the trombone soloist is very talented on this instrument. Bluecoats... Their design is unique. its different, as it heavy on adult created electronic gadgetry. But at this artificial, superficial level, it does work as a gimmic. Corps has potential to win it all if the judges like the adult created sounds from the machines. Blue Stars.... has a design that should keep them in the top 12, imo... kind of a weird circus show vibe, but it kept my interest. Crown.... terrific guard, music is dark, theme more coherent this season than last season, not as captivating a show for me as other Crown shows, but their score tonite should be encouraging to them. Cadets....last years show design did not give the Cadets a shot at the title. This one does, imo. This was my favorite design of the nite, as the show flowed seemlessly, imo... and I think there are points to be had in this show design to win it all, imo Anyway, its late, and thats my brief take on opening nite. By Finals, some Corps shows will take off, others won't have the capacity to do so. Too early to tell for certain which ones will, which ones, won't.

Went to the theater show and had a great time. No technical issues (although the sound cut out for about 90 seconds during the previews, which freaked a bunch of people out). I would say there were about 25-30 people there (maybe a little less). The theater was great, with nice big reclining chairs. Here are my impressions: I'm not smart or experienced enough to say much about the scores, except to say that I was a little surprised by the spread between Crown and the Cavies. Based on what I've read here, though, it sounds like most think the scoring was right on the money so I'll chalk that up to being a bit of a Cavies homer. Scouts: As I mentioned after Monday's preview, this show just really isn't my cup of tea. My feelings haven't changed after tonight. I like me some good show tunes, but not in my drum corps. I thought the trombone solo was gorgeous though, if a bit short. Blue Stars: This show didn't do much for me. Maybe, when they get it polished a bit (it is very sloppy right now), it will have more of an impact like last year's show ended up having. They have a ways to go. Crown: Loved it ... much better than last year's show, but not quite as great as Einstein on the Beach, IMHO. Beethoven's 9th is, in many people's opinion (including my own), one of the greatest pieces of music ever written. They did it justice all the way up until the Ode to Joy theme at the end. When they hit the theme, I had goosebumps ... and then it just kind of died and didn't go anywhere. The piece deserves more than that, and I expect that they have some major changes to the ending. The opening theme, though, was great ... reminded me a lot of the Mahler 2 opening they did in 2010. I also appreciate that they took a more minimalist approach to the props this year ... the trampolines last year really ruined that show for me. Cavies: As I mentioned above, I am somewhat of a Cavies homer. I have never participated in drum corps, except as a spectator. I became a fan, though, at the height of the Cavies dynasty in the early 00s. I want nothing more than for the Cavies to return to their former glory. I'm not sure this show will get them there. There are a lot of aspects of this show that remind of the glory years. I think the drill design is very reminiscent of some classic Michael Gains drill. And they have a lot of impressive things they are doing musically. The show didn't really gel for me though, and they clearly have a lot of work to do to get the performance level up to snuff. I did like the show quite a bit, but it needs some work. I'm also not sure that it has anything that will make anyone remember it 10 years from now. I thought the ballad, though, was absolutely gorgeous. The quality of their brass sound was terrific. The vocal performance was a bit off, but I think that was mostly the result of nerves. I'm not opposed to singing in concept, and think it might end up working out really well. I will continue to root for the Cavies, as I always do, but my expectations for the end of the season are a bit lowered after tonight. I really hope they can get this thing up to its full potential by the end of the year. Cadets: It is an odd numbered year, so the Cadets, of course, have an amazing show. Shostakovich's 10th is one of my all time favorite pieces of music and The Cadets did not disappointment with their arrangement and performance of it. I think they use it a little better than Crown did with the Beethoven. There were some issues with the synth being a bit overbearing in the beginning, but that is a balance issue which, hopefully, can be easily fixed. The horn feature was great ... the right way to use the french horn (unlike last year's Cadets show). Not surprised at all that they won, and it was well deserved. I am actually a bit surprised that the spread between The Cadets and Crown/Bloo wasn't a bit wider. This is probably my favorite Cadets show since 2001 (although I really liked their Barber show in 2013). I think they have a good shot at a title this year. Bluecoats: I have very mixed feelings about this show. When it started, my mind was blown. They took what they did with Tilt and turned the amplifier up about 10 times. I loved everything about it. But then, after about 3-4 minutes or so, I got a little bored. Then, they came out with this amazing rendition of Woods (the only good song Bon Iver has recorded) which again blew my mind. I think that will be the ballad of the year. But then, a few minutes later, it began to get a bit boring for me again. To be honest, I had a bit of the same experience with Tilt last year. Some mind-blowing moments, but then a lot of down time where things got a bit stale. I also began to wonder how much of what they were doing was actually being performed on the field, versus being simply played back over the sound system. I think that what the Bluecoats are doing, when they are at their best, is revolutionary and epitomizes everything I love about modern drum corps. I am not opposed to the use of electronics ... at all. I think electronic music is a completely legitimate art form, and one that I enjoy quite a bit. At the same time, I don't want drum corps to turn into a bunch of people marching around to a bunch of pre-recorded sound effects and music. I think there needs to be some kind of limitation on the use of pre-recorded sound. Frankly, I would like a rule that requires all sound to be created on the field (or at least at the stadium by a sound engineer who is a member of the corps). Let corps use synths and other electronic tools to create the kinds of sound effects the Bluecoats are using so effectively, but require those sounds to be created (and mixed) by members of the corps. Maybe that is already the case, but I don't think it is. It seems like the Bluecoats are relying on a lot of pre-recorded sound. It creates some amazing moments, which I appreciate, but I'm not sure how to compare it to what everyone else is doing and I'm afraid that some corps, if not the Bluecoats, might start to use it as a crutch to hide some of their weaknesses. Overall, I am super excited for this year. Despite my disappointment with the current status of the fan network, I am now planning to pay for the whole season pass. Can't wait to see what happens at DCI West (if I'm able to get a good enough connection at my hotel in New York this weekend). Disappointed that we didn't get to see Boston tonight.

Saturday's Wildwood forecast, from Weather.com: "Partly cloudy skies during the morning hours will become overcast in the afternoon. High near 80. Scattered thunderstorms developing later at night." Not bad at all!!! We've dealt with a lot worse at this show. Ask the folks who marched with Carolina Gold about the year the skies opened up on them as they were about to start their show.

Placements and spreads were about right. Cadets have a very solid vehicle, love the french horn feature, the plinths seemed to be awkward additions rather than integral to the actual visual package. Sick percussion section. Bluecoats are hard to judge in this medium, since so much of what they're doing is well outside of the norms (and I mean that in a good way). On the one hand, the textures and movement of sound are awesome, on the other, if the sound is manipulated and augmented that much, is it really fair to judge it against other corps who are going with a more traditional approach? The guard disappeared for me. Tasty drum book. Crown's fabric snafus notwithstanding, the best designed 'traditional' show of the night, for me (see Bluecoats for the non-trad). Not sure about the drum score; maybe it's just because they still sounded markedly better than last year that I thought they played reasonably well. Cavaliers have bitten off a lot, brass wise. Opening fanfare was awesome, then each movement got progressively shakier, with the exception of the "Batman" piece which sounded well played, but wasn't that intriguing. IF they can figure out a way to get 2 weeks worth of obvious execution lag jammed into the next week, they have a shot of getting within 2 points of Crown. If they don't...they should start asking themselves what happened to their preseason approach, since they used to know how to open at or near the top. Maybe it was just a bad run, and they'll get it together for the weekend. Madison's show is striving to be populist, and the horn book feels comfort-food good (I mean that as a compliment), but a little less mugging from the guard and a lot more actual awesome dance work would help. If you're going to conjure Gene Kelly, you have to actually DO something that calls him to mind. Drumline seems to be taking a step back in the right direction. Blue Stars were fine, though pulling in the Sondheim piece, which, if anything, evokes American musicals (firstly) and Sweden (setting of A Little Night Music) second, seems an odd and ill-fit for a show that should be more "Nightmare Alley" (great flick; look for it). Battery huddled around the stage for 3 minutes is only a placeholder, I hope.

Not sure where the the whole "Tilt 2" sentiment is coming from. The structure of this show is nothing like Tilt. The only similarity is heavy use of electronics. Personally I liked Tilt a lot more. It had much more dynamic nuance to it. This show is just loud the whole time basically.

So scores bunched. Crown was cleanest and that is reflected in the visual.and brass.scores. Cadets winning with as many holes as they marched tonight is a little telling. Bluecoats will clean the heck out of that show, and will get tougher and tougher. Cadets just don't appear to have a weakness, and the ending to be added is rumored to be spectacular. This is going to be a great season! Can't wait to see the rest of the programs!

Best Coats corps ever. It's like creative tilt moment from last year exploded all over the eleven minute program. In a good way. This certainly could take them to their first championship. Very creative, fresh, challenging. They are a month ahead of where they were last year in June when I saw them first in 2014