Southern Blue Devil

Carolina Crown 2015. EASY. Early on 2015 season, my friend and I watched the show a few times. Each time, we really really didn't like it. Then we went to the DCI theatre event for semis and saw the show, and it blew our minds just how FAR this show had gone!

I've never hated a show as much as I hated Kinetic Noise. Well performed? No doubt about it, there's a reason the Bluecoats are and have been in the top 5 of all Drum Corps for a decent while now, but man, just couldn't do it this year haha. I wasn't a fan of TILT, but this year the show literally annoyed me somehow. I don't know.

my personal favorite: 2012 Blue Devils - The big hit at the very end, where they form up into lines and transfer the shape in a circular motion is visually and acoustically one of the most amazing things ive seen in DCI. other stick-outs: 2013 Cavaliers - When the low brass is given the melody at the end, and the Tubas do this half time march 2007 Blue Devils - Essentially the first 4 minutes of the show are always stuck in my head 2012 Carolina Crown - A few marimba runs throughout, mainly near the end, i always listen for them 2010 Cavaliers - THIS. IS. MY RIFLE. 2005 Cadets - The Vocal Drum Break 2005 Cadets - "What fun! It's music, now dance! *giggle*" All I can think of from the top of my head...definitely many many more though

I'm sitting here thinking about all of the directions that they can go with this suddenly dark turn... I haven't been this excited in a long long time oh my God

Considering I absolutely despised just about everything about the Bluecoats *this* year (2013 and prior they were one of my favorites), you might be right. In which case, I mourn

If history repeats itself, BD repeats and then fails to 3peat, so... 1. Carolina 2. Blue Devils 3. Cadets 4. Bluecoats 5. Santa Clara Vanguard

wah wah wah why did BD have to win again :'( give it a rest. we bd fans were fully expecting crown to take it, and were at peace with it. i

I'd try my hand at funding the music departments of poor school districts, because nothing grosses me out more than watching students at a rich school have a better and more fulfilling high school music education simply because they happen to live in an area that goes to a wealthy school, and other kids having to be content with being the "leftover" kids simply because they lived in a place. From here, I'd ensure that DCI's next crop of kids to march is larger, and more experienced, thereby making the activity stronger.

Caption awards are awarded to the section of the corps that is the most consistent, thereby making them the best skill and bookwise. The Founder's Trophy is awarded to the corps that puts out the best performance on the night where it matters the most, since that's whats important as an overall corps. At least, that's how I've always rationalized it.

1. Colts - This show wowed me, just in its sheer execution of the subject matter and the way it completely conveyed it to the audience. Like...WOW!!! I could have watched this show 100x more. 2. Blue Devils - I'm always a fan of whatever the Blue Devils put on the field, because its always Mariana-Trench deep and well layered with story backed by a masterful colorguard. This year was no exception. 3. Santa Clara Vanguard - This show almost took the #2 spot on my list, but decided it should be #3. I don't know what it was about this show, but I loved it. A lot. Literally went on a tirade with my close friend about how its impossible to hate SCV. 4. Blue Stars - What a fun show! Every time I watched it, I saw more and more little details that they've added in! 5. The Cadets - Like the Blue Stars, every time I watched it, I saw another "10" reference, my favorite being (if i remember correctly) TEN lines used to spell the word TEN with a line of percussion making up line 10. Honorable mention - Carolina Crown - LIked this show, but it took a while for it to really cement itself in my heart as a great show. More of a personal preference thing, myself.

early to mid season... phantom 96, defiant heart...excellent musical choices. can't go wrong. 2012 blue devils...that ballad section with gymnopedies is breathtaking... 2015 blue knights...just the whole thing was amazing, emotionally 2011 phantom...can't go wrong with elsa's procession, musically...later season it got even better which is amazing 2007 blue devils...probably one of their best shows of all time, in my opinion, showed early season i was going to put 2015 crown, but sadly that show didn't really start to shine for me until around atlanta and allentown

I saw a deep explanation of the show and holy crap it was deep. I goes down to each individual member at some times.

Yes, and that's why BD constantly wins (aside from their high overall caption scores every year). Cabaret Voltaire was the study of the DaDa movement and contemporary music, Felliniesque was the world of Fellini (and was unfathomably deep) Edit: (added more on after I kept thinking) Now shows don't HAVE to have direct themes, but it sure helps. For my taste, I like the themes. But I'm not everyone, now, am I (I should be though, imagine a perfect world)

I think my issue with Phantom's 2015 show is I feel like they couldn't think of a championship design and just kinda...settled. Threw a dart on a map, it landed on Paris and they were like "alright there's our show". And that's an issue to me, especially for one of the top corps in the country. See, with the Cavaliers you know they're trying. They're picking really good show themes (secret cults, vampires, video games) but just are unable to deliver a championship show. And that's fine. I still love the Cavs. But with Phantom this year I feel like its less "2008 DCI World Champion, Phantom Regiment!" and more like "The 2014 PRHS Marching Phantom band presents: Sounds from across the world, part 1: Paris!" I don't know, I just feel like they didn't TRY with this show concept. I mean...Paris? Really? Crown does Hell from Dante's Inferno, BD does the infinite possibilities of writing, Cadets do...how many championships they've won, and the best they can come up with is PARIS. I feel bad for those kids, because you know they're workin their tails off. I'm not saying fire the staff, because I'm going to assume they're a lil better at corps management than I (just a little), but I will criticize them.

Considering they've done like...two shows so far, I'm going to offer up a solution: wait until the end of the season to judge shows heavily critically as a fan. Leave that to the judges.