Before_DCI

HLDmello: I think this was BK's pre-tour show in Denver. I was there and the stadium looks familiar. Sat right against the press box on the 50. Some thoughts: 1) Pre-show flocking interesting drill work; not liking the synth music (too quiet start, garbled--I know BK techs can make this better); very dirty, but I know the corps had some very long days prior to the show. 2) Uniforms of guard have uber-bright green accents--and the drum sides match! I understand that there will be a change in the pit garb also later in the year. 3) Brass struggled early in the show, but really came on strong from about the 5 minute mark on; classic BK style 4) Drums were very clean/crisp for this time of year--especially snares! 5) Drill cleaned up from about the 4 minute mark to the "end"; Mark Arnold told the crowd that they would be "arcing up" for the ballad and ending. 6) Arc: brass had excellent energy; connected strong with audience; drill should be interesting. Talented group--still a bit young to compete at the top 5 level. Clearly conveys "Firebird" but has new elements.

To Chaos and BigBad... I guess BD didn't feel comfortable even standing still with their show a few years ago when they needed to "sit still" for a large chunk of their final show. Gives new meaning to "park and blow".

Agreed. Once judges' begin to evaluate what they see--or in this case, don't see--on the field instead of checking out the name on the buses that brought the corps to the stadium, maybe the corps directors and staffs will get the message. SCV is notorious for not finishing their show for the first several contests--and then expect to see their "normal" placement. If the judges would start marking what they see at the beginning of the year (and I am not speaking about SCV in particular)--standing around for 30-40% of a show--and evaluating it as just "standing around" and some of the "Big 6 or 7" find themselves several places behind the winner of the show, perhaps a message would be sent that you simply don't get points for having the right name. I don't think that would ever happen, of course.