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Kudos to Jeff for judging the PERFORMANCE in front of him and ignoring the rest of the season. Too many judges make up their minds about a show early and NEVER take a fresh look at each performance. Clearly Jeff is a judge who's willing to let the performers change his mind. And that's the guy you want evaluating your show.

Boy oh boy i am here to tell ya! DCP needs BD to win. Cause when they do, the finals threads are hilarious. People wanting to change the sheets, fire judges, add in fan voting, LMAO. BDs success sure brings out peoples creative juices lol. Whatever they can do to keep BD from winning. I admire their determination lol. Too bad it's not going to work. But hey on the bright side, they always have the annual predictions thread to wish. Lol. DO IT UP DEVILS!!

Three years ago.

Scenario: Plato enters and places two objects on the table. "Here is the Ideal Apple, and here, the Ideal Orange. Which is the superior fruit?", he asks. You get the picture. I am grateful nobody asked me to judge last night's show.

This is really irresponsible IMO. If you're a Cadets' insider, you should let the organization and the people involved make their announcements. It's a very bad look, and very disrespectful to existing staff, to announce stuff with anonymous leaks on public forums.

What this page is really for Branden Hill (Facebook) As we step off the field and back to our civilian lives, I have made the decision to step away from my role as Brass Caption Manager at the Cadets. It has been a phenomenal journey since 2017, and I cannot wait to see how the Cadets continue to impact our community. I will always cherish our time together and the relationships built over the seasons. It has been an honor to work along side some of the best educators in our profession. Thank you for showing this Madison Scout what it means to be a Cadet. “The only time you should look back is to see how far you have come.” #thisiswater #cadetsbrass #cadets2019 #keepmovingforward #beautifulchapter

As a BD former MM (long time ago) and BD homer I just want to say congratulations to Bloo on a great show, a great season, and so many great performances. You are a classy organization and will definitely have many opportunities to claim the gold, which I'm sure you'll do again very soon. And BD will be there to make sure you earn it! Congrats on an amazing season!

He's also a 1983 Garfield Cadet, accomplished band director, and basically worked miracles at Cadets since April 2018. By all accounts that I'm aware of, he's a wonderful director and it's a surprise to me he wasn't 2018 director of the year.

CONGRATULATIONS BLOO ON THIS MOST MAGNIFICENT SEASON!!! You won GE and MUSIC. You had the highest score in Bluecoats history. You had 6 of 11 judges place you on top of a GREAT Blue Devils corps. You had a packed LOS crowd standing, singing "Hey Bloo", showing the peace sign, and screaming for more! This show will be remembered for a long, long time. Thank you for your year of hard work and dedication. "And in the end....YOU WERE AWESOME."

As you Cadets have your banquet this morning, then fond and tearful farewells this afternoon, enjoy every second of THIS day without worrying about what happened yesterday or what will happen tomorrow. Savor all the emotions, and fix them in your memories. You'll be grateful for them later in life. Then go safely back to your regular lives, and work as hard at everything else as you worked at being a Cadet. Thank you for 2019!

Just had the privilege of buying breakfast at the airport for one of the snare drummers. He was proudly wearing his medal and when he saw me in my BD shirt he gave me a hug! Nice young man who aged out but still has a year in RCC. He protested a bit but i assured him it was the least i could do! And, fwiw, i am seeing a LOT of BD/Ghostlight shirts now.

How about a show designer instead.

More moments like that jaw-dropping company front near the end. That was orgasmic for everyone in the house and in homes around the nation. YES !

WHAT A SEASON. A photo finish at the top, new voices rising, and incredible shows from 1st to 36th, this year is one for the record books in my eyes. For my 10th season as a fan, could not have asked for anything better. I finished this very late last night so I'm sure there are some errors, but here's my thoughts on the corps of 2019. Shoutout to the regional touring corps like The Battalion, Columbians, Vessel, Vanguard Cadets, Blue Devils B, etc. who did an amazing job as well. Hope to see them all at championships soon! Heat Wave - Nature Boy (36th Place, 60.05) Some nice storytelling from them, nice drill to draw your eye where it needs to be. Some nice musical moments in there, I thought their treatments of Nature Boy and Fix You were particularly nice. Solid musically, thought the drums again were a standout section. Raiders - Gateway to the Unknown (35th Place, 62.45) What stuck out to me was the visual design of this show, I really appreciate when a visual designer is able to do a lot with not a lot of bodies on the field and I thought they did a great job with that. Clear staging, cool sequences, great use of body, and well integrated props (some WC groups could honestly learn from them in that regard). All original music worked well for them, thought the drumline was particularly strong. Les Stentors - Passion in Red (34th Place, 63.15) Welcome back! Love seeing a Canadian corps competing again. Really cute and fun show that’s a mix of Latin and some of their French roots. Loved the French vocal duet at the beginning of the show. Danzon No. 2 is always fun as well. I thought their guard was the strongpoint, great utilization and staging. Nice job! Colt Cadets - Of a Feather (33rd Place, 64.425) I love getting to see some really young kids performing like that, such a cool opportunity for them. Nothing young about the way they’re performing though, some really nice moments in this very fun show. Queen, The Beatles, etc. are so great for a group like this all the way up to who is a contending drum corps. Really well rounded overall performance wise, though I thought the percussion was the strong point for this corps. Also, love the uniforms. Shadow - Sonnets to Orpheus (32nd Place, 66.3) I really enjoy how creative Shadow is every year since they started competing, I think it’s really cool that I could identify an Open Class corps based on the way their show looks and sounds. Really ambitious show musically and visually in all sections, but as has been the case the last few years, the percussion is really strong for this tier. Loved how "Dancer in the Dark" was used as a connecting thought throughout the show. Another OC corps using props very effectively and with a lot of variety. Great job Shadow! What a great addition to DCI they’ve been. Golden Empire - Icarus (31st Place, 68.475) Really strong across the board from these guys, I don’t know what is in the water in California percussion wise, but wow, their drumline really threw down. Really well designed show all around, great pacing musically and I loved their treatment of "Fly to Paradise". Great field coverage and yet another OC corps who uses their props to great effect. This group just seems to be getting stronger every year. 7th Regiment - Poetic (30th Place, 70.475) 7th Regiment really knows how to do shows that are really touching, and in an effective way. Really clear visual program paired with incredibly rich and beautiful music. The "Pure Imagination" closer was especially great. I thought they did a nice job integrating the poetry references into the show, and performed with a lot of heart once again this year. Great job! Guardians - Unpeeled (29th Place, 70,975) Really fun theme deconstructing Son of Man, great representation of the various parts of that painting with the various sections of the show. That said, chewing sounds gross me out so I’m not so hot on that, but fun show nonetheless. Great across all sections, and I thought they were particularly strong for their range in ensemble visual and percussion Nice job! Good to see this corps still going strong. River City Rhythm - Breaking the News (28th Place, 71.075) I really liked this show design wise, the journey through the various stages of news all the way up to fake news (not for everyone but I got a good laugh there) was really well done and aided by some good voiceovers. The newspaper opening was really fun, and the ballad was great. Strong across all sections, and yet another strong percussion section in Open Class. Their brass has really improved recently as well, and the guard is solid. I’ve really enjoyed these guys back to their first appearance with the river show, and I think this is their best yet. Southwind - Caged (27th Place, 72.3625) Really nice ensemble sound from these guys, I’ve been so impressed with their resurrection and improvement every year. Really well constructed show top to bottom and they’re performing very well. When it hits “Ordinary World” to the end especially, it just cooks. I hope they keep improving like they have, I love some of their early 2000s shows and they’re starting to climb to that level again. Louisiana Stars - Break (26th Place, 73.6) What a fun show! Tons of really fun and recognizable music paired with a great visual program. Lots of great moments, though the guard member on tenors deserves a shoutout for sure and the drum major “breaking” their baton gave a great laugh from the get go. A clever show that doesn’t take itself too seriously is always fun. Nice job! Seattle Cascades - The Grid (25th Place, 73.275) “The Grid” was a fun show, lots of really nice musical moments throughout, particularly “Asphalt Cocktail” and “Never Gonna Give You Up”. That hornline had some punch, really surprised me in San Antonio with their opening impact. Visually, I do think they need to change some things up. Props were cool, but the overall staging and colorguard integration are what need some revamping to me. Congratulations on advancing to semifinals again this year, I hope they're able to build on this success! Jersey Surf - FantaSea (24th Place, 75.9) Wow, what a surprise “FantaSea” was this summer. They really struggled to find a balance between the fun and wild shows of 2012/2013 and the more serious shows of the last few years. This year was a PERFECT balance of all of that. The show just flowed really well and made sense, from the lush and beautiful above the sea portion of “La Mer” to the fun and deeper “Aurora Awake”, it just worked. The color scheme was great, the design was really well balanced, and they performed it really well. They were small, but the intonation and clarity of the brass really made them sound big. I hope they keep heading in this direction, because I really enjoyed what they had to offer this season. Congratulations on returning to semifinals! Music City - Of Mice and Music (23rd Place, 76.65) “Of Mice and Music” did cross the line of cheesy for me, but that’s honestly not a big deal personally, I’m glad that they’ve found a niche in really easy to get and fun shows. I’m not sure why this show didn’t place higher, they sounded great, nice visual package, etc. As a show though, it didn’t quite click like Casey Jones did. However, with their leadership and moments like “Imagine” in there, I like the direction they’ve headed. I hope they keep it up! Gold - The Pursuit of Happiness (22nd Place, 77.1) Wow, here’s where things in Open Class really started going from very good to great. This show on paper is okay, but they designed it about as well as they could have. I’ve seen kinda similar shows in the HS world in terms of the daily grind/finding your way through life but this is by far the best version of that I have seen. Loved how they looked in white, and their visual clarity only shown through even more because of them. Really catchy show for being what I believe is all original music again. Great ensemble sound from the brass and the first of the night to REALLY nail some smaller section features. Good guard and drums too. It’s been fun seeing these guys grow from a pretty solid regional corps to a contending open class corps. Probably my most improved over the past three or so years. Legends - Song of the Siren (21st Place, 78.4) Even though it’s not as creative as some of my favorite shows from them, this show is still really well constructed and performed. From the really lush and pretty “La Mer” and “The Abyss” to the angry “Shostakovich 10” they perform a wide array of musical styles very well. Brass and percussion sounded great again this year and the colorguard continues to improve. They really kicked it into high gear in the final week, looking forward to see what these guys do next year! Genesis - From the Ground Up (20th Place, 78.725) “From the Ground Up” was an incredibly ambitious show for them this year, it grew a TON from day one. A really solid show in all regards, with some great prop moments in the ballad and closer. What they lost a little bit of in performance clarity and cleanliness I think they made up in show design after a little bit of a rough season in 2018. Not much else to say than I’m glad to see them staying strong and consistent, I hope they keep growing. Spartans - Experiment X (19th Place, 80.35) I’ve liked Spartans shows in the past, but have never fallen head over heels for them. That changed when I saw this online Monday night. WOW! This is Bluecoats 2016 meets Madison Scouts 10 years from now. Incredibly exciting music program with FANTASTIC soloists, amazing colorguard integrated with great props and drill/staging, and performers that bring it all to life ten fold. The front half of the show is great, “Shallow” makes a great ballad, but when it hits “Shofukan”, it just burns the freaking house down and turns up to eleven. II don’t care who was in attendance, they were the clear champions and have one of my favorite Open Class shows since I started following the activity ten plus years ago. I hope whatever changed this year stays in place, because wow. Easily a 2019 favorite for me. Troopers - Beyond Boundaries (18th Place, 81.663) “Beyond Boundaries” was interesting this summer. I do feel they lost a little of themselves trying to push outside of their western cowboy comfort zone, but this show still had some really nice moments. In particular, I thought the Persichetti trumpet solo to start the show was just nails every time, in a year with A LOT of corps trying to do screamers all over the place to varying levels of success, this was a very nice change in tone. Bravo to that soloist. I also really enjoyed the “To the Stars” ballad, I love the film score that came from and it was really lovely. I thought the overall color scheme of the show was nice as well, and the drums were great. I applaud the risk of changing things up, but hope they can find a way to stay true to the Troopers next year. Madison Scouts - Majestic (17th Place, 82.137) “Majestic” is a love letter to this chapter of their history to me. And even if the performance levels are not quite what they were a few years ago, this was still a wildly fun show that audiences loved all summer, which is what Madison is all about. The hauling *** end to “Afterburners”, the jazzy rendition of “Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra”, a straight up company front ending in “One Voice”, and so on were just awesome moments in a show that is from an era gone by. That semifianls performance left me emotional the rest of the day. There are shows every year that have reinvented Madison Scouts written all over them to me. Bluecoats “Downside Up” and “Jagged Line” at the top, and even down to Spartans wildly energetic “Experiment X” this season that placed right below them. I don’t think they have to lose the identity this show had to make what they do modern. Nonetheless, I wish them the best in the new era dawning in the coming months, and am really excited to see what they decide to do. Colts - When Hell Freezes Over (16th Place, 84.225) “When Hell Freezes Over” was another really tightly designed and performed show from the Colts this summer. I thought the juxtaposition of fire and ice was done really well, especially when that flyover came out and the uniform change happened (SO GLAD that went in around Atlanta!). In particular I find their guard to stand out every summer, just really nice integration and clean work from them. Drums held their own this summer as well. Not much else to say, just a really nice show. They seem like a corps on the verge of a finals appearance every year, I hope they find their way in soon! The Academy - The Bridge Between (15th Place, 84.3) I’ll be honest that this show didn’t do a lot for me thematically and in terms of the programming. London Bridges and synth patches wore me a little weary. That said, some really great moments in there. I loved the visual aesthetic of this show, and the visual package was very solid. TONS of energy musically, and that flugel soloist was just nails every time. I hope I fall back in love again next year, but nice job this summer Academy. Pacific Crest - Everglow (14th Place, 85.35) There are a few shows recently that signaled something special was coming down the pipes. The Academy in 2014 with “Vanity Fair” was one. Mandarins in 2016 with “Forbidden Forest” is another. “Everglow” feels like one of those shows. This show was just so well designed in every way. The music had a ton of variety, energy, and flow. The visual program flowed well and staged everything effectively. And wow those kids performed the crap out of it! There was not a down moment in this show for me, the “Chinatown” portion to the end ESPECIALLY cooked. This is a corps that was always really nice, but didn’t quite have enough there to move up with how competitive the activity is going. For the first time since 2013, it feels like they are on the verge of finals. PLEASE keep doing what you are doing, I love shows like this that seem like the beginning of a climb. These guys seem poised to be our next new finalist. Spirit of Atlanta - Neon Underground (13th Place, 85.587) While I don’t think “Neon Underground” was quite as tight of a design as “Knock”, I still really enjoyed a lot of moments in this show, both musically and visually. Musically the ballad and “Color Wheel” closer were really fun and out there musical programming choices that I had never heard of before and loved. Visually, I thought the three looks were really cool and gave the show a ton of visual depth. All sections were strong, and I had fun watching them perform. Another corps on the cusp, I think just keep doing what you’re doing. With another year these guys could potentially be kicking down the door of finals. Phantom Regiment - I am Joan (12th Place, 87.238) If a corps deserves a most improved award, Phantom Regiment is in the running for it. And that’s all because of the members. Man, they took this show, and cleaned and developed the absolute crap out of it. Some great moments in there, the “O Fortuna” opening, the exchanging instrument licks, the climax of “Fire of Eternal Glory” portion, the energy of the closer, etc. They performed the snot out of it. And that drumline, wow. Fantastic stuff. All that said, it’s time to find what they want to do. Their concepts to me since 2016 have really bounced around without a clear direction year to year. A corps that made me fall in love with the activity, it hurts to see them given shows that have landed them right at the finals cut off. It’s time to stop retreading old classics and start creating new ones. They need something new, fresh, and exciting that is still true to them at its core. A 2005 type show. But great job to the members, this show really came together because of you. Crossmen - Valkyrie (11th Place, 87.55) From the get go, this show was enthralling. Drum major was a bad ### this year. All sections were great this year, I thought percussion was the most improved over the season for them. This show was a rock concert on the field from the high energy music, to the electric guitars, to the performance quality of the members. I loved the very primal take on Led Zeppelin and integrating “Flight of the Valkyries” throughout. Visual program was very solidly put together and cleanly performed. Every year these guys seem better to me, but keep landing in the same area placement wise. I think that’s just a testament to how good the top 12 is getting, because it blew me away that this placed where it did. Fantastic job again, can’t wait for next year. Mandarins - SubTerra (10th Place, 89.3) Finally, we have a new repeat finalist for the first time since the 1999 to 2000 Boston Crusaders. The Mandarins have forged a VERY distinct identity as of late. It’s incredibly dark but quirky and HUGELY entertaining. These shows would rub me the wrong way if they were not so incredibly conveyed and performed by the members, they make you buy what they’re selling as soon as they enter the field all the way to when they exit. “SubTerra” was unrelentingly intense and exciting. Brass keeps on improving and the colorguard…...oh man. Incredible work, and no shock with the Diamante connection. Percussion is the only area that’s lagging behind the rest a little bit, but I’m confident they’ll keep growing. This show, like the last two, was just so incredibly constructed visually and musically. “Truman” sleeps especially was great as a ballad, and as an amazing reprise at the end. Every show doesn’t need to be happy and full of butterflies, so I hope they keep doing what they’ve been doing. The Cadets - Behold (9th Place, 89.838) Did the show have issues? Yes. I think they got tripped up in programming a show that said they were moved on from what occurred in the year or so prior and it just tried too hard. The flow of it was weird, and the visual design was lacking. Nothing that hasn’t been said. The members performed the absolute #### out of it though, I didn’t like the show overall but they almost made me buy what they were selling on performance. Brass performance got a little ragged at times as an ensemble but there were still some great moments like the opener and some of “Estancia”. Colorguard REALLY grew over the season, I thought they had their best run on finals night. And percussion…..whew. They are worth the price of admission alone, Tom Aungst at his best. I hope he stays around for a long time. Going forward, I think it’s time to stop tackling such heavy show concepts and do something Cadets at its core……..maybe venture into some American composers again, but something they haven't used on the field yet. A simple theme they can execute flawlessly. Best of luck going forward. Blue Stars - Call of the Wild (8th Place, 91.225) My first competitive event was Denton in 2010, and the Blue Stars blew me away with “Houdini” that year. Every year since, even through missing finals once, I have found a lot to love every year. This year is no different. “Call of the Wild” was an incredibly beautiful show. From the isolated flurries of “Dance Panels” to the incredibly bare and raw “Sora” to that baritone entrance in the closer they portrayed a theme musically just about as well as anyone to me. And they did it while hauling ### for twelve minutes. The end of Copland is one of my highlight moments of the year. You sound like that while moving like that? Good lord. Brass continues to develop an incredibly distinct and warm sound and the percussion grew a ton over the season. And once again that guard is leading the way. The tricks, energy, difficulty just blow me away every year. I am so happy to see they chained together two single digit placements again, I’m really excited about where that sets them up going into next year. Thanks for another fun one Blue Stars. Blue Knights - I Remember Everything (7th Place, 92.05) This show clicked for me in finals week. That feeling of reminiscing about something gone by is so Blue Knights. They portray real human emotion and feelings like no one else, and it feels so authentic. Once again they did narration better than just about anyone, it’s so professionally done and implemented. Visually this show was solid, especially the much improved guard this year, but musically…….oh man. Lindsey Vento used a perfect descriptor for their musical approach Thursday night. It’s patient. They let things evolve and grow naturally, and “Hurt” was about as modern Blue Knights as it gets. Mike Jacksons percussion writing, Jay Bocook at his best, the environmental demands and isolated attacks spread across one hundred yards. Sublime. Last year felt like Blue Knights, but the theme didn’t do a lot for me. This year was back to how 2014 and 2015 felt. Keep doing you Blue Knights. Boston Crusaders - Goliath (6th Place, High Colorguard, 94.488) I don’t think this show came together QUITE as well as the last two as a whole package, but what an amazing corps this was. Their power was incredible this year, Gino knows how to make a brassline knock your lights out. Percussion took on one of the densest and most difficult books of the year, and really came together in the end. And that colorguard…whew. Breathtaking. They command every single bit of your attention like no one else. That featured performer especially was just………..wow. Their opening this year was one of my favorites, and the closer was just a gas. They tweaked that thing to work way better than it did in June. Going forward, hoping for a little less my CHOT, but I really enjoyed it again this year. With your staff and talent, it’s only a matter of time before you’re competing or a medal. The Cavaliers - The Wrong Side of the Tracks (5th Place, 95.4) I heard this ballad preseason in a recording, and knew from day one it was going to be pretty great. Not only was it pretty great, it was my favorite moment of the season. The two “Road to Perdition” portions of this show were easily some of the best programming choices this year, I don’t know who picked those out, but PLEASE keep that stuff up. Colorguard was incredibly athletic and aggressive again this year and the percussion REALLY grew into a beast of a section, especially in the “Bums Rush” portion of the show. But that brassline. Wow. Their best in a really long while. The clarity in technical passages, tone at all ranges, and the PHRASING. Some of those decrescendos in technical passages were downright nuts. This show was incredibly dynamic in all regards, and my favorite from them in a really long time. The stockyard drum corps thing was so entertaining, and I hope they use a similar approach next year. If there is a corps I’m most excited about going into 2020, it’s these guys. There is a medal on the horizon if they grow this much again. Carolina Crown - Beneath the Surface (4th Place, High Brass, 96.563) While the whole spiritual geometry and looking under the surface thing didn’t do a lot for me, their musical ability and drill demand did. Once again, no one sounds as good as they do. That brassline is incredible, and their drumline was a huge asset again. That opening hit was……...wow. I’d pay just to hear that live again. And then they shift totally and do “Gabriel's Oboe” about as delicately and beautifully as I’ve heard it. This show grew a lot over the season in performance quality, and they were performing like a top two corps by finals night. If they can figure out the guard integration and thematic presentation, they’ll be winning another championship because they are an incredible drum corps. Santa Clara Vanguard - Vox Eversio (3rd Place, High Percussion, 96.6) “Vox Eversio” pushed me really hard as an audience member. The visual design and approach was so well done, but so different from what I am used to seeing. I might look back on this show ten years from now and see that they foreshadowed where the activity was headed, but it was very out there for me while it happened. That said, they executed an immense amount of choreo at a championship level. If that visual design had a little more clarity, they might have won again because WOW that was a talented drum corps. Their musical prowess was jaw dropping at times, that whole second number of the show was incredible. One of the best things on the field this summer. The individual performers on display were incredible again this year, and that drumline. Wow. Blue Devils won finals night, but in terms of dominating a caption, four years in a row is no small feat. I’m really excited to see what they do next year, if their show design clicks like it did in 2018 they’ll have another championship. Bluecoats - The Bluecoats (2nd Place, High General Effect, 98.238) When I heard about a Beatles show, I raised an eyebrow. When I saw a video for the first time, I was still a little hmm. And then the tour premier happened. And then they kept tweaking it and performing it at a higher and higher level. And maybe with one more night, they coulda won. But that’s beside the point. The joy and energy they perform with is what makes me fall in love with them. If Blue Devils are cool, composed, and professional Bluecoats are the inverse of that in the best of ways. And putting that energy through the Beatles? Genius. From that opening cacophony through “Elanor Rigy” and “Blackbird” all the way through “She’s So Heavy” and “Hey Jude” this show was a seamlessly designed and communicated Beatles concert that never was. The way they entertain the crowd is just…...mesmerizing. That creative team is reaching a level of consistency and quality year to year that is only matched by the Blue Devils right now. In their seventh year together, they put together what I think is the most polished and clear vision of a show for them yet. Thank you again for creating a show and experience that drew us in like no one else. I can’t wait to see what 2020 holds. Blue Devils - Ghostlight (1st Place, High Visual Performance, 98.325) I knew in June this show was gonna grow into something special. And boy it did. What they VERY slightly lacked in musical performance they more than made up for in one of their best visual constructions ever. And a huge part of that is due to those INCREDIBLE props. Those might be the best implemented props I’ve seen outside of maybe Bluecoats 2016 for myself. That moment when they cascade down them and make them go from straight up to an angle was jaw dropping. Thematically I thought this show was AMAZING as a concept. Pairing their evolution with the evolution of theater was an incredible choice that they communicated so well. And it’s so fitting because the way they perform belongs on a stage. From that slight about face to the audience at the beginning from the guard, they communicate so professionally. That ballad is what made this show though. The saber guard work, the incredibly rich music, and that rotating clock-esque drill were just a perfect portrayal of theme and music. They continue to show why they are the best every year. If there was a show to VERY slightly edge out what came before it, I’m glad it was this one.

Who are you? Other than anonymous and irresponsible? Here is a thought - let the organization announce changes then we can cross post them here

Congratulations Bluecoats on what I believe was the best entertainment package ever assembled. After watching that performance I was convinced the Bluecoats won. My emotions were so overwhelming when I heard otherwise. Me and Stephan love the Bluecoats version of drum corps. Can’t imagine 2020, but know that Bluecoats will again be spectacular.

All I know is, I’ve never seen a more energetic and electric performance than I saw from Crown tonight. I can't wait to see what they have planned for next year.

Drinking hatoraid and vodka again I see. Answer me this: Do you feel the MMs of Regiment 2019 should be going home ashamed because of placement? It’s not a major newsflash that the BOD and corps director need to turn this ship around like yesterday, but to trivialize the members’ 2019 season with a few badly chosen words is just hurtful. If all you can see is the competitive side to drum corps, then the activity failed you. Kumbaya

I’ve been pretty quiet these days but still very much enjoying Drum Corps and especially BK. There were many times when just a sparse few people would have discussions about this great drum corps and now many years later it’s heartwarming to see the love given to the Denver Team for a good amount of years! I sat in tears on my couch watching that Blue Knights Run last night, it sparked so many different memories and thoughts in me and one especially of my late father. In the summer of 1995 I went off to college telling my father that I might want to march drum corps on a few years and that it was expensive. He and my mother were very support: He knew my love for the activity was real. Two years later along side my future wife I marched BK and then a second year in 98... Every step of the way I learned the great organization that I was in, the genuine friends that were made and the legacy that Mark Arnold and his staff has built as a family/team environment that any parent would be happy to send their son and daughter to. Finally as I have become a first time Head Band Director this year I remember the wonderful structure and information taught to me by so many great instructors in BK that set me up to have chance at being a strong educator and mentor to others..... “I Remember Everything.?” You’re #### right I do.... and those members and the sobs at the end of a FANTASTIC SHOW mean that they will Always Remember Too!!! So proud to be a BK ALUM and of this great organization!!! Go Blue Knights- I GO ON!!! Wesley Perkins BK 97 98

Sure, I’d be into this if they moved DCI Championships to California. Let’s see how many “Bloo”s you’d get then. 😉

BD will win or get second. Just sayin'

Just rewatched last night's run. Wow the guard and hornline was absolutely flawless in the ballad. Makes for a stunning watch.

I don’t understand why you felt the need to come in this thread to say this? Lol....

I agree with Barneveld. While Boston and Crown were tight for much of the season, you guys pulled ahead at the end. Congrats! And may we agree that both our corps demonstrated that actual drill design is still effective!

Good Morning Crown Fans! I proudly support the Boston Crusaders. And I had hoped and thought my corps would place higher this season. I would like to offer my congratulations to the Crown organization! I think we can all agree it was a highly competitive season for sure. Already looking forward to that continuing next year. Peace and respect!

Because there’s no group more impartial than a stadium half full of alumni and corps parents.

While not quite the dumbest suggestion I've heard on DCP, it gets close

I guess you don’t understand that I’m one of those people that think SCV has the best percussion program. In reality though, I think Rennick’s program is the best in DCI and have thought that for 10+ years now. He just happens to be at SCV now but I LOVED his Phantom lines back in the day. All I’m saying is that it’s stupid to think SCV can’t get beaten EVER! I prefer Rennick but there’s this Hall of Famer out there going by that name of Scott Johnson who happens to put together a decent percussion program each year too...

From this Crown guy, huge congrats on #19!!!

Jeff isn’t judging who is the best percussion of the entire season. He judged who was best TONIGHT! Were you down on that field in front of these lines to back up your words that SCV was obviously the best? Sorry if I side with one of the most, no I’ll go ahead and say THE MOST call it as they see it judge in DCI, who happens to know a thing or two about percussion...

Don't feel sad for the kids, that's kind of condescending. When a corps is around for 85 years there are competitive ups and downs. They don't have to be the measure of a seasons success. A year and a half ago we didn't know if The Cadets would ever take the field again, and a few hours ago the 85th version finished another great season even if the competitive result wasn't as high or the show wasn't as well received as past years. As an alumni I'm proud of the corps and I certainly hope the members feel like they had a successful season and are looking forward to next year when those who haven't aged out get another chance to build upon this year, just like the corps did after 86, 89, 91, 99, 04, 06, and 10.

Paragraph 1: Disagree Paragraph 2: Disagree Sentence 3: Disagree

On behalf of Blue Devils Nation, I just want to say thank you to the Bloo fan base on being incredibly classy last night and today. The jerks and losers that's been spewing garbage and nonsense the last 24 hours hasn't been Bloo fans, rather bandwagon hoppers that just want to see BD lose. In no way did those jerks ruin or damage the integrity of your incredible fan base. Bloo put on one of the best shows to ever grace a football field and you all have alot to be proud of. Regardless of the score, we saw two DCI champions last night, and it won't be long before Bloo is a multiple time world champion. While it's easy to get sucked into the "Mob Mentality" which is trash BD, and judges anytime they win, i hope Bloo Nation and BD Nation can learn and follow in the footsteps of our corps performers, who showed nothing but love and respect to each other last night. Maybe we can all learn something from them and do the same. I hope Bloo makes a trip out west to Cali so i can lose my ******* mind cheering and honoring them. Congrats again and for the final time in 2019 and every year moving forward......................... DO IT UP BLOO!!! DO IT UP DEVILS!!!

Look how much fun everyone was having. Haha.

Just back from Indy after spending 5 days there to enjoy the various celebrations, attend all the shows, check Crown rehearsals and to celebrate a great season for Crown. All I can say is the performance last night was "one for the ages." The corp pulled out three in a row. Great performance followed by greater performance followed by greatest performance. The audience agreed. Crown was on fire last night (and I am not just fanboying here). The staff even felt this was the strongest series of Crown performance ever with last night being "epic." Not a dry eye back stage and major cheers from all knowing they left it all out on the field... this was all before the scores were announced. There have been many on this forum who were quick to dismiss, assign to 6th place, question the staff ability to deliver a final refined product or worse. You were wrong. They came within a hares breath of bronze, won brass AND music three nights in a row... and best of all WON THE AUDIENCE. CROWN is the corps EVRYONE was talking about last night. CROWN blew the lid off of Lucas Oil... how bout that last 90 seconds, Gabriels Oboe, Opening statement... Standing O, Standing O, Standing O. Ask the members if they were happy with the show and they will tell you... they LOVED the show and the LOVED performing this and working hard to deliver on the promise of the show... which they did in spades last night. So for all the season long supporters... thank you for helping to keep the naysayers and trolls at bay... I am talking about you @karuna, @Incognito365, @nsxanax. I have enjoyed your thoughtful commentary all season including your unvarnished concerns when warranted. For the folks who just want to come in and #### on our Wheaties and act like trolls... I'm sorry but you need to go elsewhere because all your negativity will not keep the true Crown fans from supporting our corps. And by the way... HE CAME HOME. THE OTT CAME HOME WHERE IT BELONGS. We were no where near 6th place and that 3rd place that was long gone... well we got it. Even if the score did not reflect it. I have mentioned before many times the how special this group of members were, their commitment, thier genuine enjoyment of the show and each other and how they have on more thane occasion shown the strength of their character... their heart. Well, what I have seen glimpses of all season in rehearsal and performances was on full display for the world last night. I would not trade this corps or this staff for anything else... because if we did we would not have had last night... and last night... mark my words... was a performance people will be talking about decades from now. Thank you to all the true believer here for making this an enjoyable summer of sharing the highs and lows of this epic season and this very magical drum corps.

Here are a few thoughts on BD and Bloo this year. I may add more about the rest of the corps and post that in the review section later this week. Great season overall and I believe fans were once again treated to outstanding shows. All the marching members of every corps should be congratulated. This was another competitive and entertaining summer. So many excellent shows. Drum & Bugle Corps is in a good place, and as an older supporter and fan of the activity (54 now) I continue to love the evolution and the spirit of competition. Big congratulations to the Concord Blue Devils on their Gold Medal and World Championship. They continue to lead the drum corps activity into the future and are a truly deserving champion. I was in love with their show from day 1, even when it was really rough and not fully finished. Ghostlight was a monster production and so creative. It is filled with highlight after highlight. Every section seems to shine. Now that's how you feature a violin player within a show of this nature. Loved it! Nobody cleans feet or body quite like BD, and that coupled with a killer percussion performance on Finals night was likely the minuscule difference that helped them inch over the amazing Bluecoats. In the end, it comes down to who has the best show on Finals night, and BD has a long track record of performing when it matters. Bloo did, too. So this was a sweet win for BD. To beat a corps like Bluecoats, with that amazing show of theirs, is a tough task. None of us should be surprised. Most people knew this could go either way. The two corps were trading victories down the stretch. It was a fantastic race to the finish. I get that some Bluecoats fans are sad today. I am definitely sad. I wanted Bloo to win badly. I was rooting for my hometown corps like crazy, but at the end of the day the Blue Devils deserved this title, just like Bloo would have had a few tenths gone their way. When the scoring is this close you simply can't get too upset when the judges call it the way they see it on Finals night. That's what they are supposed to do. Great show, BD! I will be watching this one as much as 2015 and 2017. Way to go, Bluecoats, on another game-changing show and design from one of the best design teams in the business (right there with BD and SCV). Your show, from day 1 in Detroit, set the drum-corps world on fire. The design, staging, color palette, musical arrangements, integration of guard, and on and on...it was truly magnificent. There are a million-and-one ways to destroy a show with music of the Beatles. Doing popular music in DCI -- especially music of iconic groups -- is not easy and takes guts. John Lennon would have given this show a standing ovation. It was classy, complex, artistic, and entertaining. A silver medal is nothing to sneeze at. I am sad the corps did not get the big trophy. But in the end you had the crowd and you were only .087 from a great Blue Devils corps. That's incredibly good. This now makes 6 top-3 finishes for the Bluecoats since 2010. The corps has become a trend setter in this activity, and we can't say enough about what Doug Thrower and company put together musically for this show. All in all, I think the design of "The Bluecoats" is one of the most masterful and seamless designs I have ever seen in this activity. Did I mention I am a "dino?" I've seen a lot of great designs. It was so obvious after the Detroit performance that this show was likely going to challenge for Gold. It did. Just as the Blue Devils have been leading the activity forward, so too are the Bluecoats. They have jumped on the front of the train when it comes to leading in design and performance. They did that back in 2014. Great to see the corps tie for total music and win general effect. That says a lot. I can't wait to see what this design team has in store for this activity next summer. I know it will be amazing.

Don't think the corps photographer will have much impact...

In what world does a staff coordinator have authority over a corps director? Isn't a staff coordinator hired by the corps director to put the educational staff in place?

I just think all the corps deserve to have their name announced correctly and with the same level of enthusiasm.

No vitriol from me. My comrades and I even toasted BD’s win last night.

Congratulations, Blue Devils! Well done, as always. John Meehan is always very friendly to us first row denizens and that is refreshing.

I was going to say something similar about Phantom regiment. I'm Done with Will Pitts as brass arranger

For me, a highlight of the season is reading your review day after Finals. You’re the best reviewer in the business 😉 Thank you

Just like that, it's over. Wow. What a season. What a night. What a quarterfinals. What a semifinals. What a finals. What a fight for the top. Awestruck at the talent from top to bottom this year. Here's my thoughts on finals week. Thanks for another amazing season, I'm probably gonna sign off for the most part for awhile. Life is about to get crazy, but I had fun following the season again with you all.

New brass arranger...yes.

Last night was the worst Flo product I received all year, by far ! I have been a regular supporter of Flo and still believe the concept of broadcasting this product into homes is essential to DCI and the Marching Arts community. So, to cancel is not an option I will take. For the product to fail for the most important telecast of the year . . . . . is not acceptable ! No Flo excuse is adequate here. I’m thinking Flo is either incapable, or unwilling to choose an adequate ‘pipe’ to deliver the stream. We all stream products from other content providers without this kind of breakdown. My goodness, for one of Marching Arts’ main events, Flo should have been prepared for higher demand. The delivery system last night could have been contracted through a different, well-established, corporate internet content provider on a one-time basis. Firms are handling much higher demand content without issue all the time. Work with one of them from time to time. Solving this from happening again WILL require more financial investment by Flo. This one’s on you, Flo.

No

I don’t have any words left to describe this group. Tonight was unreal! The last time I’ve seen this group perform with so much freedom but yet so much fire was the encore in 2013. They left it all out on that field tonight and came SOOOO close to proving so many people wrong, that Crown 19 could medal. Thanks for the memories guys! The future sure is bright in Carolina... #7outof10

and Flo will still be the only game in town

Ah the predictions thread. Only place where BD gets 3rd or 4th place. LMAO. DO IT UP DEVILS!