JKT90

I agree about drum judges (as an example, look how well Blue Stars are being ranked in drums)...but for the life of me, how do you blow attacks in the parking lot, in August, playing 8's? They do seem to have cleaned it about as well as they can.

Good question. Personally, I think if it were held at a central location, such as Jerry World in Dallas it would be cheaper for those on the West coast to get to.

I thought I saw something posted by DCI on CC's win along with a pic of them holding the cup. I don't think it stayed up long. Looks like they only posted on FB:

Good point!

Steve - I really don't want to come across as this is some sort of dig on SOA, their my corps. I even made a number of inquiries as of last week to ensure that alums who wants a replacement jacket will have the opportunity to get one, and i cant wait to wear it. But enough time has passed that I feel comfortable discussing this. The current staff at SOA have them in the right direction, and are in no way connected to 1991. I also tried to stay specific to just the drum line. In 1990 SOA had the entire 89 snare line back, 3 of the 5 tenors back, most of the bass line and pit and were freaking clean at camp 1. The caption head at the time, IMHO, and his philosophy hurt us. We were constantly threatened to have parts watered if we ticked...it was motivation by fear. I still contend we had enough chops on that line to win drums, but our writing was so easy. Not so at SOI...you were treated as a professional. I think I have a unique perspective to offer on not the talent of the staff, but rather the philosophy of it. I hesitated to enough start this topic, because how can I compare one against another without coming across as negative to the one corps I marched with. But I stand by my observation, and it's only my observation and experience. I also don't think we worked any less just because we are from the south...I can remember many rehearsals where I felt liking puking or passing out, i remeber Tank Hill army camp in South Carolina, doing 37 laps around the track in Virginia at about 180bpm on a triplet roll, I actually remember hallucinating some on about lap 20, countless days of 8-12 hours, and many times thinking, why am i doing this to myself....But as an alum, thanks for coming to their defense.

I would probably raise the age limit to 24. Imagine corps being able to take advantage of having that much more experience.

I predict that Cadets and SCV tie.

I think they're just trying to fill the stadium, and perhaps ticket sales are under their projections. (?)

That's a hard one. One thing I would change about DCI...I would like to see, post season, interviews with the judges on what they saw and why the scored as they did. Further enlighten fans as to specifics on how they determine content and achievement. Perhaps an online chat too with the head of judging. I think that would go a long way in showing transparency as well as an educational benefit for those of us who do not judge. <div><br></div><div>The other thing I would do is implement, as a totally separate deal, a Fan Vote. For $xx.xx you sign on, create a user id/password and rank the corps for each regional contest...the results are tallied up and announced before the official scores are read. (Or some tweak on that, but the idea is a Fan Vote). </div>

Without predicting scores: Carolina Crown Blue Devils SCV & Cadets tie Bluecoats Phantom Regiment Boston Crusaders Cavaliers Madison Scouts Blue Knights Blue Stars Spirit of Atlanta Crossmen Troopers Drums: Santa Clara Vanguard Brass: Carolina Crown Visual: Blue Devils Guard: Carolina Crown

Isn't music about moving you...if so, and being DCI is music's major league, shouldn't the judging encompass the purpose of being of a musician, the ultimate performer. I'm just asking, what the purpose of music is and why we are drawn to it...at the core, is it technical or is it emotional movement....can we combine both and reward that in in the judging sheet? Is that too tall an order to ask? I'm just curious why we can't have both, or do we have both and I'm just missing it?

Great post. Can tell you put a lot of thought of thought into this. Thanks for sharing it!

Cadets have a very good show too!

It's how I feel...our responsibility as musicians is to create an emotion, and unless you pour yourself into it, all you get is technically very very good, but no expression. What is Blue Devils message? I have zero emotional investment in it..but yeah, what they do and how they do it is freaking great. Their show is like watching a documentary on space exploration...yeah pretty cool stuff. CC's show is about what's in your soul> that is why God created music...to move us, to stir us.

For me, music is an emotional expression. It's the international language, meaning whatever language you speak when you hear a piece of music you hear the same thing, you don't need an interpretor...and IMHO a show that has the most impact on me is that which moves me, because the performers have effectively communicated that emotion into their performance. I also think that in today's world we don't credit that as much as we should. Music is simply notes on a page, the performers have to invest themselves in their performance, feel it and express it for it to be effective...to me, that has always been the essence of Drum Corps, and why I love it. In my book this year, Carolina Crown does the best job of any corps of expressing power, tenderness and wonder in their show, and it moves me, I can relate to it, I feel it. Not discounting Blue Devils and their technical proficiency but their show does nothing for me except make me appreciate the difficulty of what they are doing. I get it, it's hard. But to me, that's not what music is intended for. It is to communicate feelings so you feel it with them, you are in suspended disbelief while you take the journey with them. Trooper/s show does that...I think we've gotten away from this very simple, yet very difficult mission...how can we move an audience> how can we pull them in and take them on a journey with us? I think SCV's show does that well too. We over complicate things and focus on areas that the common fan will not appreciate. I'm not saying dumb it down at all, bc we all have a high sense of musical appreciation, what I am saying is pull a page out of CC's play book and design a show that accomplishes the objective of musicality...move me! Whatever the results are on Saturday, THANK YOU Carolina Crown, Troopers and Santa Clara Vanguard, you are the essence of musical expression. The whole judging thing has gotten away from the essence of why we are musicians...if I wanted zero emotion and technical greatness, I would have been a math major or software programmer. As a musician, what piece would you rather play...that's what I'm talking about.

Man I could not have said it any better. This show has everything! And not since Angels and Demons have I been more impressed with a show. I'm with you, it's my favorite of all time, it's #1 of all shows I've seen.

Ok, it's officially my favorite show. The ending is great, drum line greatly improved and the horn line...well, the best I have ever heard. Love the entire show.

Well said. I do believe those that are turned off from this now is because corps are doing more shows designed around the judging sheets and the fans who support the activity, go to shows, purchase merchandise, etc felt they are left out...it used to be more for the fan and they corps got judged, not it is more for the judge and the fans get to watch. That's just my perception on how i think some feel...however, it never fails that every year there are around 3 corps I really like...in 2011 Rach Star, Angels and Demons, Phantom, Madison and BAC were great (2011 was a great year top to bottom). Last year, Spirit, BD, Cadets were great. This year, e=MC2, Speakeasy, Troopers, SCV, Cadets are enjoyable. For me, what all those have in common are shows that were accessible.

That's what I thought, BC I couldn't remember any case in which 3rd on semi's won on finals.

Does anyone think we see a flip flop from semi's to finals? Also, does anyone know the furtherest back a corps has come to win from semi's to finals?

Love this! I guarantee you that we are paying attention to scores than they are. They are simply focused on making their show the best it can be, and have appreciation for what the other is doing.

I'm ok with some synth and the change of bugles...what I'm not crazy about is all the body work stuff going on, it's WGI on the field. Especially in the drum line. I would rather you stand there and force feed notes, intimidate me and make me go WOW. All the moving around, I can't really what all they're doing. Some body movement is fine, but just some.

I get the sense that GH feels the performers are finally "getting it". He has mentioned numerous times that the show design can only take them so far and the MM has to put in the emotional work to pull it off. I noticed on his FB page that he took them to see BD and CC and they got a dose of reality, which seems to have motivated them. The staff is feeling it too, and the members seem to have broken through...perhaps they are beginning to peak at just the right time. ?? Interesting week ahead...

Does SCV creep into the mix with a show that is a fan favorite everywhere? Do the Cadets clean the towers enough to pull out the Gold? Does e=MC2 actually = a Gold medal? Do Blue Devils repeat and cause more controversy? 2013 has been one interesting year...

What was the spread this time last year between BD and CC? From my read .2ths is anyone's right now. Someone had to win last night and I think I would rather be sitting in CC shoes right now than BD's. I think it's easier to be the one on someone's back than being the one who is trying to hold on.