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"All Star Review" Toledo, OH June 18, 2005 Placement: Cavaliers Cadets Bluecoats Glassmen Capital Regiment Southwind So that you can interpret my review of the show, my background and biases: Glassmen Alum Brass Guy Experienced in listening to Drum lines and "knowing what I like" without enough fluency or knowledge of the percussion arts to credibly judge or comment. Total Ignoramus about Guard and dance, but still an expert in "knowing what I like". Arrived at beautiful UT Glass Bowl at 6:00 PM, First corps off line at 7:52 PM, my backside aching from beautiful Glass Bowl aluminum bleachers before hearing first note of music - - late start due to withdrawl of Marion Cadets. Priviledged to be in the company of my 11 year old daughter, her first drum corps show, the youngest of my brood of five, and the most likely (after tonight) to be bitten by the Drum Corps bug. My observations and opinions: Southwind knocked me out!!! The energy and potential of this show are incredible. I couldn't hum 12 counts of ANY of the music, and I normally RUN from that, but the total package of Uniform and visual show design, and horn and drum music are really the best thing I've seen from any corps with something to prove. The staff has done a superb job of "selling" this show concept and design to the kids. They're having a wonderful time with it, and it appears to be fun to learn, and I hope its going to be fun to clean, cause they're going to be spending a LOT of time cleaning it. Kudos to Southwind for having their complete book learned and on the field. The headgear looks a bit strange, but I really liked the look of the corps. Capital Regiment was underwhelming. I really want to like this corps. Clearly, they have a great organization, quality people throughout. Much time and money has been expended to put this show on the field, and the kids are executing it fairly well, probably accounting for the roughly 3 point gap between SW and CR. I thought the contrast between the two corps was telling: Southwind's show was entertaining, and my eye was drawn all over the field taking in a thousand surreal things happening. My attention during CR's show was focused annoyingly on a large prop which barely fit through the Glass Bowl's gate. I couldn't see any reason for the prop, but perhaps it will be more clear when the show is completely taught to the kids. Intermission Cavaliers were ferociously clean for June 18 (or July 18 for that matter) and I really liked the show. I loved the visual design and think that several of the guard deserve great accolades for their acting and dance skills. Why can't the Cavaliers find a guard uniform that allows dance and movement but still looks masculine? Another Championship year? Quite possible IMO. Cadets stunned me musically, just took my breath away with the depth of the arrangements and the ability to portray a vast musical pallet of colors. The drill that was finished stages the horns exquisitely EXCEPT for times when the door prop sitting in the middle of the stage prevents the drill writer from using center stage. In another month, they may have some of the staging issues worked out, I hope so. I found the obverse/reverse uniforms to be distracting and not worth the trouble and expense, but I give George and co. credit for being willing to try it. Drill not learned for the last 2 minutes of the show. Bluecoats were awesome! The horn book is well-written (as usual) and presents MANY little aural treats along the way, like tiny jewels for the ear, sprinkled throughout the book and throughout the players. Percussion book supported, augmented, and just plain WORKED WELL, perhaps the best of any heard this night. Guard uniforms fit and support the theme, and the choreography makes sense and doesn't distract. I was very sorry to hear the ending chords and see the Bluecoats leave the field. Glassmen (remember, I'm an alum!) designers got it right this time. They have put together an ambitious book, and the kids have their teeth sunk deeply into it, and are having a lot of fun with it. I love the guard! (dont faint, I DO occasionally wake up and notice a guard). Daughter Elizabeth and I had caught the Entertrainment clinic earlier, and heard the ballad portion in a semicircle of horns only, and I wasn't that impressed with it. On the field, however, it really works well, and should be a portion of the show which will be remembered in years to come for its mood and expression. Horn and Percussion books work well together, and the writing for the pit was the "tastiest" I heard all night (though pit books were well written and performed by all six corps - in contrast to years past). All in all- I thought the scores and placements were about right, but I really don't think Southwind got enough credit from these judges - make plans to catch Southwind somewhere this summer, and see if you don't agree with me. Good kids having a lot of fun doing crazy stuff with abandon. The Toledo experience was a VERY good one, quality corps well written and instructed throughout. Daughter Elizabeth was thunderstruck and cannot wait for more - maybe Kalamazoo??? A lot of fun and a good value for the money - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Lastly, some comment about the activity, prompted by the slice of it I saw last night. My complaints are aimed at corps management and design staff, NOT at the kids. 1. Is it a surprise to some Corps' staffs that the first contest was last night? Two of tonight's contestants had not completed learning the books. Tsk, tsk, Get the book on the field the minute people are paying money to see it. If you have to water it down to get it on the field, then WATER IT DOWN. 2. Haven't we learned about Field Props? Shame on Cap Reg and Cadets for use of field props which don't work any better in 2005 than they did in 70's, 80's, or 90's. When will the message get through to the designers? 3. I've thus far abstained from the raging debate about amps - got tired of the debate in a nano-second. Having said that, I heard two examples of lunacy - from Corps I admire - last night. Both Cadets and Bluecoats had segments of some kind of "rapping" or "scat" or SOMETHING, the Cadets being lengthier, but both were equally idiotic and distracting. Lose these - I BEG OF YOU. They do not add, but detract. Edited to correct my spelling.

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