Citizen-Seth

How can we watch it?

I think this is only partially correct . . . I think it is a very legitimate argument to say that there are guards doing both more difficult and cleaner work this year than BD, but there is no other guard this year that is an integrated into the show as BD or performs as well. In a head to head warm up lot battle with another top guard, I'd bet against BD, but on the field, considering the guidelines the judges are given, BD has to win. Personally, I agree with the OP that BD was overscored last year at finals, but when you look at a judge's sheet and really think about what is being judged, then they were very much deserving of the score they got.

The Cadet's last 45 or so seconds of flag work in 'School for Scandal' is the funnest flag feature of the year. I absolutely love it!

Cadets got 7th in guard . . . someone's not going to have a good day tomorrow.

Watching this show live I was totally enthralled, via FN, however, I was pretty bored. 'Laura' would be an exception to that, however. Also, I think the new ending will take some time to grow on me . . . I liked the big all-flag feature.

Rough opener for Crown's guard, but they fought through it. Can anyone explain to me what, if anything, the girl in yellow has to do with the show theme?

A great nights for the Cadet's guard!

Actually they use a sure-fire way to make sure its squeaky clean. It's called the 'box' method, or sometimes the '27/29 point' method. It works like this: imagine yourself standing inside an invisible cube holding a flag at right shoulder. When you extend your arm to the left, the top tip of the flag touches the top left corner of the cube - this is 'point 1.' This goes on for 27 (or sometimes 29) points and for every count of flag work the flag will always be in one of those points. Its an easy way to make sure everyone is the same.

I can buy that theory re:BD, but then I would have to ask why Scott Chandler would put the guard in a uniform that was so visually distracting? For me, the problem is solved half way through the show when the faceted/zippered tunic is taken off to reveal the tan top, and I wouldn't be surprised if by finals the tunic was gone after the opener (it looks great with the opening mirrors). As for Crown, I found it boring. Crown has used rifles to open their shows pretty regularly now (in 2008, 2007, and 2006 rifles were the first piece of equipment used), and I think thats just because the always have really strong rifle lines. As far as the big ripple tosses, I doubt that it is a big factor in their score. Doing a single toss is one of the easier things a person can do, its getting a lot of people to do them at the same time with the right technique that is what gets you points. I think the rifle tosses are there because they have the talent to do it, their staging for the rest of the opener doesn't really allow for an equipment change, and because they know that really big tosses get audience reaction and help GE. As per the flag work, yes, it's beautiful. Adam Sage's work is so intricate that the details often get lost on the field, but not this year. A lot of the time I feel like he writes WGI work for the field, and often the two aren't transferable. The little nuances that are the key to winning in WGI are barely visible once to get past the first few rows of seats, much less all the way to the press box. This year, however, he's done an amazing job, and personally I think they should get the high guard award. Their show (along with most of the other top 5) is much more difficult than that of BD's.

After two great nights in Dallas here is what I can remember . . . Dear DCI, please move this show to a bigger stadium. This show has been here for years, as I remember marching at it way back. I think the show has outgrown the stadium. The line to get into the bleachers was so bottle necked that it took me 2 whole corps to go from the concession stand to my seat - not cool. Also, there almost no lighting around the stadium aside from the lot in which the buses park. For horns and drums that may not be a huge issue, but the guard need that light. The only way for the last 3 or so guard to get any light was to warm up right next to the stands which was pretty distracting. Great high school stadiums are a dime a dozen here, so it shouldn't be hard to find a better stadium. I missed the first few corps because I was either watching warm ups or in line to get into the stands. Madison Scouts I am, was, and always will be a Madison Scout, and I cannot say how proud I am of my brothers this year. I spent a while watching the guard warm up, and I love the progress that has been made in the past few years. The guys have a great flag book this year and they actually had a better show than they had warm up. As far as the show itself, I, like most people, love it. The arrangement of 'Slaughter' isn't my personal fav, but they've got a great sound. I love the new uniforms and the aviators. My only complaint was that the souvie booth was out of their 'alumni' stickers. Colts I can't say I remember much about this. The ballad was the highlight of the show for me. Blue Knights I used to enjoy the 'old' BK when their shows were darker, but I can't say that I didn't enjoy their show. Their guard is wearing 3 different uniforms (which seems to be a theme this year with a lot of corps), and they did a great job of selling the entire production. The opening rifle line was a highlight, and I was glad to see two sets of the hand painted flags that are always so beautiful. My only question is to why they chose to not have a hand painted flag for their closer. Its such a great tradition that they have going, and I personally hope it never ends. Boston Crusaders I think the last time I was Boston in person was when I was watching them before taking the field for a show back in 2006 so it was great to see them again. I really enjoyed this show. The guard did a great job with their characters and I really liked the way they used the throne, especially in the ballad. The guard is using screen printed flags this year and they really add a lot. I really like the chess piece one. Solid weapons work throughout. Phantom Regiment I was so confused when the show stated with no one on the field except the color guard. Finally when the corps proper ran onto the field it was an awesome effect. They sounded great and their drum line sounded really good too. When I first saw the guard uniforms in June I wasn't a fan, but seeing them in person changed that. I think the purple really works on the field and the chiffon overlay looks great in the wind. Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed in the gaurd's performance. There were flag drops all over the place. I know it was windy, but its a 6ft pole with 4ft of fabric on it - there's just no reason that it should hit the ground. That being said, they did have some pretty exposed tosses, especially from the flag line with the purple flags. Right now I just think the technique isn't quite there to really fight against wind. How they beat the Scouts in achievement is beyond me. The Cavaliers From videos I had seen, and considering the Cavies shows from the past few years, I wasn't expecting much from this show. Boy was I wrong! I really loved the first 9 or so minutes of this show. The last few minutes seems like a disconnect - really sort of reminded me of the ending to their James Bond show in 2004. Great characterization from the guard. I wasn't too impressed when the entire corps held and pointed rifles (spun isn't the right word). Also, I have to wonder why the felt the need to mic their soloist. There have been tons of amazing miced solos in years prior, so I didn't see a reason to do it now. I think that if I were the soloist and a staff person came up to me with a mic, I'd be a little offended. Its like tying the flag to your hand so you can't drop it - it just sort of defeats the talent of the performer. The Cadets What a fun show! A great weapons book, especially from the sabres in the opener. I was a little disappointed in the guard's performance. This isn't one of the Cadet's beast guards like they've had in the past (2003,5,7,9 for example). They've got some of the most physically demanding choreography this season and its really highlighting a lot of individual errors. The 'Little Jeffery' character is fun and he ads a lot, but I'm left wondering how they can expand on him in the remaining few weeks. I would have liked to see more color from the guard. For the 3rd time in 4 years they're wearing cream (07, 09 being the other two), and I feel like its getting a little monotonous. Also, all of the flags were gold and maroon. I know that its in keeping with the theme, but after 4 sets of gold and maroon flags it just gets boring. Blue Devils You know, I actually kinda liked this show up until the end of the drum break. The brass sounded awesome, and the mirrors are interesting to say the least. I wish I had a better insight into what Scott Chandler was trying to go with the guard. Some aspects of the design are really surrealistic and are just amazing (esp. in the closer). Other parts of the show just really confuse me. There are a few times when the guard stops dancing and just marches to their spot. Maybe they've just not added in all the choreography yet? It just seems to be unevenly designed throughout (i.e. big effect, march to spot, big effect, etc.). That being said, I think they're doing their hardest work since 2006 which is great to see. I also noticed that about halfway through they take off the top part of their uniform and wear a simple tan colored sparkly top. Personally, I wish they would wear that the entire show - it looks wonderful. Also of note were the flags with the mirror faces on them. Day 2 Troopers I actually think I enjoyed this show more than last years. Their guard was much improved (I think their staff has a Crown background), and it really showed in the technique. Fun show over all, but i doubt it will make finals. Glassmen I really enjoyed this show more so that any of their recent shows. I liked the changing guard uniform and i though the shimmering body suits looked surprisingly good on the guys Blue Stars I didn't care much for the uniforms of both the corps and the guard. They can, however, spin with the best of them. They've got a very difficult book and they're achieving really well. I feel like the guard isn't doing a very good job of selling the show's theme, but I'm sure that things will be added as as we get closer to finals. Santa Clara Vanguard For the second year in a row SCV has my favourite show of the year. This thing is a work of art, and I love it! The guard did a good job, though they didn't really have the vocabulary of Blue Stars. The movement style they're doing this year is really fun and adds a great energy to the music. The last 20 seconds of the show seemed a little lacklustre and I'm wondering if a new ending is coming. I was a little disappointed that the 'little' flag line in the opener had been replaced with a second flag line, but I think it was the right choice visually. The real disappointment here was the audience reaction. A lot of people that seemed to be at the show because they were either in band or were the parent of a kid in band seemed to be bored by the whole production, but its Texas so I guess its to be expected. There wasn't a 'Vanguard' yell either. Bluecoats Wow - these kids can march, spin, and play like there's no tomorrow. I really liked most of the show, and the guard had some great moments throughout. I felt like the guard's staging for the ballad could be better. White the partnering is impressive it does limit the size of the visual impact which I felt was lacking. Also, I think the height variations also leads to some fuzziness in the flag work. Overall it was a great show and probably my favourite of theirs since 2004. Carolina Crown I went in expecting to dislike this show. I've not been a big fan of Crown's shows in recent years, and I'm not a big fan of Adam Sage's work in general. I had seen videos on FN, but I could just never get into it. I was so sure that I wouldn't like this show that I watched it from the ramp entrance so that I could get back to my car asap. Boy was I wrong! I haven't liked Crown this much since they did that one about the bells! That guard was a joy to watch, and Adam Sage deserves an award for giving them such a virtuosic book. The uniforms, both guard and corps proper looked great and the flags were beautiful. The sabre line was impeccable the rifle soloists were on point. I would have easily but them ahead of Bluecoats in content, and I would have tied them in achievement. Without the few drops they had, I think they would have easily beaten the Bluecoats. When I came to Dallas I was rooting for the Cadets to take the title in Indy, but now I'm starting to pull for the Cream Team. In all honesty, though, I think the Cavies will be BD's biggest competition, and I'll make my wager for BD, Cavies, and Crown all getting medals of some color, with BD, Cavies, and Cadets going 1,2,3 in guard.

As a kid that performed some of those shows that were labelled on here as boring and not fan friendly, I appreciate that sentiment. I also think you've hit the nail on the head - my generation simply wants something different out of drum corps than those that proceeded us.

Tweets are here

Wonderful! Makes me proud to have been a Scout!

Sorry, it was a little hard to post from the tour bus in the intervening years!

I was at Van Buren tonight, and Vanguard was beyond incredible; absolutely on fire!! Crown had a great run as well, but seeing them back to back, there was no contest. The crowd was on the feet for the entire last 45-50 seconds of SCV's show. The energy coming off the field was just incredible...that had to have been one of the best singular live drum corps performances that I have ever seen. It felt like I was watching their '99 finals run again. I was surprised to see that the scores were so close, not that it isn't an accurate reflection of what happened, it's just that I was surprised to actually see it.

This is my first ever review...be gentle...I focus more on the color guard that anything else, but hopefully the pics will spice it up! Colt Cadets I got there late and missed the first half of the show...sorry guys. Cascades Having read some of the reviews on here, I wasn't sure what to expect. Over all, I enjoyed their show, and they were a great way to start off World Class competition. The forest theme was a bit lost on me...at one point the guard dances with bright yellow twigs of varying sizes, and, while they do sorta sell the theme, they just look...interesting. Pioneer I've always enjoyed Pioneer's shows, and this year was no exception. These guys came out and looked like they were having a great time last night. They moved much more that I remember from the past few years. There were a few issues with a mello solo in the ballad, but I'll chalk it up to an off night. The girls of the color guard where much, much improved over past years, and their rifle line really stood out to me. The flags had a lot of wind to battle and it showed. Cleanliness was an issue throughout the show, and it was evident that the wind was a major cause. Troopers Now, I should preface this by saying that I haven't seen a Troopers show since 2003 (I was marching from then on), and wow! Obviously, a lot has changed! The Troop came out with so much energy last night. The crowd really got into their show. I really enjoyed the opening build and the music worked well with the theme. The color guard's uniform reminded a lot of what Regiment wore in 2007 without the makeup. The color guard did an awesome job of selling the show. Their silks were beautiful with several creative interpretations of a sabre. I was pretty surprised at them beating the Scouts by such a wide margin, I really thought they would be within a point of one another. Also, I was surprised to see the color guard score compared to Madison's. Troop bested Madison in both content and achievement...and honestly, I just don't see how. The Trooper's color guard adds a good deal to GE, but on an individual level, the cleanliness just wasn't there person to person. There's still ample time to fix it, but I still feel like the judge was a little heavy handed when scoring. Colts The Colts took the field with a big sound tonight and the crowd ate it up. The kids seemed to be having a great time, and it absolutely showed in their performance. The nautical theme was fun and the showed was designed in such a way that it stayed away from the campy show that it could have been. The color guard looked great and seemed to have a good run. Their weapons lines seemed like they had been put through their paces and it really showed. There were several exposed rifle passages that went of without a hitch. Props should go to the flags for their battle with the wind. The water noises and boat horns were...interesting. I can't say that they really added anything to the show, but they did help set the ambiance as the corps swayed back and forth. Madison Scouts I was so excited to see the Scouts again, and I will admit to coming away with mixed feelings. I felt like I was watching two different shows. For the first 6 minutes, I was totally enthralled. The brass sounded great; easily much more powerful that anyone that had come before them. The color guard did a good job of selling the super hero theme, though I would like to have seen more of a visual impact at the very beginning of the show. While the first half of the show was fun and engaging, the closer left me (and many around me) very flat. The final minute seemed rushed and almost frantic. It was like a diet version of their 1997 show. The color gaurd is easily the weakest link, but I have a feeling that they'll pull it together soon. Once the guard gets their body movement as clean as the work that is happening on top of it, I expect their score to rise dramatically. Also, there were several drops last night by the flags that just can't happen at this stage in the game. Nothing would make me happier than to see these guys make finals, but at this point, I just don't know if it will happen. One thing to note, the Scouts were totally left out of the line up. There were not announced at the beginning of the show, and, as the walked on field, they were announced at the Blue Knights. Not cool, Broken Arrow. Blue Knights I don't have a lot to say about this show save for 3 things: 1) I really miss the hand painted flags. They were beautiful and added another layer of art and mystique to BK's shows. 2) For me, this show was an example of why electronics should not be used...the guitar-like feature of their ballad just felt so wrong and out of place. As one woman behind me said "This ain't BOA." 3) The "rolling snow ball" drill move was super fun! The Cavaliers I think this may be my favourite Cavie show ever, and I think that puts me in the minority. First, I loved the musical selections, with "The Great Divide" being a personal favourite. Like wise, the color guard sold the show superbly. I was a little surprised to seem them .2 behind BD in CG content; I would have scored them almost equally. As the show was over and I was on my way to my car, I overheard several people commenting on how the show was "good, but kinda boring." Granted, I over heard that from a group of middle schoolers, so I'll leave it up to you to decide how accurate they are. The horn line seemed to be having an off night...the only word I can think of to describe them would be...nice. They never really got loud, and seemed to hover at mezzo forte for the whole show.They were pleasant, but when compared to BD they seemed luke warm at best. Blue Devils This show made me smile. This show has been reviewed enough, so I wont go too far into detail. I thought the chairs were a great addition, and I didn't really notice them when they were behind the front hash and generally out of the way. The hornline sounded beautiful, and the color guard worked me out the entire time. I don't know if this show will win, but it easily could, and I'd be fine with that.

Really? I wouldn't think funding would be an issue seeing as the '84 games made about 200 million dollars. Were they to be the segment that turned into the "All American Marching Band" at the opening ceremony?