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maybe it’s from Moby Dick’s perspective at the end. “Thanks for dinner!”

I’ve heard some stuff recently and I gotta say, I think they’re ahead of schedule when it comes to brass. I’m going to say right now that the brass is a top-six hornline. Just a huge step up from last year. They’re playing arrangements that are just as difficult as the trophy contending corps while still retaining that flow and musicality that defines Phantom. A lot of playing, a lot of notes, and a lot of heart. The big questions for me are visual and percussion. I mean, I really like the visual package they’ve put together, but there’s some pressing questions about where they’ll be in August. Any time you completely change marching techniques there’s a lot of uncertainty about how a corps will learn and improve on it as the season goes on. Good news is that they’re already doing pretty decently from what I understand. Also doesn’t hurt that the new visual staff are basically the authorities on teaching and cleaning bent leg. The Estudillo drill will be impactful (as usual) and I also like the utilization of props (think SCV) in this show. Percussion will be good too, but again there’s a lot of uncertainty when changing staffs (especially to a younger generation). I like the sound design though and what they’ve come up with for this show pairs very well with the brass arrangement. Again, it’s just a question of their potential and ability to reach it. They’re a talented staff and have a demonstrated track record. They’ll put it together. Once they hit their stride in the next few years, I think their youth and innovation will be a really big draw for Phantom. TLDR: Phantom is well-positioned to continue rising up the ranks. If they can put it all together, I like their chances of challenging for the top like we haven’t seen since the early 2010s. Either way, I think this will be a special, breakout year for Phantom that us phans will love. Excited for Concert in the Park tonight!

You're 5 years behind if you think now is the new norm

Good to be back!! Finally almost done collecting degrees like infinity stones

I understand. It's human nature to not like like dynasties and to root for the underdog. Most don't like to see the same "team" win over, and over, and over, unless you're a fan of said team. And if you're not, they keep winning because of biased refs, judges, umpires, whatever. It definitely can't just be because they're better than anyone else.

You made my point for me. When Bluecoats changed up their show after winning, did they win again? When crown rolled out trampolines did they win again? But BD came out with their schtick and won after bluecoats and crown. Having a formula only works if the kids can sell it. And they do it by shimmying!

You can honestly say that last year’s show lacked artistry? Use of props over the last few years lacked innovation? Did someone have strings on the field before Ghostlight, because I don’t remember seeing that.

I asked a question earlier that went unanswered: why should BD take ANY risks if they keep winning? Everyone else you mentioned HAS to take some risks or try something new to try and beat them. Pretentious TITLES? Seriously? and, btw, last year’s props were BLUE and white. And this year they are all different colors. 😉

As a life long BD fan, I can identify elements over the last several years that could be considered by some as rinse and repeat. Interestingly, when other corps do this, they are lauded for respecting tradition or for incorporating a moment from the past into the present. I guess it all depends on your perspective.

Exact! And to add, their shows are not just artistic, they are artistically intellectual, while entertaining and i love that. I don't care what anyone say, but the music have been so good and versatile, really enjoyable and people still complain. This year music is AMAZING! So much fun and energy. I love the BD Kids for being so confident year after year, that speaks volume of the BD organization.

BDPA doing some great educational work with the Conn-Selmer Group! Bravo 🙌

kids go to BD to experience the program and to improve their odds of winning a ring. The BD staff has an obligation to provide them with the best chance to do that. But you want them to take risks which, if they don’t pan out, could cause their reputation to take a hit and their membership numbers to decline going forward? When the judges stop rewarding their shows, they will regroup and adapt. Until then, i don’t blame them one bit for sticking to a winning formula. And i LOVE that their shows have been bright and uplifting. I get enough darkness in the real world.

...and... Yeah, man, I got to listen to that (teach it) every day...privileged for sure (Hell yeah, contras! No mics, just air, baby!). Here ya go, queued up:

Tonight is Concert in the Park. Should be able to hear the show within hours after they finish. Starts at 7 PM.

The tuba soloist who begins the Wellerman is currently considered the finest collegiate tuba soloist in Texas, according to the Texas Band Masters 2023. And, his little brother is the French horn soloist. 😀

1984 SCV, but I’m heavily biased (queued up at the CF)

I noticed that there wasn’t a thread on this corps yet this season, so I am starting one now. Pacific Crests show is entitled Goddess and having seen one of their rehearsals and looking at their amount of vets I think this may be one of the corps that we should watch out for this season.

DCI judging "rewards" it because no other corps is better in whatever year Concord wins.

Huh ? All of them rinse and repeat and i can point out few things from all of them year to year. Bluecoats do repeat things, Crown repeat, Cadets, All of them! unless we are watching a totally different competition from another dimension. It's gets very very very silly, when your pointing out white props. Like how far can this go ? It doesn't matter what they want to repeat, BD is not the only one. I think it really just comes down to some people are tired of BD winning that is what it looks like, and that's ok. So people pick at things to hate on about the corps, because you cant remove them one way so lets do it this way. They are not immune to criticism but a lot of it is strait up BS.

The DCI season can't start soon enough for me.

I really hope nobody is getting a headache over preseason predictions by any DCP’ers on here . I mean … seriously ?

I've seen every company front since 1973, and this thread is the most fun I've had on DCP in a long, long time. When I'm reduced to dribbling on my chin, I hope my family plays these shows to let me die with a smile on my face.

I think Regiment and Cavaliers have a better chance of making top 5 than the Mandarins.

I agree. I think Boston has done a wonderful job with their music arrangements. I like how they use On The Waterfront. Brass and percussion sound really good. Should be a fun show to watch develop.

Here ya go....

Actually,I do have a couple concerns. First, there is so much happening visually between the guard book and the choreography sometimes I don't know where to look. In the marching band world I dwell in, judges frequently comment "Where's the focus supposed to be here?" Having said that, I am in hopes that BAC has earned to artistic license to not have that concern from the judges, because alot of their visual content is amazing. The other concern I have is the ending doesn't feel complete to me, but I'm not sure I'm seeing the final ending. This design team seems to favor putting an enhanced ending in each year between San Antonio and Allentown and that may be the case. I do detect a glint of skepticism in your question, however, and look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show when you see it in person as I have. This is the best Boston ever, for the record.

Wow. I will say that I am generally NOT a Boston fan (BD all the way for me) but I am genuinely blown away after watching the concert in the park. Having seen this and now Crown, (haven't seen anything from Bluecoats yet but I expect them to be excellent as well) I think Devs might be in a bit of a spot of bother this year. They are as good as always, but have once again come with a typical Blue Devils "wash, rinse and repeat" show design. I don't think that's gonna cut it this year. It's clear that Boston smells blood in the water (pun intended) after coming so close last year.

You are spot on, and the "Bostonness" of BAC explains how this corps has survived 83 years, 7 decades during which they had not a penny to their name. And, unlike a few other high profile DCI organizations we read about here on DCP, our alumni and members are well aware of our history and truly honor each other in the present.

I also saw in the props and the uniform motifs plenty of Matisse's La Gerbe (the Sheaf, 1953) which is part of the collection at the MET as we speak.

Ooh! Today I learned that I’m the system. Didn’t realize my power!

Nailed it.

Right on..... It's best to not address the same things over and over.. Agree to Disagree and let us move on and enjoy what WE enjoy about BD.

One of my favorite shows ever. The aggression! I’m a guard person but I love the tiny guard — it’s so extreme. BAC adds quite nicely to the tradition of great OTW arrangements, I think. It makes complete and utter sense for them because it’s aggro as heck, demands some smart and spicy percussion writing, andgives a brassline every excuse to be mean as hell.

This part made me laugh out loud. I may need to try some of this shimmying to see where it gets me!

Fair question. i am a Yankees fan. They get a lot of hate, or they DID get a lot of hate, because they won so much. Won, as in past tense, as they are abysmal right now. They weren’t an “innovative” baseball team. They just won a lot and had big names. i am a Dolphins fan, which means i have spent the better part of the last 20 years hating the Patriots. They weren’t innovative. They had a VERY predictable coach and a huge talent at QB. success breeds contempt. LOTS of people hate BD JUST because they win. A lot. IF BD designs to the sheets, Bluecoats could do that. BAC seems to be doing some of that now. Crown could, too. But if they decide they don’t want to do that, that doesn’t mean BD is wrong to do so.

Based on where Boston is on talent and show design compared with last year: 1. Boston Crusaders 2. Blue Devils 3. Bluecoats 4. Cadets 5. Crown 6. Phantom Regiment 7. Mandarins 8. Blue Stars

Oh, this one is ICONIC.

Best day of the year! Mike

Yeah Simple Gifts dissolving and reforming front is a winner for me too.

I'm asking to ensure that you realize what you did. I know you did, but do you?

Some corps still have that modern traditional look. Cavies, PR...Cadets last year. BD still looks like BD in a modern approach.

I'm a little worried about props only from the stills that I saw, but I think Estudillo is the real deal. A percussion buddy watched them warm up last year, and he mentioned how hard they were drumming and that he "felt sorry for the kids" because they're probably in pain from drumming so unnecessarily hard. He thought out loud why any kids would return to the corps in 2023 to go through that again. To me, even if the new regime is young, the students will have a better time, and that matters the most.

Whales can be happy too!

One I last thought on the CIP performance....yes, they sounded great, but this performance pales in comparison to the show when experienced in the context of the visual production. You guys are in for a real treat this summer!

When I saw BD at the Laramie Community Show, I had the same feeling as I did re Bloo ‘16. One to watch out for. I realize that reaction isn't exactly some sort of wild confession when we are all fans of the activity, but you know it when you see it.

Bluecoats 2018 fake out company front got me good.