Tony L.
-
Posts
769 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by Tony L.
-
-
I've only seen audiences responding strongly to one musical piece this year, and that's the finale of Cavies "Sweet Home Chicago". No disrespect to anyone else this season, but on tv, that is STILL gonna be the musical highlight to the unwashed masses.
Well, I've only seen Cavies once this year (Indy) and I will see them tomorrow night at Giants Stadium, but from my one viewing, the Cavies were not even close to offering the "one musical piece" to which the audience responded. If anything, imho, the Cavies stand to lose the most ground to Phantom in Music GE. The fans in Indy did not have anywhere near the same response to the Cavies' music at any point as they did for Phantom throughout their entire program.
I would never be so bold as to predict the judges would do one thing, or another, but it would not surprise me in the least to see Phantom pass Cavies by the end of the year. In my opinion, it would be great to see Cavies and BD lose their stanglehold on the top 2 for at least one year.
-
Well said Drumcat. However, I think a lot of people would pay for tickets to DII/III finals if they weren't held on Saturday morning at the crack of dawn in a stadium miles away from the stadium hosting DI Finals that same night. I also think more people would be willing to see a DII/III contest if, for example, the DII and DIII champions were permitted to perform in Exhibition on Finals night. No offense to Marines, they're great, but instead of a double helping of them, I think DCI should find the time to let the fans actually see the quality of what is done on the DII and DIII level. This is the one area where I say DCI has really dropped the ball.
-
Would have voted Excellent, but DCI still can't figure out what to do with DII/III. I really feel like DCI needs to incorporate the smaller corps into the bigger picture if the activity is going to continue to grow and thrive.
-
They would be awful anyway. I can't believe how awful the sound was in the dome. It had been a few years since I was there and it was really jolting at first and then I remembered why I had stayed away a few years!
-
I agree that the music in this show is very strong and in Indy in the evening and I really felt that they clicked much better than in the afternoon. They are definitely a strong corps and I would not be surprised at all to see them ultimately pass Boston and maybe even Crown (although that is a stretch).
However, I think you hit it right on the head when you described their visual program as not "terrible". Let's face it, if that's the best that the visual can be called, then 7-9 is about right in my book. I think they are right where they should be given the visual problems and the somewhat uneven music.
-
I voted for Pacific Crest. Pretty much anywhere they place will be a surprise because we have no idea where that might be. I, for one, have a feeling that PC might just show up and add some real drama to the race for Top 12.
-
At Indy, I didn't hear any narration. It sounded like there was a big bit of nasty feedback just before they began and then I didn't hear any narration. I guess they had some amp troubles? I think I also heard some fans applaud and cheer when the nasty bit of feedback occurred. I guess the anti-ampers were out in force.
-
Based on what I saw in Indy, I think the Cavaliers need to be included in this discussion. I realize that Indy was a very friendly venue for Phantom, but the standing ovation they received when their score was announced really shows just how their show is connecting with the audience. I think the Cavies are vulnerable in GE, which is precisely where Phantom is strong. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Phantom nipping on the heals of the Cavies during Finals week.
-
Was it just me, or was SCV's performance on Saturday night infinitely better than the afternoon? I actually thought they should have lost to BK in the afternoon, but by the evening, I had them ahead of BAC. So much cleaner (although still not clean) and some fantastic passion and power. They were soooo much better. I really think that they will pass BAC and possibly challenge Crown. Allentown is going to be great!
-
IIn the hotel getting ready for tonight's show. Just wanted to post some quick general comments about toay's show. A more detailed review will follow.
On the whole it was areally solid offering today, but some of he shows while solid in performance, left my friend and me a little flat.
KK: Trying hard, but the show is still filthy. Sitting up high, I am really more focused on visual perfomance than on music (always tough in a dome).
Pioneer: a really nice show today, with solid visual performance. A really nice show from them, better than they've been in long time.
Troopers: Excellent show. Best sound I've heard from them in years! Guard was not that solid, but they marched extremely well. Great to see them progress.
Esperanza: Nothing memorable musically, ut solid corps. Nice guard perfrmance today.
The Magic: To quote my friend: "Musically good, but a visual mess!" They woud be sooo much closer to the corps ahead of them if they could just march. The drill was a wreck today.
Capital Regiment: Don't dig the prop. Solid sound, but dfell apart at te end.
Southwind: One of the big winners todAY. gREAT SHOW! mUCH CLEANER THAN lOUISVILLE (OF COURSE), BUT STILL A LOT TO BE CLEANED. vERY SOLID SEMIFINALIST IN MY OPINION.
(Sorry about the all caps, it was an accident).
Seattle: No narration today. Very solid show from them, but the props are just silly. They lined up the wings of the plane incorrectly too. Pretty solid show today.
Mandarins: Big disappointment!!! Loved the opening and the closer. The rest was not that good. Very ineffective today. Prety good guard performnce today. Spacing was just awfulin spots, not what I would expectfrom the MAndarins.
Colts: Only 3 postcards today - a problem with the harvest card. Good show but I don't see i catchin Spirit or Glassmen.
Crossmen: Getting much better, but the demand really isn't there, especiallyvisualy. Prety clean and the guard had a strong show. Don't se this in Finals either. Top 12 is done.
Spirit: Dead opener, but the rest relly cooked. Excellent show. I had hem ahead of G-Men.
G-Men: Very strong show today, excellent visula perfomance. Very strong, but still had them below SPirit.
BK: This sow coked today. Such fantastic drill and performance. I had them ahead of SCV.
SCV: solid show with alot of potential, but I saw o many visual problems (out of step and its almost August?) Really expect more from SCV. The drill is just so elementary compared to BK and it really showed going on right after BK.
Oh well, off to the big show tonight! I xpect the Cadets to surge ahead of Cavies tonight.
. .
-
Phantom is still playing on Broadway. I think that since the theme of the show is Broadway, it really makes no sense to use the London theater. Are you sure that you didn't just misread the Playbill? I mean it's playing at the Majestic Theater in New York and has been since it opened. I can see the confusion between "Her Majesty's" and "Majestic".
-
I think the more interesting part of these scores is The Magic. They beat Capital and Seattle in Music, but is still geting killed on Visual Performance. I was very impressed and indeed surprised by The Magic in Louisville this year. I think they might be the one corps to really sneak up on those above them. With a 13.9 in Visual Perfomance, they obviously have the most room to grow in that caption.
-
Nice article. Too bad the program described for Madison is from last year.
-
I think the cut in SCV's jacket is what makes the biggest difference. It seems to be a shorter jacket than even the past couple of versions they've used. As a result, especially with horns up, the white simply overpowers the red. Also, in pictures, the pants don't look quite as tailored and crisp as they were. They look almost blowsy. So it seems to me. But I'll have to wait to pass final judgment until I see them live in Indy.
-
I believe it was Richie Cunningham on Happy Days when he was the band leader and Jonie and Fonzie won the dance marathon, defeating Jonie's chief rival, Charlene Tilton. This is right up there with all of the great dance marathons. And I think Fonzie actually was taken out on a cot at one point. (I did just recently see a rerun of this episode).
-
After listening to tonight's show, I really have to say that I really think that the BD show misses out on some potential drama by having the show run in reverse (i.e. end of the marathon to the begining). Yes it does lend itself to a more upbeat ending, but the whole point of a dance marathon is to see which couple survives. I've not seen the show, but it seems like by doing the show in this way, they've missed an opportunity to really have some drama in their show.
-
The judge did put Phantom 3rd in Brass, ahead of the Dance Derby. I think Phantom in 3rd is a fair placement. In fact, they tied for the highest score on the on brass subcaption. Next time check the recaps before starting a rant.
-
I suspect it will be a very uneventful evening. I think Indianapolis will be moving day and SA will set the stage for the moving.
1. Cavaliers
2. Cadets
3. Blue Devils
4. Phantom Regiment
5. Madison Scouts
6. Bluecoats
7. Carolina Crown
8. Boston Crusaders
9. Santa Clara Vanguard
10. Blue Knights
11. Glassmen
12. Spirit from JSU
-
For some reason there is no Colts clip on Season Pass and no explanation for where it is. Is it just me, or is it just not there?
-
I really don't see any sort of theme or story taken directly from Kill Bill, just the tune and the guard unis. Also, I believe it was the Munsters who lived at 1313 Mockingbird Lane.
-
-
I've emailed you already with a couple of questions, but if these are still available, I'm interested.
-
I need two sets of tickets for Finals Week, but will take whatever good seats are available. Club Level or Premium if possible. Let me know if you have any available.
Thanks.
-
So after seeing the show tonight in New York City (where the audio was loud enough) I thought it would be interesting the compare who we all liked the best tonight. You know, which shows stood the test of time?
My Top 3 were: Vanguard, Star, and Blue Devils
My Friend picked Cavies, Cadets, and Star.
Who were your favorites?
Meadowlands Comments
in DCI (All) Corps Show & Event Reviews
Posted
Just in from a great night of drum corps in the Meadowlands. I went with a friend of mine who is a viola player by training and two friends who were attending their first show ever. Always great to see how a newcomer views the activity that I love so dearly.
Just a quick note to YEA!: Please try to get the transportation set up with New Jersey Transit! The buses were not running after the show, essentially stranding all those who needed to return to Manhattan. WHat a disaster. If not for someone from the NJSEA giving us a lift to a different bus stop, we would still have been stranded!
On to the show . . .
Pioneer: My friends were absolutely shocked when they saw Pioneer. It was so much more than they had expected and thankfully enough, they were really digging it. I think Pioneer has a really nice package this year. I really enjoy the Irish Rebellion section, especially when they bring out the variation of the English flags and the music gets really disonant. Very strong moment. They still have performance issues which at this stage of the game will likely not be fixed. But overall very nice show tonight and a great show to build on for next year.
Pacific Crest: First viewing of them this year. I was very impressed with their sound. It was much better than last year and they were really well-balanced and strong. The drums were solid, at least to my brass ears. Very nice total visual package with a great color scheme. The guard had a solid show, but the visual performance was not as locked in as the other corps -- spacing, formation issues and just some other inconsistencies. I really liked them and I think they should be ahead of Mandarins, at least based on what I saw tonight. They can only get cleaner. My friends really liked this show, especially the really cool "Ice" section. Great show tonight.
Mandarins: I really finally got to hear them tonight (I don't consider Indy last week as a proper hearing). The music (at least the brass) was much better than Indy. Although, they really have some problems with individuals sticking out of the ensemble simply because they are overblowing. I was pretty noticeable. The drums were really not featured and did nothing to really help the total music package. Now, on to the guard! Oh my, the guard had one of the worst nights I've seen a guard have in a long time! So much hitting the field. It was difficult to watch them simply because nothing was going as planned. I don't know if this is typical, but they have no chance of making semis if their guard can't become a solid part of the total visual package. Unfortunately, my friends had difficulty getting into this show mostly because of the obvious guard errors. The marching looked stronger than Indy last week. They have a new ending from the one in Indy: there is now a brief musical recap that ends with the corps proper in a heart and the guard inside with various flowers being offered. But I really think that they will not make semis.
Colts: The postcards lined the back sideline (off the field). The drill looked different from Indy -- pretty sure the postcards are officially staying off the field, no group of four guards moving around as if they are moving a postcard. Which is fine. They had a pretty good night tonight. My friends exclaimed "Wow they're really good!" That's always a good thing to hear in the middle of a show. They are performing this show very well right now (although there were a couple of iffy drill moments). But the horns sound strong and good. Drums seemed solid. The guard is so well staged in this show and they were really nailing everything tonight, best COlts guard I can ever remember. Unfortunately, if the Crossmen perform the way they did tonight, the Colts will place 14th.
Capital Regiment: I think they are really finally locking in on this show. Friends didn't care for the sundial and thought it looked cheap. The corps though performed so well tonight. The horns sound so well balanced and tonight they were strong through the end of their show, unlike in Indy. The drumline was hot tonight as well, the feature that includes the corps' body work was very well done tonight. Got a really strong response. I think this is a very solid semis show and I really would not be surprised to ulitmately see them close the gap on the Colts. The guard (although they are doing a commendable job) will keep them from passing the Colts ultimately. But very strong show tonight, much better than last week. I am really starting to like this show now.
Crossmen: Wow!!!! They had a fantastic night tonight. In Indy, I was absolutley convinced that there is no way this show could get into Finals, but after tonight, I really don't know. It's really starting to pick up in the closer and that will make all the difference. The guard had a bit of an off night with their equipment, but they still did a great job of selling the show. The new ending of Radar Love (at least new since Indy) was one of the few huge ovations of the night durig a corps' show. For those who haven't seen it, they simply come running to the front dsideline and simply wail on the final chord and holddddd it out. Still some visual issues, but if they can make this show squeeky clean, they have a legitimate shot in my opinion. My friends loved the flags during the ballad, very nice moment.
Cavaliers: They had a very strong performance tonight. I actually am surprised that the spread was as big as it was. The new ending is cool, but not really too different from what they had. They leave the land between the ladders and do what the Crossmen do, but only after they discard their hats. They really connected well with the audience tonight, and I actually found myself liking them much more than I did in Indy. Maybe I was just too tired by the time I saw them in Indy. The fireman section has some nice musical elements (mellophones were fantastic), but the cheesey hats just have to go. It looks like they're little kids playing fireman. My friends loved them. They were the favorite of all my friends. Interesting thing my frined said about the colorguard: "I guess they can wear whatever they want because they are the sh**!" And indeed they were really good tonight (however, I actually did see a drop!). Great show, but I still think they need to keep an eye on Phantom.
BD: OK. I really do not like this show, but I was still trying to talk it up to my friends so that I didn't sour it for them just incase they liked it. But, they all found it to be very boring and utterly confusing (especially since the announcer couldn't be heard that well). Really tough to watch when you have not a clue about what's going on. It was interesting to hear a newcomer actually say that while the Bluedevils appear to be one of the most talented corps on the field from a technical standpoint, that the show itself just didn't work. I had to say I agreed with him. If they finish any higher than 4th, I will be shocked and very disappointed. This show just doesn't work. Hwever, I must admit that I was humming their ballad all last week after Indy. How in the world did that get stuck in head! Anyway, the show can't be fixed at this point and I don't think their talent will save them from 4th or lower. Easily worst reaction from the crowd of everyone from Crossmen to the end.
Cadets: I love this show. However, I still have some issues with the Bjork impersonator. It seemed like that part has been modified slightly (a little faster and she laughs at the end of it now) My frinds didn't care for the vocalizations or the talking (in BD too for that matter). It was interesting to have newbies be anti-amped vocals since they don't have any of the baggage that most anti-ampers have. But the sho itself is getting much cleaner and the colorguard was unbeleivable tonight. The brass was so full, well balanced, and simply incredible tonight, even the trumpet soloist in the ballad had a great showing tonight (something I had yet to actually hear clean this year). As strong as Cavies horns were tonight, I completely agree with Cadets taking that. Their sound seemed so much more refined even when compared to Indy. Drums were fantastic as usual. The ballad ia the highlight if this show for me. The ballad simply transforms the way that a "ballad" can be conceived in drum corps. It is one of the bestthings I have ever heard/seen in drum corps! To quote Cesario: I had duckbumps the size of watermelons! All that being said, the ending seemed a bit down tonight, which is odd since when we arrive (about 1/2 hour before the show), the Cadets were actually in the stadium running that part of the show. Oh yeah, I believe that the opening music has been modified since Indy -- more Twilight Zone.
Great night and I am happy to report that all friends had a great time and were pleasantly surprised by the show. We may have three new fans! Every little bit helps.