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If Bloo was cheese this year (Bloo Cheese?) then more cheese for me, please! because Bloo was really Gouda!

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.

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.

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.

I was never bored with Avant Garde shows. They were a really good corps, back in the day.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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?

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).

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

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)

"The Blue Devils are not just good, they're Grrr-eat!" -Tony the Tiger 😉

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

What’s weird is, I would put all of them among my favorite shows of all time. And they are all very different.

That article is a month old and isn't about a pedophile

1992 Finals, just to catch the crowd reaction when the shark made its first and only appearance of the season

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.

If both props and judges cause injuries to MM, but only judges were quarantined to the sidelines, then it is not about safety.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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!

Not at finals

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.

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.

You are really that ticked off over 0.05 difference?

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

thin mints could get ugly

BD, BK, Cavies, and Blue Stars (I feel like I’ve heard this music before despite not being into a ton of anime).

I'll play along....My ranking are as follows, not to be ranked technically, but from within my enjoyment 1. Bluecoats 2016 - Down Side Up 2. Carolina Crown 2013 - e=mc2 3. Phantom Regiment 2008 Spartacus 4. SCV 2018 - Babylon 5. Cadets 2011 - Between Angels & Demons I also sit here thinking maybe I should rearrange the order? Did I really like that show more than this show? Hard to rank 5 former gold medal shows.....but I'll stick with the first way they came to me when I read your post!!

I’m not acting innocent. I’m being honest. I didn’t even choose Bluecoats ballad as my favorite. I chose the Cavaliers.

Change your first word "Most" to "Many" and I'd be more agreeable to accept your other statements, especially that which I have enboldened. Get rid of referencing WGI altogether; drum corps is a different animal, not WGI in summertime. It needs to be evaluated on its own plane, its own horizon, and its own possibilities not merely mimicking what's down indoors on basketball courts.

And you are qualified to say this because you have an equal amount of musical knowledge and experience as JP? Yeah, thought not. 😉 It's all good. Personally I think SCV's pit has put them over the top on more than one occasion. Just as Rennick's pit (or his wife's) did in 2010. Battery wise.....there are harder books out there. Clean, absolutely, but content.....meh. Go listen to Cadets 2016 or even Boston's battery this year. I would put either of those over SCV, yet SCV took the Sanford. So it's pit+battery, not just one or the other.

Haha seriously. His son just started marching at Crown, at the very least he'll be there for three more years.

And like global warming, it has accelerated!

Additional judge and performance clarifications would provide better leveling.

1. Blue Devils 2. Cavaliers 3. Blue Knights 4. Blue Stars 5. Pacific Crest

There is a very, VERY fine line between cheese and a simple yet effective program. In my opinion, Bluecoats found that perfect balance in 2014-2018, and veered too far into the cheese category in 2012-2013 and 2019. (And no, not EVERYONE liked it, just to be pedantic). And yes, there were many examples of literal presentations this year, you likely will not find them in my "favorite shows of the year" list in my signature. Just not my cup of tea. And no, you'd be hard pressed to call Cavies' show this year "literal" but you definitely did not see them "move away from audience engagement." Neither did the blue devils this year. And that is good for you, your palate is certainly not mine and that's what makes us human 🙂

I thought you were done with DCI? I see that lasted all of what, 30 minutes.

Nope, I LOVE it. I'm tired of cheese. Literal shows make me feel like the corps thinks I'm stupid

Nope -- I'm good. Instead of trying to figure out the theme, just sit back and enjoy the music.

Maybe "What Is It?" would make a good show--theme title.