FinanceBuzz

As a Max Verstappen and a Blue Devils fan, I endorse this post! Max has been sheer dominance since the early stages of 2022 when he swapped a few races with Le Clerc in his Ferrari. But he eventually pulled away and only lost a handful of races down the stretch. Then last year the only losx not to Checo early in the season (and I think, as you noted, he may have had car troubles) was the Singapore race when Sainz won on a night when it was just not working for Max. This year he is looking as dominant as ever. I think he's been on every poll (not counting the Chinese sprint race). That gap he put up on Hamilton in the sprint Sunday after he passed him after he worked out his battery settings was astounding. Made me think of Schumi pulling away and leaving everyone in the vast distance 20 years ago. Now, if only my college football team could be as dominant as BD and Max instead of our hated rivals. But, you can't have everything!

I thought I read that someone said it was the last major show announcement. I don't follow things too closely until June (aside from BD) so I assumed all the corps had announced. My bad. I generally like the Bluecoats show music but last year was the first time I really liked Crown's probably since the space show. They are hit-and-miss with me and often more miss. I am curious to what they both will do.

Save the best for last of course!

Just pulled up the charts that I could on Apple Music and...WOW. this could be a good show muscially! That ballad already has me....it could be their best one since 2017. Normally, it takes me to around DCI Southwest to really connect to a show. Might not take that long this summer! I'm already excited! Threepeat! GO DEVS!! Note: I finally read the description. I am not a huge art person and don't usually pay a ton of attention to the art description of these shows. But after reading their show summary, I did some Googling. Turns out I am planning to be in Paris on vacation this summer and am planning to visit the Pompidou Centre where they have the BLUE Nude II which is a Cut-Out painting! Oh, what timing for that! I still won't know much about the piece of art, but I can appreciate its connection to the Devils!

I was watching them warmup last week and I was amazed at how few faces I had seen from the past. In fact, the only one I recognized was Brandon Olander. I had to go to the Roster on the BD app to see if there were any other vets. I can't remember a year where there were so few. Did they have a lot of age outs or just guys that did not return?

For me, these "uniforms" this season may be the straw that breaks the camel's back. I am not saying I will stop paying any attention to DCI - I have been avidly following it for over 30 years. But when DCI is becoming WGI on a football, my interest wanes. Yes, I am old school. To me, DCI peaked in the 80s and 90s. But I rolled with the punches through the 00s when electronics took the activity down a path that has resulted in major changes to what it is - a decline IMO. I have put up with the singing, the pianos, the guitars, the sound effects. etc. I have tolerated and, in some cases, come to like the stage pieces that has cluttered the football field and detracted from the drill. I have lived with the checklist of swaying, rolling on the ground, etc. that all corps seem to insert into each show, all transforming the movement from marching more toward dance and performance "art." Despite all that, I accepted that corps could still be great in the "new" system even if I personally don't consider that level of greatness on par with the 80s and 90s. But with the Bluecoats "color guard unis" two years ago, things have fallen apart FAST. To me, DCI is not just about the music otherwise, corps would just sit in chair and play a concert. I love the visual aspect, especially the look of the corps. Seeing the crisp uniforms and headgear, juxtaposed against the themed color guard attire was a look that screamed DCI to me. Despite some tweaks in unis, you could tell who the old-line corps were. Some almost never changed at all. Though I am not a big Cadets fan, they held to their look, for the most part, the entire 30-plus years of the activity while I have been a fan. But when I pulled up their uni photos last night (I have been traveling the first week and a half of the season, so I have been a little out of the loop) I was shocked by what I saw. When they have completely abandoned tradition, I knew DCI has moved to a phase where it is getting close to unrecognizable to the activity I loved for so long. I love the Blue Devils, but they can't seem to keep a look either and this year, they largely abandoned their classic blue on black that has at least been pretty consistent. I already have tickets to the Southeastern championship and I would not consider skipping it. I also plan to hit the lot at a local show in metro Atlanta next week. I had toyed with making a trip to Indy for the first time since 2014, but, due to waning interest and other reasons, that is now off the table. I am just not excited like I normally am. I am still checking scores, but I don't feel that same drive to look at late scores first thing every morning. Maybe that will change in the next few weeks. I expect to subscribe to FloMarching again now that I am back home and can stream shows, so we will see what my impression is Saturday night. I do think many of the musical books this year and over the last few years have really improved over five to 10 years ago. However, maybe this is the year, where I just check on Finals scores the next morning as I spend July looking forward more to the start of college football than I do to DCI Finals. I am sure DCI won't miss me or any other of the old guard that may lose interest, but I already miss the DCI I loved for years.

Classic Blue Devils....while last year had some classic-feeling moments, and I personally thought parts of 2011 sounded old school, I can't remember the last time I could say that more than a snippet of a BD show sounded like "classic Blue Devils." Granted, depending on age, I guess we all have a difference definition of classic! Part of me wants to wait to see any clips until Family Day...but I know I will be scouring the interwebs later tonight for something from tonight! GO DEVS!! 19!!

That is music to my ears! I am more excited, at this point in the pre-season, for BD than I have been in years! Can't wait to find out the musical selections! GO DEVS!! 19!!

we shall see. I focused in on the window last night and ignored everything else going on...and nothing. I was a little disappointed and it took away from the quarterfinals experience for me since I was truly expecting something. I think for tonight and tomorrow, I will just take the show in as it comes. If something happens with the window, great. If not, I plan to just enjoy the last two (hopefully three with an encore Saturday night! ;) ) performances of Metamorph! GO DEVS!! 18!!

I actually thought the audio was pretty poor for BD. Seems like the mix was muffled during the ballad. Of course, I have been watching a lot of YouTube video with audio likely recorded on a phone.

Did they drop AMC? I went to AMC last year IIRC and I know I went there for most years in the last decade. I have moved, so the AMC I used to go isn't convenient and one of the local AMCs play BLL. Fortunately, the Regal near me now is the most comfortable in my area, though I prefer the AMC rewards program to Regal's. I have been to the Tour Premiere last year and this year at that Regal as well as Final two years ago and tonight. Can't wait to see BD! GO DEVS!!! 18!!

I have not watched it yet, but I agree. If there are changes re: the window, I do NOT want to see them until I am in the theater tonight so I get the full effect of it's performance unveiling. Minor drill changes I am fine with seeing now. I just keep hearing that closer replaying in my head. Absolutely cannot wait to see them tonight. I will always be an old-school guy, but there is something about this musical book that has connected with me in a way that almost no BD show has in nearly 25 years! GO DEVS!!! 18!!

Nice analysis! I have recently starting to look into modeling, so, while I did not grasp a lot of your discussion, I followed some and found it quite interesting. I have saved it to Evernote so I can refer to later as I learn more! Thanks for posting! (And I hope your model is wrong and that the Devs get 17!! #SpillSomeInk ;) )

The new ending really makes this show pop. I didn't see them live until Nashville last night. Between that, rehearsal today and the Dome tonight I'm really liking this show. Seeing it in person gives a different feel that online just can't convey. Now I did wind up liking 2012 and 2013 but I am a diehard Devs fan and am just a tad biased.

I'd rather have trombones than electronics. That being said, the pitch bend is the best use electronics since these were added. Perhaps I'm getting soft with my "unplug" perspective but I think it's an incredibly creative and innovative effect.