cardinal_frnch_hrn

Troon8--thanks for the review; I concurred with your assessment. Some other comments: Venue: Perfect! Nice cool night; light breeze; no rain; great acoustics for those "crescendo's to silence", brass overtones--and, of course, the echo of ill-placed voice-overs. View from row 28 at the 35 yard line. The "Diamond Vision" Jumbotron had some terrific high views of the big visuals ("heart", "!") and blocks. 1. Troop--Back in a big way--with numbers. Helped that this was "semi-home show" with many, many alumni at the stadium. The build to the sunburst/starburst was very effective and they saved this for near the end of the show to build the suspence even further. 2. Mandarin--Themed show; great teiko drums; what was with the blue and white swirl flags? If you are into the music and theme, great. Clearly everyone is working hard, but pacing of the show as a bit slow for me. 3. Seattle Cascade--I didn't quite get "3". My wife explained it to me after the performance. I agree that the demand fit the corps, but they need more content to push back to the top 12. I thought they had some balance problems (drum line on top of brass), but this could have been me. 4. Pacific Crest--clear themed show. I wanted more energy/movement, especially in "Luck be a Lady". This is a design comment more than a performance comment. 5. Crossmen--add "Pilgrims" and "Zorro" to your "Harry Potter" comments. Did get nice reaction--and most folks "got" the "Bones" image. The design of the remainder of program (which is to say "all") doesn't appear sufficient to carry a hard working group of kids where they would like to go. Maybe this is a function of their transition "out West" from the East coast. 6. Academy--big step up in brass sound compared with the previous corps. Top heavy with high brass--arrangements? Would like to hear more sustained music; many of the pieces were very short compared with both prior and following corps. Move to Div 1 is appropriate--definitely competitive with "cusp" final 12 corps. 7. Glassmen--Enjoyed the guard unis and rhythmic involvement in the show. Loved the musical selections, but the corps seemed to play with less passion than I expected given this material. 8. SCV--agreed with your comment about the drumline--drumming with "tude"! Brass strong throughout and clearly a big step up from the previous corps in terms of difficulty and execution. IMO--SCV and BK brass were about the same--very different material, but rather equal otherwise. 9. Blue Knights--greeted with "Rocky Mountain Thunder"; their sound is very different from SCV and Crown which created a very positive distinction for both. Fabulous low brass and arrangements--kudos on ballad. Lots of movement in hornline throughout, plus "shako dance". Guard can do more with their glorious flags. Abe, et. al. on the Visual team--clean, clean, clean! 10. Crown--Full, lush, overtones galore! William Tell is to die for! Clean and fun throughout. Top four? Probably not in the eyes/ears/opinion of those who create the scores. But, if the audience had a vote, ..... 11. Bluecoats--Again, terrific concept show. Great energy and across all elements. Loved the use of movement and voice-over, e.g., "drop your weapons!" (the guard did); "you have the right to remain silent!" (you forgot to tell them not to move). Very clean visuals and great pacing to the entire show. Could easily push into top 3. I should add that I wrote down the scores for the top five corps before the show. I was almost exactly 1 point (within 0.1) different from the actual scores for BK, SCV, Crown, and Cadets (My scores were higher). My pre-show prediction (and post-performance estimate) for Bluecoats was much closer to Cadets than Crown. There were a small portion of the audience who responded with "Blooo" (some without the "L") when their score was announced. 12. Cadets--Very tepid (as someone else said "golf applause") greeting for "Holy Name" (sorry, that's who I marched against). Their brass line was noticeably louder than anyone else--amplification? And SCV, BK, Crown, and Bluecoats all had "in your face" moments. Well-excuted--yes. Well-balanced (brass, percussion, guard)--yes. Energetic performance by the corps--yes. Sophomoric verbal commentary--yes (see Troon8 and others for the details). I suppose without the incessant babble their show theme might be less clear than all of the other corps, and virtually all of these corps had no voice-over yet some how the audience understood these musical messages. I don't know, but that would be a really neat experiment--just let the corps members perform their drill and music (they do this quite well) without talking and see if the audience "gets it". Don't blame the kids in the corps--blame the Design staff and "he who shall not be named." Did I see the "championship show" on Saturday night? I don't think so. Are there several shows that are worth seeing from the 12 that were presented? You betcha! Cardinal_frnch_hrn See my "Holy Name" comment

Point well taken! As a really "old fart" (I first started marching in drum corp in 1956--with a no valve G-bugle; by my moniker you can see I pre-date mellophones), the use of human vocalization during a show should be used to enhance the musical presentation by the corps. The never-ending stream of "love / hate" narration suggests that not everyone who attends drum corps contests--that small, niche market--finds the type of human vocalization described as "narration" as enhancing the musical presentation of the corps. The judges seem to love it--but don't even get me started down that line of thought. Vocalization as another "musical voice" (and I am not talking about the attempt to "sing words" that some corps have attempted with very little success--IMO) can enhance the overall musical effect of a show. As several on this thread have pointed out, such vocalization can add to the overall enjoyment of the show--not create the sound of finger-nails on a chalk board which is how many "narration haters" describe the use of narration with shows. Keep vocalizations as a "musical voice"--not an attempt to tell you what someone thinks you need to know. Cardinal_frnch_hrn Yep, more than 50 years in drum corps

Rule: To be eligible to audition for the Blue Devils, the Cadets, the Cavaliers, the Phantom Regiment, and the Santa Clara Vanguard D&BC's, auditionee shall <edit> be a veteran of one of those corps or <end edit> have participated in one or more seasons in another Division I, II, or III corps. <Editted for the sake of brevity and stupidity> Here is an alternative--if anyone is truly interested in seeing drum corps participation GROW--not feed on itself until "all of the seed corn is eaten". Rule: The Blue Devils, the Cadets, the Cavaliers, the Phantom Regiment, and the Santa Clara Vanguard are NOT allowed to accept/audition anyone with drum corps experience--except from their own corps or their feeder corps (e.g., SCV Cadets). If these corps and their staffs and their management are so darn good, let them prove it annually with newbies and returning veterans. As in many endeavors, teaching high levels of talent is not as challenging as competing against top level talent with lessor (or less experienced) talent. If these organizations are so good, I want them to prove it with the "typical" talent (and there IS talent) found in "lessor" corps. If these corps can still produce legitimate "Top 6" performances year-after-year under this rule, then more power to them. However, I suspect that under this rule more corps would suddenly become both "attractive" and "competitive"--and more kids would get to experience the thrill of competition and drum corps life. Cardinal_frnch_hrn (An ancient drum corps person; 3rd generation drum corps; father to a "4th generation drum corps" age-out)

Here are enough ideas to really put DCI and friends "on tilt". I encourage your thoughtful replies! Principles to Promote Growth 1. Share the wealth; don't consolidate it a) Reduce Div I corps size--make "talent" available to many corps across all divisions B) Encourage actions (see following proposals) to encourage "parity" while celebrating "quality" among all corps (remove stigma of "big 4 (or 5) (or 6)") c) Increase DCI and BOA interaction (DCI as summer enhancement of BOA activities; BOA as winter training/improvement of talent for DCI activity) 2. Enhance/actively support local and regional activities a) DCI makes substantial monetary and organizational commitment to an eight-show regional season in each of six areas of the country (Northeast/Mid-Atlantic; Southeast; Midwest; Southwest; Pacific coast (south), Pacific coast (north)) B) Eight-show regional season includes Div I/II/III corps and extends from mid-June through 1st week in August; Div I corps must participate in at least six shows within their region c) No national touring until third week in July c) Regional championships begin in third week of July and continue through first week in August d) Div I corps must attend their own regional championship; no Div I corps can compete in more than three regional championships e) Top 6 Div I corps from prior year MUST sponsor a Div II/III regional show f) Sponsorship includes at least training/workshops, no-fee guest performance at show, and significant financial/organizational support for show in the form of mentoring Div II/III corps management 3. Tweak scoring system--including removing "hidden" advantages a) Reward "performance du jour", not reputation; if a show is not finished, score the show as "not finished" B) "Seated" performance order only in regional/national championships; all others shows seating is random with requirement for all corps to perform in each "third" of show--including going on first and last within their division within regional show schedule c) Re-balance points to 70% performance/execution and 30% effect/ensemble/ design for each component (brass, percussion, marching) d) Re-balance points by component (brass=35%; percussion=25%; marching=40%); do not reward activities outside of these three areas. Northeast/Mid-Atlantic = New England, NY, PA, NJ, DE, DC, and MD; Southeast = VA, NC, TN, SC, GA, FL, AL, MS, AR; Midwest = IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI, WV, KY, MO, IA, ND, SD; West/Southwest = LA, OK, TX, NM, CO, UT, WY; Pacific coast (south) = CA (from San Luis Obispo/Kern/San Bernardino counties south, AZ, and NV), Pacific coast (CA north of three identified counties, OR, WA, ID, and MT)

A comparison of the reactions during and after the season of the Cadets program vs. the Blue Knights program. Let me offer a few thoughts regarding the polarizing reactions these two programs have engendered during and at the end of this past season. Commenters report that they either "loved" or "hated" the Cadets show, if you strip away the politically correct varnish most have placed on their comments. In contrast, commenters report either "understanding" or "not getting" the Blue Knights show. My belief is that both shows accomplished exactly what they were intended to do. The Cadet's sequel show was supposed to grab and engage the audience in a very primal way with its expression of the imagery of the Alice in Wonderland story. The Blue Knights show was intended to challenge the audience to deal with the dissonance of the musical line as composed by Samuel Barber while conveying the essential order and structure within this musical line. Both shows did exactly what they were intended to do. And the two different levels of reaction (love vs. hate and understanding vs. confusion) were exactly appropriate for each. One other thought--the judges were able to evaluated both shows appropriately, i.e., within the context of what each show was trying to convey. Perhaps there is some hope for this most maligned of group of individuals! DrGene A drum corps person before DCI

Gellio post: "BLUE KNIGHTS: I really enjoyed the music - much more than I thought I would. Now that the postive is out of the way, how could this show have been scored so high? Was it cleaner than Madison and Glassmen? Somewhat - only when it was easier. When the drill called for anything remotely difficult there wasn't a straight line to be found. It was as dirty, if not dirtier, than Madison or Glassmen when the demand reached the levels of the demand found much more frequently in Madison's and Glassmen's drill, especially Madison's. The guard work design was unispired and ineffective, and the execution was not on the level of the Glassmen's guard. This was the only corps in the top 12 that didn't have one single moment that wowed you or even made you want to say "nice". Way overscored and placed way too high. If they would have finished 9th (behind Boston), I would have been fine with that. Placing them ahead of Madison and Glassmen is not out of line, but placing them ahead of Boston is, and this close to Crown - WAY out of line." Given that no one has addressed this piece of your review, I felt compelled to do so. As one of the "movie theater" announcers/commentators stated (my paraphrase) as they transitioned from the Scouts to BK, "The Scouts hit your viseral side; BK challenges your intellectual side." While I agree that the execution of the drill was less than stellar (still room to clean and score higher), the complexity of the music and the integration of the front line as a lead voice in the show was superior to those corps around them. The Barber Piano Concerto is often performed with choreography--which is what the guard members are doing during the performance. Their final score was quite consistent with where they have been placed by the judges during the past 10+ days, and--IMO--appropriate to the performances of these four corps at Quarterfinals. BK shows historically have rarely produced the stand-up and scream moments you seem to seek. Their shows speak to a different part of the body--and that is not all bad! DrGene A drum corps person older than "MikeD"

FROM THE REVIEW "East Coast Jazz: As they stepped on the field we could see some lightening in the distance, and were hoping that ECJ would be able to get their full show in. By the end of their show, the lightening was getting closer & the show coordinators smartly had them exit quickly through the center of the stands." ECJ apparently likes to "put electricity" into their shows. At the DCI DivII/III Finals in Denver, CO a couple of years ago, I was working as part of the field staff when ECJ took the field. I had been watching the thunder and lightning moving in both from the west and north of the stadium. About half way through ECJ's show a bolt of lightning hit just north of the stadium and the announcer asked the corps to stop playing and leave the field. The corps stayed; the audience stayed; and absolutely screamed/stood/shouted their approval to ECJ's "in your face" approach as they finished their show. I talked to ECJ's drum major as I was walking him and the corps to cover under the stadium. First, I grumped about the danger about lightning in Colorado. Then, I smiled and said, "That was 'old school, man.'" The DM turned and smiled back saying, "That's what we wanted." Unfortunately, ECJ "electrifying" performance came up 0.1 short of winning the championship, but no one who watched them perform that day will ever forget the performance. DrGene (a very 'old school' drum corps person)

Are you saying that you don't think the Blue Knights are being scored fairly? Dear Chadwick: My point about requiring adjudicators to watch the show that is actually performed that evening/afternoon is not specific to BK, but certainly applicable to them. I saw their show in Denver and agreed totally with the comments made by both reviews of the Dallas show regarding the overall quality (design and execution) of their show (I did not see the Dallas show). There are any number of corps that seem to get "mailed in" comments or placements from adjudicators (judges, back in the day). The "glass ceiling" effect (and its counter part--the "plexiglass floor") seems to be pervasive across different groupings of corps. Why has the ranking/order of corps remained relatively constant for nearly 20 years? All I ask is that judges actually watch the show that night--not what they think they know about the corps or have heard about the corps. Every corps has good nights and bad nights--recognize these changes by giving every corps the score they actually deserve for their performance that night. DrGene

"Sad because I'll have to wait for the DVDs before I see Blue Knights this year. " From the comments regarding who should be finishing where, sounds like you should mail a copy to the adjudicators ("opinionaters who wear the green shirts and tan slacks"). Maybe if these folks actually watch the BK show (as well as a few other corps with 'close call' shows), they may get a clue. DrGene

Chuck: Saw the same show from the 35 yard line; 26 rows up. Unlike you, we had a large group of "popcorn eaters" in front of us, and two families (one next to us and one behind us) who were attending their first competition. At least they were open-minded--and very impressed--about what they saw. I agree with most of your comments, and thank you for the clear recognition of the level of effort displayed by all participants during the evening. Here are a few of other thoughts. First, why is no one talking about the Front Line of BK? They are clearly the most musically gifted group in the past several years in DCI. What they play is music--clearly integrated (in fact, the lead voice in many cases) in the musical presentation of the Barber played so well by the Brass line. This is not some group that is simply pounding on percussion instruments and an afterthought for most of the percussion book. How well they play as an ensemble is a pleasure to hear and see. Sorry you missed the "after show" at the stadium. BK played "Kavil Srivi" (sp?), a Russian low brass chorale, and their entire show--another chance to hear/see the Front Line. Speak to me! Second, the mikes and audibility/distinctiveness were equally a problem from 26 rows up also. While I will suspend my personal beliefs about the use of amplification, here is my comment. If amplification is to be part of the show, then when they don't work (as they didn't for most of the corps that used them), deduct from the corps score--just like a horn tear or sloppy stick work. I obviously don't have access to the "sheets"; but why do some corps score high in GE when the mikes don't work? To not deduct is to give corps a "free pass" on this element of the show--and there is no incentive for corps that use amps to get things right. Third, while there was certainly a lot going on with the Cadets show (too much/lacked focus based on the comments from the folks around us) (but I suppose that is what a nightmare is), in some ways there was too little going on. While the drum line was doing their thing (quite well) to the left of the 50, the horn line was hauling around pink platforms on the opposite 35 (right in front of us--so they were hard to miss). Given what the percussion was playing, this other element seemed to be moving rather slowly and disconnectedly. I kept wondering (even 2 days later) how the audience/judges would respond to this show if it were performed by Blue Star, Crossmen, or Seattle Cascade. My guess is that it would not merit an 85. Fourth, the venue at Mile High was darn near full from end zone to end zone for at least three levels of the stadium. Lots of high school band members, who where recognized throughout the night, were in attendance as well as many old and young alumni from many corps across the country. The audience response was good (but certainly not crazy), except for the Cavies show where the SO was immediate and widespread. I agree about your comment regarding the need for more punch with the ending--but the first half of their show is already "sick" clean for July. Enough of my thoughts. I appreciated your review and the other DATR review. The two most interesting battles for the remainder of the season will be Cavies vs. BD and the incredibly jumbled group from 6 - 10 (not necessarily in this order--SCV, BK, Boston, Madison, Crown). We can only hope that the "adjudicators" (fancy word for "the only people whose opinions 'count'") will actually watch the show with open minds and sharp pencils. --DrGene