Atlanta Review

[SeanOwenSullivan]

SPIRIT

Show lacked impact and musicality. Gains momenteum towards the end but to little too late. Nice silks in guard.

GLASSMEN

LOVE THIS SHOW! Great pacing & brass sound. COuld have used a bit more precussion action but just an overall fun show. Guard sells the theme perfectly.

COLTS

Seemed to spend the whole show in 'winter'. The ending is nice but the flags (butterflies & flowers) are bit too cheesy for me.

BLUE KNIGHTS

Open is the same from Phantom '02. Love the piece. Fits their sound great. The second half fizzles out and lacks momentum.

BOSTON CRUSADERS

The eisles are distracting at best. SHow lacks any organization. If you didn't knwo any better it could just as well been a "spanish" show.

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD

A visual feast. Guard uni's were a bit distracting but oh well. Great sound per usual. Very reminescent of '02 to me.

CAROLINA CROWN

By far the crowd favorite. The guard's 'manes' were weird but once the show go underway so did the distraction. Perfect pacing and momentum. The show keeps getting bigger and bigger and culminates with the William Tell ending in an actual horse race as shown by the guard. I can see why the guard has been so highly ranked this season.

BLUECOATS

Narration was hard to understand. Didn't hear "Criminal" or "Smooth Criminal" or "Even Step You Take". A GE feast. Guard does sell the concept pretty well. Narration gets in the way.

PHANTOM REGIMENT

Awesome show until the final 4 minutes. "Firebird" finale seems out of place. Guard didn't seem to add impact after "Flower Duet". Some dirty feet/visuals.

CAVALIERS

Visually awesome but a lot of the time the visuals detracted from the music going on. Guard does A LOT of tosses from one person to another. Didn't see how the tubling/aerodynamics relates to the Music of Billy Joel or the guard uni's for that matter?

CADETS

The narration AFTER the opener is distracting. I could see it being taken out and ppl still understanding what's going on as most of the drill does not corepsond to the narration anyways. Have no idea why guard is finishing so low. Tons of feature & musicality in the guard. By far the cleanest (best) sounding corps of the night - and most agreed. Some great visuals but need to be polished.

BLUE DEVILS

Great show. Basically same idea as Phantom but BD sells it a lot better. Show builds and has direction and power thoughout.

MY rankings:

1. Cadets (Brass, Music)

2. BD (GE)

3. SCV (Visual)

4. Cavies (Guard)

5. Crown

6. Phantom

7. Bluecoats

8. Glassmen

9. Blue Knights

10. Colts

11. Spirit

12. Boston

[George]

thanks for the review!!!

[Bob984]

Good review....thanks!!

GB

[ech2os]

I just don't get Garfield. What a hornline. The Narration is terrible. My wife (2nd show of her life) loved them last year and looked at me and said........."That was absolutely horrible. If they win, I am not going to come to another show". I told her I agreed and that I didnt understand why anyone would want to listen to that babbling when there was such amazing music to be heard.

For the record, maybe somebody can explain this to me............I sat on the 50 on in the first row last night. Downlow, almost every corps sounded amazing. With 30 mics in the pitt, how much, if any, of that sound was because I was sitting in front of the amps ? I just can't imagine that the mics aren't pumping the hornline through as well and if the sound is mixed.....well.......who knows. I know as much about amplification as I do about Rocket Science, so maybe somebody can tell me what if any impact to the sound down low is made via the A&E.

[ech2os]

I also always find it interesting that so many people who do reviews and presumable know something more than I do about music and show design and blah blah blah can have so many different opinions and views of the same performances. I guess its like an eye witness account......just because you saw it doesn't mean you know what you saw. Very interesting. And this was an oh by the way comment.......not directed toward any of the comments of this review. Good review even thought I didn't agree with some of what was written, but that is to be exepected. My wife sees dark blue and I see black, so I guess everyone at the show has their own view as well.

[JustABandMom]

I also always find it interesting that so many people who do reviews and presumable know something more than I do about music and show design and blah blah blah can have so many different opinions and views of the same performances. I guess its like an eye witness account......just because you saw it doesn't mean you know what you saw. Very interesting. And this was an oh by the way comment.......not directed toward any of the comments of this review. Good review even thought I didn't agree with some of what was written, but that is to be exepected. My wife sees dark blue and I see black, so I guess everyone at the show has their own view as well.

I, too, find all the different reviews so interesting. I *LOVE* reading all the different reviews. It's so interesting to see how others interpreted the same shows that I saw and heard. SO many things I guess enter into our impressions - our experience, education, temperament, mood that particular day, sense of humor, where we were sitting, what was going on around us, what our expectations were, what our preferences are in what we like to see or hear, what our prejudices are, what it takes to stimulate and entertain us, whether or not we like things simple or complex... I see all these things in people's different reviews.

We all have our own filters through which we experience the performances. I might read something in someone's review that makes me think - "no, his filter is a little skewed or clouded there, he's missing taking xxx into consideration", and then I will read something that will make me think - "well, I guess my filter is a little skewed here because I didn't take this thing into consideration." Not that someone's opinion is either right or wrong, b/c we all have our personal preferences in what we enjoy. But, in terms of comparitively judging who is doing well in the competition, let's face it, there is a lot of music and design education and performance knowledge that the average fan just does not have. We can tell what we like to see and what we enjoy, but we all have varying degrees of judging expertise! :)

P.S. Edited to include: And this was ALSO an oh by the way comment.......not directed toward any of the comments of this review. Thanks to this reviewer for posting an enjoyable review.

Edited July 15, 2007 by JustABandMom

[ColtsFanatic]

I just don't get Garfield. What a hornline. The Narration is terrible. My wife (2nd show of her life) loved them last year and looked at me and said........."That was absolutely horrible. If they win, I am not going to come to another show". I told her I agreed and that I didnt understand why anyone would want to listen to that babbling when there was such amazing music to be heard.

For the record, maybe somebody can explain this to me............I sat on the 50 on in the first row last night. Downlow, almost every corps sounded amazing. With 30 mics in the pitt, how much, if any, of that sound was because I was sitting in front of the amps ? I just can't imagine that the mics aren't pumping the hornline through as well and if the sound is mixed.....well.......who knows. I know as much about amplification as I do about Rocket Science, so maybe somebody can tell me what if any impact to the sound down low is made via the A&E.

I was present at both shows in Atlanta. The thing about dome venues is that the background noise doesn't disipate into the night air, and takes over if you sit to close to it as I did. I had a DCI pass and could sit anywhere there was an open seat; which meant listening to all the horrendous noise from the concession and souvie area. I never heard a word from the Cadets narration....which in my opinion was a plus. But it also meant that the solos were inaudible as well as some of the other great sounds eminating from all the corps. Bottom line: I do NOT like domed venues for Drum Corps. ACK................

The Colts put on a GREAT show, as did Carolina Crown. I can't say too much about the Colts here, as it would be WAY too biased, but anyone with half a brain has to say their show has appeal; the musical book alone is awesome. Being a spectator only, and in no way an expert on the infinite ways the judges hand out scores, I have to say that Carolina (and Colts) were the only shows of the day that actually kept my interest. Boston was a yawner (the Colts beat them in guard scores), Cavaliers were very disappointing (I kept waiting to hear a familiar Billy Joel lick, and almost went deaf straining so hard. Where was Billy?) Blue Devils were my pick to win, and they did. Glassmen, Spirit, and some others just didn't do it for me. Cadets are not my style, so no hope there. Enough said.............

Anyway, just a layman's point of view......thanks for the reviews...keep them coming!

[93Bluecoat]

BLUECOATS

Narration was hard to understand. Didn't hear "Criminal" or "Smooth Criminal" or "Even Step You Take". A GE feast. Guard does sell the concept pretty well. Narration gets in the way.

How did you NOT hear Smooth Criminal. The main bass theme from that is passed around the entire corps about 5 times throughout the show. I know its in the tenors, bass drums, pit (several times) and horn line (several times). When I heard the corps do this in April it was the first thing I noticed and was cracking up because it was so awesome.

DW

[bluehull]

SPIRIT

Show lacked impact and musicality. Gains momenteum towards the end but to little too late. Nice silks in guard.

GLASSMEN

LOVE THIS SHOW! Great pacing & brass sound. COuld have used a bit more precussion action but just an overall fun show. Guard sells the theme perfectly.

COLTS

Seemed to spend the whole show in 'winter'. The ending is nice but the flags (butterflies & flowers) are bit too cheesy for me.

BLUE KNIGHTS

Open is the same from Phantom '02. Love the piece. Fits their sound great. The second half fizzles out and lacks momentum.

BOSTON CRUSADERS

The eisles are distracting at best. SHow lacks any organization. If you didn't knwo any better it could just as well been a "spanish" show.

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD

A visual feast. Guard uni's were a bit distracting but oh well. Great sound per usual. Very reminescent of '02 to me.

CAROLINA CROWN

By far the crowd favorite. The guard's 'manes' were weird but once the show go underway so did the distraction. Perfect pacing and momentum. The show keeps getting bigger and bigger and culminates with the William Tell ending in an actual horse race as shown by the guard. I can see why the guard has been so highly ranked this season.

BLUECOATS

Narration was hard to understand. Didn't hear "Criminal" or "Smooth Criminal" or "Even Step You Take". A GE feast. Guard does sell the concept pretty well. Narration gets in the way.

PHANTOM REGIMENT

Awesome show until the final 4 minutes. "Firebird" finale seems out of place. Guard didn't seem to add impact after "Flower Duet". Some dirty feet/visuals.

CAVALIERS

Visually awesome but a lot of the time the visuals detracted from the music going on. Guard does A LOT of tosses from one person to another. Didn't see how the tubling/aerodynamics relates to the Music of Billy Joel or the guard uni's for that matter?

CADETS

The narration AFTER the opener is distracting. I could see it being taken out and ppl still understanding what's going on as most of the drill does not corepsond to the narration anyways. Have no idea why guard is finishing so low. Tons of feature & musicality in the guard. By far the cleanest (best) sounding corps of the night - and most agreed. Some great visuals but need to be polished.

BLUE DEVILS

Great show. Basically same idea as Phantom but BD sells it a lot better. Show builds and has direction and power thoughout.

MY rankings:

1. Cadets (Brass, Music)

2. BD (GE)

3. SCV (Visual)

4. Cavies (Guard)

5. Crown

6. Phantom

7. Bluecoats

8. Glassmen

9. Blue Knights

10. Colts

11. Spirit

12. Boston

Did the Crusaders steal your wallet ? Did one of them run off with your girlfriend? For four years now,it has been the same salivating , dripping hatred of this corps. As far as I'm concerned, this invalidates any evaluation or review on your part...

[SkyRyder_FMM]

Did the Crusaders steal your wallet ? Did one of them run off with your girlfriend? For four years now,it has been the same salivating , dripping hatred of this corps. As far as I'm concerned, this invalidates any evaluation or review on your part...

Sheesh. Get over it. He didn't like Boston. And if he didn't like them this year, chances are he didn't like them the past several years either, because the shows have been similar. Besides, his comments weren't that harsh, and he made specific reference to what he didn't like. He didn't just say they sucked. Why the hatred over someones opinion? Are you offeneded because you are affiliated with BAC in some respect?