jimcporter

I'm not sure where this thread got all sideways with my USMC D&B comments. I'm well aware of the differences between DCI and the military. The USMC D&B corps is a job - they are paid musicians that travel the world as amassadors of U.S. culture. They never see a battlefield. I've easily seen them 30 times in my lifetime, and their show is always the same. There is no question of talent. They're amazing musicians. I'd really like to see them mix-it-up - play a new book, or add some new drill moves. Don't you think it would be cool if they commissioned some pieces from some well-know American arrangers? Jim Prime comes to mind... What about another Brass Theater? The greatest innovations in the U.S. are from miltiary - why not show it? I've personally taken an oath to protect the Constitution of the U.S. - so believe me, I get it. BTW - '83 Cadets would easily beat the '91 Coats - that's not even fair. Easily one of the most important DCI shows in our lifetime.

To put things in context, I'm always comparing drum corps today to when I marched with Bluecoats in 1991. This was not a particularly impressive year for us, but at least we were top 12 (11th). This was also the year we saw Star of Indiana take it all in a special and emotional farewell to Zingali. Speed drill, body sculpting, and marching "outside the box" were all the rage. Madison Scouts were hot, Phantom & the Cavaliers had yet to win a title, Velvet Knights & Crossmen were competitive, Sky Ryders and Freelancers still existed, and the Blue Devils and Cadets placed 5th and 6th, respectively. Weird year. So I'm going to look at today's Fairfax performances against the old 20 year old corps, and make a judgement call on how today's corps would stack up. I'm a big fan of all the latest advancements - they just have to be done right. SEATTLE CASCADES - I couldn't wait for the Marine Corps Drum and Bugle Corps to finish up so we could see some real Drum Corps. If you want to see a relic, come to Washington DC for a summer. I swear, these guys are stuck in 1968. I liked the Cascades - they seemed a bit small (but way bigger than Marine Corps). The "weather" prediction in the show was a bit strange - folks were whispering if this was the real weather report. I think not, but we'd have to put the show on hold very soon. Overall - young group, with a show that's written to the talent level. BLUECOATS '91 would've crushed. JERSEY SURF - Definitely a lot more crisp, but seemed smaller than Cascades. The new uniforms are really sharp. The brass sounded controlled and balanced. I don't remember much about the show, but it seemed well written - but not too challenging. Seems like they're on the way up. BLUECOATS '91 - would win 9 times out of 10. ### WEATHER BREAK ### CROSSMEN - Much bigger and more precise. The first "full" corps of the night. I liked the show as I was watching it, but it seemed to lack any sort of "AHA" moment. Drill was a bit average (by today's standards). Pit seemed a bit too loud. I also don't understand why the battery feels the need to yell "DUT - DUT - DUT" during the quiet sections - seems very amateur. I think this is why I started making comparisons - Crossmen '91 played Metheny and here we are again. I think if the drill was tightened up a bit and a better ending was tacked on, this group would've taken the CROSSMEN '91 crew. BLUECOATS '91 still win in a head-to-head comparison (I'm biased with our old rival). ACADEMY - Boy was I psyched to see these guys in person after getting blown away by their performance in the Open Class in '06. I was really looking forward to all the sick brass licks. While their performance was definitely a step-up from the Crossmen, some pitch problems prevailed and I heard a tendency to overblow the power chords. Not as controlled as I would've expected. I also thought to myself - these Bb instruments suck... they are so muted and stuffy sounding. BLUECOATS '91 looking dicey - I'd have to give ACADEMY the nod. COLTS - Take that comment back - the Bb instruments don't suck. The COLTS blew me away with their balanced sound and technique. The opening hit was monster. Some really exposed brass moments came out amazing. Great sound. Great show. A big step up from Academy - clearly a top 12 show. This would be a top 8 show in '91 - clearly BLUECOATS '91 would've gotten the beat down. GLASSMEN - Probably the only corps that has fielded shows that I've hated: The "Balloon" show (forget year) and the "Beethoven" show (forget year). Tonight, I was just excited to see another top 12 corps. The first 1/3 of the show was admittedly rough for me -- lots of exposed parts and some poor pitch problems. I'm not a guard expert, but this was the first time I noticed how good they were. The drill was impressive, and clearly the last 2/3 of the show really saved them. BLUECOATS '91 would'e gotten the beat down / but COLTS '10 should've had 'em. BLUE STARS - Easily the crowd favorite. This was on a completely different level. I thought to myself (reading the program) that this reminder me of those '90s pretentious Blue Knights shows with Philip Glass and other <bizarre name that composer>. Incredible look, incredible music book, great drill - the full package (no gimmicks). I caught myself "wooting" after the drum feature, and that's not something I <ever> do. The houdini boxes seemed to have a big statement in the opening act, but lost all meaning by the closer - I'm not a GE guy, but there seems to be something missing. Why not hide some additional brass players until the end and beat BD at their own game? This would've been TOP 3 in '91 with some extra polish (giving Star a run for its money). BLUE DEVILS - This looked like a NYC Production Company on the field. They're clearly in a different class. The swagger, the musicianship, the innovation - I could go on and on. There's actually too much to take in - so I really hope that in 5-10 years this will be recognized as one of the shows that moved the activity forward. I don't want to feel like a sucker if it's all smoke and mirrors (cough) - this show is actually confusion on the field. I could also see how this could easily be one of the top 10 classics of all time. Side note: I found it amusing to hear a baritone burp out loudly during one of the syncopated sections - deduct a full point in my book. ;-)

1. HOLY NAME CADETS - Tighten the ending up a little bit more and its a winner - suggest adding a "Z" pull for posterity 2. CAROLINA CROWN - Add some purple - please. Just off-set the green! Robot dance bugs me. Change final set to a crown. Winner! 3. BLUE DEVILS - Not my favorite show, but there's no denying it's clean. The brass book is difficult and played well. New ending adds nothing. 4. CAVALIERS - This should be lower (zzz), but they execute so well. 5. BLUECOATS - Just add one more phrase to the ending and presto magic! One more speed drill set wouldn't hurt. 6. SVC - Having a hard time getting on the bandwagon. Very repetitive show with an abrupt ending. Loved them in previous years. 7. BOSTON CRUSADERS - So much potential - just a bit cheesy in design. Brass line needs to tighten up on power-chord releases. Nothing bugs me more than a tuba or trumpet hanging over. 8. PHANTOM REGIMENT - What happened??? 9. [TIE] - SOME COMBINATION OF BLUE STARS, BLUE KNIGHTS, ACADEMY, GLASSMEN, and TROOPERS 10. [don't care] 11. [don't care] 12. [don't care] 15. MADISON SCOUTS - Sniff. A legacy dead. Super heroes? Shoot me.

So weird -- Philly boys are now Tex Mex.

does it even work on a mac?

class action

FREE PLATINUM FOR PPV!!!

cuz their hornline is that friggin loud?

Hmmm... Yes, purchased PPV. But still don't see it. Probably still too early given that it's a Pacific time show.

Help!!! Does anyone have the link? I don't see it when I login. I'm not a platinum member. Jim

loud, louder, loudest.

Bluecoats horn book is amazing. This show is amazing! Drill is a little dirty, but within' striking distance. Prediction, BD is going 3rd tonight.

* Bluecoats * Blue Devils * Blue Knights * BlueStars

Going for the throat with true innovation will make it happen. They play it too safe right now. I'd love to see an evil and nasty side emerge.

The last minute of the show is smokin'! Seems like all the right pieces are in place. The innovation is real. Without question, their horn line is top 9-12 material (in-tune, on rythm, nice balance -- aka no heroes). Has anyone seen them in person? Are these guys legit?

Here's what I'd like to see... #1 - The Cavaliers (tops in visual) - Instant classic. #2 - Phantom Regiment (tops in brass) - God, they're good. #3 - Blue Devils - Theme runs outta steam. #4 - Santa Clara Vanguard - Show is really coming together. #5 - Bluecoats - Doesn't go for the throat, but good. #6 - The Cadets - Looks sloppy, but entertaining. #7 - Carolina Crown - Holy brass. #8 - Madison Scouts - Magically cleans awesome drill on finals. Pretty please? #9 - Glassmen - Love it. Guard bares all. #10 - Blue Knights - Well executed, but not well designed. Star '93 ish lite? #11 - Boston Crusaders - A field full of bottle openers? Am I in heaven? #12 - Spirit of JSU - Not in the same league. Lucky to be in top 12.

Southwind Sorry, not on my radar. Capital Regiment Lots of cheesy moments w/tick-tocks and sleeping movements. The "fun" part of the show saves it. Love the frisbee toss. Blue Stars Welcome back to Div 1! Nice show, and I find myself watching it over and over again. The simple gifts theme is well done. I find some of the narration annoying. Also, I think the opening should be played to the back-field for a better effect. Crossmen No idea why this show is scoring higher. Someone said it best that it has a high-school band feel to it. The transitions from different styles needs to be better. Colts Unmemorable. Spirit Old man river is great. The corps is very loud, but it almost seems to be that it's out of a lack of creativity. Not sure what to do next? Play loud! Glassmen This show has really grown on me. Too much standing around at the opener. Beethoven going deaf is absolutely brilliant. A favorite moment for me. Madison Scouts I love their aggressive drill design, but it's probably their achilles heel. Great use of the field. The horn book doesn't have a traditional Madison feel to it. The ending needs more work to earn a crowd response -- a longer and louder end note won't do it. Blue Knights Unmemorable. Carolina Crown I was really looking forward to their 2006 show, given how much I loved their 2005 performance. I'm a little let down. Don't get me wrong, there are some sweet moments, especially the whistle-blowing run moment and jam out. The uniforms need a contrast, it's hard to make out the formations. Boston Crusaders I just can't get into it. The props are distracting, it's like someone messed up the spec (see Spinal Tap). Santa Clara Vanguard Awesome. The constant motion theme is well done, and the drill is brilliant. Fantastic sounding horn line. This show has a chance to be a spoiler come finals night. Bluecoats As an alumni, I'm thrilled to see how well they are doing. I think it's well performed and executed. The opening number smokes! The second piece just needs a few tougher licks in it to really sell it. The ballad is beautiful, although the opening of it seems a little static. The last piece is great, but that ending is just shy of true greatness. Something about the drill leaves me wanting more. The Cadets Truly innovative. I've seen a lot of haters, but the more I take a step back and forget that I'm watching a drum corps show, the more I like it. In all fairness, I think the singer is holding them back a little bit -- her voice is a little karaoke. The drum retreat after all the table dancing is amazing. Haven't seen the full ending in a while, but I remember thinking that it needed work. Phantom Regiment Same 'ole. The best classical corps on the field every year, but I'd really like to see them step out of their box. They seem too reluctant to change and this year is no exception. Seems to be well done, but I don't find myself reaching for the rewind button. Blue Devils Only two Godfather themes? I guess they're doing the best they can with the material, but variations on a theme of 7 notes gets a little old. I'm very curious to see where they take this material, and maybe I'm missing a lot missing from on-the-field close ups. The opening percussion seems a bit excessive. The brass ensemble wedges in the middle of the show has a nice effect. The Cavaliers Awesome. This is an instant classic. The only thing holding them back is a little dirt is some of the large ensemble drills. I also think that the ending needs more of a Cavies signature jaw-dropping moment -- hopefully it will be in by finals.

--> That was so 5 years ago. Bring out the marching timpanis.

--> I enjoyed it (love the volume), but it's just not top 6 material. Stitching together a cohesive and accessible theme is a requirement to make those slots. I felt lost. That's all...

### Great thread... My thougths... 1. 2nd "cute" movement needs some tougher licks. Just a crazy trumpet run or two, something that makes your jaw drop. 2. Ballad needs more color guard work. Seems stagnant (even w/modifications) 3. Ending. Seems middle-of-the road. Nutty drill movemement in final moments should either stretch the field or collapse into a tiny ball. If possible, add a "fake" ending. IT'S SOOOO CLOSE!!!!

### Here are some ideas for Spirit on making this theme work... --> Old. Why in the world didn't Spirit pick "Georgia on my Mind?" It's an all-time DCI classic. Is Alabama the hang-up? --> New. An original comissioned piece. I'm sure Philip Glass would be happy to help out. A slap-in-the-face to aspiring artists. --> Borrowed. Why not do a Phantom Regiment "Wedge?" or a Cadets "Z-Pull?" while playing tribute to a previous champion? (e.g., Scouts '88) --> Blue. Frank Sinatra ("Old Blue Eyes") has a TON of usable material. It's definitely too late for massive changes, but explaining in a voice-over narrative would help immensly. Some of us just don't have 30 years of DCI "Ah hahs..." when it comes to Spirit. ### The Glassmen opening would be more effective if a super-sick drill led into the opening notes. Even a silent scatter-drill from random points in the field would "earn" the right to play at stand-still for 30-45 seconds. We've all been to (maybe performed and/or written) a "Symphony," and we "get it." Scouts have the right idea.

This is not a top-12 show. Sorry. :-(

Pacific Crest (8th Place, 73.2) - Opening soloists were ROUGH, about as bad a start as you can have. Many ensemble issues, trumpets overhanging releases and contras overblowing, for example. Overall seemed really sloppy in execution. The music is highly accessible, and "City of Angels" brings back fond memories from Madison 91/92 seasons. It's good to see them on the east coast, and on an positive note they performed better than last year. Capital Regiment (7th place, 78.7) - The Work, Rest, and Play theme probably seemed like a good idea on paper. However, the Work and Rest portions of the show really didn't work for me. The distinctions between the two were lost in a lot of staging commotion. If there was ever an opportunity for a voice-over narration - THIS IS IT! The corps kept "falling asleep" for most of the show. It's a cute idea at first, but it gets old and goes on way too long. The "Play" portion of the show was incredibly fun -- I just wish there was more. Crossmen (6th place, 80.55) - They got robbed! I really saw it as a horse race between Crossmen, Glassmen, and Spirit in the middle pack. The "Changing Lanes" show is truly innovative and would probably be doing much better if they were wearing the uniforms of their sister corps. However, the first 1/3 of the show lacked clarify and direction (not sure how to "fix" that), and the ballad was pretty ordinary and a little out of place. I think they could've skipped it and just kick it up another notch with the closer. Glassmen (3rd place, 84.9) - Absolutely loved it! There was some sloppiness around the edges but there were a couple moments that highlighted the evening: 1) The big impact in moonlight 2) The deafness of Beethoven. The downside is -- strangely enough, The opening (I get what's going on with the "symphonic" staging, it's just not very effective) and the closing which seemed to run out of steam. Also the performance opening seemed a little ratty compared to the strong Crossmen closing. Colts (5th place, 81.0) - Zzzzzzz. The guy next to me thought they were robbed. Not sure I agree. Really basic drill and not really memorable. Well performed and executed. I'd seriously consider making a change in visual and music arrangement staff in '07 -- the kids deserve better. Spirit (4th place, 84.65) - Loudest corps of the night. Drill was forgettable. The theme of Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue was not clear. A little narration (believe it or not), would have probably helped. Maybe tell more of a story with a bride on her wedding day... I dunno, it's too late for any kind of massive re-writes. Madison (2nd place, 86.65) - The drill book is absolutely insane. There are some aspects of running around and parking and blowing, but these are in terms of running 30-40 yards at full-speed, stopping on a dime and cranking out a face peeling lick. If they can get the drill clean by finals, this show could be a top-6 spoiler. Their use of space and staging is incredible -- especially during the ballad when retreating into the corner. Video capture just doesn't grab the essence. SCV (1st place, 89.80) - First time I saw this show, I thought it was too gimmicky. Now, I think it's a blast. The perpetual motion theme is really coming out. The drill is incredible to watch, folks in the audience were gasping at the velocity and close proximity. One slip-up and someone could've seriously gotten hurt. Amazing and exhilarating to watch. Beautiful sound, and had some of the loudest "impact" statements of the night. I had them down for 90.8, for what it's worth.

Sooooo proud. Heart swells. Go Blooooooo!

BLOOO - visually intoxicating. so fast. well executed. weird for them.