tdmooring

I like that something like this causes so much angst that the reviewer feels a need to “not… pull punches” Doesn’t make it the truth BUT it is funny and silliness breaks a little of the monotony. I also must admit that I do feel a little happier knowing something like this makes someone so open about their opinions that readers will know not to take the reviewers thoughts with anything more than a smirk and a good little chuckle. So here’s to YOU kid! "Good job!"

Maybe this is a piece they stayed away from because of his connection. And maybe they are doing it now as a way to say thank you?

Spending time on un-judged choreography and music at the beginning of shows did not hinder top corps the last few years. I would think that this new addition would not have any major impact on those same corps.

Sometime when I'm home alone I like to lay down in the middle of my floor, pretend that I am a vegetable and wait until someone comes home to visit me in my garden. Today I was broccoli...

Has anyone mentioned Strawberry Soup? But really, I don't mind being the 234th person to suggest Strawberry Soup... Pretty please Madison...

And the hits just keep coming...

This is from Phantom's site. From their posted listing it seems that about 35-40 members aged out with about 10 of those being guard members... Phantom Regiment Class of 2010

Electronics: I feel a great many fans are drawn to drum corps for the music and drum corps' unique and distinct sound. I can debate all day about the level/influence and balance between the visual and musical components but at the end of the day there have always been a changing handful of corps that emphasize their music in any given year irregardless of placement and those are the shows that I enjoy and support through donation and/or purchase. Unfortunately, the addition synthesized sound and samples have GREATLY diminished my enjoyment in listening to shows. I have always loved live music and felt that live music has a greater emotional and more powerful impact opposed to heavily processed studio music. This is where I found enjoyment musically and this is where I fell in love with drum corp. This years shows (with all the great music) stands out. I absolutely loved the music from the Bluecoats and the Blue Stars but I felt (for me) that the synthesized additions to their individual show didn't add anything special to them and I would personally have greatly loved to hear an acoustical version if each show. To me, if SCV were to do Miss Saigon today we most likely would not hear the imaginative and powerful effects that made that show so enjoyable and memorable. Today we would find corps simply adding "canned" audio effects instead of exploring, experimenting and learning the musical evolution of a show/concept. I am continually amazed at the level of musicianship and physical ability of today's members and to me the addition of synthesized audio and effects cheapens this high level of accomplishment. Drum corps had a powerful acoustical element to their shows long before I (and many others) became fans so I don't necessary buy the argument that this where Drum Corps NEEDS to go in order to continue and be successful. I don't "hate" or "despise" the idea of synthesized audio/effects, I simply don't enjoy it and there are a great many fans that feel the same. I'm sure some corps will continue to find creative and interesting ways to use this new tool however that is not a product that I will particularly look for. Ultimately if this is the direction the DCI decides to go, then that is their choice. Fans that feel as I do will simply find other musical avenues to enjoy and the individuals that prefer the processed audio and effects in drum corps will be the ones left. But to saying that drum corps NEED to move in this direction is like saying athletes NEED steroids to help keep sports entertaining.

1. Faust – Dark and powerful with a suspenseful ending. Gorgeous. 2. Harmonic Journey – Most beautiful arrangement and and so much emotion from the musician. 3. Spartacus – No quite as strong musically however, their best overall package top to bottom 4a. On Air – very underrated, powerful and a joy to listen to. 4b. Into the Light - Beautiful. Will be viewed by many as underrated after a few years 5. Rhapsody – Fun, but different (this is a successful example of Phantom stepping out of the box) 6. Virtuoso – Very good music. Strong, powerful ending! 7. Apasionada 874 – Very technically interesting music, first half not a strong as the second half. 8. Masters of Mystique – Have found myself listening to this show on a far more regular basis than initially. 9. Heroic Sketches – Just not very well put together. 10. Red Violin – (this is a disastrous example of Phantom stepping out of the box). I find myself listing to all but the final two shows on a regular bases, depending my mood or company I am with. If the final two shows were burnt to CD's, I would use them as a coaster. The musicians did everything they could for those two shows and I applaud them however design of the shows themselves are not something I enjoy.

Same here... On both IE8 and Firefox all the downloads stop/stall/freeze whenever I try to download any of them.

It's really sad that it is so predictable...

1. Bluecoats 2. Phantom 3. Cavaliers 4. Madison 5. Carolina Crown 6. Blue Stars 7. Blue Knights 8. Cadets 9. Boston Crusaders 10. SCV 11. Glassmen 12. Blue Devils

I believe that if certain corps were to “magically” switch shows with other corps (and switch the execution/performance level at the same time) that they would still be ranked higher. The only thing that would change would be the “justification” for ranking them higher. I don't consider this corps specific, I feel this would be true with a few corps...

Phantom is not getting the credit they deserve from the judges...

Phantom 6th in music and 4th in drums!?!?!?

Music GE...

^ ^ What he said...

I hope not. They are getting killed in some key areas. They are still very dirty and there are moments that are lacking that I think are hold down some scores. But the problem is that the cleaning of the show "seems" slower than normal and this may be hindering the addition of effect/music based improvements? Does anyone have any info on updates to the show that are planned or are they waiting for a 2-3 day extended break before the next show change/update. I just worry that they will fall too far behind to really finish this show strong...

After seeing this show I think it's going to be like the 2007 show. It's a show that grows with the viewer/listener. Very hard to clean based on what they are trying to do (and express) and probably not going to be fully appreciated by most until after the season. Then it will be brought up as one of those “underrated” shows and being very beautiful and interesting to listen to (and watch) by many fans in retrospect.

WOW! In this tread there is a lot of hate and spite from individual posters that try to "claim" "neutrality" in the name of fairness. True colors huh? At the end of the day why try to create or harbor so much animosity? This is Drum Corp. Druuuuuuum Coooooooorp... Agree or not, take it for what it's worth. See where the proposal goes, or better yet, contact mulitple corps and DCI and express your feelings as an alumni, fan or member. Maybe, just maybe their response will convince you (or help convince them on way or the other). But at the end of the day the spite and negativity towards corps (and in respect, the youth that march those corps) accomplishes nothing and even devalues the point you are trying to make. Remember, this is Drum Corp... Not world politics, not the apocalypse, but Druuuuuuum Coooooooorp...

I don't doubt quality played a role in the selection and I don't feel a heavy selection of historic shows should dominate (maybe focus on the last 5 years with 1 or 2 older segments and the historic context of those shows. But as you said it seems like DCI used this as an advertisement for the DVD's and Blue-Rays and at that point you are basically paying for an extended infomercial (which a number of fans said the show felt like after viewing). Most likely, anyone that was going to buy the DVD's and Blue-Rays were going to buy them regardless of the countdown, the only difference would be seeing it on the big screen. I only suggest that "The Countdown" at that point loses it's appeal as an educational/entertainment documentary event and that in itself will draw lower crowds and fuel fewer interest. That was the result for me and my friends where as in the past we would all attend (with additional family members attending that supported our interest in Drum Corp). Judging from some of the responses, we were not the only group that felt that way. I will continue to attend shows with great anticipation and I will watch what I can on the Fan Network but the current “Countdown” just doesn't interest me.

If one (or even two, any two) of last years top 5 were shown along with fan favorites mixed into a documentary style show then I would be one of the first in line... But to leave out fan favorites and focus on the top five with "dribbles" from other corps/older shows? Nope... And I have been watching DCI for 20 years (love the new shows and the historic show). This years countdown show did nothing to interest me (our many of my DCI friends). With such a vast history and vast fan-base DCI could REALLY do some cool things and produce a very nice show but somehow they decided that a rehash of last years top five would be okay... Hey, I'm sure it looked great but if they want MORE fans and a chance to showcase Drum Corp to new fans then this was not the way to go... They need to bite the bullet and get a “film maker” (at least someone different) to direct and produce the countdown/show IMO.

Hey, good for the Scouts. At least they are stepping outside the box (a little) and who knows, maybe they can make it work and interesting... It's nice to see corps experimenting with the sound and vocal structure (instead of just visual). I think a lot of Drum Corp fans can appreciate that.

I really like the modern visuals. But i dislike the emphasis that puts "Music" (to me, music is different than playing a difficult series of notes and phrases over and over) at a disproportionate disadvantage. I actually like the modern sound. For the most part, I dislike the modern arrangements. It seems like it is slowly, SLOWLY coming back full circle (back to musically interesting shows that you could enjoy with just headphones... still not really there yet...). But for the most part I find myself listening to very few shows on a repeat basis in any give year when previously I would pick a year and randomly select almost any show for enjoyment. I am very impressed at the overall skill and physical ability of today's corp members. But I think that a lot of TRUE emotion, spirit, personality have been suppressed and replaced with SCRIPTED emotion, spirit, personality. I liked it when a show would flirt with that edge control. With some corps that was part of their personality, and it use to be rewarded just like the corps that had very "formal" personalities. That's what made it entertaining, both spectrum's were respected and it created (GASP!) identity.

[Cough, Cough] Dear anyone from Phantom Regiment, Please ignore those that post about any issue relating to "crash, brash, bad, too loud ( REALLY?!?!?!), ect..." style sounds in the Phantom method of musical performance. There is a reason Phantom is so highly reguarded by a great number of Drum Corp fans, year after year (and it's not because they "tip-toe" around music)... Good luck, have fun, stay healty and strong. Thank you, That is all...