OrlandoContraAlum

Heh... good point. That is all.

Ok, getting stressed now.... DCI no longer sells the tickets, either online or by phone, so I REALLY need three tickets for Saturday night. Got some? Please give me a call at 203-537-2359. Willing to pay face value plus overnight shipping. I don't think that I can get to Foxboro before Saturday to get them at the box office, and I have friends flying in for this, so help a brother out!!!! :)

I am good now... thanks for the offers!!!

Heh... Guess I left off the </sarcasm> tag. I am well-versed in your history with the Borg, just wanted to make a funny. I have also seen, many times, where you have complimented the NJ Contingent. (Allentown Contingent?) Just thought I would poke fun, since so many others are blind to it. Oh yeah, Go Noles (please?) :)

What The???? I just saw Satan sliding by on a snowboard! Nikk actually COMPLIMENTED the CADETS??!?!??!! Will wonders never cease? :P

Smell Ensemble????? :P

Personally, I understand the logic here, but I feel that it is flawed. My suggestion is that if you want to have DM only retreats, allow the smaller corps to perform the encore at their home shows, as this is where friends and family are most likely to be there to see them. If there is no "home corps" at a show, allow the show winner to perform, as this is probably what the crowd would want to see. As far as regionals/Saturday shows go, I think this should still be the full retreat. Usually many of the corps will be staying in the area on the night of the regional, at least a lot of corps that were in Orlando did. I have other thoughts on this, but I can't seem to build a coherent sentence right now.. so they will have to wait. Suffice it to say that I didn't stick around for the encore in Orlando, and heard the scores as we were leaving / looking for friends to talk to. To each their own though...

ROFL!!!! Glad someone got that! B)

Nope, not me. I don't know where my jacket ended up, but I have not seen it for years. <**> (Although even if I had, I doubt that a. it still fits and b. I would put it on in June, in Orlando!) I was in 232, row FF, seat 27. By the way, nice review and pics!

First off, thanks for the compliments. I was specifically envisioning that exact drill move while typing about it. Your guard had the best "effect" with the flag "soli" just before the end. Very nice! As far as the Cavies unis, I had read some grumbling here and made a point to take a look... I didn't love 'em, but they weren't the Spin Cycle greens! Not a fan of the hats in the opener either (again with the lime green). Other than that though, I think that a lot of people LOVED their guard duds last year (rightfully so, especially following the racing suits) and so nothing would compare this year. Anyway... GO TO BED (I have a feeling that my kids will be waking me up early tomorrow, even though NOT ONE of them was asleep before 12:30 this morning... )

Ok, just got the kids off to bed after a fun night. Took 3 of my four, ranged from 13 to 5 years old (kinda risky, I know). Weather was actually decent, for Orlando. No torrential downpours 10 minutes before show, and no threats of lightning. It was hot though. Good sized crowd (usually is here, lots of band kids bussed in and such), filling the bottom 2 tiers on the concert side. We got in just seconds too late (after sno-cone purchase and "just in case" trip to the restroom) to catch Teal Sound, but what we could hear from behind the sounds was nice. Our seats were near the top of the second tier, under the overhang, at the 30 yard line. On to the corps: (Note: I will list the reviews in reverse order of finish, but keep in mind this was not the performance order, which is somewhat relevant to some of my comments) Kiwanis Kavaliers (9th place): Very small corps this year. Didn't count 'em, but you could tell they were way down in numbers, especially in the brass line. Not a huge fan of the new unis, and did not have any sort of plume on the shakos, which looked odd. The corps show is entitled Mission: Complete or something, and had a very "James Bond" feel to it. Opened with the theme from The Incredibles, which my kids enjoyed. Other tunes had bits of "Secret Agent Man", the Pink Panther, and more. The show was ok, lots of balance issues in the brass. Drill was not too tough, which is commendable in my opinion, because it seems that it is at the level of the performers. Nothing spectacular about the guard, but unless they really do something crazy, I usually don't notice (brass guy here... sorry). The Magic (8th place): Magic look to be pretty a much full sized corps this year. The black/purple "sash" from last year is gone, replaced with a classier (IMO) silver strap and buckle. The guard was in uniform, and not nearly as suggestive as last year's edition. Obviously the crowd was pumped for them, home show and all. To me, the show (entitled "A New Beginning", which is an original Key Poulan piece) was safe. Seemed that they were better, both musically and visually, than last year's corps, but the show was not nearly as entertaining. Show begins with a long backfield segment, building into a fanfare that the crowd enjoyed. The corps at one point forms a large block "M" on the field, which was pretty nifty. The corps seemed to start to lose steam as the show progressed, and the visual suffered as well as the music. A good show for them, and it appears that they are on the right track, just nothing that really stuck with me. On a side note, Key Poulan must be the busiest arranger on the planet. Just off the top of my head, I know that he arranged for SCV Cadets, wrote an original show for the Caballeros (DCA) and this one. Not to mention multiple HS Band shows. Wow. Due to children having small bladders, I missed Spirit completely, which upset me as I was really looking forward to seeing them. I did hear from a couple friends that they felt that Spirit, who finished in 7th place, were shafted a bit. Boston Crusaders (6th Place): First of all, in the interests of Full Disclosure, I have not been a fan of the Crusaders in the past. I am one to take my shots at them for giving us the K-Tel version of DCI (DCI's Greatest Hits, Volume IX, etc.), and last year very much hated the narration (thought it ruined their best corps ever) Having said that, this year's offering was quite enjoyable, easily my favorite from them. Their show, which I have seen referred to as The Promise of the Living, but can swear was announced tonight as either Jesu or Joy or something, features very recognizable tunes put forth in a pleasing way. They open with a fanfare of Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring by Bach, which comes across quite nicely. The corps then transitions to Overture from Candide, which I did not much care for. The arrangement was played well, I just did not care for the treatment. Their ballad, The Promise of the Living from Tender Land, was nice, but in my mind no one will top SCV 84's version of that tune. Felt that way when the Cadets played it back in 96(?) and felt it now. Both versions just seemed rushed to me and just didn't give me the goosebumps that Vanguard's version did (and still does) Sing Sang Sung and Ode to Joy finish out the program well. In talking with a fellow sitting next to me who had marched with Florida Wave (Ready...Switch!) back from 84 to 86, we both felt that this was the first corps of the night to come out aggressively with their show, even thought this resulted in some balance issues and general raggedness. (BTW, Boston performed after Crown, and there was a marked difference in brass quality, as I will mention later). All in all, a good, entertaining program, with no vocals. Anyone who thinks they will be out of finals is probably wrong. Carolina Crown (5th Place): Crown came on after the requisite 40 minute intermission. First thing that I noticed were the 3 or 4 large orange reels of amp cables that the pit was spinning about during their setup. Not that it matters, but I noticed it. The corps program, Angels, is a mature, nice offering, certainly a step up from last years crowd favorite. The brassline is VERY good, and was the first of the night to really make me take notice. A very balanced sound with a lot of control, and volume where it mattered. My 13 year old made it a point to note that they were the first corps that he really enjoyed. The 8 year old liked them as well. I was suprised with their placement (thought that they were better than Glassmen, at least tonight) but the scores in that cluster were so close, who can really complain? Glassmen (4th Place): Wow!!! MUCH improved from recent years, both visually and musically. This was the first show of the night that the kids and I could really get into. The GMen's take on Dvorak's Symphony for the New World is fresh and fun. It will not be confused with the PR 89 offering, and that is not meant in a negative way. The corps is taking this tune on in a different way, and I enjoyed it a lot. The ballad was beautiful, even with the "snow angels", although the mello soloist had a bit of trouble tonight. There is not a big PUSH there, but when they do bring the volume up a bit, it works. Easily the highlight of the show was the 4th movement, which is presented in a semi-latin, tangoesque style. I REALLY enjoyed a bit where the sopr... err, trumpets are wailing out the main melody. It's really cooking there, and I know that Frank T Williams was happy with his kids. The visual was a bit dirty, and the brass was not as polished as Crown, and as a result I would have had the two switch places tonight, but all in all the Toledo contingent is doing just fine, and should be strong contenders in the hotly contested "middle of the (Saturday Night) pack" come August. Ok, another side note: Looking at the scores, you will see a large gap between the aforementioned corps and tonight's top 3. This is not exaggerated in the least. The Bluecoats, Cadets, and Cavaliers were really that much better than the rest tonight, in everything from show concept to visual coverage, technique, sound, everything. Just wanted to mention that. Bluecoats (3rd Place): Well, having seen the hype machine in full gear here on DCP, I had high expectations for the kids from Canton tonight, so much so that I was prepared to be disappointed. After all, it IS only June. Well, I was so very much NOT let down tonight. From the moment they took the field tonight, BLUE was exuding confidence and looking the part. Their show, Caravan, is a very tasty production that moves well, covers the field, and seriously entertains the audience. I even noticed their guard! I enjoyed the show so much (as did all of my kids, even the 5 year old) that I can't really do it justice in the review, except to say that while I agree with their placement tonight, the Bluecoats had the best performance on the field this evening. By that I mean that they did what they do better than anyone else did (what they do). Make sense? Well, someone may understand that. Anyway, kudos, huzzah, and 3 cheers for the mullets, 'cause they were ON IT tonight. First (and only) corps that made me jump out of my seat at the end. (By the way, as far as the amped vocals, they were understated and did fit in the program. I still wish that they could do the bit without the "juice", but it was not as offensive as I had feared it may be) Cadets (2nd Place): Well, to finally see this show. I don't need to mention anything about the controversy surrounding this show, so I won't. What I WILL say is that having marched a show that was pretty "out there" in 88, I can related to a corps taking some risks. And trust me, the YEA! group is doing just that. I think I liked the show, but I know that I would really want to see it a few more times to decide. I will say that the brass sounds great, and there is a lot of velocity out there in the drill. The guard unis seemed to have more to them tonight, including mask/hoods and "overlays" depending on the part of the dream sequence. (Edit to Add: Totally unprovoked, my daughter said that the guard reminded her of the Oompa Loompas from Willy Wonka... I assume that she meant the uniform, because as far as I could tell, none of the Cadets guard were orange, fat, or bug-eyed ^0^ ) The one controversial bit I will comment on is the amped voice. There are two bits to this, and my HUGE problem with them was not that they were there in the first place, but that the amp was WAY TO LOUD. It was really a shock to hear, it covered everything else that was going on. Bluecoats amped vocals blended in well with what was going on, Cadets sounded like they were tied into the stadium PA system. I should also mention that my two youngest REALLY liked the drumspeak bit, started laughing a lot. I mention this because just before heading to the show, we were watching the Spongebob Movie (yeah, I know, but YOU try having 4 kids!) and they laughed the same way at the end, when old Spongebob was rockin' out. If you have seen the movie, you will understand this reference. If you haven't, well, let's just say that it's not flattering. All in all, I think that the Cadets have a vehicle that will keep them in the thick of things this year. Is it a championship contender? Time will tell. But I will give them credit. Back in 99 they did a show that really got harpooned for being too "out there". So they have been giving us some VERY entertaining shows, although not what I would call "Cadets" shows, ever since (except last year, I just can't get into that one) Now they are back to pushing the edge, and I welcome that. People will bash them, people always do. I just give them props for doing their thing. Obviously, there are at least 135 kids who dig the Cadet thing, so George can't be ALL crazy. The Cavaliers (1st Place): Ok, I am really running out of gas. This show, entitled Chicago: My Kind of Town, was the best on the field tonight, from a judges perspective. They did their thing, and did it very well. The opening fanfare was very nice, but not quite loud enough, which has been pretty well thrashed out in other reviews. The baseball bit was cute, and the Fire ballad was real nice. The ladders were a neat effect, and I did not think that they were to obtrusive for the rest of the show. They were moved at least once, and were incorporated into the drill several times. The jazzy bit at the end was tasty. The thing is... it was all sort of meh. The Cavaliers are my oldest's favorite corps, and he was really excited to see what they had to offer this year. After their show, he said that it was a tough call between them and the Cadets, which I found somewhat telling. The show just does not ooze the cool like last year, nor does it have any of the HOLY CRAP drill moments that we have grown to expect from the boys from Rosemont. I don't know if it's a thing where they do what they do so well, and they have been doing it that well for so long, that it just looks easy now or what, but this show didn't grab me the way some of their other recent offerings have. Anyway, there you have it. It's now 2 am, and I guess this was in no way "Quick", but at least I got it done (my first DCP review, at that). I will say this... the top 6 at tonight's shows should be in Finals come August, and if they aren't, then we are in for one HECK of a year! p.s. - I despise the new finale. I am all about the kid's safety and would be behind that concept, and I don't care so much for the AmeroCanada bit anyway, but I would have liked to see the Green Machine in encore tonight. Heck, it wasn't even Magic on the field at the end, it was Boston (although Magic did participate in the AmeroCanada bit). As a marching member I LOVED me some DM only retreats, as a fan I can even understand it at a weeknight show, but this was supposed to be a regional, and it would have been nice to get one more taste. Heck, even the tickets for tonight's gig were printed with a background image of a FULL RETREAT. And by the way... seemed like EVERY corps was still in the lot afterwards, so go figure.

So do I understand this correctly that the free streams that we enjoyed from major events last year, and the copious photo galleries, are not only available to paid subscribers? That's a bit weak, IMO. I love the tech, but I too have most of the legacy stuff on CD/DVD so don't need it.

In 88 and 89 we used a HORRIBLE bus company named Southern Belle. Rarely did we have AC, and it seemed that on any given trip, a transmission or some such would be strewn about the highway. Anyway, in this case, we were headed to (I think) Salem, VA. Our bus driver (Gary... insane person) would haul ### every night. I guess he just wanted to get done with his drive quicker. Well, this time, we got way out in front of the staff bus, which promptly broke down. I don't know if we were in mountainous terrain or what, but I guess the radios did not work, 'cause we kept going. So we get to the school around 9 am or something, and there is no staff bus, no drum bus. We sit outside the school for a while, not really knowing what to do. Finally, someone finds a way to get inside the gym. We shower, goof off for a while, etc. Still no staff or percussion types. No equipment trucks or chuck wagon either. After an hour or so, people start wandering down the street, where there is a McDonalds and Pizza Hut. Another hour passes, still no staff. Now we start doing laundry and stuff, sleeping, whatever. After a little while longer, the equipment truck shows up and we finally find out about the breakdown. So, we ended up having an unscheduled laundry day. Funny end of the story... after 4+ hours, we were all pretty bored. Since we now had horns, we arced up and started to hold our own little rehearsal. Just as we finished warming up and started working the opener, the staff bus shows up. They were all soooo impressed by our work ethic! ^0^ B)

Quick hitters... more later if possible: - My "ageout" year... well, last year I marched, even though I had 2 left - Going from a 53.1 to a 90.2 (at semis) in one summer - Getting 10-pointed by Crossmen and 18 Pointed by Bluecoats early... - Also getting beat down by Dutch Boy, Florida Wave, and Spirit... none of whom would make finals - Flugel Plug - Frank Williams crying on the bus after the ######## semifinals performance - Last year we were in Finals - The FRACK - Seeing Phantom's victory concert from about 30 feet away in BHam... wow! - Kiminthesack - Southern #### Busses - Beating the staff to a rehearsal site... by FIVE HOURS - Sleeping in the parking lot of Aviation Mall, Ft. Edward, NY - Having a night off in Bristol, RI, and driving to Boston. Playing pool at Jillian's by Fenway, and getting back to rehearsal the next day late - The tribute to Spirit at Finals retreat Wow... so much more to share, but I must sleep.

I hope to post more about our experiences that year, but I have said and will still say that I have no idea how we beat Spirit in 87, just as I have no idea how the green shirts put Spirit ahead of us in 88. Doesn't really matter... but that's how I feel. Right on the spot with Wave... they were really fun that year. And Phantom's Songs from the Winter Palace.... The opening soprano lick was tasty tasty tasty... and this from a contra guy!

Hey, if we are posting awesome shots of Suncoast 84, we can't leave these out (courtesy of our alumni site, www.suncoastsound.org): Or this... And most importantly... this: If you want some good inside info about 84, go here.

Heat Wave (DCA) will be performing in the Capital One Bowl (Formerly Citrus Bowl) parade on December 30th.

Also, if you bought the original 88 CDs, the end of the liner notes says something in French about Montreal in 89. I don't have them at work with me, but it's there. Man, I probably would not have minded Montreal in 89, couldn't have been worse that the heat of KC!

Add me to the list of folks who would have marched my last 2 years. After Suncoast folded, I tried out for and made Magic, but I just couldn't get excited about being a part of a brand-new corps. Some very good friends (including lrienaeds above) went out to BD in 91 (which would have been my age-out year) and I wish that I had gone out with them. Oh well.

Cricket.... Cricket..... J/K - Charlie, you're a nut. Or something. ^0^

+1 Tracey. I am no fan of the amped shows that I have heard on the APDs, but I will withold judgement until I see them live. And if I am sitting anywhere near a bozo who decides to vent his displeasure with them DURING a show, someone's getting popped. My APD of Cadets in Louisville has some knucklehead yelling (at least it's between songs, but it's still there and it pisses me off) and I hope no one in Orlando or especially Denver pulls a stunt like that.

I would say that makes you quite a "somebody" in the drum corps world! Plus you are a mom? Yeah, I think that I can safely say that you are not a "nobody". Thanks for the review!

Well, I guess I have one... The first time I saw Suncoast was at a camp in the spring of 85. They were gods to me, a puny little CLARINET player at the time. The sounds they made, the drill they marched... I just KNEW that I had to do that some day. Well, in the next school year, schedule conflicts knocked me down to the starter-level band. I figured if I am stuck here, I would learn a brass instrument. I wanted to try french horn, but the band director needed a tuba. So, tuba it was. I marched sax in marching band and played tuba in concert band. By the way, back then I was about 5'5" and 135, soaking wet. As marching season wound down, corps season got in full swing, and I went to several of the 86 Suncoast camps, as a spectator only. Larry Clark, DM at Suncoast in 85 and brass staff 86-87 was interning at my school, and came up to me at one camp and asked me to try to march that year. I looked at those guys and listened to what they were playing in 86 and figured that, as I had been playing the instrument for all of 4 months and had NEVER marched with one, there would be no way. I passed up the chance. I did try out for, and make, the line the next year, but all you have to do is compare the 86 show to the 87 show and my regrets should be pretty obvious...

(All of this happened a while ago, so details and spelling, etc, may not be spot on, but...) In 1988 we had a group of folks join us mid-tour from a corps who had folded (it was either the Malden Diplomats or Nashua Spartans, I just don't remember). We got two great contra players (Scott Taylor and Brian Pack), and awesome baritone (Vasiliki (I'm not even going to try the last name!) and someone else (drawing a blank here.... getting old sucks). We also got Julia. Julia had recently aged out of Spartans and helped out as a visual tech, mainly for the contra line. She was awesome, a lot of fun, and a great person. She also took much crap from us, and dished it right back. I thought then (and still do) that every one of the guys in the line probably had a bit of a crush on her. At the end of our opener that year, the entire corps folded into this dot on the field. The last part of the move was a very quick moving 4 count turn. Well, at finals, I lost control at the end of the turn and had to take a baby step out to avoid falling over. I saw Julia on the sideline, she saw me, and the look on her face! I know that she thought I was going over, but after I recovered she smiled with kind of a "whew, good recovery" look. It all happened in a split second, but I will never forget it. On Christmas day (I think) of 88, I got a phone call from Scott Taylor. Julia had been driving to her family's house for the holidays, hit a patch of ice, and was killed in the accident. We have this wonderful activity, and those on the outside may never truly understand the bonds that are formed over the course of a season. Julia was only with us for less than 3 months, but I will never forget her. Appreciate those around you, and enjoy what you do, because you truly never know...

Generally, I think that this sound is made by using a string bow on either the edge of the gong or on the vibes. I could be wrong though...