corps fan

you might want to check out corpsreps.com to see who has signed up as members...and I saw somewhere that Capital Sound has started using Facebook to get the word out for alumni

Pioneer - well I'm still not a fan of Roman Blenski, or the direction the corps seems to be in (stuck in Ireland, though I heard he was the only one who wanted to stay with the theme and apparently there the director wins out in the design meetings), I must say impressive. Based on the concept and the design ideas I had heard of earlier in the season, I wasn't expecting this show to be as good as it was. It was interesting to see changes that have already been made in the original design plan, but hey if it doesn't work, change it. The show has a much higher level of design than I was really expecting, and although the ladders are (for me) quite reminiscent of Cavies 2005, they quickly fall into the background and aren't as cumbersome as the Cadets' door from the same year. For only 30-something horns, it's not bad...it would definitely help if they had twice as many and while stamina still seems to be an issue for most, there are a few shining moments. This isn't the same type of Pioneer corps as the past few years and it is good to see they are trying to step it up but at the same time I don't see this corps moving too much in the standings, but they seem to (mostly) be having a good time, and that's what matters overall. Troopers - I don't know exactly who is in charge of their new recruitment efforts (though I have heard DCI gave some help with this), but kudos to the Troopers for coming out with such a big corps two years in a row, and the Troopers are definitely back. Yes, the guard is small, but another fun show. The great thing here is they, like Pioneer, have stuck to a general theme (Americana vs Irish) for many years, but the difference is Troopers seem to do it differently each time and it feels fresh where as Pio seems to be the same every year. I liked the Starburst and as soon as I saw it was coming I got excited. Again, much more effective if they are able to get the guard that they are looking for, and I didn't really see how the guard unis fit the show, but I'm an old horn guy so that doesn't mean much to me. Madison Scouts - as pointed out in another topic, they had 40 hours of rehearsal over 4 days leading up to this show and it definitely seems to have paid off. Granted my vantage point in Rockford was quite less than stellar, this was a different show. Drill is getting clean, music is coming together. I would have to say the temple block thing in the pit near the end should either be watered down (maybe max of two players per pitch) or scrap it all together as it just all jumbled together. Maybe it was new, maybe it was an off night for the moment, but you have the great moment with the boxes earlier, I would just leave it at that. Great as always to see a Madison cymbal line, but unlike in previous years I was trying to get a better overall perspective so I didn't watch them alone. Some great solos in the horns and once the screamers come through it really seems like this can be a Madison show of old. Colts - this show rocked me in Rockford (yes i realized as i was typing that how bad it was, but comment stands) but fell a little flat tonight. I still had them in first overall but the excitement level seemed less. The drum major turning around with one tune left to go seems to give a false ending to the show and I have to assume either it was something they were trying out or perhaps a brain fart but I would loose it to keep the show going. Judging thoughts: right on...I had the placements the same. Overall comments: it seems to me that no corps in either division really brought it tonight in terms of opening the hornlines up and letting the kids blow. There were plenty of moments in almost every show where I was thinking "ok, here it comes, time to rip my face off," and it just never delivers...hopefully the design plans are still being held back in this respect to be added later in the season, but it should already be there IMO. Now there were a couple of moments (Troopers opening hit for one) where they did bring it, but not quite what one would expect. Talking with some of the Madison guys after the show, I have learned (as previously reported) that the new ending is scheduled for release in Denver, and I know they are having fun with things and the show is coming together. Saw Glassmen's convey at a tollbooth in Illinois on my way home after the show and I couldn't help wonder why they weren't in Cedarburg since they were in Milwaukee the night before, but I'm sure they had their reasons. Thank you for reading....peace.

some thoughts from Cedarburg, venue was great and it was nice to have the show not rained out like it was last year. Couldn't have had better seats, right on the 50 second row from the top. Some microphone issues from the box, but he got it fixed eventually. Nice to hear Madison playing a very "interesting" arrangement of The Star-Spangled Banner, but since Dutch Boy was there, how bout O Canada? Oh well. Dutch Boy - very interesting to see since last year. These are some good folks, but something has happened as they had only about half as many horns as last year. I was expecting more but it just didn't really deliver, which was a common theme of the night. Some very exposed parts that, with some more horns, could become great moments for them, I just don't know if they are going to be able to recruit those people by August. Revolution - decent show, highest level of demand amongst the open class corps, but execution is still evidently early season. Nice job with Wild Rides as I was listening to Phantom 2003 on the way up there. Colt Cadets - wow. really...haven't seen them since Rockford, but wow have they cleaned and came ready to play. It was the first show of the night that had some real excitement. I must say my previous thoughts of them have been, look it the cute little kids, but this show can take them to a new level if they work at it. The great part about this show is that it is what DCI used to be about: play a fun show that the kids can get into, music that draws in the audience and don't over program. Yes, the demand wasn't as high but they were able to acheive, at a fairly high level, what was being asked of them. I wish more corps would go back to this type of show, as opposed to the music you might know if you are a college music student, or if it has been played by other corps in the past. Racine Scouts - well good news is they have added and cleaned a lot since Rockford. Unfortunate news is they still have a very small drumline. Now they have two snares and a tenor and they have added a person playing four (marching) bass drums on stands in the pit and it definitely helps having the extra flavors. Still relying heavily (with no surprise) on the hornline, and it is sounding much better as to be expected. My thoughts on the Open Class scoring are this: what the heck are the judges looking at? what are they breathing in the booth, and can I have some? Yes, the demand and overall program for Revolution should put them in first place but the execution is not there yet. Colt Cadets were really clean and have some great moments. Dutch needs to get more players in to beef up some potential moments...I had the order as this: Revo - Colt Cadets (really close, could have gone either way I suppose) Dutch Racine now that was in fact the order, but I had the point spread between Colt Cadets and Dutch, with Colt Cadets and Revo being really close, not the actual huge jump from Revo to Colt Cadets, and Dutch and CC only half a point different. I was not alone on these thoughts. All for now due to time, some thoughts on the World Class corps later...

it's in reference to this...and a mention about scores...and the rest of the topic

i understand the saving money part. what is more to be considered at this point is how will the lack of judges exposure to the shows affefct overall scores later? it helps when a judge has seen a show more than once because it gives them the opportunity to get a better understanding of the intent of the show (plus discussion with corps staff in critique). Of course the judges are educated music (or related) professionals but there have certainly been times where the judges perception of a certain spot in a show was taken the wrong way from the intent. once it is explained, they will understand it better...this is partially why scores go up when a judge evaluates the same caption again (and of course that it's probably been a while and the corps is better at it).

i know two of Southern California's corps directors are percussionists

i'm not talking about placements...IMO anyone who is in it for that needs to re-think why they are marching. what i'm talking about is medling with the show design, and forcing injured members to risk further harm when not necessary just to name a couple. as i said, it's not that i think he is doing this stuff on purpose, i just believe that his style of running his corps is outdated...it's my opinion, so don't agree with it if you don't want to, i expect that.

In looking at the recaps, i see the new early season judging panel: GE Music GE Visual Visual Ensemble Music Ensemble Percussion I can't help but to take each and every score before Saturday (when the rest of the panel will be back) with a grain of salt. you're cutting out good chunks of the scoring system that will be used come finals so how can these scores be very accurate? i mean brass nor colorguard are even getting their own judges. there have been plenty of corps who have moved up (or stayed out of a show) during finals week on the strength of their guard alone. more importantly than the number, these captions aren't getting any feedback. now many corps do not rely much on judges feedback when fine-tuning their show, but if you aren't getting anything, how is it fair? plus there have been times when corps have been practically forced to change whole tunes because crowds and judges simply "don't get it." again, this could just be from programming decisions, but without that feedback how can anything be sure?

no, i understand about timing and penalties...you made it seem like DCI has listed the show at 7 minutes. to be clear, the current rules (from dci.org) state shows must be a minimum of 10 minutes, maximum of 11 1/2 minutes, though Hopkins has submitted in 2007 and 2008 to extend the maximum to 12 1/2 (apparently didn't pass the instructors’ caucus either year)

just curious where on DCI does it mention the timing of the show? (please don't take this as a slight, I'm serious about this question)

if it is the same ending they used last week in Rockford, I have been told this is not the "true" ending. great review.

you saw the show too???

ya know i'm not too surprised to learn this...i heard that there was supposed to be a bigger drumline. i suppose my comments were made mostly in shock, and again because it was such a long weekend for me and it was so late. i do appreciate the fact that this corps works just as hard as every other corps and it must be difficult to go out there knowing some of your corps is missing and that you will be so exposed, it was just surprising at the crowd reaction during the show. I will see the corps again at Cedarburg and possibly in Madison on Saturday, and I'm looking forward to seeing the corps get better.

there were comments around me as well about this being a warmup, but i do believe (of course i could be wrong) that this is along with the new style of starting the show before the "announcement" ala Madison last year, and various shows since Cadets 2003. It's sort of a warmup, but more so a non-judged beginning, notice the announcement came while they were still playing and as soon as the front-field conductor saluted, they immediately turned around to continue conducting with the backfield conductor.

from a Pacific Crest email newsletter:

Precision West was not scored???? that explains why no scores have been posted, but are you sure? i thought only the Brea (SoCal) show was exhibition.

my background: i've marched, i've teched...my seat was on the 30, right side of the field and about half way up, so not the best...on to the review. in order of performance not placements: Colt Cadets - cute, it's the Colt Cadets, sorry nothing really stood out...nice trumpet line Racine Scouts - wow, simply wow, and unfortunately not in a good way. the corps is so small and so young it's just hard to find kind words. i've honestly never heard a crowd that quiet during a performance before, normally there is quiet chatter...nothing. i'm sure jaws were just dropped everywhere. i'm really not trying to be mean here but this by far was just a really rough performance. i really hope there's more members that joined late (specially more than the 1 snare and 1 tenor in the drumline) that were just not in the show yet. Madison Scouts - heard good things going into this show, no big deal. not a fan of the new uniforms. heard they were quite upset with something in the scoring and they were pulling out as the encore was letting out. Blue Stars - louder than Scouts, took the bicycle theme and ran with it. if they really wanted to impress me they should have ditched the flags with handlebars on the other ends (not joking) and ridden actual bikes like Pee Wee did. Colts - a really fun show, accessible music and it works. The Cavaliers - holy crap, could be your champion right here. of course i (obviuosly) haven't seen anyone that wasn't at this show to compare to, but this was a really cool show. they did do some things that are becoming cliche Cavies, like putting the horns down to do some body stuff, but i liked this show from top to finish. Carolina Crown - pretty darn cool and admittedly i haven't been the biggest Crown fan in a few years, though i haven't seen them all that often either. some of the musical selections listed were hard to pick up and i think some were played under others, but these are things i would try to find with another viewing of this show which i'd like to do. Phantom Regiment - Spartacus, ok so i wasn't born yet when they did it the first time and i was a baby when they did it again, plus i haven't seen the old shows so i don't have anything to compare to. it did help with the information in the program about the old shows to be able to understand what was going on. good show, not great, not bad, good. now for some general comments: i always love how you get the extra commentary track between shows from people behind you who think they know what they are talking about. first off they are CORPS, not bands! second, the limit is now 150, not 128. the break between Racine Scouts and Madison Scouts wasn't because of a problem with Madison, the pit set up during Capital Sound's alloted time (i guess the performance times were not adjusted when the corps pulled out of this year's tour) and then waited until their scheduled time. other comments i can't really remember but that guy needs to shut up. i completely called the placements, though i was a little surprised Crown and PR weren't a little closer. i should also point out that it is 1:20 AM, I've been up since 7:15 AM after a 2 hour drive home last night, than a 2 hour drive to Rockford this afternoon and an hour driving back here so if any of my comments are rude or vague or seem incomplete, that's why. i will be in madison next saturday and in cedarburg, wi on july 3 and if i feel like it i will post thoughts of those shows. for a written transcript of this report, write down everything i just said. oh yeah, PR again knows how to do an encore, played music from the 2005 Rhapsody show, the Ave Maria from 2006 and Elsa's Procession. the reading of each individual age-out's names was a little long, but the tubas having the miniature stools was pretty funny. ~fin~

While I have been out of touch with the world recently (though there are those who would argue when am I ever in it?), let me add a quick thought: it saddens me to have heard about this. Having had the privilege of being at a camp or two, I was amazed to see the progress this young corps was making so early into things and the show they had was definitely going to be turning some heads in the activity. Here's to hoping they are able to work back onto the field next year and maybe in time they will be able to use that show again.

Anyone who knows me knows I am not a fan of the Yamaha horns, but I use what I have available. In a line of players using the Yamaha YBB-202 marching-only tuba, I have found that the entire line plays extremely sharp almost to the point of not being able to pull the slides out any farther no matter the level of the player. I submit this question to the DCP world: has anyone encountered extreme issues while trying to tune the marching only tuba? if so, can you offer any general suggestions to aid intonation for a line of players? most appreciated.

well that's both cool and the end all to the discussion...if someone isn't sure...put in your birthday and you'll have a definitive answer!

must be raised by the end of the year? as in 2 1/2 weeks? umm, good luck, but $52,000 is gonna be tough to raise in that short amount of time

hey, i was just honestly asking about these things. as i said, i don't know what the ECJ situation is, nor the drum corps scene on the east coast. what i said about recruitment was in no way to insinuate that they didn't do any as i'm sure they have, but sometimes (as groups i've been with) need to pound the pavement even harder after showings at camps are not as expected. please understand, nothing in my post is meant as a slight against ECJ or their staff, it's always tough to see any group have to go inactive, and especially harder to see ones have to remain so. I'm not questioning their moves as i'm sure they did their homework on this subject, just asking a couple of honest questions.

why is it better that they decide for the whole season to pack it in, instead of going out and trying to do some hardcore recruiting and see if the numbers increase next month before making a decision? i don't know the situation out there, but how can you get a true feel of your numbers based on one camp? you never know how many Div I cuts will try to get in do you?

the tour schedule is being set currently (may already be done)...there was some stalling up above, but it's all sorted out...don't know when it will be released, but i'm hoping soon so i know where i'll be this summer

in the words of Chris Rock: "Robitussin"