BigHoosierMack

From my time spent watching and asking questions, it seems to me the approach from day one results in the "appearance" (mostly during 1st tour); Many (most) groups find that learning to play with appropriate support and intensity of the airstream are embraced first, and the control required to balance and blend that sound becomes the "task at hand" for second tour. Cavs just do it backwards...teach the ballance and blend, teach the listening responsibilities, then make it louder. It leaves fans wanting more during 1st tour, but by the end they usually stack up with the other big boys.. My gut tells me it is a result of their emphasis on listening....you cant all play FFFFFFF and really hear anything...so learn to listen and hear the sound before it is produced.....plus, they get to "f around the arc"...how cool is that? (sorry im on my phone and cant use smileys) Michael

See, the tempo alone isn't the problem. During my brief time there, the staff did a LOT of experimentation regarding ways to move you VAST distances very quickly. Admittedly some of them were REALLY silly, and got about 3 reps before they were scrapped. This iteration of the crab step is obviously a result of that experimentation. You physically could NOT move your feet at 236 and travel with the same step size they did. It would be physically impossible, and if you think I'm wrong, 5 minutes and a youtube video should make me change my mind. But noone will, because noone can. If they could have, why would one of the most efficient and well oiled visual machines in the world have invested the time? Thats why it's innovative. It was traveling farther, faster than previously possible with other techniques. It was also appropriately thematic, what with the tap-dancing and cabaret shows of the era. ~M

To our "humble" uniform designer, Your first post in this thread made me think you were a bit of a blowhard. Your second one made me realize I like you 100% because you're just blunt and you obviously read this board enough to know the way people assume we're all morons. You rock. And I liked the Broken Arrow look...... on Broken Arrow... and yes, even BS. ~M

That gave me goosebumbs. I was in the '01 version, and since finals I've never seen a group move better, Until '09. I told a few guys in the parking lot after the show that I'm no longer part of the best marching ensemble ever....because '09 devils just won that caption hands down. Rediculous! ~M

John H at Devils was a rookie 16 year old in 01. And it was Tobias's rookie year too I Believe. M

With the exception of the last 90 seconds or so of the show, this one is one of my favorites.... Best finish since '98.....I wouldn't call it an off year, I'd call it a steady step back towards elite status. Anyone remember singing ..... to the tune of the 1812 overture.... I March in Phantom Cause I like 8th place...? ~Michael

Three words: All........ MALE....... corps..... I jest....sorta M

This paragraph is the Blue Devils. Those guys really seem to like each other personally and respect each other professionally, and that says something for their humility (especially when that many great people are all together so much of the time). And I would guess consistency of touring instructional staff has a lot to do with it too. Go and watch Devils rehearse, 99% of the time it's the same few people teching/cleaning/etc. It's not that way at a lot of other places. That positive consistency bleeds into the members, I've never experienced the negativity (beyond how much the front of the bus sucks) with Devils from member to member that I did with some others. ~M

I can hear it now... "Now you see, those people with the drums on are what we call drummers...and when they hit the drum with that stick they call that "Drumming." Now It's important that your drumming lines up with the person next to you, so you sound good. And the drumming has to match up with the people tootin'.....those trumpet-lookin things are tooters...and you have to march and toot and drum alll together all at the same time, or it just doesn't look good." Absolutely CRACKING up right now. I swear to god I heard him say "Now when the official throws a flag that means there's a penalty on the play, and as a coach, you're really hoping that penalty isn't against your team, or you might have to back up a few yards and try again." ~Michael

This makes me think you have very little experience with the organization. Phantom, maybe several chiefs all named Dan...but Glassmen....no. There is one chief, and one chief only..... And hes pretty flippin good, for a Cadet :-) M

Forgive me if this has already been said somewhere, I can only read through so many pages of "I'm not ever going there" before they all start sounding the same. Freedom of Info: 1)Yes, I'm From Indiana. 2)Yes, I am admittedly happy watching finals in a middle school stadium if it's just a couple hours away. While I can't help how hopelessly pessimistic SO MANY people are about LOS, it seems like a simple fix is already available. I'm not a sound engineer, I'm not an expert, but I made an effort to sit in every section of the stadium after reading DCP on Thursday of finals week. Yes, there are line of sight issues, but those seats will eventually become less expensive, it's the free market. Honestly, we're Drum Corps people. If there are empty seats that are better, MOST of us are going to move. How many of us have paid nothing to get into a show and bragged about it? People are smart and will adapt to that, it's not a deal breaker. Now, the Acoustics are admittedly a concern, but only if they are not addressed with the technology already being utilized in part of the stadium. I sat in the seat directly below the number 4 in the section 640. Highest seat on the 50, and it was honestly the best sounding seat in the house. Bass drums were clean, even if visually delayed. Horns got UP! LOADS of goosebumps. I'm looking around and the top rim of the stadium is the ONLY surface in the place covered with what I assume are sound dampening panels (Corrugated with little holes). I start looking around and realize every other vertical surface in the place is concrete, and it clicks, at least to me, that they just need to put it everywhere. Obviously "everywhere" is a lot of places, but we are a lot of money (Collectively DCI/MFA/ISSMA/) and a lot of business. Concerts are worth even more. It did suck in a lot of places. It CAN be fixed Even I would be a little more comfortable if someone somewhere at least acknowledged something "less than perfect" Michael

Basically "setting new standards" is the definition of "box 5" on every sheet I've ever seen. "Setting new standards in...Uniformity, consistency, acheivement, design, basically everything. The verbage on the sheets is very similar to what you refferenced within the ranks of WGI...unless it has changed dramatically in the last couple of seasons. Michael

No, you wont need oxygen. For the height its surprisingly easy to get there. It is easy to get distracted by secondary and tertiary forms, guard transitions, etc. because you are SOO high and very close. But the sound at BOA grand nats wasnt too bad. Typical drum dirt from that high in any stadium. What you WILL need is a chiropracter after fidgeting/leaning forward to remove the rail in front of you from your field of vision. Row 12 in 604 is where I will be for everything, because its above the visual obstructions of rows 1-4....sorry for those people for sure....i would feel a little robbed. Michael

Yeah man, Glassmen got the show site? Even with the "top 3" there....thats pretty cool. Word on the street is that they were staying in a hotel last night too....?....wierd...did they have a housing site back out?. I wish I was there. God I love Allentown. ~Michael

Hello DCP. long time lurker...but i have to speak up on two points. First off I can't believe nobody has mentioned the drumline's (tenors specifically) duck-walk. Is it really worth it marching like that? I dont know any FMM-drummers to ask. Secondly i think it is a testament to the level of our activity, the designers, and performers that we can even have this discussion. I would admittedly be in the straight leg camp, but when you talk to any "guy" about his visual style they get really into it and define the crap out of it....and i instantly realize why they don't teach it to H.S. kids. It seems a necessity of their uniform choices and visual design, the marriage of the two. And it does bear a resemblance their approach to a horn line dynamic spectrum. 1)Make sure everyone can smoothly get their giant white hat from dot to dot (play pretty first) and then 2)Stand up straight when you get into shape ( get louder on second tour). It's all in good fun though because people who are dropping the straight leg technique look just as rediculous. Michael