DCISuperfan
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Posts posted by DCISuperfan
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Coats arent any worse i dont think, i personally believe the top 5 is just stronger than it was last year.
Mainly this, although I do think BC 2010 was a bit better than 2011.
Cadets - have a much better show than last year
BD - Much MUCH better show than last year
Cavaliers - a deeper, more thought provoking show, not necessarily better.
Crown - Musically its much better, visually I still think its a bit on the easy side.
That essentially means every corps is better this year in at least some respects. Tough to stay in top 3 when you arent pushing design like a lot of the other corps are.
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Been hit on this a few times from people ###-u-ming things so thought I'd open this up for others that feel the same way.
Long story short, I don't go to DCI shows anymore because I don't feel it's worth my time, effort (long story) and money to go anymore. Since we can't read voice inflections from a post I'll explain that's not a complaint but stating a fact. Still care about the activity and hope it survives (think all corps pieces need to be healthy), still care about the members but just don't care about the shows enough to attend. So no screaming, foaming at the mouth, etc.... it's more like a *shrug*.
Kinda like having two resturants tha serve (for example) chili. You like one place but not the other. You don't hope the other place goes under or B-word "that ain't chili", you just don't go. And you don't flip out is your friends go there.
PS - Walked away from all corps for 10 years in the early 1990s. Middle of a show (not a corps) I walked out cuz I was bored and had better things to do with my time. No screaming, no shouting, just *shrug* enough of this. Scarey part is once you leave it's almost impossible to come back. I came back (partially) only do to a bunch of co-incidences.
OK - Opening up to the Peanut Gallary...
I cant take you seriously anymore. Only an inconsiderate ##### would walk out in the middle of a show. I dont care if its the ballet, opera, concert, DCI, or your 6 year old's kindergarten end of year production, you dont walk out in the middle of it "cuz i was bored". That is classless and pathetic. Even if not in the middle of a corps, it still is classless.
Im glad your gone so I dont have to be in the stands and see you get up and walk out. People like you make me lose faith in humanity.
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well, the sheets take into account both the field and ensemble issues. Hence field judges and upstairs judges
Why does that matter though? I have always been curious as to why there is "on the field" judging other than maybe for percussion. The corps aims to entertain the audience and please the judges. Last time I checked, there werent audience members running around on the field... Why does it matter if the corps sounds good/bad at the field level? It matters what comes into the stands... I honestly dont care if a single mello player botches the 16th note lick as long as the rest of the corps hits it and it sounds spot on from where I am sitting...
Same goes with feet/technique, why does that matter? Does it look good from the stands? Does the corps look crisp from the stands? Than why do we care if the feet are totally in sync from the field level?
Just wondering..
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Maybe you didn't notice what the guard is doing at this time. It is called a guard feature. The horn line blows your ears off and the guard is dancing, throwing sabres, throwing rifles, etc. I am sure a guard person on here can tell you how easy all of this is.
Very true. But Cavaliers/Crown/Cadets all have relatively similar guard features but the corps doesnt sit in place for NEAR the amount of time that BD does.
Other corps just have more demanding shows that BD does period. BD has better execution than the other corps period. In 11 days we will find out if the other corps can be more demanding but have relatively equal execution to BD and see if they can beat them. In my experience with marching music judging, your demand can be as high as a kite but if your execution isnt at least on the same level as the guys in first with the less demanding show, you dont have a prayer to win. You have to be just about as clean but be significantly more demanding to edge them out of first place. I wish it was skewed a little bit more in favor of the corps that are doing amazing things on the field demand-wise but its not. Judges care about cleanness first and foremost and I honestly think there should be a "difficulty" caption of some sort.
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Kind of confused as to why BD is the runner up rather than maybe Crown, Cavaliers, SCV, or even Phantom? Blue Devils are great and all, but I dont think their show design is better than SCV or Cavaliers at all...
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Because as soon as you "lower your demand and hit your target perfectly" the activity suffers in the fact that the shows are of less and less quality. I honestly dont care if Corps A can run around, hit their dot, park and blow for 30 seconds, rinse and repeat for 11 minutes. I do care that Corps B can do intricate drill formations, run while playing, and captivate the audience when they make them think "are they really doing that? And are clean?? Its blowing my mind..." rather than "oh look they started moving again, that parade block sure is together... ooops they stopped... yay they are playing again...".
As soon as higher execution is rewarded heavily over high demand the activity starts to fall apart because we see cleaner and easier shows because difficult shows will NEVER be as relatively clean as easier shows. And thus a difficult show can never win a championship if this trend continues.
I am talking visually though, it is still very possible to have a great, difficult, musical program but have a very easy visual one.
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Negatives? Well i only had 1 big complaint.
BD - Whats up with the freakin park and bark move props crap? Oh and when you do move and play why half time...? Oh you snapped the horn down and now its single time! PLEASE use your talent to maximum capacity, grab the audience! Im tired of seeing golf claps, you both deserve more and dont deserve it. This is on the STAFF not the members. I want to like you but your Vis design is pathetic. Ive seen High Schools with better design than the 2 time defending World Champion. Step up Design Staff
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As a HUGE SC2 fan (masters player on ladder) and currently watching MLG as well I can completely understand your frustration. It is sad to look at such a fantastic entertainment medium as drum corps and see it being outperformed commercially by a video game. And not only commercially but by clarity of information, how people see it, and everything else.
Fan Network needs to have its own forums, its own analysis of shows (think DCI SportsCenter) analysis of scores and recaps and how shows today are doing things similar to shows of yesteryear and interviews with show designers, multi cam views of shows, ect ect...
DCI is so fantastic and I love almost everything about it, but their marketing sucks, and their format for things such as DCI.org and Fan network suck.
Would love to see things closer to MLG.com be in DCI.org.
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Minor correction:
I do not hate BD.
I love everything about BD's sound. Their ensemble playing is fantastic. I absolutely adore the richness of their brass playing. It's amazing. Those kids are amazing. So much talent all in one place.
What frustrates me is when talent like that is spent on a design that just does absolutely nothing for me. I want, desperately, to love a BD *show*. I've loved BD shows in the past, and I will continue to be a big fan of their sound...but the past few years the design has just been the definition of "meh" to me...and that's really what frustrates me. I worry that if those kinds of shows win too much, that everyone else will want to emulate it, and I'll sadly lose interest in an activity I've loved for years.
Electronics, mic'd pits...none of that will ever make me leave. It's all about design for me. Always.
I can safely say that I agree with what you have posted in this thread 100%. BD had drool-worthy sound. Other than that... Nothing. I feel nothing for their shows the past 5 years.
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If BD beats cavaliers or cadets with their easier-than-pie show I will be severely disappointed. I have always been in the understanding that the Judges should reward whoever ACCOMPLISHES the most. BD yes, they are extremely squeaky clean, but its because their show is EASY. They dont play and move hardly at all and they only really get loud when they just stand there and park and blow (cough cough.. half their show, cough). I hate being a hater (lol irony) but I cannot stand it when this happens in any marching music competition, whether its BoA with the top schools always winning because they have a relatively short show that is squeaky clean and easy, but musically stunning.
Same with DCI right now... Im sorry but both Cadets AND cavaliers are accomplishing ridiculously amazing things on the field and just because they arent as clean as BD doesnt mean that BD should automatically win. It is ridiculous to think that BD will win with another ######## easy show that is fantabulously amazing musically but a snoozefest visually. Sorry that just doesnt do anything for me in my book.
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Here is my list of my favorite, most entertaining, shows of 2011 so far:
1 - Cadets
2 - Cavaliers
3 - SCV
4 - Madison
5 - Bluecoats
6 - Blue Knights
7 - Carolina Crown
8 - Phantom Regiment
9 - Blue Stars
10- The Academy
11- Blue Devils
12- BAC
Your turn!!
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I was directed to the Cavalier show on the site that must not be named. I'm sorry Cavies, but I turned it off when the "Nature Boy" thing started.
I know, I know - I missed some great stuff, but it just wasn't worth it to me.
Ouch... Skipping a whole show because you didnt like something you heard at the very beginning? That seems a bit shallow... Especially to the performers..
Anyways, I have the hardest time finding the accordion used to good affect. It must just be a preference thing. And for those of you who have seen the show live, would you say that the corps is relatively louder in person than on Fan Network? The brassline never goes above a Forte IMO, at least on fan network..
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Im not talking about the upside down playing or the bass drummers on the drums. Im talking about the electronic "nature boy" at the beginning of the show that pops up halfway through again, or the accordion playing, or the weird electronic effects. I have the hardest time swallowing this stuff...
I cannot stand their entire preshow musically at all. The "X's" that the corps makes with the members are pretty cool but its totally ruined by the synthesized garbage coming out of the speakers. And an accordion? Really? Since when have accordions ever been cool??
I think that Cavaliers have my favorite visual show this year, and as evidenced by last year, they can put out really great brass sound and their brass book isnt bad, as much as they cant play loud because they have all of this electronic weirdness going on.
Does anyone actually enjoy hearing any of the things I mentioned?
I feel like I am pretty easy going when it comes to corps and what they decide to do, but this just irritates me... Especially with how good Mad World was last year, I just feel like this excessive use of electronics is a step in a very very wrong direction...
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I dont mind few, select electronic moments. I dont like what bluecoats did last year, and I really dont like the singing in the middle of "XtraordinarY" this year. I dont like Crown's electronics at all either this year.
I think electronics are fine when used in moderation and tastefully. I liked what cavaliers did last year in mad world with electronics, but most of the time I cant stand pre recorded music or things of that nature blasting out of a speaker. I dont like alteration of brass sound (aka Bluecoats 2010) Brass sounds amazing as is... why do you have to go and ruin it?
But thats just me.
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I guess my points are just that while SCV/Madison/Bluecoats/crown/cadets/phantom/blue stars/blue knights and others get threads with tens and tens of pages, cavaliers threads never make it very far. I would have to use the search button and necro the cavalier thread for this year in order to find it, and it probably only has like 15 pages as opposed to the 150 pages on madison's? Not that there is anything wrong with madison or any of the other corps I mentioned (after all, I am a DCI superfan... and I love drum corps..) I just hate to see certain corps like cavaliers and BAC(to name a few) rarely get a lot of attention.
I think the reason why cavalier fans are upset with DCP lately is because cavaliers are doing so well and everyone on here is like "yeah they are good. BUT OMG CROWN HORNLINE!!!" lol and I dunno... It just seems like cavaliers are always "that one corps that is good but... well... not very interesting". I mean, when was the last time cavaliers were virtually undefeated for 5 weeks straight? How many years has it been since that has happened? 2002?? No one seems to care lol
But then again, I could just be whining.
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Yes the community does have a diverse set of interests in corps, but no one hardly gives any respect to the cavaliers. Everyone just quietly "yeah they are good... Lets talk about someone else!!!". The "official cavaliers thread" for the past few years die out in june and have to get necro'ed several times throughout the season. No one likes to really talk about them.
If people truly were as diverse as you say they are, more people would discuss things about them. Is XtraordinarY my favorite show this year? Probably not, but I do think it should be discussed quite a bit more than it is. Or maybe im just going senile.
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It saddens me how many people just arent cavalier fans. It seems that no one here at DCP really enjoys the cavaliers outside of the obvious honks. The cavaliers have a truly extraordinary show this year, and everyone seems to have the mindset of "yeah they are good, just not my cup of tea at all". I wonder why.
That being said, cadets have a sick show this year as well. Hate BD's and Crown's though. And im a die hard crown fan...
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Nobody wants to answer my earlier question about Santa Clara not playing above a mezzo forte their entire show. I'm not trying to be cute or coy about it. It's an honest question. Why are they taking that approach this year?
I dont think its intentional.. They probably dont feel like they can blast out sound until they can get their hornline in tune. I guarantee that the hornline will be MILES better than where it is right now come finals. I bet we will hear some serious sound after they get their horn players seasoned.
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Cavaliers have an excellent show this year. Although not my favorite of the last decade, their drill is fantastic and their brass book is a lot harder than it was last year.
DCP has really never had people that enjoyed the cavaliers. It seems like most of the people on DCP either have the cavaliers as their favorite corps and are total honks, or they really just dont care for them. The latter group has more people.
I really hope that they can pull a win this year. I wish that they played more, and where a little louder in certain areas, and I hope that they can include a few more bars of horns in the show before it ends, but it still is a great show. Cadets are the only one in the top 12 who are close to the same level as the cavs are visually. SCV and Crown have potential, but Crown has very very easy drill, and SCV has such ridiculously hard drill, if it gets cleaned then they can be a contestant as well.
Overall though, cavaliers have an amazing show and need to be acknowledged for it. I dont understand what anyone can have against them, other than the few nitpicks I mentioned about them needing to play a bit more the brass book is great (just needs more) the visual program is amazing, the colorguard is amazing, and the percussion section is on fire... What is there not to like?
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Here’s a little history lesson. SCV’s DCI record under GR:
1st 5 times
2nd 6 times
3rd 6 times
4th once
6th once
7th 2 times
One seventh was the year SCV came out with the asymmetrical drill and the judges really didn’t know how to judge it. The other seventh was Gail’s last and SCV’s 25th anniversary. Gail decided to do a show that was part old school and modern. The judges slammed it and the staff had to rewrite major parts of the show and it never got off the ground. As a side note the corps finished 1st at the 1970 American Legion Nationals & 1st at the 1971 VFW Nationals (both pre-DCI).
Since GR retired the corps record:
1st once (a tie)
2nd once
3rd twice
4th 3 times
5th 5 times
6th twice
7th 3 times
8th once
Since Gail’s retirement SCV’s organization has remained solid both structurally and financially. Yet the corps continues to struggle to place in the top three. Certainly the activity has gotten very competitive, but that hasn’t seemed to stop BD or the Cadets. Part of the problem is we have had 5 directors since GR retired. Only two imo were successful. It’s time to bring in (or bring back) someone who can bring the winning attitude back to SCV.
If there is anyone that can do it, Fielder would be it. He has had the reigns since 2009 right? The corps should be adjusted and should be performing better than they are. It surprises me that they arent doing better than they are to be completely honest.
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I just really really REALLY hope the show can come together. In all honesty I think that SCV should beat both bluecoats and phantom. That is how good I think the design of the show is. Even BD's visual program isnt where SCV's potential visual program can be at. Seeing SCV in 5th maybe 4th this year would be amazing.
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This is the best show SCV has put on the field since 1999. Bar none. I would say this is the third best show I have ever seen from them behind 1999 and 1989. It just needs to get squeaky clean visually and the brass needs to get in a horn arc for about a week and get in tune and up to snuff and it will be ridiculously amazing.
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Lightyears...?? No way. Behind a noticeable margin? Sure.
Generally thats what lightyears means though. Behind significantly...
Perhaps not lightyears... But crown has the worst visual program I have seen from them in years. Conversely, ignoring 2009, they have the best musical program ever.
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Crown is musically better, but is lightyears.. LIGHTYEARS behind cavaliers visual/percussion program. I am surprised crown is getting as far as it is with a visual program that is as easy as it is. 95% of the show is curvalinear's that just move around, form a block, scatter to curvalinear's again.
Extremely disappointed in crown's visual program (especially since crown is one of my fave corps...) and hope that they can rewrite some of the show... Just no where near as cool visually as Cavaliers, Cadets, Bluecoats, Madison, SCV, and others...
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Your Feelings on the Activity
in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
Posted
Got past my ninja edit! CURSES!