Rochester Review

[TheMoonlightChef]

Typing it fast and furious:

Venue: St John Fisher College Growney Stadium

Opinion: Pretty awesome site for a show. FREE parking. Big walkways. Tree-lined college campus scenery. Nearly new bleachers. Astro-turf field of NFL quality (the Bills hold their camp here when the drum corps allow it.)

Crowd : Reserved seats between the 40's were sold out (actually, Alan said he had TWO seats left, but not together, 1 hour before the show. General admission sold to the upper corners. Big walk up numbers. Lot's of familiar faces, not a lot of young people by comparison. Many corps represented here.

The show:

EXH: Empire Cadets. About 15 playing and twirling members in training along with their instructors from the Empire Statesmen. (I thought the instructors playing in full uniform alongside their students was great. ) A three song standstill with "Rio" the most recognizeable .

5th White Sabres. Good looking blue/black uni's. About 20 brass. Musical charts are a little thin (esp low brass) and perhaps written over the head of this ensemble. The corps is still learning the visual program.

Biggest plus: DM Mike Porter exudes confidence and poise.

Biggest question: could the corps better utilize the percussion battery members? They fielded 1 snare and 4 basses with no toms. Could those 5 contribute more to the musical package as part of a "pit only" percussion ensemble a la Ventures or Academie Musicale?

Overall: It looks like a tough year for this group. The book is awfully ambitious and there just aren't enough bodies.

4th Crusaders. New white uniforms with red and green splach across the breast. Helmet with large plume is very effective in establishing a clean look. 34 brass playing "Pictures at an Exhibition" off the line. Backfield segment ( too long imo unless the crescendo is delivered more effectively) leads to a solid opening fanfare. Splash of red silks from the guard was superior! Drum solo, with very effective feel, speed and tempo changes earned a solid round of applause. Wasn't very clean, but it was effective. Kiev (and the reprise) earned a strong standing ovation.

Biggest plus: The design, especially visually, is pretty darn solid.

Biggest question: Do the members realize that they are on to something with this show?

Overall: They earned every bit of the appreciation they received. If they can grow into this show and show the required professionalism and effort, they should be well into the Sunday Night lineup come Labor Day weekend.

3rd Brigadiers. Hmmm. Simply the biggest puzzle of the night. Playing a show that mirrors 1994 & 1995 Blue Devils "My Spanish Heart". Ambitious? That would be a charitable description. The required brass technique from an individual standpoint is challenging; from an ensemble standpoint it is extreme. The corps had too many breakdowns in attack/release, clarity and ensemble cohesiveness to be effective. This must be addressed because this show requires so much emotion to be sold properly. Emotion is un-deliverable where the technical foundation is lacking. Drums, while playing many notes in the battery, were often marginalized in the musical score to the point of making no discernible contribution.

Biggest plus: the ballad (one audience member said "I wish they hadn't done that really nice ballad, then I could hate all of the show equally."

Biggest question: Can the horns get it together? And where is the contribution from the drumline? The "formula" type charting often seemed stale and unoriginal.

Overall: Didn't buy it.

2nd Empire Statesmen. A cut above in presence and swagger. Certainly a championship caliber design from all departments. "West Side Story" fanfare rips our face off with solid volume. Sets are clean and transitions are properly executed. "Pagliacci" was a show-stopper with soloists in the way-high register. "Taps" really allowed for a strong and emoting guard contribution (best of the night imo). The closing medley was performed at a much higher level than during the day's rehearsal. Several spectacular displays of volume, velocity and delivery make this a show to be reckoned with.

Biggest plus: Statesmen-style delivers and fans appreciate getting their money's worth.

Biggest question: Some of the ensemble arrangements appear a bit cluttered from a percussion standpoint and a few noticeable ensemble tears will demand re-writes to be fixed. Was the show a little long, too?

Overall: I had 'em first.

1st Caballeros. Please hold your letters. I had Cabs first at DCA last year. Having said that, they were second best tonight.

I will concede the visual composition. It was superior to Empire imo.

I will concede visual technique (at least for the first 4 1/2 minutes) as it was clean and agressive.

I might even concede field drums (yes, Kevin, it's obvious you are the teacher and it is displayed in performance in all sections).

But that's where it ends.

The spread tonight created by the guard judge (1.5) and ensemble vis judge (1.1) and visual effect judge (0.5) decided this show...and incorrectly.

Cabs present "Carmen". Hmmm. Where was she and what is the story line? It was difficult to discern from the contribution of the guard and the musical score. Dynamics were missing the required highs and lows. From the box, the biggest applause came from the corps' staff and it came at times that seemed inappropriate. Was I missing the effect or was it written as to be so esoteric that I was slipping into a coma?

Biggest plus: That I remember Cabs from last year. That tempers the disappointment.

Biggest question(s): How do the visual judges justify the spreads given the Cabs shaky visual performance in the closer? Design? Yes. Excellence? Not tonight.

Was the Music effect judge watching the same show as me (Cabs higher in repertoire effectiveness was a puzzler, though he nailed it on performer effectiveness)

Overall: Not this year.

Thanks for the review!

[Bond624]

Ditto thanks for the review. :)

I hope others post too. I like reviews..

[trptrex]

Thanks for the review! and I look forward to hearing more from those at the show. Most people have to remember that we all do this activity because we love it and regardless of the scores we continue to put forth a respectful show for our audience. Some may like it others may not but oh well, you can't please everyone.

B) B)

Edited July 8, 2007 by trptrex

[SaraNYC]

But isn't it "corn cob pipe and a button nose" though?

That is how the tune goes, but I don't think I've ever seen a snowman with a button for a nose outside of Frosty. Maybe it's a midwest thing? I think a carrot would be more visible from a visual standpoint.

[Storkysr]

Biggest question: Do the members realize that they are on to something with this show?

[

Although we have alot of younger members, most are not "first timers". We started them REAL young in the drum line in '05 and were fortunate enough to retain most so we have alot of 16-18 yr old "vets" mixed with our older folks.

For those few members who don't realize how exciting it is to be ranked among DCA's prestigious few-you can be sure that the staff will be reminding them constantly. It is indeed an honor to be hangin with the likes of Hurcs, CV, Bush, Brigs, etc. and we are working real hard to transform the fantastic horn, drum and drill charts into a product that the judges and fans alike will feel comfortable endorsing. Thanks to all in the crowd for the incredible support you gave us Saturday night.............we won't dissapoint you with any lack of work ethic this summer. Stay tuned.

PS although I am a percussion instructor and justifiably proud of that section, keep your eye on that guard, they are going to be special.

Edited July 8, 2007 by Storkysr

[mattchuw99]

Congrats to the Cabs...

see everyone in a couple of weeks.

[Gary Matczak]

PS although I am a percussion instructor and justifiably proud of that section, keep your eye on that guard, they are going to be special.

the guard did look real good on Friday night,............

[George82]

There's a lot of this review I disagree with and I wasn't even at the show (however I have seen Brigs, Empire and Cabs this year). Why do Cabs need to have someone out there running around dressed as "Carmen" for you to get it?

My exact thoughts as I was reading the review. You hit the nail right on the proverbial head Trish.

[ech2os]

Great review.

But never ever have anything negative to say about Syracuse or you will hear about it from somebody. To be honest, Syracuse doing a show about their past is like A-Ha doing a greatest hits album. I mean....2002 was what.....a whole 5 years ago.

[Tom D'Bomb]

Great review.

But never ever have anything negative to say about Syracuse or you will hear about it from somebody. To be honest, Syracuse doing a show about their past is like A-Ha doing a greatest hits album. I mean....2002 was what.....a whole 5 years ago.

Well, when the Brigs do a show about their past, they're doing stuff that under the right circumstances scores a 98.5. They deserve credit, this version of the Brigs is a local core group that has been through some tough times.

Maybe someday they'll get the ring chasers back, but for now they should be proud.

Oh, and the hornline has to play much, much louder.

Edited July 8, 2007 by Tom D'Bomb