DrumManTx

Here you go good sir.

I posted this in the Akron thread, but I wanna bring it over hear since they were my 2nd favorite tonight: Boston Crusaders - First, let me say that I LOVE DARK SHOWS! And this is THE darkest one I've ever seen in drum corps, by far. That said, it is CLEARLY UNFINISHED. But I see the bones, and they're calcium enriched and STRONG. This show right now is music and drill with a couple thematic moments and is filthy dirty. That said, the difficulty they are putting on these performers isn't even on the same level as Madison, they are HAULING ### and playing HARD stuff the WHOLE show. They are ALL over the place from a field coverage standpoint. Clearly not the closer either. But this show is monster, and once and IF they can clean it, watch out, they'll blow right past everyone that's close right now and into the top 6. Once they add show silks, more thematic elements, some re-writes, this could be a monumental show for them. I dunno, I have a gut feeling these guys have tasted blood, and they're out for more. If they clean, they're seriously going to do some damage. Was HUGELY impressed by them tonight despite being the dirtiest, least finished, and the lowest. Boston, BRING IT!

My thoughts on the Cinecast: Cavaliers - LOVE this show! It's pretty bare bones right now, but it's so dark and playful at the same time. Tons of cool stuff, that Marimba feature is off the charts awesome! Drill is great, music is fun, and the overall theme is presented well right now. A pleasant surprise! MILES better than the last two years! Madison Scouts - LOVED the music! Classic Madison, and they sounded great! The visual program was the complete opposite, I'm sorry but that was one of my least favorite visual programs I've seen in awhile. I get what they were saying about the color scheme, and I loved the second half, but eek. They could of done the theme easily without the guy aimlessly walking across the field and doing a couple backflips at the end. And the visual performance wasn't spectacular either, cleaner than Boston, but that was....well I'll get there in a minute. And the all white highlighted that. We'll see, but visually, not a fan at all. Musically, FANTASTIC! Boston Crusaders - First, let me say that I LOVE DARK SHOWS! And this is THE darkest one I've ever seen in drum corps, by far. That said, it is CLEARLY UNFINISHED. But I see the bones, and they're calcium enriched and STRONG. This show right now is music and drill with a couple thematic moments and is filthy dirty. That said, the difficulty they are putting on these performers isn't even on the same level as Madison, they are HAULING ### and playing HARD stuff the WHOLE show. They are ALL over the place from a field coverage standpoint. Clearly not the closer either. But this show is monster, and once and IF they can clean it, watch out, they'll blow right past everyone that's close right now and into the top 6. Once they add show silks, more thematic elements, some re-writes, this could be a monumental show for them. I dunno, I have a gut feeling these guys have tasted blood, and they're out for more. If they clean, they're seriously going to do some damage. Was HUGELY impressed by them tonight despite being the dirtiest, least finished, and the lowest. Boston, BRING IT! Phantom Regiment - It feels like I've seen them, Cadets, and Crown a million times already by watching videos......show is nice, not as bad as I thought on first impression, but I dunno, didn't hit me too hard. I think they performed VERY well tonight and that's what got them that great score, but that happened with The Red Violin, and by finals they were in 9th. There's an absolute bull of a show behind them, even if it was 6 points behind them tonight. The Cadets - I'VE ALREADY SEEN THEM SO MUCH. Great show, like the narration, fantastic performance levels. Contender. Carolina Crown - See the above two. Great job tonight, still feel the field is cluttered. Already stated my thoughts a million times on other threads.......onto THE show: Bluecoats - Holy Mother ####### ####. JESUS this show is AWESOME! Usually when I hype a show this much I'm dissapointed. They BLEW PAST ALL EXPECTATIONS! The show.....oh my God. I love what he said, no underlying meanings, no cheesy storyline's, just a simple theme and FULL ON YOUR FACE DRUM CORPS! Their visual design is their best in YEARS, back to heel first technique, LOVED the guard, the brass is phenomenal, and the percussion is un ####### believable! Rarick and Thrower have absolutely outdone themselves here. Best use of props, electronics, staging I've EVER seen in my opinion. The show is beautifully simplistic, fantastically arranged, and just downright amazing. My new all time favorite show from any marching idiom. As far as winning goes, who gives a ####. When a show made me feel that way I don't give two flying........maybe I should stop cussing now. BLOO! Ranking of enjoyment: Bluecoats Boston Crusaders Cavaliers Carolina Crown The Cadets Phantom Regiment Madison Scouts Best Use of the Color Orange: Bluecoats

That G7 in the drill is the most hilarious thing I have EVER seen!

Boston Crusaders just earned a whole other level of respect from me for that. HILARIOUS!

All I have to say about the Cinecast is that the Bluecoats have my new all time favorite marching arts show.

I have now seen videos of the Colts, Spirit of Atlanta, Troopers, and Crossmen. Troopers and Crossmen are my picks for #12 and #13. Troopers has more gas in the tank down the home stretch in difficulty and show depth, and Crossmen are very clean right now, we'll see if they can maintain down the road, only about 2 points behind the Blue Knights is good for them. Colts show is.........I'm going to need to see it a few more times. Haven't really seen something in DCI like it before. Spirit has a shot, but out of the 4 I feel like right now their show doesn't have as much depth and the brass and percussion are having a few more performance issues than Troopers and Crossmen. You never know, could clean up. Come semifinals I see it shaking down like this: 12th - Troopers 13th - Crossmen 14th - Spirit of Atlanta 15th - Colts These are just impressions after the first week, you never know what could happen with rewrites and cleaning, but the show designs right now are very telling. There's also Pacific Crest, Oregon, Mandarins, and The Academy who just two years ago were in the heat of this fight, they had an off year last year, they could rebound.

DEM ONE HANDERS! Cadets can play as well as they want, Bluecoats always have my favorite line.

Blue Stars need to come down here to the Texas panhandle, we need the rain.

Oh I did. :) love what they're doing. Thought tarps were gonna be added tonight, those will sure enhance the visual program versus the black.

Friend shared the ballad clip, that was gorgeous.

Crown over Cadets in percussion.

I miss the Glassmen.

A little taste of the ballad in the second half of this........ . Imma need a cigarette after that and I don't even smoke. lol https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUHju36zb22mYBtBtXSx5jJg&feature=player_embedded&v=ZzOQJb2sx1Q Here's a prediction, Bluecoats have my favorite show, by far and away this year.

Thank you for the play by play Kevin, yours are always my favorites to read on here.

Blue Stars will have their tarps in for this show per a friend on the hornline.

Please share. Lol. Not friends with him.

It is here in Texas....... :p

So I'm a percussion guy, haven't really gotten into the being able to tell a REALLY good hornline from the good ones part of being a music major, but it seems like Bluecoats have pretty solid one this year. Maybe I should ask this after tomorrow where we hear a REALLY good recording, but thoughts on them?

Off Topic/ Went to New York on a band trip my junior year of high school, had both of the first, and ohmygod haven't been the same person since. Now you got me hungry. On Topic/

I WAS RIGHT ABOUT SOMETHING! I knew, regardless of how high a level the design was, I was going to enjoy it. But it is VERY high on a few first reads. How much they can do with a little itty bitty 4 letter word astounds me. This is new age drum corps, ESPECIALLY the use of electronics, at it's absolute best. I see this show in a little less then a month, and I cannot wait.

I know, that's why I said, it sounds like it is, not 100% sure yet. And I suck at my choice in words, I meant partially in terms of the show design being a hit versus a miss, and partially with the fans. Twitter and their Facebook page absolutely exploded last night, which I haven't seen too many other times with a first show. We'll see, saw another video today, this show is incredible, if this is where drum corps is headed with their visual design and use of electronics, then count me in because it's incredible. I don't give a #### what the judges think here, like 2010 Bluecoats and 2010 Blue Stars, this is off the charts for me already. And there are a few rare, rare occasions where a fan favorite show wins, Phantom 08, Cadets 11, Crown last year (maybe more about the corps winning than the show), but you get my drift.

That is the best visual program they've had, well ever?

SO MUCH HYPE.