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Showing content with the highest reputation on 08/15/2019 in all areas

  1. If Bloo was cheese this year (Bloo Cheese?) then more cheese for me, please! because Bloo was really Gouda!
    10 points
  2. I try to keep a very basic approach to watching a drum corps show these days. I really don't care much about theme and all that. I never read the little blurbs the corps' put out that "explain" the show. I either like what I'm seeing and hearing, or I don't. That's it.
    6 points
  3. Previous posts have hit all the main factors. Staff continuity on and off the field. Destination corps leads to top talent. BD gets members from every other corps, almost no one leaves BD to go somewhere else. Cappy hit on a key point I can attest to personally, and it's the quality of the tour experience. First rate all the way and they treat members like adults. Some corps run their kids into the ground.
    6 points
  4. Not infallible...but it seems that given that he's better at judging than we are, and he was actually in a position to judge (unlike us), he might have a better read than we do and should be given the benefit of the doubt.
    6 points
  5. I was never bored with Avant Garde shows. They were a really good corps, back in the day.
    6 points
  6. I hope they just go about things without making a big deal about going coed. Just design a good show. The last thing I want to see is a show designed around that subject.
    5 points
  7. And when he does leave Crown can just go ride the Disney monorail all day with Klesch driving and Harloff on the mic in the back!
    5 points
  8. Says you....and you are allowed to say that! I'll be sticking with Jeff on this call though because he was there and his extensive capacities to actually make that call are beyond question IMHO. Personally I had Bloo in 3-4 place easy compared to what else was on the field that night.
    5 points
  9. I have a couple buddies with PTSD and they have a hard time functioning on a daily basis. I am wondering if the child was so affected as their parent says then how did he go right out and audition and march with Blue Knights with no major issues?? This still smells like a money grab lawsuit to me.
    4 points
  10. While i respect your opinion, would you feel the same way about Prosperie if the situation was reverse? Saying it was BD percussion dominating SCV all season, then on finals night, SCV beats them head to head? In your opinion did the judges get it wrong when PR past BD on finals night 2008, when BD was 16-0 against Phantom that season going into finals night? How about 2014 when Cadets was 22-0 head to head against against the Bluecoats, but then Bloo past them on finals night. Did the judges get it wrong then as well?
    4 points
  11. 2011 - Carolina Crown (twice), The Cavaliers (nine times), and The Cadets (fourteen times). 2013 - The Cadets (once), and Carolina Crown (fifteen times). 2015 - Bluecoats (once because of penalty), The Cadets (five times), and Carolina Crown (three times). 2016 - Carolina Crown (twice) and Bluecoats (nine times). 2018 - Bluecoats (once) and Santa Clara Vanguard (fourteen times). 2019 - Santa Clara Vanguard (four times) and Bluecoats (seven times).
    4 points
  12. Yeah Harloff isnt leaving. Corps can keep throwing big money at him (Boston last time, Cadets this time) but he's here to stay at Crown
    4 points
  13. If length of time playing was the criteria for the music captions, then certain corps in the top 3 wouldn't be even close to the top in brass. And for what it's worth, he did score SCV's rep above BD's, he just had BD performing better than SCV for that night. Being frank, unless you were on the field waving hello to Prosperie as you watched and listened to each line play, your opinion on the right or wrong call is next to worthless (and probably wrong)
    4 points
  14. "The Blue Devils are not just good, they're Grrr-eat!" -Tony the Tiger 😉
    4 points
  15. As a BD honk, i love nothing more than seeing my beloved Devils bring in title after title, continuing to set the standard for DCI and others to follow. But even as dominant as BD is, they don't win every year. Since 2008, we have five shows that have been able to wrestle the gold away from the Devils. The "Fab Five" as i refer to them, are five of the best shows to ever grace a football field. They were all well deserving of the gold, they earned it, and beat BD fair and square, no excuses in their respective season. I am now asking DCP to rank these five shows. My ranking is below. We will all have different opinions and how they should be ranked, i am just asking everyone to keep this cheerful, and respect each others rankings. Five jaw dropping gold medal shows, honestly there is no wrong answer. Have at it! 1. Bluecoats 2016- Down Side Up 2. SCV 2018- Babylon 3. Cadets 2011- Between Angels And Demons 4. Phantom Regiment 2008- Spartacus 5. Carolina Crown 2013- e=mc2
    3 points
  16. What’s weird is, I would put all of them among my favorite shows of all time. And they are all very different.
    3 points
  17. That article is a month old and isn't about a pedophile
    3 points
  18. 1992 Finals, just to catch the crowd reaction when the shark made its first and only appearance of the season
    3 points
  19. While there's no doubt in my mind that your sentiment is correct, and I'm fervently opposed to the rule, this argument is not valid because MMs are programmed around props so that "accidental" encounters are even more rare than judge mishaps. THAT said, the whole "prop safety" issue, including the safety of those building, transporting, de-constructing the beasts, has yet to be addressed. Cadets' prop-builders requested gloves, hard-toe boots, and hard hats from staff to build the bridge. What is the activity doing by requiring that 20 yr old MM's be responsible for the construction safety of those running across and standing on the bridge? Who's ox is gored if the prop fails and MMs tumble to the ground? The assemblers? Broken bolts, "...use a bigger hammer..." problem resolution, and transitioning to the performance zone across surfaces largely not considered by the engineers who mock them up and say "Yep, that should work!". Brrrrrr....makes me shudder and the lawyers drool.
    3 points
  20. If both props and judges cause injuries to MM, but only judges were quarantined to the sidelines, then it is not about safety.
    3 points
  21. Recently Regiment's office made an official announcement that a certain talented young alum was made Corps Manager. Some on this thread applauded this as a right move certain to bring a young, energetic, and hopefully new perspective. Others on this thread have called for a change in the Executive leadership of the corps and have blamed that person for Regiment remaining in an ever increasing rut. Just how much either of these gentlemen "control" the competitive outcome of the corps is debated and theoretical. Most corps use the title "Director" for the one who makes the ultimate decisions of the corps' performance on and off the field. Just as Regiment doesn't use Drum major but rather Conductor, Rockford views life through its own lenses. Who will pick staff and apply competitive possibilities, CEO, Manager, or program coordinator? The future has yet to be written. But congratulations to the mms of Regiment who certainly put their best on the field the night of '19 Finals no matter the placement nor score.
    3 points
  22. As many times as I've heard marching units play it before Crown's Gabriel's Oboe struck me as if I was hearing it for the first time...and I was awestruck each of times I heard them play it. I did comment on another thread after Allentown about how the crowd hushed each time Crown played it. It has a melody line and sacredness that follows me at home and after the show. The ballads of the other corps, as good as they may be, have not struck me the same way. For one, I am getting old and the memory is dimming. For another the other pieces were unfamiliar to me except for the BOTW (I preferred Academy's rendition.) But only Crown's ballad had me spontaneously gasp, "Beautiful."
    3 points
  23. Alabama's football team was clearly dominant all last season. Until Clemson. Stuff happens, and can/does happen on Finals night. I'm not a drummer... but I've heard enough from my drummer friends about the Finals judge to trust his call.
    3 points
  24. I put this in another thread. However, I thought it should belong here as well. Blue Devils = Class as well. I want to say thank you to the Blue Devils organization. Over the past several years, it has been my privilege to host the corps. Yesterday, while my daughter was out in San Francisco, she ran into someone affiliated with the organization. After a brief conversation, this person realized she was my daughter and bought her lunch in thanks for my hosting the corps. Even outside the season, the corps always represents with the class that is Blue Devils.
    3 points
  25. Whatever dude. If you see yourself as connected to the corps and your role is to defend them, good luck with that. Not going to have a lot of people interested in talking with you about anything if you’re going to act like it’s your job, literally, to defend Carolina crown.
    3 points
  26. It really would be nice to have variety back in drum corps! Why should corps stick with the same type of music? It's only for the designers ego anyways. MM's don't get a say yet they shell out the thousands of dollars. If I were a kid this year I would march Bluecoats just for the music!
    3 points
  27. I'm not so much bored with Avant Garde shows as I am frustrated with designers thinking their notions (whether that's an abstract theme, a more concrete one, a fairly straightforward story, or my personal pet peeve, something that looks vaguely like a story of some kind) communicate far more clearly on the field than they actually do. Too often it feels like I'm watching a straight up contest of drum corps concept designers and how the judges happen to feel about their concepts rather than a competition of marching musicians and their performance qualities.
    3 points
  28. Cadets aren’t the only corps that had a disappointing season. It happens to almost every corps eventually. I’ve said this so many times but unless you have one of the truly incredible design staffs, choosing a tough show concept is going to doom you. The DCI season and the realities of the summer simply don’t allow much room for a reset anymore. This was a bad show idea that was made worse by some equally bad design decisions. It happens. I Hope Cadets don’t just clean house so they can say they cleaned house. Show running has been the weakest aspect of Cadets for quite some time now. Fix that and you can probably fix a lot of other things.
    3 points
  29. You are really that ticked off over 0.05 difference?
    3 points
  30. I strongly disagree with Prosperie's finals percussion judgement, and it made me lose respect for a judge I had respected. SCV percussion played more, for a greater portion of their show, and were clearly dominant at every show this year. Their front ensemble alone had some jaw-droppingly hard parts, and should have been way up for that reason alone. Finals was a stellar run from SCV too, and second in drums was an insult. It makes me question what his motivation was, since here we are, all talking about Prosperie, and not how absolutely great SCV percussion was. The ump made a bad call on the last play.
    3 points
  31. I second everything that has been said but also just how great they treat their members during the course of the season. Plenty of rest days, ample floor time, good food (so I've heard), professional environment. Who wouldn't want to come march for a corps that takes care of its own so well?
    3 points
  32. A few years back, I finally got the chance to catch one of BD's rehearsals, before DCI East. A friend with ties to the organization had told me he had never seen a corps who rehearsed better... efficient, effective, with a positive, business-like, relaxed type of vibe. And not one second wasted. He was right. Today's corps rehearse better than ever... certainly better than the old days, when a lot more time was wasted. But, for me, BD tops the "how to get it done at rehearsal" list.
    3 points
  33. I'd say it's a combination of a lot of things. The Blue Devils are the largest Drum & Bugle Corps organization in the country, probably the world. They operate an A, B, and C corps. They operate a winter drum line, guard, a special-needs guard, their Yamaha School of Music lesson program, the Diabolo Wind Symphony, and several other programs. They have the highest revenue earning and profit in drum corps. Money is important in this business. BD is a smart organization that has been wise about their earnings and investments. The A corps is a destination corps. Essentially kids from all over the country, and the world, have auditioned to be Blue Devils. This sort of popularity was built over decades and was likely due to great instruction, great tour experience, the way they program their shows and feature their performers, and many other reasons I am sure. Although the A corps is very national/international, the rest of the organization is very local or regional. I'd guess (and I have no facts on this) that they have roughly 350+ kids taking part in year-round programs. Again, I am not even counting the A corps. I am basically just factoring the number of members in the B and C corps, the DWS, winter guard, winter drum line, and the Yamaha School of Music, etc. It's at least 350+ kids, and likely closer to 400 involved in local year-round activities. My guess is SCV is the only corps to come close to this sort of year-round involvement of local youth. The Blue Devils have the most full-time positions for admin, designers and teachers. From a competitive standpoint, I believe their staff fully acknowledge that they need to know the judging sheets well. After all, if you are going to compete it would be wise to know exactly how you are going to be judged. Everyone wants to be entertaining, but being competitive means showcasing strengths in each caption. In this regard, BD has consistently been outstanding in all performance captions over the years. Brass, percussion, guard, and visual proficiency are fortes of theirs. Once you factor in design, visual analysis, and GE, the combination of their strength across the board makes them tough to beat. The Blue Devils are a great organization with a passion for helping youth enjoy great opportunities in performance. Like any organization that wins a lot (New England Patriots, Lakers and Celtics back in the day, etc) they tend to get beat-up. Some fans don't like that their A corps gets many members who marched elsewhere and want to finish their drum corps experience marching BD. But this happens with other corps, too. Crown and Bluecoats and SCV, and definitely Garfield/The Cadets from back in the day have all benefited by being destination corps. I think people would appreciate the Blue Devils more if they really took the time to examine all the things they do from a total organization perspective.
    3 points
  34. Is anyone getting bored with show themes among the top corps these days? Most everyone is doing the avant garde, post modern, esoteric, hidden meaning thing. I'm constantly thinking "what is it?" Random circles and sticks, run ways, doors opening, strange props, futuristic costumes... I feel like I'm in the modern art museum at the Smithsonian every drum corps season. Does anyone miss a little bit of realism and grit in shows? Maybe every once in a while a major score show ... like the old days...Phantom, Fiddler, etc. Or a show that doesn't leave people wondering "what is it?"
    2 points
  35. Actually, no they do not. The new reported incident is actions between two minors, not an adult and a minor.
    2 points
  36. Favorite is definitely Bluecoats 2016. Best across performance captions IMO is SCV 2018. All of the shows are amazing though. Shows the creativity and excellence that is required to top Blue Devils.
    2 points
  37. Those are definitely killer shows. I love that you put Bloo no. 1. I thought Down Side Up was incredible. Bluecoats might not have been as clean as SCV 2018, Carolina in 2013, or even The Cadets and Phantom, but the design of Bloo's 2016 show was a benchmark in the activity that many corps today are following (as they do with BD). For me I would rank them: Bluecoats 2016 - A truly benchmark show for DCI. A show that has changed a lot minds about props, uniforms/costumes, electronics, etc. See my remarks above for Bloo. Carolina Crown 2013 - I was in love with this show from day one. There is really nothing to complain about or nit pick. It has a fantastic music book, incredible brass line, amazing guard, and the staging and drill are pretty close to flawless. This was Carolina at their best. The body movement, the integration, the powerful impact moments, it all created a level of General Effect that never let down. And the Ballad is one of my favs from this decade. The Cadets 2011 - I think from a total design perspective this was nearly a perfect show. Drill, music, guard, theatrics, and theme all came together. It was the last time we truly remember what it was like to see the old "Garfield" corps at Finals. They had an early lead in 2015 only to make many mistakes down the stretch, and while I do like their 2012 and 2013 shows, I feel 2011 was the last time we saw classic Cadets at Finals. Phantom Regiment 2008 - One of my favorite shows ever. Theatrical, powerful, incredibly staged, and the performance levels are solid to really good. The show took most of the season to build and develop, but what we got at Finals was amazing. It terms of entertainment it might be no. 1 on this list, but I rank it below Bloo, Crown, and Cadets for minor reasons. Mainly I feel the top 3 here are better overall visual programs and they match Phantom's excellent music score in quality, construction, and demand (even if you don't find them as entertaining). Santa Clara Vanguard 2018 - This show certainly has one of the best endings I have seen in DCI competition, much like Phantom 2008. I found the show somewhat uneven from front to back, enjoying the back portion much more. From a performance perspective, SCV is likely no. 1 here considering the quality of their brass, percussion, visual proficiency, and guard. From that perspective, either Cadets or Carolina would be no. 2. But much like with Phantom, they absolutely needed to refine their ending (of just finish it) in order keep the Blue Devils at bay. The changes Phantom made also helped them jump to the lead at the very end. Most of the season I was not sold on the opening two section of Vanguard's show, despite their monster performance captions. It is a fantastic show, deserved to win, and has a killer ending.
    2 points
  38. I want to say thank you to the Blue Devils organization. Over the past several years, it has been my privilege to host the corps. Yesterday, while my daughter was out in San Francisco, she ran into someone affiliated with the organization. After a brief conversation, this person realized she was my daughter and bought her lunch in thanks for my hosting the corps. Even outside the season, the corps always represents with the class that is Blue Devils.
    2 points
  39. I miss the days when you could actually ride in the front car. The Wife and I were going to a park restaurant for our Anniversary (wearing our Anniversary buttons) and a cast member ushered us up front. Magical!
    2 points
  40. I predict an Adam and Eve show
    2 points
  41. There's nothing stopping 400-500 Wisconsin kids from showing up to an audition with Madison. Why don't they? You inadvertently answered that rhetorical question - because it's a niche activity. When your product is niche'y, it means you have to cast a wide net to find appropriate levels of interested parties. The 60s and early 70s are dead, and won't be coming back. Local marching bands and WGI units do what community drum corps used to do in terms of providing low-cost part-time marching activity. Those high school and college aged kids who want to play drum corps at the major league level are attracted to the top corps and the national touring model because of how intense it is; neuter that, and they'll find something else to do. Scouts and their alums can choose to play with the big kids, with all of the expense that entails, or they can become a DCA or Open Class corps, but they won't be able to split that difference. In the words of the strip club bouncer, 'get in or get out.'
    2 points
  42. I’d rather hear of a show that was built around the music of Thomas Newman.
    2 points
  43. Crownie for life. 🤴
    2 points
  44. Their whole show this year has been crazy underrated
    2 points
  45. Drum corps fan: “What is it?” Carolina Crown: “It is.”
    2 points
  46. Medaling in brass. It’s starting. If there is a corps coming out of this week that excites me in their potential growth next year the most, it’s these guys.
    2 points
  47. I've seen all the ones I wish I've seen live. Consider me lucky. A few of the most memorable moments for me were off the beaten track: 1. Cadets 1990 at old Meadowlands stadium - show rained out, Cadets still marched the whole show. Jaw dropping performance 2. BD 94 finals - LOVED it. Boston I think. 3. 2007 Cadets Semifinals at Rosebowl - they were on fire that night. 4. 2009 Crown on Finals night - man. 5. 87/88/89 Cavaliers - loved these shows - saw them all live 6. Star of Indiana in 93 at DOTR show - stirred up the lime dust into a cloud during performance - was so intense 7. 84/85 SCV finals - loved them both many more...
    2 points
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