jwillis35

This sounds like a great show. Every year we get one from the Cavaliers. Their staff, administrations, and those members are to be commended big time for the hard work and creativity they put into each show. It is just amazing what they are doing. I remember watching the Blue Crew go through their dynasty from 1976 - 1982 (and the mid-to-late 90s as well) and also watching Garfield from 1983 - 1993. Watching the Cavaliers now is much the same. They are on a tear. 4 titles in 5 years! WOW. Could there be another? It will not surprise me if there is. They are the corps to beat until we all see otherwise. Good luck to all of their administration, staff, and members. Jonathan Willis

Just a few other comments about the Bluecoats last night. They marched in full uniform and it is the same as the last few years. The overall look is excellent. They do use amplification in the pit to help bring out some amazing colors with their lower conga-like and bongo drums. They also used the amplification to project a neat counting section in the show in which letters and words are used to describe time and feel in one of their jazz charts. It is very well done. The show has a strong latin flavor to it in sections. This will definitely be one of the fan favorites this year. Jonathan

The Canton Bluecoats gave a wonderful performance tonight for their annual open house concert/show given to local Canton area residents, as well as others who attended from around the state. The show takes place at Paul Brown Stadium in Massillon, OH (one of the best high school facilities in the country). The weather was windy with a slight chill in the air, but otherwise it was a perfect night for drum corps. This was my first show of the season, and what a way to kick it off. Those of you wondering what the Bluecoats will be like this year, wonder no more...they will be incredible. They have all the ingredients, the sound, the demand, the talent, the staff, and much more to challenge for top 6 once again. The sections seem full. I counted 67 brass, 30 guard, 9 snares, 5 tenors, 5 basses, 2 DMs, and a full pit. The show started with each section of the corps giving a short demonstration of how they warm up, etc. Each caption head explained what was going on to the audience. There were some announcements in between and then the corps performed their show. The entire show is blocked, although you know it will change here and there. But what they do have is excellent. The show is called Caravan, but it features a wide range of music, including a work by Stephen Melilo. At this point I am unfamiliar with some of the music so I will give more details on that at another show. Obviously "Caravan" is a part of the musical score and is done very well. I can say that the music is exciting, well arranged, and quite demanding. There were the usual early season mistakes in both marching and music/guard, but I can see this cleaning very nicely. The horn line is super powerful, in tune, and each section is featured in the show at least once. Can't wait to see this section clean. Percussion is also very strong, as is the guard. In fact, the staging of the guard is impecable. The final number has a wonderful silent guard feature that looked fabulous tonight. The drill this year is sort of a cross between Cavaliers, Cadets, and SCV. The SCV move is at the end of the show and will remind many of their 1999 show, but the Bluecoats put their own distinctive stamp on it. The close of their show will put you on your feet big time. I love this drill, and with this horn and drum line, and with the effective integration of this guard, I can't wait to see this clean in August. One of the neat sections of the show is toward the end when the horn line snakes its way over to meet the sopranos who start this fast jazz riff, then the mellos join, then the baris and euphs, then the tubas, and then a quick hitting shout chorus. This leads to the silent guard feature I spoke of, and then to some incredible drill moves that lead to the end of the show. It's a classic moment. If you're into good drum corps, you can hardly do better than to make the effort to see the Canton Bluecoats this summer. What a great show!!! Jonathan Willis Director of Bands Mount Union College

Honestly, I don't think this was about marketing at all. If it happens to some extent then great. But this was about the drum corps fan. This was about allowing fans to select 12 corps from 4 decades and go to the theaters and just enjoy. I loved it. What a great night. 74 Kingsmen just blew me away. Talk about power throughout the entire show, and they were clean. I loved them all. Yes, it wasn't the best 12 of all time, but I don't know how you can pick that anyway. But it was a good 12. Jonathan

2000 Cadets was an incredible show no doubt, but the 1984 or 1987 shows would have sent chills to all in the theater last night. The crowd at our theater started wooping it up when they showed that brief clip of 84 garfield. WOW. Jonathan Willis

It occured to me that this is more of a review of the shows and of the year of DCI, so I have re-posted this on this forum. A similar post exists on the general discussion forum. ------------------------------ With many props to Nikk for his excellent summer-ending take on the DCI tour, I wish to offer my thoughts on what I saw and heard, as well as some opinions about the future of DCI. First and foremost, many congratulations to all the corps for their sucessful summers and for the many memories you have provided your fans and the great education you have given to thousands of young men and women. This activity still stands as one of the best places for young people to learn music, travel, compete, push themselves, make friends, set goals, become leaders, and entertain. And I believe that DCI is healthier today, especially financially, than they have been since their inception in 1972. I remember that in the 1980s we lost so many quality drum corps (27th Lancers, North Star, Geneseo to name a few), and after the 1993 season we lost Star of Indiana. A real blow to the activity I thought--although I really like how Blast! has complimented and brought interest to drum corps. Many of the corps folded due to making ends meet, financial costs and inflation, and even the IRS as with the Velvet Knights. But I have been pleasently surprised over the years with all the new corps that have sprouted. California today has become a hotbed for drum corps, the state of Ohio may very well have 3 corps in the top 12 soon, some corps have been saved (Southwind and Crossmen), and the east coast is thriving again with corps like the Spartans, East Coast Jazz, Jersey Surf, and the many others that compete out there. Not only am I pleased with the new life in this activity, but I am encouraged by the care that is taken in keeping these organizations alive. Perhaps these new groups have learned from those that didn't make it. All this during some very difficult times for our country when gas, insurance, and food are not cheap--and help is not easy to find. I applaud all of these new corps and I applaud DCI for helping to foster their inception into an activity that is so good for young people. As for the corps' performances this summer, I must say that I enjoyed just about every show I watched. There were so many outstanding shows this summer and the quality from 1st place to 60th place (counting all the D II and D III corps) was really outstanding. However, here are some of my personal notes on what I remember from the various shows I saw. Cavaliers - In Toledo you were good, in Columbus you were incredible, and what I saw for quarterfinals via the Cinema cast was beyond words. This is your dynasty. You have set the standard for the next 5 to 10 years and it will be fun to see how the competitive landscape changes over that time. Thank you for a most enjoyable and artistic show. Blue Devils - Great brass, great drums, great guard. Show was a bit choppy for me through the first 6 minutes or so, then from A-train to the end I was blown away. That is the BD I love. And that ending was awesome, and I guess it was even better for finals. Please, Wayne, do a big band show in the style of the late 30s/40s groups but give it a bit of a modern twist without losing the dance feel. Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Les Brown, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman. I want it so bad...PLEASE!!!! SCV - at first I didn't care for the show. When I saw you in Columbus I was starting to like it but still didn't quite go for everything. At the Cinema cast you blew me away. I know some poeple are upset at the 5th place in horns. Forget that. There were probably 13-16 unreal horn lines out there this year. The 4 corps in front of you have all won high brass trophies. Perhaps your finals performance wasn't as tight as you would have liked, but the show was a Gem. A true work of art, and it was nice to see SCV back to their old self. Cadets - a good show with solid visual and GE built in, but because it didn't quite have what some of your other shows have had, you suffered in score. The tough thing for the Cadets is that we will always compare their shows to some of their masterpeices like 1984, 1987, 1990, 1993, and 2000. In any case, good job of bringing Jethro Tull to the field. It was new and unique music and a tough sell, but you stuck to it and performed the heck out of it by finals. You should have won high guard!!!!!!! Phantom - best brass book I heard all summer, and one of the best brass lines. Their drums are very good and deserve more credit than they are getting, and their guard was excellent this year. March better, integrate the guard better into the whole of the show, and clean the overall product faster and you will be top 2, if not win. Bluecoats - Best show yet, and you have had a lot of great shows. This corps was so solid from top to bottom. Awesome brass line with excellent intonation, and the percussion section was also incredibly solid. The arranging of both the percussion and brass parts was simply outstanding. I wanted more "In The Mood" at the end of the show since I really felt this would highlight the overall theme of the show, "Mood Swings." Perhaps at times the closing material was a bit too disjunct and shifty, but that is nit picking. Overall, this was such an enjoyable show and you deserved top 6. The Bluecoats guard was, IMO, on the level of Cadets, Cavies, and BD. They were awesome this year. Carolina Crown - did not see this corps live but I saw them on the Cinema cast, and I liked the show and the staging. Brass was excellent, but the singing is weird for me to see and hear. I got used to the amped corps quickly, but the singing in your show and the voice overs in Boston's made me feel weird. This is most likely because I am not used to seeing or hearing this at a corps show. More on this later, but congrats on a very nice show. Your performance levels are so good. Madison Scouts - Definitely not the old Madison. This is not a bad thing. I think the Scouts did a nice job of integrating the new and old into this show. Now, I felt the first 4 minutes kind of lagged or perhaps just felt less connected or flowing. The ending of the show was great. The horn line can still play and the percussion was probably much better than their score. But all the percussion lines in the top 12 were outstanding this year. Just keep doing what you are doing. Boston Crusaders - this was a beautiful show, very well staged, and the visuals were excellent even if they were snippets of forms and ideas used in past shows. This is no different than what the Cavaliers have been doing, or BD, SCV, or Cadets. Sometimes we as fans complain about these types of things, but the fact is that each new show cannot, nor should not, have all new forms, motion, music, ideas, innovations, etc. Why re-invent the wheel all the time when much of what we have already done works wonderfully. How many years in a row did the Cavaliers use that bending vertical line in the late 80s/early 90s? I enjoyed that each time I saw it. This was an awesome show visually, and I enjoyed the music very much. Your ballad was maybe the best on the field. It was at least right there with the Bluecoats and Phantom. Don't think the narration added anything to the show. Blue Knights - a very regal show in some ways, but kind of disjuct in others. I loved the last 4 or 5 minutes of this show. Great stuff. The visual program was excellent, and your brass line was as good as ever. Percussion was tight and musical. However, nothing completely grabbed me. There were no incredible wow moments. You have the visual, but I think the GE needs beefed up some. Crossmen - Best come back of the summer. You guys were scoring behind many corps at the beginning of the season, and now you are in the top 12. What an incredible job of making the right changes, teaching those changes, performing and cleaning those changes and selling this show. A very exciting show, and who knows how high this could have gone if this was the product you first started with. I want white pants! Glassmen - when I first saw this show in Toledo I was not thrilled. Your staff did an amazing job of teaching this show, the concepts and ideas, and making the right changes. And the Glassmen just performed the heck out of it. When I saw you guys in Canton you were just awesome. Very mature horn sounds and a tough book, and the drum line was crisp and accurate, although maybe not as strong as the lines a few years back. I just felt the show needed more obvious GE and not so much of the subtle GE that you are so good at. As for the rest of the competing corps that I saw this summer, many kudos for your outstanding performances. It was amazing to see how far Capital Regiment has come, and your brass performance in Columbus was one I will remember for a while. I just loved Pioneer's music this year and their closer was one of my favorites, and I was so impressed by the ballad that Spirit played. To the Colts, your opening of "American Overture" was great and the Old Man River segment was one of my favorites of the entire summer. Beautiful arrangements. It was a great summer and the competition was fierce and pushed everyone to greater heights. As for amplifiers, microphones, and voice, here is my take: It was probably a good idea to pass this rule change because I think it alllowed for many of us (fans, DCI, corps, show sponsors, etc.) to honestly and effectively evaulate the merrits of this equipment. For so long we just debated using hypothetical situations, and we drew conclusions based upon those theories. Now we have concrete information, both positive and negative, that can be discussed and debated. So many corps used amps, many did so very well (Cadets, Cavies, BD), and some used the equipment well but for purposes that many people feel cheapens the activity, perhaps taking away from its traditional roots (Crown, Boston). My opinion is that what happened this summer is good for the activity. Many will disagree with me on this. That's fine. I understand. I always think it helps to try new ideas that have been in the discussion process for years. It helps because these ideas are tested and the fans usually end up playing a big part in whether or not these new ideas will continue or not. Let me put it another way. For years, during the mid- to late-90s, many fans complained about shows not being entertaining, too "artsy fartsy." Hey, many of the drum corps have listened and more and more shows are crowd pleasing. I believe the same can be true of this latest ruling. Just because amps are allowed, or the use of mics and voice, doesn't mean all the corps will adopt this strategy of performance. In the end, these corps want to please the fans too, and their membership and support system often depends on their popularity. Maybe next year we will see corps just use better judgement, or find a better way to do amps and voice, or perhaps we will see less corps even attempt to use this equipment. I am not sure what will happen with the petitions that are out there at the moment, and whether or not DCI will fully take them into consideration. I am sure they will, but this does not mean they will change any rules. But I do respect both sides and am sure that as long as communication is good and the dialogue is professional and understanding, that we will ultimately come to a better way for all of drum corps and its fans. My personal feeling is that I like the amps when used well, but I am not sure about voice. Having said that, corps have been using voice for years, they have simply not been using microphones. In 1979, Garfield sang in their show (I think at the end?) and they were penalized for this I believe. Later, in 1984, they used singing again in their West Side Story show, but now they were allowed to and it worked perfectly with the show. That show is a classic. Many corps have sung at times on the field, including Boston's very clever and artistic use of singing in their 2000 production. So now we have added a mic to the singing and people are up in arms. Perhaps because there has never been a voice over or the use of a solo singer before in DCI. I think for many DCI fans the use of the mics and amps gives them the sense of being at a Superbowl pre-game show or some glitzy broadway production. They feel drawn way from the idea that the brass and drums should be the main focus. Even the modern auxiliary units are so much more exposed. I remember not that many years ago how people would gripe daily about how the guards were too exposed, too much dancing, too much "artsy fartsy" stuff, and they compared it too WGI. Now days I see more and more reviews where we are critical of a corps if they do not have the guard more integrated into the fabric of the show. Let's face it, change is going to happen. Some of you say that change should not happen just for the sake of change. True. And some of you say that not all change is good. True. But you can't supress creativity. You can't dampen a person's right to try something or propose something, and ultimately change will happen because we all think differently. 20 Years ago that proposal to allow amps would not have passed. It passed last year because people are thinking differently and we live in different times. Different people are in positons of power to vote on those changes. Not all of them think like you or I. Change will just happen, and I don't ask you to support it or like it, I ask that we go through the proper channels to enhance it, change it, debate its merrit, and/or to propose better ideas. Get involved! This is the important thing. For all the bashing that George Hopkins takes on this forum (and on RAMD) the truth is that he is not a dictator. He does not control 50.1 percent of the voting stock in DCI. He has ideas, he proposes them, sometimes on this forum which is kind of like suicide. But he is tough and honest, and I think he sometimes proposes these things on this group to get both the negatives and positives. Hey, why not use this forum. This is a great place to get a feel for what fans like and don't like. So there is some contraversy in drum corps today, and, yet, there are many positives--just like the old days. Drum and Bugle corps has been changing since day one, and today is a reflection of that change. But I remain optomistic about its future with so many new faces and performance levels that seem to get better and better. Finally, many, many kudos to you DCI for the Regal Cinema telecast. This was one of the best ideas in many years and I hope this continues forever. What a great money maker this could become, but more importantly, what a great way for me to take students and friends to see the great activity called drum and bugle corps!!! Can't wait for the summer of 2005!

It just goes to show you how people can think differently. I for one thought that pep talk the other night was awesome. The reason he did it on the field was that he felt the kids were losing something (an edge) between the tunnel or parking lot and the field. Instructors have been giving kids pep talks on the field for years in DCI and all of the marching activity. Perhaps it has just been much more segregated (per section) and the instructors have been people like the horn tech or drum guys. Still, it was great to see him talk to those kids. They obviously have a great show tonight. Way to go Cadets!!!!!!!!

Just want to add to this debate. I am enjoying the many opinions of this thread. I think there are many reasons a corps can be hated, or at least seem to be hated. And I say that because we must first remember that DCP and RAMD (although I don't go there anymore) are a much smaller commmunity of people vs those that attend drum corps shows through out this country. DCP is a growing community and a very important one, but often the opinions shared here are those of people who are well educated in drum corps circles. Many on this forum follow the rules changes, the direction of the activity from a creative standpoint, and they follow what other directors and members of corps are saying. We discuss and debate things on this forum that the average person who attends a DCI show would have no idea about. Most fans and first-time viewers of drum corps shows do not care who George Hopkins is. They could care less about amplification of singing or whatever new thing we have found to gripe about. My mom will go to a show and if she saw a sax she would think nothing of it. If my sister came to a show with me and saw an amplifier she would not even know what it was, and she certainly would not be able to correlate that with some historical change that some feel has made drum corps less pure. My point is that if you attend DCI shows then you know that the Cadets are generally not hated. In fact, they have many, many, many fans all over the country. Are there some in the audience who do not like them? Sure. Even when I was at the Canton show a few weeks back, the Cadets got one of the best standing ovations. On the east coast they are very popular. I believe that many in California will end up loving them, even though their show is not one of their best. Is is STILL A GOOD SHOW. AND THIS CORPS CAN PERFORM INCREDIBLY WELL!!! As for the winning too much scenario. Sure, this will always be true. Even if you don't win the championship every year, the fact that they tend to be top 3 or top 4 every year is enough for many to want them out. This is also true of BD and Cavies. Why do you think so many people are pulling for SCV or Phantom to do well? Because they are not traditionally top 3 corps. Let's face it. SCV has been top 3 a total of 3 times since 1990 (14 years). Phantom has been top 3 a total of 4 times in the last 14 years. The Cadets have been top 3 a total of 12 times in the last 14 years. WOW! They have 4 DCI Titles in that time. BD has been top 3 a total of 10 times with 5 DCI Titles. The Cavaliers have been top 3 a total of 9 times with 5 DCI Titles. When it comes to top 3 appearances from 1990, the Cadets are the winners. Very consistent corps. Now, I point this out not to put any other corps down. The pont is that when corps like BD, Cadets, and Cavies are in that top 3 so often it does get tiring for some fans. This is why we had a number of threads on this forum alone about wanting a different leader board. I understand that and think it would be nice to see some other corps in that column. Now, do I feel this is why the Cadets take a lot of heat from DCI fans? No, at least not entirely. Maybe more important is what most of you have been saying. When a corps is associated with an outspoken director who, for right or wrong, proposes many ideas that elicit controversy, then the that corps will take its bumps. No biggy. The kids that march the Cadets know this and I think they thrive on it. It's all cool to them. George Hopkins is not the worst thing that can happen to DCI. Trust me. I think when it is all said and done, and whether you have agreed with or not (and I certainly have not agreed with him on everything), we will look back and say that the activity is better off becaue we had Mr. Hopkins' service and committment to keeping corps alive and well. Remember that ideas are ideas. They are bad in the minds of some and good in the minds of others. Implimenting ideas takes many people, not just one, and those ideas that turn out bad, even horrible, will lead all of us to better ideas, and hopefully a better and healthier activity. Some people are less spoken, at least in the public eye about their ideas. I give GH a lot of credit for being so open and allowing all of us to discuss and debate his concepts. Dave Gibbs of the Blue Devils has been pushing for many of the same things as GH, but so many would probably not know that. Again, not every idea can be right or perfect, and mistakes will be a part of the business of making drum and bugle corps successful. Those mistakes will lead to better change. Many of us witnessed one of those good ideas last night at the cinema. DCI should be proud and I thank them so much for that entertaining night.

Thank you DCI!!!! Excellent job. You need to do this every year. For those of us that cannot make finals, this is the way to bring finals to us and make some good money while doing it. The theater was nice, big screen, very good sound quality. I wanted surround sound because they said they were broadcasting in Dolby 5.1, but our theater did not do surround, just stereo. In any case, the sound was still excellent, decent volume, and the crowd was fun tonight. Lots of cheering for all, especially the Ohio corps. The big surprise for all of us was when they announced that Frederick Fennel was in the house. He is the legend of all legends in the band world and was gracious enough to speak with many of us afterwards who just wanted to meet him and say thanks for everything. It was an absolute joy to talk to him after the show that I pretty much forgot about the show for most of my drive back home. Great guy. He said he is living in the Cleveland part of the year and in Florida the other part. I asked him if he was going to do any work with the Tokyo Kosei Wind Ensemble anytime soon and he said later this year he was. He also directed the Cleveland Winds for many years. Of course, his claim to fame comes from his years conducting the Eastman School of Music Wind Ensemble and all the work he has done in editing some of the finest wind music ever published for band. As for the corps, I loved the show tonight. So many fun shows. Just some quick thoughts and observations. 1. Cavaliers - awesome show. should win. very fun to watch and listen to. 2. BD - a bit disjuct for the first 6 or 7 minutes. Just too much cut and splice, chop it up and effects type music. Didn't think their horn line deserved a 20. I would of had them behind Cavies and Cadets in brass. 3. SCV - They sold me tonight. WOW!!! That was incredible. May come in second by Sat. Last half of the show was just ENERGETIC!!!!!!! Great sound, good charts. DRUMS!!!!!! 4. Cadets - Awesome horn line. Don't know why they are so low in scores. Drums were rockin' tonight. Show was entertaining and fun, yet it just leaves me a little flat at the end. They can definitely play well and have tons of talent, but GE is killing this show. Oh well, great year for them, and I enjoyed Hopkins' motivating speech to the kids tonight before they took the field. 5. Phantom - WOW!!!!! Holy Hornline. Most demanding book on the field and they played great. Some of the best music. Opener simply takes too long to get going. 6. Bluecoats - Yes, this was awesome!!!! Way to go Canton. Keep it going for finals...You Can Do It. Very entertaining show. Horns seemed more confident tonight. AS for the rest I will do more tomorrow. I need sleep. Hopefully DCI can do this type of theater thing on Friday next year. Of course, that would be a more difficult night to get the theaters. It was definitely worth my $15 and then some.

Outstanding review!!! Very, very nice. Thank you for taking the time to do that. Best review of the summer to this point, and they have all been good.

Nice Review. Thanks for taking the time to do one. I agree with you about PR. IF, and I mean If????????? they clean the marching, their horn scores will go up big time and I do think they can take the Brass title in Denver. If not, they may very well be the best brass line in California come TOC. I also agree about Glassmen. When I first saw that show I hated it. Now I love it and think they are so mature in their approach to this music. And the show is fun. I dissagree with Cadets, but then I am a Cadets fan. I do like their show a lot this year and they do generate a lot of fan appeal during sections of that show. It's just not one of their more GE packed shows where the whole show sells itself. But I love what they are trying to do. The music is for the most part beautiful and well written, and their drumline is again incredible. They do have a lot to clean, but I will agree with you that they just can't catch Cavies, BD, maybe even SCV with their current Visual and GE scores. Phantom may very well pass them and SCV in my opinion--if they clean and nail it on finals night.

The Cavaliers do not close with "For Your Eyes Only" anymore but a more energetic snippet of Bond stuff. I like it a lot, and the drill stuff is amazing. My only concern is that the music still ends too quickly. The build to the end is too fast or simply not developed in a way to really get the audience on their feet. I don't think they need to change it though. From a construction stand point their show is so strong in all areas that this one weakness will not kill them.

Here is a review that I started last night and posted on the Columbus scores column in general topics. I have added a few comments to this review. ----------------------------------------------- Columbus was an overall great show. All the corps were entertaining and the crowd was big and very responsive. Both decks at Crew stadium were pretty much filled. Very chilly night. Cavaliers are so incredibly good that it is mind boggling. I love their drill. Their music has NOT a dull moment, and the show just captivates you. It is one big GE Festival. Should win DCI hands down IMO. I honestly thought they might have beaten SCV by 2.5 tonight. Only weak spot for Cavies is some dirt in the marching in the opener, and a lot of dirt in the closer. Also, the drill is just fantastic at the end, but the music doesn't have that drive to the end that is needed to really get the crowd on their feet. Soloists were very good tonight. They had a few horn players fall, but recover quickly. SCV - this is a great show also, but not my favorite show from them. There are some dead spots in the music (ballad), and at times the drill just lags. I think they perform very well, and I could not have written anything this good, so I do not wish to say that the show is a dud. It's not. The bulk of it is just super powerful and beautiful, but there are a couple of spots that just do not lead me to the desired effect or musical thought. Brass was very powerful and mostly in tune. Excellent solos. Some great technique showed by ther horn line. Following Cavies was tough. IMO the Cavies show is so striking that going on after them made me more aware of just how good the Cavies are. SCV went on last, but even when they were done with their show people were still talking about the Cavies. As good as SCV is, after seeing Phantom in Massillon, I will tell you that Phantom can pass them. DO NOT be surprised if Phantom takes 2nd to the Cavies in Denver. I think it may just happen. I know that nobody cleans better than BD, so they are in the mix too (as we all know). Bluecoats - Wow!!! They just blew me away again, and the crowd just loved them. Awesome sound, good power but not over done, and excellent intonation. Solos were not supported very well tonight and lacked clarity and direction. The screaming soprano solos need to sparkle more and project their sound into the top deck. Opening block formation during the first horn impact in the 1st tune needs some serious cleaning. And I still want more of "In The Mood" at the end of the show. The Bluecaots have plenty to clean, so they can continue their climb as well as anyone out there. I thought the Bluecoats guard was close to Cavies in quality and demand. Great stuff. Good score for them tonight. This show can definitely hit 5th or 6th. Cleaning and tweaking is the key with corps like Boston and Madison around the corner. Capitol Regiment - Boy did this show get clean and good. I saw them in Toledo and wasn't sure if they could handle the show. They CAN!!! It is a fun and very musical show. Great horns and drums (and good arrangements by Jay Bocook), and the guard was beautiful tonight. Not sure if it can make top 12, but they sounded like a million bucks tonight in terms of ensemble music. Solos need some work (pitch problems and I need more style and direction of line from them, including the brass quartet at the end of the show). Love their music. Congrats to their staff, administration, and all the members. We have never had 3 corps in the top 12 from Ohio. That day is coming! Mandarins - This is a super show with super staging and one heck of a drum line. Horn line was very good as well, and produced a big sound. Someone's hat fell off. Good clean show. Excellent music. I especially love the Tchaikovsky portion of their show. The Hans Zimmer music is well done too. Wish they were 120 big, they would be top 12. A must see show. Congrats!! Southwind - Nice job guys. Much better than in Canton. Horns didn't tire as much, pitch was better, and the baritone soloist in the ballad was outstanding. Thanks for that fine solo. Their music is cool--all Jerry Goldsmith stuff. Excellent drill, very demanding. But this is their big hurdle. They need to clean this drill or the music cannot go to the next level. Their are plenty of body control problems for them to concentrate on in these last few days. Solid drum line with a very musical book. Pioneer - Once again I found this show to be one of the more entertaining on the field. Great music arranged by Rick Kirby, who I know and have admired for many years. His writing is just outstanding. Soloists did not seem as confident as I am sure they can be. And some pitch problems are exposed when 1 or 2 people decide to stick out in the section. Closer is just a fun, fun tune...and they are playing it very well. If anything, articulations and tempo remain their bigget musical concern. They still have some timing issues in the opener (perhaps not locking to the pulse of the feet or just simple tongue vs fingering issues). Bu this horn line plays very well and has some excellent power. If they clean the tempo problems then this show will fly. Visual program is excellent. Just clean this product and Denver is going to see one awesome show. Jonathan Willis

Ok, I am going to finish thhis review now. Sleep is good. A couple of final comments on the Bluecoats. When they get to the end of their show, or at least to the point that you think it is going to end, they pause for just a second or so, then hit you with a little "In The Mood." I loved it. Not only because I happened to tour with the Glenn Miller Orchestra for a couple of years, but also because it really fit their show (Mood Swings). If anything, I would like just a bit more of that music to tag the show, but that is being nit-picky. Overall their total show is top-notch and should fare well in Denver. Glassmen 84.95 - I saw them in Toledo and really didn't care for this show. Last night I was much more engaged. My friend and a number of my students all loved their show as well and they don't really see a lot of drum corps, so whatever the Glassmen are doing, it is working. Their show is a bit artsy. They perform music of Samuel Barber, Aaron Copland, and Norman Dello Joio. This music is not easy to put on the field, especially the Barber music, but the Glassmen are handling the nuances much better. Their horns are loud and pretty good. Some very difficult music in this show. Their drumline does not seem to have that level of playing they did a few years ago, and their guard was most memorable at the beginning of the show but not at the end. Very good mello section, trumpets were forcing too much, and were tired at the end of the show. From a design point I simply want more resolution to ideas, but I realize that what I want goes against the concept of this show. It does leave me wanting a bit more (especially more shaker hymn at the end), and maybe that'swhat so special about this show. They will definitely make top 12...I think. But if they really want to make a significant move upward, I think they need to back off on the horns (some times volume, other times articulations and tone quality) and go for a more refined, dark, and broader sound concept with much wider expressions in order to help sell the very contemporary musical ideas the show has. Colts 79.35 - Nice opening musical statement. You can't go wrong playing Jenkins' American Overture. An excellent arrangement by Mr. Klesch. The Colts have a very nice, open sound, good tuning for the most part, and the staging of the show is very nice from a horn perspectice. Their guard doesn't integrate as well, but they were very good. If anything is hurting this corps it is visuall and music GE. Nothing really grabs you and tells you where to look or where to listen. Only in a few places does this happen, and the highs and lows in the show seem to run together. Too much of the same thing, maybe not enough dynamic contrast, perhaps the music is just not cleaned up enough for me to get a good read. It is an enjoyable show, and I thought the OOld Man River ballad was wonderful and well played. Soutwind 74.9 - Southwind did a nice job tonight. Although I did not recognize all the music, some of it will hit you. They do a show called "A Journey Through the Sands." It features music by Jerry Goldsmith who just passed away a few days ago. Good opening statement by the trumpets are not connecting the notes very well and controlling tone. So the phrases often were a bit choppy and not as smooth as they should have been. Ballad is beautiful, and I think the percussion line was very good. Horns ran into the same problem at the end of their show in which the opening theme returns. They seemed so tired at the end of the show. They do have a very difficult visual program and I am sure that is physically wearing them out to the point that their enurance is also suffering. Pioneer 72.5 - This is the best I have seen Pioneer is some years. I love this show. Did not really care for their guard outfits, but the show is very fun. Great music. Show is titled "Return to Ireland. They do a couple of Robert Smith band works that fit the show very well. They do one traditional Irish song (Dawning of the Day), and they close with music from Riverdance. I thought the end of their show was the best. Riverdance is fun music, and this arrangement is by far the best I have heard for field. Pioneer is playing it well too. Horns have some endurance issues similar to Southwind, but they can pump out some sound for a smaller corps (43 horns compared to at least 50 for every other corps). Very entertaining show. I just wanted a more elegant look from the guard. I also don't care for the corps' hats. They really need to re-visit their look on the field and see if they can do something with those uniforms. Just my opinion. All in all, I had a great time last night watching some amazing drum corps. For entertainment purposes I ranked them like this: 1. Bluecoats 2. Phantom 3. Boston 4. Cadets 5. Pioneer 6. Glassmen 7. Southwind 8. Colts As for overall show, I don't totally disagree with the judges, but the Bluecoats are so clean and good that I feel they deserve the nod over PR and Boston. Now, Phantom is kind of a wild card here because I was so impressed with their show, but they are performing one of the most difficult programs on the field this summer. How much credit should we give for demand vs being clean. This is probably the issue the judges are dealing with. It is not like the Bluecoats have a show that is a whole lot less demanding. They have tons of demand as well. There is no doubt Boston is hitting the top box visually and in terms of GE. Very readable show and lots of impact in this show. Their ballad was awesome. But performance wise their horns are not very good. Some very thin tones out there. Trumpets were just very thin sounding and seemed tired way too early in the show. Both Phantom and Bluecoats have much better horn lines. Oh well, it will be close for the rest of the season and Denver should be fun. As for the Cadets, they do have a show that can challenge for as high as 2nd (maybe), but more likely 3rd if they really clean. They are simply not near clean enough now, and there are too many tempo/phasing issues in the show. Love their horns, drums, and guard. Baton twirler was really fun and the crowd just ate him up every time, even though he was a little off on each toss tonight. The Cadets definitely have great performance captions across the board, but their GE scores may do them in. Time will tell.

Tonight's drum and bugle corps show in Canton was just awesome. The weather held up for the most part with some rain coming after the show had ended, but nothing big. Many congratulations to the corps in performance this evening, and mainly to the Bluecoats organization for their excellent work with the community, the Pro Football Hall of Fame (this show kicks off the PFHoF week here in Canton), and with DCI for providing one of the best venues for any drum corps show and an awesome lineup. As for the corps, the show was excellent. So many good shows this year, and there were many standing ovations tonight. Cadets 91.9 - The Cadets have just an awesome opening fanfare, and when they hit it, as they did tonight, you just get the feeling that they are going to give you something special. Their horns are just incredible, the percussion is first rate, and their guard could very well wiin high guard in Denver. Having said all that, the show leaves me wishing they could do something with the first tune after the fanfare. Overall, the show just lacks the musical GE necessary to push them higher that say 2nd come finals. The middle tune was fantastic and got the crowd on its feet. The closer is a bit flat after the soli section in which the mellos, low brass, trumpets, and drumline are featured. Those features are fun, but the final minute or so just doesn't take the show where it needs to go. This is the big thing that needs fixed in order for them to have a chance at a title, otherwise I see maybe 2nd if they clean. But that is another issue. They are not clean at all (nobody is I realize), but they had a kid almost fall over tonight, and there were several phasing problems that need fixed. The music is first rate and very demanding, and they are almost there, but more work is needed. Come Denver I suspect that they will do very well in performance captions across the board, but music and visual GE may hurt them. The baton twirler is awsome. Phantom 88.6 (TIE) This is an excellent show. Very, very, very difficult horn book. Maybe the most challenging brass book on the field this year, but it is not clean. The opener is very sloppy and it's just not the playing but the marching. Lots of phasing in the feet, and all the tempo changes in the opener are not hitting. However, this is a great show. Very entertaining, fun visuals, and awesome brass playing--just clean it up. Percussion is a strong point for the Regiment. Clean and good, an demand is high. I don't care for the opener, but I love the ballad and the closer. The company front in the closer is a goose-bump moment. Guard needs to be better integrated into the whole of the show to help with visual GE. This is a very demanding show and if they could clean it I would say they could hit top 2 or 3 no problem. They have the goods. But cleaning all this will be tough from now until Denver. Still, the staff should be proud as should the kids. Great job, Phantom. I enjoyed this so much. Boston 88.6 Well, I am not sure Boston should have tied Phantom. I had Bluecoats over Phantom and Boston under Phantom. Boston is good, no doubt. Their show is fun, very well performed, and was one of the bigger crowd pleasers of the night. The overall design is outstanding, and the voice overs were fine in my book, but what the guy was saying in the middle of the show was really not needed. This is a wonderfully colorful, artistic, and energetic show. But, the horn line is thin at times, and the drill is so much of what they have been doing for the last 4 or 5 years. Still, I enjoyed it and want to see them again. Very good solos, and a great ending. Bluecoats 87.65 - This show should have come in 2nd. The Bluecoats have a fantastic show that in many ways has the best coordination of music, movement, staging, and guard in all of DCI. It is one of my favorite shows on the field this summer. There are no weaknesses in the performance captions IMO. The guard is unreal and very entertaining, and the drumline was smokin'. The horn line is the best they have had, and regardless of what others have said about dynamics or a lack of power from their line, I disagree. The Bluecoats have one of the best horn lines in DCI, and I would rather hear great balance and blend, awesome technique and great articulations that to hear something loud just for the sake of loud. They should have beat Boston and Phantom tonight...at least Boston. The Bluecoats are one of the cleanest corps on the field at this point. They have demand, artistry, excitement, and their music is just so much fun. Their ballad is my favorite of the summer. If the judges see it the way I do, this may very well end up in 5th or 6th in Denver. I think it's that good! Go Blooooo!!!! Great show. Thank you. I will finish this review tomorrow. Glassmen 84.95 Colts 79.35 Soutwind 74.9 Pioneer 72.5

Nikk, let me say something. I respect you and always like your reviews, even when I disagree on a thing or two. So please understand that I mean no disrespect when I say forget about what others on this group say or think and just write your review. I would have appreciated your sincere review on the Cadets show just as you did on the others. Who cares what the others think? I love the Cadets myself, but I don't like every show they pump out. And when I write a review I just don't care what others think about my opinions. I knnow how the shows made me feel and I say that. People disagree but I just don't care and I don't go round after round with them about how I feel. People on this, or any, newsgroup will act out some and voice their displeasure with others opinions. What I like is when people just give me their honest opinions, even when their bias is involved. I know you love Phantom. That's what is so cool about it. You offer that perspective and we should relish that and accept it as part of who you are and what you like. I think it's about half and half this year with Cadets. Some like it, some don't. I took a good friend to the Toledo show and she didn't care for them. I loved 'em. She loved the Cavies more, although I will admit that I love that show too. I don't know, but I would like to hear your opinions on their show. I do hear they had a bad night and looked like crap. I think they were lucky to score what they did.

I wasn't at the show, and I certainly appreciate your review of these two fine corps, but all those comments you make about the Vanguard are also accurate for the Blue Devils. It's a shame that many have stereotyped the BD as being one of these corps that just blows your face off with high screaming brass and jazzy sounds. In fact, BD is incredibly musical, they play some of the hardest music year in and out, and their drums are also excellent. Even with the tie in percussion I suspect the big difference between BD and SCV at this point is cleaning. The Blue Devils have been masters at executing their shows at an amazing level even in June. Let's face it, most corps play catch up to BD. That's ok. Let the cards fall as they may. SCV ended up closing the gap in 1999 and tied BD for the title. Could happen again. I have seen the Cadets though and when that show cleans I really think you can hand them the trophy. But I have also seen the Cavaliers and they are AWESOME.

Very nice review. Thanks for doing one. I haven't seen many from San Antonio. I agree with many of your points. I really love Cavies and Cadets this year and actually feel both will challenge for the title. The Bluecoats may very well have my favorite show of the year, and since I live in Canton I am rooting for the boys to make top 5. You are right about the Cadets, they are sooooooooooo incredibly strong across the board and really have the show to win it all. Their horns and drums and guard are just magnificent, and once cleaned I just don't see anyone beating them. But I have not seen BD yet. They are always awesome.

Speaking of Gordon Henderson, many probably don't realize this but he has been on the Cadets brass staff all year. Mainly helping out during the camps and such. I don't think he is touring with them at the moment, but it would not surprise me if he shows up for a week of cleaning before Denver along with Jay Bocook. Of course, the Cadets' head brass guy does a wonderful job. To add to this topic just a bit, there is no doubt that the 128-135 members on the field make the big difference in a show. But design and teaching are two VERY important facets of any quality program. A good show will challenge and entertain, yet will also be written at a level that encourages and allows fcr success. This means that the instructors designing the show must know the kids in their corps and what they are capable of achieving. The problem with this is that recruiting really becomes a factor. Corps like BD, Cadets, SCV, Cavies, and Phantom tend to be very consistent with their talent level and the average age of those who audition. Their are exceptions I am sure, but there would be more consistency at this level than say what Magic is dealing with. When you don't know the talent level or the age level of those that are going to audition for your corps becuse it keeps changing each year, and when numbers are up and down, then having a design and teaching team that is consistent and faithful to the organization is extremely important. If you are in this situation and yet have innconsistencies with your instructional staff, then you have MAJOR problems. WHY? 1. Many people join a corps due to a particular instructor or a type of instruction. 2. Some join a corps based on their reputation 3. Some join a corps because of their style of show and performance (which has a lot to do with the design team and instructional staff) 4. Some join because they want a great experience, but they will likely join a corps that as a stable situation in terms of innstructional staff, finances, facilities, etc. Now, these are not the only reasons a kid might join a corps, I only offer these points to illustraste why stability and consistency in design and teaching are important to the health of a corps and their competitive consistency. Magic will be fine. It sounds like they are younger (but I have not seen the show), and if they can keep a consistent staff and style then their recruiting and retention will improve. Just my thoughts.

June 19, 2004: A Great Night of Drum Corps Toledo, Ohio was once again the site of an early show for DCI, and, once again, the show lived up to its billing with great drum and bugle corps from all over providing excellent entertainment for the many fans. For an early show this event was well attended...betweern 4,500 to 6,000. Marion Glory Cadets - for a small div III corps they sure do pump out some sound, and their drumline continues to impress me with its large size and excellent quality. There is excellent teaching going on here and their show with its Gustav Holst music makes for good entertainment. They need a guard and the kids in the hornline simply need time to develop a feel for what they do...a comfort zone if you will. Memphis Sound - Very powerful baritones! WOW, they just come at you all show. Perhaps just a bit too much, but I love their enthusiasm. Rest of hornline needs to balance out. A very good size hornline and some good power at points, but it seems the baritones are the bulk of that power. Very fun show and good music, just so much to clean. Percussion scoring is really difficult I thought for this level of corps. Hope they can clean it. Southwind - I do like their new uniforms better now. I like the tops better, although they remind me a bit of Seattle Cascades--but that's in a good way. This show will be fine. A very solid show in terms of entertainment, quality, artistry, and technical demand. Good control in the hornline and percussion section, and the guard is working a tough book. I actually had them over Kawanis and am shocked that Kiwanis beat them unless I got the wrong scores. This is a solid top 25 show, but cleaning will deciide just how high they go up the ladder. Probably not a top 12 show, but you never know and I do like this show a lot. Kawanis Kavaliers - I always look forward to seeing the Canadian corps, but I was dissapointed in this show on one end and loved it on another. The music of West Side Story has been played so much on the field that people simply do not look forward to hearing it like they did years ago. However, these arrangements are unique and fun, they are singable and yet work with the competitive genre. My problem at this point is that the corps does not perform very well in any respect. Intonation was very bad last night. Much worse that both memphis and Southwind, and technical playing issues and musical artistry seemed to be ignored. It's early and I know that means many changes and musical artistry will come as they clean. I understand this, but they have a ton of work to do if they plan to stay in the top 20 or so. Southwind should have beat them and the judges will soon see this. Still, if this show cleans and the kids improve musically then I think many fans will like this renedition of WSS. The playing of trash cans at the end needs beefed up for thrown out. Capital Regiment - This relatively young corps out of Columbus, OH is on the move in a big way. Horn line and drum line have made significant improvements over their excellent efforts last season, and the guard is large and good. The show is based on music of David Holsinger. They open with a solid trumpet entrance of a hymn tune and then weave the rest of the hornline into what is an exciting first number. Intonation is much better than last year, but big hit points still tend to be on the high side in the brass and not as balanced as needed for a full and rich sound. Over I feel Holsinger's music is probably not enough material to keep this show interesting from start to finish. Too much of his stuff is based on rhythm and very little musical substance, and I feel it leaves the arranger with few choices in terms of development. Capital needs to examine this music and perhaps add some new music to a few sections of the show to bring it together and to solidify the hymn used at the onset of the show. GE Rep. will likely hurt them this year, but I may be wrong. Glassmen - This show will be interesting once clean. It was tough for me to read last night. All I wanted to do last night was take a hot dog break for the first 8 to 9 minutes of the show, then the last 2 minutes I just loved. They go into themes from the Shaker Hymn at the end. The first 3/4ths of the show are based on some very complex classical music, includiing some stuff Star of Indiana did in 1993. Lots of body shaping and movement, lots of conntemporary orchestrations and colors, but IMHO a lack of music GE and musical artistry was obvious. Now, I hear they are behind due to weather, and that will certainly make a difference. Horns have a lot of power, and percussion seems tight so far. Even when clean I don't see this show passing Bluecoats. Maybe not even be top 12, but with their strengths in percussion they will make it interesting. Bluecoats - WOW, WOW, WOW!!! Saw this show in Canton (at least the standstill music portion) since I live in North Canton and I just love this music. Well, now that I have seen the whole show, minus some music and drill that needs to be blocked for the end, I can tell you that this will be one of their best productions to date. It is difficult for me to say this when just about every Bluecoat show seems to get better and better to me, and there are so many from the past that I love. But we're talkin' 2004 right now, and I am telling you this show will go far. Excellent music ensemble, awesome hornline and drumline, and the guard is so close to being at that BD or Cadets kind of level. I thought their dancing was just superb and simply needs cleaned. In fact, that's pretty much the story for this corps. Just clean what you have an you should be in great shape for top 7, 6, or maybe higher. In so many ways the show speaks top 5 to me, but I realize the competition is awesome at this level. Still, this year's Bluecoats have the drill, the music, the visuals and GE, and just the smooth performance style and musical artistry to do it. Hey, if Canton is in town, GO SEE THE SHOW!!!! Cadets - Holy Musical Production!!! This show is awesome in every sense of the word. Hornline is a notch better than last year's which came in second by .1 to BD, and the drumline is smokin' once again. Their first 30 seconds of the show will surely raise all the goose-bumps on your body or make your jaw drop to the ground. The music of Jethro Tulll is a clear winner, and the musical artistry for which this corps plays even early in the season is just unreal. They have it all once again: the demanding drill, the awesome horns and percussion, the super guard, and a show that will deliver a huge impact in terms of GE. Middle tune may well be one of the most special moments in DCI this year. Nobody will want to follow this act and I believe come August this show may very well win it all. Cavalies - However, having said what I just did about the Cadets, the Cavaliers were equal to the challenge and just as exciting and musical. Not many corps will be able to follow the Cadets this year, but the Cavaliers certainly did an awesome job with it. This show is just a breath of fresh air and I am thrilled with how they have staged it and with the musical direction. The music of James Bond is such inviting stuff for field, and the Cavaliers do it so well. Most of the themes come from the most recent movie withh special attention being put into the rhythmical elements of this music. The latin gooves are so well done, and over all this will end up being one of the best shows to view and hear all summer. Their hornline should stay close with Cadets, but I am not sure about the guard and the drums. Guard didn't really grab me as much, although I liked the uniform. Percussion was real solid and uses so many colors and perhaps I just need another read on them. Both the pit of the Cavaliers and the Cadets were just outstanding and the use of amplification was excellent, really enhancing the right sounds and colors without taking away from the horns and battery. General comments: It is obvious that the Cadets and Cavaliers will be top 3, but I am just guessing at this point. They very well could be top 2. Also, although their scores were high, I really thought the Bluecoats should have been closer to those two. Perhaps a 73.50. The Bluecoats are for real and it will be interesting to see if the judges see and hear this. There may be some surprises coming in the weeks to come. Glassmen have much to clean, but I don't see them catching the Bluecoats, and I don't see the Capital Regiment catching the Glassmen. Overall it was a great first night of corps for me and there are some great shows to go an enjoy--so do just that and have fun. Jonathan Willis

All the top hornlines have different concepts of balance, and that often changes with each corps depending on the show music. Phantom's sound this year was outstanding. Best overall sound on the field. But there have also been Phantom corps that have lacked this type of balance. BD consistently puts out a wonderful and professional sound, but the balance is top heavy and needs to be due to the music style. I love it. The Cadets always articulate as good as anyone on the field and their tonal beauty is outstanding most years. But their balance is also on the top heavy side. They like it that way. Regiment, Cavies, and SCV tend to go for a more bottom-end sound. I love that as well. No doubt though, Cavies are consistently putting out some of the best horn lines in DCI these days and it is a welcome change to have so many corps shooting for high horn honors.

87 Garfield - beautiful, demanding, ahead of its time, excellence performance, ground-breaking design and use of staging. This show really changed the activity.

Ok, I will share some thoughts on this. For me, I liked their show a lot this year. I also thought they had beaten cavies on finals night regardless of repertoire issues. Was this the most exciting Cadets show we have seen? NO. Why not? Well in my opinion there are three reasons: a) it wasn't because the repertoire didn't flow smoothly, but that 2 of the 3 works were more associated with other corps (hence we will always judge the arrangement to the old standard--whether that is necesary or not), B) the overall effect given during Fanfare and Allegro and Rocky Point Holiday was a bit flat, and c) the combination of using some older drill moves with music associated with great performances from the past really limited what the Cadets could do. Having said that, I really enjoyed it for what it was. The old-timers, and many others, were really digging this show. It wasn't a show that had you going nuts with wild standing Os, but it had a kind of cool factor that made you want to see it again when it was over. On a competitive side, there was no doubt that they had the goods to win a title if given a slightly different show, and I think that is what the original poster is refering to. Maybe I am wrong. Their horns came in second by a .1, their guard was second by .2, their marching execution was second by .1, and their percussion won. They simply needed more GE music and GE visual to compete with BD. But to assume that every show must have the goods to win is difficult. Sometimes the goal is to create the effect and overal musical package you desire, then fine tune it for the best performance, as well as the best chance for a higher score. I don't know that I wish to see corps designing shows for the sole intent of winning, yet I am not saying a different approach to this show would not have helped its entertainment factor. The bottom line is that they took as shot at something that probably didn't come out quite as they had planned. I am not sure how many shows do. What they tried to do was risky. To take a two popular favorites that were performed by big-name corps like the Vanguard and Madison would be suicide for many, especially a corps trying to be top 3 in Div 1. I do kind of hope they scrap the West Side Story idea for next season. I would like to see the Cadets try a new, fresh show (similar to 92 or 93). West Side Story simply presents too many of the problems I mentioned above. Too many comparisons to older shows (and none will be like 84 Garfield or Sky Ryders of 87). Just some thoughts.

Having just arrived back at my hotel here in Orlando (near Universal Studios) I am dazed and completely drained from watching these young men and women perform their hearts out for the last 3 days. What a thrill it has been to watch such incredible high achievement, to see so many dreams come true for all these young people, and to fondly remember my own youth and why I continue to support this activity to this day. Bravo to all of you who were involved in this activity this year regardless of whether you marched, volunteered, were on staff, or simply supported these young people. This has been a wonderful ride and I must say I enjoyed finals as much as I have ever enjoyed them. Tonight's shows were really exciting. Everyone seemed charged to give that extra effort, and the crowd responded big time. In some cases I think that go-for-it attitude may have hurt some of the shows in terms of cleanliness, but on the other hand I feel as thought he crowd was given the ultimate reward of high energy and incredible entertainment. BD was on fire and you knew they would win. Also thouht Cadets had 2nd tonight. It was close with them and Cavies. The old timers seemed extras charged watching Cadets show. Big time standing O for Malaguena and for the z Pull. Watching them stretch that baby into the end zones was magnificent. BD's last tune put the crowd on their feet, and Phantom's last tune put the crowd on their feet BIG TIME!!!!!! Thought BD's horn line was a little too jacked up and I think their scores reflected that. Thought Cadets might actually have won high brass tonight. They were ON FIRE, and SO MUSICAL. Incredible blends all the way through, but the Blue Devils were also just amazing. The great Cavalier horn line also showed up and made you think real hard about putting BD or Cadets in the top spot. And Phantom....WOW. Now that's a horn line. Not sure what part of the great intonation and musicianship, or the incredible balance levels that the judges didn't like, but they were as good as any on the field this year. SCV was also on fire and played very well tonight. A few rough attacks and some major brightness in the mello line. Just a few uncontrolled spots. Nothing major. Bluecoats horns were smokin' tonight. Boston seemed flat to me. Crown also seemed a bit out of control at times, and Madison was AWESOME!!!!! On the percussion side, way to go Cadets. Now that's what you call amazing writing and playing. Also, many props to SCV, BD, Cavies, and Phantom; your lines were amazing. I thought the Cavies really integrated with the show so effectively and they were incredibly musical. By the way, Bluecoats did very well in percussion tonight--think they were 6th. Excellent job guys. Color Guard - WOW, BD, your guard is so consistent. Thought this was Cadets year to win high guard, and they had the show going, but there was one drop that cost them. Otherwise Cadets were also amazing. I love those uniforms and the yellow/gold flags were so effective. The BD guard is so good it is not funny. Love the body work especially. Cavies guard was just incredible tonight. Almost thought they had a chance at high guard. BTW, I love their guard uniforms. They work perfectly for this show. Carolina Crown has one amazing guard as well. Their who show is amazing and perhaps their best ever. And it is the guard that really tells the story. Check out Madison's guard scores, they were quite good tonight. I think they took 8th, and I really thought they had a super strong showing. Watch for them next year. As far as overall visual performance (M&M), BD and Cadets were kind of in a league of their own. Those shows were so tight, clean, and well executed. Cavies did much better in this catagory tonight. Last night they took 5th in visual ex, tonight they were 3rd. Both SCV and Phantom had some problems tonight in terms of marching, technique, and consistency of intervals (or spacial relationships). Madison had a very ON night in marching I thought. Bluecoats were also ON in visual ex, and their last few sets, which are very difficult, really sold tonight. Best I have seen them march. Overall GE was close for me. I would have given it to Cavies, but BD was so clean and so exciting. And to their credit, this was probably the best drill ever for BD. Cadets simply needed more GE and they would have been challenging BD for the title. Well, enjoy what little I have written here. I apologize that this is not longer and more in depth. But I am tired, it has been a long week, and I would like to get some sleep before I fly home in the morning. (Yay, band camp next week) b**bs Also, the weather ended up being just perfect for tonight's show. No rain, only earlier in the day. The field looked great, or at least as good as it could. It was actually nice and cool out tonight. Perfect weather for drum corps. Well Bravo to all the performers, and congratulations to DCI on another great year. Congrats to all the winners.

Well, I watched BD and then hit the road so that I could quickly make it back to my hotel while the othes wait for the last few scores. First off, weather was great most of the day and no rain to be found this evening. Nice and cool too. We had some rain this morning, but it really was perfect drum corps weather for the show. Field was in excellent shape (at least from where I was sitting--1st deck, 38 yard line, mid way up, stage right). As for the shows, here is how I felt to night: 1. BD - 98.5 Excellent show design, very clean and very musical performance. Love the percussion writing and I really enjoyed the guard. The last tune is the best. Marching technique is the best, and they probably took high brass and high guard as well. Not sure about overall GE or Visual. It is close with Cavies. 2. Cavaliers - 97.25 Great great show. really makes you think. Spin Cycle is captivating and mezmorizing. Their ability to draw you in visually is just amazing. I love the comical block in the middle of the show in which a number of soloists perform these corny excerpts that tie in to the show and are accentuated by the guard. Brilliant!!! As much as I loved it, thought Cadets beat them tonight. 3. Cadets - 96.55 Perhaps the cleanest show of the evening, they sent goose bumps up and down my body. So musical, so much emotion in the music. WOW. Just very clean and very musical. Their guard was spectacular tonight. I have them in 2nd. Percussion was unreal and I have them in 1st. And their brass was also spectacular and I have them in 2nd or a tie for 1st. Yes, I thought they were that good. Their weakness continues to be the GE music and the GE visual captions. Just not enough points in this show (if you will). But their performance levels are what we expect of a champion--as good as anybody on the field. 4. SCV - 95.15 Love the music. Takes some getting used to and there were things about it tonight that I didn't like vs last night. Brass was a little edgy tonight and the attacks in the sopranos and mellos were ugly at times. But overall this was an amazing performance. Visual book is as good as anybody this year, but they are still dity. Lots and lots of bad intervals. Guard was really ON tonight. 5. Phantom - 94.65 Again, this horn line is amazing. Such a great sound and what a challenging horn book. Overall best articulations and technique of the night--at least as good as Cadets and BD. guard was good tonight, and the drums are very good. Thought their show was really tight except for the body work and the last 4 or 5 sets of drill in the closer. Clean it tomorrow and make a strong move on SCV. 6. Boston - 92.00 I agree with the score. They were solid tonight. No, more than solid, try outstanding. They separated themselves from Bluecoats just a little. Opener is exciting and fast, and they performed it to a T this evening. Ballad is incredible and I love he low brass intro as they play it backfield. Closer is very good except for the last few sets. Just kind of wanders and the mood of the show slows a bit. Still love it and their guard is wonderful, the design is wonderful. 7. Bluecoats - 90.4 Good to see the Coats hit the 90 mark this year. Once again I thought they were ON FIRE tonight. Brass is easily their strong point, but drums and guard are also excellent. I like this show because it is classy, well designed, performed at a high level, and it makes sense. The last few minutes tend to wander some so I don't get that final closing feel that I desire, but the musical aspects are really solid for the most part, and their drill and overall visuall design is excellent. 8. Madison Scouts - 89.75 WOW, great show tonight guys. Very mature sound out of the horns, and much more power than what I heard even last night. They were probably the second or 3rd loudest line fo the night. I guess SCV and Phantom were tied for 1, at least in my opinion. Love this closer. What a nice groove. Solid marching tonight. Much stronger than last night. Percussion seemed flat to me, not as energized as they were last night. Maybe it was my different perspective tonight. 9. Carolina Crown - 88.35 This show is amazing. Bells, Bells everywhere. Love the beautiful music and sounds, love the uniforms, and I love the sound of this brass line. Marching was rough, and I kind of thought Crossmen had them tonight. Intervals and overall technique is inconsistent with Crown. Guard is wonderful and were really ON this evening. Beautiful choice of flags and colors, and I love the outfits. They have been marching one hole in the horn line. I wonder if that will be the case tomorrow. 10. Crossmen - 87.75 Their score was a little low from my perfspective. I had them about .4 over Crown. This show is so much fun, I just want to dance for most of it (but I didn't so as not to scare the crowd away). I thought their brass and drums were just a tad better than Crown, and that they marched their show better. And from a technical standpoint I think both shows are equal in demand and overall GE. 11. Magic of Orlando - 86.5 Welcome to the top 12 again. Great performance tonight. Horn line had some problems with cracked notes and edgy attacks, but their over performance was solid. Good power. Very interesting show, but I liked it. 12. Spirit of JSU - 85.5 WOW. They showed up tonight. Really great show and verey powerful. I didn't get to see them last night, but I am glad I did tonight. Word in the crowd was that they were much improved over last night. People around me were not surprised that they made finals. Good job. Bravo! Well, I will write more later but I am getting tired. A few more comments in general: 1. Thought Cadets beat Cavies tonight, and so did many around me, but Cavies were also excellent, and I do love the show. 2. Cadets should win high drums. Don't care what anyone says, they are in a league of their own now. But that is just my opinion. 3. BD is amazing, fun, and clean and will walk away with number 11. Congratulations, BD! You deserve it. 4. Phantom may not win horns, and they may, but one thing is for sure: their horn line has some serious b_lls, and they let it rip, even on the most difficult of licks. Love that sound. 5. Madison is for real and back, nice job. 6. Bluecoats are developing one of the better and more musical horn lines in the activity. 7. Thought Cadets and BD should tie in guard and visual performance. Oh well, it was a great night of corps once again. Tomorrow is the big one to end the season--a great season it was. Enjoy.