dcm_alum

I would bet there are Madison Scouts who practically had to cross the street to get home. Camop Randall is right downtown, near the dorms and fraternity houses.

We sure do love those Govenaires down here in Dubuque. Last time they came to town they were the first standing ovation of the evening!

While this statistic might be true, it is meaningless. For most of the 1970s the judging system was based on ticks. All corps started with a score of 100.00, and points were deducted away from there. Don't be lulled into thinking that any of these "low scoring" corps were less that great. Having marched during those years when even making the top 25 was quite an accomplishment, I can say that any corps from 17th on up had an outstanding show.

How lame!!! The day that calling them "trumpets" becomes the norm (and not just some doofy arranger's way of being clever) is the day i quit going to shows. --> Jake

Big Deal! We see Mr Moto here all the time in Iowa. He comes out from between the corn along with a myriad of other apparitions (Knee-His, Eye Openers, Precisionaires, Royals, Chevaliers, Knights (both CR and Geneseo), Bridgemen, Blue Stars, Guardsmen, Saginaires, RIver City Railmen, Fox Valley Raiders, Rivermen, Kingsmen, 27th Lancers, Kilties, North Star, Freelancers, and Suncoast Sound to name a few). You didn't think baseball had a monopoly on the field of dreams, did you?

Let me be the first to say you were just about approaching the right volume for me. I was very pleased. Somehow though, my face wasn't quite ripped off when you were finished.

I agree, THANKS A BUNCH GUYS!!! That was just about the best 15 minutes of drum corps I've seen since 1982. The guys on that field are Heroes. If nothing else, at least today's kids got a glimpse at what drum corps was like back when the goal was to be entertaining. Granted, the Scouts Alumni were playing to a home crowd, but they got more standing ovations than anyone all evening long. To me, that's what it's all about.

I can't believe there is still a Press Box left at Camp Randall after what the Madison Alumni Reunion Project did to it last night.

Bumping up once more to catch the evening readers.

How about if we get a tie for 12th place this year (rather than the traditional tie for first)? I think we could all handle an extra corps showing up for finals.

I've already said to a few close friends that it is looking like it would take a miracle on the part of the Colts, or a disaster on the part of JSU, or BOTH events for them to overcome the momentum of placing them just outside of finals.

Well, specifically, it was disappointing to be at the stadium with a backpack that I brought so I could buy souvies, and find that I couldn't get into the venue. Luckily, I had not bought tickets, so I just didn't go in for semi-finals. In the end though, it cost the corps money because I didn't buy any souvenirs either.

It is a MAJOR HASSLE when you take a taxi to the stadium to avoid the parking nightmares, only to find out you are carrying a prohibited item on your person. To keep from being inconvenienced, be sure to review the prohinited/allowed items before showing up at the stadium. See this URL: http://madison06.dci.org/randall/

I've been trying to figure out where I will need to go to see the Bridgemen Alumni corps. Any chance for a DCI week appearance in Madison?

I think your recollection about PR, that their show was to be both "Rhaphsody" & "American in Paris" is accurate. I have listened to both of these pieces so much that they are practically indestinguishable in my memory beyond the obvious "cars honking" effect in AIP. They don't do that effect in the show this year, so I think I inaccurately perceived it as just all being Rhapsody. My bad.

Drum corps returned to Cedar Rapid, IA last night in a big way! They hosted one of the most outstanding line-ups I’ve seen in a “hometown show” in years, and overall, it was a great evening for drum corps. Kingston Stadium has very few seats which could be called high, so most of my opinions will not address M&M or show design. First off, I want to say that I was awestruck by how strong most of the corps were tonight. I recall last year attending a show in Dekalb, IL on June 21st, and I felt like almost all of those corps were unprepared. The show last night had most of the corps making a strong showing. I’m not sure how 2005 is so different, but it looks like we are going to have a competitive year on the field. Blue Stars: I had high expectations for the Blue Stars because I had seen them twice in July last year, and they were very, very strong. They were cocky, they had swagger. Last night’s show was a stark contrast. It is clear to me that the Blue Stars are scrambling to teach their kids the show. I expect this has to do with the fact that it IS early in the season, but they certainly stood out as being underprepared in Cedar Rapids. Overall I didn’t like the music they are playing as well as last year’s book, but I expect my opinion may change as they develop over the season. They were really too dirty, and played too tentative to make any kind of judgement I’d be willing to swear by. One opinion that I will throw down though is that I think their guard uniform is one of the more ridiculous things I have ever seen on the field. It goes beyond explanation really, but one (an older person) might say it is a collision of Madonna, Cindy Lauper, and Michael Jackson stylings from the late 80s. I chose the word “collision” on purpose there. I can’t envision a guard member reflecting fondly on how “cool” they looked in the summer of 2005. The Blue Stars will have a very good season this year, but I will be looking forward to seeing them in late July. They have a ton of potential to improve this show. Pioneer: I’ll be honest, I am usually pretty biased against Pioneer. With that said, I thought they looked great last night. Their “Ireland” show was very characteristic of Pioneer, but it was also very well executed, and strong musically. Alls sections were solid this evening, and they definitely entertained us (which is what being in Pioneer is all about according to the way they talk about their corps). Their color guard looked great tonight as well. I really think the corps uniforms in general have a very rich & classy look, and I think that really helps them, and works to their advantage when they execute like they did this evening. With that said, I’m not too keen on their hats. They look good on a drum major, but they make a corps look short & young. One suggestion I’d make is that if they are going to “own” the whole Irish identity in drum corps, and they are going to have their show themed on Ireland like they do this year, I think they really need to make a move to own “Danny Boy” going forward. Nobody has played it much since 27th folded, and I think it’s time to pass the torch. Let’s think about writing in a new ending for this in the 2nd season! Troopers: My expectations for the Troopers were high tonight, and my impression of them was lukewarm. Most of what I saw and heard on the field from them tonight was potential. The arrangement of their music, and the interaction between the pit, and hornline during the melody was really evident. They were noticeably short on bodies tonight, and I think it is hurting them. My advice to anyone still thinking about marching corps this summer would be to RUN to the Troopers. They have a great show, but they need bodies! Like the Blue Stars earlier, they suffered tonight with a lot of kids who were clearly just learning the show. Some of the color guard members were barely able to march in their hole, much less handle their equipment. I had a hard time focusing on the show because I kept thinking disaster or a collision was eminent as I watched the guard members. They were not confident. One major criticism I have (and I am sorry about singling this guy out, but this needs to be addressed) is that they have a “screeching” soprano player who clearly did not handle the late releases very well in the first part of the show. If he is going to try to impress us with how high he can play, it needs to sound like he is truly hitting a note, and not just blowing hot air at us. I found him offensive, and I was really glad when he chilled out on this in the second half of the show. He needs to get stronger on these “solos”, or be written out very quickly. I am hoping it is just that he has been practicing so much in the past few weeks. Colt Cadets: I am a former member of the Colt organization, so I am biased to like these kids. The show this year is based on the music of arcade classics, and it was a lot of fun trying to recall what game, each song they played came from. They have another crowd pleasing, and well written show this year, and it was a welcome surprise to hear how well they were playing the music this early in the season. Overall, I think they are a stronger corps this year, and I think they have a show which is going to suit them well. With that said, they have a ton of cleanup work to do both musically & in the M&M area. It’ll be interesting to see how well these kids perform by late July. Colts: I had low expectations for the show this year, having heard it at a Memorial Day celebration, but I have to say that they were great when I saw them on the field tonight. The Colt’s are noticeably strong this year, and they are already projecting that with the way they are marching. Although I think most of their music is what one might call “modern drum corps style”, they did a really good job of selling it well, and kept me from thinking about the fact that I really wasn’t familiar with what they are playing. Their energy level was high through the entire show, and I think this indicates that the corps could at least be “in the hunt” for a top 12 spot when August gets here. Their colorguard looked exceptionally good tonight, and I really had to remind myself I was looking at the Colt’s as I watched them perform. They looked like a top 12 colorguard, which is not always the case in June, in Dubuque. I think it will be an interesting season. Madison: The Scouts are clearly ON FIRE this season. They have an energy level, and confidence about them that is a notch higher than I have seen out of Madison in many seasons. Without a doubt, the Scouts are back with The Carmen Project. I admit that I don’t have a lot of familiarity with the plot of Carmen, but there is a lot to like about what they are playing since it is music we are all familiar with, and there are hints of West Side Story, and Malaguena thrown in for good measure. As I watched this show, and took in the newfound confidence that the Scouts were projecting, I found myself wondering if the corps really needed “Carmen” (the guest performer) to bring this to us, or was she really just a device that has somehow enabled the guys to perform to the next level. I guess I felt like the Scouts have always had this in them, and if it takes a girl prancing around to unlock this potential, then lets have her. With that said, I do want to comment that I was hoping that Carmen would be portrayed as more of a lady (the way SCV portrays their featured performers) than as a scantilly clad piece of eye candy. If this is due to the type of character Carmen (the character in the story) is then, perhaps they have done this right, but I felt like what I saw on the field was a little more on the “cheap” side than it needed to be. Phantom: Full, rich, lush sound. Great music. Rhapsody in Blue is a beautiful piece, and this is a very entertaining show to watch. Playing one song for the entire show is an ambitious undertaking though, so I do have to say that I was left wondering if this show could contend for a top 3 spot. One criticism I have is that they have a male featured dancer who plays the Gene Kelly/Fred Astaire role for the entire show, and after about 5 minutes, it started to get annoying to me that this one great entertainer (he is really great!) was getting most of the attention, and focus of the show, when in fact you have one of the best corps in the business out there with him. I’d like to see some attempt to marginalize this guy during portions of their show, so that the crowd is encouraged to consider what the other 134 people are doing. Maybe give him a costume change that allows him to blend into the colorguard for a while? I’m not sure what they need, but it gets old watching this guy gracefully scamper in and out of all of the great sets that the rest of the corps is making. Blue Knights: BK drew the “death card” this evening, and had to follow Madison & PR on the field. This naturally had a way of letting the air out of their show, and they came off really flat, and tired looking tonight. I don’t think it was their best effort, and so I’ll be a little reserved here. They play an all original show which has some really good drum sections (the highlight of their show this evening) but for the most part lacked a level of energy that was illustrated by most of the other corps this evening. I think they got the placement they deserved tonight, but I look for them to improve, and be a top 12 contender in August. Overall, my impression was that corps were further along this year than they were last year, so I think we’re in for a good season where the top 12 will truly be exceptionally good.

Wow, The Bridgemen have some very nice swag. Not to take away from the classic logo t-shirt, but check out some of their other items!

Blue Stars: BLUE STARS ARE BACK!! These guys have a great show this year, and a LOT of bodies on the field to put it on. I am secretly hoping that this is an indication that they will return to DIV 1 in the near future. With a little more growth, they will contend, and be a great addition to the Division. Show is based on Anime themed music, and is entertaining, fast paced, and suspenseful. Guard is very big and very good. Horns and drums fall into this category as well. Their drill looked very difficulty, and I could be wrong (because I was sitting very low) but I thought it looked dirtier to me than it should have. Made me curious what they are scoring in M&M. Made me wonder if they should have more M&M people to clean their obviously bigger corps. Their music made me want to be a middlevoice in this corps. Mellophones had SO MANY of the cool parts, and they have stocked their middlevoice section with MANY talented, and strong players. The rest of their hornline was equally good, but the book was clearly showcasing the middlevoices. Probably just the nature of the music. Advice: There are many parts of their show where the kids are allowed to "mug" for the crowd and act cocky, showing us how great they are. Please be sure that your M&M is as good as it possibly can be, or you will look foolish doing this. Oneother thing, it looked like there were a couple of "scatter drills" going on, but I was so low that I am not sure I was seeiing that. I hope I am wrong as those moves are not particularly impressive, and your score may suffer from them. Crowd was extatic after the Blue Stars show. Great job La Crosse! Colt Cadets: Hometown corps who put on a #### of a show. These kids are all young, but due to the numbers they have on the field, they are Div 2. Show was based on "The Peanuts", and was very entertaining. Colt Cadets have stocked their show with props, and gimmicks which really seemed to play into the crowd's favor, and the Peanuts theme. This corps does come with an AMPLIFICATION WARNING as them utulize amps to add in child vocals throughout the show. Most of the time this adds to the show because the children singing plays right into the Peanuts theme, and it allows the brass line to catch a few breaths when it is going on. This corps definitely pushes the envelope with how much amplification they are using, but overall it is a good, fun show to watch, and it went over well tonight. If I were writing the show, I'd cut the vocals out of at least 1 song just to have less of it. Show has good energy throughout, and has a drum solo that really kicks butt. The crowd ate this show up, and was very happy to see our hometown kids doing their show under the lights.

Raiders, NJ: Fast paced show, high difficulty, lots of difficult drill moves. Many executed very well. This is another show that I am having difficulty recalling except that I felt is was frenetic, and I felt mu heart racing while these guys were on. The audience was on the edge of their seat for much of this show. One criticism: This show drove hard for the entire 12 minutes, and then suddenly, just as I expected they were about to rip my face off, they ended the show on a soft note. Wow, sort of a bummer in my book. Next time, let those kids unleash those final chords, and spill my popcorn and coke all over me. Good show, but I question the way it finishes. Blue Saints: BY FAR, the youngest corps of the evening. Somehow they were slated late in Div 3, and it made for a weird wrap-up on the Div 3 competition. Their hornline is young, and (apparently) inexperienced, but I felt they did a good job of keeping the show moving. This corps implemented a lot of special effects to liven up the show, and it really worked. They played primarily Beach Boys and surfing related tunes, and had a drum break (Wipeout) which I think went over like gangbusters. Overall, lots of fun, and the audience loved them. One criticism, they bothered to put a few children up in front of the corps who were probably just kids of the Director or someone. They were very, very young, (not even in uniform) and all they did was horse around and distract the crowd from the show. I would advise the Saints to leave these kids with the Souvie guys when their corps is on so that the audience can enjoy all of the hard work that is going into the show, and not be preoccupied by the antics of the litle children up front.

Bandettes: Very small this year. 9 horns, but it seems like all 9 play very, very well. Big guard who looked great in their uniforms, and did a good job. I would categorize their musical book as "modern drum corps" Lots of short, high speed runs, etc. This probably played to their advantage when you think about trying to work on phrasing for a 9 person hornline. Overall, a good, clean show. Les Stentors: I'm having a little trouble recalling this show. I know that I didn't recognize their music, but that my impression was that they were pretty fun to watch. I apologize for vague that review is, but there were a number of corps tonight that I had seen for the first time ever, so I am having trouble remembering details about all of the different shows. I would have slotted them above Bandetes simply because they seemed to have more people, which usually means better GE. Execution may have been their downfall. Intermission: Dutch Boy: These guys had an "All Seasons" themed show that was probably the most approachable of the evening. They played Autumn Leaves, some familiar Christmas songs. Part of AC/DC's Thunder, Singin in the Rain, & Summer Lovin, as I recollect. There maybe have been blurbs of other tunes in there that I missed since this show moved through the seasons rather rapidly. As I watched this show, I was really entertained, and I felt like it had a DCA Vibe to it with the way it was geared toward pleasing the audience, and getting them into the show. Up to this point, it was probably the show that the crowd liked most. Note to Instructors of Dutch Boy: It is REALLY RUDE to stand right next to the last row of people in the audience and spend the entire show screaming orgasmically, and jumping up and down like an idiot. Some audience members fled, and numerous people wanted to knock you out. Grow up and allow the audience to enjoy your show.

Mini Review: Disclaimer: These opinions are my own, and in some cases are probably not terribly accurate if you look at the judges sheets, and opinions. Leehigh - I missed this corps entirely, BUT when the intermission came, people were raving about these guys. I mention them since the vibe in the audience was so strongly positive. Capitol Sound - I arrived when these guys were on the field, and was struck with what a good corps they managed to get on the field considering that they almost went inactive this year. Credit should be given to everyone behind this organization. I came in late so i cannot say much about the show in general except that they impressed me as being pretty darn good. The score reflects that. Americanos: These guys exceeded my expectations tonight. They played what I would consider to a "typical Canos show" which had a musical book with a Latin flair. I thought they were stronger musically than I have heard them in recent years, but some of that could be due to how late in the season I am seeing their show. Some really cool things about the Canos is that even though they are a Div 3 corps, they like to bust out drill moves that you will see in a Div 1 show. This is pretty daring, and they pulled it off tonight. As usual, they have a very good guard, but they are way too small. Usually 3 people, sometimes 4. Near the end of the show they put a flag in each hand which visually doubled the size od their guard. I think they should have dome that for the whole show, and came up with some other effect for the climax of the show. Score was even better than I expected, but well deserved. I'd love to see these guys be a little bigger next year. Fill out the guard, and they will be a #### of a corps.

Scores first: Div 3: Americanos - 77.55 Raiders, NJ - 72.85 Leehigh Valley Knights - 71.75 Dutch Boy - 66.50 Bandettes - 66.40 Les Stentors - 65.35 Capitol Sound - 63.75 Blue Saints - 35.10 Div 2: Blue Stars - 83.80 Colt Cadets - 56.90

I believe they may have added on the ending, but i only say this since i recall thinking "They should have ended it on the earlier push". My guess is that I was seeing the rustiness of it. Overall, they rocked though. I'm so happy to see them doing well. How cool would it be if they could sneak ahead of Madison and Phantom in finals?

###### weather ruined a good show on us. Div 2 & 3 corps were exceptionally good this year!

Moderator, can you make a "hot link" to the Historical forum? I cannot seem to find it on here.