TRacer

I for one am tiring of the seemingly de rigeur reentry/reprise featuring running drill, twisting ranks and files, flying lines, middle horn licks from hell and so on to end a show. One reason I love SCV so much is that they are the exception with their down soft ending.

I was blown away by that clip, and how the tymp players carried plates too strapped to their hips-- talk about tough!

I think some of the 70's bashers would be blown away by the TQ&I & dynamic quality of the '72 Argonne Rebels, especially when the equipment of the day is taken into consideration. Jim--- I got more than a few bumps on my head from flying rocks!

Marimba, Shows were "structured" (opener, production, drum solo, concert, exit) as that was a requirement then. As the tic system de-evolved and subjective judging took over, that's when some corps took on storytelling roles (Phantom and Spartacus) and show concepts became more prominent. Sure, I marched when we had to hunt for that night's dinner after rehearsal, take showers when the local park turned on the sprinklers, make fire with two sticks, and marching instructors spoke to us in grunts and gestures (Instructor: "Gork--OOG!!" Member: "Ahh-- oog!! Oog noog!!"). I have "gone with the flow" as DCI has changed, and this year we've all been rewarded with Crown and SCV. Admittedly, I do have my gut check moments; for example, the closeup of Spirit's electric bass player made my guts wad up. However, that was balanced by the Classic Clip of Blue Stars '79 and their tymp players who carried not only their tymps, but plates on straps on their left hip as well-- those were some tough dudes.

Ok, I’ll throw in my two bits as well. For starters, I saw the show at the Regal Cinemas in Orange, CA as the Irvine Spectrum (which is where most of the DC alums frequent for Classic Countdown, etc.) was sold out. I will say our crowd was dead, as there were times when I was the only one applauding. Next year I will be back in Irvine, as that crowd really gets into it…I can only imagine their reactions to the Classic Clips from Blue Stars and Troopers ’79—I know I went nuts, as I hadn’t forgotten the music but I DID forget how absolutely incredible Troopers’ rifle line was…what a killer double spin on the very last “bop bop bop/”Indian soprano call” phrase-- GAHHHH!) At any rate, TROOPERS: I was surprised to see the spread between Colts and Troopers so high. IMO Colts have the better concept and are cleaner, but The Troop is getting The Push. I liked Troopers’ arrangements, and their uniforms are fantastic. GLASSMEN: I have loved this corps since their breakout year into finals way back when, but this one did not do it at all for me. Aside from the “1 to Roman numeral 1” drill move, this was “the hot dog corps” for me. BLUE KNIGHTS: Ok, I have to be kind here as my son’s mom marched with them back in the early 80’s and aged out with them: I loved the “Avalanche to tumbling snowball” move toward the end of the show (I was the only one in the theater who applauded here) and it was what I expected—eclectic, the “knee kick” step offs, nice horn sound. One of the best 9-10th place corps year…after year…after year…after year… BLUE STARS: Should have broken 90! I usually don’t buy DVDs, but the one move involving the low brass moving in from the left along the front sideline into the dissonance being played by the upper brass in the open area of the field just gave me chills and is the reason I’ll buy this years, just so I can replay it. (This was the move Rodinaro commented about afterward.) BOSTON: It got very quiet in our theater as all the guys were simply transfixed on all the closeups of the lady CG members during the preshow. Much of our theatre’s audience was younger, and I heard some gasps. BC’s female CG members have it all-- long hair, skimpy outfits, hardbodies tanned to the hilt, killer, um, moves…it was riveting. Oh, and the corps was pretty good, too. Remember: if you experience symptoms for longer than 24 hours, please see your doctor… PHANTOM: Have loved ‘em since the 70’s, though we did have a rivalry with them during the years I marched the Red Team with PR’s current director. I loved the beginning and was enjoying what I saw, then I got the figurative Gatorade cooler dunking during the transition into the “close your eyes and it’s Bluecoats” jazz portion. Like Lindsey Lohan and rehab, I didn’t take to it at all. I thought back to how the ’81 & ’82 versions of Spartacus took a lot out of the kids and how ’83 was a “let down” year, and I began to wonder if maybe ’08 was the same…? BLUECOATS: Maybe it’s just me, but when I see this group I get the sense they still haven’t recovered from The Great DCI Hosing of 2007. The uniform change was clever (been there/done that; try doing it on the fly though!) but the two color guard members “sneaking” up on the DM to “defrock” him was so schmaltzy as to be annoying. SCV: Wow, what a hornline, and this corps had their mojo workin’ last night. A class act all the way, I think this was the only Top 12 corps to march a cymbal line…? As an ’84 vet, I take my hat off to this group for having the guts to do a down/soft ending, and the “plates” lifting the CG gal at the end (for a second I thought they were setting up for the “V”) was just flat out studly. A big cheer when their score came up, followed by “ugghs” & “oh man!”s when HNC’s came up later. HNC: Took me back to Sam Signorelli’s famous “Where’s my ring?” year with some of the arrangements, but I think the CG uniforms (then) GC wore in ’84 were better. I appreciate how hard those kids work and the physical demands placed on them, but this tribute show didn’t do it for me much like when SCV tried to repeat RCM a few years back. I really thought SCV was going to edge them out by a few tenths, but I was way off. CAVIES: I don’t know how Rodinaro restrained himself from saying, “And here’s the replay of the mountain climber mounting the trumpet line…” If Boston was a good “guys show”, this one was for the ladies, if you’re into beefcake wearing semi-Lederhosen and body harnesses. Classic Cavies “big triangle” shapes, nice sound. I thought SCV was going to nip this one too, but I was 0 for 2. CROWN: I’m not into the green, but I loved the show and thought they deserved a #1 placing. The “Promise of Giving” reprise complete with the reverse opening drill move at the end gave this Tenderland vet goosebumps. What a gorgeous brass sound too, they should patent it. BD: I watched this one closely, and tried to keep an open mind. It seemed to me that, compared to Crown et al, BD’s hornline doesn’t play all that much. It reminded me of “Blast!” Also, I’ve forgotten where and when the trend of wearing DCI rings on the outside of gloves while performing began, but I think they should save it for Finals… My "I want to throw a brick at the screen" Moment: The closeup of Spirit's electric bass player.. I'm sorry, but GTHO.

-- VK had some really good drumlines back in the day and I could see them spoofing BD's battery move of a couple years back where they ran like crazy by a rack of cymbals. VK would do the same, running in between each other ("Sorry!" "Excuse Me!"), etc. In the middle of the running cymbal rack gag a guard person would throw a dummy drummer over the whole move and try to hit a dedicated cymbal set on a stand to give it a "3D" effect. -- A combo old SCV/new GC spoof where a group enters a tunnel on one side, and exits the other wearing khaki pants and green DCI shirts. Presto, another 30 judges. -- The shark would eat a field judge or one of the sideline interviewers. -- White chairs and ear trumpets would be offered to field judges at random spots in the show.

As another one of the mid-80's Red Team guys, (and I might get flamed for this), I've felt there was something of a rivalry between (then) Garfield and SCV as to who could outdo the other when it came to Copeland. In '83-'85, SCV used volume, power, and gave Copeland a regal, majestic treatment, with the exception of The Red Pony in '85 which IMO did nothing for our show but showcase how loud our hornline could get at high tempo. Two years later GC countered with a completely different Copeland, with different middle-horn voicing, and wild drill. I have only seen SCV once this year, and that was at the Riverside show. Even thought it was so early in the season, I immediately connected with what the kids were doing, and I was a WRECK; I hadn't sobbed at a show in over a decade. It was 11 minutes of sheer joy for me-- the majesty of it all--- and in my mind SCV has made an emphatic statement about who truly is "The King of Copeland"-- win, lose, or draw.

We actually didn't start the decrescendo until after the diagonal had centered on the 50 and we came forward 16 counts; on the CD the diagonal hits the 50 and we move forward just as the mellos and French horns carry the last of the melody, then the euphoniums (Keith Saunders, John C, et al) chime in and push the stands back a few rows, then the volume drops off. It was exhausting having to "rein it all back in" and not stick out, especially on the last note. We repeated the down/soft ending for Tenderland in '85 until we added The Red Pony later on in the season. I wasn't a huge fan of the loud reentry because (a) everyone else was doing them so we had to do it too, (b) the reentry drill wasn't all that complex (a major arc invert) plus it was like throwing in the faucet after the kitchen sink we'd tossed in earlier with the pants change and baton twirler in opener. Maybe if we had changed the pants AND pulled the tunic front off in the tunnel...

Having marched around the same time as Sue, the "down/soft" ending for '83 SCV's version of Simple Gifts was a natural progression of the regal, majestic treatment that corps gave to Copeland's music. In '84 we often sang "Simple Gifts" allcapella as we marched to the starting line, and we felt the down soft ending following the white tunic stripe over white pants, "BTTW" company front at a 45* angle in Tenderland that simply didn't stop but only got louder when the front finally came forward was a perfect contrast to the ending chorale and bow we did. I can recall several faces in the Georgia Tech audience I made eye contact with that couldn't control their emotions they were sobbing so hard. Fast forward to this year...after watching SCV in Riverside '09, my son and I were heading back to the parking lot and SCV was lined up to go on for the encore. I said to a few low brass guys, "I realize you guys are at attention, but thank you so much for the 11 solid minutes of sheer joy you gave me tonight...I've waited years for that."

At least early 80's...I got mine before Finals '85. We had more than a few that night...

-- Provided me with a commitment to excellence I have passed on to my son. -- Upper back problems; specifically, between the shoulder blades from carrying baris and euphs. Yes, I worked out quite a bit before I did SCV's Tournament of Roses in '04, SCV/BD's Alumni Ensemble '07 and KAC '05-'08. -- the friends I have made that have found me on Facebook. -- watching a formerly well-respected staff member take their act at SCV way too far on the last day of rehearsal before Finals in '85.