Tony L.

How is it possible that this was not on page 1?

You're fun Poppy. Love trolling 101. I am not sure, but you might actually have more posts in this thread than anyone. Love the hijinx! Please keep it up boo.

Can't wait to actually see everyone live, but not so sure that Crown is that far ahead of everyone. Oh well, I have learned many years ago to not put too much stock in anything until regionals start. It will all come out in the wash.

I would not feel really comfortable if I were Crown. Great corps with a meh show. Classic, would you rather be clean and really steong right now with a meh show or perhaps a slight step down in talent with a show that can grow and really is strong? Time will tell.

So funny. In my mind I have written and re-written the Cadets doing Mass ever since I first discovered the piece (thanks to the Cadets) in 1990. All you have to do is search my posts on here to see my incessant request that they do it. And now that they finally (and mostly for the last time) are doing it, I feel really invested in this show in a way that I have not in years. So they had better get it right! So far so good though.

And they need to slow it down and let it gradually spin (literallly since ai still see that piece demanding a slowly deteriorating rotating block) out of control. I mean let's face it, it takes a little time and effort to join the ranks of the fallen!

Still think there is much that can be done with the fallen section. The end of that I would have singers ripping off their robes and really belting out their own riffs and I would have the corps members really push forward beyond the sideline, almost into the stands. And I if it does not already happen, I would have the drum majors lose their costumes and essentially get off the podium and join in the bachanal. I mean no one actually watches the drum majors anyway!

So, since I have always conceived of this show as a Cadets drum corps metaphor, I suspect that letter is a G and that at the very end there will be some introduction of the shako. And what it all means, roughly, is the Cadets started off in 1983 as "simple" evolved through time and lost their way by losing faith in the simplicity of drum corps and who they are. After losing track, they are getting back to understanding and believing in themselves and who they are. And after all of the costumes, we will get a G and a shako. Just a thought.

So, having not seen anyone live yet, I will do as most do and go ahead and chime in on this one. CAN the Cadets medal? Absolutely. Will they? Time will tell. Anyone who has not seen everyone live at this point is talking out their $!#÷$ and cannot pass judgment one way or another. As a viewer of a couple of events either on line or in the theater, I am of the humble opinion that none of this year's top corps have that combination of special design combined with talent to make them untouchable. This year will be all about whoe works the hardest and times it just right. Just like the 1992 Cavaliers.

Wow, I said it after seeing Crown at the theater, and ai will repeat it here. This show jumps the shark halfway through and no level of performance can possibly get it back. So talented, but not the show this year.

Generating emotion and audience appeal is solely in the eyes of the beholder. They got me with Simple Song. And with the closer. And do not confuse letting a song develop means plodding. If it does, then I will gladly accept plodding shows mving forward. And we (assuming you are not there) are not there live. Really difficult to tell what the actual reaction was. I will of course reserve all judgment until I see them live.

I think it difficult at this stage, but I really feel like there is still much more to come from the Cadets. There are some really special moments in this year's show. If they start to connect them, then I think they might be on this HYPE thread. We shall see.

They stayed in uniform for that!?!? At least play 3 or 4 tunes.

So BD has a cool opening, a great ensemble sound and some nice moments, but on the whole, this show seemed a little lacking to me. I do love the throwback ballad, they should have just stood in a concert arc to really complete the effect. And if Crown is looking for what "deconstruction" looks and sounds like for the end of their show, just watch BD. And exactly how many drum breaks were there in this show? But, all of that being said, I think they win it all this year.

And if you want something really special, check out the clip of the girl singing this song on that old tv show that was like American Idol, but the goal was to pick the worst singer. All I can say is "here we go"!

Wow. Phantom sounded . . . not the best. Not sure if it was the mic placement or just no bueno. But, wow! On the bright side, is it just me or is that solo in the ballad the opening of All By Myself? Now if they had just played that straight through, then that would have been something!

Wow! Mandarins mean business this year! If their brass and visual performance can get to the same level of that guard, watch out. I also am assuming that the real drill for the end of the show is not in yet. Very strong show!

Wow! As a long time fan of Mandarins, I am really excited to see where they go this year! Keep it going!

The Cadets are on the list. Am I missing something?

Granted, not to read too much into it, but I am intrigued by the one GE judge placing Cadets only .3 behind Bloo. I can only comment based on my read of Bloo from the theater, but is it possible that they are not quite the GE monster they were last year? While they no doubt will have great captions across the board, without the GE pop of last year, I think Bloo might have a struggle to stay on top. Time will tell.

I hear you. It was nice. But more and more about less and less. I will reserve judgment (of course) til I actually see them live! But last night I left a little underwhelmed.

So, having seen nothing, I am going to go ahead and call the season. SCV will win it all this year. When they are this close to BD at this point, and nothing offered last night will likely win, it is really open for SCV.

Helpful stats. Thans for the research, but quite frankly other than 2015 and perhaps 2014, the Cadets shows during this sample really don't measure up to really good shows. I have no illusions, this show is not likely to win, but, it is something that I think they need to explore. I think that they will end up like a great (recent) SCV show where they will get a tremendous 4th or 5th place. But they will set the stage for a show next year with The Age of Anxiety and Jeremiah Symphony where they will take that next step.

So can someone explain how anyone can possibly pass judgment about where this show is going to end up when not all precincts are in? Is this show amazing at this point, no. But is there room for growth? Yes. And for anyone to say that it, categorically, will not be top six is a real stetch. There is a whole lot of season to go, and 4 points behind a show that was (quite frankly) not as amazing and fresh as lasr season is nothing at this point. It is about how high you score in August, not the first show. Patience and faith.

Wow. Those Vanguard unis are . . . Something! Need to see them live, but yikes!