Bob984

I do not like when corps start before announced......I know for them, they feel like they are "setting a mood", but for me, they also then become predictable....It creates more suspense when the announcer announces in silence, and you are not sure what they are going to do.....this year, I found it especially distracting when keyboard work started while the announcing was going on. However, as I read here, some like it and some are not distracted by it, but for me, it is distracting. GB

He was a one of a kind fabulous player, probably the most incredible high note player ever, and also a good person......I saw him many times in concert....I thought I would share one that stuck out for me......He was scheduled to play a weeknight concert at a small restaurant in rural Pa., and we decided last minute to go. The place was not a typical concert place, and the restaurant owner took his banquet room and filled it to the gills with chairs, and it was full. Just before the show, I heard someone say "I wonder if he is even going to show"....I was a bit confused. Then, I heard that Maynard had tripped and fallen shortly after lunch, and went to the hospital. He had a broken leg and was there all afternoon. I figured "game, set, match...this show is over...". Minutes later, the band comes out and plays a warmup tune. I figure that maybe just the band will play and they will give refunds to those who gripe. Next thing I know, they are bringing a bar stool onto stage. A guy comes out with a horn....Maynard suddenly appears, on crutches no less....makes his way to the stool as the audience can't believe it.....sits down on the stool and the guy hands him the horn...he has a smurk on his face, puts the horn up to his face, sitting down, and plays a solo that hardly anyone could play standing up, and he's sitting on a stool, absolutely screaming......then, he jokes that if he talks kind of funny tonight to please forgive him, as "those painkillers are really kickin' in" (lol).....He could have easily cancelled, and most would have, but he came out in this condition and absolutely wailed for the fans there...one that I will treasure.............GB

Yes....I did notice it was actually cheaper to fly from Los Angeles to Indy than Philly/New York/Washington/Baltimore to Indy...go figure!

Sorry.....but you are wrong....I flew to Chicago from Philadelphia(then drove to Madison) for $158 rt. total....nothing like that to Indy....flew from Philly to Boston last year for $118 rt....again, not even close...actually from Philly, I can get a flight to everyplace you mentioned cheaper than to Indianapolis.....you would be right to say that it has improved with the addition of the discount carriers (as Indy airport was WAY high before they came), but bigger hubs still have the better deals thusfar........GB

(1) I don't consider the world championship to be "just another regional", which is what Allentown (or the other regionals)is......and for your info, I go to Allentown every year because I can be there in 90 minutes, thus it is not a ton of money to put out, bu nationals is...yes, to spend major money with "nothing new" in the mix for me is too much FOR ME for 10 years straight.....if that is cool with others, "whatever floats your boat...". I know some people do nothing else but eat/drink/shows at nationals but not me.....spent the entire day in Chicago yesterday before flying home from nationals.....great......Boston ditto last year.....trip to Pikes Peak the day after Denver in 04......I am not berating anyone who wants to go to Indy 10 years in a row........I'm just saying not me, that's all.........GB

Greetings....I was just wondering what people here think about DCI having 10 straight championships in Indy starting in 2008......I know that it was most likely a great financial deal for DCI....however..... (1) I have always liked going to different places.......I know that I will not go to Indy 10 years in a row.....nothing against the place, but I like to do other things, too.....it costs alot of money to travel these days, and there is certainly not enough in Indy for me to spend big money to go there 10 years in a row....Allentown (or wherever East is held) will be it for me for some of those years..... (2) It is still quite a hike for the Western corps (and fans).....I think all regions of the country deserve to have a title show every once in a while....California is finally getting their long overdue home show....now, all of that will be gone......... (3) Indianapolis is not exactly a "discount" airport, and you are not going to get "deals" that others give...... (4) There is a significant possibility of low attendance.....whereas I think they will be fine the first 2 years, I think it will decline in year 3, significantly in year 4, and if they keep going, I could see, for example, under 10,000 by year 7...... Do they have any kind of "opt out" clause if people stop coming to Indy?? What do you think? I am just curious about how others feel about this.....I realize this deal was all about money, but...... GB

Greetings...here is my review of DCI semifinals.............. General...another good weather night......bigger crowd than quarterfinals........ Mandarins.....seemed "out of place" in semifinals, as both performance levels and also quality of program seemed significantly lower than all others.........they do have some ok impacts, but show comes across as a visual show with accompaniment......I felt this was their "dirtiest" performance of the week as well.... Capital Regiment..........probably their best job....I thought they stepped it up a bit from an emotion/impact standpoint today....musically not my cup of tea, but they had some good moments......I liked the visual program......in many years, a show at this level would have made finals, but finalists no longer have a weak year and it's really crowded all the way to 17th..... Blue Stars....they did a job tonight! Brass has excellent technique and quality of sound, and some fine impacts...I thought they may make a move on Crossmen after seeing the performances, and I was right. This was a great return year to division I for them, and if their kids come back, look out..... Crossmen.............they performed decently, but I just find this show coming up short from a musical arrangement standpoint.....I understand the show, but I want to hear great stand-alone music, and that is what is lacking here. Not enough meat in any of the captions to challenge for a finalist spot, and performance levels were ok but not stellar....Better arrangements are needed here..... Colts......they have a good musical book and a good visual program.......percussion is ok but they needed more here to seriously challenge for finals....still, a very enjoyable corps, and this show would have been in finals in many seasons.... Spirit...solid in all captions....some good jazz here........visual design is good but not as strong as corps ahead of them....good show... Glassmen.......I feel the arrangements are choppy....I do like the "conversion to deafness/silence" late in the show, and find that to be effective....they are solid in all captions, and the placing was right..... Madison...they have a very interesting and demanding visual book....musically, this is a very different Scouts corps, but they play well and I like it....I feel their show is more effective than Boston and BK, and is a bit underscored..... Boston......strong performance in all captions.....that said, the musical arrangements lack emotion and drive........they would be so much better with a stronger musical book....... Blue Knights.....visual design is good....musical book is too dissonant, choppy, and also has lulls in effect....they perform well, but I don't understand the high musical effect numbers......crowd was not moved in upper deck..... Crown...........hornline VASTLY superior to all before them......blend, balance, tone quality, intonation, control, power, articulation....one of the finest out there, and their brass/ensemble and musical effect numbers all seem horribly underscored......they blew away the upper deck.....great coordination, too.....yes, the drumline doesn't play as many notes, but they are very musical and everything fits....other lines play more notes, but some of them don't fit....this corps, in my opinion, is very underscored.......... Santa Clara.......this is a great show......solid arrangements, played with emotion, and an interesting visual book that doesn't stop........there are some minor performance issues, but this is a solid corps with a very good package that the audience buys.... Bluecoats.......their forte is performance level.........very strong in all captions, and I do agree their is demand there.......however, I do find there to be lulls in musical effect and the book to be a bit choppy.....I agree with the close 6th placement..... Cadets.......yes they have characters and miked voice....if you get over that, they also have a very solid corps, although they have not reached the extreme performance level of last year.....Cavies .8 ahead in field percussion?? Questionable....I felt score/placement was correct...... Phantom.........champion. Decent drill/coordination/visual combined with GREAT musical presentation......brass has extreme demand and they tackle it, and also play with great emotion....there is no way that the brass/ensemble judges are fully considering WHAT they are achieving.....crowd went wild.....Music effect was correct, but only a tenth?? I don't think so......top percussion.......... Blue Devils....strong show..........strong in all captions......battery percussion demand is outrageous......big impacts and solid hornline....arrangements are very good (but not at the level of Phantom's).....IMO, 2nd...... Cavaliers.......top visual program.....that said, musical arrangements don't have the substance of some others (and especially Phantom)....yes, they perform cleanly, but the WHAT is inferior to some others....percussion is good, but others are better (I felt the 19's were a little high as they have a safer book than others).......I had them 3rd..... Madison alumni corps....WOW.....they played Madison classics and very well I might add, and the crowd ate it up......I hope this is out on DVD.......they did it up right, and they should be proud.... GB

Greetings....I returned home late last night from my DCI excursion....here is my finals review..... Spirit....a solid job, and I felt they had an entertaining book with some good jazz phrasing.....good show... Glassmen....although a bit choppy arrangement-wise for my tastes, I will admit they progressed and probably did their most emotional job at finals....much energy and good execution.....horn line had some intonation issues that didn't change in the last 2 weeks, but they did have good impacts.....solid overall in all captions.... Madison....another corps that improved over the last few weeks....a very difficult and interesting visual book, and ditto for the arrangements.....not your typical Madison charts, but they did them well...I thought they have been underscored a bit, and I did agree the move into 9th (actually I would have had them 8th) I felt Music Effect was better than some ahead of them.... Boston....proficient in all captions...I felt the visual program was good and well-performed...musically they performed well, but I felt the arrangements lacking in both excitement and continuity....they are a solid corps, but I wish they had a better musical book.....the move of the pieces to the columns at end combined with guard work was effective...the move of Madison over them was overdue...... Blue Knights...another corps that is proficient in performance in all captions, but the musical program/arrangements leave something to be desired.......extended use of dissonance, which neither I or many (not all) fans find appealing....they do have a few good moments, and they are proficient, but not inspiring musically....over Crown in Musical Effect? ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? Not even close....there is not one aspect of music (except for percussion) that they are even remotely close to Crown in brass.....not in performance, not in arrangements, and not in effect....I have no clue as to how this caption is being judged by many.....To me, this is a group that is an 18 in visual effect and a 16 in musical effect.......I thought they were significantly overscored/placed.... Crown.....marvelous brass line/sound/arrangements.....great intonation, blend, balance, and solid dynamic range...not credited....they were jammed all year in the brass performance/ensemble and music effects captions, and this week was no exception. This is also a very well-coordinated show....yes, their percussion doesn't play as many "notes" as others, but they do play musically, as everything fit very well, and that was not credited...yes, some of the other lines play more notes, but is it musical when they don't fit what is going on brass-wise?? This corps should have had stellar brass and effect numbers and been right there with the 4-6 corps, and for Blue Knights to beat them with a musical program that simply doesn't compare is a travesty.... Santa Clara.....they had a great show this year, and they sold it well to the crowd....I felt they had a well-arranged book that they played with emotion and there were some great impacts....that said, I do agree with the musical performance numbers. However, I felt they were underscored in music effect.....I felt that the super-close semis scoring places 4-6 was more accurate.....I understand they had a young corps this year....if their membership returns, look out next year..... Cadets....as I said before, if you get upset about some characters and miked voice, you most likely hated this show; I didn't love that part, either, but it didn't bug me as much as others... However, if you looked past that, there was some very solid drum corps going on here...a solid horn sound and book (although I found the ending needed more) and another strong and effective drumline....I felt the one point deficit to Bluecoats in field percussion was extreme (not to put down Bluecoats fine line, but I didn't see that spread) and that cost the Cadets 4th place.. Bluecoats...this was one of the tough calls for me....some things I really liked, but there were also some "lulls" in music effect/arrangement quality for me...I will say they performed very well in all captions and can see high performance numbers, but for me, the 6th in semis seemed more accurate..... Phantom Regiment.....this corps was robbed of a championship. they were the best corps all week. Top percussion was on and well deserved. They had a well-coordinated package, and were awesome musically: the arrangements were great and they played them masterfully and with emotion. In the performance captions, judges are to consider not only HOW they are playing but WHAT...and frankly, nobody was close to the level of playing being demanded here...extremes in dynamics, articulations, extended full-ensemble playing, the entire soprano line converting to (and playing very well) baritones...wow....and effect....HOW DID THEY POSSIBLY LOSE MUSIC EFFECT????? This was the championship performance, and it's a travesty that they were placed second.... Blue Devils......they had a great overall show.....outrageous demand in battery percussion handled well...horns had a full sound and some strong playing, and I felt arrangements worked pretty well....strong visual/guard package as well......I had them in the runnerup position behind Phantom..... Cavaliers....yes, I agree with the visual placement...however, I did find the 19.9 scores in performance and spread over Phantom to be a bit extreme...it wasn't that "flawless" or groundbreaking (though I agree with their win in visual)...I think some judges need to be a bit careful when considering numbers over a 19.6 (the 98th percentile).....musically, however, the show didn't stack up to some of the other shows tonight.....whereas I agree with a strong brass performance number, as they perform very cleanly, they also lack emotion/expression, their book is demanding but not as much as others, and they definitely have a restricted dynamic range......they have no where near the musical effect of Phantom...frankly, they have gone back to the "guard/visual show with musical accompaniment", and until there is a problem with musical numbers, they will continue to do so. With a great musical program, they would be unbeatable, but it was nowhere more apparant then at East for the encore show how short they come up there.....percussion was good, but appropriately scored, as others were better, and the 19.2 by one seemed a tad high...I had them in 3rd overall.... General....big crowd...great weather....I didn't stay for retreat/scores, as I knew what was going to be done before the show even started.......the positive: some great drum corps....the negatives: (1) many talented corps need better musical arrangements, (2)DCI Music caption adjudication needs overhauled......... GB

I'm sorry....couldn't help it, but I guess it was the "senior citizens" comment at the show that cracked me up......I thought Phantom was great, and you guys were wonderful......GREAT to see you back....for what it is worth, I'm an alum of one of the other disqualified corps, the Crossmen (though I marched the year after their dq..), and I have some old Muchacho friends, too, so I guess that pretty much covers 'em all (lol)!!!!! I've already told many not to miss you guys at DCA...... GB

It was tremendous to see the Bridgemen back on the field, and hear those great Kerchner/Delucia charts once again.........the crowd bought it totally (so did I), and brought back memories of when a corps used to be able to bring the house down, more than once, too, during a performance.........totally entertaining..........a memorable drum corps moment...........GB

The Bridgemen were disqualified immediately after Saturday's performance.....supposedly overage (lol)....I think Phantom lodged the complaint 24 hours earlier....

Greetings....arrived back in town yesterday and have been swamped catching up with things....here is my review of Allentown...both nights....please note it is not all good, but I try to credit, too....if you want everything to be a positive, don't read this..... Fri...general...seemed like a good Friday night crowd...... Jubal.......I felt they put out alot of energy for a small corps, and had some strong sopranos....performance issues will keep them from being real competitive on their trip, but I did find some entertainment value in their show, and it is great to have foreign competitors.... Pioneer...small hornline for Division I...that said, they do have some moments....performance issues holding them back...I think perhaps stronger arrangements and an easier drill would have them doing better....drumline shows good technique, and they have a good pit.... Esperanza....show has some real good "hits" early, but then loses a bit...I'm not a visual guy, but I think they can brighten up color-wise....a bit drab.....I thought design was interesting in places, and if the membership hangs on for another year, they could move up...good to see other open class corps in California.... Magic.....they have a full sound with some good impacts, and I like their "Jesu" treatment.....drumline has good technique and can hang with some lines of corps beating them....I have no clue why their staff decided to play a tune that Cadets won the title with....nothing new to the table, and no matter how hard they try they are going to come up short on that one...execution troubles holding them back a bit....I hope that their members come back...if they do, and come up with a better arranged show, they could move right back into things in a hurry.... Mandarins.....ok visual program/execution....musical book is average at best, very choppy, and uninspriring........this comes across as some type of indoor show with musical accompaniment, and frankly I think is quite overscored, and I have no idea why it is in the running for semifinals with several musical programs that are substantially superior to theirs in every way..... Capital Regiment.....I felt they had a good visual package, a very good drumline, and some good impacts in brass....they did also have some intonation/quality issues that will hinder them this week...I also was not moved by their arrangements....if they improve there, and clean up a bit more, they will have a solid finals shot in the future..... Blue Stars....a very fine effort for first time return to Division I competition....brass has a very full sound and solid on impacts with pretty good dynamic range...they did have some performance issues at low dynamics/small groupings......drumline adequate but may have to step it up a little for a finals run....music was well arranged...I could use a bit more fire in their overall book, though....again, great effort for year 1...semis for sure (may catch Crossmen. too) and look out next year.... Colts....don't count them out this week......brass book is good and well played, and so is visual design and they are getting there performance-wise, with some room to grow this week....percussion may tell the tale...they are ok but not spectacular...if they play a good show, brass cooks, and they march, they could make a move, as the show has moments and comes off entertaining overall..... Glassmen....to me, the arrangements of this corps are so musically choppy that they don't work. The sad thing is the kids are performing well in all captions.....I did like the "warped" key change to a diminuendo to nothing....creative and effective....I do think the program is lacking in musical effect........even though 11th right now, I don't see them as a lock for finals, but they probably will hold place with performance level...... Boston...very solid performance levels in all captions, especially percussion....that said, I find their musical book to be very unremarkable....I did like the column visual move on the 50, and that is the only vivid memory of their show...this corps could do so much better with stronger arrangements/book..... Cadets....I like the show....yes, if you get so fixated on a few actors and a miked singer, you are going to hate it. They also have some people diving, some very strong equipment work, fabulous drumming, and a fairly solid brass book with some fine moments.....a great soprano lick and one of the hottest tenor features of the year stand out...yep, execution not as strong as last year, and that is and will cost them, although I know they will practice their tush off this week....... Phantom......the show of the year. Absolutely great musical arrangements here, and they are going for some things brass-wise that are beyond anything anyone else is trying.....sorry Cavies fans, there is no comparison in depth of musical book/continuity of arrangements/dynamic contrast/impact/phrasing/emotion.....the only place you hang with them is how clean, and they are still right there with a superior book....best Phantom drumline ever.....visual is well-coordinated...I think if they open up impacts just a tad more and do a clean job, they should win...but they won't, because visual design is the only thing that counts in DCI these days.....music doesn't..... Cavaliers.....first the good....I will say their visual design, guard, and visual performance are 2nd to none and absolutely stellar.....now, the bad...folks, the musical book is very choppy and lacks musical continuity, and not nearly enough full ensemble playing......very clean, but also very limited dynamic impact/range, and there seems to be a lack of emotional expression....ending was weak...perc. is strong, but others up there are noticeably stronger....I would like the judges to realize that not only HOW but WHAT must still be considered to the end, and I don't understand why their percussion deficit is being closed down when some other lines are taking substantially more risk....after the weekend, I actually would have them 3rd behind both Phantom and Devils.....winning visual, but I just don't have a clue why they are winning other music captions, especially effect, when most of the effect is visual....this was never more evident than during the standstill....if they had great musical arrangements, this corps would be untouchable, but they come across more as a visual show with musical accompaniment...... Saturday....even bigger crowd..... Reading Bucs exhibition....they have a well-written show....drumline is strong.....corps did not have the best of performances tonight....it was early and still sunny...not what they are used to.....good job.... Pacific Crest....I was really surprised...I felt they really had some big musical moments, and have better arrangements than many in front....didn't show up in the score....yes, they weren't razor clean, and certainly limited touring hasn't helped them....still, this is one to check out, and I feel a bit underscored......again, great to see some other solid open corps in Cal... Seattle....another visual with music accompaniment program....frankly, I am not even sure of their intent from a construction/effect/arrangement standpoint......yes, there are some moments in visual design, and performance level, although not finalist level, wasn't terrible, but show left me cold.....as with many, if there members return and the staff gives them a better vehicle with better arrangements, they can rebound fast.... Southwind....they obviously have worked hard on performance levels on tour, and it may earn them that last semi spot.....I just couldn't get into their show..........performance levels pretty good, but not finalist level.....for me, more arrangement problems..... Crossmen......I think they have made a conscious effort to entertain, and many buy into the whole radio station product...but for me, that makes it choppy, and seems more like a band show product.....also, they are still having some substantial performance issues for this late in the game.....percussion has improved a bit this last week, but can't hang at all with some of the great Crossmen lines of the past....they will actually have to perform very well just to hold onto 14th, and could fall as low as 16th if they don't...... Spirit....I loved the opener...big sound...some really fine, straight ahead playing and the arrangement works....if they open this up a bit this week it can really sell.....rest of the show is ok but not at same level as opener...they are competent and will probably hold place, but finals are not 100% if they are flat and Colts take it up a notch.....ditto with Glassmen....I think this program is better than G-Men musically, but G-men have the edge in visual and overall performance execution.... Madison....probably their most different corps ever, especially musically....although not my favorite music from them, I did find it interesting and they had some big impacts....visual program really moves and covers the field, and I bought it, and they have a good drumline.......I find their program a bit undersored....yes, it's not razor clean, but they come across much stronger than Blue Knights or Boston (although I will admit Boston is noticeably cleaner and can see the edge at this point).....they still could move a bit if they execute this week, and I simply don't see this in 10th.... Blue Knights.....way too much dissonance and fragmented musical statements.....this music book is just really tough to grab me, no matter how well executed, yet they get an effect number....they perform well in all captions, but for me, another program where visual is the dominant force...... Crown....the most underscored corps of the year....folks, this is one of the very best brass lines in DCI, and when on, can hang with anyone....they have great intonation, blend, balance, DYNAMICS, IMPACT, expression along with fine execution..combine that with well-written arrangements, and I have no clue on their musical marks.....yes, percussion doesn't throw down as many notes, but they are very musical and their parts fit the brass like a glove....yes, maybe they aren't a 19 there, but it's not a 16, either.....I'm not a visual person, but this show seems well-coordinated and executed...I think this show should be breaking 90 and closer to others above them and gaping others who are behind them, but for some reason they are not being recognized for musical excellence..... SCV....this is a great show.....well arranged, much emotion and impact.....good visual package....strong drumline....they have room in brass performance...some real fine moments, but the book is taxing and sometimes quality is not the best, but they do recover well...in fact, for me that will be the factor this week, and they can score very well....wpw, if they keep this young group together for next year, look out..... Bluecoats....I have seen them 3 times, and this was the best effort I have seen from them.......I think they are strong in all captions, and I bought into the musical package more this time...still needs something more for me, but I am not sure what.....strong performance level will get them a good number, but I feel they could finish anywhere between 4th and 6th....still, the best season and corps they have ever had.... Devils.....I was impressed...I liked the arrangements, and I loved the Godfather movies.....brass line has huge impact and some of the extended sustains they are required to do at high levels on the move are amazing....battery percussion has some ridiculously difficult stuff, and they are very strong.......I felt the visual program was strong and well-performed, with a great guard......in my book, it is between them and Phantom.....Devs always execute the bejeebers out of their show when nationals hit, so they will be very tough......Yes, Cavs have a better visual package, but this show brings much more to the table musically, and there is no comparison in percussion..... Bridgemen alumni.....what a great thing......they captured the essence of Kerchner's (and Delucia's) great arrangements...yes, it wasn't razor clean, but there was also some fine performance, they had good impacts, some fine soprano work, much emotion, and sold it royally....crowd loved it, and so did I.....I hope some of today's arrangers were in the stands and took note of the entertainment value of their straight ahead yet excellent arrangements....something so lacking in many programs today...not bad for a bunch of "senior citizens" (lol) Well, that was long...I will be flying out to Madison for the big shows, and I hope all of the corps give the performances of their lives.....time to go to bed......... GB

I agree with problems in the shows in terms of EFFECT......I think we do have programs that may be difficult, well-executed, and have good visual construction/"design". What I have a big problem with in many instances is quality of musical arrangements. Some of these products are so choppy musically that they wouldn't garnish a "C" in an advanced musical composition class. Yet somehow, you look at the music effect score, and it doesn't line up. And when a program DOES have strong arrangements that are well-performed, that program still might lose in MUSIC effect to a program that is the least bit cleaner or has a better visual design, yet very choppy and "not working", and that, IMO, is the travesty. If some of these corps were getting 15's and 16's in music effect now instead of 17's to 19's, I think you would see corps make a much greater effort at putting excellent arrangements that work from an effect standpoint on the field....I was tired and actually found myself nodding off during some programs....it was funny, but when Bridgemen came on at the end of Saturday....no, it wasn't real clean, and there were some performance issues....but there also was some great playing, great emotion, great impact, great sopranos, and above all...great Larry Kerchner arrangements that were as entertaining now as they were 30 years ago...no choppiness here, but a straight ahead, yet fine musical arrangement. Some of today's less experienced arrangers would do themselves well to go back and take a listen to some of the better arrangements of the past, and write the music first with the visual team nowhere in sight. If the arrangement can't totally sell standing still, there is nothing the drill is going to do to improve the music. GB

I just returned home from Giants stadium...a bit beat, but I will try to crank this out.....if you are looking for an "all rose-colored glasses" review, this isn't for you..... General....we did have some light rain at the beginning of the show....the good news is that it stopped, and then stayed dry....was actually good, because it cooled things off a bit....Giants Stadium is a great show venue.....there was a decent crowd on hand.... Magic........I thought they played a bit better tonight, as I had more sound out of the sopranos, and I thought there were less individual issues, but still some ensemble timing difficulties.....pretty full sound overall..perc. played decently, and again I thought they nipped Crossmen in perc., as I believe they have a better perc. book. Brass book is ok, but again, I can't help compare closer to Cadets......they do have much to build on..... Esperanza...book was ok, but just ok.....they played quite well at times, and guard tried to give alot....I think they need more color visually...uniform a bit "drab".....good corps overall..... Crossmen....I know that I was pretty hard on them last night......I do think they were a bit better tonight....less individuals sticking out, and I thought visual performance was just a tad better.......I guess I don't like narration as part of the musical book......they do have some impacts and some moments, but I simply can't buy into the arrangements....I did have better perc. clarity tonight, but the "wow" Crossmen drumline moments of the past are not there.... Madison......I am not a visual person, but I really liked this drill, and for me, it didn't come across as dirty as has been written/adjudicated....musically, this is not your typical Scouts corps....some dissonant stuff, and certainly different stylistically....although I couldn't totally grab onto it, I did find it interesting, and they can still pack a punch on impacts.....I felt score was a bit low...they are right about where Blue Knights are scoring-wise, but this show is much better IMO..... Crown.....hornline absolutely blew me away.....best intonation/blend of ANYONE....that is right...ANYONE tonight....I disagreed horribly with brass performance number (as I did last night).....they had a great and well-supported brass ensemble sound, excellent dynamic control, and communicated their musical book well....to me, I see them deserving 19's in brass/ensemble/ and music effect, and you can bet they won't get them....percussion-wise, it's a mixed bag....they definitely do not play as many "notes" as others in the battery...however, the notes they play "fit" arrangement-wise, and they are also very well balanced dynamically....it's not a "flashy" drumline, either....I do think that perhaps they could "let it rip" a bit more in the battery when there is a moment.....Crown's visual package is very well coordinated and they have a solid guard....I felt overall score was a bit low............. Cadets.......mixed bag tonight....I thought brass/ensemble was cleaner tonight, but they lost emotion, as either they were "holding back" on impacts, or simply tired. I also did think they marched a bit better tonight, and guard and drumline were strong.....I do like the show....I would like something more at the ending, but I don't know what...... Cavaliers...first the good....visually, they are stellar....the visual program is terrific, and so is visual performance....I have no qualms with them getting 19's now in visual, and I can see them possibly doing mid to high 19's at finals.....now, the not so good....folks, the musical arrangements are ok, but not great.......the brass line plays very well with good control....however, their dynamic range is limited, and they barely were able to make it past forte, even on their biggest impacts. 80%of the effect in this show is visual......that said, not a great deal of music effect (don't get me wrong, it's not void of musical effect, and there is some good stuff happening.....)...but the book leaves me wanting much more.....this is not a memorable music product for me....I can actually see this show earning 19's in all visual captions, yet at this point, I don't see music effect as being above an 18, but Whether I like it or not, the DCI scoring emphasis has turned to visual, and to many, visual effect equals music effect (and I couldn't disagree more....) I was ok with their visual scores, but I felt overall score was inflated.....especially in the music effect caption..... Results: I would have had Cavies/Cadets closer, and Crown not far behind. It was a good show, and I am looking forward to Allentown and then Madison. night-night......GB

Greetings....I just arrived home from the Bensalem show, my first of the season, so here it is. If you do not want any negatives along with positives, then skip this review, and I defend your right to have a different opinion..... General....good crowd...humid night after a very hot day here...I think humidity did make brass lines struggle tonight, and there did seem to be fatigue issues.... Jersey Surf....they are a solid Division II corps......they maintain a good and balanced ensemble sound for the most part....I think "individual" errors in brass and marching may have hurt their score a bit. Percussion was solid. For me, the arrangements were a bit choppy, but there were some good moments and impact.... Pioneer....they have a small hornline for Division I....that said, they manage to have a decent ensemble sound at times, but they are inconsistent....what hurts them is "individuals" jump out at you even more in this scenario.....I would like to see them have a drill that is a little less ambitious and allows them to focus on all around excellence a bit more. Again, arrangements were ok, but I found the musical book to be a bit flat.....decent size percussion section that was competent, and pit was very good. Magic.......horn sound has good depth, although I could use more soprano. Arrangements didn't seem to fully develop, and I don't think it helps them to end with a work that another division I corps won a title with, as you can't help but compare.....I thought they struggled with visual performance, and also some individual brass issues, but they did have some good impacts....drumline was not bad at all, and in fact I felt they were stronger than Crossmen's drumline tonight....if they can keep their membership, and have a more solid book/program next year, they could become more competitive in a hurry.... Crossmen.....I was very disappointed. The whole radio/traffic announcer thing just seemed more like something appropriate for a band show as opposed to a corps contest (for me), and I also found the musical arrangements to be disjunct. They did finally start to get something brewing after the ballad, but then the arrangement died. Horn sound overall is ok, and there were some ok impacts, but they also lacked soprano power. Snare tuning was too tight, and deep staging compounded clarity issues there. Percussion section was ok, but the traditional driving/flashy Crossmen drumline it wasn't. Visual performance was ok but they seemed to struggle in spots...some good guard work helped.....Program for me didn't have good quality musical arrangements or depth of audio/visual programming necessary to make finals, and they could also perhaps be caught by some corps behind them.... Blue Knights....the good: they have their own visual style, and they were in pretty good command of their visual program (but by no means perfect...) Guard seemed pretty good and added to the visual scheme......musically, the book, for me, has far too much dissonance, and also seemed choppy and disjunct. The execution was good, and there was some impact, but I feel there was far more effect in the visual package than the musical book. Percussion executed well, but were not memorable for me. They could be caught by others in Madison, IMO..... SCV....suddenly, I was much happier to be there. Musical arrangements that were well-written and worked.....THANK YOU!! I am not a visual guy, but plenty to keep you interested there, too, and I believe they are starting to execute....Perc. was very good, and also are starting to perform quite well......the downer.....some noticeable brass performance problems and individuals struggling....however, there was some real emotion there....I have heard they are young...the staff has given the corps a good product....if these people stick around another year, look out....they have a better musical book than Bluecoats, but I am not sure if they will get tight enough to pass, but the score given tonight had them in there, but it may have been a bit generous, IMO..... Bluecoats........visual performance and technique was strong, and a very good guard....Whereas the musical arrangements had some good moments, I felt continuity was lacking in places....the brass maintained a good quality of sound throughout, but my big complaint would be limited impact/restrained dynamic range....both SCV and especially Cadets had a much wider dynamic range.....Bluecoats show may be peaked unless they can extend the dynamic range and come up with a better ending....Drumline played some very exposed stuff but were not totally on tonight...many fast rolls did not lock.... Cadets....after all of the negative reviews I was expecting a mess....frankly, I loved the show....yep, if you can't stand for a single character to be on the field, and you are going to freak over a mike, this show isn't for you. However, beyond the characters, there was some great drum corps happening out there. Biggest dynamic range of the evening...was Bluecoats hornline a bit cleaner?? Perhaps, but they did not compare from a dynamic range or emotion standpoint, at least tonight. I felt Cadets arrangements worked, for the most part....I think the ending needs something more....Guard and percussion did really solid jobs tonight. The corps marched well, but my only big beef involves marching....they did struggle, in my opinion, with marcher control issues...mainly carriage and too much upper body movement....if they can tighten that up, and fix some individual horn issues, they will be solid in Madison.... Scores: Surf 79.75 (II) Pioneer 69.15 (me 68.6) Magic 75.45 (me 76.5) Crossmen 81.25 (me 80.0) Blue Knights 86.75 (me 87) Santa Clara 91.75 (me 89) Cadets 92.55 (me 92.5) Bluecoats 92.85 (me 91) I didn't see a recap yet, but I didn't have huge problems with the scoring....the only reason I had SCV a bit down was I felt they had some horn performance issues.......I do feel there is more substance to the Cadet show, but I would agree that they are not there yet execution-wise...it was a good show, and I will be at Giants, Allentown, and Madison, and I am excited to see what the other corps bring to the table, as well as some fun alumni corps!! Good night......GB

Making finals is and has always been very prestigious. If anything has changed, I would say that corps do not hang on to a "finals or bust" attitude, as may have happened in the past, and that is definitely a good thing. I watched a corps cry their eyes out when I marched (not my corps...we made it....) after getting bumped out of finals by a few tenths...worse yet, a member slit their wrist and was rushed to the hospital...not THAT important......many times when a corps was 13th to 18th or lower, and fell there after being a finalist, they struggled even more the following year. Now, we are seeing more stability...again, a good thing. GB

I would just flat out ask them (BD). When I was with a major top 5 corps, we actually had the luxury of having a priest who was a supporter of the corps, and he went on tour. We did not practice right away on Sunday mornings, and he held services in a room in the school (certainly not mandatory but very well attended, including non-catholics,....our corps had many Catholic members). I don't know if that is the case now. However, I am certain that many corps, including Devils, have members of faith, and I am sure that some at least make an effort to accomodate those who wish to worship on Sunday morning. I would say that there may be times, (ie during traveling, for example), where they can't accomodate every Sunday. Again, just ask them, and take it from there........GB

Some of the reason to 135 involves money....most of the corps have 3 buses with at least 48 seats (144), and some have 50, 54, or even 57 seaters. Most of the open corps audition hundreds of kids. 135 was a modest addition.....you fill 7 empty bus seats...there is no increase in transportation cost, or instruction cost....only food, but 7 more full paying members, and give 7 more kids the chance to march. There are some kids who try out for one corps, don't make it, and then try for another and do make it. Some corps do openly refer those who don't make it or they don't have room for to another corps. Also, today, with the web, it is very easy for someone to go to a corps' website and see if they have any openings, and also all of their membership requirements. The truth of the matter is there are still many kids who show up to try out who are not ready for division I yet, but would do well at division II/III....unfortunately, many have a division I or bust attitude. Most of the time when you see openings/holes in a division I corps in the Spring or during the season, it is NOT because they were hurting or didn't have enough kids try out. The vast majority of the time, it was due to a member not being able to march for whatever reason....during the season, it is usually (but not always) due to injury, illness, or family emergency. I do not feel that 135 hurt the activity at all. The number of corps with 60 or more brass players is probably at an all time high....I am not talking about the NUMBER of corps, but the number with 60 or more horns. I do think that the evidence shows that the open class has stabalized and actually shown some growth, and II/III looks stable, too. The number one item inhibiting growth is cost.......with gas at all time highs, mandatory liability insurance, vehicle and equipment costs, food, instruction, etc....this is not a cheap activity....the day when someone could get some equipment, buy some old school buses, get some makeshift uniforms, have a few instructors, and get out and do it mostly locally, with a jaunt to nationals....is gone.

You mention Cavies/Devils....what if Phantom does the show of the night?? One of the problems in judging corps today is caption integrity. Each judge is supposed to be judging a caption, not overall corps, and each corps has strengths and weaknesses, even at the top. In 1977 the winning drumline in preliminaries was a corps that did not even make finals (14th...and I believe the drumline was 29-4 on the year as well....) Yes, that is extreme, and very rare, but emphasizes the importance iof caption integrity. The judge is to stick to the scoring criteria on his sheet. Even in today's sytem...yes, you may have two corps going on back to back who are close in your caption. However, the "5th place corps" may be the best in your caption, and the winning corps might be 4th in your caption. Order of appearance should be meaningless to the judge. The main problem I have is that in today's system, there is a large tendency to give/save only the big caption scores to the last 2 or 3 appearing; I don't think the system promotes any major movement....I am not saying it is warranted (I especially can't comment this year, yet, as I haven't seen a show yet...but will see 7 shows in the last 2 weeks), but if it were, it is still very unlikely to happen. In terms of "stimulating better competition", it is simple. When I marched, the DCI finalists from the year before drew straws for prelim appearance order. Many of our finest performances were given when we went on after the defending champion or a corps or group of corps ranked higher. We did tend to perform better than when we were on around where we were ranked. Prelims also tended to be far more competitive. Kids are impressionable. We want them to be. Can you imagine what it would be like if we went into a championship and ALL of the top 9(or ideally, even deeper) were beating each other, placements were jumping like beans, and any of those 9 could actually win? This isn't going to happen overnight, but we need to have a system that stimulates toward that....instead, our current seeding system seems far more likely to promote slotting. The good news, at least this year, is that the corps in places 6-11 have been very competitive and there has been much jumping and it's been very close, and there does seem to be better caption integrity this year. I have also seen when a corps makes a major jump between two seasons (Crown comes to mind....I remember when they had a few years when they were barely making finals and then a sudden jump up in strength and quality) and it took 2/3 of the season for the judging community to fully acknowledge the change in level from a score/ranking standpoint. It should have happened in June (at least they did finally get it right...). GB

Thanks for your reply.....I agree.....you have to be really, really smokin', IMO, to EARN a 19 with three weeks to go, and I seriously doubt that the performance is that hot yet. If the same judge has already given Cavs a 19.2 and is selected to judge nationals, what is she going to give them....a 21???? That particular judge also "called the show" in San Antonio...effect judges need to understand that a tenth does in fact mean a tenth for the full corps in their caption, unlike the others, and judge accordingly....I am not saying that Cavs shouldn't have won visual effect (I haven't seen anyone yet), but looking at the other visual judges' scores, I have a hard time believing the .6 spread in visual effect. The scary part is I wouldn't be at all surprised to see this person on one of the slates in Madison. GB

Has anyone noticed scores at the top are now quite high, and we still have 3 weeks left? I haven't seen anyone yet, but I always wonder as it happens every year at this time, and to me, earned or not. Cavies were given a 19.2 in visual effect in San Antonio Saturday....that is the 96th percentile....quite high for 3 weeks left.....inflated, or is it that hot already?? Also, that margin more than called the show..... just curious....sometimes think that numbers are jacked severely at this time even when the performance level or product doesn't merit it.................GB

I agree that it is the ticket holder/consumer's right to show up whenever at a show (although never during....). However, I believe every corps in a show deserves a full audience, and I do think it shows "bad attitude" when someone only feels that the top 6 are worthy of their attention. I believe all of the corps deserve the same audience. I would like to see all seedings eliminated, and have corps draw straws for appearance order. Yes, it could be rough when a 14th place corps has to go on after number one. However, if we truly want to stimulate better competition, it is necessary. I would like to see preliminary scores withheld until after a final, and only the qualifying score would be announced at the end of preliminaries, and not even who received it. This year is a great example....corps from 6-11 have been especially close. The "country club" fan might find they just missed the champion when they show up an hour after showtime. This would almost guarantee a full audience for every competitor. I love quarterfinals, because I get to see everyone, and some corps that I wouldn't see otherwise. To say they are not worth seeing is bull. In fact, I have seen some great stuff at II/III, too. Yes, it's a long show, but not nearly as long as a 14 hour parking lot rehearsal in the hot sun. GB

I am very confused and bewildered about DCI's long-term Indy idea. When I initially saw the article in DCW, I thought they were talking about a REGIONAL, NOT FINALS!!! I am fine with finals being there a year or two, but then move on. This stadium hasn't even been checked out yet sound-wise....and you are going to commit to 10 YEARS without checking it out??? DCI obviously doesn't care at all about perhaps polling the fans....Do they really think they are going to pack out in Indy 10 years in a row?? This isn't BOA or WGI, no matter how hard some people try to make it a subsidiary. Indianapolis is not exactly the vacation mecca of the world. (no dis intended to the Indy people) It is also not a cheap airport to fly in and out of. I've never once been to WGI/Dayton for that very reason. I don't know about other fans, but I like throwing in a few other things while I am at Nationals....Denver was great....went to Pikes Peak....Boston was fine: the harbor, a very historic city, and Quincy Market.....Orlando: perhaps some do not like, but I love Disney and Universal, and I can cope with the heat.....I am ok going back to Madison (but will fly to Chicago and then drive, saving mucho money.....)...not my favorite place, but UW is a good spectator stadium....I still wasn't sure I was going, but the appearance of the Scouts alumni corps changed my mind..... and I am thrilled about going to Pasadena in 07. California is so overdue for a title show, and this is coming from an East coast guy.....Trust me, if they really go for this Indy thing, by year 4, the live audience will be cut in half....there will be no urge for the fans to continue to shell out big bucks to go back there. I highly doubt I will be there, as I can't justify spending that kind of money for the show only..... Well, I've said my piece...flame away....GB

I don't agree that GE carries too much weight numerically. However, I have a major problem with the way that effect is judged in DCI. For the most part, it has been nothing more than another execution caption, and sometimes my question is "effective to whom" ??? When a certain corps last year popped a 19 in music effect and was right there with another corps who was simply tons better musically in every aspect, I have to question the approach. You will never see a corps in DCI get a 19 in performance and a 16 in effect, but I think that fact is one that should be debated. Yes, I do believe that a show has to be very well performed to max out totally in effect, but I have seen programs that are quite clean but not necessarily totally effective, IMO, due to deficiencies in excellence of musical composition and the emotional/aesthetic/expression elements of musical performance not fully developed. However, some of these programs, IMO, go over-rewarded in effect. I also have seen corps who are strong visually but have musical deficiencies get over-rewarded in MUSIC effect, and I do not understand why. Conversely, I have seen corps who were better in music effect than visual, but were hammered in musical effect for not having a great drill, to the point of not being an accurate reflection of the effect of the MUSICAL program. I believe there are some major caption integrity problems in addition to simply not judging effect, but something else. BG

I was a member of the 1978 Crossmen...we accidentally went north on a major highway when we were to be going south....we pulled into the parking lot and were due on the field in 5 minutes.....we had popped either a high 10 or an 11/12 in execution the night before. We had no warmup and ran to the field to avoid a penalty. I had an asthma attack before the show, took medicine, and was really wiped out during the show. I don't even remember playing the show (lol). We fell to a low 8 in execution, and lost to a 19th place corps in drums, after finishing second and beating a few national contenders the night before. We were quite pleased (lol)........BG