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Musicman1084

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Posts posted by Musicman1084

    The Battle for 12th!!!

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    I'm keeping my fingers crossed for PC. Looks like they have most of the brassline in the show now, and things really seem to be clicking for them. They're nearly 10 points ahead of 2022 at this time (and even slightly ahead of where they were in 2019!). Such a drastic improvement in just one year. If not this year, this show can serve as a rebound to get them back on track with membership to break finals, for sure.

    • Like 1

    Mandarins 2023

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    6 hours ago, KVG_DC said:

    Sinnerman is a VERY "new mandarins" show too.  I can't imagine another corps quite pulling this off.  (by that I mean the vibe and style to the corps,  not talent wise).  Maybe Bloo ala the Session 44 era but not current Bloo, it just wouldn't be the right vibe.

    Very much agree with this. I can't see this show "fitting" on another corps, if that makes sense. This is so uniquely Mandarins and feels like another step in their evolution as a corps. Others say how they feel corps like Bloo or BD have such a unique voice in the activity because of what they do, but I'm starting to feel just as much that I can hear a show and KNOW it's the Mandarins. They feel like such a unique voice in the activity and this show is one I'll find myself listening to on repeat driving to work - such a great show.

    • Like 4

    Stanford & Son (DCI West, July 9, 2023)

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    Not a BD homer. I can count on one hand (without using all five fingers) the number of BD shows I've enjoyed since the turn of the century. This show feels like it's two minutes away from being a masterpiece. They've finally gotten me on board, and I find myself excited to watch every chance I get. I just hope they can find a way to get the last ~2 minutes of the show (starting at the Tuba feature) to connect with the first ~10 minutes in some meaningful way.

    • Like 6

    You've Lacrosse the Line!

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    Really loving this Blue Stars show more and more with each viewing. Their shows from the past few seasons have had such a great arc from beginning to end, as if I'm listening to/watching one continuous piece as opposed to several movements. I really hope they can get that percussion score up. Drums do sound a bit thin with only two tenors, but kudos to those two members for the work they're doing.

    You've Lacrosse the Line!

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by Musicman1084

    18 minutes ago, jameseuph said:

    Doesn’t help that they are playing Chinese made clone instruments. 

    Casual racism aside, their brass instruments, as others have pointed out, are made in the US. The irony here is that Yamaha, Jupiter, and others, are made in China and other Asian countries.

     

    Edit: Someone else pointed out they may very well be made in China, but point still stands.

    • Like 3
    • Thanks 1
    • Confused 1

    Corn on DeKalb

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    Finally catching up. While I usually try to stick to positives, the two debuts tonight fell very flat for me.

    The Crossmen had one of my favorite announcements of all time based on music alone. The source music is absolutely stellar and was capable of providing them with a powerhouse of a vehicle, but the arrangements were so far off the mark for me. The Ravi Shankar and Philip Glass piece is one of the most exciting and nuanced pieces of music I've seen on a drum corps repertoire list, but the creative liberties taken with the arrangement made the piece completely unrecognizable and missing every ounce of magic from the original. The timbres throughout were also a headscratcher - drum set tuning is far too bright, and the thin brass arrangement of the opener was such a strange attempt at trying to create a mood. I'm honestly a bit shocked this is what they came up with based on their repertoire.

    Genesis came out with such promise at the beginning of the show - they really sounded terrific in the opener. But the show as a whole just seems so directionless, as if they cobbled together a list of drum corps friendly music but couldn't come up with any coherent theme or connective elements throughout. It's really making me wonder what the vibe is like right now as these kids do not seem like they're being set up to succeed (and I don't just mean with competitive results). This is a Texas corps, where the talent levels are off the charts compared to the rest of the country.

    For the positives, the Troopers are really coming alive as the season progresses. The achievement levels are there to make an even more impressive run at finals this year. I'm hopeful they can continue on this trajectory as it's such a great combination of something fresh and sticking to their roots. Brass and drums in particular are absolutely killing it.

    The Blue Stars seemed a tad rough performance-wise (possible illness tearing through the corps? several holes, including two of four tenors...), but this show is just continuing to draw me in. I'm completely sold on this direction they're taking, and the guard is showing us that they're more than capable of handling this beast of a show. What a treat this show is - such a breath of fresh air.

    Summer Music Games in Cincinnati 2023-07-05

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    Just now, lawdn said:

    If Crown tops BAC in guard, that will get attention. But looked yo me like BAC struggled a little more than I am used to seeing - still early season

    Yeah, that's what I was basing it on. It's tough for me to differentiate demand at the extreme end like these top guards, but tonight Crown's guard just absolutely clicked while Boston seemed a bit shaky throughout. I think Crown is substantially better and ahead of where they were last year, so they're going to make this interesting one way or another.

    • Like 2

    It's time to wake up this Open Class Forum!

    in DCI Open Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    18 minutes ago, Chief Guns said:

    Oh I can assure that you know more about drum corps in all aspects than I ever will. 

    The other poster said two corps, and Gold and Spartans were the only two I could see making the jump. 

    SCVC is gone. BDB wouldn't go as the BD organization probably doesn't want two WC corps. 

    I guess I just went off process of elimination lol. 

    Just for fun, let's say it's true, who do you think the two corps are making the jump?

    I could see either Guardians or Battalion making the move. Both have had pretty large corps in the recent past with a slight decline in numbers post-pandemic (Battalion 140-150 in 2017-2018, and Guardians about 150 in 2018), but they seem set up to be able to make the move. While lots of Texas talent goes elsewhere, the band scene is very deep in Texas. Utah also seems to fill a bit of a void geographically, and their band scene is also surprisingly deep. I think this year will be very telling for both. If I were a betting man, I'd say probably Guardians given the longer history, but 2017-2018 gave us a taste of what Battalion could do even before making their DCI finals debut.

    While I do think the Spartans is unlikely, it would be a huge (but pleasant) surprise if it was them. I would be ecstatic to see a world class corps in New Hampshire.

    • Like 1

    It's time to wake up this Open Class Forum!

    in DCI Open Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    3 hours ago, Chief Guns said:

    If I had to take a guess and this is indeed factual, I would say Spartans and Gold. 

     

    Gold I feel has been working towards this (and you would certainly know better than I do!), but I would be very surprised if the Spartans went this route. While my connections have started to fizzle, I had been hearing for decades that it just wasn't a path they were looking to take, some of the reasons being:

    • Most of their membership is younger. For many people, it is a training ground or their chance at the drum corps experience (with the type of educators that get them to the level they're at by end of season). I heard last year only 5 baritones were brass players as their primary instrument, with all other baritones being woodwinds/first time brass players (hopefully someone else can confirm this). This year, I would guess the average age of the guard is 16-17 based on their social media intros. Their center snare is a junior in high school.
    • Most of their membership is still from New England, and New England schools get out much later than other areas of the country (mid-late June). With so many younger members, a full spring training from late-May doesn't seem feasible. They began move-ins on June 23 this year.
    • Music education in New England is nowhere near the rest of the country. The marching arts have fallen off quite a bit since the 90s and they are struggling up here. There are a few standout bands from Massachusetts, but even these bands are not at the level of making semi-finals at BOA (maybe one at the moment, and they're responsible for about 10 members in this year's Spartans). Looking back on drum corps history, New England accounts for 11% (!!!!) of the 2100+ drum corps listed on Drum Corps Museum. Today, there are three drum corps, one of which is really only based in New England but recruits largely outside of it.
    • With all these factors combined, they value the open class experience and what they're able to offer in this little corner of the US. They had the opportunity to move up a few times before they went inactive for a year, but chose to stay in open class.

     

    • Like 2

    East Coast Showcase Quincy, MA July 2, 2023

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    Just now, craiga said:

    #TEAMJESSE

    Currently attending my alma mater. Been following the indoor programs since I graduated decades ago, and remember hearing how he was only in 6th grade when he performed as the featured soloist in their SCHOLASTIC OPEN FINALIST guard. Once in a lifetime talent right there. Super curious if he ends up going the education/design route after his age-out, which I imagine is still another 4 years away.

    Coincidentally, there are currently ~10 kids from that same school also marching with the Spartans this year.

    • Like 1

    DCI Corps at the Crest - San Diego 2023

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    Two corps I was concerned about pre-season: The Academy and Pacific Crest. No reason for concern. Both teams seem to have given each corps a vehicle that is far better than last year's, both achievable and much more mature. PC had a rough time last season, so I was concerned that would carry over into 2023. They've clearly been trained well and should be proud of that first showing.

    • Like 6

    DCI Corps at the Crest - San Diego 2023

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    Understanding the last movement will likely get some attention, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything prior to that remains exactly as it is (at least musically). There have been BD shows in the past where I had initially really enjoyed, but they've rewritten some brass parts in ways that left me confused (thinking of The Beat My Heart Skip in particular - the rewrites of the opening trumpet parts were so disappointing).

    I haven't found myself enjoying a BD show to this extent in so many years. Even after one viewing they're already one of my favorites this year, and I don't find myself saying that very often. They lost me for several years, but I'm so in this year.

    • Like 2
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