gdisney

Hmmm....might be a hard transition to make, but in the long run I think this could lead to seeing much more fan-friendly shows. Less emphasis on intricate detail and design, but more on entertainment.

Oh god...seeing that and then looking at my $75, 20 yardline ticket, just makes me cry!

I can see a point here...with all of the extras in instrumentation now found in the pit, extended drum features could be really effective. The most interesting recent one I can think of was in the 2000 SCV show, where the drums were featured for just over a minute starting at about the 2:40 mark. Sure it wasn't 2-3 minutes, but still was longer than a lot of what you see today.

I've never been a big Crown fan per se, but theirs was by far my favorite show this year. Great combination of design, entertainment, accessible and recognizable music, great performance level; it was an all around treat for me to watch. I only got to see Madison once at quarters, and wished I had seen them again. For a first time viewing, I really just try and take in the overall effect as opposed to focusing on specific areas, but I felt like it was the best all around show I had seen from them since Jesus Christ Superstar in 1999. I especially liked the whole opening sequence with the company front goin across the field. Phantom - the most particular part I liked was the ending with Firebird. I just love Stravinsky's music, and always enjoy hearing it on the field. But overall it was another well designed, accessible, and well performed show. I also enjoyed Bliecoats show with all of the "criminal" design elements put in. Even the narration didn't bother me, though it was close to being a little too much for me. But the whole show theme just tied together so well, and the members' performance was great. Another that bears mentioning for me...I really enjoyed the Hide and Seek segment of Spirit. Such a captivating yet slightly haunting tune, beautifully arranged and performed. It was one of my most favorite musical moments of the night.

God forbid that someone has an opinion that isn't entirely positive. The OP asked if anyone agreed that the show was intense. I agreed it was and I applauded their level of performance. Guess you overlooked that positive part.

I would agree that the show had a lot of intensity. BD always brings that. For me personally, I found the musical selections to be the most uninteresting I've ever heard them play, and that's a huge part of what I like about drum corps shows, so I just couldn't get into their show this year. But I applaud them for performing hard and taking the title.

About 10-15 minutes. I don't have a picture of finals night, but if you put the two side by side the difference in lining is like night and day.

No, I didn't attend any Div. II or III events or I&E for that matter. But I usually don't. My trips to DCI are also my vacation, so I try to mix up my intinerary and do touristy things as well. As such, I usually just don't have the extra time or money after spending so much time and money at the Div. I competitions, to do other drum corps events during the week.

Oh God - those mentos were everywhere you turned. They were even handing them out in line going into the stadium at finals. Though the coolest freebie was the Rubbermaid half gallon thermal jugs.

I thought DCI had a signed contract for 10 years at Indy - or maybe there is a clause to get out of it early?

I actually had the opposite experience...the sound was very good and among the better finals venues I can remember in that regard (I was 30 yard line 32 rows up in quarters, and 20 yard line 65 rows up in finals)

Looking at the scores, Cadets didn't win because they were 3rd in visual and 4th in music overall. So which part was affected by the narration, if any? If you can argue that music or visual was impacted by narration, then you can argue that Cadets score was affected by it, and then your scenario might be possible.

This reminded me of something - during the Colts performance on Finals night, it looked the the stadium staff (not DCI people) were actually trying to force people to enter the stands out of the tunnels - during the corps' performance. I'm guessing maybe it was because of the backup in the tunnels, but what a distraction to suddenly have streams of people entering during the performance. (This was at section 20)

Oh - since this thread was really about the Cadets narration - my thoughts are that they just just too much, and as others have pointed out, we got the point early on and didn't need to be beaten over the head with it. I am glad they changed the "I didn't fit in" part. I felt the parts describing who has melody and harmony, etc. were fairly condescending to the audience's intelligence, though I met one lady who's been around drum corps for years who thought it was great. My parents, who are not big drum corps fans and were only attending finals for their second time ever, thought the Cadet's narration was completely cheesy. Many have complained that the narration covers up the playing - I actually didn't find this to be the big problem. It was just more of a distraction which seemed to chop the show into smaller segments, for me anyway. I thought, music and performance wise, Cadets had the best show. BD, by way of contrast, was the most uninteresting music I've ever heard them play (personal opinion, of course). It's just that the Cadet's narration, for me, really took away from the overall affect of the show.

Well, I did not get the chance to see it before that part was added, so I can't say if it's 'better' or 'worse', but I still think it was effective and a good use of narration (though I really am not a fan of narration per se). Everyone I could see and hear absolutely loved the "photo finish" part. But of course, you're welcome to disagree. :)

While I'm glad BD won the title, it seemed to me that marching wise, Cadets were much cleaner. I thought they had outperformed BD and would actually win.

Well, that's your opinion, and you're entitled to it. I personally think the exact opposite. It was a great, effective use of narration, which, frankly, the audience at finals ate up. Crown got the largest ovations all week long, outside of the 'hometown' favorites of SCV and BD. I've never been a Crown fan per se, but they had my favorite show this year.

I was scratching my head at the break for quarters - a 60 minute break scheduled at 3:12pm, and only just over an hour and a half into the show. It was way to early to be having a 60 minute break, IMO. Not sure if there were other reasons for having it so early in the show.

Yes, they averaged them all three nights. BD got brass, GE, percussion, and visual. Caves got guard.

The rumor I heard was that they weren't selling tickets yet becuse they don't have a defined seating map yet. But they did mention Indy many times and had a booth for the city in the souvie area.

Bottled water is fine, as is food. They just briefly glance at what you have. I even saw a couple of people bringing in coolers, though you're not supposed to be able to.

This was my first time ever at the Rose Bowl, my seventh finals week. Here's my impressions: The field condition was really bad. And since all three nights are to the same side opposed to changing it for finals, I'm expecting it to really look bad Saturday. Parking was confusing...but plentiful and relatively close once you got past that. The problem was in no signage, so everyone stopped to ask people, which backed things up. We drove past a blocked entrance to lot H, and asked tried to enter the next open one 50 yards down the road, but the cops said for general parking you had to drive back around the entire stadium and enter lot H. Apparently there was another entrance to it somewhere. So we pulled a u-turn and entered lot I, across the street from the cop who apparently didn't know about it. Getting out at the end wasn't bad at all...12 minutes from the lot to our hotel six miles away. Seating is a bizaare setup, and no one knew where they should sit as they couldn't decipher the sections. Each section contains two sections - one half is say, section 17, and the other half is 18. Which area you are in depends on whether you have a two digit or three digit seat number. Very confusing. The lines at concessions during the 60 minute break were long and SLOW. Though they did open up a third stand midway through, which was nice. They DO sell beer in the stadium, contrary to earlier rumors, though all I saw was Miller Lite at on stand. Not sure what the other two may have had. The souvie area is close to the stadium entrance and has plenty of space. I remember finals sites where it took you 20 minutes to hike down to the souvie area. Vantage point, for me at QF was at the 30 yard line, 32 rows up. And it really wasn't bad. I had no problem seeing. Acoustics were actually nice from that point, crisp, clear and loud. No problems at all - except for the very loud buzzing of the stadium lights and the helicopters overhead. Not sure why no one from USC or the Tournament of Roses ever thought to update the Rose Bowl stadium lights. All in all, I'd say this is one of the better venues I've been at for finals week.

I don't think so...but if it had been handled the same way it would have been close. The problem last night was not that Hopkins wanted the hashes relined, it was in how it was handled. His actions seem to suggest a general lack of respect for DCI. And whether it's warranted or not, you need to be more professional. Being a corps director and wandering around the middle of the field past the time that the drum major has already been asked if the corps is ready, and visibly arguing with Acheson on the 50 yard line after scores were announced, is not professional, IMO.

OK kind of off topic but...the field doesn't look too good, but I was really impressed with the sound in the stadium. I heard a lot of bad things about it the last few months, but I got to say that sitting on the 30 at 33 rows up, the sound was crisp and clear. Anyway back on topic...yes I would agree the decision by Hop was not handled well. I mean, the corps was already being announced to start. Not the time to say, "wait a minute, stop everything..."

I personaly would have put Carolina Crown and Bluecoats ahead of Cavaliers. AS much as I hate the Cadets narration as being pointlessly absurd, I would have put them within a tenth or so either way with BD at the top. I also think Madison put on a great show and should be raked higher, around 12th-13th place. Overall, the most enjoyable show I saw was Carolina Crown, and that's the first time I've ever said that of them. Kudos to Crown!