quietcity

Thanks for the post, Continental, it brings back a lot of memories and helps make up for the inept finals-night broadcast that year. I joined SCV just about a month before this show, to fill a French horn hole. I had quit drum corps two years before to pursue college, but a friend invited me back at the last minute. I remember my terror the first few shows, including this one, trying not frack or fall over while performing the most difficult book and drill I had ever marched, all with one month of practice. You can see me at the exact 10:00 mark, the right-most French horn with the cheesy mustache and anxious demeanor. I had totally forgotten about those blue flags the horn players were sporting. The flags got ditched after just a few shows, and the horn line got taught interpretive dance moves instead. Horn players learning to dance was one of those "Oh, so this is SCV" moments for me. The show remained amazingly intact throughout the season. T-Racer, correct me if I am wrong, but I don't recall any major drill or horn re-writes that summer. Mr. Royer and his crew knew what they were doing. The exception is the end of the show, which got re-written just about every week. New horn arrangements of the last couple phrases, sometimes twice in a day, and constant drill tweaks, and a slow evolution to the final "tableau" of horn poses by the end of the season. The very end of the show was remarkably difficult, requiring the horns to play at pianissimo at the front sideline, seconds after that long company front played, tunefully, at a lung-emptying volume. You can hear what a challenge it is on this video, when the intonation on the final note goes all to hell. But ####, overall, we were pretty impressive for so early in the season.

Oh, don't get me started!

Great, now I am all pizzed off about the GoT finale again. Ravens totally under-utilized!

I am Joan. I can do better. I will not throw away my shot.

In this new era of staged musicians, Knights taking real risks visually, by moving and playing so much, and with such effective drill. Unfortunately, they are dirty as all get out.

Wow, compared to Cadets, the Knights have such a more coherent design and music philosophy. I loved the flow and smoothness of their musical and visual ideas. Gorgeous music too

Cadets seem to be searching for a new style, but they are not there yet, and it is kind of painful to watch. Their show is made up of bits and pieces of old Cadets and other corps. They don't have a distinctive and coherent new image yet. I am hoping they can achieve this over the next year or so.

I don't understand this arrangement of Bridge Over Troubled Waters. The style kind of wanders all over.

Now don't exaggerate.

Average price of one pack of cigarettes in Chicago is now $12. I know some young folks who have trouble making ends meet but still buy cigarettes. It is a vicious habit, one of the hardest to break. It is certainly not a corps' job to dictate whether or not a member smokes, but if the corps can dissuade a teen from smoking, everyone is better off.

Holy smokes, I love BK's show! Beautiful brass writings and coherent musical expression.

Does anyone know whose voice is being used in the show? Sounds like a very old Leonard Nimoy.

Loving BK's music, something I have not said in a while.

SCV left me cold at the beginning of the season. I am warming to the show, but it still feels like "Babylon: The B Sides"

HORN SNAP! jk.....

holy smokes, end of opener grabbed me for the first time

That last bit of drill looks like the stuff Peter Weber did for SCV a few years ago

remarkable intonation in the brass

Why are they dancing with plexiglass??

My Flo feed is solid and has excellent sound. And my wife and son are out of town tonight, so I turn up the volume as loud as I want. The drum corps gods have smiled on me.

My Memphis feed is pretty good right now.

End of Bloo's show is a little abrupt. Must be more in store.

Flo has good sound tonight

I like the colors Academy has on the field. But the performers in white get lost among the many bright orange bridges scattered about. A lot of corps have distracting props this year, including SCV and Bloo.

I gotta say it, those props remind me of above-ground swimming pools. Or Crown's old trampolines.