fsubone

I'm actually going to agree with some of the BD stuff said above here. I do think that their hornline is really talented, and they're sure showing it, but I just don't find a reason why they're scoring the way they do. I mean, some of the visual stuff is cool, I mean really cool, but a lot of the stuff just doesn't make any sense. I really don't see the demand here. They stand still a lot, and there are no marching transitions in this show. None. Every transition between piece and it seems almost between sets is done by walking, or running, or skipping????? Why are they skipping in the opener? Someone please explain this one to me. And I saw tons of visual dirt at the Houston show. And they're pulling 9s in the vis. captions? I'm lost here. And I heard them repeat music from one of their past shows..... Sneaky, but not that cool..... And before I get torched on here for hating the show, I really wish I could like this show. I'm a huge Kenton fan, and I am a BD fan, when they produce a show that can make me stand up and cheer for them. Yeah, I get it, they're being edgy and different, but where's the line between edgy and different and just plain weird? And where does audience connection fit into this equation? Please guys, don't hate me for this. I came to watching the show again with an open mind, but I still just can't get into it. Sorry. I really hope that for once, BD will put the audience more into their plan than just what show will boost the score up.

Aren't you a minor?

That's exactly what I'm talking about. The first time I heard about this show, I hated the idea. But I came into my first live viewing with an open mind, and it's not as bad as I was expecting. I still get lost after the drum feature, but I do really enjoy the first 2/3 of the show. The mirror visuals in the drum solo don't do much for me, and the closer is over my head, but I still really think that this corps is the one to beat right now, but I see other people catching up. Visually though, I do really enjoy this show, just not all the music. Sorry.

Plan9, thanks. I really do try and be as balanced as I can on here, because I used to be pretty darn biased against BD, but I'm trying to learn to be balanced, and find good in all the corps. BD 2000 and 2004 are still two of my favorite shows. That's the BD I love. And I completely understand how you feel about your corps having the negative light shined on them, and again, I applaud the fans like you who stand by their corps through all of this, and choose to defend them instead of abandoning them when the dissenters show up. It really shows well to your character to stand by an organization, and really shows how much drum corps can create a lifelong tie to people, a group that they will always stand by. Thank you for that. But, I would like to see #2 more. I do see lots of responses that are like that, but a lot of it does come off more than a little bit arrogant, sorry. I've seen a fair share of posts where guys are just saying that everyone hates them because they win, my ring is bigger than your ring, etc.... (I exaggerated that last one, but I have seen people reference how their wins gives them more credibility than others), and stuff like this. I do see where some of it comes from, but a little bit less arrogance might be nice. It turns people off even more when they see alums and fans being more self-centered than any of the members.

It was a BIG mistake. Trust me, I had seen that show many times that summer, and really enjoyed it every time I saw it, but it was sad to watch Gino mess up like that at Finals. Not as bad as The Frack, but still bad for them.

Well, actually. The "B" corps lost one show. They lost in Paramount to SCVC, but still, 3 losses over the last 3 years is pretty impressive for them.

Exactly. As long as we keep the prime rib rare, everything will be good.

well, for one, SCVC went 5th in '07 to 1st in '08, so these things do happen. And I know that a couple of the years that ECJ won, they stared Finals week in 4th to come to win it all, so these things happen, albeit rarely, but they do.

Exactly. I thought it was a daily requirement on here now? We've been civil and positive all day, it's time to rain on BD's parade.... or so their fans say

Hehe, it's always funny to come on here and watch the BD fans get all defensive and up-in-arms about comments made about their show. Always makes me smile. And I do like the Blue Devils, so don't go there, but some of the guys on here get a little bit too passionate about it, and it always makes me laugh.

That's so great to hear. I remember that someone asked for an autograph at Semis last year, and that will be a moment that will always stick with me. Most of the time, imagining the impact a show can have on people is kind of hard, but when the moment happens when someone tells you how much a performance meant to them, it really touches you deep, and really changes your outlook on the activity. Greatest feeling ever.

Haha, thank you BRASSO. Didn't really solve the problem, because I don't know either, but your explanation is probably the funniest thing I have seen on here tonight.

There was some very heated argument on here earlier about Pioneer's show, but it got deleted and locked away. You missed all the fun earlier....

So, quick question. How does the scoring thing work if it's a judge that takes out kids? I've seen it happen before, and I know that it happened tonight, but Cadets still took vis. performance. Is there a different criteria when it comes to falls and recovery?

Woohoo!!!!!! Great to see they have their truck back in commission. I was talking to one of my friends who marched with them last year, and the soda and iced tea fountain on there sounds pretty sweet!

True, but I wasn't around for Garfield 87, only seen it on videos, so SCV is really the benchmark for me. And this may be wrong to say, but I really feel that SCV sounded better than Garfield. I'm sure it had something to do with the recording equipment, but SCV really had more of an orchestral sound than I got from Garfield's horns.

Same thing here with me. Really bummed I'm missing finals, but when it comes down to trip to finals, or rent money, having a place to live will win that fight. And ditto on SCV's show. I love the show overall, but a couple of the musical moments seem a little bit strange to me. Love the ending though.

I think that is really one of those moments that if you didn't feel any kind of deep, emotional movement, you really needed to get your pulse checked, and make sure that you still have a soul. That is the only moment that I've ever seen that made people stand up and cheer, and cry, from day one to Finals. Still can't watch it on DVD without getting a little choked up.

I'm still not sure I'm in the right place. We're all having an intelligent discussion, and no one is flaming each other..... Maybe things have changed. I think we should all take this moment, and remember this thread, because I really doubt we will have a civil talk like this again, sadly.

Eh, it's not that really. I'm a huge fan of Kenton's work, always have been, but I just can't get into it. Part of it I think is the arrangements, because I have gone through the City of Glass album many times, trying to understand it so I can get into BD's show more, but it's just not doing it for me still. And if we're looking for shows that are different and making people uncomfortable about change, I think it would be SCV's show. Bartok is some strange music, and that one makes people uncomfortable.

There's a big difference between being supportive of a corps for having a good start to their first season of competition, and bragging about scores. Did you march corps? Because I really don't think that someone who had marched in a drum corps could be so classless and unsupportive of fellow drum corps.

Wow. We've actually agreed again. Things must be changing in the world. But I am super psyched to see how everything plays out come Finals week. I've been waiting for a knock-down, drag-out fight all season. I really see it coming down to BD, Cadets, and Bluecoats at the top.

Yeah, it's the back 1/3rd or so. After the drum break, I just get kind of lost, minus the little tease of La Suerte. Besides that, it's like looking at post-modern art. I can get what you're doing, and I respect it, but it makes no sense to me.

Congrats to SCV for making a jump. I really hope they can light that show up and start catching the corps above them. I want to see them back in the top 5 at least. Improve over last year's finish.

Oh, I have. Saw them live at all the California shows except Stockton, and I've seen the webcasts since then. I've seen it from all the different viewpoints, and the visual part just keeps getting better, but again, the music just still isn't doing it for me. One thought though, when they do multi-cam stuff for Finals, will we see the cameramen in the mirrors too, or will they edit them out?