DCfan76

Backing up Bob Costas on Super Bowl pre-game show.

I happen to be an old grump that believes NO open class / div.2-3 corps should be competing during WC Finals AT ALL! You had your Finals. Congratulations. That's it. If you want to be World Class, then get your butt on a WC tour and compete against WC corps night after night where the WC judges can get multiple looks against you and your peer competition. This "feel-good," "let our little brothers and sisters play with us too," stuff is baloney. Open Class competing at prelims has NOTHING to do with enrichment or education or any of the other reasons you hear... it has EVERYTHING to do with the fact that DCI does NOT have enough World Class corps anymore to justify holding a Thursday show - so they have to manufacture a way to make Thursday look important enough for people to still show up and buy tickets. Open Class to the rescue! $$$$ The result is this bastardization whereby everybody has been separate all season, but now we are all equal? Thank you Boston, we are the Animal Farm. I just think it is a slap in the face to Academy, Spirit and Oregon Crusaders for BDB to pop in 15th without the same amount of looks and comparisons within the World Class competitive framework. My solution? Take away all of the divisions... everybody is just Drum Corps - big or small. Everybody goes up against everybody every night. You don't like it? Then start your own league and have your own finals - but you aren't part of DCI. That's my rant - what's yours?

What will I remember 10 years from now? Academy - The big British flag hit at the end. Very cool. Colts - The Scarecrow skipping away into the sunset at the end. Cavaliers - The vampires setting up, then waking from their graves at the beginning. Crown - "Major Tom" - blastoff! Bluecoats - The tilt platforms and the member flying off at the end.

Thanks! Just did teh same - working fine.

AMEN!!! All chopped up. How do you NOT finish Niner Two?!?

I still say this white hospital-orderly uniform just doesn't match the music Madison is playing.

The performance level of Crossmen is definately a step up from all the other corps before them. Great show!

Ha! That's exactly what I was thinking. I love the Troopers - but their show concepts are ages old.

OK. Somebody help me out here... What does he mean at the end? What's it all about? I really like the show and can follow it up to the end - then it loses me. What's the conclusion?

Agree.

I don't want to dis anybody, but Academy's show was like a breath of fresh air. Great show! Lots of fun! Hope they can keep improving and move up.

Great music and a show concept that everyone in the audience can follow. Thank you Academy! Looks like a fun show - can't wait to see it!

Soccerguy - thanks for posting the sheets!! This really helps explain what the scores mean. I don't ever remember DCI having something like this posted on their scores page. I wish they would. It wouldn't have to be this detailed, but if they did, I think it would help people understand what is being judged and why. More understanding = more appreciation = more fans = more tickets!

Thanks! Great review. BTW - I was very impressed with Thunder. A good group - hope they can tour more next year.

How about... the show is about time, space, energy and the infinite. And true love itself is infinite. Doesn't the boy on the bench say something like he will love the girl until the end of time? Anyway - I'm going to go with that. Now, can someone please help me understand the Blue Knights show??? Because I don't get anything about it that says "no beginning, no end."

I'm sure you mean well and I'm not trying to be negative - but man, there is something wrong if I have to go do research to watch a drum corps show. As far as I'm concerned, if a corps can not explain what their show is about in 3-4 sentences then forget it. You don't have art, all you have is a jumble of musical gymnastics searching for a theme.

Thanks! Great review!

You are absolutely right. It used to be that there was a big gap between 12 and 13, and all you had to do was be "good enough" to make it in (or hold your spot). But now we have about 6-7 corps that will be fighting for 11 and 12... and they're all good... because they have to be BETTER than last year's 12th place corps - or they will be left out. This is going to be a great year for Drum Corps!!

Bump - Show sounds great. Can't wait to see it. Anybody have a taste of the music that they can share?

Really looking forward to the Colts this year!! BTW - any significance to the 45 rpm record in the picture and the old name, Colt 45s??? Verrry interesting.

I attended a theater for QF and thought it was excellent. It's interesting that more people paid to see drum corps for that one event (40k), than paid for all three days at Indy (36k). I have always thought that drum corps plays really well on TV. That's how I first discovered it - and I couldn't stop watching. I'm sure it's been gone over and over (and may be a Catch-22 for DCI), but I don't see why one of the 500 cable networks can't pick it up and sell advertising targeted to the millions of band kids out there. Maybe the money / viewership just isn't there - or DCI would have to give up too much control.

Two things: 1) I thought the announcing was very good over the week. Some corps had "The" and some did not - it seemed a little more natural. And BC sounded great, adding excitement without all the growling. 2) Since The Colts are in the title, for the Colt fans out there: I thought their Friday night performance was their best of the season - very energetic, and should have been scored much higher.

Yep. I thought Colts overtook PC. And Academy was very lackluster. Well, no sense doing any real judging right now. Have to save your strength for tonight.

My wife just said: Colts and Academy - competing for ugliest guard costume.

This is my first year of missing Finals Week live in 10 years. So I reluctantly bought a ticket for Prelims in the Theater... with low expectations. Boy, was I wrong. It was great! The picture was sharp and the commentary was fun. The crowd was a mix of old timers, recent members and local band kids... and they all cheered for each great moment from every corps. The sound? Superb. I thought it was BETTER than being there live in the oil can. Really. The only (very small) negatives were the fact that I couldn't control the camera and get off the closeups quicker - and sometimes Rondo and the crew talked a little too long and went into the pre-show. But again, all very small issues. It wouldn't be drum corps without something to complain about. After watching two weeks of Olympics, I was thinking of how well drum corps plays on TV. It's dramatic, colorful, exciting - and sexier than beach volleyball. I know there must be big issues, but the world really needs to see what these kids do - and I still can't believe that just ONE of the 500+ cable networks can't pick this up. But that's a topic for another day. Thank you, DCI. Well done!!