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Stop feeding the troll.

Judging by the snippets I've heard, It appears to me that OC is taking on more of a persona this year - i.e. fielding an even more theatrical show under the creative leadership of a bolstered design staff. I look forward to OC growing their brand in 2016.

Bluecoats 2006: Connexus This was the first finals I ever went to even though I've followed the activity since 1987, and I absolutely adored this show. It was powerful, heartfelt, and jazzy. It seems like it was the precursor to current Blooo shows, or maybe the second precursor after their 2005 Caravan show. Connexus was their highest ever finish, at 4th, but I still feel like this show was under-rated, as it's not spoken about in the same sentence as the three shows that finished above it that year (BD: Godfather Part Blue, PR: Faust, Cavaliers: Machine).

Really? You're more proficient at the English language than Shakespeare?

I can tell you for a fact, after working for a group that purchased a design from a visual designer from a top 3 World Class corps... We got the short end of the stick. Because we weren't #1 on their list. We got a piece of garbage that had to be rewritten (by someone else) 5 weeks in because they couldn't be troubled to worry about the little corps or the lack of effectiveness of their design. They just phoned it in, and called in done. So yes, the did give us a way less creative design turd to attempt to glitter and paint.

Sounds like a red Haring to me,

See though, I can't find that stats from the last few seasons, but many corps have a pretty good retention rate at this point. I can only thing of 3 that have really low %. While you can do well with member retention, you still have to set those people up for success. That doesn't happen with membership, it happens in show creation in the offseason.

So we know BK has the most well put together show, that must mean you have seen everyone else's right? Look, they have a fantastic announcement, upward trend, but I always hate those naive, baseless, blanket statements when we have no idea what anyone else is doing. Sometimes a corps with a fantastic announcement and source material falls incredibly flat, and sometimes a corps who seems pretty basic, vague, and boring comes out and shocks us. So yes, they seem to have a great show and are probably going to keep trending upward, but it's way early to be making those kinds of statements. If they jump Vanguard, Bluecoats, AND Cadets, I will quit this site and eat my own two feet. I think they have a shot at Vanguard comparing the two on face value, but until they seriously ramp up visual design and cleanliness and become a caption contender somewhere and not 6th or so across the board, it's going to take more than one or two good seasons to break into that upper echelon. That's also assuming no one behind them improves drastically. Have absolutely loved BK the past two years, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.......

This sounds really cool. Wonder if they'll play Moonlight Sonata backwards? Haha. Need to catch up on some of the music, Gorgon is an absolutely sinister and nasty piece in the best of ways. Really excited about this.

It's interesting that two groups are performing Pat Metheny songs this summer.... ;)

I agree with most of the posters comments above. There are so many factors determining what helps a corps move up in the rankings. There is so much competition to get the top talent and designers, which makes it much easier for corps that have been established. It also doesn't help if some of the best talent in these corps leaves in the following years to march a higher placing corps in hopes of improving or winning a medal. On the flip side, sometimes higher placement isn't always better. Sometimes in the quest to move up in the rankings, we have lost corps who spent too much money trying to make finals, only to fold the next year, or within the next 5 years. I would personally much rather see corps placing in the 19-25 place range with great entertaining shows, than to see them push too fast, and end up folding. Some corps also have been very smart and shortened their season so they don't overspend. In the last decade several corps have had their move ins later, and have not performed in competition until July, when sometimes the first competition of the season was around June 16-20th. I think this shows that placement isn't quite as important to the organizations as stability, and the ability to take care of their members and staff not only this season, but in the distant future as well. As cool as it would be to see Mandarins, Crest, Academy, or Pioneer break into the top 12, I would much rather they place 19-25 and be able to keep performing for the next 50 years. In the last decade, I have seen more public support for the lower placing corps. At prelims and semi-finals, some of the lower placing corps have really wowed the audiences. Crowds have gone wild for Colts, Surf, Mandarins, Academy, Oregon and Crest with thunderous applause for great shows, even if they didn't place top 12. So instead of judging a show off of the judges scores, what is wrong with just enjoying all these amazing corps shows for what they are? Too many people are watching scores during the summer, and then when it comes to prelims and semis, they don't go watch the lower placing corps because they think because a show is scoring a 70, it isn't very good. Which brings me to a major point. If you want to see corps placing in the 19-25th group do better, do more to help support them. Buy from their souvie booths, donate to their gas fund. volunteer for them during the camps or summer tour.

Yes....unlike earlier days, it was a small component of a total show, and it got a lot of disdain on RAMD back then. Loved the "Ragtime" opener.

Was just about to post this one.............haha. It's probably absolute blasphemy to say I prefer this over Crown 2015 in terms of presentation of similar themes. I think had the hornline not been rebuilding with a staff change that year and were at the level they are now that show could have pushed much higher than it was. The improvement they made from day one in 2011 is nothing short of astounding, I remember hearing them in the theater and wondering if they were going to make the top 10. Still some brass issues end of season, but they didn't sound like a corps struggling to make finals. 2011 and 2010 are both probably my favorite drill offerings by Pete Weber, that's the definition of organic drill. All sorts of crazy stuff in there, and some pretty clever symbolism in it. That's the first Rennick year, but it sure didn't sound like it. Guard was pretty aggressive and portrayed the themes of that show to a T. The ballad "Eternal Knot" is emotionally stunning, still one I listen to a lot.

The Devils Staircase,,,,2011 SCV...LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEE it !

That one and 98 both IMO, they get completely overshadowed by 1999. 1999 is actually my least favorite of their 1996 - 2004 era, it's still a great show, but I found 1997 and 1998 to be absolutely as entertaining, well designed, and INCREDIBLY difficult. The opening and closing of "Fog City Sketches" are some of my favorite minutes of drum corps, the last two minutes of that show are absolutely gorgeous. That's definitely an all time favorite, can say a lot of similar things about 1998.

1997 SCV Yes they got 3rd, but the crowd reaction at the Citrus Bowl both live and on recordings simply do not do that show justice.

Make sure the join the Pyware Users Group on Facebook. There's lot of other designers, writers, and the Pyware staff themselves that will quickly help or answer any question you have. It's a great resource. The Pyware developers definitely listen to the user base on what features to include next. Version 9 looks like it's going to be a great step up.

BK 2012: Avian To me, this show was the beginning of the BK surge. It had it all...great, well-written music, emotional ups and downs, suspense, majesty, well-integrated guard, pit, drumline and brassline. Michael Cesario, that year, called BK's show ahead of it's time and I believe he was correct. It had two defects...1) people didn't understand it and 2) while Sully is a legend, his somewhat outdated show design just wasn't the best for the show and the theme. BK corrected those two deficiencies in the next 3 years...and here they are.

Hey I was just paraphrasing the update As they say, nothing earth shattering

Old School, but look at Garfield 1977. Absolutely ROCKED!

https://www.facebook.com/george.hopkins.yea/videos/vb.507456910/10153602230531911/?type=3&permPage=1

Southwind 2000. Holst, Horner, and Lizt. They had really great arrangements that year and wicked talent in the corps. Shame they were one spot out of finals. The Liszt piece Totentanz was a great closer.

Crossmen 1993, Songs for the Planet Earth Part II: A Celebration of Humanity. It gets overlooked in comparison to the prior year, but it serves as an almost perfect sequel show, literally opening right where the original show left off. How could you not make like that guy in the recording and shout "Woooo-hoo-hoo!" as they begin with the strains of Fanfare for the Common Man? The first movement straight up jams, the ballad Koto Song is beautifully haunting, River Music is anthemic and I could whistle Freda for the rest of my life. The remainder of the show summarizes the music from the year before before capping off the show itself. The "question" posed at the end of 1992 is answered in 1993, and then some. https://twitter.com/DrumCorpsClips/status/699518263986774016

wow "Sleeping at Last" as a finale... This show is gonna bring people to tears

You as a staff are ALWAYS concerned about where your corps and captions place. You don't want the membership to have that idea though. Because there's a lot of it that's out of their control. I would say that very few corps stress placement to the members. It does you no good. However, you do want to design the best possible package to set your membership up for success.

Here's my baseless and pointless prediction, just for fun: 1. Blue Devils 2. Bluecoats (don't even know what the show is, but that design team of theirs is awesome and they're becoming the "cool" destination corps for a lot of talent much like the Cavies were in the early to mid 2000's) 3. Carolina Crown 4. Santa Clara Vanguard 5. Cadets (sorry Cadets, it's an even year) 6. Blue Knights 7. Phantom Regiment 8. Blue Stars 9. Cavaliers 10. Boston Crusaders 11. Madison Scouts 12. Troopers

I spent time yesterday contemplating the OP's question. For some reason [maybe because of my love for WI & DCM back in the day] I selected one corps' scoring history the previous 25 years. I saw this corps play in exhibition at Navy Pier Chicago many summers ago [2005 I think], I think it was late June. I told my wife: "this corps has resurgence written all over it!" Sure enough, they went Div 1 & 14th in semis in '06, 14th in semis in '07, and 8th in finals in '08. I remember seeing them for the first time in Whitewater in 1978, and I've always enjoyed what they do. Blue Stars.

Sign up for TSA PreCheck ... its $85 but so worth it.

I am basing this off of what I have seen and heard and right now, I am more impressed by what BK is doing than I am with SCV or the Cadets

This show and BD have me the most excited so far! Source music for this one seems amazing

"BK has the most well pit together show this year" Seriously?

I agree with your GE and placement choices. BK has a very interesting show that is put together well. Everything makes sense and is put where it is perfectly, and it's a continuation of the last two shows. I could go on and on about their program, but that's for a different thread. Gonna be an awesome year for BK, along with many others!!

Final Placements before the start of the season 1. Crown 2. BD 3. BK 4. Cadets 5. Bluecoats 6. SCV 7. BAC 8. Phantom 9. Madison 10. Bluestars 11. Cavaliers 12. Troopers Crown will win Brass and Guard BD will win Visual BK will win General Effect Save your laughter for later, I've heard everyone in the top 6 so far except for the Bluecoats

Forgot to add ... this source music is dope.

i'm so excited for this, i can't stand the wait.

Conclusion of the series. The moment before you die, the reason you're alive, and finally the Human Condition

Just to add, they'll only be playing the first movement of Gorgon

we all have those....

And for those of you wondering, I have heard that there will be an alteration to the current uniform

This show is a musical interpretation of "the great event" by Leonard Cohen. The opener is Rouse's "Gorgon" acting as the event and the rest of the show is the aftermath of said event. Dark, powerful, beautiful.

Perhaps I'm misinterpreting the point too, but my guess is that OP is cleverly poking fun at some of the old honks on here who complain about how overly complex show themes are nowadays. Many people complain that they shouldn't have to go online and do research for a modern drum corps show, but OP is showing that the same kind of complexity existed before this millennium too.

How about after Atlanta, no scores are released. At finals on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday would scores and rankings be announced. To me the intrigue and back and conversation (not to mention trash talk) would be priceless. Attendance would increase because of the mystery. I'm sure this has been brought up before. Just curious from those in the know, what would be the detriment of something like this?

Ah, I DIDN'T guess the show title. But I was right next to the obvious choice. (Trying to be too clever.)

https://www.facebook.com/george.hopkins.yea/posts/10153602230811911

I predict very large crowd's! Don't wait to buy your tickets, just saying. Peace

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRcj1CRNuYQ

The original show title was 'Stoned.'

My Predictions for the 2016 Season Top 3 in any particular order: Carolina Crown - Relentless Blue Devils - As Dreams Are Made On The Cadets - Stoned 4 - 6 in any particular order: Bluecoats - TBA Santa Clara Vanguard - Force of Nature Blue Knights - The Great Event 7 - 9 in any particular order: Madison Scouts - Judas Phantom Regiment - TBA Boston Crusaders - Quixotic 10 - 12 in any particular order: The Cavaliers - Propaganda Crossmen - Continuum Blue Stars - Le Reve 13 - 15 in any particular order: Troopers - Hero The Academy - Drum Corps Bride Oregon Crusaders - Hunted 16 - 18 in any particular order: Spirit of Atlanta - Georgia Pacific Crest - Union Pacific Colts - Nachtmusik 19 - 22 in any particular order: Madarins - TBA Jersey Surf - Ebb & Flow Cascades - O Pioneer - St. Joan of Arc

OC jumped up a couple spots last year. It's pretty difficult to move up two years in a row. However, recruiting has been super solid this year--way ahead of last year. The staff is stable, with a couple good additions. This should be a positive year, regardless of placement.

They did have the "mojo" so to speak on finals night in '08.