booboo

89 SCV.

2000 Boston Crusaders!!!!

Scouts 2003 (Honorable mention: Crown 2006, Glassmen 2002 - I guess no one liked this show...not as clean, but I liked it)

Really? Then why does Boston have about 1-2 minutes of the same show from Tarpon 2003? The part where the narrator says 3 words, the corps plays a little bit, and then breaks into a line. Even the jazz hit is almost identical (ripping a little from Blue Devils 03). This may be a "which came first, the chicken or the egg?" But, the point is, they are extremely close in terms of show design. I really wish they would do their own thing, being a drum corps, and not a marching band.

Having taught HS band camp for 2 weeks, I think I somehow was able to see more visual problems with corps. An interval mess-up here, slight phasing there. Anyway, here’s my thoughts… Bluecoats: Started off the night very well. Jazzy to modern classical to broadway to jazz again. They were cleaner than I expected, but still have a little work. Best drill I've ever seen from them. I'm thinking 6th in Denver. Madison Scouts: Did a "different" Scouts show last year and made it back into finals. This years’ sounds very old school, even before Malaga. Their closer is unstoppable, but it is previewed by a let down. The first 7 minutes is too moderate and not very exciting. I wish they would have kept going in a new age direction that started last year. Cadets: The warm up put a bad taste in my mouth, and was maybe the worst moment of the night...extra cheesy. That being said, I was very impressed with the Cadets. I've heard this show many times from my Louisville APD, and it continues to grow on me. They work the crowd well throughout the show. I heard they were going to eliminate 40 seconds after Louisville, because the show was too long. However, I just kept hearing things that were added, not taken away. The biggest difference is a random hit 8 or 9 minutes into the show. I can't really describe it, but it didn't fit. Their drill is their best since 2000, light years ahead of the crap from 2002. Entertaining, but probably cannot win this year. Boston Crusaders: "On the field, sponsored by Crayola..." (has anyone said that yet?) I don't care much for this show. I hate the narration, but even without it, the show is still not much. Instead of "envy, love, anger", or whatever words they use, why don't they say this 6 times: "Tarpon, Springs, Drum Corps." When you are a professional group, as I consider the top drum corps to be, and you are doing a show completely ripped off of a high school band (even using of the some same drill), something is wrong. They should get rid of Kevin Ford and start all over. (Btw, this show was TWELFTH at Nationals! What should they expect?!?) I like their use of colors (ala Blast!), and there are a couple of nice moments, the ending not being one of them. Also, the pitch bending/super vibrato from the soprano soloists sounded terrible. If you can’t hold a pitch, find someone who can. (I’m sure that's how they're told to do it.) Least crowd response of the night, IMO. Cavaliers: I saw them in Louisville and really liked them. Tonight was a different story, though. Maybe it was better competition or something else, but they seemed flat to me. They took out the big hit at the end and ended abruptly, leaving me very disappointed. The drill, as always, was crazy awesome. Also, the double tonguing was cool and I like their sound. But it just doesn't have the musical GE of last year or years past. I don't see them catching Devils this year and could be 3rd or 4th by Denver. Phantom Regiment: This is a nice show that is performed well. The music doesn't really fit them, but it is okay. The show is too much like last year, especially the arrangement of the closer. Their drill is more complex this year. I expect a bigger ending in the next week, but back to a 5th place finish at World. Santa Clara Vanguard: This is one of the most beautiful shows ever. Pretty clean throughout, great music, good impact points, and solid drill. I find it amusing that everyone else has changed their show a lot this season, while SCV had very few noticeable differences (at least musically) since Seattle. I'm hoping for a silver medal at World and I think they might do it. Blue Devils: Really cool show that is being performed at almost the highest level. Music is awesome, soloists are incredible. Unlike Boston, they do a quiet ending that leaves the audience in awe and then gets the standing O. Drill is decent, but it's almost as if they say "We're so good, we don't really even have to march much." And it's the truth. I see back-to-back titles for them. What I thought: 1. Blue Devils 2. SCV 3. Cadets 4. Cavaliers 5. Phantom Regiment 6. Bluecoats 7. Madison Scouts 8. Boston Crusaders I think some general rules are that all corps should: play the Rocky theme as a warm-up, have people coming out of the form and running around for no reason, and try to portray a show through words instead of music, drill, and guard. In all, a great night of drum corps!!!!

Hmmm, I figured since I was writing a review, I could give MY opinion. First off, I am not a drum corps rookie. This is my first post on here, but not on DCI/band in general. I have been watching live shows since 99, which is when I really got started loving drum corps. I also have a large collection of audio and video recordings of many drum corps, from even 20 years sgo. I find it very funny that because I said "songs" you assume I'm a rookie. Excuse me, what do you want to call them? Pieces? Is that better? I don't always say songs, but being on here, I don't think it really matters. This isn't exactly a paper for college or anything. As for Hopkins, I realize I was pretty harsh. I'm not saying he should retire just because I didn't like their show. I think he and the Cadets have been going downhill the past couple of years. Also, I did not like that he took out parts of their show last year just to make it easier, IMO. One example is a run in Boogie Woogie, but that is last year, so.... I also do not like his ideas in changing drum corps, and really, making it more like marching band. I realize that the Music is Cool (I think that's what it's called) is a great thing for kids in music. I also see that Hopkins does try to make fan-friendly shows. I respect him, but feel he may be changing drum corps too much for my liking and that is MY OPINION.

Southwind This is a transitional year for Southwind. Pretty nice sound overall. Dance movements thoughout the show add a nice effect. They had some holes to deal with, but did okay. I doubt they will make semis again, but I think they are on the right track. Look for them to contend for finals here in a few years. Colts As with previous years, the Colts chose good music, but played the not-so-challenging part, or watered it down. "Colours" did not seem to go with the rest of the show. Sound was better than Southwind's, and louder. I was not too impressed by this corps, though. Look for them to be 14-15 at World again. Magic of Orlando Opening chimes and solos are very cool. This all leads to the hit in Sinfonia Voci, which is very impressive. After this, they move into Abrams Pursuit. From here, the rest of the show goes nowhere. I felt about 9 minutes of the same thing. They had a mature sound and a decent guard, but I don't like this show. It is different from last year, and not as good IMO. I think they will have a hard time making finals this year. Glassmen The show is decent, similar to last year's. Opening statements are nice and move into fast, free-flowing music. October is haunting enough without the drum beats in it. I wish they would cut those. The show is not very loud and misses impact points. There were better than at Harrison, but have a long way to go. I think they will make finals, but probably no better than 10th. Carolina Crown They were the first Div. 1 corps of the night. The opening drill to the bell beats was very nice. The corps then turns around and hits the impact from La Fiesta. This was very impressive and led nicely into their first song. Throughout the show, they go back to portions of Stained Glass. This was nice the first time, but I think there are too many pit features. The closer was "Carol of the Bells". This song should NOT be played by drum corps/marching band. It would've been cool to throw this in as a theme here and there, but to play the actual song for 3 or so minutes was too much. They have a shot at finals, but my prediction is they will fall short. SPIRIT I was greatly looking forward to this show. The opening is very nice, with some cool drill, leading to the corps making an hourglass and the guard running from top to bottom. Whirr, Whirr, Whirr was good, with an impressve sound and articulation. Not clean yet, but should be great come August. October was nice, the best field arrangement I have heard yet. I did not like the show after this. Nutville was not very good brass-wise, in that their parts were not hard. Percussion did have a nice feature in this. Appalachian Morning was performed pretty well, and they ended on a soft note with wood blocks and the guard running to the top of the hourglass. The first half of the show was great, the second half didn't really go with it. They should make finals again, but no higher than 10th. I think Glassmen will get them in the end. Madison Scouts This was the second viewing of this show for me, and I thought they were much improved from Wednesday. The guard is young, but are really good. Rifles are impressive, I saw 2 drops, which is not bad consdering all of the tosses. Madison has an exciting, yet controlled sound. The show flows very nicely. Urban, the jazz piece in the middle, is great with the guard coming to the middle of the field and all using rifles. I really like this show and can't wait to see the finished product. They will make finals, probably around the 8 spot. Bluecoats I really like this show also. It is similar to last year in that it's nothing terribly hard, but very effective. Guard outfits are red and opposite of the corps'. Everything looks great together. I never thought I'd see them play Melillo, but "The Chosen" just fits them. The guard may be the best Bluecoats' ever. The best part of the show is over halfway through when the corps is in a block, and break off into 4 parts, each going to half time and moving to a different melody. VERY COOL! They are a lock for finals, possibly as high as 6th. The Cadets Their starting the show instead of a warm-up is obviously a slap in the face to DCI, making it a 13 minute show like Hop wants but can't have. The first song is not a Cadets song and doesn't go anywhere/isn't very exciting. Malaguena is also not their song. About halfway through this, I thought I might start geting into their show, but did not. After listening to Blast!, this song is just a letdown. Rocky Point is for the Cadets, but doesn't fit after Malaguena. The drill move where they rotate the company front is a straight ripoff of Madison. However, to make this show their "own", they use blue flags. I absolutely hate this show. The Cadets need to come up with something new, instead of just throwing stuff together. They cannot touch the Cavies and don't see them making higher then 4th at World. Cavaliers The guard's unis don't look that bad with the rest of the show. Opening is nice and sets the stage for spin cycle, with roating movements. Guard is phenominal throughout the show. The music, while is noticably Saucedo, is very different, with some double tounging licks and screaming sops. I'm still trying to digest some of their insane drill. Incredible show. They will be very hard to beat yet again. I think they will go undeafeated again. I can't wait to see what the Blue Devils have cooked up, though. In all The Cadets were a huge letdown. I think that of the 16 in semis looking for finals this year, I have knocked 3 out: Magic, Crown, and Colts. Possibly add Blue Knights and you have your finals. These are just predictions and should become more clear when Cascades and Crossmen are thrown into the mix.