BlueR36

WOW!!!

Bluecoats score prediction? 92.5-93????

It was weird with the delay for the American anthem. If the announcers had simply said, "Folks, the singer for the Anthem is late, so we're going to let the Optimists perform their show while we wait" then there wouldn't have been such an uproar. But they just said "Please be seated" and people were, rightfully, confused and some were ticked off. Thanks for the review. This has usually been a very well-run show, so I don't know why they forgot the "aisle guards" keeping people out during performances. As for not opening the upper deck, you would have to basically double the number of workers in the stadium, so I can see not doing it. I have no problem with only using the lower bowl -- still plenty of seats. You did forget to mention one BIG perk at this show at a big stadium -- free parking!! That's something for playing at an NFL stadium.

I think the guy just kept talking for the sake of talking. I got what he was "basically" talking about and just ignored all the "fluff" he jabbered on about to fill the air time. It was like he felt he HAD to fill all the time by himself. And I hope my opinions change slightly like my Mississippi friend when I finally see them the first weekend in August. But I do have one question -- if the "protagonist" in the boller hat with the umbrella to start the show is someone we're supposed to follow throughout the show, why did they make it SO hard by dressing him in the same CG outfit as everyone else -AND- by making that uniform blend so much with the corps proper?? I don't want the commentator's explanation, that's for sure. Hopefully seeing them in person Aug. 1-2 will help me appreciate the visual design better. I already LOVE listening to them!!!

The designer who did the "commentary" said that the ending we saw in San Antonio was just part of the new ending, and that was possibly the last time they would use it. So, probably this upcoming weekend in Atlanta or the show before, they'll have the new one in. And to those who keep saying this is too late to make changes -- come on!! Corps will be making changes right up to the end. To say "July 20-something is too late" isn't realistic and shows a lack of knowledge or experience in this activity. That's almost three full weeks before Finals. Corps have had major rewrites put in during the last week and debuted them at Quarterfinals. Can that be "dangerous"? That late, sure. But with the Bluecoats or Crown as an example -- if they "debut" a new major change at, say Atlanta, that gives them approximately 12 days and 5 or 6 shows to perfect and get feedback before Quarterfinals. That's PLENTY of time!!!

Very good performances of very good music. That's what's strong for the Bluecoats. The drill isn't exactly top-notch, though there are some nice ideas (and some BAD ideas). Here's my problem with the Bluecoats that's an "easy fix" -- give us some color!!! I hate that the color is basically wearing the same uniform as the corps proper, so much so that they simply blend in. And while the flags are neat pictures -- again -- they blend b/c they basically become a blur when spinning. Yes, you can tell the opener flags have some yellow in them, but they're end up looking white. The middle flags look like they're really cool, but they blend too. The closer flags look mostly red, but not quite enough to make up for the lack of color throughout the earlier parts of the show. Seriously -- while I know they won't and likely can't -- but put the CG in uniforms that don't blend, and come up with more colorful flags that don't get lost in with the corps' uniforms ... and I bet their GE Visual scores would go up immediately. Anyone with me???

Hey -- that's only 25 minutes from my house!! I have a great story about practicing at that stadium late in my rookie season and my Mom coming to practice and seeing us for the first time in two months and giving us a one-woman standing ovation throughout most of our run-through. She couldn't believe how much better we were!!! Lots of people I march with remember that -- they were really pumped with her reactions!! O/T -- I miss my Mom!!

I'm all for your honest opinions of the show, and I agree on some of them, but there's one point I can't get behind. SCV is using music that's been done before ... Troopers are using music that's been done before ... CCrown is using music that's been done before ... Cadets ... Blue Devils ... Boston ... Madison ... You're saying they can't play something someone played 13 YEARS AGO?? Come on. It's not like they're playing something from "Spartacus". There are performers in the Bluecoats who were only 4-5 years old when BD played that. If no one can ever play something that someone played before, there wouldn't be enough good music for the drum corps field to go around. And from what I watched and heard, the Bluecoats are WAY dirty -- WAY dirtier than SCV and only a little bit behind them. Haven't seen anyone else to know, but between those two alone, Bluecoats have a lot more growth potential -- whether they will or not is the question. Bluecoats are dirty and maybe a little fragmented (and I don't like the lack of color) but fun and exciting nonetheless; and SCV is beautiful and clean and flows so well, but a little boring and possibly stagnant soon. Like someone else said, we'll all see soon enough. As for the original question -- the title is simply "Imagine" ... what's not to get? Sure, go back to their original winter discussion about it being "unique to drum corps" and I don't get it, but who cares? DCI should impose a rule that says "No Show Titles in 2010" and just make corps play music and march ... maybe make it a contest ... give each show crowd a card with corps names and show titles and see who can match the most correctly. So many of us lament the lack of just good, fun, entertaining shows out there ... "show titles" have done a lot to that end -- everyone has to try to understand or "get" a show. Just enjoy it -- it's drum corps, man!!!

BD wins tonight Cavies easily second SCV third for now Bluecoats fourth but plenty of room to grow Colts and Troopers are close Madison ... ummm, sorry Mandarins closer to Madison than Cascades Cascades in last tonight. Sorry.

Just having a text conversation with a friend about that ... I taught a small marching band last fall that won a state championship playing Elton John with a high-quality synthesizer and sound pad on the field -- it was a great show for a small band and we/I had fun with it and enjoyed it. But it doesn't belong on drum corps field with 150 top-notch performers. Sorry. First amplifying the pits, then voice, now synthesizers ... I'm not liking the continued direction. DCI -- please listen to your fans. We don't like this stuff.

You can actually SEE these flags and these CG uniforms on the Blue corps ... wish my Blue corps could learn how to do that again (orange prison jumpsuits anyone?!?!).

Regarding the Bluecoats adding to their closer ... I think it might be more of a "change" to the ending, or maybe even a "tag" ending. We added a tag ending two weeks before finals in 1993. They changed/extended their ending during Finals week last year. It's not like what they have now isn't "the closer" -- they're just updating or adding to the ending soon. No "inside" information -- just don't see what the big deal is. Corps change/add/update parts of their show, especially the ending, all the time ... like adding magic tricks for the last show (late 80s SCV).

Been saying that since they made the switch. Don't like the new uniforms on the field. Cool up close, but not on the field as a group. And other thing ... can we get some color on the field? Second straight year the CG uniforms are the same colors as the corps proper, making them blend. And the first couple flags, while I'm sure impressive and "pretty" up close, just look white from the hi-cam ... boring visually color-wise.

SCV is very clean. And I love the source music. But the show itself is kinda boring. Anyone else agree? Wonder if they'll be able to keep pushing for another month ... so clean already ...

Should be a MAJOR --- MAJOR --- step up in quality from here on out!!!

Really ... REALLY ... liked Troopers. Haven't seen enough of everyone else to know, but if they keep moving in the right direction, that show would be a very nice opener to DCI Finals Night!!! Their director, Fred Morris, was on staff with my corps when I marched and was on staff ... hi Fred!!! Oh, and I've known the Colts' drill designer since I taught him when he was in high school -- HI JEREMY!!!

Nice weather there, but thunder-n-lightning storm around me!! That's right, camera guy -- follow around the cute little Troopers pit girl!!

Liked Mandarins a lot better than Cascades ... program-wise and performance-wise, it wasn't close. Sorry Seattle.

I'm no expert ... I don't even play one on TV ... but it seems as though there's been a switch in the way people on here are talking about the Bluecoats. In the days after the first few shows, the talk was that the Bluecoats' show wasn't difficult enough for them to contend forward rather than backward (if you know what I mean) because they don't have the growth potential. Now, in the two topics on here talking about the Bluecoats, there really seems to be a trend toward people thinking their show IS difficult and that they are dirty and have lots of room to clean and improve. I can't say either way ... it'll all shake out in the end, of course ... but I do know this -- I can't wait to see them for two days in Buffalo the first weekend in August!!!!

Loved Les Etoiles back in the day ... and I wish DCI would go back to that system where you got the chance to compete at Quarterfinals. Hey all you "smaller division" people out there (whatever it's been called through the years) -- do you like the current system of having your championships week with Finals on the same day as the "bigger division" -or- would you like to go back to the previous format where the smaller champions would have the chance to compete at Quarterfinals with the "bigger corps"??? Just curious ... off topic, I know, but related ...

I liked the review ... but I LOVED -- LOVED -- the pictures. After seeing Stanford from high-cam Saturday night, it was niced to see the corps up close ...mostly my Bluecoats, even if I don't like what they're doing with the uniforms. THANK YOU!!!!

umm ... no ... sorry. What BK doing may be difficult, but as I told a friend many years ago ... calculus is difficult too, but nobody wants to see it on the drum corps field.

ummm ... no ...

Just got on, so please forgive me if this has already been discussed in the previous 31 pages ... but the field seems to be missing LINES!! I'm sure it's just an optical illusion of the camera angle or something -- I hope it's not that bad there!!