billj
-
Posts
285 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by billj
-
-
Where to park? Won't be there til 6:30. The welcome center lots?
-
4 hours ago, RedJazz1900 said:
This is funny, because over the last decade BD has helped revolutionize how drum corps are scored when it comes to visual design, and this is evident in their dominance since 2007. Yet in this instance, I feel like SCV is beating BD at their own game, and other corps are getting pretty darn close as well.
So to complain about SCV in regards to a perceived lack of visual demand is funny, because that absolutely acknowledges the fact that this entire “game” was created by BD.
For the record, I have ZERO issues with how BD and now SCV/other corps decide to utilize this visual concept.
This
-
1
-
-
In the spirit of both offering some suggestions for "modernizing" the Scouts, as some have asked for, and to add some levity to this thread, I offer this
-
2
-
1
-
3
-
1
-
-
I've allowed myself to be sucked into this toxic vortex. Maybe when the constructive posts start, something positive might happen. The blame game sure isn't helping. I remember now why I usually just casually lurk and don't post on social media. As I said, good luck to the Scouts. I award this topic no points...
-
1
-
-
28 minutes ago, C.Holland said:
you would be correct. there's a split of those who see the corps being cared for and transported better than they ever have been and seen the numbers of the budgets and said... "while the placement isn't what we hope for, the corps itself is doing well, and they'll figure out something different for next season, so take my money and put it to continuing to operate and care for the guys" and the others who say "this isn't what we want, we won't support the corps until it becomes a winner again". While i'm not an arts organizational genius, I do know that starving a group isn't the way to help it succeed. keep in mind, the board is for generating revenue. competitive success is dependent on show design and coordination. two very different parts of the organization. and different people responsible for each.
Wait, this isn't a split of opinions, these are two very different narratives. Which is closer to being true regarding the treatment of the MMs?
-
24 minutes ago, Cappybara said:
With the way alums post on here, it seems like they want Madison to continue to fail until the current regime is out, which I find kind of sad.
There's no reason to be so down on the 2019 Madison scouts before this season has even finished and off-season changes/planning have begun
Thanks for the reminder. I forgot to include one other point in my post. There seem to be only a few negatively vocal alumni groups and Scouts' is one. Ranting here, while possibly therapeutic, isnt going to accomplish much. The horse was probably dead back in June on this front, maybe after the Scouts first competition?
As I clearly don't understand many things, I don't understand how some alumni groups feel like they should be involved in so many decisions (staff, theme, uniforms, props, music, etc.). I would think most alumns are no more qualified that your average fan.
And by the way, talk of going back to the Scouts traditions/roots isn't directionally correct. Just ask SCV and Bluecoats. They reinvented themselves to make it to the top. I will say, though: common denominator across Devils, Bluecoats and SCV: jazz with screamers. Interesting
-
1
-
-
Long time Scouts fan (since the late 70s). I hope they have their best run on Thursday and then start work on improving for 2019. A Finals with Scouts is better than a finals without Scouts IMHO.
A few things come to mind when reading this thread...
I dont understand the anger. I can see being disappointed that the corps you marched in or one of your favorite corps isn't doing well, but the anger, I don't understand.
Let's be honest, most corps uniforms and props are over the top and look kind of silly. Some people mock SCVs baggy pants, but nobody cares because the design and performance is so good. A corps can wear whatever they want as long as they rip my face off, make me throw babies, and bring a tear to my eye.
The demands that everyone be fired: be careful what you ask for. At my college Alma mater, decent (not good, not bad) head coaches have been fired only for the althetic director to learn that they couldn't find a more competent coach that wanted the job. Our school, once a coaching destination, was no longer a destination. The result: we hired less competent football and basketball coaches that delivered worse results. All I'm saying is: don't assume more qualified people will jump into these positions. Not saying they shouldn't look for improving the staff, just a word of caution.
Good luck to the Scouts going forward.
-
5
-
1
-
-
1 hour ago, Sideways said:
SCV.... Musically this is just so #### good...they could play the exact same book next year, come out in mad max gear, call the show “path of destruction,” and I would not care
The pacing and variety is really great. And as far as I can tell, they play "songs" for the most part (if they're mashing up and chopping & bopping, it's tastefully done).
There are so many musical and visual impacts that the crowd reacts to, I imagine the performers just feed off of the energy. The show seems to end so quickly, I think because the design is so seamless, and from beginning to end the show is just so enjoyable.
-
7
-
-
Thread title is click bait. Thank you, social media. When is saw this show live in June I really liked the first 2/3rds. Sounds like the design for the final portion hasn't come along as needed. For as talented as the designers are for the top groups, there's still the chance that a concept sounds good on paper but doesn't translate on the field. Devils seem immune to this, but all the top corps have off years in the overall design package. Cavaliers have nothing to feel bad about.
-
1
-
-
Good luck to Regiment this week. Long time Phan.
-
1
-
-
19 minutes ago, quietcity said:
I just noticed that the SCV's cymbals do a modified Viper near the end of Club Sounds. So much goes on in this show that I am still finding these delicious little details.
If you are unfamiliar with the Viper, it is a signature move of the cymbal line but I don't think they have done it in the last few years.
It's not staged well unless they've changed it recently. You really have to know it's there.
Anyone thinking the cymbal V might end up front and center at the end?
-
5
-
-
Caught a video of Mandarins show and it's very unique and entertaining. Two qualities that a lot of fans like to see.
This is no disrespect and nothing but complimentary: I get both a Freelancers and a Magic of Orlando vibe from this year's show. The unique music arrangements and visual has a Freelancer feel and the guard very much has Magic of Orlando vibe.
Mandarins stand on their own this year with a great design and performances. Congratulations to them and I hope they make finals. The crowd always loves to welcome a first-time corps to finals. To me, this would also be the ghost of some former finalist corps performing in finals again.
-
2
-
-
In the years before and after they included props, play acting and costumes with mixed success, but this year, it all just worked. The Magical Mystery Tour show that included Malaguena is my other favorite of theirs. The bullfight is classic. Unfortunately may only be an early season recording of this show on YouTube.
-
Bump. Grew up with the Vanguard always being my favorite. Have always wished them success and it's so good to see them with a chance for the gold. I have seen enough videos of their performances this year and read enough reviews to know that I'm going to regret not seeing them live this year. It's clearly a special show with a special groups of members. Some of the videos actually get me me emotional. The crowd loves this show so much. I can't wait to see how things go over the next week.
Go SCV!
-
3
-
-
OK, the original video made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me laugh so hard, I cried - probably because, in addition to the modernizations being hilarious, there is a lot of truth to them.
And then the Trumpet Christmas - Maynard Ferguson (rest his soul) is smiling
-
Please, please no rehashes - for SCV or anyone else (except for many many years I've been wanting Regiment to bring the black back and do Symphonie Fatasique - I'd be OK with that - and what's cool is that a storyline is included at no extra charge! Sorry, I'm straying off topic)
On a related note, to the '92 Fiddler show, I only saw the final product during finals week in Madison. I've heard stories about the show being very different early in the season and they just kept changing it and paring it down (some say for the better, some say for worse). Does anyone have first hand knowledge of the evolution of the show over that season?
The end result was part throwback and part, for lack of a better term, underwhelming.
-
1
-
-
EDIT: I like this thread and there are some very funny, creative people here - let's keep it going!
-
1
-
-
I love Bluecoats show this year and the ending is up there with the other top endings over time. BUT, I have a fear that the copycats in marching band and drum corps may be out in force, trying to replicate the effect and I really don't want to see (hear) tons of electronics and pitchbending in everyone's shows. The uniqueness of it is part of what makes it great. It could get old real fast if some mediocre marching bands or low tier drum corps tried something like this.
-
1
-
-
So you've read the book, seen the show, heard all the drama and still missed the point of the show and the corps? Too bad. It would seem you misunderstand the difficulty of this show and the organizations choice not to take the easy way out. I would hazard to say this was a collaborative decision on the shows design. Is it a simpler show that is appealing for you? The corps is looking to and making an investment (in a number of ways) in the future not the short term satisfaction of fans. I would suggest revieiwng some of the commentary here and give it some thought about what is being presented by BAC.
I don't understand when there's talk of "planning for the future" with corps. There's some much turnover year to year with membership, and for many corps, their staff as well, that each season seems pretty independent of any other season to dumb old me. And, while some corps may have some ideas about their show/concept/music for next year, I doubt most do.
-
I don't think I've ever seen a show change this much throughout the season.......
Did you see Scouts '07 at the beginning and end of the season?
-
I am not impressed with that last set from the new ending, with all the members bunched up around the soloist. It does not look particularly interesting, and does not have much of a dramatic effect. It seems kind of thrown together, like a place-holder. I hope SCV refines this further.
I feel like the whole new soft ending is too circlely. I get that they are focusing on the character(s), but I'm also left with the feeling that this may not be the final, final ending, musically or visually. I've been wrong before, though.
-
Almost anything NOT amplified, I've liked.
Almost anything amplified, I haven't liked. Crown 2013 was an exception. Crown 2014 probably, too.
-
2
-
-
I have not been enthused by this program having only seen it on line. Until... I saw it live in San Antonio. When will I every finally really learn the opinions you gather watching on line often don't match the in-person experience.
While, yes, I know I am not un-biased, I was shocked in San Antonio. Given the gloom & doom here, what I saw myself early season on line, and knowing how many rookies they have, I wasn't prepared for what I saw & heard in San Antonio. I loved the show, and it seemed like it went by in about 5 minutes. Phantom's hornline sounded fantastic. I'm guessing they just started taking the restrictor plates off, as the volume was impressive, and the entire sound was deep, lush & symphonic. I liked the music book, and frankly it didn't feel disconnected. The drum line seemed to have a great run, and there are some great things coming out of the pit. I actually thought the guard was much stronger Saturday night. The guard change in the tubes does take WAY too long - that was about my only major complaint, apart from the ending which needs re-written & built up. Overall, though, SOOO much better than last year.
I do wonder if the adjudicators will allow Phantom to move beyond their rough early season start.
Maybe my biggest litmus test is my partner, who is only a casual fan, and who often doesn't love Phantom. He loved them in San Antonio. Thought the music & drill were great, loved the color guard and thought the brass line was stellar. I looked at him like, who are you, and what did you do with my other half? LOL
Seriously, Regiment, dig deep. This show can still go somewhere and be something pretty special.
Harvey
Wow....what a wonderful post. Not to mention refreshing. I thought PR looked amazing in San Antonio.....with significant improvement and noticeable confidence and emotion. I mentioned before that I'm preferring following comments on social media, from people watching the show LIVE. All I read is love and appreciation for this show. I'm all for constructive criticism, but this thread has been monopolized by a couple of posters with an agenda (I believe). Thanks to grammie and some others for supportive criticism, who clearly want the best for the corps. I'm loving Swan Lake, and hope it stands firm in placement....or even gains some ground!
I get the feeling that the technologies that we have today (internet, youtube, facebook, twitter, etc), while keeping us connected 24x7 to each other and to the corps also can lead to some problems. Back in the day, only a small number of people saw any given performance, and then there was no video to view and review and re-review after the performance. And without a forum like this (yes, I know there was RAMD, but that was a horse of a different color, sort of - actually, maybe not???) all we had to rely on was a write up / review in Drum Corps Word - I looked forward to getting that NEWSPAPER during the season. The writeups were mostly positive, even of early season performances, which we all know were rough. My point is that there was very little preconceived negativity around corps as the season progressed. People were just generally excited to see a live performance.
Today, after the first performance, thousands of people are able (and willing) to analyze to death the design, the execution of each caption, who's not marching fast enough, who's not playing enough, who's not playing enough while moving, and what place everybody will finish in. Opinions and preconceived notions are immediately formed in mid-June. And as those opinions that were formed in mid-June are shared and debated here, other people's expectations can be set, as was mentioned here. Even as the designs are changed and execution improves, there can be a lingering negativity.
I'm glad that Regiment was a pleasant surprise to some people that had lower expectations. They aren't a hot mess this year as some passionate people might be saying. They are a very good corps.
I wonder if everyone went to shows without any expectations how much more they'd enjoy it?
I understand that we all have our favorite corps (I have several) and we all want to see our corps succeed, with a great design and great execution that we love and the crowd loves and the judges love. But, if you look over the years, at the top 12, I think that's easier said than done. So, while it's a great goal to shoot for - not hitting 100% is still ok (and probably to be expected).
-
4
-
-
You could hear him speaking the lines from the platform in DeKalb at the pre-show, when his mic wasn't working. He's not lip synching.
If someone is lip syncing, they are going to still speak (as opposed to just moving their lips, which is easier to notice).
Honestly, the question of syncing or not syncing and the mathematical equations to determine how much musical rehash Cadets have this year aren't worth arguing over. Sorry to get people's blood boiling. I knew I'd get flamed for saying the Cadets are boring - and to be fair there, my dislike of narration (I really would like to see the Colts organization back in finals, but NOT this year because of that awful design) was a big reason of my dislike. And if anyone wants to jump all over me and tell me how I'm not "listening right" to the words or how I'm too stoopid (sic) to understand the show, feel free, but don't bother trying to convince me that narration is good, or Cadets narration is great - you won't convince of either.
2019 Phantom Regiment
in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
Posted
This show design is really good. There is cleaning to be done, but this is a very high energy, emotional show. I'm a Phan. Go Regiment!