bobchilds

A holly, jolly Christmas to you all!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfodl1g_ibY

I think the end of VK 1992 got a big ovation not just because of the shark came out and ate the fat lady. VK had built up to that over several years before. They had been featuring the "Jaws" theme and the shark fin since at least as early as 1984 or 1985 (VK alums can correct me if I'm off). The "Jaws" motif built up to the "Bottle Dance" intro in 1990. So, for the entire shark to come out and eat somebody in 1992 was not exciting on it's own, but because the gag had been established over several years. Would the shark gag in 1992 have been as well received if the corps had not referenced it in previous years? I don't think so.

It should be pointed out that the context of the Bridgemen and the original Velvet Knights (80s and 90s) was generally a field of much more serious and stifflly regimented corps. Other corps would always march out onto the field (as opposed to nowadays where most just walk out and set up). Corps would generally play a warm-up facing backfield for one minute (as opposed to nowadays, where this is often a "pre-show" with ambient music, acting, etc.). Body movement for the musicians was mostly marching, horn carriage, high mark time, etc. (as opposed to the current use of body movement, ballet steps, dancing, squatting, leaning, rocking, etc.). Uniforms used to be more military in style (we still have military elements, but unis are now much more like costumes). So the difference between, say, Velvet Knights and the other corps was much more stark in contrast than VK would be with the corps of today. VK used to run wildly out onto the field, sometime play their warm up right at you. Their DM salute was loose and laid back. Their uniforms ranged from tuxes and tennies and ballcaps, to straw hats and Hawaiian shirts. Their music programming was sometimes choppy, other times they played full charts. My point is that the VK and Bridgemen shows of old would probably blend in a lot more in the context of more recent shows. While corps of today may not be trying to be funny per se, they do incorporate certain elements that are VKish and Bridgemanesque.

One corps I haven't seen mentioned is Impulse from southern California. I haven't seen them in a few years, but they were founded by some VK alums and carried on some of the comedic traditions of the older corps mentioned.

I really respect that you are asking about this. Others are giving a lot of good information here, so I won't go into that. But I do suggest that you really listen to the tone of this soprano player from Spirit of Atlanta 1984. I just don't think you could ever get that sound out of a trumpet. To expound a little on the topic, I would be curious to know how a line of Bb cornets would sound. With the conical bore, and the standard key, I wonder how significantly the tone would change.

Actually, they are.

This!

It appears to me that drum judges seem to focus their attention on the snare line much of the time, while paying less attention to the tenors, basses, cymbals and front ensemble. Do you perceive this to be the case? Are drum judges supposed to sample the different subsections equally. Let me know if you think I'm off base.

I voted for a corps other than BD. It's a numbers game, people. Blue Devils have a losing record at DCI finals, having won only 15 championships in DCI's 42 years. That's only about 36%, or 0.357. That means that, historically, other corps have beaten BD about 64% of the time. BD sucks. Someone else is going to win.

The one in white may have won, but her form was terrible! Look at those arms!

It seems worth mentioning that Carolina Crown is the first and only World Champion from the South. All other champions have been from California, the midwest and the northeast. I believe the only other southern corps to break into the top six are: Spirit of Atlanta (4th place in 1979 and 1980) Suncoast Sound (5th place in 1986)

Too soon?!

Has anybody already set up a live chat room for finals? If not, I just set one up here: http://tinychat.com/dcifinals

Is there a live chat room for finals? Please PM me.

"Impossible you say?" (I take no credit nor blame for this image.)