MikeRapp

I feel like something fundamental has happened with SCV in the last two years. Their visual concepts have been so huge, so ballsy, so challenging to pull off. They literally cover the field with stuff that requires pinpoint accuracy. And they pull it off, while playing one of the most insane books I’ve ever heard in drum corps. While I love the Bloo show, that Metropolis closer is going to blow people away. Those mellows, and their high brass blast...wow. Gonna be a big moment in Indy.

Need to see all the BD visuals on the field, and the Metropolis ending for SCV.

One day BK will field a show that has a cohesive and interesting concept that equally uses both music and visuals. That day, alas, remains in the future. In the meantime we will drool over their horn line, snares, and arrangements.

Seems pretty clear they purposefully stayed out of he content world to give Flo that territory..

I don’t have to hate a corps or show to love another one. Plus it’s not binary. You can like certain aspects of shows you don’t love, and vice versa.

One thing to watch is judges and trends. It becomes quite clear right about now that judges are talking to each other, watching shows they haven’t yet judged, and especially watching corps that haven’t seen yet. Certain judges will begin to “make statements” within the community of judges as to what they think the relative scoring glide path will be as far as they see it. There are certain judges who will not be moved by GE biases one way or the other, and certain judges who will essentially lead the pack from now till Indy. Some judges tend to value musical proficiency over all. Some value GE over all. That’s why Regionals matter. And that’s one reason Nashville has become such a bellwether show, as it features most of the elite corps one night before Atlanta.

Need to check my schedule and tix.

I don’t think people hate the Devils, they just like seeing corps get rewarded for being the crowd favorite. It’s human nature to want the underdog to win.

I may drive up just to be there.

I will be paying close attentention to the judging panel for that show...a lot is at stake for the season.

I was not able to get tickets early enough for the Nashville show. If anyone wants a buddy or two, or needs to get rid of good tix, let me know.

There is something different about Bluecoats this year. Can’t really put my finger on it. I liked last years music more than this years, and I liked a lot of that show better, but this year has a strange staying power I can’t seem to describe. I will say the ballad last year was frustrating and this year it’s such a powerful moment.

You know I am with you on Cavaliers. I just don’t like their show designs related to the type and amount of playing the corps does. This show is much better than last year for me but it still feels decidedly and purposefully unmusical. I do think Boston is a kick ### corps. Would not be shocked to see them climb ahead of Crown this year. Just not a fan of Crowns show, though their technical skills are still top shelf. Mandarins is this year’s wild card. It would be shocking to see them climb into the single digits. Probably not possible given how DCI scores things. Cadets is going to be a lot of moral support and deservedly so. Just don’t think they have the chops in brass or guard to stay out of third tier.

I don’t know if they will win, but I’m convinced it will either be them or SCV. Both shows push the limits on arrangements within the context of kick ### show designs.

As did I. About the same time frame.

I see Boston taking over Cavaliers by Nashville. It’s a much more musical show.

Yep. Jagged Line had a big hole in the middle of the program they could never close—the ballad never worked the way they wanted it to—and the staging was too hard to evolve.

No offense, George, but this time last year you were saying the same thing about Cavaliers and Boston finishing ahead of Cadets.

I don’t find BD to be stale at all. I just find them to be predictable. Same with Crown. All corps have their style. Knights have theirs, Cadets have had theirs. Bluecoats are definitely carving out theirs. SCV has been consistent for decades and now they are turning the corner. The level of playing and performing now in dci is just scary, it blows my mind that kids can do any of this stuff. Even those that don’t make finals. There are countless reasons to Love BD. Not just from what they do on the field, but even moreso off. They are the best and most professional organization in dci, and its not even arguable. The shift to a dramatic direction in general has opened up the creative floodgates. Now we have so many different styles and directions and the shows have become shows. Not just expositions in complexity. For me, I honor corps and programs that are elite in complexity and proficiency, and equally elite in arranging and performance/emotion. For me, the corps that is getting this better than anyone is Bluecoats. I think we will look back in 20 years and recognize this six year span for Bluecoats as the changing of the guard. Not just to Bluecoats, but to a new way of doing drum corps. For that, I give the group in Akron the exact same kudos I’ve given Blue Devils for over a decade. It’s a new day, a Bloo day.

I’ve seen the future and it is Bloo. Gonna be ###### hard to top this show for the gold now. The corps is feeling the moments and playing into them perfectly. The ballad is just amazing and the ending, you know is gonna get better and better. 1.Bluecoars 2. SCV 3. BD 4. Crown 5. Boston 6. Cavaliers 7. Knights 8. Phantom 9. Mandarins 10. Cadets 11.? 12.?

This year it seems very clear they are taking a new approach to the evolution of their show. With down side up, they knew they had the concept totally nailed, so they ran out to a big lead and then held everyone off at the end. Last year, the nature of the drill design was so specific that it made it almost impossible to change throughout the season. Too much follow the leader. And the stage basically ruled out almost any significant change to drill design. This year the show seems to be designed to change and layer as the season moves on. I think it will be hard to beat Bluecoats in GE, and they won’t finish far out of the top spot in any single caption. The only show that I think has a chance to beat them is SCV. I don’t think Cavaliers’ show design is in the same league as the top four, and I don’t think their arrangements are musical enough to beat any of the top four in brass. If Crown evolves their show, especially the last third, they could clean their way to a medal. But I definitely don’t think it will be at Bluecoats’ expense. Could well be BD that gets nipped for the Bronze at the end.

When will Blue Knights decide that visual is as important as music and arrangements? I keep predicting them to make a run at a medal, and every year they seem to have decided the visual part of the program two weeks before the kids walk into spring training.

Really? I’ve never heard of such.

Move’em to Florida.

One of my favorite moments of the season is watching the Bluecoats drum major when he first makes eye contact with the corps from the podium. Man what a rush that had to be!