Hrothgar15

I'm just imagining the corps forming three gears, incresaing in size, each interlocking and spinning. Mmmm...

Uhhhh...did your finger slip off of the 1 and hit the 2?

Oooh, this'll be interesting. Keep in mind this is only going by the shows I've seen or at least heard. Oh, and this may offend someone. Cadets Favorite: 2000. I think I've stated many times why I love this show. But in a nutshell, I truly believe drum corps music cannot get better than this. Perfect. Runners up: 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998, 2001 Least favorite: 1988. Funny thing is, I love this show. There's some really great stuff going on there. It's just my least favorite out of all their shows. In fact, it's the only show I've seen from them since 1983 that I don't think is absolutely breathtakingly amazing. Cavaliers Favorite: 1992. Great musical book, awesome drill, and their most emotional production besides 1995. And an actual ballad is always a plus. Runner up: 1995 Least Favorite: 2001. I honestly cannot listen to this show, and most of it I barely consider music. Runner up: 2002. Zzzzzzz... Santa Clara Vanguard Favorite: 1989. The pinnacle of drum corps. This show is indescribable. Pure emotion flowing from the field. Runners up: 1988, 1987, 2003, 2005 Least favorite: 2001. Short Ride was great. What the heck was the rest? Jug Blues and Fat Picken? Should a piece with a name like that even be allowed to be played on the field? Star of Indiana Favorite: 1990. This show is the total package; it represented Star's constant success in being entertaining and sophisticated at the same time. Runners up: 1989, 1991, 1993 (!) Least Favorite: 1992. They had a great sound, but I just can't come to like a show that includes the Star Spangled Banner. Sorry. Phantom Regiment Favorite: 1989. How could you not like this show? It's classical music transformed perfec--almost perfectly (with the exception of the ride cymbal in the Largo) into the drum corps idiom. Least favorite: 1992 (again, from what I've heard from them) Blue Devils Favorite: 1986. Holy crap. That's all I have to say. Least favorite: 2005. Yowza yowza...yeah, you know the deal. Carolina Crown Favorite: 2005. . True drum corps. Least favorite: 2004. Poetry. I don't get it.

That must be weird. I know the distance between the front high school hash and the front sideline is 28 steps, but what about the front college hash and the front sideline? Must be something weird like 34.2.

I've never marched corps, so I was wondering, corps use high school hash marks when learning drill, right? The thing is, many times the high school hash marks aren't there for competitions, and even at the world championships some year, just college or pro. So how do corps set up the opening set at these venues?

Hmm...I realized today that the Cadets repeated a selection in 1999 from their 1996 show...the one at 210 beats per minute, sounds really cool. What's it called?

Yeah. I heard some story about her being as sick as a dog finals week but still marching. Played the crap out of those solos. You should definitely found out her name.

Which shows, in your mind, our completely underrated? I'll start by saying Santa Clara 2003...holy cow, that's one heck of a show, probably my favorite that year. If the execution had been a little better, this show would be legendary. And while we're at it, Cadets 1999. Almost no one talks about this show. It's great! "City of Angels" is one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful, pieces of music to grace the football field. I honestly believe it is impossible for anyone to dislike that piece. And the rest of that show is pure energy. What are your picks?

Except every drum corps show since the early '90s has had a theme, except for Cadets 2001, and even then the theme was that there was no theme.

Cavaliers 2002- Epitome of musicianship and visual design Phantom Regiment 2003- Pure emotion Crown 2005- A great show from a corps about to join the big boys Santa Clara Vanguard- Pure enrgy throughout Cadets 2000- Incredible musical score, pure GE the whole way through, and a percussion feature like no other Cavaliers 2000- Revolutionary visually and paved the way for original music Santa Clara Vanguard 2000- Goosebump city Cadets 2001- Incredible hornline (the beginning = ), what a sound...four great productions that can stand on their own Phantom Regiment 2005- Written and performed with the fans in mind

Anyone know about the 1989 and 1995 Cadets mellophone soloists? I'm sure someone here knows...

In this topic, you can ask about soloists you really like, and if you know anything about that person, you can share about them, as in their name, and a bit of background about them. I've always wondered about the mellophone soloists from Cadets 1989 (the really long one in the closer) and 1995; their music is really exposed and they did a great job. Who are they?

Late '80s definitely. Case in point: listen to Santa Clara Vanguard 1987, then 1988. 1987 is a great show, but there's a really spread, blatty tone throughout the loud sections. And those horribly out of tune chords at the end. But 1988 is just pure beauty and blend.

Unless you marched Cadets and are moving at a slow tempo.

They march the dot. It's as simple as that.

Dave is actually from Boston. He's on staff at my marching band, and it's really funny when he tells us to set up "Chaht Fawty-Two."

Anyone else have pictures of past drum corps personalities and where they are today?

Speaking of throwing things, in the Garfield 1984 finals performance DVD, you can see audience members throwing something onto the field. What are those things? They look like shower caps or something.

I Have a Love =

Dude, no. I just clocked it, from the finals performance, and it's right around 200 beats per minute. Definitely not 300. To realize how fast 300 is, think of Phantom Regiment's opener from 1989, and double the tempo (like marching the eighth note). No corps has ever come close to going that fast.

I'm all for audience friendly, yet still symphonic...1989, anyone? I'm all for the loud majestic introduction, fast-paced opener, beautiful ballad, fast percussion feature, and a closer that ties it all together, like they did that year. You can't go wrong with lush music that connects to the audience.

DAHHHH....DAH DAH DAH DAH DAHHHH...DAHHHHH... DAHHHHH... as opposed to ...

Oh God, Star in the 1990s. There's just nothing like it. Crap, now I'm going to have to listen to Belshazzar's Feast.

The music does have to stand on it's own. I enjoy drum corps two different ways: seeing shows live/on video, and listening to them on my computer/iPod. Therefore, the music by itself still has to be entertaining. HECK yes. HECK no.

Phantom Regiment 1989- Eleven-and-a-half minutes of pure MUSIC