BoyWonder1911

LOL...wow...not surprised, and when the Blue Stars went on the field, only about 70% of the crowd was there. I wonder how many people voted - when the Blue Devils finished their show, 90% of people up and left. I didn't vote either, my phone wasn't capable. I didn't like the idea of entering personal info either - I wouldn't have done that even had I had the capability. I'd wager that less than 300 people voted. EDIT: When I said "when the Blue Devils finished their show, 90% of people up and left" - I didn't intend that to mean that 90% of people up and left before the BD did their show - in fact, while we waited 10 mins for the sprinkling to stop, 99% of people stayed in their seats waiting in anticipation to see what the defending world champs were going to bring us. I'm no where near the biggest fan of the Blue Devils, but I was glad to see no one leave, and they got a healthy applause.

I will mention some things that I mentioned in another post about this picture. The guy who made this is the same one who made the magic crates last year. He is a master woodworker and darn good at just about everything else. The platforms have large, rubber wheels that don't move unless pushed by force, so it will not roll away. There are guard railings. The bridges between scaffoldings are about 2 feet wide, and there are two of them along each other to make a total bridge 4 feet wide, with C-clamps clamping them together, so that when you walk on them they don't bend under the weight. They are solid. They also connect the different sections together by straps, so that the sections don't wobble, sway, move apart, etc. The corps has been using these props for 2 weeks without incident. No single person is on the ramp for more than 1.5 mins. No one runs up or down the ramps. Sometimes the march quickly off, but they are told to use caution. They may even put down some kind of adhesive rubber to further the grip on the ramps. Generally speaking, the ramp is as safe and secure as possible. That doesn't mean that someone may not be blown off by a large wind gust, but seeing as how they've used them in 15-20mph winds already, we haven't had an issue - but Howard Wienstein, the music director, is protective of his kids, and so is Frank, the brass/visual guy. - if so much as a drop falls from the sky, he makes them stop. I'm sure if they feel the weather is unsafe to use the ramp, they will cut it out of the program that day. They will also be getting backdrop canvasses to cover the ramp. I am not going to tell you what it will look like, you will have to come out and see for yourself! We haven't gotten them yet as far as I know. So for now I think they will just be using black tarp.

They've rehearsed and used the scaffolding prop a few times already now without incident. There are guard railings on the back, the platforms are secured with c-clamps so when you step on them they don't bend down under weight, we use a bunch of tie downs underneath the platforms to further secure the sections together so they don't move and shake around. They are supposedly getting night-city-scape canvass panels for the front. They use the scaffolding for all 3 sections of the corps at one points or another. That is all I'm going to tell anyone. Come see the show! I was with them last year and Houdini show was ok, but this show is definitely more difficult both music- and visual-wise, and they really seem to be stepping up to the challenge. When I first arrived in Indy with the corps the day before we went back to Wisconsin, and saw their public preview there, I was like no way are they going to do this show successfully, it's too difficult for them, they've bitten off more than they could chew! But I think I've pretty much guessed wrong on that. They really seem to be stepping it up. I'd say they were at about the 73-74 pt area as of last night in Emporia, KS. Not sure how much they've progressed today in the 105 degree heat here in Aledo, TX, and I've been sleeping since 10am (we got here at 7am) but I will go watch ensemble tonight after dinner and hear how they sound. I don't think they have any bleachers for the practice field they are using (which btw is turf) but I can still hear.

We need computerized judging. A corps goes on, the performance is recorded, a computer program will analyze the visuals and come out with a % factor of how the visuals lined up. Then the recording of the music will be put into the program and analyzed for things like being in tune, missed notes, dynamics, articulation, etc. Then for the GE, since it's pretty much subjective anyway, let the fans score it. Make it count for 25% of the score. This way, scores will not be judged based upon 1)the first to perform and 2)in relation to a corps before or after (well I gave the Cadets a 9.5 in brass, but I thought the Cavaliers sounded a little better, so they get 9.5. Oh heck, why not, just give them 9.575 to make it look like we're scoring more accurately.) Problem solved. There will be no disputes or complaints since the computer is incapable of bias.

OK fine. Everyone ties in both prelims and semis and everyone makes finals. Problem solved. According to people on this site, everyone seems to have an awesome show this year. Like I said before, everyone will somehow slip into Finals.

99.15 is hard to achieve - and it's been done twice - but 99.55 and 99.25? Both in the same season by two corps? I don't believe anything is impossible, but come on....I don't think that can be done. At least not any time soon. I'd like to see 10 or more corps score 90 pts or better though - which has never been done, but I certainly think is possible.

Okay. There are 4 ties at Semi Finals, therefore 16 corps make Finals. That should appease everyone. 1st - TIE - Cavaliers, Blue Devils 2nd - TIE - Cadets, Bluecoats 3rd - TIE - SCV, Blue Stars 4th - TIE - Crown, PR 5th - Blue Knights 6th - Scouts 7th - Crusaders 8th - Glassmen 9th - Troopers 10th - Academy 11th - Spirit 12th- Crossmen

I guess I would suggest this - don't worry about the scores, scores will come and go, and 15-20 years from now you wont even remember what the scores were, you'll only remember your experience. And don't forget, you are performing for fans who care more about being entertained than who gets what score. Go out there and perform like professionals. Really, there are no better marching ensembles in the entire world outside of DCI. Most of all, have fun.

^ same here...

I've heard that everyone is supposed to be really good this year and that everyone will somehow slip into Finals.

This reminds me of the first time I came down to Indy in 2002 for the regional competition here at the old RCA Dome. I got a real cheap motel room somewhere in a shady part of town. It smelled badly and there were "undesirables" walking around. Just make sure when you do get a room, make sure it is not in a bad part of town. I would risk a lot for DCI but not risk someone popping a cap in my * over it.

Hmmm...maybe this is thread hijacking, but does anyone know of any blunders on the field during a competition where a corps just totally fell apart? That would be entertaining...

I pretty much had thought that all WC corps do close to the same number of competitions, minus Finals weekend. Maybe I'm wrong? And I'm not talking about Open Class corps, I know that they don't tour the full season.

You know, as much as an un-fan of the Blue Devils I am, if they are going to win again, I at least hope they put out 1) music that is melodic (which I've heard they are doing), 2)Have visuals that you can actually make sense of, and 3) No mirrors. If they are going to win, I hope it's enjoyable. Blue Devils have been almost cheating by designing drill that is really hard to judge. How can you judge drill when half of them are behind props half of the time? Or when they have 12 arcs with 4 or 5 people each? That isn't hard to do....now a drill like Cadets 1993, that is a bona fide drill, difficult to make clean, but you can actually see shapes and curves. And it wasn't very blocky - I don't like blocks a whole lot.

Middleton, WI is a very large, very expensive city. Over a million people live in Middleton, and I don't think you will be able to find a motel for cheaper than $150 in a bad part of town. In all seriousness, you can use Google, or Expedia, or Travelocity to find hotels/motels. Try Googling hotel or motel, then click on Map, then zoom in around the Middleton, WI area and look at all the red balloons, then hover over each of them and make phone calls. Look at reviews, too. It isn't hard to do things on your own, no one is going to "till" you a cheap hotel.

The Saginaw and Round Rock shows will be the top 8, but it won't be a TOC Event - no extra "instant encores" or whatever hoopla they have planned. They are not going to announce the scores after these two shows, the 18th and 19th, until the 20th, when they are going to announce them at the theaters when they do the Big Loud and Live thing. So the first two competitions will happen, and we won't know the scores until a couple of days later. That sucks, DCI. Also, I wonder how money from ticket sales are divided to the corps that played? In my opinion, ALL the money from ALL ticket sales from ALL WC shows should all be put into one pot, and then divided equally into 23 at the end of the season. I know that sounds horribly socialist, but then again these are supposed to be not-for-profit organizations. Any corps that fails and goes broke hurts the rest of the organization. They are all mutually dependent for the survival of the activity.

Ok, that's "cool" how you put everything in acronyms, but first can we please make sure to put all of the top 12 corps from last year in your list? P.S. is "Tpr." supposed to be Troopers? Are you that lazy that you have to acronym everything rather than spell it out? If this is your first post ever, I'd hate to see what kind of posts we'll get from you in the future... BTW Wlcm 2 drm crps plnt P.S.Again. - Also excited to see Jubal coming to the U.S. again. Always good to see foreign corps. It is something I'd like to see more of in the future. P.S.OnceMore. - I'm mad because you didn't put the Blue Stars in your list. If you're going to write a list, please make sure you forget any. I don't think the Blue Stars are going to drop to 17th or worse. Their drill is tough, yeah, but if they drop, it won't be out of Finals...IF they drop.

I'm ignorant because I think it's asinine to even consider The Cadets won't make finals??? Lol....I'm not sure what you meant by that post...I really don't think they are going to move out of the top 6, much less Finals...I'd like to see Spirit make Finals, I just don't think they are at that point yet...

So Spirit makes finals this year, and The Cadets don't....I hope your list isn't serious...

I'd be surprised if they got higher than 5th, and I'd be surprised if they got lower than 7th...so I think they are in the 5-6-7 slot for sure. They are a step or 2 above where they were at this point last season - the percussion is sounding decently clean - the brass is noticeably better - the guard, eh, the whole show is on a bit more higher difficulty level than last season's show - we will see if they can rise to the challenge and bring out the most of this show that they possibly can. It definitely is fast, loud, in your face, and non-stop. I hope the fans enjoy this show.

1) Cavaliers 2) Blue Devils 3) Cadets 4) Bluecoats 5) Crown 6) Blue Stars 7) SCV 8) Phantom 9) Scouts 10) Crusaders 11) Blue Knights 12)Glassmen

Oh...well I guess my signature gave it away. Oops... Not to mention my avatar....sheeeesh!

There is a corps this year using harmon mutes for the trumpets in the beginning of the show. I'm not going to mention who it is, because I just don't want to give it away. Go see the shows. It is a top 8 corps. As far as the Bluecoats solo w/synthesizer/recording... I think it would have been better if they had actual members playing both parts - even if it sounded a little bit less quality, it would have pleased me more to actually see the members playing the parts.

Well I think that maybe Scouts and Boston might have a shot at breaking into the top 8, but the Blue Stars are really putting out a very competitive program this summer, and all bias aside, they are sounding a step and a half above where they were at this point last season. I think the top 8 are going to be very competitive, and it wouldn't surprise me if the top 8 finished within 5 pts of each other come Finals. I just think it's going to be that close.

I, personally, would enjoy seeing/hearing an ondes Martenot being used in a drum corps show. Has this ever been used before? For those of you who don't know what this is, here is the Wiki for it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ondes_Martenot It was used in Turangalila Symphonie, by Messaien, which I would also like to see on the field on day.