crumdorpslove

For many this will be the last note or step they ever perform. For some reason I’m in my feels tonight, I remember my last time and the feeling that I would give anything for just one more moment. If we can’t agree on anything, we can agree that when you realize it’s all over it is a heartbreaking moment. God love the marching arts!

The one thing I wish for these kids is the full retreat we had at every show during my years. It was the one time we got to hang with other corps during sept up. You got to see that we were all going through the same summer struggles and relate to everyone from the top to the bottom. I met so many great people in those days from so many different corps and have so many memories from the times we were all setting up for retreat. I hate they don’t get to experience that every night they perform.

Although I’m ok with seeming some of the old guard retiring from the activity, we have to show them the gratitude they deserve. Did I think he lost control of the ball sometimes…yes. Especially during the SA scandals. But Dan has managed to bring DCI through its toughest times. It’ll be hard to replace someone with his experience.

I don’t see BD breaking their Fellinisque record. I see a high 98 or low 99. But they continue to deliver on every level. I can only say that the top 4 were incredible all season. The talent level of the entire dci community is far beyond what it was when I marched in the earlier 2000’s. What this KIDS are asked to do night in and night out is just incredible and astounding. The fact that the activity has come back stronger than ever is a testament to music education and DCI in the United States. The thousands of teachers, performers, parents, and support staff to keep this all going in the hardest times is a true testament to the wonderful lessons and love this activity has created throughout the years. We should not soon forget that this could all be gone in a blink of an eye. I’m so happy I got to spend my summer watching DCI again!!

The design decision to have almost all the big and small colorguard moments to be facing flat front in unison has really payed off for bd this year. Ensemble rifle, saber, and flag really highlightes their range and talent. The were spot on tonight as usual.

I appreciate that devils turned down the guitar, it doesn’t seem as obtrusive tonight.

I’d love to see boston move up to 2nd, but I have a feeling bloos design will punch them over the edge to another silver medal.

Bloos design team continues to prove they are one of the best around. Taking a 500 year old poem and utilizing it such a modem way is so cool. I wasn’t a huge fan of this show at the beginning but like always they won me over by the end of the season.

This doesn’t really seem as solid musically as it did last night…

I just love Bluecoats guard this year, so sophisticated and dynamic! And the uniforms really help them stand out on high cam.

That ballad flowed so smooth tonight!

Ok….as much as I love the USA DCI competition. I’ve spent a couple of years watching the Japanese and other Asian band groups, both indoor and outdoor marching band and dc groups that could be involved in the arena. And I have to wonder… if DCI is truly an international arena, where would these groups place. They are incredible!! Although they are hard to find online, it’s no doubt when you do find them online to watch, you will agree that they are incredible. I hope it’s only a matter of time that they join the international competition . DCI means international, so when will it be truly international…

I believe they will keep it and see where the number fall. They have enough in other captions to compete for other trophies. It doesn’t take every caption award to bring home the win. But you never know until the last note. I think it shows a very healthy activity to wonder where all the individual captions will end up at finals.

I think come finals week scores will be adjusted to represent the placement accordingly. Unless the top 4 have unrepresentative performances I doubt we are a 100.00 score. I don’t doubt BD will win in a couple captions and win overall. But, I seen them at 19.8 or 19.9 a best in those captions. Boston and Crown have the best chance a beating them in captions. Cavaliers will likely win percussion unless BD cleans up a lot! Cavaliers perc is just in fire as of late. I could see crown winning horns as well, and all the top 4 will fight for GE. However, I do think this is the best BD show ever….but that’s with a changed needing, Ala 2014. I think nothing will be settled until Saturday night, or Friday for the top 12. And isn’t that the best we can hope for in terms of fans? I’ve followed the activity for many years and I can’t see a year where everything is up for grabs like this year.

Only tho g I have to say is compared to last night is seems the team is more compact and fast compared to the live performances. Crown especially has more breath in their show compared to what is presented on flo, everything feels so much rushed on flo. I obviously don’t know what it is but I can say live there is much more breath and rubato in every show compared to what is presented on flo.

Does everything on flo seem really fast and compact compared to live performances or is it just me?

I just want to say, I love the debate and back and forth between each corps and their fans on DCP this year. One of the best I’ve seen in recent memory. The fact that we aren’t arguing about who is “slotted” where is a breath of fresh air. It really gives us old heads something to look forward to each evening. I can’t wait to see how this season ends. So many great corps this year that have pushed the activity forward. I only wish there were more corps involved. I wish we had the 30-40 corps as in the past. But excellence is excellence and these kids this year are really fighting to see who is best. Kudos to the design teams, staff, and members in making this one of the most exciting seasons I’ve ever witnessed. How I would love to see you all at finals week. It gives me heart that this activity isn’t a dying art form.

I’ll take back Boston isn’t engaging to the audience. They obviously are from what I have seen from live performances, I’m just saying I’ve seen more wows and omg from the live performances I’ve seen compared from boston to phantom and BD back to back. Now that doesn’t mean one thing come finals, because I’ve only seen two southern area shows and a lot can change between now and finals. I highly respect boston and what they have been able to achieve so quickly. They look, sound, drum, and spin fantastically. I would love to see them come up and win this year. Do I think it will happen. Probably not compared to where BD is right now. But you never know. They could deliver the knock out punch, which I would whole heartedly cheer for, as I do with every corps.

Let’s say Alabama and Georgia in college football. Until another corps peals off the BD staff to join their team, it will be business as usual for BD. Ala Nick Saban and Kirby Smart. But… unless you take away Scott Chandler (Ala nick saban) then the product in terms of overall design and aesthetic, which they have become known for, will not change. Also they have enough BD alumni and designers (who are highly accomplished in their own right) under their belt to not cause issues with changes in lower level staff. The trouble with every other corps is they seek out seemingly the “best” designers and staff, causing a major transition year after year of the same people going from one corps to the other based on payout. It’s no surprise to anyone that Boston has gained the quality of the Cadets staff of old. Phantom has seen JD move around and back to them as well as Adam Sage. Crown has had Klesh and Harloff for years and their excellence shines through every year, now they have Rick Suble, who has been with them for several years and is beginning to show great excellence with the guard and design, as well as Jeff Sacktig ( former Cadets). His drill is really starting to work for them. Blue coats have maintained a design team and staff for the past several years and it shows in the end product. But BD’s staff and designers/writers have been involved with BD for many years. Even chip, their hornline caption head is a bd alum and has been working his way up to get back to bd through Spirit and Santa Clara, as well as judging for many years. The notion that BD should just go away because they are too much competition for everyone else is ludicrous. They built their dynasty from the ground up. Maybe These other staffs will continue to push their designs, and that is to the benefit of all us drum corps fans. Had not BD toped crown in 2009 and 2012 we may not have gotten 2013 Crown. Or Blue Coats 2016. Or Cadets 2011, or SCV 2018. Which are some of the best shows of all DCI history. BD pushes the activity to grow and be better. That shouldn’t be hated (although it obviously is from some) but rewarded when it is deserved. I wish every corps had the organization built that BD has, then we would really be in for a treat come finals…not that we aren’t already. But just think, there used to be 30-40 world class corps in competition. Now only 20ish remain. Why can’t we appreciate the good where it is in every corps instead of bashing on the ideal model.

Well I’ll continue whistling past that grave yard until another corps comes up with the staff and stamina that can match BD’s constant excellence. Note that I said in my post that boston would win either next year or soon. Also I love boston, always have. But it doesn’t negate the fact they, for all intentions, finished fourth in Atlanta. Due to a deduction from the other BC corps. But we will see how the season finishes. No doubt everyone will clean. But unless boston ups the power and GE of their show they may well be 3-4. That was clear just in the live crowd reaction of the shows at ATL. But there is always next year, which I predict with the staff they have will be fighting for a win. And you can hate on me for complementing BD. But… I didn’t march BD and have no ties to them, I just ##### what I see. Is boston great….yes. Are there other corps more emotional and impactful this season….yes. Could boston provide a more audience engaging show…yes. Are they clean as hell #### for this time in the season…yes. But…Crown and Bluecoats are gonna fight them until the end. I would love to see boston break through and win. Such a storied corps deserves it. But we have to face reality for what it is this season as it stands. There is a fight for 2-4, but BD has a lock on champion.

As much as the nea sayers will hate on BD there is nothing g like seeing them live. Especially this year, I’ve seen them from 2004-2023 live and Nothing compares to this year in terms of demand and hornline impact. Flo marching doesn’t do BD justice and does a lot more for boston than what they provide live. I mean this in terms of audio and visual impact, ie GE. All BD needs to do is keep cleaning and pushing the highs and Lowe's to provide contrast. And pick the right moments for soprano soloists…. I could also see adding a few color guard folks to pull out some lame streamer Ala 2014 to add to the color pallet and impact at the end of the show.

I love this show from BAC. But….. seeing them live compared to BD. There is currently no chance they pass bd without significant changes. They are already cleaner than bd in terms of the majority of their show, which hasn’t been changed or added to since early season. All they have done significantly is add a tarp. The ending is very underwhelming, and live…they are nowhere near the impact that bd has. And I have seen them back to back recently….and just for those that want to secure I have a DMA, judged BOA and DCI for many years and have had great high school and college bands, well as many trophies awards from dci. Boston is incredible this year, but I don’t think they have the show to beat BD….but if they add and change I might be wrong. I personally think they need a cadets 2000 level music book to bring them over the top with the color guard. The guard staging this year is not where they have been, but the guard is just as talented and written well. But now so is the rest of the top four. My prediction is that boston will end up I. 3-4 with BC and Crown peaking at finals. However, I predict boston wins in 2024 after a 2023 incredible season. They need a better and a more judge and crowd imap acting show to secure the gold over BD.

Love the changes, but for them to move up or win they need to Maxines their impact point points, more rubato and stretch and add to the ending of big phases. They have to high lite the guard soloist into a cohesive storyline. Every moment seems to build into a short inpact, add four counts to the ballad hit. Add more stretch an pull since your going for that anyway. The ending obviously has to change to add a crown, and maybe a big pullover to push it over the top. So many moments are all most great….but they still lack the last touch. Obviously they sound fantastic, but they also sound kind of rushed, and with this particular show it seems everything needs to feel in the pocket and stretched from there to give the ge they are wanting. There is still more growth to come and as a CC fan I hope they are it. They have made great strides from the Texas shows so I’m interested to see what they have left to do. And can I just preach that the Arthur character had to be a stand out in the show….he seems so lost in the production that it almost doesn’t make sense sometimes. I mean with all the fabrics and stuff they have at their hands you could just add some sequins and it would work better. The visual is just bland in a way that won’t help them. Hopefully they will continue to add.

This intro to the hit in the ballad with trombone just doesn’t work for me. Needs more melody or something, and the trombone work isn’t done in a tasty way, it’s very odd

I haven’t read all of this topic but I feel this is an important take. I went to Hattiesburg last night in the Deep South. The crowd was generally peaceful n two categories. Old heads who complained about the electronics, and young high school age people and their parents who were generally looking to be entertained. The crowd ate up phantom regiment for the raw power and beauty and I heard no complaints around me. But when BD came on they were absolutely floored by the design, procession and entertainment. The power of the hornline is unmatched live this year. The guard is stunning, percussion exceptional. And did they all understand the intricacies of the design? Absolutely not. Did they fully realize they just saw one of the best marching ensembles of their lives? Absolutely yes. The crowd loved BD from start to finish. I heard high schools finally shut their mouths during a show and gasp. I will also so as an avid flo marching watcher, flo does nothing for BD live. So if you’re judging this year live off flo.. you are being construed. Do yourself a favor, buy a ticket and watch these kids live this year. I’ve seen BD live almost every year since 2004 and I’ve never seen them at this level.