MikeRapp

I think Bluecoats wouldn’t do Babylon because it’s not in their entertainment line of design thinking. Scv could definitely do Session 44 and it would probably be awesome. Imagine Crown doing Session 44. I mean obviously they have the talent to do it, but I feel like they would insist on sticking their standard triple tonguing arrangements into the middle of the show, or stand out drum features, that would not make sense at all. I would love to see blue Devils do session 44. They would kill it. But again, would they insist on over designing that show with all kinds of details that don’t fit the concept?

I think it would be interesting to ask ourselves if Carolina crown could do Babylon or session 44. Could there approach to design and arrangements embrace those two styles of shows. I have to say I don’t think so, but I think it would be really cool to see them try something new that wasn’t forced into what I would call their predictable design patterns of the past. I love the cleanliness of their triple tonguing passages, but if you watch them over the years it does get predictable and a bit, I don’t know, disappointing I guess. Maybe if I was in charge of Carolina crown I would say well that’s who we are and that’s what’s made us great and that’s what people love about us. They can win medals doing that, so technically there’s no reason to change other than creativity and excellence.

I was referring to a post from earlier this morning that tried to put a lonevity number on each group. Sorry, I should have referred to that post.

1. We are happy where we are, and we are willing to finish where we finish so that we can be true to what we want to do and what we have done in the past. Even if that means finishing 10th, 15th, or fourth, it’s what we do. 2. We are not happy with where we are, but we are not willing to change the fundamental things that made us successful to this point to get to a new place. We do not feel we can risk where we are to get to somewhere else. 3. We are happy where we are, but are willing to embrace change, and are willing to change some of the things that we are most comfortable with to become better. Our goal is to win medals. 4. We would like to be a medalist Organization, but we do not have the administrative resources, money, Board of Directors, and market to support a doubling or tripling of our budget to get there. 5. We have a delusional leadership group that thinks we are one small change away from going from 12 to first.

I find it interesting on many levels that Bluecoats have more longevity than Carolina Crown. Obviously they have been around a lot longer than Crown, but these stats might prove just how hard it has been to have longevity in this activity. It’s also a huge thumbs up to Crown, for being so consistent, and so darned good during their entire existence. I also think all corps directors and art directors can and should look at the corps that have reinvented themselves successfully. That is so so hard to do in reality. You can put a lot of stuff on paper, it may sound right and doable, but the reality is so much more demanding. We humans love consistency and hate change. Cavaliers, Bluecoats, and maybe arguably SCV have emerged from what they once were into something else. Cavaliers and Bluecoats are nothing whatsoever like what they were a decade or more ago. Of course us oldsters will talk about what Blue Devils once were, which is actually not dissimilar in many ways to what Scouts used to be, and have changed into something that literally no one from that era would likely recognize today. And wow, so darned excellent on every level. I have never been more excited about the potential of this activity this morning. It is somehow becoming something new and very demanding, very creative on many levels, and very, very entertaining. Those three things are so rarely found together. I mean let’s face it, only a handful of corps could execute the top three shows this year. It takes too much creative, technical and athletic skill, and too much training and planning. But I dare say that most corps could execute the Mandarins show. They could execute last year’s Academy show. They could do Blue Stars’ show this year. Blue Stars are a perennial finalist that is quite young, and so they always seem to look sloppy and forgettable in June, and then slowly become pretty darned good. Maybe those shows aren’t progressive enough to win a medal, but they certainly can be a step in that direction. If you are a corps that is looking at Finals night, especially at the medalists, and feel lost, don’t. Look at the opportunity that risk taking and raising the bar can do for you and go for it. Hire some really talented planners and directors and make a new way to wow people who watch and perform.

Next season will be an epic season for DCI. There will be at least five corps that will have a legit reason to say they have a shot to win Gold. Maybe even six.

Technically it is an outlier, but if the roles were switched, you would be the first to say, you gotta bring it when it counts most.

That horn snap and sonic blast. Then that mello sustain. It isn’t fair to have to compete against that.

This is when we all pray that, during this offseason, somehow DCI can find a way to get a world class broadcast option. If only for Indy.

Congrats to Bloo for yet another incredible season, taking bronze, their fourth medal in the last five years.

And finished second in visual. Which tells you just how great this SCV show was.

Congrats to SCV, Blue Devils and Bluecoats, three deserving winners tonight.

Was not that close, BD takes silver by almost half a point.

96.95 gets the bronze for Bloo.

SCV takes battery.

SCV wins brass and visual. Boston wins guard. Who wins percussion?

Well there you go, Boston wins guard. All set up now for Bloo...

Mandarins with an 88.15, wow.

Anyone?

LISTEN TO THAT CROWD! Even 15 second after they ended the place is still buzzing!

Was eery. And then when the chorus takes off you could just feel the crowd getting ready for the sendoff. What energy!

Bloo intends to take that silver tonight. They are blasting this show at its peak.

This is what happens when a show is designed to perfectly fit the concept.

My goodness what a wall of sound!

See BD’s perfect score.