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Daughter performing in her first DCI comp. Good stuff. Proud parent here!

The uniformity in which I went through the last few pages and cleaned up...was pretty spectacular. To those involved, enjoy the vacation.

Uh....WOW. Good quality video is up and count me as highly impressed. Two components really floored me: A) The visual design. I would absolutely put it on par with all of the top groups in terms of freshness. It's just....sleek. Terrific staging moments with the railroad trusses, and tons of nonstop drill. The uniforms and the entire top to bottom visual package is just so streamlined, and it really MOVES. Guard writing is spectacular. And, despite not a speck of green on the field, if you blindly showed me this show, I think I'd pretty easily be able to guess it's Cavies. I can't place it exactly, but there's that visual-driven, masculine element to the show that easily identifies the corps. B) THE BRASS THE BRASS THE BRASS. Full confession, Cavies have never been my favorite corps, and when playing drum corps shows to model to students beautiful brass ensemble sounds, they uh...well, have never been near the top of that pack for me. Power, yes; richness & tone quality, no. All that changed last year with the new brass staff, and it appears they have jettisoned that drive to improve the brass quality into another realm. THEY SOUND SO SO SO GOOD ALREADY! I was nodding along loving everything and then the "Gorgon" opening line returned at the end and just eviscerated my expectations. I actually said out loud to no one "this closer is why they won brass over BD tonight". Ah hell, C) as well --- that ballad that just keeps building and building. Despite really enjoying their new direction, one of my few complaints has been a lack of defined ballad, or, we just have to play some obligatory slow stuff now. Not so this year. Talk about musical!! I truly thought it would end three or four separate times, but it just kept building. So, I've loved their 2016+ direction, and I enjoyed last year's show, but this program truly feels like the evolutionary step that should have happened last year. Incredibly fresh, current, classy, masculine....classic Cavaliers. They finally feel ready to hang at the top again. Went back to watch that ballad again. So. So. So. Good. That brass writing and the tension & building is masterful.

Bluecoats: It's one thing to put out a great show. It's another thing to redefine great. As fans, can we ever look at the activity the same way again after seeing Bluecoats 2019? North Canton is stepping outside of our expectations and leading the activity toward their vision. There is no question that this corps will be competing for a medal. If they can keep their technical achievement above the competition, it will be gold. Last year's Achilles' heel, the now revitalized percussion section, swept that category. Staging, costuming, showmanship... all on another level. One of my favorite moments: the brass line in a wide circle, playing a decrescendo chord, and holding it over many counts. Never staying too long on a given piece, they touch 19 different songs. How many pieces of music have we heard butchered by drum corps?? Bluecoats 2019 is an example of a drum corps truly enhancing the original music. Yes, they could show Paul McCartney a new way to repackage the White Album. Seriously... as a businessperson, wouldn't it be sick for the rights holders to make a deal with Bluecoats for their show to be a trailer for the White Album's re-release? Enough dreaming... they're off the field. Prime example: the best don't merely do this activity well... they have a vision of making the whole activity better.

Now this is just my observation so just allow me my opinion. As far as first shows go the following groups have the foundation in place to add a lot more of both design ideas and show concept development. My order, thank you! No arguments please, I’m in no mood for it after Stephan ate the last bagel this morning Boston, Devils, Cavaliers and Bluecoats.

Ok mom’s home. Calm down, boys.

SCV. Wow, so so so good across all captions. Performing incredibly well for June. They're gonna medal. Just.......hmm. Just personal taste here, but I'm not sure about the show. It doesn't do a lot for me personally. Very one note to me musically, and I'm not one to normally say this but so much fluttering to sets. Those things are done INCREDIBLY well, but it's just different from what I'm used to seeing from them. Ballad is following what worked INCREDIBLY well last year. I liked the last two sets of props in 2017 and 2018 way better as well. That's all fine, I'm not dogging them for it or saying they aren't gonna deserve what is a gonna be another strong season. That is all a problem with me and what I like. 100%. Just not my cup of tea.

Phyllis Steen. There’s gotta be a drag queen out there somewhere with that moniker. Lol

And I’d like to point out that I’m just a proud Popcorn eating dad of a Cavaliers Drum Major. I’ll pay closer attention to movement/playing tonight in Stanford.But at the end of the day, I don’t care. 🙂

They're definately not a 1 shot wonder!!!....I know its early but they're definately a finalist again.

LETS GO CAVIES!!!!!!!! I hope they have an awesome run tonight!!!

Probably bunch of eyes and ears on Cavies tonight. They got folks attention last night. I know that’s obvious. But thought the thread could use some pull back to the actual 2019 tour.

Guys, let's settle down and take a breather. We are fans of drum corps... let's not let our emotions get in the way of our decisions to make hurtful remarks. 🙂 its drum corps season! Let's just enjoy it!

:)))))))))) I love the start of this season.

There's always a youtube video.

Y’all are trying so hard to be insulted and angry that you’re making it difficult to have any fun. These are message boards people, on the internet. Everybody chill. The way y’all talk you would think Crown and BAC are enemies. It is actually possible to like and cheer for both corps, concurrently.

SCV is fantastic but I think I liked the Cavaliers show better. Is that allowed, LOL?

Mandarins are moving up this year.

Ok Mandarins, I'm buying what you're selling! This design team is on a roll

Are you f*cking kidding?

k, i'm deep in meditation now, can't watch anymore shows thanks mandarins

Mandarins!

The London Bridge quotes are dumb. Cut them.

It’s tough because they’re fully exposed for the entire show. No prop moves to kill time and distract the judges. Just marching the whole time. Like a drum corps...

... cause that just happened. I’m sure someone will know off the top of their head.

currently the only one periscoping in north canton is boasting about how they are high off mushrooms blah blah what a loser! 😞

I have you covered. Watching on flo and I have my laptop to talk as I watch. Though there is also some whisky involved tonight so maybe I shouldn’t comment 😂

Ah, I am second on with Rhythm in BLUE, so you will get some commentary once I'm in the stands. posted from the DrumScorps app

I just think they’re immersing themselves into that mindset, I don’t think they’re trying to be cocky or arrogant about it. I think of it as more of a tribute myself. I don’t think they could do the show without trying to emulate them in every way.

I am looking forward to another round of Boston vs Bluecoats. I have heard amazing things about these ensembles! I hope Phantom jumps up in those scores tonight!

Excuse me for not reading the last 100 pages of replies, but who the #### thought it was a good idea to have the main female character literally stripped and beaten on the 50 yard line? What the actual ####? How? Why? Nuke this #### and start over. Ditch the "story," which is incomprehensible to start with.

The top six as of now this year is pretty incredible. Going in order of placement last year: SCVs show is maybe not my cup of tea out the gate but holy crap they are a good corps. I don't see them falling out of the medals. Blue Devils show has strong bones, but they know what to do. They'll layer and develop their show into something pretty incredible I'm sure. Bluecoats came out swinging again with a very polished and widely enjoyed show. Strong in all captions this year and hugely fun. Carolina Crown has a more fluid show than last year to me, they sound incredible as always. Boston Crusaders are performing like a top tier corps, the front 2/3 of the show is incredible and I can't wait to see the back part of the show evolve. The Cavaliers have an incredible brass line and MUCH more cohesive show. Incredible ballad. After that I think Cadets have potential, Blue Stars sound fantastic and have great bones, Blue Knights have some great music picked out, Mandarins are picking up where they left off, etc. I'm really liking what I'm seeing and hearing form most corps this year. Can't wait for my trip down to San Antonio!

they would have done better to leave the drama in 2018 and move forward with a clean slate .

You do realize that Jon and Jim are the designers of Bloo, right?

Even though they didn’t win, congratulations SCV, those naughty little Devils are right on track to bringing the big toy back to Cali. BTW Cavaliers surprised everyone.

First time seeing vanguard this year. While obvious the talent level is amazing I didn’t care for the music or show design as much as I did Babylon. Maybe it’ll grow on me, but I just didn’t feel it.

Mandarins could make top 8

They probably won't make finals this year. 🤷‍♂️

Woo, Cavies 2nd in a brass and a GE caption!!!!

I like everyone. It keeps my blood pressure down.

Those are the biggest French presses I've ever seen. SO MUCH COFFEE! 😜

Mandarins are magnificent

Mandarins, I wasn't sure the first time I saw this show. I'm sold now, unrelentingly intense well conveyed, looks great, and some HUGE difficulty they're tackling incredibly well. They make finals again, I'm feeling pretty confident about that. Wow!

I had a pretty bad setup for live blogging do I ended up not doing it. I did get a few pictures. posted from the DrumScorps app

1 Bluecoats 71.850 2 Boston Crusaders 70.700 3 The Cadets 67.200 4 Phantom Regiment 63.500

Guard standout

Blue Stars. Complex, not playing safe with drill and exposure. Show has plenty of room to grow (mean that in a very good way)

You must be very young. The entire activity has risen to a new level of brass standards because of what David Bertman did in the 2000's.

Stephan is such a scoundrel!

I’m thinking not. I saw video and I believe this is the best Cavaliers brass since 2002.