Tuonela

Those Mentos had something in them... I couldn't stop

I'm gonna have to go with Vanguard.

My girlfriend owes me dinner because I guessed almost exactly the point spread at Ogden... does that count?

I remember seeing a few clips of DCJ competitions a while back, and I think I recall some sort of indoor arena. If I remember correctly, the floor was divided into squares as opposed to yard-lines and the floor looked like some sort of springy gymnastics-type material. Such venues could provide interesting winter alternatives for brass players... Oh, and I'd just like to point out that Medeabrass has 1234 posts.... in case anybody cares...

Ah! So I'm not the only one that thinks they're taking it waaay too fast. I love the piece, but it just seems so rushed.

BORRRING.

Blast! is treated much more like a performing art than a sport. I think the most professional drum corps is going to get is in a more broadway sense, although I would like to see something more like Star: an original field corps created and funded by a big fan with lots of money. If I had millions, that's most definitely what I'd spend it on.

I can never decide whether to be really irritated or laugh to myself when I hear that one. Does anybody have any insight into it? Was it just some guys being stupid or what? Anyway, if you listen closely in '98 Vanguard right before the first big impact, you hear some guy scream. It leads in to it perfectly. Gotta be my favorite.

I'm with whoever mentioned that more corps having cymbals would make SCV's less unique... They are, in my opinion, THE example of SCV's classiness and overall bad-###-ness. Vanguard was practicing at my old high school before Ogden a few days ago and I spent a good amount of time watching the plates. I'm not a percussionist, so I may just be out of the loop, but I didn't even know they could be used in such a way. Amazing.

Same here.

After that, they didn't talk for the rest of the piece. I think it was on the third movement. There was still some narration later though.

Of the corps that played at Ogden, the Cadets were easily the loudest. BK was pretty loud during their encore and seemed a lot heavier on the bottom end, but the Cadets were definitely packing some power.

They were amazingly clean and powerful. First corps of the night to drown out the annoying talking behind me. There was one part that I wasn't sure if it was added recently... One of the narrators said something like "and now, let's do something without the voices" something to that effect. It definitely got a few people in the crowd on their feet. The guard did very well with the trick flags. Very effectively used. I also thought BK's horn line was doing especially well. The last four corps got kinda screwed by wind after the intermission (the stadium is right at the mouth of a canyon). The black screens on the front left during the 'Coats got blown over. Vanguard's guard did amazingly despite the wind. I have seen their drill cleaner in a few spots, but overall very well performed. I think they were the crowd favorite tonight. All that having been said, I think the scores were right on.

Yes, the guard unis did make me cringe a bit. That aside, I think this show may even beat out frameworks as far as visual/musical synergy. In my opinion, the show concept is also amazingly entertaining. At first I was like, "Wtf? Washing machines?" but after a while it really grew on me. I still get chills at several points throughout the show and I'll admit I'm not even a very big Cavaliers fan.

Sorry if this is a n00bish thing to ask, but why does nobody seem to like 03 Cavies? It is quite possibly my favorite Cavaliers show, yet it seems to me like everybody gives it a lot of crap.

I think some of the Mars Volta's work could have potential... potentially. A show that I'd absolutely love to see though is this: Regiment (I'm a fanboy, deal with it) performing a show based on the Finnish epic Kalevala. I think it would be best sort of like Faust where the story is Kalevala, but the music isn't necessarily music composed about it. It would be good, however, to throw the Swan of Tuonela in there. I love that piece. Perhaps a show based around the slaying of said Swan? I think it'd be neat... and just to make sure I fit in on the forum, I'll go ahead and say it... no narration. All concepts would be conveyed through music and guard. No giant swan costumes either.

I think a Radiohead show would be pretty cool if pulled off correctly. It would be great to have it very dark and introspective (BK would do it best in my opinion... Phantom would be a good candidate, but I would hate to see them break their classical tradition). I'd stick with songs from Kid A, but maybe add I Will from Hail to the Thief in there somewhere. I think it would be a neat chorale-type piece.

First of all, Ornette Coleman did a few things that totally screwed up jazz. Playing on a plastic sax was just a drop in the bucket. Second of all, saxes are somewhat of a different story. Black ones (cannonball makes quite a few) are actually, as it's been said, nickel. They do make colored saxes in the similitude of the trumpet that started the thread, but they also tend to be sub par quality. I don't doubt that it's possible to make colored horns that are high quality, but I think it hasn't really been done. I'd assume this is because people who are serious about playing want a professional looking horn and not something that looks like a toy. These instruments are more than likely marketed to younger music students who aren't experienced enough to realize the sacrifice in quality.

Haha. Good call. Don't forget Barbara Maroney(sp?), the '83 and '84 Cadets mello soloist. She's without a doubt the hottest one-armed girl I've ever seen. (No sarcasm involved. I idolize her.)

I've always wanted somebody to do a Sibelius show. Several corps have done Finlandia, but that's far from his best work. I think the first and second movements of the Karelia Suite would be good and the Swan of Tuonela (yes, that's where my name came from) could be arranged into a very effective ballad. Valse Triste might have some potential too. I also think that with proper arranging Brahms' Cello Sonata in E minor would be pretty cool. Along the lines of jazz, Mingus has plenty that would be good.

Very nice. Thanks.

Quick, somebody Photoshop Napoleon's name on to a tube of Chop Saver...

"Do you think I got to finals because I dress like Peter Pan over here? Forget about it!" Sorry, I couldn't help myself. I have no doubt I broke many copyright laws with this. Don't tell anybody...

A "member cam" would put some major pressure on marchers to smooth it out.

I could be totally crazy, but as long as I've liked corps it's been because I think it's a very unique and expressive art form that I connect with on a deep level. I've never been too concerned about making drum corps massively accessible. My friends all respect my appreciation of it and I respect their distaste. If the average person doesn't appreciate it, that's no loss to me. I have almost no respect for NASCAR, but apparently hundreds of thousands of other people do, and I'm sure me disliking it doesn't make them like it any less. I personally love many of the more intricate and less accessible shows. I just erased about two paragraphs of metaphors and arguments. Basically what I'm getting at is this: I really don't want DCI to become huge. I like it the way it is. If it's destined to fizzle out and die (which I really doubt is going to happen anytime soon) so be it. I'll still love the shows that were put on just the same. I'd much rather have it remain the distinguished and original art form that it is than try to conform to mainstream tastes in order to succeed financially. Sorry if this made no sense. I'm really tired and probably should be sleeping right now. I promise it all makes sense in my head.