RnBeans

MMhmm...so why go anymore? Make room for us boring people in the better seats...I hate posts like the one I'm making right now, but why in the world would someone bother to go to a show they're not interested in and then spend the entire day annoying people who want to be there!?

It's amazing to me that no one has mentioned this: In the upper rows of the lower sections of the Georgia Dome, the noise in the concession area is unbearable...sadly, there's not much anyone can do about the "fans" being so loud you can't hear half of the show (especially in the smaller/younger corps performances), but someone in DCI management SHOULD do something about the maintenance and janitorial staff doing incredibly loud work during performances. There was one point where there were several loud crashes behind sections 113/114, and a couple of times a "refuse removal specialist" was shaking open a new garbage bag for what seemed like FOREVER, and so loudly that it felt like he or she was whacking me over the head with it. In that concession area, though, it was mostly corps kids who were being so loud. When I marched, we understood the need to respect the other corps' performances. I guess that's not a big deal these days. No, I think we should be able to talk on the phone, talk to each other, etc. as we please, though I absolutely agree that we should attempt to be respectful while doing it. My wife had to answer the phone once, but was very quiet so as to not disturb others. On the other hand, there was a couple about 10 seats away who commented on what must have been their relative's corps at the top of their lungs. I could tell you everything in that show that was better or worse than last time they saw it. About getting up and down - I've been going to marching band and drum corps shows since 1990, and every show had a rule about not getting up and down during performances. Heck, when I marched, there were times I had to hold my bladder for three hours between rest stops. I find it hard to believe that 16-20 year old "kids" in the audience are so incontinent that they simply MUST interrupt and block my view of even my least favorite show (which I WILL CLAP FOR). An isolated incident, I'm sure - my wife had to endure a couple of high school kids virtually conceiving a child in her lap...where were these kids' parents/chaperones/directors? BUT, overall, despite these, I still love the Atlanta show...even with the 7 hour runtime.

I've had to return two items to DCI for various reasons in the past, and they were WONDERFUL about the exchange...BTW, so was WGI over a mistake they made once...sent the wrong DVD, and let me keep it whilst replacing with the correct one! One of those DCI replacements was the 2002 DVD set - the DVD locktab that holds the discs in the case was too tight and the DVD snapped into in my hands. They replaced the broken DVD and the case in a couple of days. I must've missed the Cadets "special" CD at Atlanta...what's on it? Is it good (i.e. worth a portion of my paycheck?). Being a drummer, I enjoyed reaping the benefits of the economy by purchasing two older Jonz DVD's from SCV for a whopping total of 15 bucks. CHEAP IS GOOD! Let us know what you find out...my '08 CD's seem to be fine...I'll have to relisten...

FAIR ENOUGH! Thanks!

Yes, Gbassman5, you are correct...I was referring to Casella's writing in the solos for the 98-00 years...and yes, Mason is writing now, and I MAY BE WRONG HERE, but the solo this year smacks of Gusseck. The guy on the field often has the ok to do rewrites, and Gusseck has plenty of experience (I understate that), so it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility that he wrote the solo.

Yeah, I have actually been completely unimpressed by various Spirit hornlines (and some drumlines, sorry Clint) since we marched in '99, but I'm on board with SpiritOfAtlanta99. I DON'T think the scores are the hornline this year, though they do have their issues, and the drumline has some serious dirt, but it's not so bad as audiodb has said, and I think it's a step up, overall...seems the drum judges generally agree, too. If you pay attention to recaps, it's mostly visual. I've seen a few rehearsals and watched/listened to FN broadcasts/downloads. I would agree with the judges. Perhaps not in the crazy low scores, but in the ranking, probably. And if you're going to use electronics, Spirit's doing it the right way! The whole notion as Darth Hopkins presented it, is that you use the electronics to create a more appropriate mood for the specific material (I think the quote was something like "if you're doing a show about the ocean, you should be able to use a sample of the ocean"...which is a vast oversimplification of the idea). What is Kansas but guitars and Hammond organ? BTW, I dig Crossmen and Bluecoats use of electronics, too. Very, very mood inducing. We got bagged early on in '99, so I know what that feels like. Then, before the middle of the season, it became EXACTLY what we earned. I wonder if member retention has anything to do with the attitudes created by negativity on web forums...I know that wasn't the problem before the net, but things change with the times. Criticism is fair...and when constructive, it can be very helpful...but to give a simple list of perceived problems isn't constructive, it's destructive. SOA99, are you on Facebook? PM me and let me know. I'm trying to get to know some of the people who were hauling butt behind me at all those rehearsals and shows whilst I had my head buried in the vibraphone (or under it, trying to fix it). Amazing how much weight you can lose playing in the pit when the food is bad!

I wouldn't blame the corps, I'd blame the uniform manufacturer (unless the staff just simply ordered too late, which is doubtful). I've dealt enough with good and bad uniform supply places to know what's the staff's fault and what's theirs, and I can BET this was theirs. However, I agree with analytical guy. '99 Spirit guard, who placed VERY low, got uni's late. They did the whole "on the cheap" thing to start the season, but still felt slighted and still felt no sense of identity. MANY did not return to Spirit the following year. Maybe a corps problem, maybe not, initially. Don't remember the details. But the lack of returning members to the guard was the outcome and that IS the corps problem, any day of the week! Not a good season for the rest of the marching members either for MANY reasons, and I don't have stats, but the best I could tell, there were a larger percentage of wind/percussion members returning over the next few years than guard. So, treadstone, you win in my book! On the other hand, the product is pretty cool. Can't wait to see it on the field in Atlanta!

I've wondered about that 2003 PR arrangement of Canon since...well...2003. Found it on iTunes with you guys' info. I appreciate that, you've made a terrible day just a tad brighter. I knew there was a reason I started reading and posting here this summer! Now, if someone can just hook me up with the original of the full Autumn Leaves arrangement from old Coats shows, that'd be awesome. I Emailed the director in the early days of AOL, and he told me it was by, I think Stan Mark or Stan Marks, but it was virtually unavailable. Surely, that's not true anymore. It took forever, but I found all the Scouts Don Ellis stuff, so, I can't give up hope for Autumn Leaves! THANKS!

Uh huh...actually, I don't disagree... I'm a bit of a daydreamer at times, and I sometimes muse over the fact that really and truly, there's zero point to what we do (those of us who do Band or corps) and love (Drum Corps)...then I slap myself in the forehead..because I realize that: 1) there is a point - it brings people together and teaches what is truly a performing art in-and-of itself, with no real relation to symphonic, pop, dance, jazz music other than its passing resemblance through arrangements...It's why a GOOD original show always gets me pumped. Corps (and sometimes band) are wonderful unexplored media. They are also a wonderful teaching tool through those passing resemblances I mentioned. I would not know MUCH of my favorite jazz and orchestral/concert band music were I not introduced through corps shows. This year is no exception. That Elvis Costello Midsummer Night's Dream stuff is way cool. And BCoats' music this year is amazing! And I dig BStars' show, too, speaking of original music. 2) if there is no point, I still love it, so why am I wasting time thinking about it when I could just go and WATCH SOME! Point of interest...I'm JUST young enough I don't remember the exact beginning of the BBS services that predated the WWW. Could people have been BBSing about the SCV '89 show?

Thanks, that's what I thought. By the same token, if 84 sounded like an "exercise", then by SCV/Gusseck standards, I propose that this one, too, sounds a little exercisey...and I'm a drummer, too! Still dig it, just wish they could or would bump it back a minute or so in the show...I think it might work a tad better... For argument's sake, and I realize I'm talking Casella and not Gusseck, but a '98,'99,'00 style solo would have actually worked well...

Not attacking, not my style...and I'm new here...I don't want any trouble. But, with Maestro Fiedler's very cool assertion that the corps is trying to "carve a new niche" or something to that effect, in which a drum corps can emulate the exact phrasing and stylistic considerations of an original composition rather than making it too corps-ish, can someone please...and I'm serious here...explain the drum solo to me? It doesn't fit Copland's style at all, and certainly not the style of the current show... HOWEVER, it IS very cool in its own right. And very noisy in a good way. I just wonder if it shouldn't have been in a different show. Someone close to the organization shed some light? BTW...the uni's this year are SO much better than last year's shiny things. As a loyal FJM user, I hate that they left FJM, but these uni's are pretty nifty, ESP the DM uni.

First post, be gentle - Personally: big fan of virtually everything Crown's done since 2003. Not absolutely everything, but almost... What I don't understand is why people on these forums keep referring to their shows as "easy". And yes, this will quickly devolve into a Cadets Crown tirade right about...now: Certainly, they play fewer runs (SOME YEARS) than Cadets...they choose to dance or do other body movement rather than march at breakneck speeds (often questionably in terms of execution)...But what they're doing is NOT easy...I have to say that I can't do what they do...I couldn't on my best day, and I'd bet that's true of many of the people who bag on Crown for doing it, whether it's doing yoga/pilates/ballet/jazz dance whilst playing with incredible control, or just simply playing a beautifully written book at the highest quality! Their visual program is generally above reproach, though ALL programs have weaknesses throughout their growth each season. Their brass...simply, they do what only Phantom once did...they bring a balanced concert sound at...wait for it...multiple dynamic levels...including blisteringly loud! Their percussion, while for a while was the weakest link is now beginning to perform in the manner many observers always wanted to see from Mr. Beddis and crew...they just never had a chance to develop with a corps long enough to make their vision come to fruition. This is only the beginning for this percussion section, if there is consistency of staff for the next few years. I don't know if you guys frequent all of these forums (my guess is that you do). SCV 89 is considered amongst the greatest shows on many threads and by many people on DCP. Put simply, that show wasn't the hardest show ever...not even close...not even that year. Wonder if people were sitting around writing letters to each other about how "boring" that "easy" second-year PotO rehash was. Doubt it. Probably a grumble here and there from people that SCV was beating... And someone here referred to the Crown show as gimmicky...worked for Sky Ryders, worked for Star, worked for VK (in their own way), worked for the Cadets in 2005...didn't in 2006. Crown knows the limits of the gimmicks. They never seem to push beyond good taste, and let's face it, they could have with the horsey show. They also know how to play a show that both the audiences AND the judges dig. That's a LOST ART that Crown has helped to relocate. More of the shows are listenable this year than in many recent years, and the revolution was led by Crown in 2004-2005. Interesting how many said that electronics would be the end of what we knew as the activity, and since the addition of microphones shows have become progressively more entertaining and muscially interesting. At least in my opinion, and many around me, and many on DCP forums. I guess, though, that I've answered my own question: people always try to tear down those who do something new, especially if it's done very well. Just ask Einstein, Wagner, Edison, Bell, Dyson...wait, only Dyson is alive. So ask him and read about the others. Tell a person he or she can't do something, and you can bet they will. Crown can't win. There, I've said it. Maybe they will now...then people will go on for years talking about how they shouldn't have because it was an anniversary year for HNC, or it was finally back to roots for BD, or whatever. Or maybe they'll get tossed about like a ship at sea like their cousins at Star '93. The "harder" show won that year, too. Cool thing is, I know a couple of those Star guys, and they've never mentioned how disappointed they were...they noticed, I'm sure of it, and I'm sure they were beat up inside...then they laughed all the way to the bank. Great, now you've stopped reading and I've proved my teachers right: keep it short and you'll take 'em in. Thanks for reading...