brichtimp

Flash player kinda sucks on FN, in my experience.

Not sure that BD is 'trying to hold on' at this point.....seems like they (like CC) are aiming for consistency, energy and sanitary execution since comparing their shows is akin to apples vs kumquats. I think it is great that we have a number of excellent and creative shows this year, and it's also very cool that CC is bringing some of the Paul Lovatt-Cooper music to the table this year.

I did see them last year (my son is next to center snare there), and the DCI ringers they brought in for Annapolis fleshed out their brass sound. I agree that they are further along this year, and have more overall talent than last year. However, when I showed my son the Downingtown video I took, we both cringed at the last 2 minutes of the show....so much room to get the feet cleaned and the brass need to eat some more Wheaties to deal with the drill demands. But, I respect what they are doing out there, and they are a great addition to DCA for sure.

Brasso, what, in your opinion, would make BD's show "new, fresh and innovative?" What do you require to be 'entertained?'

Yes....we really enjoyed White Sabers on Saturday...very nice show! Regarding C2, coming out there between MBI and Bucs, they looked like a bunch of high school kids thrown into the ring with the 'adults.' Cool to see that the C2 battery has the chops and aggression to hang with the older guys!

IMHO, BD's show is not designed to make people jump up and cheer like Pavlov's dog :-) But it still is a very entertaining show.....you can watch it 5 times in a row and focus on a bunch of different facets that you didn't notice before. In addition to their inimitable marching style/stride, one can dig their fine blend and balance as they crank out those thick chords and make it seem easy. Or, one can appreciate their seriously fine pit talent and arrangements. All of that said, I am personally hoping that the Cadets can become a little cleaner and find a few more tenths in their guard execution.

I think there is so much complexity and demand to BD's show this year that it is a very challenging production for even the best judges to capture and consistently evaluate. That said, I also think that Carolina Crown (despite the arguably insipid love story verbiage) has a show that can still win, but only if they can really clean their marching and some of the very audible battery 'thick' moments. Cadets are the dark horse in my mind, but I have gained new appreciation for Barber's 1st Symphony for sure.

I think one of the really cool aspects of DCI this year is the wide diversity in show design where fans (like me) can appreciate the impact points and brass wall from Crown, the seemingly more cerebral Cadets investigation of Samuel Barber, featuring their kick-butt percussion and the fluid mix from BD. Since not one of the corps are truly clean yet (plenty of phasing, alignment and other flaws, even for the top 6), I find it fascinating to try to out-guess the judging based on my particular frame of reference. I would argue that a whole bunch of shows this year are highly involving and enjoyable, even if no scoring existed. Booing, I think, is in the 'grand American tradition,' but seems like more of a distraction compared with the creative product coming from these excellent ensembles.