alto92

My favorite question/response of the night was the Madison guard guy when he was asked how he got to be the "tribal leader". A brilliant answer to a not so brilliant question. "I don't know, ask...(gestures over to the staff). I don't know." The Burbank audience was busting up at that point.

Indeed. I find myself hardly ever rooting for the Devs, but I'd like to see a few of those BD cats take home their 12th. As for SCV...you have the vehicle. Drive that s***.

I never marched w/ him, but he was on staff in '02 and called 8's and 8's once in '03. Daemon Williams typifies the SCV image to me (especially in uniform), and in the little time that I've spoken to him, he's a cool guy, too.

Uh...you're the first one, dude.

It's per-itty. Duh. Seriously, though, I just think this is a particularly good year for drum corps. Cavs and BD dogging it out, with PR the dark horse (in that position once before to win its first title), Spartans surging, Academy trying to hold them off, Impulse on a down year, close to completely folding, challenging Revolution and past champion Yamato for the Div III crown... I hope this year isn't an aberration and that we see this year after year. It's friggin exciting not knowing what's going to happen this week.

I miss Warrenton. Sniff sniff....Any 03 members out there?

Interesting. I thought the actual finals performance determined the finalized placement at Nats. Silly me.

from SCV's website: 1. SCV - 88.700 2. Madison Scouts - 85.450 3. Glassmen - 85.150 4. Spirit from JSU - 83.350 5. Crossmen - 79.850 6. The Magic - 72.850 7. Seattle Cascades - 72.100

Must not have seen SCV in awhile, eh? They changed from that style in 2002, when Ron Hardin became vis caption head. I think they had one hard flank in last year's show, but that's pretty much it.

In my OPINION, Mission Viejo, Ayala, Rancho Bernardo, James Logan, Upland, Clovis...even William S. Hart all have programs as good as or better than Etiwanda year in and year out. Again, that's a preference.

You know, though...I think this staff could do a FINE job with Gorecki. The more I listen, the more I like the Jackson/Mason combo. And Key...well, I need to say no more. I'd like to see someone take a stab at Adams' Lollapalooza.

SCV '03 (I'm partial, I guess) Wasn't BK's 2000 guard smokin hot? White uniforms? Was that the year? Good Lord!

Actually, SCV + Adams + Kernis + Dello Joio + Freund = 4th (jk, jk) I think the reason minimalism and SCV work so well is because of the 'blank canvas' kind of effect minimalism has. As minimalist tunes develop, you feel like the performers are developing it - it feels spontaneous. SCV's interpretation of minimalist pieces has been spot on, in my estimation, especially with Canyon and Orawa.

The low brass sound in this recording is completely lost. The contras are actually pretty strong, yet they don't come across at all. I think theyre marching only 6 Euphs this year - at least thats what I counted back when they were in SoCal. Those baritones (the horns themselves) are so weak, though they complement a bigger euph section quite well. And for those of you looking for the fall...about 3 sets before the end during the Vanguard yell, just outside the 40, side two. Looks like he/she kicks their horn around a bit, then gets back into it just in time for the horn pop. Cool stuff!

While #### is not clean, it IS sterile. That said, 98 SCV. The 03 line threw down, too.

Its really difficult to compare BD, Cavs, Cadets and SCV. Even though SCV hasn't placed well lately, I still feel like these 4 set the standards in drum corps year in and year out. Each can claim superiority over others in some area (areas not necessarily reflected on score sheets), and each has its deficiencies. I can't remember what I feel like is a decent BD visual program, except to say they march the snot out of their style - they look really good. It pains me to watch the Cavs individual technique, but man, do I love me some box angle DVDs from them. I've always respected Cadets for their approach but sometimes I just don't understand some of the drill. To me, SCV's drill design (no matter who's writing it, apparently) has been artistically superior (save for 05) to all of these styles. I dig the organic nature of the complete show, and no other corps does it for me. Yeah, even the Cavs. The amount that the music serves the drill bugs me, but maybe I'm just a new-school old-schooler.

ok, ok....1.5 points low. I stop reading scores after the first two numbers. Remember when they used to go to one decimal point? My attention span rarely even gets me THERE!

I think all the scores are a good two points too low, relative to the Battle Creek scores. If you look at the spreads here and the spreads there separately, things seem to line up. We just wont get a good read til San Antonio, I guess! Now that the scores are up, it's time to start demanding a review, eh?

EASILY the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. I was in the UCLA Marching Band for two years and LOVED it every time we got to march on that field. I can't imagine a field being any better than that. The football team..? That's a different story.

Hello Mayra, It's Mr. Gray from Garfield. Best of luck to you and your new line!

Yeah...judging by the last time BD and SCV met, I'll bet theres a 2 point spread from Cavies to Cadets, 3 point spread from Cadets to SCV, 1.5 from SCV to BK.

Maybe I need to watch it again, but I seem to remember Cadets having foo-foo music (lots of drum corps-ey chord progressions with no real musical value other than to augment the visual program) whenever they up the step size. SCV had to play actual music while marching the Barber. I'll give props to Cadets most years, but I think SCV's 2000 offering is the most difficult show pulled off in the last 10 years.

Pish-posh! Shenanigans! The very next year SCV's Barber Piano Concerto opener was rippin fast for like 4 minutes. Stained Glass (closer) was the same way. That show is AT LEAST comparable if not more physically demanding than the 99 Cadets show. I will say, though, that year to year (over any span of 5 years) the Cadets march the most demanding and fastest drill. BD ran a lot in '03, too.

VK IS coming back. They're affiliated with Project L Winterguard (WGI Open Class next year) and they're starting up an independent drumline (to be competing this coming Winter) who's already sponsored by Vic Firth.

whatever. he never marched. he doesn't know what he's talking about. /obligatory //didn't even read the article ///just joking, btw... ////too much fark.com