atlvalet

^^This

I strongly disagree with this. If BD chose a more accessible musical book, people would eat it up. I am not saying anyone needs to dumb it down, but I saw their show in Murfreesboro. They were clearly the best corps out there. At the same time, I told my friend "If they want people to applaud for them, they're going to have to change their musical selection." This, to me, isn't about "hating" BD. It's kind of akin to what the Cadets did in 2007. That show was brilliant, but the narration ruined a good show. This musical book is hurting them (audience reaction wise). Their drumline is fantastic. Their hornline and guard, from what others have said, is also great. Drum corps fans are desperate to have corps to root for...the only ones that seemed to have really tapped into that this year are Boston and Madison. I am not saying things need to be cookie cutter...just more accessible.

Too bad Bluecoats 1992 couldn't figure that out.

Cadets, until VERY recently (oh, about 2007), were my favorite corps. Hence my STRONG reaction to the newer stuff

So you're saying it wasn't Madison '95?

Yes, I have an old pair of Vandersteen 2Ci's myself and have my heart set on the new Quatro's. Looking to pick up a used Krell to power those Maybe it's your speakers. j/k

Ok, fine. How about Pulp Fiction then

Everything you said may be true, and I understand that a live, concert-like environment is different, but I thought the sound through the speakers (not just Cavies) was less than good and sounded thin in comparison to the acoustical instruments. Cavies were using Yamaha speakers. And just glancing on the Internet at the price of Peavy speakers, they're relatively cheap, which I don't find surprising at all based upon what I heard.

Dave, based upon the sound I heard, it's anything but excellent. I don't know how many people on DCP have ever listened to a high-end audiophile system, but the sound coming out of the speakers at the Murfreesboro show (regardless of corps) was anything but good. You may think what you have is excellent, but it's like someone who thinks their Chevy Malibu "teh awesomeness," even though they have never experienced a Porsche or Ferrari. Like I said, audiophiles spend thousands, oftentimes tens of thousands of dollars, on high-end audio equipment to reproduce LIVE sound accurately. Here we have DCI corps take LIVE sound, and put it through lesser outputs. Peavy and Yamaha are not exactly the benchmark of high-end speakers. I think it's kind of backwards myself to put great live sound through mediocre speakers/amps, but hey, that's just me.

Bluecoats 1992 changed their guard uniforms in the middle of the season, but not this close to the end of it. I think it was after 1st tour.

THanks for that. I don't need something to be linear. I understood Memento (or at least I think I did) for crying out loud :) I will say that I saw a YouTube video of a recent Cavies rehearsal, and from higher up towards the box (I was just 12 rows up in Murfreesboro) it flows a lot better. My takeaway from this is that: A) Amplification must really bother me and B) During a live performance, it is beyond distracting to hear the pre-recorded messages/sounds through horrible speakers against a backdrop of acoustical instruments. It's the only explanation that I can come up with on why live I found the show to be just a mess of different things but recorded it seemed to work better. Maybe someone else can figure out a better explanation, but that is what I can come up with.

The NFL did not lose money because they know how to market themselves (something the G7 have shown they haven't a clue how to do, given DCI's losing its customer base). The person who created Jeffrey hasn't a clue how to market anything that isn't cheesy and/or annoying.

Until you make drum corps "cool," the wider audience is a pipe dream. And considering the person who created the proposal (or at least wrote the Power Point) came up with narration and Jeffery (which are the antithesis of cool), good luck with that endeavor. I do "cool" for a living. You need to put drum corps in clubs (drumlines supporting live DJ's) or with hip-hop dancers or something like that and convince people it's cool. George Hopkins is no Guy Laliberté. In that regard, the emperor has no clothes.

I guess it's my opinion is that it's not a really well thought out hodgepodge. Or at least, that's my impression. I don't think Mad World fits at all with Full Metal Jacket. It's like ketchup on bananas. They may have a lot of quantity of thought into it, I am just not sure it's quality of thought. But hey, who the hell am I...just some dude on the Internets.

It could. Good advertising can rile emotions. Unfortunately there isn't much of it in the states. And figuring out is fine (or completing the circle, as ad speak calls it). You just have to make it so that most people can complete the circle of thought. And I don't think I am thinking too hard. I just think no one is going to get what they (the Cavaliers) are trying to do. Like I said, I come from the commercial art side. It requires artists to have a point. The pure art side doesn't. There are no rules. So, the artist can do whatever he/she/they want without actually have to think things through and have it make sense. And personally, I think the commercial art side is harder (from the concept point of view). Perhaps there is a misuse of the word "concept" in the drum corps arena. In advertising, it means a "Clearly communicated idea or thought." I would argue that (with regards to the Cavaliers) it is not clearly communicated, and (to me) the elements don't seem to blend together well. And, I still liked the show...it just left me scratching my head wondering what the point was/is.

So, someone explain to me how this isn't a money/power grab.

Oh look, another brilliant idea from George Hopkins. This guy is really starting to make enemies.

I never said the show wasn't entertaining. Like I mentioned, I enjoyed it. But, as for some kind of clear concept or theme, I think it misses the mark.

Wait, I thought Cadets show was about Toy Soldiers? I am still not sure what the heck Cavalier's show is about... EDIT: Just looked up Cavalier's concept on their website....um, doesn't really seem like a concept to me...seems like a hodgepodge of ideas, which was exactly my take away. Like, "Wait, what is going on here again?" I would also submit that "Mad World" and Full Metal Jacket go together about as well as oil and water. But hey, whatever. Apparently they don't want people to take away the same thing from the show. That's their prerogative, but I think that ends up in creating confusion...not some cathartic moment for the audience.

I appreciate your take on things. If that's the "message," I still don't think that's easy for the audience to get as the takeaway. I think (sometimes) drum corps makes the mistake of thinking that their performances are "art." I think that what drum corps produces is commercial art. The difference being, you better make sure the audience takeaway is the same. That they "get it." It shouldn't be interpretive. With art for art's sake, it doesn't matter what someone's take away is. If you are going to incorporate "concepts" as DCI seems intent on doing, your concept better communicate things very clearly. And I would argue that the Cavalier's show does anything but that. Mixing quotes/themes from Full Metal Jacket, and then throwing in a mellow pop song entitled "Mad World", and then having your guard wear masks that look like someone couldn't make up their mind design-wise between "V for Vendetta" and the Insane Clown Posse is missing the mark by a long shot. I really think some of these show designers (like in advertising) need a creative director to tell them what works and what doesn't. Just because you have an idea doesn't mean it's a good one. And even if you have a good one, it doesn't mean it's working. But hey, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.

And, to my ears, the improvement in sound is beyond noticeable.

Yes, but I was hoping for change. I still remember 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 2000 and yearn for those days.

Is that made by Peavy?

Whatever it is, it's sig worthy LOLOLOLOL

LOL That just made my day. Did you just make that, or is it old?