Geneva
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Posts posted by Geneva
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I was at Allentown and was kind of looking forward to Cadets little Jeffrey's razz about doing "Old School" with the close order drill commands. However, I did not hear it. Perhaps they thought better of messing with the sensibilities of all us drum corps dinosaurs?! 
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The Bluecoats are my favorite show for 2010. The show is fresh, creative, macho , and gives off the right vibe of the nitty gritty ethos of the city, for it's theme portrayal. The music and visual work in an integrated, coherent fashion. The show is seemless, with a nice flow throughout. I love the drum parts. The guard is terrific. There is no cheesiness, preachiness, pandering, nor high brow pretentiousness with this show, which I like.There is no obtrusive use of props. The Corps use of body movements in the show is appropriate for the Corps and is consistent with it's theme for 2010. It's macho marching that simply works. The use of the microphone on the baritone solo works, and enhances the audience listening pleasure. The uniforms are classy. The whole ethos and vibe created is one of " Drum Corps ", which this poster prefers. The demand, complexity is all there. The Brass and Percussion playing is superb. Right from the getgo, when I first saw the Corps show in late June, I knew this Corps had the goods to challenge for a Title. I have no idea what the judges will do. ( nor particularly care ). The Bluecoats hit a home run with their 2010 show with this fan, and I thank them for that.
I wholeheartedly agree and could not have said it any better!
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This is why we do this!
We sing "Giant" before we perform with the senior corps also. It is great to hear the kids doing it as well!
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I enjoyed watching the corps last night on the Fan Network and was cheering for you on Facebook. I am looking forward to seeing you live at DCI East. You have a lot to be proud of. Don't worry about the scores (not that you are). Just keep working on shaping the last number. Love the Conquest signatures. I am proud to echo them.
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My vote goes to Blue. I love the drive and flow of their brass book. I am not an amp fan, but I do enjoy their use of the miked solos playing off the instruments overtones for a surreal effect. Blue's raw power reaches me while Crown's not so much.
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Bluecoats: Whoa Bluecoats! This was actually my favorite show of the night. They were loud, tight and clean! More rrom for this show to grow though. I recall Blue showing strong until the last two weeks, and then trailing off with their Criminal show. This year is different, I predict. I think they could land themselves in third place. Percussion was great. Visually they are very strong, and actually remind me of BD's visual style ... Both in drill and overall vis ensemble. Asphalt Jungle (that right?) is a great closing number! Amazing job Bluecoats! I actually had them neck and neck with the Cavies.
I agree that the Bluecoats are very impressive and top three material. What I like about them is #1, the very self assured and competent playing in their brass line and IMHO the best tuba section in DCI this year. I like the way that they are able to perform a dark theme (I believe the whole show is in a minor key) while still delivering a very sleek and energetic performance. It would be so easy for this type of show to "cave in" and just wallow in self consciousness. The construction of the show is very high-level and intelligent...necessary but not sufficient for DCI top five. I think they have that and then some.
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This is a great group of people who are making a very well organized effort to return a drum corps tradition to central NYS. They deserve your support. I am proud to say that I have traveled to march with them from 300 miles away!
Dick, let me know your schedule (PM me) and if at all possible, I would love to march with you. Currently August looks open.
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Just for clarification, this is the first year for Spirit to be back in ATL, but Spirit and JSU broke their relationship a couple of years ago.
Thanks, Steve.
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The Beanpot Invitational
Saturday July 3, 2010
Manning Field, Lynn, MA
OK. My first show of the season and it was a good one at this relatively new field built upon the site of fabled old Manning Bowl which was the location of the World Open.
Good crowd which was packed around my seat on the 50 and far beyond.
The scores:
World Class
1
Carolina Crown 83.500
GE
33.600
1
Visual
16.900
1
Music
33.000
3
2
Bluecoats 83.200
GE
33.200
2
Visual
16.700
2
Music
33.300
2
3
Phantom Regiment 81.900
GE
32.300
3
Visual
16.000
4
Music
33.600
1
4
Boston Crusaders 79.900
GE
32.100
4
Visual
16.300
3
Music
31.500
4
5
Spirit 71.800
GE
28.500
5
Visual
14.100
5
Music
29.200
5
6
Jersey Surf 68.600
GE
27.100
6
Visual
13.900
6
Music
27.600
6
The Corps:
Jersey Surf
This corps is in their second year of World Class competition.
48 Horns
34 Percussion (21 battery and 13 pit)
28 Guard
Repertoire: Living the Dream - Organ Variations on America * America the Beautiful * Festival Variations On A National Air
This corps was really appropriate for the 4th of July with their patriotic numbers. They seemed to play every variation imaginable of "America the Beautiful". They had a very rich middle sound, but were thin numbers-wise and sound-wise in the sopranos (I know, trumpets). At one point they used the synthesizer to create fireworks-like sound effects. They were a quality corps, but as you can surmise from their score, it is hard to compete in World Class with 40 members under the maximum allowed.
Spirit
This year finds the corps once again hailing from Atlanta with the corps no longer sponsored by Jacksonville State University.
59 Horns
28 Percussion (17 Battery, 11 Pit)
34 Guard
Repertoire: Forging an Icon - Piano Concerto No. 1* Symphony No. 5 in Bb Major * Prelude (from Psycho) * Brooklyn Bridge * Serenada Schizophrana
Heavy use of synthesizer effects by this corps mostly in a tasteful fashion. For example they came off the line with the factory-like sounds of metallic clanking and whirring power wrench sounds accompanying some martial sounding musical strains. I guess that was them "forging an icon". Ironically, the delta shaped uniform emblem is gone and it was difficult to identify much of the old Spirit of Atlanta in the corps' look or sound. The uniforms this year are also a confusing pattern of gray, blue, white and black which I did not find visually pleasing. The guard wore contrasting colors of orange, yellow, silver, and white. Musically, they are world class, but not very exciting. I predict they will be hard pressed to make finals.
Phantom Regiment
It seems as if the corps is on a mission to add more visual demand to their show this year. This has often been a weak point for this corps.
?75 Horns
32 Percussion (18 Battery, 14 Pit)
30 Guard
Repertoire: Into the Light - The New Moon in the Old Moon's Arms
Well, once again Phantom has a beautiful sound with emotion, impact, and volume. You know, all those good drum corps things. However, I have to take issue with their visual program. Most of it seemed like movement for the sake of movement and it did not complement the music well. In fact, I am sure it was making things much more difficult for the musicians. The program just did not seem coherent to me. There was some strange symbolism with a gold-clad flugelhorn soloist who would be featured at various points by the drill. They do some funky hand signs. Man, I needed a libretto to understand what they were doing! Despite this show scoring very well this night, I think in its present form it will slip as the season progresses. I really think that Boston's program is stronger (more on that to follow).
Carolina Crown
This corps is the Star of Indiana of the 21st century from the uniform perspective. Every year they have a different look. This year they have abandoned their "Grass is Greener" shades of green for Sepia/Brown tones which they complement with all-new brass lacquer horns.
76 Horns
31 Percussion (19 Battery, 12 Pit)
? Guard numbers (I was getting tired of counting, but total corps members near 150)
Repertoire: A Second Chance - Resurrection Symphony (Symphony No. 2) * Symphony No. 2 * Danzon No.2 * Nimrod `from Enigma Variations' * Resurrection Symphony (Symphony No. 2)
Get it, with all the second symphonies and a "second chance" (at the championship?)??
They come OTL with a colossal sound spread end line to end line with unison moving lines in octaves from both sides producing a bold stereo sound. The line really speaks! Throughout the show their ensemble voice is a flawless wall of sound. It sounds meticulously honed. Having said that, however, I found the sound almost too monotonous at times with the style being too uniformly connected and smooth and lacking variation. At one point in the visual program, they are all laying on their backs doing choreographed arm and leg movements like synchronized swimmers! They are undefeated in their first eight shows through July 3rd. It will be interesting to see how they stack up against the Blue Devils.
Bluecoats
This was my favorite corps of the night. Whatta hornline!
78 Horns
Percussion and Guard-I gave up counting, suffice it to say total corps size near 150.
Repertoire: Metropolis: The Future is Now - Asphalt Cocktail * AHA! * Metropolis * 160 BPM from Angels and Demons
The show moves fast and is very forceful. The drill reinforces the aural presentation with sharp geometric forms and is non-stop with movement. You have to hear this hornline to appreciate them. Words will fail me here. There are some serious players in all sections with a very mature sound and resounding fortissimos. My kind of drum corps! At one point the tubas (all 16 of them) play split parts with some incredibly fat sounding pedal tones. I can't wait to hear them again. I will put them on my "must see" rehearsal list at DCI East. You know a line is good when you don't recognize any of the melodies, but it still is exciting and fun to listen to. I think this corps is top three with a hornline second to none!
Boston Crusaders
OK, I guess that I have become a "homer", but their program this year is really good. I thought they were very good last year, but they have really stepped it up a level. Apparently they had very good member retention from last season and the increase in maturity level is very apparent. I had the opportunity to watch them rehearse at Manning Field prior to the show and the energy and focus is incredible. It is really neat to get a sense for how much they enjoy performing this show and how enthused the staff is.
79 Horns
Percussion Battery 9 snares, 5 multi-toms, 5 Bass plus a full pit.
Guard was large, but I didn't count
Repertoire: Thy Kingdom Come - Throne Procession and Fanfare * Tenth Symphony, Second Movement * Power Shift * Planet Damnation * Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (variation 18) * The Quest for Glory
Their show is a true celebration of 70 Crusader years. It is regal and aggressive, very much befitting the Crusader brand. Their OTL builds from the rear left corner like the approaching legions with clear rank and file pictures. As it works to a frenzy with repetitive urgent rhythmic figures, the whole corps does a series of quick hops in formation. Wow, what an effect! They utilize a large throne well to feature soloists and to frame a duel between two snare drummers. Their ballad number is particularly beautiful.
My only criticism is their closing number which I think takes too long to develop and lacks finality in its conclusion. The staff seems very savvy and I am sure this will improve as the season progresses. My prediction for the corps is 5th to 7th. As I mentioned earlier, I feel this is a stronger program than Phantom, but right now there is a significant spread in percussion. Phantom once again has one of the premier percussion sections in drum corps. The Crusaders must have been very disappointed in their score this evening a full 2 points beneath Phantom who they had tied the previous meeting.
I hope that you all have the opportunity to watch some drum corps this summer.
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My Manning memory at World Open Prelims 1970...
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I had the opportunity to watch the Crusaders practice and compete at Lynn. I was very impressed by the focus of the group. You could see how eager the kids and staff are to make the most of this great program.
In my opinion, the program has more potential than Phantom's. So much of Phantom's visual show seemed like movement for the sake of movement and did not complement or reflect the musical book like Boston's show does. Boston's opening has incredible power and momentum. I love the unison "jumping" movements as the opener builds to a frenzy. My main criticism to the program would be that it seems to lose steam in the closer with too much time in development leaving the punches too few and brief. The ballad is a beautiful number.
I think Boston should have beat Phantom...call me a homer!
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I agree with the stadium problems noted, but certainly the venue was a huge improvement from the Endicott College field where there was no high view. The sponsors must be pleased with the significantly larger crowd which Manning field accomodates as well. The stands were pretty well packed from my vantage point on the 50 and 17 rows up. I offer my thanks to the Cardinals Alumni for a well run show.
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I think it's great that people like to name drop. BUT for those not in the know (like myself) it would be cool to link some info about their bio/accomplishments and/or other groups they worked with previously... so that the name drop means something to those that are not in that loop. I guess I could do a search in the forums if I didn't want to be lazy. AND if the person is a drum corps legend or God...well I'm sorry I never heard of them.
Former Cavaliers director.
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I agree. FFF should be left to good old fashioned lung power and not subjected to the homogenization of low end synth boosting. This is "keeping up with the Jones's"...use it or suffer in comparison to the herd.
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Go Crusaders! The number 6 spot should be hotly contested this year. It would be great to see them move up in their anniversary year!
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I thought a very interesting conclusion was that correlating with the almost 20 year old average age of the top world class corps (no surprise) was that their parents were also less likely to attend their performances than with younger members. It emphasizes a crucial difference in the audience recruitment/marketing efforts since there is less of a "guaranteed" audience. I think what also correlates here is the loss of a local recruitment base identity for the corps which used to exist along with the regional circuit rivalries.
DCI has never done a good job nurturing a regional base for drum corps. I feel this should be a major goal with the Open Class corps and should revolve about developing a non-touring and more regional basis for these corps aside from the big Indianapolis annual appearance.
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Wow, sounds like a winner to me. I can't wait to see it with some sweet drill moves!
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Madison 1995-1997. Best lead lines of all time. As far as best finals ovation, listen to Madison 1995 at Buffalo.
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About 30 at Revere, Massachusetts. Show start was delayed almost one hour due to apparent technical difficulties receiving the satellite feed. Things were fine once they finally got rolling. I thought the show was the best produced yet (and I have seen them all). Nice blend of history and current drum corps. Boston Crusaders and Bluecoats horn lines sound great for so early. I am looking forward to seeing them at Allentown, if not sooner!
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Horn line sounds technically sound (and big). I can't wait to hear the book.
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27th.....
usually had a crowd pleasing musical book.......
always had a strong visual package with a strong guard, and in their best years, at or near the top with their visual package.
Probably the 1st corps who had a show design that was primarily "visually driven", and they were successful with that.
always marched well by season's end.....
percussion usually strong by season's end.........
brass usually kept them out of the running.........they had some decent books and attempted to sell the show, but usually were outperformed musically by the better brass lines in the country..........
are to be admired for sticking to their style, and were always a bunch of hard working kids who never gave up...........
is missed......
GB
Interesting perspective on the Lancers horn lines. I am sure things changed over their almost twenty competitive seasons, but I know that in the early 70's they had THE horn line in drum corps. The sound was so overwhelming and solid that my friends and I often used to comment after their performances, "Did they even have a drum line out there?" They were very "in your face" and solid. Lead parts were not high , but written in a power range for the section as a whole with a very nice balanced section sound. We were completely in awe of their brass sound. Over the years their drum lines became much better. I know that the 1994 reunion corps had one awesome collection of percussion talent.
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The tenor bugle to which Fossil refers is actually a kind of big-bellied soprano, with a bell approaching 6 inches in diameter. They were made to give a bit more body to the 2nd soprano voice in the early days. (Most of the early bugle choir arrangements stipulated 2 sop parts and 2 baritone.)
These horns were in use in some corps into the early '60s, occasionally employed by soloists who liked their characteristic darker tone and enhanced projection. Ace Petersen, Jeff Mitchell, Dennis Aquilina, Ken Norman and I have performed on them at DCA I&E, in various incarnations of "The 3 Tenors".
Ray Fallon is thinking of a different horn, pitched an octave lower and made with a tenor trombone bell. The G/D version of this instrument was initially marketed as the "Baro-tone", and was still being played by many competing corps through 1964 or so, in conjunction with the newer "Bass Baritone" which would ultimately replace it. We called the diminutive one the "small-bell baritone". These pop up on ebay with regularity.
My first horn in corps in 1965 as a third sop was a Leedy tenor sans rotor. I was bummed by the clunker. I wanted one of those spiffy Getzen Titleists that the leads had. Had to wait a year!
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I never met Nick, but he was legendary in Appleknocker circles. He conducted them at Carnegie Hall in 1964 at Drum Corps News' "An Evening With the Corps" show (available on Fleetwood Sounds). He succeeded Jack Bullock as music director for the corps and as Donny mentioned also wrote some shows for the Auburn Purple Lancers in the 1969-1972 years. I always enjoyed listening to his music in drum corps. The arrangements were interesting, tasteful, and challenging. In 1970 or 1971 he did an "all Italian" show for the Purple Lancers with "Amparita Roca" as an OTL...fun stuff and amusing. His corps sound was unique. RIP Nick.
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Again, I'm not talking about the corps membership, I'm talking about audiences. It won't matter how many members you have if there's no one to play for.
Correct, John. Did an alumni show at Haverford HS a few years back where there were more of us on stage than there were in the audience. It was painful.I would venture to say that this is a problem for most live music ensembles unless you are a group creating Billboard top 40 songs or are in a professional ensemble at the top of your genre. The days when the public had to attend a live performance to hear the tunes they love being played are gone. With the universal availability of professional performances of any kind of music imaginable on the internet, MP3, CD, etc., there is much less reason for people to make the effort to go to hear live performances. The day of the touring bands as the only way to hear great music performed well are gone. I have played in some excellent ensembles usually to far less that capacity audiences. I think that unless a performance is linked to some other celebration, the crowds are likely to be disappointing in size.
Just think about some of those huge drum corps crowds of old. The American Legion and VFW Nationals were part of conventions and most of the attendees were really there for other reasons.
Allentown - Both Nights
in DCI (All) Corps Show & Event Reviews
Posted
I was at Allentown both nights as well. I was interested to see if Madison could breath any new life into these great classics from their past. I will admit to being skeptical and not convinced that it was a wise move to go back and do it all over again in the modern age. They proved to me that this skepticism was unfounded. It was really exhilirating to see how they owned the place when they took the field and how this connected with the fans. I don't think it is possible to ever truely replicate the overwhelming G bugle dominance of the 1974 and 1975 lines, but they were quite convincing and, if anything, added new layers of nuance, style, and evenness to the old blockbuster blueprint. They have definitely reestablished the brand. I, for one, cannot wait to see what the future holds for them. This type of performance is a good anchor for the activity.