ThePlanets

This is a relatively common occurrence among highschool and college ages kids. A member of one group takes something symbolic or meaningful to another group. This item is often important to the group it was taken from but does not interfere with the actual operations of the group (i.e. stealing is stealing but it wasn't like an instrument was stolen) and the individual or group of individuals taking it generally have no use for it other than to show it off as a trophy. Stealing mascots or gavels or something like this hammer has been going on for ages. Unfortunately I think it has to be explicitly written in handbooks/policy as it has been in the Cavaliers to not take stuff from other corps or there will be consenquences... because these kids clearly see it as a harmless game.

Crown with so few votes. I thought their show was tenfold more enjoyable than 2017 and I liked it better than 2016 too. It also seems that a lot of people were only listing finalist corps. Given more familarity some other corps may have scored higher.

Keep in mind I have seen very few full performances on film outside of the essentials collection prior to the year 2000. I have seen most top 12 performances from 2001-present. Pre 2000, while cliche, my favorite has to be SCV 89. My favorite that I have seen live is 2015 SCV. So musical, emotional, perfect. I think that the Bluecoats 01-15 have done a great job with featuring Baritones, particularly in their ballads. So in general I feel Bluecoats and SCV do the best. My fear is we might see a decline in the use of Baritone features with increasing ise of vocalists and trombones.

This is definitely my favorite that I have heard live. I agree 100%

Who will be the next Corps to medal? All evidence points to the Boston Crusaders. Using the data you provided as well as some other pattern analysis I have 2 theories to answer "who will win gold the next 5 years" Theory one uses data since 2007 when BD is incredibly dominant and 5 other corps have each medaled 1 time with no one corps having stong enough pull to stay on top with BD. Using this theory Crown begins to fade while Boston climbs and Bluecoats fade while Cavies climb. SCV hangs in there for now but doesn't win again. 2019 BD 2020 BD 2021 Boston Crusaders 2022 BD 2023 Cavaliers Theory 2 uses data from all time and would call for a paradigm shift when another corps or 2 corps rise and compete with BD for gold consistently. This theory also takes into consideration that we have had 2 brand new gold medalist corps already this decade (there was 1 in the 80s, 2 in the 90s, 0 in the 00s)...3 new champions in 10 years would be the most since the begining. That could look something like this: 2019 BD 2020 Bluecoats 2021 SCV 2022 SCV 2023 Bluecoats Theories aside I think any of the top 3 can win gold next year and throw Crown in if they revamp their visual program and Boston should get a medal...soon.

I was watching a video of SCVs encore last night was just amazed by the baritone solos/duet. What are some of your favorite baritone solos or features all time?

Carolina Crown Bluecoats Santa Clara Vanguard Music City Spirit of Atlanta Boston Crusaders Oregon Crusaders You asked for 7 right? HM for Genesis. Great sound, good visuals, limited props.

Crown 18 was all there musically. Great arrangements AND they fixed their percussion problem. Yes they missed the Jim Ott but this is the strongest I have ever heard the top 4 in brass. Really. The issue is obviously from a visual design perspective. I don't think they have a very strong visual identity so they can really pick any style as long as it matches the music and they perform it well. I know a lot of posters here might be getting bored with it but I love when Crown plays technically complicated pieces. That's Crownbrass and it's mind-blowing and amazing. I don't have any particular ideas other than being more competitive visually without compromising outstanding musicianship. I would think that the 2017 design would have more of an effect on recruitment than missing a medal this year.

Until proven otherwise it's BD's world and everyone else is living in it. As I have said before I would love to see a completely unpredictable top 6 or heck even 9 or 10 every year, but it's not going to happen.

My husband's biggest gripe about not just SCV but almost all shows is that no one finishes a musical thought. Performing mash ups or tiny exerpts or inpressions of a lot of pieces in 11 minutes has become pretty standard. I watched SCV online once or twice and saw them live twice this season. My first thoughts were yes this show is great from a performance level and will hopefully win but I don't get it. The first time I saw it live I thought they were really good but couldn't connect with the show. The atmosphere of seeing it live in Indy was completely different and the show sold me. What really grabs me musically is the front ensemble arrangements and the ballad. Otherwise SCV are just great live performers that draw you into the show with their energy. It's the kind of GE that you can't feel by watching or listening to a recording. Otherwise I do see your point and agree but wouldn't go as far to say it's a fail.

My first post in the BD thread! I know this will probably sound vague but I was watching BD at semifinals and I was really impressed by the brass chords they we're playing. They were big impact sustained notes that they were changing Dynamics with. It was probably mid-show. I thought it was a really cool effect and haven't heard anything like it. Does anyone know what the chords were?

Yes. Quite frankly it sucks. Yes DCI and BOA are big from the Akron/Canton area to Columbus, but I really didn't know much about it other than a little bit on ESPN growing up in the Pittsburgh area when I was age eligible to march. A Bluecoats alumni took me to my first DCI show when I was 20. The Bluecoats weren't there and I didn't know they held camps less then 2 hrs away at the time. And how long has there been DCI Pittsburgh? Oh Pittsburgh has 2 shows each featuring different corps at different times of the season. Culture isn't much different in the Youngstown/Warren/Sharon area. In fact there is some argument that less kids know about their opportunities around here. But I have 7 shows (5 WC 2 OC) within a 1.5 hour drive from me. And since I'm roughly halfway between Allentown and Indy I can choose from either of the 2 last outdoor WC shows and one of the last 2 OC outdoor shows. My area gets the royal treatment and we don't deserve it. No it's not fair at all. What about Texas and California? Both DCI hotbeds that pull a lot of talent. California is completely screwed and Texas does get everyone but it's a huge state and they get Midseason shows.

The one recent and relatively consistent exception to this rule is champions who are not BD starting in the LOS era Phantom 1st to 9th Cadets 1st to 4th Crown 1st to 5th BLOO 1st to 5th Both Cadets and Phantom than rallied for a few years then faded.

Or at least marching over them. Bostons effect was really cool but the Cavies show was really dangerous

Going to try to take the time to do this post now. May add more later. Favorite shows: Carolina Crown, Bluecoats, SOA, MCDC, OC, SCV, Boston HMs for Mandarins, PC, Genesis Went to Semis with Mom her favorites: SCV, Boston, Troopers, BDB Went to Massillon with hubby his favorites: Bluecoats, Carolina Crown, Mandarins Best Entrance: MCDC, Troopers, Cadets Best Opener: Crossmen, SCV, SOA, Carolina Crown Best Ballad: Bluecoats, Carolina Crown, SCV Closer: Bluecoats Ending: Boston Uniforms: Troopers, Colts, Cavaliers, Bluecoats, Academy Color Guard: Boston Crusaders, Mandarins Front Ensemble: SCV Drumline: Crown, BD, Boston, SCV Percussion Feature: SCV Use of trumpets: Bluecoats Use of Mellos: Crown, Boston, SCV, BK Use of Baritones: SCV Use of Tubas: Phantom, SCV, Bluecoats Standstill whole notes: BD Moment in Massillon: Bluecoats Closer when they brought the house down. HM for US Marine Corps show Moment in Semis: The silence in LOS during the musical pauses in Saro. HM for MCDCs train entrance out of the tunnel. Overall visual: Boston Overall music: Crown Whole package show and experience: SCV

Bye bye Boston! I waved at you in the stands way up in section 640 on Friday. Thank you for the outstanding visual program and tricking is all into 2 standing ovations in Massillon. Keep adding and developing talent and a medal and more caption awards will come your way.

Finals ended less than 24 hours ago. Let's discuss what we loved about 2018 Your favorite shows? Uniforms? Ballad? Percussion feature? Whatever you like!

Summer Train Blues Mix. Not my thing.

I think you are all opening up a huge can of worms when you talk about what other corps are capable or not capable of playing the top shows. I do think it's cool to picture a top group playing a lower scoring show. I would love to see crown do ...that one second or the Cavaliers do MCDC from this year.

I agree with you 100%. I wasn't around in the 80s but I love jagged line and session 44 so much and I think that sound is the closest I will ever get to old school Madison...which I love. Of course you would have to bring back G bugles I also noticed a shift from 09-13 where the best of the best for brass talent was migrating to Crown and Phantom just didn't sound the same. I love Bluecoats and Crown so much.

My predictions are based off of patterns since 08. What surprised me in 2018 was the rise of SOA and the fall of Madison. Everything else seemed in check. I think I had the top 3 right with my non-bold prediction thread. 1. BD 2. Bluecoats 3. Boston 4. Crown 5. SCV 6. Cadets 7. Cavaliers 8. Blue Stars 9. BK 10. SOA 11. Phantom 12. Crossmen 13. Mandarins 14. Academy 15. Music City 16. Troop 17. Colts 18. PC 19. Madison 20. Genesis 21. OC 22. Surf 23. Cascades 24. Pio...if they don't move down.

I will add to this- my definition of best isn't necessarily the score it's just when I thought they had the best group of performers...so don't flip when you don't see Felinni. Santa Clara Vanguard: Favorite: Spark of Invention Best: Babylon Least Favorite: Ballad for Martha Husband's Favorite: Force of Nature Mom's favorite: Babylon HM: Devil's Staircase and 2014 Blue Devils Favorite: 1930 Best: Metamorph Least Favorite:Cabaret Voltaire Bluecoats: Favorite: Kinetic Noise Best: Session 44 (I think this is the best corps they have fielded all time) Least Favorite: Metropolis Mom's Favorite: Tilt Husband's Favorite: Session 44 Carolina Crown: Favorite: Inferno Least Favorite: It Is Mom's Favorite: Rach Star HM: For the Common Good Boston Crusaders Favorite: Wicked Games Best: S.O.S. Least Favorite: 2015 Mom and Hubbys fav: SOS Cavaliers Favorite: Mad World Best: Mad World Least Favorite: Men are from Mars The Cadets: Favorite: 12.25 Best: Angels and Demons Least Favorite: 2014 Husband favorite: the awakening Blue Stars: ReBourne Blue Knights: Favorite: That One Second Best: Because. Least Favorite: Avian. HM: Shiver, Great Event, No beginning no end Mandarins: Inside the Ink Phantom Regiment: Favorite: Red Violon Best: Turnadot Least Favorite: Phantasm Husband Favorite: Juliet Crossmen: Continuum Spirit of Atlanta: Sin City Colts: NachtMusik The Academy: Drum Corpse Bride Madison Scouts: Time Trip Troopers: Wild Horses (my Mom loves this show) Pacific Crest: The Union Music City: Hell on Wheels: The Final Journey of Casey Jones. HMs for the Tribe and when they played Mars Oregon Crusaders: REDRUM Genesis: Retrivertigo Seattle Cascades: 2017 Jersey Surf: Bridgemania Sorry folks haven't seen Pioneer... can't find enough videos for them to make a determination.

I think #10 would probably be Crossmen but you might want to look at average placement and number of finals appearances to narrow it down between a few corps.

Congratulations on the medal Bloo! Loved the show and the season! Can't believe it's over so soon!

Well the pattern holds true. BD will win in 2019 and 2020. BAC in 2021. Congratulations SCV! First championship in 20 years!