PeeWee

Did I miss something, or did you skip Santa Clara Vanguard in your review? I'm hoping they weren't THAT unmemorable

Thank you for the review! Once the corps leave California (July 1st this year), online videos and your reviews are all we have to follow the corps for the rest of the season.

Thank you for your comprehensive review! I wish I could see these corps live this season, but alas, I won't be in Indy this year. I know this isn't the reason for their repertoires, but wanted to thank Madison and Bluecoats for playing 1980s Vanguard music. :-) Masquerade is especially emotional for me. I really hope Crown can win their first DCI! I've been a big fan of their hornline for years now. GO CROWN!

Thanks for the review! I always appreciate others sharing their perspectives on the corps shows. :-)

Thanks for posting a Walnut review Lee! We sat on the 50 yard line, 15 rows up. I would add something regarding the Top 3 corps: 1. Santa Clara Vanguard - as an alumni of the corps I was very proud of their overall show and design. Great visual/musical impact points! In fact, if you're talking about drill designed for impact points, I felt Vanguard was the best. I felt their brass was louder and sounded better than Phantom Regiment, which actually came as a shock! I'm not a drummer, but when we walked through the parking lot on our way to the stadium, Vanguard's drum line was followed by what seemed like 50+ fans. So I guess that means they're good? Yes, the drill (covering down and intervals) was a mess. I don't like the marching style or "dot" marching the corps is doing these days. I just hope they can clean it twice as fast as their competition, otherwise their placement will go nowhere. And I totally agree with others who've said Vanguards' colorguard blends into the background. Not good if you're a colorguard judge. 2. Phantom Regiment - one word, "Elegant!" This show is the most beautiful visual package I've seen in a long time. I could almost see the dragonfly, lily, and other Asian symbols in the drill. When I first caught the show online, I thought they were very clean. However, after seeing them live, their feet were still very dirty. Their brass sounded nice but subdued. Their guard added to the visual splendor of their show very nicely. Beautiful! I felt they may have had an off night, an thought that if it wasn't for Vanguards' visual dirt (drill & guard) they might have come in 3rd for the night. 3. Blue Devils - They had some nice melodic moments in their show, and their colorguard is by far the best that was on the field! I'm not digging the clowning around stuff, the almost unceasing foreign language gibberish, or their microphoned soloists. This is Blue Devils! Since when do they need gimmicks or amplification to help pull off their show? At times I thought I was watching the old Velvet Knights. I've read other posts that say their hornline is the loudest on the field. Well, their synthesizer is definitely the loudest. At times I couldn't hear the hornline over the synthesizer. I really, REALLY, wanted to like Blue Devils this year. But I, along with many others in the crowd, just wasn't into their show. They really need to change that closer. I was shocked when their show just kind of...ended. Quietly. Will they win? Perhaps, but I hope not. I really like Carolina Crowns' show this year (only seen it online), and I'm hoping they can take their first DCI trophy home. If the new DCI judging sheets are suppose to take entertainment into account, I'd give them 1st - Phantom Regiment, 2nd - Santa Clara Vanguard, 3rd - Blue Devils.

I'm sorry to hear that DCI won't be taking a break from Indianapolis. I VERY MUCH liked traveling and seeing different parts of the country before DCI locked Lucas Oil. And the echo inside the stadium is definitely terrible. You can't fix it no matter how many black cloths you drape around the stadium. Plus, honestly, Indianapolis isn't exactly a tourist mecca, esp. if you're from places like California or Florida. I'd LOVE for DCI to come back out to California! The Rose Bowl isn't the best venue (small seats, shallow viewpoint, poor crowd control, noisy lighting). The lighting, btw, has been fixed. I'd recommend Chargers stadium in San Diego (who WOULDN'T love visiting San Diego?!) or the 49ers stadium up North.

Thanks for the reviews. For a BD alum, you did much better than I expected ;-)

Shows I liked last night (from the online broadcast) were Vanguard Cadets (when their shows finished, they should easily top BDB), Pacific Crest, Boston Crusaders (worried they'd beat SCV), and Phantom Regiment. This is from a purely entertaining perspective. I thought Phantom should have won, by some margin. Not only are they clean, but their drill is beautiful as is the music. BDs show is very abstract and not entertaining. My partner and I were shocked that they won! Vanguard has some huge, glaring visual dirt. If they can clean it, their show should do okay. I think the Vanguard colorguard pajamas may be intentional - starry night = bedtime = pajamas. From all of the online shows I've seen thus far, I hope the Top 5 include Carolina Crown and Phantom Regiment. This is, once again, from a purely entertaining perspective.

Thank you for reviewing the show on here. I saw the scores and my heart sank (SCV alum here). I thought they might be dirty. Looking forward to seeing Phantom and SCV on June 30th!

Yes, thanks for the double reviews in this thread. Looking forward to Semis & Finals at Indy!

Nice review! You write like a columnist :-)

Yes, thank you for taking the time to write a review! I'm happy for the Blue Knights. They've got a great show with great music this season. BD is undeniably performing on the field. I just wish SCV would get their act together. The best Vanguard has done in the past 10 years was 3rd place, and frankly, I expect them to be in the Top 3 every year (sorry, but Gail Royer was no wimp. He was very, very competitive, and that's what I still expect out of the Vanguard).

Thanks for the review sweety

Thank you so much for posting a review of the Ogden show! I was hoping someone would so I'd know what's going on with SCV. Sounds like they're flat. Whether it's the show design or the performers themselves I can't tell, but I hope it's resolved soon. I hate seeing them in the middle of the pack, esp. after winning DCI with them. Glad to hear BD abd BK put on a good show though. Looking forward to Indianapolis!

Thanks for the review! I've only seen Cadets via online, but I'd have to agree with you that they have a very entertaining and potentially championship show! And it sounds like The Cavaliers are doing about as well back East as Santa Clara Vanguard is doing out West. That would be a shame if these two corps ended up in 7th and 8th place. :-( Here's hoping they can clean it up twice as fast as everybody else, otherwise they won't gain any ground on anyone.

Just to clarify, Vanguard Cadets aren't going to Indianapolis due to school schedules. Finals this year is too late in the season. http://www.scvanguard.org/about/news/news....8a-bc2f6ae3908d I'm fairly certain that the Vanguard organization could afford to send the Vanguard Cadets to Indianapolis is they wanted to. After all, they're sending them to San Antonio, TX. Santa Clara to Indianapolis = 2,288 miles Santa Clara to San Antonio = 1,698 miles Not a big difference when they both average to around 2,000 miles. :-)

Wow Brasso! That's a bold statement. SCV has been around since the inception of DCI, and to the best of my knowledge is doing well financially and administratively. Is there something that you know that the rest of us do not? Are you on the Vanguard Board of Directors or something??

I wouldn't let this concern you too much. Some corps, like Blue Devils, prefer to rehearse more and perform less. Others are just the opposite, with more performances/competitions. It just depends on your school of thought. BD and SCV did have "Family Day" performances, and will also be at the Rose Bowl on July 4th, but those aren't judged. So maybe you should look at performances versus just competitions.

Look here Mr. IanKShields, I happen to be an alumnus from the Santa Clara Vanguard. If anyone on here would have any credibility it would be a DCI alumni. You can love or hate a show as much as you like, but that doesn't mean you can discount the opinions of others. And by the way - Esoteric = "Intended for or understood by only a particular group." So yes, I know exactly what it means.

Thanks for posting a review! I watched last night on the Fan Network. I sense a little BD bias in your comments . That's cool, 'cause I obviously have one towards SCV. I absolutely LOVED Vanguards drill! I think they'll be one of the top two visual programs of the season when it's all over. Vanguards music? Yeah, a little esoteric for me, but when they actually have a melody it sounds nice. I'm not use to seeing Blue Devils quite so dirty. It's actually nice for a change - gives the other corps a chance to catch-up. I'm sure all corps will look completely different by Indianapolis, and I'll be there to witness it. Thanks again for the review

The kids on the field are TRYING to get you on your feet! They love it when you do so. They can see you, afterall. If standing up annoys you, sit in the first row of your section. Or better yet, stand up yourself! Sheesh!

Yes, they were. Very disrespectful of those that did so to, in my opinion. The Blue Devils didn't just waltz out on to that field and win, they put a lot of hours into their performance and that should NEVER be rewarded with "boos". Come on people, grow up, would ya? If you're upset with the judges or show designers, don't take it out on the performers who put their entire heart on that field for you.

What he said - ditto here. Blue Devils is a great organization, no doubt. Though their [perceived] arrogance upsets me at times, it's probably because they're so #### good every year. I probably wouldn't care otherwise. I agree that BD was not my favorite this year, and I've watched them multiple times this season (Stanford, Pasadena, Indianapolis). I've been rooting for Holy Name Cadets, Carolina Crown, and Santa Clara Vanguard this year. I've also been rooting for Troopers, Bluecoats and Phantom Regiment as well. Blue Devils performed the crap out of their show Finals night! Their show could have been an absolute snoozer (which it wasn't) and they still would have won. I couldn't find a mistake anywhere on the field (and trust me, I was looking). All Blue Devils have to do from here is work on the audience appeal. When I heard the crowd "booooo" the Blue Devils at retreat I disagreed with that. True, I didn't jump up and down when they won, but I did respect what they put down on the field. The kids in the Blue Devils should not be "booed" for performing the crap out of a show that they had no say in designing. Respect the effort of every single corps and every single member out on that football field people! They ALL rehearse just as long. Pee wee out!

lol - marching band season? Are you serious?? After my depression subsides from realizing that drum corps season is over until next June, I start getting hyped for football season! Until next Sunday, GO S-C-V!!! And then...GO U-S-C Trojans!

Thanks for the second review (night 2). I agree that "old school" repertoires are hot this year! Cadets (they'll always be "Garfield Cadets" to me), Vanguard, Blue Devils ("Happy Days"), etc. have all been done by these corps before, and I'm LOVIN' it! If it came down to the most entertaining/enlightening shows this year, I'd love to see (in no particular order for the Top 3): 1. Holy Name Cadets 2. Santa Clara Vanguard 3. Carolina Crown Here's hoping!