jasgre2000

Yep. I have even changed my mind on the voiceover. I think it adds quite a bit.

For most of the year, I have expressed my opinion that the Bluecoats show didn't do much for me. It always felt a little one note throughout the whole thing, and I am not typically a fan of using voiceovers for the purpose of explaining the theme of the show. Tonight I went back and watched their Atlanta show again (without watching all the other shows before and after them), and I have to say that I have completely changed my mind. It is a beautiful show that is very moving. I have to admit that I came close to tears as I realized the "UnMasQuesed" message they were trying to share. It had a very personal effect on me. So ... I take back all the negative things I have said in the past about the Bluecoats. Bravo to whoever designed that show. It is awesome. P.S. On another note, I highly recommend going back to the fan network and watching shows in isolation. I think a lot can be missed when you watch so many shows back to back. I certainly know I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to the Bluecoats until I watched their show by itself.

One of the cool aspects of BD's show that I haven't seen a lot of people talk about is the progress the corps makes. They start the show without full uniforms on and a lot of chaos musically and visually. As they go through the show things get less chaotic until finally they BECOME the Blue Devils of the past with their full uniforms on and their awesome rendition of Bird and Bela in B Flat. I have not yet figured out how that exactly fits in with Dada or what their overall theme is, but I think it is an example of how deep this show is. I know some don't like having to think about drum corps, but I love art that makes me think and wrestle with different ideas. While I would HATE it if every World Class corps did shows as dense as BDs is this year (and has been over the last several years), I would also HATE it if there wasn't a corps like BD pushing the envelops with this year's genius show (at least I consider it genius). All the talk about changing the score sheet to punish corps for this kind of creativity and depth really disturbs me. These types of shows are the height of the artform, in my opinion. I understand that some don't like it. That is fine. You don't have to like it. But don't try to keep me from liking it, because I do. As much as I also like Jersey Surf's show this year, and hope they continue to do shows like the one they are doing this year, if it came down to choosing between all corps doing a Jersey Surf style show and a BD style show, I would choose a BD style show no question.

I love when people instantly conclude that when they like something, the "general populous" must also like it. My guess is that the "general populous" would laugh at it, which is why the "general populous" is not really paying attention to drum corps. But, that is just my opinion ... not an objective fact.

Not me. That would be awful. If all you want is applause, go be in a college marching band.

Exactly. I am not a "BD Honk," as it seems like most people that dare to say they like BD's show are labeled. But I really liked their show a lot. I like a couple other shows better, but I was very entertained by BD's show, and found it very compelling ... and I have all season long. The Satie is beautiful. The jazz is awesome. If you don't like it ... fine. But don't pretend like you are the world's foremost expert on what is entertaining to people. As I have said before, I don't particularly like Fanfare as a song. I was called a snob for that (how that makes me a snob, I do not know). I realize that a lot of people (if not the vast majority of people) do like the song quite a bit. Should I start claiming that Crown's show is not compelling or entertaining and should not be getting the scores it is getting because I don't personally like it? Of course not. That would be absurd.

I went to the Salem show last year. It was awesome. Great setting.

Maybe if that were true you would have a point. But it isn't true. Ad hominem attacks are always the best way to win an argument.

I'm a snob because I don't like Fanfare? O.K. You learn something new every day.

I don't know that it is particularly sloppy (though I saw several pretty obvious areas of sloppiness during the Atlanta show). I think it could just be better than it is currently, which means they have a lot of room to pick up points against BD.

Salt Lake has a show that was equivalent to Denver this year. The problem is that neither the Salt Lake show or the Denver show is anything like the eastern regional shows. The correct comparison is Seattle to Minneapolis (the first regional), which is 1665 miles and Allentown to ... well Allentown (which is 0 miles, in case that wasn't obvious).

Here is my impression of their show: There are many winning shows that I have seen on the fan network that make me say, "Wow! That was freaking awesome! I don't know that I exactly love the music, or that I completely get the theme, but what they are doing is insanely good and they totally deserve to win." Crown's brass is already there for me this year. If I close my eyes and just listen to what they are doing musically, I think it is some of the best drum corps stuff I have ever heard. They are technically spectacular. As I have mentioned before, I am not a particularly big fan of Fanfare as a song (I think it is really hard to make sound good), but I think they are performing the music they have better than anyone else could be performing it this year, and it is breathtaking every time I listen to it. When I watch the drill, I have a slightly different reaction. My reaction is: "Wow! That is some really amazing drill, and very difficult. If they can pull that off by finals, it will be spectacular and should blow everyone out of the water." Their visual performance just isn't at the blow my socks off level yet, like their brass is ... but the potential is there for it to reach that level. It's not that they are doing a particularly bad job, but they aren't doing a spectacular/perfect job with it. They just aren't selling it completely yet, to put it a different way. They are still working on being proficient at the marching, which has to be accomplished before they can sell it. BD is different for me. I think they do a good job at selling every aspect of their show. That may be because their show design is easier from top to bottom, but I think it is a hallmark of a winning show. While I do prefer BD's show from a design standpoint this year (mostly because of the music), I would be very happy if Crown won this year. It would be great to see a relatively new corps reach that level. P.S. - I don't know enough about guard and percussion to comment on that, although it is pretty clear that their percussion scores are a problem. It's seems like they are already getting a little bit of a benefit of the doubt on the visual stuff since they are scoring pretty high there. If they can move from "getting through it" to "selling it," I think they could very well pass up BD over the next couple weeks.

I agree with this. Do the most ambitious show that you can do perfectly (or close to perfectly).

This is somewhat off topic, but I don't think speed and "playing and marching at the same time" are the only difficult aspects of drum corps. I understand the point, but I think sometimes the point can be used to unfairly criticize other corps. Sometimes restraint and musical sensitivity is more difficult than playing as loud as you can while marching as fast as you can. And sometimes an amazing horn run will distract from an amazing visual. I'm not making any particular accusations, and I don't know how my point exactly fits into this conversation, but it is the first thought that came to mind when I read the original post.

I don't like voice overs that are there for their content, but I don't mind them when they are there for effect and for their sound. I feel like that is the difference between what BD is doing with their voice over this year compared to what the Bluecoats are doing with their voiceover (or what The Cadets have done with their's in past years). I know some will disagree with me ... that is fine. It doesn't cover up the flugelhorn solo, in my opinion, it just changes the way it sounds and is presented. Its not like you can't hear the solo.

It sounds like an actual historical recording, so I doubt it was recorded just for this show. I imagine it has something to do with a figure in the Dada "non-movement". Isn't there some Dada manifesto or something like that? I always assumed that was what it was.

It's just a slogan. Talk about over thinking it. Why should the corps that can do a national tour be held back by those that can't? If you can't do a national tour, isn't that what Open Class is for? I would be very disappointed if I couldn't see all these corps compete against each other multiple times a season. There is a reason why the big shows do better than the smaller ones in terms of attendance and revenue.

If you think all people that are complaining about booing are BD people, you are equally as "wrong as can be."

No one is taking away anyone's rights, or calling for people to take away anyone's rights. Give me a break!

LOL ... nice

The DCI article I linked earlier said he receives "no remuneration" for his work with the Cavaliers, and hasn't since he started in the early 70s.

What about Autzen or Husky stadiums? They would be fine. It doesn't have to be a pro stadium.

LOL! Touche.

Where did I say they weren't raising them money? I said other corps could come up with similar creative ways to fundraise. Quit complaining and start thinking outside the box.

And yet, several of my arguments have not been addressed. Who is the one not listening here?