irishinyourface

It ocurred to me that I didn't write as much about that mandarins as the other corps. this review was just a quick last minute thing full of spelllllling erorrssss. Sorry about that. But , anyway, Mandarins did was they did, and it was clean. I would not compare it to the other corps in that they are bigger and more experienced, but I was impressed with the Mandarins. It was not just some national anthem little corps warm up show. It was honestsly a very good show, and they performed it very well. I paid money to see the show tonight and Mandarins alone were worth the premium seats. If they don't beat PC this year, there is a serious flaw in the judging system. Thank you for your hard work to put on an entaining production. Great soloists, great show,.....It was Bad A$#.

This show was great. This is a great year for drum corps. I finally have a chance to be a fan, I aged out last year. This was one of the best venues for drum corps I remember performing in. Besides the fact that the dog show people are always there. They did not seem to be a problem this time. HERE IS WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. I didn't want to spo the end the show taking notes and thinking about what I would write in this review. I spent gas money, and ticket money to be here. I expected to be entertained. leaving the scores up to the judges. While they are announceing scores I am already buying a hotdog and dont care. My hard earned money was worth it tonight. I LOVED ever corps I saw tonight. Mandarins: was entertaining, I liked their performance. Colts: are playing music. As time goes by was top notch. I want to buy a recording of that. It was memorable. that is what matters. It wasn't chopped up, it was straitforward and I loved it. I later heard a rumour that the composer of their closer, Samuel Hazo, has been working with them. It would be wonderful for him to enter deeply into the world of drum corps. He is a cutting edge composer and I have played his piece "Ride" which is the closer. They do it very well. They are not as loud as spirit. But their show put me in a trance. There are alot of good corps this year. If it were a few years ago they would be top 10 with this show, but there is just too many good corps this year. Which is good for me, the paying fan. I was impressed with the show, loved it and will buy a recording.....spending more money for dci. Other people who havent seen this show should here it, they are good. They are entertaining, and their ballad alone was worth more than the price of admission. Spirit. Entertaining. loved the ''something borrowed" had blue devils written all over it, but they did it well, and it was not at all blaspheming. I have respect for the Glassmen a few years ago, but I love this arrangement of Blue shades much better. I was humming it away as the show was over. I disagree hover that they were the loudest tonight. They were definetly the second loudest. Entertaining show. It might be considered less difficult than the Glassmen or Colts, but they put out enought sound to oust the colts. They were cleaner than the Glassmen musically. This show is one of those entaining shows. They best they have been in a few years. I was entertained, my hard earned money was worth it. Good job Spirit. Glassmen. Love the show. didn't use to like the corps very much. The new direction they have taken in the last 3 years is good. I loved the show. I don't care what place they get. They should be a part of finals. I got it. I was entertained. It was so different that the other shows I saw that night. They are working hard. Might want to clean up the closer. (fifth syphony, 4th movement.) one of my favorite pieces of music, very exposed. Their show is much more demanding and cleaner than last year. Very good job. Again, my money was worth it. Crown. I have never liked the corps. I like to see other corps beat this corps. That being said, this was the best crown show yet. I think their score might be inflated by that fact. It is good to see that my favorites have a good show to try and beat. They did what they do and are establishing an idetntiy. The problem I have is the fact that the Blue Devils, Cadets, Phantom, Scouts, Cavies, and Vanguard are always competing against the shows each perspective corps put on in the past. Crown, having a shorter history, is not as much subject to being compared to past shows. This may the best Crown show ever, and if Santa Clara's show is not as good as 99, Crown might beat them this year. And that would be unfair. Kudos to Crown for a great show. Not as demanding as Vanguard or Scouts, but very clean and done well. Vanguard. Nothing was memorable really, besides the guy circling the field. The show as reminicent of the pre 'old school years' 04-05 and reflected more of 93-03. It was a very good show. I saw them again the next night. and it was MUCH MUCH cleaner (in warrenton) They have a run of the mill vanguard show. and it seems that they are doing it very well. I liked it. I always like Vanguard. The fact that I think there wasn't anything memorable doesn't matter. It just seems like from chart 1 they turned on the burner and never shut it off. The ballad was written very well for my tastes. I believe they got ripped off lasyear. I also think that that amazing drumline from 04 is coming back. Drums were very very good. If they get less than sixth this year, I will be disapointed. Honestly though, I had that thought they they were copying cavies 03.....constant circling motion. This show seemed to me to be designed to get back what they 'lost' last year and not a show designed to win in 06. Last years show was one of my favorite shows ever. They are one of my top 3 favorite corps and they are on their way back to playing the game, but in a good way. They are a good corps, never to be ignored. Scouts Honestly, I was not thinking that this would be a very scout-ish show, and that cesario had permanetly neutered the men of madison....I was wrong. It is one of those shows you have to watch. They have been handed a drill that is of champion level. The guys might not have seen this kind of drill before. The show is ..........the most "Madison" it has been since the whole change in administration has taken place. They were the loudest corps of the night. I was expecting a softening up after Vanguard, but I was wrong. Madison won the crowd, and made my money worth it. Maybe the dirty show a month ago was slotted and the cleaning that has taken place in the last few weeks has been forgoten by the judges. The GE score should be higher for these guys. I love this show much more than last year.....again, 6th place last year might mean 9th place this year...there is alot of competition. But it seems to me that they should be given credit for a difficult strait forward show that puts the gimmicky drill of Crown in the back of the paying fans mind. All that being said, wherever they finish this year, this will be a show that will be watched on dvds for years to come. Great job guys. Madison has started to get its itendity back again.

Rained today. Did not rain during the show. The field was dubbed 'unsafe' Although this is wasn't the ideal situation, I got to hear the music w/o drill. At this early stage in the season it gives us a chance to hear the music as played without visual responsibility. when i put a score on things it doenst matter at all, its just fun to do. and I base it purely on music effect and performance TEAL SOUND good things: this corps has a very strong drumline. I compliment the tenors for a very clear articulations and good balance with the rest of the battery. The hornline is strong, putting out quite suprisingly high volumes. During warm up I heard them work on a fast 16th note lick and they sounded like a bottom 6 div 1 corps. Drum major is a good time-keeper. Interesting timbre variations with congas on snares. They must be a little awkward to march. At some points, half the snare line was playing ie. every other. This technique helped balance very well. could be improved: Music ensemble in certain places could be tighter. The mellophones don't quite have a clear tone yet and that is partly to blame on certain intonation issues. That 16th note lick I was talking about,...didn't happen in the performance. The drum major could be more clearer on entrances-releases-dynamics. I think that would make the ensemble tighter. There is a certain lack of dynamic contrast, its almost there...but not quite yet. Because of the staging on the track the battery was overpowering. the show: Entertaining and Uplifting. Powerful young group. Well written book. my score: 57.9 d2 THE MAGIC good things: The first big release in the ballad was worth the price of admission. The uniforms look sharp. Why is it that the low brass always look older than everyone else? Girl in the contra line is a plus. Thh e unison note held by the mellos towards the beginning of the opener...very very very in tune. The pit seems to be very much into this show. The show features mellophone soloists. The way the corps sections are featured in the 3rd chart is a postive. could be improved: on a track show, have the trumpet soloist come all the way down front, the hornline was overpowering. Mellophone soloists need to put more air through their horns especially in the low register. Very exposed solos ...good music...make it more musical. The 'chaos' section of the show sounds exactly like the title. By far the weakest and most difficult part of the show. It will be interesting to hear them when they clean it up some more. the show: My biased is that it is a little on the 'really good marching band' end on the show design pendulum, but that is just me. The theme works well and my personal old school piston valve conservatism up hill in the snow barefoot opinion should not matter at all. my score: 58.0 CAROLINA CROWN good things: musical ensemble is very clearn. During the 'pep band' section of the show, the mellos sound very tight and are in the grove. The contras feature starting the second tune. The trumpet soloist's first attack and tone quality. The mello/trumpet duet is balanced very well. Again it was very tight and clean enemble wise. could be improved: musical ensemble is very safe. THE THNG THAT BOTHERED ME THE MOST ABOUT THE ENTIRE SHOW IN VIRGINIA was the fact the the timpani amp was very fuzzy and needs to be fixed immediatly, in my opinion get rid of all amps but that for another place. The kids marching their have no control over weather they are amped or not. I felt bad for the timpanist who sound very good only to be ruined by the less than steallar sound equipment. the show: the show? I don't remember I was in 'a trance' I over heard the guy sitting next to me telling his wife that 'last year they were a little more spicy. I hate to be negative, but musically, the show is lacking impact, it is somewhat choppy. But remember that is subjective...something everyone on here is very good at being. my score: 72ish BOSTON good things: Honestly, I have never really liked this corps. I was not expecting much. I was wrong. They are loud, there is no way that they will finish lower than crown. the warm up was much louder than the end of crown's show. loudness is not what its all about i know, but all I can say is that my face was ripped off. Never thought I would ever say that about the BAC. but tonight they WERE the BAC. I will never forgive them for 2003, but we must move on. They are better than they have been in quite some time. I like the 'conquest' theme strung out througout the production. soloists were all very good. The lady sitting next to me said "man they are sharp" she wasn't refering to the pitch. things that could be improved: dynamic contrast, still shaky in some places. Could use a touch more melody. They seem to have 3 dynamics, loud, a touch louder, and half the corps playing. There is a certain refinement that must happen if they are ever to be considered for getting back into the upper 6. A certain euph/bari 'boo boos' toward the end of the show. Very obvious missed releases, pushups necessary. the show: the opener was very loud, but the loud sections only lasted a few measures. When we get to the end, they play loud for a long time then get louder. Although this corps is not really one of my favorite corps, this show fits very well with the established identity of the corps. I think they could squeak into 6th place. Mind you I haven't seen the visual program yet. my score: 74ish CROSSMEN ie the new VK? goodthings--they sound like the crossmen, that distinct crossmen brass timbre. This is good. I hope the judges will recognize corps dont all go for the exact same sound. They kept their hats on. The colorguard came out in uniform to support the musicians. More facial hair this year, possibly older corps? The first encore tune was great. things to be improved: They need to be like all the other corps if they want to get into finals, they are non-conformists this year and that will hurt them. That was sarcasm, I hate to see corps all do the same thing. This was refreshing. If they clean it up, they should be in good shape. There show went in a different direction than all the corps who went on previously. Not quite as loud as often as Boston. There were some definite phasing that needs to be worked out. Remember this is without drill. the show: I couldn't believe what i saw in the 'radio frequency section" is this the cleverly disguised rebirth of VK? It was.....entertaining. The closer was VERY 'crossmen' sounding. The members were having fun with the show. A postive corps. my score: 69 the second encore.....malaguena...............if you dont have anything nice to say don't say............ Phantom good things- I saw a drum corps. up until now, besides crossmen, I saw themed shows that all took place in the mind....in a trance ...in a dream....that's all fine and well, but when regiment came out I heard a tough book played well, clear cutting sound......forgot to shave this morning, so I just stuck my face in the middle of their arc. Had a good seat too, right behind the DM, all horns were pointed my direction. Drums were very tight esp. snares. They are loud. The sops are on fire. did I mention they were loud. things sans good- alot of the book is covered up right now and a little raw, the delicacies, finger techniques ect are buried in a midst of raw razor edge loudness. Refinement is necessary, obviously....its early. I h append to catch a glimse of basics block....people missing direction changes....ect....phantom has a different pace at visual technique in my opinion only having seen they do some basic excercises, they are behind at this point in the season. The show: they are playing A DRUM CORPS show. If there is any artsy stuff, it is in the visual. The music chosen is very emotional, great contrast, they could win horns this year. not as much double tonguing as usual. sounded to be like really fast single tonguing. my score: 77.5 so here's the deal, i am not a huge fan of phantom, i marched with a rival corps, but tonight for the encorps, they played the closer from 1989, and elsa. I don't care who it is , when a corps playes their corps song, there is a certain amount of emotion in the air. It was magnificent. Obviously I would love to see my alumni corps beat phantom this year, because they would be placing ahead of a very talented, entertaining, and phenomenal group of musicians. I haven't seen a show live in 4 years, I was busy marching. One thing I have to say is that audiences have changed, its not like a football screaming enthusiastic crowd, its more like Tiger just shot an eagle. another thing I have to say is that I was impressed by how loud it is. Teal sound blew me away....... The last time I saw a show about half corps were using G bugles. I miss those. Now about have the corps are using......art/imagery...shows you could write a thesis on. These are topics all so heavily debated, but you know what........I got my face ripped off tonight....and when it comes down to it...thats all that matters.

I live in Williamsburg near Chesapeake, the weather here is very unpredictable. Had to turn on the wipers on high for 30 seconds today, then it was sunny. Lets hope for a good show tomorrow.

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