POPS

My first thought when I saw the tepid fan reaction (on FLO Marching) was that it was too abstract for the casual fan. I’ve seen this before in the shows I’ve attended in Massillon. Then I read this and now wonder what percent of the finals crowd is hard-corps DCI as opposed to casual, local fans. Anybody?

I noticed it, too, and agree completely that it was superb. But DCI a crowds are DCI crowds. They want music they connect with. Who cares? Tomorrow BD will walk off with another trophy, knowing they were terrific.

4 Finally found someone who agrees that 2916 was the “perfect” SCV show. There was so much grace, subtlety, and precision in that performance that it’s has been my favorite ever since. And the look … so pure and clean! I say this recalling that Babylon made me throw my hands up and shout with joy. Forces of Nature just made me shake my head in awe. Their demise, temporary we all hope, shouldn’t overshadow the many years of pleasure they gave us. Boy, I miss them.

Sorry. Changed my mind and can’t find “cancel.” 🤐

This was my very first thought when I read the news. Especially since SCV resides in an area of such tremendous wealth. I wasn't only heartbroken but really PO'd at the (seeming) negligence. Then, after reading 34 pages of comments, I got he impression that the other main failure of leadership was the virtual abandonment of the alumni, a tremendous resource wasted. Though I was a bandsman in my younger years, I must confess that I'm relatively new to DCI. I first saw the Vanguard live in Massilon in 2016; the Forces of Nature show. Something about their sound and movement set them apart from the other corps for me. It was the music, of course. To me, it was sublime. Ouroboros and Babylon only deepened my admiration (dare I say love?), and their 2018 championship seemed like a personal triumph, even as far removed from the action as I am. SCV's essence - their music - is what I will miss most. One can only hope that they can find their way back to that tradition.

(An unabashed SCV fan here). As several have mentioned, "Corps Identity" is an important attribute for many fans when it comes to judging a performance. I think that SCV probably ended up where they should have, but I also believe they don't get enough credit in the Forum for doing what they do best, which the above quote from lawdn expresses perfectly. It must be a nightmare for designers to figure out how to please the crowd, the judges, and perhaps just as important, the corps members. For some corps, at least, a large factor in show design must be establishing an identity, then sticking with it. For SCV, it seems to me that they've achieved a certain ethereal quality in their music and movements over the last 5 or 6 years, although not always successfully. You wait every year to see if BLOO can get your jaw to drop. You wait to see if SCV can bring tears to your eyes. I invite views from some of the experienced DCI veterans out there as to how designers go about figuring out their objectives for the next season.

Music first with SCV. Always beautiful.

Thank you. Wish FLO would do this on screen for all of viewers. It helps pull the shows together.

Pure entertainment! Glorious!