onmyown

Can't get onto fan network...anyone else having probs?

Agreed

I saw their show last night in Dallas and I believe that it comes down to exactly what Phantom did in '08 to get them over the hump...an exciting finish. The drill is beautiful to watch live...the brass is powerful while skilled and controlled...percussion is, well, you know...and they have the technical elements to be at the top. It's the finish that needs that last umph.

I have followed Boston closely for a few years and have been into their shows until this one. I get the message and the tie into their history...but musically and visually it's not what I would expect from them. Now...if that were a change in direction that was advancing the crowd reaction, scores or even just made their show more entertaining than past years, being different would be great...I just don't see it happening with this production...yet. I will give credit to the members for working very hard to try and make this show work. I wish them the best!

HQ feed seems to be down, but SQ feed is working.

Intentional?

Check out this vid of 2012 BAC brass rehearsal in the Berry Center (they had rehearsal day there for TOC show). The acoustics are ridiculous...great resonance and you can hear every voice of the horn line.

Fair question...as I said, my feelings on this are not directed at the performers, who all amaze me. And clearly this direction is a reflection of what is being rewarded by the judges...who must be completely reset/changed out if any effort in changing the scoring system is going to result in different outcomes...but IMO: BD Cavaliers BK Cadets (Hopkins influence has its peaks and valleys year to year)

Drum Corps to me is music and motion, choreographed in a way that is in one way impressive (peel your face off, 10 spin throws, running drill til you drop) while also needing to be entertaining (story-telling and/or emotional, impressionable)...But if I can't turn on a recording of a show in my car and really enjoy the playing, music, arrangements, etc...I'm just not interested. Pre-recorded segments, incongruous arrangements and continuous dissonance just doesn't work as an entertainment medium...for me. The kids performing all these shows are amazing to me. Take nothing away from their skill, resilience, commtitment and fortitude. But some (by all means not all) of the activitiy's current arrangements are not listenable musically on their own. I've seen every production more than once this year (WC) and downloaded most of the FN recordings, and am very concerned about the potential one or more successful corps could have on the long term direction of WC Drum Corps.

Judging in a post traditional Drum Corps world... I believe that as this competitive artform evolves, the manner in which it is judged will evolve as well. Simply, I believe that this will turn into an activity evaluated much like movies, music and plays are today. Where instead of having each performance individually judged and rated, the cumulative season's performances will be used to judge winners not only in the overall category of the best corps, but even captions and potentially new categories such as genre or style. There are a number of payoffs here. First, the cost of judging shows would go way down as the judging format could be something similar to movies or plays,, where a select panel of " experts" watches shows throughout the season both in person and perhaps on video and rates them on a secret ballot prior to the years last "Grand Finale" performance.. What I like about this is that each individual show now is more about entertainment and less about what the score is. Yet there will still be awareness that each show potentially has an impact on that corps' final ranking. What also would be nice about this is you wouldn't ever really know which corps are really in the running or not, and maybe your favorite corps would be more enjoyable to watch because you don't know if they're really at the top or not as the season progresses. The interest level in following some corps that historically don't rate as high might actually be more enthusiastic if it hasn't already been determined that they're not going to finish near the top; kind of like when you're watching a movie you really like and think it deserves recognition...you're going to talk about it and promote it...instead of dismissing it because you know it's not scoring well early on. This would also give forums like this a lot larger following and participation from a broader audience since no other judging results will have been released throughout the season. Think of it this way, most of us would be more enthusiastic about a show if we didn't know what the scores had been already. Rather, if we have heard from friends or other people that SCVs show, or the cavaliers' show, or the Academy's show was really cool and should go see it, we might be more excited not knowing what they had already scored. Anyway...just a thought.

Visually and musically, Boston's show is tough. It is a risk in this year's mix to go this route, but it pays off. It's a dramatic and fantastic ride. Good luck tonight in finals, BAC!

Whatever duuuuuuuuuudddde!

YES...Exactly! Look at Atlanta, the turnout for a regional was comparable to Finals. Remember the Rose Bowl? I know logistically it's easier to set the schedule each year to end at Indy, but it's not helping the activity grow in popularity having finals in the same place every year.

The reality in TX is that schools are laying off teachers, increasing class sizes and slashing budgets (including music dept budgets). This is the case throughout the state. These stadiums are not funded via school district budgets. For some reason, those living in these cities are glad to fund special bond elections to build stadiums and boost their own egos, but not willing to accept the fact that school funding and the education of their kids might be a little more important. TX (I've lived here 37 years and raised two kids here and my wife is a 20+ year teacher in the system in TX) is pretty much in the bottom 10 in achievement across the board vs the rest of the country, but our stadiums look great! (sorry for the rant...)

Here's BFDTV's much better video from last nights performance by BAC at Fenway:

Exactly. For example, many if not most (not all mind you) musicians who play in corps that don't finish as high as other corps aspire to move up to a more competitive corps, therefore honing their skills and pushing themselves with the corps they're in to get better. If you've attended or participated in even one rehearsal day in the late season of a competitive drum corps, you know they aren't workIng that hard in that heat for an exhibition. What makes corps get better is the chance at moving up even one spot in one category/caption in a performance. There has to be a competitive component to drive them to get better.

Video link from FB: https://fbcdn-video-a.akamaihd.net/cfs-ak-prn1/v/610046/327/3597468629747_44812.mp4?oh=0610514c480a06446dc66fe85f9483ac&oe=501C8F20&__gda__=1344048928_d36cefde9235705488913d82fd9c3721

Funny you should say that, as I made sure not to call this a major event in my first sentence. In all fairness to Red Sox fans out there (I'm from TX and a Rangers fan myself) I didn't want to diminish the significance of this game. I was more curious to find out at what "major" events ( like when the cadets played for the presidental inauguration Parade) other corps may have played the national anthem. Just curious. I'd say it's always an honor in any venue to get to perform our National Anthem.

Boston is playing National Anthem tonight for the Red Sox/Twins game at Fenway. I was curious if anyone had memories of corps playing the National Anthem at major events...sporting or otherwise.

TITANS!!!!

12 Boston should be Lacrimosa (from For A Friend) by Preisner, Zbigniew. At least that's what Corpsreps says about it. FYI, Boston's ballad was changed after that original publication in the winter. It is a two part piece combining “Symphony No. 10” of Dmitri Shostakovich and “Evey Reborn” by Dario Mariancelli.

Judges?

Yes...Boston spent a lot of time last week on changes to music and visual in the closer. Those parts need refining and this week gives them time to do that. New visuals in the last 30 seconds of their show are awesome!

I don't beleive BAC has used synth so far. Just amplifying acoustic pit instruments. The bass drop effect has not been their M.O. They've used a little bit for non-brass moments where they wanted some electronic instrumentation, in past years. IMHO, the rules for electronic instrumentation should be modified as follows: "the use of continuous low frequency notes/chords produced using non-acoustic, non-brass or non-percussion instrumentation (a.k.a.- synthesizers, electronic pianos or guitars) during impact brass notes/chords is prohibited." Whether it sounds good or not, bass drop notes during big brass chords directly enhances the volume and deepness of the instruments ARTFICIALLY. These aren't Drum, Bugle and Synthesizer Corps.

I think you might be onto something...