DDFIddle
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Posts posted by DDFIddle
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Couldn't agree with you more!
Most annoying show - Blue Devils
Most elegant ("Best") show - Carolina Crown
Most entertaining (uh, the one that buys tickets!) - Jersey Surf
Rest= you decide.
Dear DCI,
Over the past 15+ years, I’ve been a faithful fan. I’ve gone to at least one live event every year, save one. I've watched a theatrical presentation at least every other year. I’ve subscribed to the FanNetwork for the past two years. I’ve bought several DVDs and CDs from new releases to legacy collection DVDs. This year, I volunteered to serve as a DCI ambassador and hosted multiple DCI-watching parties at my house early in the season. However, I will be taking some time off from DCI, and I wanted to let you know why.
I fell in love with drum corps because I loved the power of brass and percussion matched with beautiful visual designs. However, performances in recent years no longer highlight the qualities that made me such a rabid DCI fan. I didn’t like vocal elements, especially voice-overs, but I tolerated them (though a very few notable exceptions were well-planned and well-executed, including this year’s performance by Spirit). Even so, I bristled when it seemed that judges failed to reward excellent usage and/or penalize poor usage. I also object to the idea of a non-youth soundboard operator having so much control over what is supposed to be performances of a youth activity. Worse yet, I absolutely hate the idea of using synthesized sounds (how is it fair that a single key-press can overpower and/or cover an entire tuba section, for example?), and in almost every case, I still find them offensive, especially when, again, judges ignore blatantly tasteless applications (for example, the hideous patch that echoed the beautiful solo in the Cadets’ “Do You Hear What I Hear” this year). However, because of my love for brass, percussion, and drill, I’ve tolerated them, too.
As this season wore on, I found myself caring less and less for drum corps. I watched fewer FanNetwork events. Instead of watching tonight’s semi-finals, I watched the Olympics, chatted on Facebook, and wrote this letter. A big part of my disappointment is the DCI judges’ continued approval of the Blue Devils’ show (following on the heels of several confusing, annoying, and critically acclaimed BD shows). Despite the many scatter drills, absurd theme, disjointed music, and general disregard for audience enjoyment, DCI’s judges have consistently rated them as the best show in the competition—this despite at least a few shows that seem equally difficult, clean, and stylistically unified, while presenting greater entertainment value and artistic quality.
If Blue Devils 2012 is DCI’s picture of perfection, then DCI is no longer a place where I can feel at home. It is no longer an organization dedicated to brass, percussion, and drill. It is more concerned with synthesizers, amplification, and dance. When I want to see and hear such things (which is rare), I can find all of them in other places for a whole lot less money. When I want to see and hear brass, percussion, and drill, I no longer have a place to go—there are no DCA competitions in my area. Instead, I’ll go back and enjoy the great shows of the past via the FanNetwork (until my subscription runs out) and the DVDs in my collection.
I will not be going to any DCI shows next season, I will not subscribe to the FanNetwork, and I will not buy any DVDs or CDs. After a year, if I find I’ve missed the activity, perhaps I’ll come back. If rules change, perhaps I’ll come back sooner. In summary, the great moments of Drum Corps have become fewer and farther between, while the tolerated annoyances have become more and more common, and I see no evidence that DCI is willing to do anything to shift the balance in the opposite direction.
As a side note, I have made a point of asking other audience members their opinions, including new and old fans, of a variety of ages, in several different locations. I have found only one who found the Blue Devils’ show interesting (none used the word “entertaining”, and several described it with an expletive), and none who specifically complimented the synths. On the contrary, the most common description of them was something to be “tolerated”. On the other hand, everyone commented on big brass moments, blazing percussion features, and fast drill patterns. My survey is completely non-scientific, and I’m sure it will sound to you like I cherry-picked my respondants. Even I have been surprised by the uniformity of reactions, but I swear that what I’ve reported is exactly what I’ve heard.
I know that this is a letter from a disgruntled former fan—something likely to be ignored—but I sincerely hope that the DCI membership will take it to heart. I am not the only one who shares this opinion, and I don’t think I’m even in a minority. Perhaps others will stick around for a few more years, but in this era of limited financial support for arts organizations, I can’t imagine that losing even a few long-time, dedicated fans is an ideal organizational model. Furthermore, I miss the DCI that lit so many fans on fire for so many years. I long for the day when I will be able to feel that energy and excitement again.
Sincerely,
Julian Bryson
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It's become too political, too avant-garde, and it's too expensive and it's
not fan friendly any more. Frankly, these corps bore me to death. And you expect me to keep paying for that????
A SAD Drum Corps fact: In 1982, 30 years ago, when I marched with the Bridgemen, there were:
- 48 Drum Corps competing in Open Class Prelims,
- 43 Drum Corps in Class A Prelims,
- 7 All-Girls Corps,
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5 Class B corps, mostly in Jersey
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TOTAL: 103 Drum Corps, at ALL LEVELS!!, plus the others who did NOT travel to DCI.
Corps had INDIVIDUALITY, an IDENTITY, and played very entertaining shows that were also difficult and competitive.
...and today?? Well, not even close.
- 22 "World Class"
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14 "Open Class"
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Total: 36
We have watched a steady decline, and it's sad to say, we may be watching the beginning of the final countdown, as the economy and DCI politics continue to kill Drum Corps.
Thanks to the "rich get richer" system that was employed, whereby winning corps made more money on tour, the activity is dwindling to a select few who attract all the kids. And if it were up to certain people, there would only be 10 corps in the whole country, and doing it on their own "tour". Call me old fashioned, but I love the old days.
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Even if there are 10 ahead of them, that puts them at 11th place, not 20th/
I enjoyed Surf quite a bit. Fun and funny show. But entertainment wise, there are easily 10+ corps ahead of them for me. I am more entertained by excellent execution than just a fun design. But I appreciate what Surf is doing this year.
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Subjectivity is the face that corruption hides behind.
The answer is, where have you been for years? I'm fairly certain there are countless threads in this forum that bring this topic up. My argument would say yes, but the activity is so subjective and prone to human judging something that is highly competitive (yes I did say HUMANS because as a human we will all have a bias related to something that we feel so strongly about).
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Judges, well you did it again--- don't know what you were judging, but it wasn't the same stuff the crowd saw this entire season.
You supposedly factored in some "crowd appeal" into the score this year, yet you totally disregard the single most crowd-appealing performance THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE 2012 SEASON, the Bridgeman Tribute by the Jersey Surf.
Why did you even bother? Yesterday's performance (which kept the Surf's standing O string intact, by the way) was far and away off the Richter scale of Entertaining. With the Jersey Surf, be careful what you wish for, you just might get it! And get it you did!
Well, guess what? The other performances may have the judges' seal of approval, but the Surf has the hearts of the entire DCI audience!
By the way (again), the judges admitted at the 2002 Winter Olympics that they got it wrong (the Canadian Figure Skaing Scandal), but they "manned up" and finally got it right. Hint Hint!
I am just a fan. But WHAT a FAN! LOVE the 2012 Surf!!!
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I don't know about you, but when I pay $18 to see something at a MOVIE THEATER this is essentially NOT LIVE (at least live in front of this particular audience), I EXPECT TO BE ENTERTAINED!
If it is only all about placement, why bother putting in the theaters nationwide? If people wanted to watch the real thing (and let's face it--- some of the top rated shows ARE boring, or God Forbid totally "I don't get it", then it behooves both DCI and the theaters to put some entertainment on the schedule that makes people stand and cheer (and it IS a lot of kids for whom $18 represents an entire week of babysitting or grass cutting).
I'd rather add a performance that is genuinely FUN and risk some snarky comments from other corps than deny the Surf their applause that nearly EVERYONE who commented admits is their due this year.
Being in the theater production is an honor that is earned by placing in the top-15 going into the event. All the corps know this and agree to it. To put one corps in because they are entertaining does not gel with the spirit of the criteria. And then someone would have to tell a corps under the top-15 that didn't get picked, "We're sorry, but we don't think your corps is as entertaining, even though you're getting a higher score." I suspect a number of the Jersey Surf kids would know in their hearts that it was unfair to other corps.
This viewpoint is being expressed by someone who was following the Surf drum major and clapping together the two yellow banana tubes on command while off to the side of the field doing interviews in Allentown.
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Went to Allentown last night....Surf got far and away the biggest applause of the night. Even more with encore with the Bridgemen. DCI needs to include them in Big Loud Live this Thurs or they are missing a golde opportunity to get thousands of fans (and lots of potential drum corps members!) in the theaters. They rocked the stadium (too early in the evening, too, which is also too bad for everyone!) LOVE LOVE LOVE the Jersey Surf!!!!!!!!!!
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Except for Jersey Surf, your girlfriend was right!
Due to dinner plans, I was only able to catch the last 8 corps. As I am a former (high school) brass player, and I was sitting down low on the 50 where I couldn't see much drill, much of my review will be concerned with the volume and sound quality of the brass line. Also being low on the 50, much of my review will be concerned with how much the amplifiers blew me out the back of the stadium.
Boston Crusaders- Good brass, NO VOICEOVERS! I loved Pines of Rome, but other than that the show left me slightly (ever so slightly) flat. They did have a kick*** move or two in the ending, though. I was more of a fan of their 2011 show, but that aside, it looks like they deserve to be ahead of the Cavaliers, and I hope they stay that way!
Cavaliers- In the future, everyone will be world famous for 15 minutes. World famous. Famous. Famous. In the future… Future… Future…
Yeah, not a fan of that. I'll stick to the positives: Great drumline, and an awesome breakdown at the end of the show that got the crowd pumped. Probably one of the most "different" and/or "innovative" endings we've seen in a while, and I genuinely liked it! Moreover, that famous Cavie "swag" hasn't gone away. The kids seem to be having a blast with this show!
Cadets- The brass was definitely several steps up from the previous corps. I hope the soloists at the beginning don't frack for the DVD. The Jingle Bell Jam needs to be a little bit longer (I liked the early season versions better), and in its current state, there is no room for applause at the end of it, which felt very… odd. But they make up for it with a classic Cadets high speed ending! Lots of narration, but they've figured out how to make it effective. This is probably because they have a 5 year start on everybody else.
Bluecoats- Outstanding brass, as always. Great blend. I love the dark, slightly ominous sound they carry with them. The narration did support the theme, and I didn't mind it personally (despite a little suppressed giggling), but my girlfriend (never marched, only been to DCI ATL last year with me) had a different opinion. She (wisely) said "You shouldn't have to have words in a show. You should be able to tell what's going on without them."
Vanguard- At this point, 3 of the 4 corps we'd seen had been talking at us, and it was getting old. Then came a real breath of fresh air. Vanguard was awesome! Phenomenal drumline, and a much louder brass line and show than last year's production, "Chromatic Scales in Mezzo Forte." A week ago, I complained somewhere around here about the speed of the Music of the Night tidbit they had in the closer. It's much better now. Gave me chills. Keep the ending, spice the show up with a couple more of those neat neat visuals, clean, clean, clean, and watch the crowds go nuts from here to Indy! Great job, SCV.
Blue Devils- Actually wait, I'll save these guys for last.
Phantom Regiment- Now THIS what I wanted to see when I bought my ticket back in March. Not a single word spoken, and an easy-to-grasp concept performed in a sophisticated manner at window-shattering volume. Best Phantom brass since 2009! Nessun Dorma was phenomenal. I actually like the new extended iteration more than the 1991 arrangement! (I know, I know, blasphemy, burn me at the stake)
The crowd was up on its feet and throwing babies well before the cutoff of the last note, as a drum corps crowd should. It seemed like there was a lot of pent-up energy in the crowd- they wanted something to cheer for, but nothing had really happened until Phantom.
Carolina Crown- From my seat, these guys 5-pointed everyone else. This is why I am not a DCI judge. I've never heard a brass line play louder, or with more clarity than what I heard last night. My jaw dropped several times in that show. Now I get all the Crown hype- holy cow, they're good. That Star of Indiana-esque (everyone says that, but it's true) bit towards the end where the brass resolves into that big chord? That was the single most awesome brass moment I've ever heard. "Ever" only being since 2008, that is.
Phenomenal, phenomenal, phenomenal. Definitely the most entertaining show of the night. (Did you hear that, new judging sheets? No, you didn't? You're the exact same as the old sheets? Oh.)
And now...
Blue Devils- I appreciate that they're doing something different. I enjoyed the show visually. No matter where you look, there's something quirky happening, and that makes it fun. Watching them perform reminds me of those old "I Spy" picture books. However, the narration really turned me off. There's absolutely no need for some French guy babbling over those great solos and those soft, smooth percussion parts. On the bright side, the amps were at a very low volume, unlike a certain green corps…
This show, like most BD shows, was visually innovative, looked quite easy to "untrained" eyes like mine, and featured moments of great music interspersed with random loud noises. I'm not sure why it won. I guess the key to their high scores is their great drumline and guard. When the show was over, I wasn't exactly sure what happened, or why any of it had even happened in the first place, but I guess that's their show concept, so it works. My final impression can be summed up in one word: meh.
Overall, the corps were worth the cost of the ticket, but not as fun as they were in 2008, 2010, 2011. The narration is a real turn off for me, and I find it cheesy. Despite my general negativity, I enjoyed myself, and will enjoy myself again in a couple of weeks at Quarterfinals!
My Favorite Shows:
1. Regiment
2. Crown
3. SCV
4. Cadets
5. Blue Devils
6. Bluecoats
7. Cavies
8. Boston
EXTENSIVE LIST OF DISCLAIMERS
I'm a shameless PR honk.
I'm not a Crown honk. They aren't even in my "Top 5 Favorite Corps" list.
I might have a case of Acute ABBD. It only pops up every once in a while, and I thought I was rid of it for good last year. In any case, I'll have to see a doctor about it.
Before you guys call me a dinosaur, I'm only 22.
Epilogue:
As we were leaving the stadium, my girlfriend said this:
"I think I liked the shows better last year… It seemed like most of them weren't even trying to be entertaining."
Ouch. Very ouch.
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Except for Jersey Surf, she was right!
If your girlfriend is the same age as you, she'd be considered a dinosaur's egg on DCP with this comment.
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Don't like it. Period.
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.
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Call DCI and jam the forums. Get everyone "on board" (again, no pun intended!) and get Surf on Big Loud and Live!!!!!!
YOU NNEED to See the Surf Show this year! You will laugh, dance in your seat, and clap until it hurts.....this is far and away the MOST ENTERTAINING SHOW OF THE SEASON! You should let DCI know that the Surf needs to be on Big, Loud, and Live!!!!!
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Is anyone from DCI listening?
If you are, you will get MANy more butts in the theater seats next Thursday if you include the Surf.
They have a huge following in NJ, PA and DE--------- that is a HUGE demographic you need for Big, Loud and Live.
Please consider it!!!!!!!!!
What is the best way to let DCI know we need Surf in Big Live & Loud?
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YOU NNEED to See the Surf Show this year! You will laugh, dance in your seat, and clap until it hurts.....this is far and away the MOST ENTERTAINING SHOW OF THE SEASON! You should let DCI know that the Surf needs to be on Big, Loud, and Live!!!!!
great show and again done at a very high level
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I was also in Atlanta. And San Antonio, and West Chester..... the Surf 2012 show is BY FAR the most entertaining of the tour this year!
I was headed to my pricey seats last night when I saw several HS bands moving to the "cheap seats" to watch the show. I decided to sit with them for the Surf show just to get a feel for what they thought. I heard throughout the summer that the Surf was THE REASON why kids are being draw into drum corps. They are KIDS, and they want to get their money's worth. So I sat with them during the Surf performance.
I heard exactly what i expected----- these kids went bananas (no pun intended!) over the Surf show!!! I asked the same kids coming out of the stadium who their favorite corps was for the night and every single one said that the Surf was the BEST. they said that they liked the Crown and Vanguard, but Surf was far and away their favorite and they were going to buy some Surf stuff.
They also asked if the Surf would be playing at Big Loud and Live, and when I said no, because they weren't ranked high enough, they said that they weren't "wasting their money" if all they would see was the boring stuff.
Surf, you really got everyone's attention. Too bad you won't have a large platform to perform on....it wouldn't hurt DCI one bit to put you guys on the big screen------ you'd get HUNDREDS of kids interested in joing drum corps if they say this show!!!!!!! I love you guys!
You do know that their show was a tribute to The Bridgemen, don't you?
Don't really know if it's a change in style so much as it was just doing what the Bridgemen used to do.
I was in attendence with great seats in Atlanta and their show was by far my favorite of the night, but I'm an old school guy and really enjoyed seeing at least one show that got me up and off my feet. When I got up and started yelling "Bridgemen Shuffle" during that portion of the show, nobody around me seemed even remotely aware of why I was so excited.
All the other Corps were just the standard generic "Marching Musical Theater" that all blended into each other. You know, the S.O.S., Corps after Corps, that just bored and frustrated me to death.
Thank You Jersey Surf!
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You missed the best show of the day. Jersey Surf tribute to the Bridgemen. Too bad they were on so early---- you would have gotten your money's worth if you just saw this performance.
I don't think I've posted a show review since 2007 (account that I don't use anymore), but this year was also the first time since then that I've gone to a regional and watched every single corps...well, almost every single one. The train was running a bit late, so we missed CorpsVets and showed up halfway through Pioneer's show. I'm going to start my review with the Colts, since up to that point, we were sitting in a spot where we really couldn't hear much at all. We moved down to a lower level during that first intermission. Anyway, here we go:
Colts: We were still trying to find seats while you guys were performing, but I definitely liked what I heard. "All By Myself"/Rach 2 at the end was great - digging the trumpet soloist! It would be nice to see them back in Finals, but unfortunately there are more than 12 corps that deserve to be in the Top 12 this year (though that definitely says something about the quality of performances we're getting this year!).
Troopers: This show just didn't do much for me. I thought the opening infinity chord moment was pretty cool, but nothing really stood out to me after that.
The Academy: The pink and purple took a second to adjust to, but I'm fine with it. The music? Not so much. That's a hard thing for me to say, because I love the Rite of Spring (seeing the ASO perform it was one of the best concerts I've ever been to). I just don't think the music does what the designers intended for it to do. This show is supposed to be Stravinsky "revisited," right? It just sounds like Stravinsky "arranged for drum corps." I don't know. It's a good show, but it could be better.
(I should add that because of where we were sitting during these corps - right near the concessions - we could not hear ANY quiet moments in any of these shows whatsoever. That changed when we moved again for the last portion of the show, starting with Boston.)
Glassmen: They sounded better live than on the San Antonio webcast, I'll give them that. I don't really understand the concept, but the music is good. The "Organ Symphony" part at the end sounds a lot better, too (on the webcast, it sounded like majority electronic organ, which I was definitely not a fan of). I don't really have much else to say about this show.
Crossmen: This was the first show that really stuck out to me. A strong show that really grooves in a lot of places. Wish I could have heard the soloists more than I did (but it wasn't their fault - just the fault of where I happened to be sitting). I would really love to see this show in Finals. This show really seems to encompass their identity more so than in years past.
Blue Stars: A show with a very easy theme. Water. Okay, we get it...kind of. Is there something I'm missing? Is it about exploring the ocean to find new lands or something? It just didn't seem very clear to me. I really enjoyed their treatment of Dvorak 9, though. A lot of corps have done that piece over the years, but the last time I enjoyed it this much was whenever I would watch Phantom 1989 (not live, unfortunately - too busy being born and stuff).
Blue Knights: Your color choice is weird. Not bad, just...weird. However, that's really the only complaint I have about this show. LOVE the source music, they play it very well, and I like the dancing, too! I've always liked the dancing...hell, I almost marched there because of it! To go back to the colors for a second, I understand why you add the red and everything, but...I figure this probably would have been way too hard to pull off successfully, but wouldn't it have been cool if you could have found a way for the hornline and drumline to change their uniforms to all red, too (similar to SCV with the pants-changing tunnel)? Again, probably too hard to pull off, but I think that would definitely bump them up a point or two.
Spirit of Atlanta: They got the biggest reaction of the night so far...before playing even a single note! I really like this show. Like Blue Stars, it has a theme that's easy to understand from the get-go...but I feel like Spirit pulls their concept off just a little better. The Latin arrangement of "Luck Be A Lady" is my favorite part of the show by far. It felt very 90's to me. Not a huge fan of the voiceovers in the closer. Overall, glad to see this corps continue to work their way up. Definitely looking forward to whatever they have in store for us next year!
Madison Scouts: This show presents a problem for me - I want to love it, and yet I can't until the very end. Everything that leads up to that rotating company front just isn't as exciting as the company front itself. It's like they suddenly turn on a switch and say "Okay guys, NOW we're gonna be awesome." Just be awesome the whole time! That's why I love old-school Madison so much. This show is almost there. Almost.
Intermission: Delicious! Instead of buying the ridiculously overpriced personal pans that Papa John's sells at the Dome, my friend just ordered pizza on his phone and we walked over to the Papa John's by the Dome and just picked that up...got WAY more pizza (and breadsticks) for just a few bucks more.
Boston Crusaders: I haven't liked Boston the past few years. Why? Not because of what they're playing, but because of how they're playing it. I don't like their arrangements. Something about them...it's just never clicked with me. This year, however, was better. Still not great, but definitely better. Also, now that I've finally heard him live, and assuming that it's the same guy from 2011 - that baritone soloist is fantastic! What a sound! Overall, this corps is gradually working its way back into my favorites. I may have to listen to this show a few more times.
Cavaliers: Okay...this was probably the clearest this show concept has been to me so far. It's still not that great. They sound a lot better (it really is nice to be getting some volume from the Cavies after those years of mezzo-forte hornlines). The ballad was probably my favorite part of the show. I do not understand the dance section at the end AT ALL. To me, it is the textbook definition of "tacked on for no reason." Yeah, it got the crowd off their feet, but it doesn't add anything to the show.
Cadets: Overall, this is a great show. I really like it. Hornline sounded weak from where I was, but that probably had less to do with them and more with my location. Cadets shows are always lots of fun to watch. Like most people on here, I feel like the Jingle Bells section needs to be just a bit longer and not end so abruptly (a screamer might be nice, too...just sayin'). However, this was also the first time I've ever heard that mellophone soloist...bravo! Such an exposed part and he/she handles it beautifully! The ending is your typical breakneck, in-your-face Cadets ending...but I feel like there's something missing. Maybe. I definitely like it, but I wouldn't be surprised if we saw even more changes with that ending over these next two weeks.
Bluecoats: I saw a lot more things happening in the show this time, but frankly, it just made me understand the show less. I didn't get the random words being spoken over the music (somebody listed "rape" as one of the words...did they really say that? I never heard it). Hornline sounds fantastic as usual. Would have liked to have heard that tuba feature a little better, but I couldn't because of my location/people cheering at something before that covered it up. I want to see this show again. I liked it before, but after seeing it live, I'm surprisingly back on the fence.
Santa Clara Vanguard: These guys have always been my favorite from year to year, and it's hard to see any reason for that not being the case this year. This is the SCV that I love (though there was definitely nothing wrong with last year's SCV, either)! I'm okay with them using John Mackey's music in their show. I don't like his stuff at all, but SCV definitely played "Hymn To A Blue Hour" very well. The hornline has power this year, but they're dirty. Every time I've seen them, I always wind up placing them lower than they actually score. Maybe it's just because they're my favorites and I'm being too hard on them.
(I have a lot to say about BD, so I'll save them for the end)
Phantom Regiment: This show reminds me so much of 2006 and 2008, which is always a good thing! I know there's a story, but I'm not gonna lie - I just wasn't paying attention to it. I was taking in all of the great music that Phantom was giving me, as they're always known to do. I would have loved to have heard the soloist in "Nessun Dorma" a bit more. Would he have been easier to hear if I were sitting closer to the center? If not, and I know this is blasphemous talk around here, but he might need to be mic'd. I just couldn't hear him over the hornline's backfield chords. Other than this, this is another great year for Phantom. I had them above Cadets, honestly.
Crown: This is definitely the best show they have ever put out. This is definitely the closest they have ever been to winning. Do I think they can win it all? Based on what I saw in Atlanta...no. My overall problem with this show is that a lot of it is just difficult for the sake of being difficult, and they're not pulling all of it off successfully. The timpani/bass drum thing during "Fanfare For The Common Man" NEEDS TO CHANGE. It's still not clean, and it was even worse in the Dome with the echo. If they can find a way to make it work, great...but, there's less than two weeks left in the summer, and it's still not working. Either fix it or scrap it entirely. Also, I get that Crown's tuning during "Fanfare" is great, but the hornline's attacks were only together about 70% of the time (and I definitely didn't make that statistic up on the spot right now). It's great what they're trying to do, but the exposed parts are SO exposed and SO not 100% clean yet, and it's really holding them back. I would love for them to fix it in what little time is left in the season (and if they do fix it, I think they could definitely win), but I just don't know if they can...
Blue Devils: Okay. This show. This ####### show. I'll be the first person to admit that I don't understand it...but that hasn't stopped me from loving it. I'll get into the Dada business in just a second, but what I saw Saturday night proved to me that the Blue Devils deserve to win this year. They're not totally clean yet, but they are definitely cleaner than every other corps that I saw that day. Yes, I know, everybody and their mother has been saying that BD's only cleaner because their show is easier. Allow me to argue against that. Crown's show is blatantly difficult. Every section is hauling ### around the field playing runs upon runs upon runs. BD does plenty of difficult things in their show...only difference is that it doesn't look difficult to us. Getting louder while moving backfield, moving in unison while alternating between straight eighth-notes and quintuplets, crazy chromatic runs (not like the accelerating line that Crown's mellos have...the majority of that part can be played by pushing down only the first valve). Since it's not blatantly difficult, we make the mistake of assuming that it must be easy.
Now, as for the Dada stuff...I've talked to many people that haven't liked this show, and they all have one thing in common...they don't know what Dada is. However, that's the beauty of the internet - one can just go to Wikipedia, click on the search bar, press D-A-D-A, then Enter, and there you have it! More information about Dada than one would probably ever need. However, it's still worth reading, because it really does help the show make a lot more sense. For instance, did you know that "Dada" in French means "hobbyhorse?" A hobbyhorse, just in case you don't know, is an old toy where it's just a stick with a horse head on the end. The term could also apply to a rocking horse, and the uniform racks in the show sure do look like rocking horses...but I really think that's as deep as that meaning goes. Now let's talk less about the literal translation of Dada, and more about the meaning of the movement.
According to Wikipedia, Dadaism is supposed to represent everything that art did not. To directly quote the article, "Everything for which art stood, Dada represented the opposite. Where art was concerned with traditional aesthetics, Dada ignored aesthetics. If art was to appeal to sensibilities, Dada was intended to offend. Through their rejection of traditional culture and aesthetics, the Dadaists hoped to destroy traditional culture and aesthetics."
I feel like the part that I bolded sums up BD's show better than anything else I've read...after all, the show is supposed to be an example of Dadaism. If you don't like it, then congratulations, you're just like all the other people in the early 1900's that also didn't like it. I mean, this stuff pretty much laid the groundwork for surrealism - I don't think BD ever intended for this to be easily accessible. It's something new. I've never seen a drum corps show like this before, and will most likely never see one like this ever again. All this "out there" music isn't bad. It's just different. You can't expect to listen to something like this and walk away feeling fulfilled, like you had just listened to a Beethoven symphony or something. Music/art/shows that intend to be outside of the norm should never be viewed as "bad." Different does not equal bad. Sometimes, we have to listen to it more than once. You don't need to be a genius to understand it.
NOTE: I'm not saying that all the BD haters are wrong - if you don't like it, you don't like it. But, I encourage you, don't automatically dismiss it as bad just because it's not designed like Crown's show. It's not a traditional drum corps show, just like Dadaism is not traditional art.
Okay...wow, I think I rambled enough. That's my review/dissertation. Hope you enjoyed it!
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Agreed. Unfortunately, they're only allowed to perform once a day. I think they should have a pseudonym and come back in exhibition as a tribute corps to the 2012 Jersey Surf "Bridgemania" show.
It's a darned shame that the performance order is predetermined based on previous standings because SOMETIMES the most entertaining shows (those that get butts out of the seats throughout the performance) happen so early in the show that there aren't enough of those butts in the seats. Based on pure entertainment value, the Surf 2012 Show should be on LAST. It is that much fun!!!!!!!! Even if the Surf doesn't stand a snowball's chance of cracking the Top Ten, it is Number One in a lot of people's book, and should at least have a shot of presenting this show in front of the largest crowds. i like the idea of having the Surf perform after the last corps performs, right before the winners are announced. I'd stick around!!!!!!!
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Love, Love, LOVE this show. So do the thousands of fans in the audience who appreciate a FUN show for a change instead of all that "avant garde" crap being shoved down our throats in the name of "art". Give me some talented musicians dancing their ###e$ off while creating incredible sound on the field ANY TIME!!!!! I agree with the Blogging Guy on Drum Corps Network---- the Surf should be on Big, Loud, and LIVE this year---- people will be talking about this show coming out of the theater!! Jersey Surf Rules 2012!!!
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Been to 5 shows this year. Absolute favorite BY FAR is Jersey Surf's tribute to Bridgemen. Uninterrupted string of standing ovations since the very first day should tell you that this corps does what the crowd likes best. And isn't this what is really all about? Count them in for Big Loud and Live and you will have thousands of kids and families saying thanks (and becoming big DCI fans).
An Open Letter to DCI
in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
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Have them go on YouTube and download the Jersey Surf 2012 show. That will get them.