mirrormen

Seems too many staffs were not decisive enough regarding props, guard tosses, etc. considering the high winds. Unfortunate.

Good stuff. Was at the show and agree on most all of this. Thanks for taking the time. Yes, Blue Stars are stunning.

There seems to be a lot of power and grit in the show musically. The herald trumpet and trombone moment will be killer no matter where it is staged. I will wait and see it live, but for now the voice overs and the use of Rocky theme seems kinda forced. Don't care for the ballad at all. It seems to not take advantage of the talent in the horn line and just doesn't go any where emotionally. The other moments I am iffy about musically do not near match my concern for the ballad. While I get the context of the name of the song, "Everybody Wants to Rule The World", the tune itself leaves me flat and I don't think it has enough melodic or harmonic content to make much out of it.

When do we get scores? Thanks.

SCV makes me constantly amazed that they are pulling off something that is difficult, physically and musically. I do not get both from BD. It is rare that they have the same level of demand, though BD is pulling off what they are doing quite well. SCV plays to the GE sheets better than BD this year. Having a high level technical and emotional performance may make the difference. Love both shows. Prefer SCV.

From another thread about voice overs: "After seeing Cascades, I think they fit into this discussion as example of weak fidelity and production value of a voice over. I do like the show and think they are much better this year. I don't think they need to rethink using the voice over, but I do hope this version is filler for now and they find someone who can help produce a much more believable and professional voice over." Please consider that the voice over is an issue. A big one for me at least. Other than that, congrats on stepping up and a great product for 2017.

One of the more enjoyable responses to my initial post. I did not mean to create a s### storm. I have said it several times on this thread, I want to get it (the design process) like many others seem to. I have never stopped trying to enjoy them and consider myself a BD fan. There are very few corps I tend to not care for year in and year out. Thanks again.

I like your take on all of this. The analogy of BD to skit comedy is spot on for me (and that is not condescending), as opposed to the linear approach most corps take.

Responding to a poster on this thread earlier, I offered the following- eager to see if someone can at least explain to me how the three examples I gave were artistic choices that were effective design choices: "Thanks for the tip. I will check out the BD360 series. That said, should I need a lot of coaching to get it? Someone can tell me a reason for a design choice, but that doesn't mean it works well, or even works at all. Three examples that immediately come to mind: 1) last year's blue tarp. Great opening effect. 35 seconds of distraction watching it dragged to the back field. I do not think how they got rid of it was the best artistic choice. 2) Three rifles walk with their back to you through the opening hit of 2014 to get back to the front hash. Not effective whether someone tells me that Fellini had three sons, or three statues at his house, or whatever reason, It looks like the decided they needed those three rifle guys back there for the next section, didn't plan for it initially, so they walk through the form to get where they needed to be for the next section. The fact that they are walking through the brass block with their back to us while the rest of the guard is staged mid field creates a lot of question, and not what the audio was saying. 3) After this year's trombone feature, the corps immediately breaks into swing, out of nowhere. A friend who marched BD told me that because the show is about the corps' metamorphosis over the years and they used to play a lot of jazz, that is why that moment is in this year's show. Ok, I get the connection historically (didn't need my friend to tell me this, but love that he somehow thinks the explanation will now make that moment an effective design choice), but not based on where my emotions were just two seconds earlier. "

Comparing Crossmen brass to PR: Slower tempos, Less moving while playing, less articulation variation, less range per instrument, less musical demand (if any exist at all), less key variance, less frequency of physical demand. I could add more.

But WAY under in demand. WAY.

I want to like Corpsmen, but I would have had PR up in most captions. Crossmen just put me to sleep this year. Thirty minutes after their show has started, just before their closer begins, I think I could go make a baked Alaska and then come back to hear the final strains of their show and not miss anything.

They need to rethink. It sounds like ####.

Interesting take. I feel that BD too often doesn't do either.

Thanks so much. All this makes a lot of sense and I have been around for some of it. I do know that I think I am also comparing and holding BD to a standard they set, which in a way may be unfair. It is like expecting Bluecoats to be better than last year (which I think they are). It is a really tall order and a pretty crazy thing to ask of the new game changers. I Appreciate you not being condescending or preachy. I really am trying to up my appreciation for what they do. Thanks again.

Thanks for the tip. I will check out the BD360 series. That said, should I need a lot of coaching to get it? Someone can tell me a reason for a design choice, but that doesn't mean it works well, or even works at all. Three examples that immediately come to mind: last year's blue tarp. Great opening effect. 35 seconds of distraction watching it dragged to the back field. I do not think how they got rid of it was the best artistic choice. Three rifles walk with their back to you through the opening hit of 2014 to get back to the front hash. Not effective whether someone tells me that Fellini had three sons, or three statues at his house, or whatever reason, It looks like the decided they needed those three rifle guys back there for the next section, didn't plan for it initially, so they walk through the form to get where they needed to be for the next section. The fact that they are walking through the brass block with their back to us while the rest of the guard is staged mid field creates a lot of question, and not what the audio was saying. After this year's trombone feature, the corps immediately breaks into swing, out of nowhere. A friend who marched BD told me that because the show is about the corps metamorphosis over the years and they use to play a lot of jazz, that is why that moment is in this year's show. Ok, I get the connection historically, but not based on where my emotions were just two seconds earlier.

Not sure your point. this approach bothered me 10 years ago, but it seems to be getting worse.

Three issues on which I would LOVE to hear other’s opinions: Chop and Paste: Isn’t there artistic skill, craft, ingeniousness to developing a show that flows in a way that makes sense to your eyes and ears? Especially if YOU GET TO CHOOSE the show theme and name the production whatever you want? I know that not everyone’s eyes and ears, judge training, likes and dislikes/personal tastes, allow everyone to discern corps’ shows in the same way or at the same level, but the cut and paste approach of BD is distracting to me. It doesn’t mean there are not things about them I do like and appreciate- and there are years I felt the deserved to win. It seems that no one else either chooses to do, or gets to do such in the same way BD designs shows. I get that the talent level is stupid high and that they perform so well etc. Is it simply their style and you like it or don’t? They often go right from one style to the next, one tune to the next, with no set up, no connection to the show theme, etc. I know I have lost of other corps to enjoy, but I really do want better appreciate what they do. Standing and Playing/Demand. I know it has been brought up a lot, but . . . BD’s brass stand and play for six minutes this year. I know that may change. Seems they would have to play sooooo much better than all other horn lines to win brass. I get that there are various types of demand. This issue for me also plays into the fact that they walk around a lot this year. That too may be changed. If the perfect visual marriage for the music I am hearing is people walking around, seemingly completely disengaged, fine. This year and years past there are always three or four moments where they could not work out a guard transition so they tell those members to just walk over to where they need to be for the next section. Again, totally disengaged. If the GE and show design goal is 100% perfection of the craft of putting a show together where the details of production, marriage of visual and audio, and performance quality and delivery of the members is so spot on, every audience member is completely engaged the entire show, why are these issues okay, especially for the corps that supposedly more often than not sets the design standards? I know there is no such thing as the perfect effect show that will affect everyone equally, but I watch corps placing lower have none of these design issues. My curiosity is high here because they often win GE. So apparently people are seeing and hearing a level of craft that I need help getting. Do they care if the audience likes it? Should a show require multiple critiques for the judges to learn about the show design intent before they can enjoy/reward the show design efforts fully? What about me- the paying audience member that wants to like BD better, but too often feels shut out of the show too frequently over the course of the show. The park and barks are usually well executed and sometimes exciting. There are at times additional moments that carry engagement and some emotional value. As soon as these moments seem to be flowing well, bam, we are taken 180 into something unrelated. The unexpected turn or twist can be an effect. I do not ever think such is their ammo. If seeing a film, or play, or ballet, or opera, etc. the careful crafting of every moment seems the goal. If they want people to see, hear, respect, and hopefully repeat viewings, it is the careful and thoughtful crafting that elevates the effect and the second ticket or recording or DVD bought. I am not trying to be snarky at all. Would really appreciate how others view the BD design approach and subsequent high scores in GE.

Interesting show. Pretty old school in its design. It is interesting the corps is choosing to go this route. I am curious if it is all about pleasing alumni at this point. I wonder if the members like the show. It seems very mid 1980s. Regardless, I wish them the best.

CROWN, Definitly CROWN. Yep, that's the one. CAROLINA CROWN. The corps from SC. In case I haven't been clear. CAROLINA CROWN.

I really enjoyed reading your review. I feel like that next time I see all of these groups, I will have some interesting perspectives based on your insights. I am a bit sad that your take on Spirit is the same as most other's on DCP. Last summer was pretty #### rough on the members. I fear this summer may be tougher. Your entusiasm for Colts is interesting. I am eager to see how they pan out this year, especially with the narration stuff again not being everyone's cup of tea. The Bluecoat/B-2 thing is clever as are your "after burner" comments. Thanks.

With other decisions the administration has made the past two seasons, I hate to say that how this is being handeled is no surprise to me. I cannot for the life of me imagine anyone thinking this is at all professional or appropriate. How about the members? WTF, they must be thinking, despite what they were told once this got out.

Some cool thoughts here. SOA that low, huh? Genesis in top 25? Madison 12th? Okay- could happen.

Do you know if they have been making changes, just cleaning, or both?

I hate that one section is being pointed out as the "real issue." This is not the guard's fault at all. The real issue is the great failure of the administration to hire even one person on the design team that has an above average clue about putting an effective show together. Some may think that unfair, but I challenege anyone to find even one 30 second section of the show that communicates effect above a box three level. It does not exist. I find hundreds of high school band shows that can demonstarte that.