skywhopper

Probably, but how should the people who see the show and find it unpleasant and messy talk about it? The original poster said, "They are so good at everything they do. You just cant deny it. Wow." The implication seems to be that if you don't enjoy the BD show, you're disconnected from reality or just dumb. That post set the tone for the discussion.

So I've finally moved somewhere close enough to a participating theater to justify going to Big Loud and Live this year. What should I expect from the presentation and the crowd? I've heard that some theaters are packed. Is that universal, or are some places nearly empty? Do a lot of people go in and out? How's the video and audio quality? Are they showing the full HD resolution now that they're using HD cameras? What do they do during downtime and intermission? Ads? Classic shows? Is the editing terrible? What haven't I thought of? Should I just calm down and just find out for myself????

Hmm, after watching the (admittedly very tightly angled) video from Salem I'm not sure. I actually sort of like the rewind/redo idea, though I think it would be better if they did it more than once in the show, but I don't like tacking on last year's ending straight up. Eh, it's too hard to tell from the video available. I guess I'll see what I think next Thursday.

Kudos to Blue Stars for their most entertaining show to date, and my favorite show this year. Fabulous arrangements of music that has rarely clicked on the drum corps field! And my favorite mello book of the year performed at incredible levels since early in the season. Keep striving!

I think that has a lot to do with it, atlvalet. I never sit that far down, but universally, it seems that the PAs overpower the brass in the bottom third of the stands. I have been able to tell a difference it the PA mix from mid-stadium to top-row. I attributed it as much to different shows and different venues but maybe it's simpler than that.

I thought the "combined 06 and 09 endings" comments just meant they used that same final chord progression in the new ending. It's a good bit, although I hate to see too much reuse unless that's a theme throughout the show. Maybe that's the point. They also copy a big drill move from last year.

Madison and Cavies by a mile in my experience. I haven't seen BD or SCV in person, though based on the streaming video they don't strike me as the type.

I figure the concept is more for the designers, and they just tell the audience so we can see what they're doing, even if the "why" escapes us. It's easier to design great things given some constraints. That's all the concept is for, most of the time. Given the rule changes over the past few years, I'd say they need concepts more than ever. I dunno. Based on the crowd feedback of late, the Cavaliers show definitely is "working". I think you are trying too hard to understand it, when there's nothing to understand.

Wonder if it has anything to do with the a/v sync issues on some of the streaming videos. Usually the APDs are available PDQ.

OH, BOOURN!!!

This show has been great the last several years. Was also sold out last year, with people sitting on the grass past the end zones(!) to watch. They even let some people sit on the opposite stands, or at least, people found their way in. I have been the past three years, but just moved out of Virginia this year and so I won't get to be there. But it's a great venue (so long as there's not a baseball game next door anyway). Concession stand could use a bit more in the way of candy selection. On the other hand if you like Zero and Zagnut, this is your dream concession. Adding: I see the OP mentions the backside seating. CRAZY!

I admit to crying at corps shows quite a bit, even just audio recordings. That particular part of Triple Crown does me in every time. There are actually four or five such moments for me in the 2009 show. I think I'd have to rate them Grass is Always Greener, Triple Crown, Finis, and Second Chance is a distant fourth. This year just isn't clicking with me in the same way.

Someone else asked this re the Blue Devils. Since Carolina Crown has really become a major player over the past four years, I thought I'd ask the same about it.

The corps are free to use their pre-show time in this way. Crown 09 did 13:30 of actual playing.

I find the amps are often overpowering in the recordings, as well. The pit just overwhelms the brass in a LOT of recent recordings. I can understand that happening in a low-tech immediately-released APD, but eg, the 2008 championships official recording is really bad about this, too.

Well this is only the second year of electronic instruments, but as for the amp balance, I think you get a different results at different levels in the stadium. At least in my experience, the amps are overpowering lower in the stands, and better blended or in some cases too quiet from press box level. It varies by corps, too, depending on their PAs, the angles, etc. I think in general, though, it's asking too much of the performers, the technology, and our ears to blend amplified sounds and acoustic sounds in wildly different acoustical settings each night and expect it to sound good. Electronic amplification can work great if *everything* is amplified, but in a drum corps setting it really doesn't make any sense. It's one more reason to drop the amps, but I don't think that will happen.

Uhh... have you been around for the past decade? Seriously. Alternatively, 1982.

I'll just toss in that I don't care for this year's Blue Devils show or Cadets 2005. I'm cool with Frameworks having won, but highest score evar? Not so much.

See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1930#Notes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spartacus#Music http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houdini#Legacy

Come FEEL the music! Although I've found when I crank my stereo up all the way and stand right in front of the speakers it's *almost* the same sensation.

Now I'm worried I won't get my wish that during Finals week they will gradually up the number of pushups. Maybe they can just switch to one-handed pushups instead.

I've been rewatching some mid-90s shows lately, and body movement was already way more common than I remembered. Maybe no cartwheels or arabesques, but plenty of leaning, arm waving, etc. Also, lots of jazz running, fwiw.

I think people are completely overreacting I dunno, if anything is worth freaking out over, it's amplified voice.

This phenomenon is nothing new. After you've been following something for decades, new things will almost always seem less and less interesting, and the familiar will become more and more loved. It happens with music, sports, and everything. The old days were always better, more authentic, more passionate, whatever. If you aren't enjoying the activity, find something new! Life's too short to be upset about something you once liked changing into something you don't. It's certainly too short to post on message boards about the thing you don't like. That's what I really don't get...

I think that something is Bernstein ballads blended into the arrangements. Seriously, though, I agree with everyone here that this year's Crown show doesn't live up to the past three, at least not yet. Not musically, visually, or energy-wise. But then last year I was still wavering on Crown's show at this point in the season, and it came together incredibly. Compared to other shows this season, though, I think only Blue Stars beats Crown music-wise for me. The body movements/dancing don't bother me at all, but Crown's do feel forced this year compared to past years. Maybe it's just a matter of getting used to changes in the show over the season. But wasn't it Bluecoats whose brass was *actually* dancing on the field this year? Like pirouettes and arabesques and stuff? Finally, my point: I was turned off by some of the electronics in Bluecoats' show at first, but the show has really grown on me. I fully expect the top three to be BD, 'Coats, and Cavaliers, not necessarily in that order.