bloominmom

I agree, and believe Crown is in the same boat for the same reason.

Just heard Crown got a 70.70, and Phantom got a 73.6. Don't need to hear anymore.

appreciate your recognition that this entire thread is a matter of personal taste rather than a reflection on the kids and their efforts. That said, I think if you see how this show develops, both visually and musically this summer, your interpretation of the "paint strip" may make more sense.

Re: Crown's uniform and plume...sorry if you can't recognize a touch of class when you see it. Clean, simple, and a great backdrop to help the guard's uniform stand out.

Crown's guard uniform is supposed to reflect the show's theme of a mad composer/conductor in search of the perfect musical ending. Show flags are still not completed yet. Their guard book is incredibly difficult and they are off to a very good start.

Keep 'em coming! It's great to see the kids, and creates a connection that is awesome from a parent perspective. :

Watched the show in Bloomington, Indiana. About 60-75 attendees, pretty quiet crowd, a few corps jackets (Cavies, Colt, Crown)...volume too low, but other than that, it was a great presentation. I loved the '08 previews. Commentary was well-done...added to things without getting in the way. Loved the Crown enthusiasm from Dennis...he clearly captured the way a lot of people felt about this show and how it connected with the '07 fans. If this show once again gets the nod from fans the way it did this summer in by winning all 5 Hot Chops contests, is there any hope DCI will ever catch a clue about the meaning of "general effect?"

It's been awhile since there's been a show that so clearly connects with such a large part of the audience like Crown's. So many of us have been waiting for a long time to be able to connect like that. I totally get it.

Very insightful and accurate response!

Geeze...you obviously don't realize that most of the top 15 corps in DCI CURRENTLY have ex-star members as staff. They CONTINUE to give back to the activity every year. And how about the fact that Star's evolution into Blast! has given numerous kids a way to make a living doing what they love, an opportunity to tour many different lands, and a vehicle to let the entertainment community at large understand a little bit about what our activity is!

Hilton Garden Inn...excellent choice. Probably sold out by now. Rooms are almost gone here, but check out www.visitbloomington.com which is a good site run by the convention and visitor's bureau. The hotels on Rt. 37 are not sold out yet. The Fourwinds on Lake Monroe is a little farther but may still have rooms. Nashville's (IN) not too far. And a great little town to boot. There are some phenomenal Bed and Breakfast's such as the Grant St. Inn, etc., etc. Interesting that Madison is so well-loved as a site for drum corps. Guess it's just tradition because there are very few restaurants & hotels nearby and parking is awful. Bloomington will blow Madison away on all counts! I think it's a win-win for everyone. Corps housing will be an issue with Indiana schools starting a few days after finals, but that would've been the case in Indy, and Crown typically gets stuck about an hour from the show site anyway so this will probably be no different.

Hey Stef, in the spirit of true Hoosier hospitality, I am really sorry that we were not well-represented, wherever the heck you were in Indiana, but if you are brave enough to give it another try, I'll be happy to show you around our amazing city and introduce you to some very welcoming folks. If you'd rather say home... well, I guess we'll have to catch you in another 10 yrs. I'll overlook the "armpit" comment, and I'm pretty sure I'm not the "ONLY one" (besides Michael Boo). I'm an east coast native, (more recently relo. to the midwest) and I'd take Indy to any big east coast city any day of the week!

agreed...but tough to attract those talented players...too many "ring chasers" these days in Drum Corps. Crown is forced to develop their members. A challenge they rise to, better than most. As for the brass score being based on individual performance, also agreed. But lets judge the effect and ensemble captions per the criteria on the sheet, not based on what that judge heard a few nights earlier while he was down on the field.

So how is it that the effect scores for Crown were that far down and yet every night out, the show is far more "effective" according to the screaming fans who are being entertained (according to this forum and several others, entertained for the first time in years!). An 18.3 at Pasadena in music effect??? I'd say that is the "opinion" of that judge and has very little to do with judging it per the criteria on his effect sheet.

I guess I need to be more clear. I get it, "Mr. Box 5", I wasn't just complaining about judges in general, I am stating that they are not even close to sticking to their own criteria as set forth on the back of the sheet. The sheets were designed to be utilized as a tool to establish some level of consistency in ranking and rating the corps. If they care to ignore the words on the back of the sheet, then we will have these dramatic fluctuations from show to show. Many brass judges are judging the caption the way they perceive it's to be judged, instead of judging it according to the criteria as written. So for example, a judge for GE music was heard (on his tape) saying at quarterfinals that Crown didn't reach the top deck in volume, meanwhile there were probably 9000 screaming fans immediately below him reacting to the effect of the show. Music effect (if you read the sheet) is not just about playing loud. But that's how this guy chose to judge it. And every guy seems to have his or her own criteria, rather than the one that's been established. The result is then, more opinionated than ever. That's going to bring the competitive aspect of our activity down the crapper. And it will continue to perpetuate a top 3, in an activity that is already set up to make it **** near impossible to break into that upper echelon.

BINGO! I think you hit the jackpot here! The complete lack of consistency, the lack of attention paid to the criteria on the sheet, and the downright insulting ensemble & brass scores for Crown in Pasadena leads me to the conclusion that we have reached a time when perhaps we need to question the credibility of the adjudicators in this caption. How about a thread on that one?

you must be right, that's why DCI and BOA are moving to Indy, along with a likely move from WGI. Oh, and let's not forget a city with a beautiful, brand new retractable roof stadium that will house the Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts. Walking distance to tons of restaurants, hotels, & shopping. Tons of parking once the stadium is complete). Incredibly friendly natives. You're right...terrible city. Stay home. Or maybe we should go back to Madison once again, where we can spend hours trying to find parking, very few place to eat near the stadium, and corps housing at least an hour or more away.

I guess New York State has no redneck towns. You guys are comparing the entire state of Indiana to major cities such as NYC and Chicago. Think about it...what sense does that make?

Maybe if you planned ahead, you would have fared better. Indy is consistently rated a top-notch convention city for its ability to provide hotels, restaurants, shopping, and a major venue such as the dome, all in short walking distance of each other. And most people find that the Hoosier hospitality thing is quite real - unusually friendly residents. What other cities could have handled the Brickyard, a baseball game, and a DCI regional at the same time? Not many I would guess. Parking is a bit of a mess due to construction of the stadium right now, but that should be resolved with the opening of Lucas Oil Stadium. I look forward to the next decade of finals in Indy. Lots of housing for corps. Very accessible stadium and city with very friendly people.

Agreed!

Same Brass program. Two and a half decades later, but it still works!

They say the kitchen is the heart of every home, and at Crown, (as well as many other corps, I'm sure), it truly is...it's where kids come when they are hurt, homesick, or just have something on their mind. Thanks to the great moms, dads, and other volunteers who are their to hug our kids and get them to smile when they need it!