queenanne_1536

Regiment has nearly their whole show on the field, and after seeing a video (since pulled down) I am most curious to see where they will place. IMO - their visual design this year is leaps and bounds better than it was in the past, especially last year. Musically and visually they have definitely jumped into the modern age with this one. It will be interesting to see if that comes through thematically and with the use of their props. I can't tell if what they have now is a shell of what they will be or they are it. They move them around, but other than that aren't doing much right now, which is understandable. To me, this is the most promising Regiment show since 2012. I think an improvement on last year's placement is a big possibility. 3rd? No. But I could see them rising to 6th or 7th with this, depending on BAC, BK and Cadets.

kgx xezxm ,

Really digging this show.

I think that's today's drum corps. I REALLY wish they had taken the next step with the uniform. Traditional uniforms are on the way out. I think we are going to see a lot more Bluecoats 16-17/SCV 17 uniforms this year. Will be interesting to see Regiment on the field and in the unis, but this show is so much better than last years. SO much better.

I didn't have the same opinion of what I saw. They looked to be right on where they were this time last year. Dirty. Like everyone else.

Way before you, HA. I am sorry if I misread a previous post. I thought people were saying there's a lot of dissent amongst the alumni now. I texted one of my friends and he said, no. That's a bummer about the buses in 2009 and I can certainly understand your frustration. Isn't that adminstration long gone? I don't know what the membership was like in 07-09 Scouts vs '10 Blue Devils, but I imagine it's hard to rangle up 150 members. I mean on tour groups while travelling someone always isn't back at the bus when they are supposed to be. I guess it all comes down to professionalism. Perhaps they had issues in 07 and 08 getting people to get back on the buses at stops? Not defending any position here, just trying to think on both sides.

Well it is a discussion board. You're telling people your opinions every time you post on here. So.

2000 was the most awe-inspiring Cadets show EVA, in my opinion.

Based on what? I've seen a video and they are certainly not clean. I've seen Phantom, BD and Crown on video, and cleanliness of the guard I would rank - 1. BD, 2. Crown, 3. Regiment. There is absolutely no way any guard is "pretty freaking clean" at this point. They are still learning work.

Were are you getting that there's a lot of dissent? I have a couple friends who marched there and they said there is no dissent, at least based on the posts on the Facebook alumni page.

I predict Boston won't move up at all.

Yeah, it was funny the first two times Crown posted their daily board. By the 200th time it became #basic.

That HAS TO BE the guard uniform. Looks cheap.

Well it looks like they have almost the whole show on the field, because I just watched a video of it. I am actually quite impressed. Guard was a mess, but that's to be expected this early. I'm not quite sure what they are ultimately going to do with the props, but I am glad they have them. They did move them around the field during the show. Right now they seem to be just skeltons. Not sure if anything is going to be added to them. Visual design is miles ahead of where it's been, IMO. Guard seems smaller than last year, thank God. I think this show has a lot of promise (I certainly didn't feel that way last year). I think design has been their Achilles' heel in the recent past. I don't feel this way this year. So potential for good competitive results from them this year, IMO.

I agree with everything you said, but that is how I feel about nearly every show these days. Not time for a theme or melody to develop.

Does anyone know the number in the guard this year?

I think the musical writing is a HUGE improvement over the past several years, but I'm not sure how this hornline is going to do. It sounds really rough to me, standing still, but that could just be the quality of the recording. But, then again, their hornline was really rough last year, so we will see. I think the uniforms are a mistake. They are not modern enough, but they are way better than Crown's :) Really like the musicality of the show. Will be interesting to see the visual program. If the visual is a step up this show has some legs, IMO.

No. I actually liked Madison's except for the hats. Crown's are heinous. What are they thinking?

Absolutely hideous.

I get where you are coming from. I am not saying females are the answer. I'm saying excluding them from your ranks excludes 1/2 of the talent pool. Example, if 100 people show up to audition for the guard and the best 30 (using an easy number here) are made up of 15 males and 15 females, but you exclude the females, you are already weakening yourself and those 15 females are either headed northwest to Lacrosse or south to Rockford, or some where else. Out of those 100, you are choosing members from the best to the very least successful. Also, in my opinion Cavaliers are the biggest draw in the midwest, so that is why lack of females doesn't impact them nearly as much. In fact, in the midwest, Madison probably ranks 4th in terms of draw behind Cavies, Phantom and Blue Stars. Limiting yourself further but excluding 1/2 of the talent pool doesn't help.

The last time Madison beat Blue Devils at finals was 1988. The last time Madison beat Blue Devils at any point in the season was 1991. The last time Madison beat the Cadets at finals was 1988. The last time Madison beat the Cadets at any point in the season was 1995. The last time Madison beat Bluecoats at finals was 2000. The last time Madison beat Bluecoats at any point in the season was 2005. The last time Madison beat Phantom at finals was 1999. The last time Madison beat Phantom at any point in the season was 2005. The last time Madison beat Santa Clara at finals was 2005. 2005 finals was the last time Madison beat Santa Clara. The last time Madison beat Crown at finals was 2005. 2005 finals was the last time Madison beat Crown. Even with those statistics, it was a rare event, after 1988, for Madison to beat Phantom during successive seasons, and even a rarer event for them to beat Blue Devils, Cadets, Cavaliers (until 2012, and since 2015), Santa Clara, and Star (until they left). From finals 1997 until 2012, Madison hadn't beaten Cavies once. Obviously a huge huge huge problem. So, yes, there is a lack of talent going to Madison. Why cripple that further by remaining all male. It is a competitive activity, and things are different today than they were in 1995 or 1996. Corps don't get most of their membership locally, and the membership of the top corps is made up much more of serious musicians and dancers who want to learn from the best and be the best. Madison helps feed the top corps with membership now. That saddens me. Can you honestly say if Madison had placed 13th in 1993 and 12th in 1994 that you would have wanted to march there? No judgement here - I wanted to march in one corps, but they weren't perennial top 3, so I marched else where because I wanted to march with the best and win. Still, Madison was always on my radar, along with the other top corps, because I never once thought we were guaranteed to beat Madison, at least at our first meeting. Now, those top corps don't give Madison a passing thought. That is sad. I have always loved Madison - they are such a class act, and the guys that marched there when I marched were so cool and fun. I just want to see them kick some butt again.

Possibly. We will never know how that sickness really impacted their placement. Their 2015 show was not very good from a design and execution standpoint. Madison and Phantom were both stronger from an execution standpoint in my opinion, and at least Madison had a better design show from a visual standpoint. Yes, they had a sickness sweep through the corps, but we can't say for certain it ultimately had an impact on their placement. Even if they were healthy the whole season, it's extremely unlikely they would have finished higher than 7th. So, yes, in all likelihood the 2016 Cavaliers corps was not as talented as the 2016 Cadets corps. The design of the Cavaliers show in 2016 was exceptional, and when you have an exceptional design it can lead to great things, obviously.

That is definitely not a given. In fact, I think if GH had stayed, they would have placed the same as 2017 or lower. They were on a downward trajectory for a few years, and I'm sorry but they lost in 2016 to what I imagine was a less talented Cavaliers corps, and 2017 to a less talented BAC corps. I mean no disrespect to Cavies or BAC, but they were 9th (Cavies in 2015) and 12th (BAC) in 2016, so highly unlikely they had the talent level to match the Cadets the following years. Why? Design. 2016 and 2017 Cadets shows were so flawed from a design perspective. You can add 2015 into that too. That show, to me had an amazing drill and the music was killer, but they beat us over the head with the theme, and the change to all black uniforms was most definitely a mistake. I actually thought the show in 2017 was absolutely beautiful in the beginning of the season (despite the design flaws) but the constant tinkering with and beating us over the head with the theme ruined it for me by the end of the season. There were also the stained glass props which not only didn't look good, but didn't add anything to the show. Obviously, George was brilliant at one time, but I really feel he played in the design sandbox after losing his touch (so to speak here - but I think when someone is doing something for a very long time, it becomes increasingly harder to stay fresh and innovative), and should have stepped aside and let the people he hired make the design choices. I'm excited for the Cadets and their new chapter. Whether they place 3rd or 10th this year, I think it's the dawning of a new era and bright future for them. Change and fresh blood are a good thing (expect if your BD apparently - I don't know how they do it). Best of luck to the Cadets in 2018. I hope they have an amazing season and return to the top 5.

I think it will be a huge mistake for them to NOT go coed. You are eliminating 1/2 of the talent pool. At one time or another, many corps out there were all male, but have gone coed. We don't even remember those times they were all male, anymore. I think it would benefit them to open up the talent pool.

Have they modernized this year? I haven't seen or heard a bleep of this years show, but I don't think they modernized last year (or before). I DO think they need to modernize. Corps that have adapted to and embraced modernization have done very well (Crown, SCV, Bluecoats) and those that fought it (Madison and Phantom) have drastically suffered. Those are just a few examples to illustrate my point. My concern is with the design staff. Since 2013, their visual designs have really suffered and last year the musical design really suffered, IMO. I hope they cut the size of the guard as well. It was really combersome last year to have such a huge guard, IMO. I hope last year was the anomaly (as it was literally the only show I have not liked since I first saw Regiment in '84) and that they do modernize this year, and give us something new and different. Although I am a huge fan of classic uniforms, and I do love their uniforms this year, I'm not sure it wasn't a mistake already to go in that direction. Bluecoats changed the way corps are costumed in 2016, and that is the direction the activity is going, so how do traditional uniforms play into modernizing?