PSUBlueBandSax2011

I'm a bit late to the party here but wanted to provide a brief look at the 7 corps on Thursday night. I was about half way up on the 35 yard line. Great venue--beautiful evening. Acoustics quite loud with the overhanging roof--thought this caused drums/pit to be a bit overpowering at times though. Might not have been the best blend. Nevertheless, GREAT show by all corps! Crown--Most energy of any show of the night I thought. Well deserved win in the GE caption. I was deeply engaged the whole time. Brass is outstanding as usual with extremely impactful/dark first half of show. Great staging in first half with nearly all drill while playing (to my memory) taking place on the front half of the field. Really creates an engaging, dark, and intense feel. SCV--Some excellent drill here. Not a fan of the music book. The effect of having the props light up at the end along with all the performer's sashes is quite neat. Probably my least favorite offering from SCV in the last several years. Just doesn't work for me. Phantom--Someone find the 2010 staff and bring them back please! I continue to yearn for Phantom to bring back their shows like Into the Light, On Air, etc. with the great intertwining of excellent classical music arrangements, stunning visuals, and really engaging shows. Unfortunately, while the 2015 edition has some nice aspects, it isn't all that cohesive. The second half (Especially the end) are the strongest parts in my opinion. The music book is quite listenable and seems to far outclass the visual design. Once again (Felt this way last few years), the visual design just doesnt really flow or go with the music. Hope that Phantom can figure out how to provide an enhanced product in future years. Cavies--Really continue to see their resurgence. Entertaining show with some great visual design and music. Like the flow of it. Bluecoats--Cutting edge once again. They've done TILT and upped the technology. The sound design (when it works) is awesome and I think really adds a neat component to the show. The idea of looping and manipulating the sound of the hornline is ingenious (And no doubt controversial). However, I really love the avenue they've taken recently. THe show grooves so much. Best flow of any show I think. Captures you immediately and takes you along for a great ride, especially musically. Blue Devils--Most accessible show of the last many years I'd say. Didn't totally work for me from an effect standpoint (scores showed this too). The music book is SICK with some phenomenal execution as well, especially in the trumpets. Also my favorite BD drill in the last many years. Not my favorite but certainly polished and well done! Cadets--Much discussion of black uniforms on the forums. I have to say I thought it looked outstanding in person! I also love the different feels they create musically throughout the show. They may do it the best of any show this season. Their drill is nuts (but not clean). Their music book is great with obviously excellent source material. Overall, BD, Crown, Cadets all have a shot of winning in Indy IMO. Think Bluecoats finish no lower than 4th but don't think they could win--seems like other corps are just too polished at this point. EIther way, what a PHENOMENAL season for DCI. ALl of the kids are extremely talented and there are so many great show designs. Going to be a great final week!

:-O

####. Awesome job Bloo! So well deserved!

7/31 - TOC @ Rutgers University.

Good to know! Thanks for the correction! I'm clearly not up on my Cavies musical staff :)

Love the drill throughout Crown's show but tonight felt a bit flat through FN. Anyone else not a fan of the ending? I love the quick drill before the crown formation. But I feel like the music that was changed/added a week or two ago doesn't fit the show. Just not feeling the flow. That said, this show is really enjoyable and very well done. Just not clean enough.

Late to the party here but wanted to share my thoughts on the show. First and only DCI show attended in 2014. Unfortunately, my initial reaction was very negative due to terrible logistics. Waited 40 minutes to park. Then walked 10 minutes to stadium. It was a MESS. I understand YEA issued a statement but honestly, they have to do a better job. Luckily, the product on the field was probably the best I've seen since I've been going to shows consistently (since about 2005). The talent of the 7 corps were amazing. The fact that the "lowest" score was a 90.0 says it all. Crown - Tough spot having to delay their start by about 20 minutes. I thought they came out hot though. The talent level of the brass line is through the roof. Still messy with the feet and percussion...ugh...percussion...need to clean!! I really do like this show and there are so many great moments but I think they almost try to do too much. Hard to know where to focus during parts of the show. The ballad is beautifully done and staged. Like the 2nd half the show more than the first. Timp mic was not working for parts of show I think. SCV - Much more focused than Crown. Crown was very scattered with ideas I thought while SCV really did a great job with show flow.The mello solo is phenomenal (even if they do add some reverb). Still saw some issues with the feet but thought effect wise they were above Crown. Phantom - So much improved from the beginning of the season! Leagues beyond where they were. Very impressed with this corps having watched them on FN throughout the season. I still don't know if I love the show design but the change of uniform is very effective in person (much more so than over FN). Engaging show. Demand level not there compared to other corps. Liked how they split the high/low voices with the uniform change. BD - They will most certainly win this year. Highest score in DCI history? It is my favorite BD show of the last 5 or 6 but I still am not in love with it. Do I appreciate it and their crazy talent? Absolutely! But their style of show still isn't really my cup of tea. Lots more drill and movement than previous years but still prefer other corps drill better. Their guard was absolutely brilliant. Great show. Just not really my thing. Bluecoats - Crowd favorite by a MILE! Crowd was on feat before the end. The double Z-Pull ending is amazing effective. Best ballad of the year (BD is a VERY close second with SCV third by the slimmest of margins in my book).The staging of the ballad puts them on top for me. The whole show is so innovative. The skewed field perspective is well done. Still a few visual issues but I really don't think the gap between them and BD is as big as the scores indicated. Man next to me (marched Cadets in the 70s) said after Bloo "Wow, and the Blue Devils are beating this?!" Needless to say, he wasn't a BD fan. Cavies - So much better than past few years. Great show, neat effects. Too bad they may end up 6th with their best show is several years but that's what you get this year with amazing talent. Really good guard integration. Liked the Saucedo arrangements (I believe he still does theirs) a lot. Good flow to the show. Cadets - Probably biggest fan contingent of the crowd. I don't know what it is with this show. I feel like I should LOVE it. But I don't. It is missing something and I'm not sure what exactly it is. More engaging music in the ending with less narration? I'm not sure. Do like all the changes they put in though. Their drill looks quite difficult. The movement is constant. Think they are doing some really challenging stuff. I don't think they have the GE to catch BD but do have the talent. Big banners of people didn't read well at a lower elevation. All-in-all, one of the best shows I've been to! BD has NO holes which is why they'll win. Combine Cadets cleanliness with Bluecoats GE, and you'd be able to challenge BD I think. Cadets better be careful though. Bluecoats could easily take 2nd I think. SCV also better be careful. If Crown can clean, they have the more demanding show I think and better brass line but percussion holds them back.

Double Z-Pull!!!!! Yessss

I'd put Crown ahead of SCV tonight. Close...but think Crown had a great run.

These top 5 are just nuts.

First time watching BK this year. LOVE the show. Really powerful music. Great brass book. Extremely engaging to listen to. The design is great. I think the narration works but would be ok without it as well. Some phasing going on but overall nicely done. Question is do they beat Phantom? Really tight. I like BK's show better but I think Phantom might have been a bit cleaner. Either way...love the product BK have this year.

PR's show is vastly improved over the last few weeks. Still not in love at all with the visual design but the cleaning is definitely working well! Musically, this corps has grown substantially over the last month or so. Really proud of these kids. Started as a show I didn't care for at all to one I can get into an enjoy! Well done PR. Hoping for a better visual design next year though :)

From the live stream, looked like Bloo cleaned a TON of the visual dirt in the past week or so. Leagues beyond where they were 5 days ago in terms of cleanliness of forms. Obviously sound of FN isn't what is being judged but I thought they sounded a little rough in spots. Great show as usual though. Ton of energy. Few little tweaks. They need to keep the momentum going. Regarding SCV, there show continues to grow on me and think the re-tooled ending is very tasteful. Can't wait to see all these groups on July 31 at Rutgers!

88.05 for Cadets who take 1st and beat Crown by more than a point. Whoaaaa

TIn can.

Like the Coats optimism but I can;t see them taking first. Crown and Cadets look a little cleaner. Although none of the top 3 were really on their game. And wow...another messy spot from Crown's line. Very uncharacteristic.

Cracked note...make that notes in trumpet solo. Come on guys!!

Definitely not the best performances for the last 3 corps tonight. Wonder if the hour rain delay had something to do with it. You'd think they'd be able to deal with that ok though. Still great stuff, but a bit sloppy from all 3 in spots. Especially the Tuba going to the wrong place in the opening chord of Crown's show :/

WHAT HAPPENED to the Tuba on the left of the formation in the big hit at the beginning?!

Crown's first performance after nearly a week off. Very interested to see what changes they have in store.

I have to imagine they will change it before finals? I agree with you, seems like it is missing something. Not sure what.

Amazingly clean show. Made some nice changes. I'll be interested if the Cadets can keep it fresh for the next month or so. With their staff they most likely can.

No French Horn player tonight?

My feed doesn't skip all night....then skips all over the place during Hymn of Axciom...fantastic :(

This! Yes! Still like the show, but this is a great point.