pianolover1

I thought when the new numbers went into effect ( can't remember the year)the judges were to save their perfect score until finals night. You have 200 possibilities now, not just 100. This might be a 20 fest (see 1975 the 10 fest in GE) this year. The judges are supposed to handle the numbers so this doesn't happen. It is possible!!!!!!!!!!!

Not a surprise to an oldie like me....the BLue Devils have been doing it for 32 years now. Getting GE scores they don't deserve. Their horns and drums are great, but........drill their drill doesn't compare to the top 6.

1) My but attendance seemed high!!!!! We started out with 7 in our small movie theater and ended up with 5 staying,. Seemed like it matched the crowd in Bloomington. At first it seemed like only 2,000- 3000 there, but maybe, just maybe at the end of the evening you might have had 6,000 in Bloomington. Nothing like the 20,000-30,000 in the mid-80's in Madison for Quarters. 2) The bottom 6-7 groups need Geometry lessons and a good old fashioned "tic" judge. Some lousy lines, spacing problems,phasing problems, flag and rifle tosses.....just not together. One group put the whole horn line on the 50 yard line and it still wasn't straight. Try simpler shows and do them well, instead of trying to be the Cadets or Cavies and really suck at it. Jim Jones was rolling over in his grave at the flat-sided circle for the sunburst of the Troopers. They used to be the masters of M and M.Sorry to be harsh, but was expecting more. I know it is all based on positive feedback and credit for what they do, but it is not working judges!!!!! Many High school bands could do better( I know it is sacrilege to say). 3) Throw the "themes:" out-- except the one for 4 good pieces of music. The only 3 that worked were Spartacus, Samurai, and the boxing one (Bluecoats). The rest could have been inter-changeable. Loved SCV's show........ but it could have been entitled 11, 37 , or reflections on my sisters left ear lobe.......same with most of the rest. It didn't need a theme. on the theme. to the VANGUARD. If I wanted to go to a bike race, a carnival,hear a PBS interview, or a boxing match....... .I would go to those events. 4) Thought the boxing show really worked, however couldn't they find 2 guys that looked more like boxers. Even if one of them had shown a half of a bi-cep, it would have helped. They must have been in the Super Bantam weight or Super Feather weight division. LOL!!! Not meant as a mean criticism. 5)Loved SCV's drill. Different than most. It gave me something to look at and be interested in. Their guard is really outstanding. They must have really re-juvenated their guard program. 6) Was totally prepared to hate Cadets. They are a wonderful marching and playing drum corps....just get the dam sofa off the field and the 2 actors and the dialog. Let the kids show what they are good no GREAT at!!!!!! 7) Crown's show sounded like one of those record you could buy back in the 60's........ ....100 Greatest Classical Hits on one LP. You heard about 20-30 seconds of each selection. Not satisfying to me at all. A Snippet show. Great horn line and color guard. Give them some real meat to work with next year. Can't believe it was arranged and put together by the horn man behind the greatest show of all times....... ..87' Garfield and Appalachian Spring. So shoot me 8) Phantom laid it on the line. Their best performance I have ever seen. Wow was blown away!!!!!!!! Pulling for them tomorrow and Saturday. What emotion. What a wonderful show!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!! !!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!! Perhaps the show of the decade. 9)Cavaliers. ... Great show concept as well. Loved the guard and the drumline. WOW WOW WOW. Drill wasn't bad by any means, but I expected just a bit more on that department. : 10)Blue Devils...... .....they could have named their show Carnival also, or Cirque de Soleil or just about anyhing. Horns, drums, and guard great....even awesome....... ......but hasn't anyone noticed..... .compare their drill to the other top 6 and they march slower and perform 1/2 to 1/3 as many sets as the other top 6. And the judges just keep giving it to them and giving it to them. Don't understand it at all. Just not the best show last night. Will be watching for Saturday's scores. May even go to Indianopolis next year. Only a day's drive now. Haven't been live since 2001. Phantom changed my mind last night!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry perc2100, After watching Quarters, I am still amazed the judges put the Blue Devils visual program in the same category as the other top 6. They are clean, but they are marching half as fast as Cavies and Cadets. I bet if a judge were to count the actual number of sets/formations/whatever they are called now?... the Blue Devis march 1/2 to 1/3 of the number the other top 6 do....especially Cadets and Cavies. They are 10 years behind and their visual programs have beenfor years.They would have a top visual program with what they hadlast night in the year 1998.(My opinion). The judges have been doing this for years. Phantom's show was beyond spectacular last night!!!! I have not and never have been a Phantom phan, but when I see excellence and EMOTION that sells show no matter who it is, I call it as I see it. That was the best Phantom show of all time last night, if they can improve on it. The title is their's!!! For example, sitting there in 1996, as the evening went along, I felt, boy the judges had it right with all of the corps, however after Phantom performed that night...I marked a great big up arrow. THey took it to another level (Felt at the time the judges would only give them 2nd, but very pleased when they tied for 1st). Just my 2 pennies

I have been to many live champiohships and bought many of the videos. I so so glad when they got rid of the amateurs like Gene Rayburn, etc. However I found it refreshing to hear some of the other pros like Rita Moreno, Maynard Fergeson, etc. and their remarks about the corps. The one stabilizing factor always seemed to be Steve Rondinaro. He was always so professional and prepared. This was his worst I felt!!!!! I did't feel that he or Dennis were as prepared as in the past. Way too off the cuff!!!! They used to come in and tell you about the trends and how this corps has been doing in the past few shows and their strong and weak points....not enough of that. Really amateurish. <**>