ReggieDCI

Thanks: I have TWO major typos in my review. The other being the date of the competition and the other the Cavalier's score. Thanks for pointing it out!! I also wanted to say one more thing about the backpacks: When I was coming in, the gatekeepers said "Just take your stuff out and put your bag here just inside the gate...We'll watch it." I looked back at the entrace an hour or so later, and there was a huge pile of backpacks OUTSIDE the fence being wathched by NO ONE. Forgot to mention it the first time. I should have proofread much better. My apologies. REGGIE

Like I said, I only saw BAC the three Madison performances. Where and when was there a Conquest referece? I'll be looking for it when I get my DVDs. Suprisingly, the BAC alum I spoke with didn't say anthing about it when I spoke with them. Was is really subtle? Thanks! Reggie

Madison, WI Saturday August 11, 2002 I would have gotten this review posted earlier, but I had to work today and…well, you know how it is. I need to get my two BIG DCI gripes out of the way FIRST: 1) The backpack debacle: I arrived Thursday afternoon with enough time to see all the quarterfinals corps; however, DCI had other plans. I was carrying a backpack that would have EASILY fit under my seat, containing a sweatshirt, my camera, and a few other assorted items. Upon arriving at the gate, I was told, “We told everyone yesterday that backpacks weren’t allowed, and it was on the DCI Website.” First of all, I wasn’t there on Wednesday and secondly, I have since looked for this nebulous website posting and I saw NOTHING. I had to go back to my hotel…nearly a mile, find a plastic bag to carry my sweatshirt and the few items I wanted to bring in. My plastic bag was almost identical in size to my backpack, but IT WAS OKAY. Go figure. I also saw lots of backpacks walking in the stands Thursday and Friday nights. DCI, if it was security you were concerned with, hire enough people to go through bags AND enforce the rules you have created (at $145 for the tickets, you could AFFORD IT). I didn’t get in until AFTER Magic’s performance and therefore, I’m only going to review Finals. 2) Retreat: On Saturday night the lone announcement, “Corps clear the field – Cavaliers, the field is yours,” was an out and out lie. After nearly an hour, the field was finally clear, but at midnight, the back stadium lights were turned off and a construction crew was making loud noises clearing away DCI advertising materials from the back stands. Having the corps leave the field in reverse order of finish would have taken MUCH LESS time, and would have been MUCH LESS chaotic. You have given the champions the field with improper lighting and loud noises going on behind them. NOT GOOD AT ALL. Before I begin my review, let me compliment one corps that did NOT make finals. I wish they had tied for 12th. The COLTS were wonderful this year, and I look forward to seeing what they have in store for us all next year. Our seats were upper deck right on the 50 – ten rows or so above the judges – an excellent view. SEATTLE CASCADES (12TH – 84.05) I loved their show! I enjoyed the Bernstein music when the Cadets did it, but the Cascades gave it a fresh look and feel, and it was enjoyable from beginning to end. I look forward to seeing what this great group from the NW has in store for us next year. MAGIC OF ORLANDO (11TH – 84.85) I saw Magic in Jacksonville, AL in early June, and I was amazed at the transformation and development this show has made! I predicted then that they would make finals, but they exceeded my expectations. Isn’t it strange that a “fallen” performer (to whom I give kudos for his composure), seems to have cost them a place in finals, while the same occurrence for a “powerhouse” had no effect whatsoever (more on that topic later). The ending of their show was one of my favorites of the evening – extremely complex and powerful. Thanks for the great job, Magic! SPIRIT OF JSU (10TH – 85.45) They’re baaaack, and I’m very happy to see and hear it. The Saturday night performance was the most emotional of the three nights, and they really sold the show. Not the greatest guard DCI has ever seen, but those ladies did a very nice job conveying the proper mood for the dark to light theme. And their horn line produced a clear and powerful sound. I also very much enjoyed their cymbal line. Congratulations, Spirit, on being back, and I can’t wait to see what Southern Treats you have for us next year! CROSSMEN (9TH – 89.10) I love Strawberry Soup; and I think as hard as they tried, it was the corps’ one downfall this year. Try as they could, they just couldn’t finish the show as strongly as it began. I said it last year and I still believe that the Crossmen are a corps on the rise. As always, their guard was outstanding, and their jazz jams were rocking. Thanks for three fine performances, Crossmen! GLASSMEN (8TH – 91.00) You have to give those kids credit. They executed the h### out of an inaccessible show, and sold it to the best of their abilities. They are strong in all sections, and their featured soloist was superb, AGAIN! Glassmen staff, please give your kids and the crowd something memorable to cheer for next year. I look forward to hearing the words “exciting” and “fun” about Glassmen next year. Make it happen, please… BLUECOATS (7TH – 91.50) BLOOOOOOOOO! This program was wonderful, and you could tell by the kids’ expressions that they were having a gas performing it. The friends with me were all questioning their scores on Thursday night, but by Saturday, all in my group were big Bluecoats supporters! Keep up the good work, and thanks again for a gas of a show. PHANTOM REGIMENT (Tied for 5TH – 92.40) What a guard! Those ladies were aggressive like no others on Saturday night! I don’t know how many people know it, but on Wednesday or Thursday, a large percentage of the corps came down with food poisoning (chicken salad left on a bus for 3 hours un-refrigerated). This fact alone impressed the h### out of me! Their performances were all emotional and LOUD. They need a little more complexity to their drill, but if they can add that, they will be in contention for another title, for sure. Thanks for your “show must go on attitude,” Phantom. BOSTON CRUSADERS (Tied for 5TH – 92.40) I truly enjoyed Boston’s show. The three DCI shows were my only viewing of them this season, but the show was easy to follow and easy to get into. I wasn’t crazy about the “signs,” and could have enjoyed the show with perhaps two or three less of them (and WHO picked that Marilyn Monroe picture? Enough said there). Their American Flag at the end was a nice touch and a very tasteful and effective ending to an “Americana” show. I told some former Crusaders on Sunday that I was pleased that they no longer have to play the “Conquest” lead-in to get the crowd on its feet (although I wouldn’t mind hearing it again). Thanks for a great job, BOSTON! SANTA CLARA VANGUARD (4TH – 95.65) This show got better upon each of my four viewings this year! In my opinion, SCV deserved to be the bronze medallist on Saturday night, and I was very much surprised to see that it did not happen; all those around me were equally surprised as well. Their marching was their major drawback, but it was the second most difficult drill being performed. Despite the fact that the music was unknown to me, I understood what they were doing, and they did it VERY well. If I had a bronze medal to give you, SCV, I would – you deserved it. THANKS! I also want to salute SCV in the poise they demonstrated in their salute of the champion drum majors. Class all the way! THE CADETS (3RD – 96.75) I don’t know what happened, but the Cadets seemed shell-shocked or something on Saturday night. The fallen contra, missed horn attacks and numerous HIGHLY visible guard gaffs did not seem to affect the judges’ opinions, however. I can also understand the corps winning drums, but the spread? Curious, very curious, indeed…I enjoyed BWBB a LOT, but, again, the BOXES. No matter what, the moving on and off of the field of those items was ANYTHING but a smooth transition. I’m not going to mention the lack of drill, or the fireman finish, but neither of those items pointed to a third place finish in my humble opinion. I salute the kids for their hard work, but I beg the staff to PLEASE go back to the things that worked soooooo well for you in the past. BLUE DEVILS (2ND – 97.30) BD was ROCKIN’!! On almost any other year, this show could have produced a champion. Their drum line’s immaturity and the lack of complexity of the drill held them back from being closer to the Cavaliers, but it didn’t hold the crowd back from enjoying the h### out of their show! I kept wishing they would do the 1976 rendition of Channel One again, but you can’t go back. I would love to see BD revisit COS and Legend of the One Eyed Sailor again with a “new-millennium” twist. Thanks for a fine job, Blue Devils, and watch out, everyone, next year – I think California is going to be contending again! THE CAVALIERS (1ST – 91.15) I’ve read some reviews about the guard getting a perfect score, and how it was unfounded, but in my humble opinion, they deserved every tenth of a point – the immaculately clean work with the “box pieces” alone was amazing. No other corps I have ever seen has had such a beautifully integrated package from start to finish. Every t was crossed and i was dotted! And that HORN LINE; an amazing SOUND…goose bump city! Seeing the show a few more times really allowed me to appreciate the nuance of the drill as well. They previewed the fight club sequence with the horn line in the ballad and I didn’t realize it till Saturday night! I can’t wait to get my DVD and see this program a FEW more times. Truly, it is a show that will be remembered for a long, long time. And who knows what they are going to come up with next year? I eagerly anticipate it, and am already missing drum corps season BIG TIME! Thanks, Cavaliers, for a class program from all sections from beginning to end. In conclusion, I will say that this is the best top twelve I have EVER seen. I have been to 20 DCI finals, and have never seen such great performances from number twelve to number one. Thanks to all the kids and the staffs for making this activity such a worthwhile and enjoyable one for ALL of us fans in the stands. ReggieDCI@aol.com

Murphreesboro, TN July 26, 2002 Let me begin this review with an apology. In my review of Kennesaw, I was a little too hard on a couple of folks in the Scouts. The guy in the weapons line, regardless of my opinion, was busting his butt to do his job on the field. I noticed last night as I was at ground level for the America/Oh Canada, God Bless America that the kids in front of me were TIRED. I forgot how hard those summers were, and I can only imagine what it is like now. The kids work hard in oppressive heat day after day to entertain us, and last night reminded me. So, guy from Madison, go out there and keep on giving it YOUR BEST. I’ll cheer for you in quarterfinals. The MTSU stadium is an EXCELLENT venue. Our seats were ABOVE the effect judge’s right on the 50 -- incredible view of the drills. My only wish is that the back stands were more concrete than metal, but they only slightly affected the sound bouncing back. JUBAL (Judged Exhibition) I was pleasantly surprised. I think touring with DCI corps is only going to be a GOOD thing for this group and the Drum Corps activity in Europe. I like the guard uniform, and the horn line had some nice impact moments. Drill and marching are an issue, and that can be upgraded in time. Thank you, JUBAL, for making the trip. CROSSMEN (8th – 84.55) I was really looking forward to this show. I loved the Crossmen in 2001, and had heard so many great things in reviews of them here, especially their opener. Perhaps the oppressive humidity had something to do with it, but they just seemed a little “off.” They have a very nice program, but it never reached out to me, as did last year’s show. This was just a first viewing and I’ll probably grow to love it by finals. Those guard uniforms look rather WARM. BLUECOATS (7th – 86.05) I enjoyed seeing the Bluecoats from a higher perspective. They do a nice new effect with the tier-colored flags in the opener, doing a magical transformation to all bright yellow flags which was very effective. The urban chic look isn’t to my tastes, but when they add the color to the guard uniforms, it improves them tremendously. Keep up the good work, Bluecoats! Thanks! GLASSMEN (6th – 87.95) Their mellophone soloist is incredible, but he did not get quite the showcase this year that last year provided. This corps is SO talented, and they are very well trained. Why then, do I not feel any attraction to this show? It’s a mystery to me. The hornline had a nice dark sound, they have a great drumline, a talented guard and a clean drill, but I’m just not excited or motivated by what I see. I am so looking forward to their staff taking the group they have and building a program that is a challenge to the kids and rewarding to its audience as well. Good luck in Madison, Glassmen! PHANTOM REGIMENT (5th – 88.00) I did not like Phantom on my first viewing of them last year; however, as the season progressed, particularly the three Buffalo performance, I grew to like them VERY much. They have a great sound, an incredible guard (please change the opening rifles to white), and a good, but not great drill. What they don’t have is intensity and emotion that I’m sure they are working on. I look forward to seeing two weeks of improvement on this show. SANTA CLARA (4th – 91.95) The “rubber band” flags get my award for the most creative innovation of the year. Did those come from WGI? But, while I love the above-mentioned flags, the boxes are ineffective and cumbersome. The corps is very talented and there are some beautiful moments in this show, but there are also some weak transitions and a bit of choppiness in the flow. Also, the show is not as “affecting” as their recent efforts have been. Perhaps two weeks will be enough to add some emotion and move up…We’ll see… BLUE DEVILS (3rd – 92.65) I saw the Blue Devils in Jacksonville over a month ago, and except for the “hair guard” and most of the music, it seems like a whole new show. They have great musical transitions; however, the visual isn’t quite where you would expect from the Blue Devils. Some forms not reaching completion is very unlike BD; but I expect them to be much cleaner and much closer, if not past the Cadets by finals. THE CADETS (2nd – 92.65) This was my first viewing of the show, and I forced myself to remain objective, to not let the reviews, neither positive nor negative, affect what I had to say about this corps. Maybe I remained too calm. I was not drawn into the show at all. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy is well performed, but I can’t stop thinking about those BOXES (someone behind me said the sailor looked like Moammar Khadafi), they were walking all around them, dancing all over them, but not MARCHING. The complaint I’ve had with the Cadets for a long time has been that when they march they are wonderful, but they don’t seem to do enough of it for me. The Pledge left me indifferent; I didn’t care one way or the other. But the crowd DID enjoy it. It seems to me that, come Madison, those two gray “structures” framing the half mast flag are going to transform into two other shapes altogether (WTC, anyone?). The guard was great as usual and I do like the stars flags in the closer. The American flag formation there is GREAT. I look forward to seeing the show again. Maybe I’ll enjoy it more on a second viewing, Thursday in Madison. THE CAVALIERS (1st – 94.85) This show has the obvious, the subtle, the amazing, and the awe-inspiring. The hornline was incredible and the backfield section was one of the most beautiful musical moments of the night. I do not claim to be a musical judge, but my idea of Music GE is the goose bumps I get. I got goose bumps several times during the Cavaliers’ show. They’ve added a new high-flying twist to the “fight club” segment, and I want those of you who are going to see the show, to notice when the guard is putting down the “rhythm” squares stage right, the location of the last horn player to the left. It’s incredible the way these guys fly across the field. And as good as they are, there is still room for improvement. I would like to see the hornline have some more volume on a few impact points, but then I remember 1995, and having the same feeling until Thursday of DCI when the corps turned around for the first impact in Mars. I have the feeling they are going to be pumping up the volume very soon. The show is a magical one, and I can’t wait to see it again. Exceptional job, Cavaliers! ReggieDCI

Kennesaw, GA July 24, 2002 Let me begin by discussing the venue. First of all, the organizers had announced that the show was SOLD OUT for two weeks or so. Why then, do you NOT have a better system of parking? With rush hour traffic and poor accessibility to the high school, it was nearly IMPOSSIBLE to get in. I had to work until 6 p.m. and arrived at 7:20, after waiting in line for 20 minutes to get into the school, to be told “Oh, you have to park a half mile down the road.” I paid a premium price, which included parking, and I KNOW the high school lot was filled with general admission ticket holders. Please, don’t let people start the show in a bad mood. We rushed back to our excellent seats just in time to see the Troopers finishing up the national anthem, and made it (out of breath) in time for their show to begin, BUT PLEASE, show planners, prepare better next time, or find a larger venue for the show! TROOPERS – 68.80 I applaud the Troopers just for the fact that they are still in existence. The corps is better than last year, and I hope to see them continue to improve in the coming years. My question is, “You have a theme that people recognize…Why not play music that meets that theme?” You don’t have to play the same songs every year, but pick something that people will recognize as yours. I saw some interesting “vintage” drill moves (step-twos anyone?) that I haven’t seen in a while, and enjoyed THAT very much. MADISON – 79.90 Okay, I’ll start with the nice comment. The hornline has a VERY strong sound. Moving on…I could not tell you much about the drill, except to say, I was always watching the guard…sort of like seeing an accident on the highway, you mean to look away, but you CAN’T. The lack of basics training, confidence and showmanship are SO evident. There is one guy in the weapons section who made me think of myself, but I’m a slightly out of shape 44-year-old guy with no rhythm – watching this guy trying to be graceful was more like watching a deer caught in the headlights. And he was not alone. And what’s with the guy on the saber with the ponytail? Is this really the image that Madison wants to present as its “feature” player? I guess they do, but I don’t get it. Again, the hornline sounded NICE. SPIRIT – 81.00 First of all, I can’t believe their score was as close to Madison’s as it was. I believe the kids were nervous, as is often the case with a home show. The progress from last year to this year is evident, and the show has some very nice musical and visual moments. Marching technique is a bit of a problem, but I’m expecting great things from this corps in the future. I’m glad the SOUTH has a program like Spirit on the upswing. CAROLINA CROWN – 81.75 The guard instructor and the visual design team for this corps need to take a long hard look in the mirror. The hornline and drums are doing a great job, and the performance level of the guard is excellent, but the words, “OBTUSE and WHA?” kept popping into my brain. I was not bothered by the guys in the togas, because I guess because I never saw them in pastels, but I WAS bothered by the Medusa wigs (and snakes), the Cupid with wings, the solo guy running through the split company front and many other head-scratching “creative” moments. You have a corps ready to take off, with strong membership, and good basics. I know innovation is good, but innovation, which is not accessible or comprehendible, is NOT. I look forward to upcoming years with Crown, and wish the corps luck in Madison. BLUECOATS – 86.20 BLOOOOOOOOO! From the wonderful visual color progression of the guard in the opener to the slightly less strong finish, this show is a sign to me that the Bluecoats are a corps on the move. I enjoyed seeing a 30-member rifle line, but would have liked to see more UNISON work from those 30. The mid-section of the show is somewhat bland, but I do look forward to seeing what 2 weeks plus will bring this corps in Madison. Congratulations, Bluecoats, on a job well done. CAVALIERS – 93.25 MY OH MY! I saw the show in Jacksonville, a month ago, and I was very impressed then -- BUT NOW! The corps marches, plays and performs at a skill level the likes of which I cannot remember seeing in a drum and bugle corps. My only regret (and this is not the corps’ fault) is that I wasn’t about 20 or 30 feet higher so that I could truly see the visual impacts that were going on. I made sure to listen for crowd reactions, and there were plenty, mostly ooohs and aaahs, which is a good thing, but I think one reason people don’t “get” the show, is because the Kennesaw stadium is basically open in the back (can’t wait to hear the backfield stuff in Murphreesboro), and not tall enough for the visual “feast” to be appreciated. The corps has a show which is written for a BIG show venue. This aspect is NOT a bad thing, but I can see how someone attending in a smaller stadium, as last night was, would not be as appreciative. I expect the crowd in Murphreesboro will be a whole different story (yes, I plan to review there as well). I wish I had an opportunity to watch this show at least 10 more times in performance mode, but I regret that I’ll only get to see it four more (okay FIVE with encore). I heard that they are still tweaking/making changes. An amazing drum corps show, and my pick to win the title. One other note, I read reviews where people say the Cavaliers have NO FIELD COVERAGE or don’t play while moving. They are stretched from end zone to end zone throughout the show, and they are PLAYING while moving, amazingly well. Why do people have to write things that are not true, except trying to bash one corps to improve the chances of another? CORPSVETS – Exhibition Okay, there must be some slightly out of shape 44-year old men in that guard and they seem to love performing. So, going back to my comment about the guy from Madison, maybe it’s just anxiety. The CV team HAS NO anxiety and they LOVE performing! Thank you, for a nice ending to an enjoyable (exceptions noted above) drum corps evening. ReggieDCI