Cadetalier

Phantom = Green Bay: I find it really hard not to like either of them Vanguard = San Diego: Always have the talent, never get it done at the end of the season OR, as of this season, = Philadelphia: Added A LOT of new pieces to help improve the team. Hopefully, SCV doesn't start as slow as the Eagles are Spirit of Atlanta = Detroit: Improved a lot as the season went on (the Lions have won their last 11 games [including preseason]!!) Blue Devils = St. Louis '99-'01: the Greatest Show on Turf. 'nuff said.

BD:97.3 Cadets:97.8

1. The Cadets - I'm calling it now: perfect 40 in GE! (Bold Prediction of 2011) 2. Blue Devils - Perfect 30 in Visual! (They scored 29.95 past 2 years, can definitely happen) (When you look up "clean" in the dictionary, there's a picture of the Blue Devils.) 3. The Cavaliers - Won't be near BD or Cadets IMO 4. Carolina Crown - Don't be surprised if you see Crown in third... 5. Phantom Regiment - ...or fifth, Phantom really turned up the intensity this week 6. Santa Clara Vanguard 7. Bluecoats 8. Boston Crusaders 9. Blue Knights 10. Blue Stars 11. Madison Scouts (They could all be within a point of each other) 12. Spirit of Atlanta 13. Glassmen 14. Troopers 15. The Academy 16. Crossmen - should be higher, love the show anyway 17. The Colts

Finally home from the show. I sat in section 239, 6 rows up, pretty much on the 50. The show had to start 15 minutes late because of the sheer amount of people trying to get in the stadium! (Also, I couldn't help but notice David Gibbs sitting 3 rows in front of me...) Blue Stars - Missed parts of their show because my camera was full after one picture :/ ... Their percussion is VERY underrated IMO. Their brass can play, and guard isn't lacking either, but I don't see this in the top 8, possibly not top 10 at the end of season (Just a good show lost in a GREAT season of drum corps). Bluecoats - This was my first time seeing them live, and they did not disappoint! Creep was easily the best moment of the show and the quadrophonic section is really cool in person. However, there is still a lot of visual dirt to clean, especially the new-ish ending (a LOT of phasing at the end). Tubas. That is all. Cavaliers - I thought they were flatter than a pepsi sitting in the sun for hours :( ... up until Jungle Tango. Crowd loved the upside down stuff as expected. Their brass was loud for the first hit, the "BD squat" in Jungle Tango, and the "coronation" as they call it; other than that, they didn't seem as loud as I hoped (possibly because of my seat). I thought if there was ever a night Crown could beat them, tonight was it. Blue Devils - You know what, their show wasn't as bad as people make it out to be. They definitely move well, and play even better. One thing I never thought I would say about BD: even with mics, I couldn't hear their screamers! (Again, possibly because of where I sat) I definitely enjoyed the show. (Quick Note: I'm buyng the pre-season recordings from now on, because what they play now pales in comparison the book they started with IMHO) INT - Wet. I talked with some friends in HS who don't get exposed to much drum corps, and they loved what they saw. SCV - One of the bigger surprises of the night for me. I didn't expect much from them at the beginning of the season, but boy have they cleaned up nicely :) Guard was fantastic. I thought they could easily place fifth... ...until Phantom took the field. By far the loudest corps of the night! It felt like I was standing right in front of them while they performed, they were THAT LOUD (Mind you, I've gotta be at least 50 yards from the hornline). Guard was excellent and I learned what the Rockford File was, too. They had my mom and I standing and screaming by the end of the show, I loved it. Crown - I saw them perform in Jackson in July, and this show was just as enjoyable, if not more, than it was then. I thought I'd get bored of the whole "rock star" feel, but when they perform it's hard to not like them. I'm not a guard guy, but I think they should be scored MUCH higher than they are right now; some of the stuff they do is just mesmerizing. The hornline can EASILY win high brass by next Saturday. I still think they were better than the Cavaliers tonight. Cadets - They are in a perfect situation: they have a show that plays enough to the crowd that anyone can enjoy it while maxing out the judges' sheets, they take down BD at least one more time before Championships and, unlike BD, THEY CAN STILL CLEAN THIS SHOW. THey were firing on all cylinders tonight and got a mid show standing 'O from my section (who was undoubtedly pro-Cadets) Finals week is looking REALLY good

Crown has been marching 80 (24,16,24,16) since 2008.

1-The Beat my Heart Skipped This is actually the 2nd most played song on my iPod out of all 154. Jungle Tango beats it by 744 plays, though. 2) This I Believe 3) Crown 2006, In.Trance.It 4) Cadets 2006, Volume 2: Through the Looking Glass 5) BD 2000, Methods of Madness I never really noticed how much BD music I listened to until now.

They just won (again) two weeks ago

Cadets 05 - Expanding/Shrinking box - Conveyor belt during drum break 2008 Cavies - Samurai in Japanese Vanguard - Moving wave in the closer Blue Devils - Mr. Risky Blue Stars - The bicyclist sets at the very end

I'm suprised no one mentioned 2003 Phantom. Also, I'm not 100% sure about 08 Crown. Don't get me wrong, their brass was astounding, but I just wonder if they could play with that same sound with less horns.

It is Japanese for samurai. They really cleaned up that form from their first show.

I did the yell, but I was the ONLY person in the theatre to do it. It was an awkward moment for me.

1) Phantom was cheated out of a well deserved 2nd place IMO. 2) As much as like their show, BD should not be beating the Cavies in Overall Visual. 3) GO CAVALIERS!!!!!!

THERE'S NO CRYING IN DRUM "CORE", HOLLY!!!!!