Indianapolis, IN - July 28, 2007

[supersop]

I don't feel like writing an entire review, nor rain on Stef's parade .... so I'll just fill in the first two corps that she missed.

Capitol Sound - 74.450

This corps has a sharp look and play decently for an undermanned hornline. If they keep the nucleus they have, they could make a huge jump next year. The CAN CAN was very fun and well performed. There are still some rough spots in this show but the good stuff outweighs the questionable. I did notice the drumline toning it down after the first 20 seconds of the show. They really burried the horns during the intro but adjusted nicely. All around solid performance from an up and coming corps

Colt Cadets - 74.650

This is a large group for being a "feeder corps". It reminds me of the numbers the PR Cadets used to have in the late 80's. I've had the opportunity to see this corps a few times this year and all I can say is ..> WOW WHAT AN END RESULT. I never expected this level of performance after last seeing this group in Kalamazoo. They really turned the hornline loose and packed a punch. The kids seemed very aggressive and on the ball in their approach to the show. WELL DONE COLT CADETS! It's not fair to compare different divisions .. but the score spread between the first two corps on the same sheets didn't quite make sense to me. That being said ... another well earned WELL DONE.

Here's a snippet from the colts website:

An 80% retention rate (after a record number of '06 members earning Colts positions), led the corps to record membership for the fifth year straight with 83 members (33 brass, 27 percussion, 23 guard). The average age of Colt Cadets is 13.6, with 78 members from the local Dubuque, Iowa area. While the 2006 staff returned intact for 2007, six Colts age outs were added to fill out the staffing teams. Cadets staffers hail from Iowa, Oregon, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas.

For more info .. read the entire article about the conclusion of Colt Cadets season HERE.

Overall ... I really enjoyed myself last night. However, (and we all know I like to complain) I do have a couple of complaints.

1) DCI!!!!!!!!! Please do one of two things. If you're going to have a staff viewing area on the 45 at the top row directly next to the FAN$$$ who paid $50 to view the show ... tell them to SHUT UP! or don't seat them there. Thankfully, not all of the staff's felt the need to applaud and scream at every minute detail of the show as it was being presented.

2) Come and get me Cavies HONKS...... This is the dirtiest ensemble corps I've ever seen that get's Box 5 numbers. The timing of this corps is UNACCEPTABLE for this point in the season. I say this because I know you can do better .. but I don't want to see another corps have a shot at a championship that can't play together 100% of the time ... or even 80% of the time. This has been said with a great deal of frankness ... and I won't apologize.

3) Get the souvies away from the bathrooms and food. You lost money last night in this area ... I promise.

Great seats ... great drum corps .... iffy judging .... what more could any drum corps fan ask for?

P.S. I felt everyone lower than 5th place was scored a good 2+ pts low this evening. Spirit being the only corps that was just about right. I really felt that Spirit and Blue Stars were neck and neck ... and Madison should have been much closer to 80. The placements are right .. but the scores are ......... yah.

[barkermarker]

what, no heartwarming volunteer stories?

[BariGirlMom]

Dear Indiana,

Before I begin my review of the show in your capital city, I must ask you to please add some life and maybe a town or two along I-65. I'm not sure the three-hour-drive-that-feels-more-like-nine is something I'm going to really be able to do more than once over the next ten years...

OMG! That is absolutely THE most entertaining review I think I have ever read! I must confess that I usually read the first few sentences of a review, and then the last (I am compiling all the reviews, good AND bad, into a "memory book" for my daughter, for the 2nd year in a row - not sure why I didn't do it sooner, as it's a lot of fun), copy the ones I like and then just move on to read the actual review part for only the corps she marched in or that I have a particular interest in. In a nutshell, none of the corps you wrote about so far are ones I usually read, but this review, I read from the first to last word. TWICE, simply because I enjoyed it so much the first time. My family heard me laughing, and peeked into my home office to see what the heck I was laughing about!

Can't WAIT for the second half... and please know that your entire review will be pasted into my daughter's memory book for this season!

[bscontra]

I saw Steve Stueck while sitting on the field waiting for scores and he said their show tonight wasn't as good as the previous show. Now where the heck was Butler? I'd say "call me Cozy Jr." but that would be sort of lame. . As you can see, Blue Stars is one of Z's alma maters.. so he's got a lot to

sorry i was not there!!! my mom and niece and nephew were visiting i spent the weekend at discovery world, jelly belly tours and watching fireworks at german fest on the shores of lake Michigan

[walshinsurance]

Great reveiw! I am a transplant from Wisconsin...and it took me a few years to get used to the place. Anyway, there are quite a few places to go around Indy...you just needed to stay on the North...or Northeast side of town....15 to 20 minutes from downtown...many restaurants, malls, etc. You would not have had to look far for a place to eat. Also...the necks were in town for the Brickyard 400....so I am sure that didn't help hotel matters much. DCI needs to schedule better....or Indy needs to get more hotels....which I think they are doing....probably about the time the stadium is finished. Next year will be better...the necks will be gone...and racin' somewhere else!

Edited August 1, 2007 by walshinsurance

[ScribeToo]

thanks for the comments about the review guys.. I finished the second half.. uncle z should be posting tonight or tomorrow with his input as well.

[supersop]

thanks for the comments about the review guys.. I finished the second half.. uncle z should be posting tonight or tomorrow with his input as well.

SweeeeeeeEEEEEEeeeeeeet! ^OO^ ^OO^

Althought .. You and Z managed to be at the same show as me again ... and we didn't meet up. Is that saying something?

[Galen]

Stef, check your PM box.

To everybody else, there IS more than corn in Indiana. There's soybeans, too!!! :P

[NeutralNovice]

Hilarious and entertaining review, thanks!

[bloominmom]

Dear Indiana,

Before I begin my review of the show in your capital city, I must ask you to please add some life and maybe a town or two along I-65. I'm not sure the three-hour-drive-that-feels-more-like-nine is something I'm going to really be able to do more than once over the next ten years.

Also, please build more hotels and staff them with people who do not have 4ft high crimped hair or wear cutoffs.

Thank you.

Uncle Z and I took off from Chicago around 2:30 to head down to Indianapolis for our finals show of the season. Cookies and a cooler full of goodies in tow, we soon were bleary eyed and disenchanted with the entire state of Indiana.. Basically, if it ain't McDonald's, Burger King, Arby's, KFC or Bob Evans, you ain't eatin, son.

uncle z: "random indianite: 'HEY! We got Cracker Barrel, too! And Steak and Shake!'"

Yeah.. we're gonna try and keep this as low on the anti-indiana rhetoric as we can but honestly, we couldn't wait to get out and at 2:30 in the morning, there wasn't a SINGLE HOTEL ROOM ANYWHERE between Indy and Crown Point -- and at that point, we might just as well have driven all the way home and not bothered with stopping in every pissant little burgh along the way to have them tell us, "there's a rest stop a little way up the road.." um.. yeah. no.

When we finally got to Indianapolis, getting to the stadium was relatively easy -- we found great parking about a block away in a covered lot for the mall nearby ($3 baby! It's good to have friends from indianapolis who give you the scoop).. the only problem was getting TO the stadium. Apparently, there was also a baseball game going on about 4 blocks from the dome and only one indianapolis police officer was there to direct traffic on all of the downtown streets. Don't the show organizers contact local authorities to advise them that a few thousand people from out of town are about to descend upon them at the same time there's also going to be a local sporting event?

uncle z: "Don't forget the random brickyard 400 fans driving around aimlessly from lane to lane, blocking traffic and picking slim jims out of the space between their four teeth."

ultimately, we found our way to the laser rocket arm dome .. but unfortunately (and disappointingly so for uncle z) not in time to catch Colt Cadets or Capital Sound -- two corps we both wanted to see one last time. I will say that I saw them both the night before in Naperville (from the tunnel I was ushering) and they have both finished the season with fun, well performed entertaining shows. We're both very VERY sorry we missed them. Z even made "the face" when he realized it.

and now for a random monkey

So we got into the stadium which has seat numbers that follow a numbering logic that only probably makes perfect sense to someone who's had their mind numbed by living here for their whole lives.. and when we finally found our seats, it was just as Pioneer was taking the field. For whatever reason, they made those kids stand there for the DM announcement for the loooonnnnnnggggeeeesssstttt time.. not sure why. Their show was played well but I thought they were a little more than overwhelmed by the dome. Their sound (especially in the pit) sometimes became muddled -- though they didn't appear to have any ensemble issues with the echo -- they just came across muddled to the audience (at least where I was sitting). Much improved and worthy of the score they are getting.

After Pioneer came Southwind a corps that has apparently been honored with the membership of "Daniel" -- Indiana's favorite son. We were in his cheering section and it was actually kind of charming.. except the cheering people all thought it was clever to start their own cheer... one after the other.. after the other.

Folks. Organize. :)

Z and I had missed SW at Cedarburg thanks to the microburst earlier this season.. but I'd seen them the night before and I don't know how else to explain it other than this corps really touches my heart. I don't know why. I watch the show and they are performing well.. and the hornline is spectacular.. and the drum line is great .. and the guard is really good.. and it's about on par with the rest of the corps in their scoring grouping.. but everytime I watch them, I just get a lump in my throat and start tearing up. It's probably hormonal but I just love the show. I get the "let me in the loop" idea but I can't put the concept together any further than someone wanting to fit in.. but then my brain goes into overdrive and I think about how conformity is not always the best thing.. and then I have to stop myself and just listen to the show -- stop analyzing. I love the show. They could walk off the field with the show as it stands right now and I would be satisfied.. I think they'll probably do some cleaning and have a respectable finish in pasadena.

Madison came out next and I haven't seen them since early to mid season. I'd heard about the rewrites and known they were basically starting over with the drill.. I have to say, this show is MUCH better now. I really enjoyed it and found myself downright entertained -- I just think it's a shame they had to spend so long fixing something that didn't have to be as bad as it was. It's a learning experience I suppose but hopefully now they will have some continuity in leadership and staff and that will help them build on the talent in their line. Great show, boys.. i really enjoyed it.

uncle z: "we also saw Jim Dittrich at the souvie booth helping out for the night. it's great to see parents get involved and volunteer on tour, even if it's just to help out for the day. So many of us would rather sit in the stands at rehearsal and watch -- I like Jim's take on it. Every extra hand helps."

Blue Stars was next up. "honey, get me a pair of those shoes." No, honey, you can't have them. you'll wear them in public and embarrass everybody dancing in your fancy half tone shoe. Just no. So, a first read for both of us on this show -- thanks Cedarburg Microburst -- and I liked the ballet thing they have going on.. like they are being pulled from extreme tradition into something more modern.. and I suppose if there has to be a theme, that would do. Is that Sarah Conlin doing all that solo dancing out there? Anybody know? The music they play takes some unexpected turns and the hornline is the strength of the corps this year. I thought the colorguard uniform reminded me a lot of BD's guard uniforms from Romeo/Juliet/West Side Story. I saw Steve Stueck while sitting on the field waiting for scores and he said their show tonight wasn't as good as the previous show. Now where the heck was Butler? I'd say "call me Cozy Jr." but that would be sort of lame. . As you can see, Blue Stars is one of Z's alma maters.. so he's got a lot to say. In all we liked the show. I also thought the uniform's two-tone set up made them look like they are moving with much greater velocity in pass-through drill than they probably are. Great use of color to trick the eye.

Colts came out to a rousing cheer from the upper deck. We figured it was Colt Cadets cheering for their "big brothers/sisters" and it's probably the most heartwearming sound once you know where it's coming from. And that's not to say the rest of the crowd wasn't happy to see them.. we were. Their show is popular, it seems. I've said it so many times and every time I see a Colts staff member I stop them and tell them, too.. I just love this show. The concept, until I saw it live, was unknown to me.. but put the visual with the music they chose and it's a clever combination of unlike things united by a single theme. Brilliant. And the kids pull it off so well. Their guard deserves all the credit in the world as they are probably the best one out there below 3rd place. That plume could be taller. Just kidding.. they already look 10ft tall! even the squatty kids. I can only speak for myself and I REALLY want this corps and this show in finals. It's designed well and performed well. They have all the elements of a great 8th - 12th place show. looking ahead all they need is more constant movement and we may see them begin to creep ahead as well.. Colts could be the next Bluecoats.

INTERMISSION

"What's YOUR Indy?"

While watching the jumbotron between corps tonight, I noticed there was a good deal of pimping all that Indianapolis has to offer.. the slogan "what's YOUR Indy" will be burned into my head for the rest of my life. I wanted to add a few things that were left OFF the "what's cool about Indianapolis" slide show:

The Governor:

The Roadside Art Collection:

Fine Dining and State of the Art Accommodations:

... just don't plan on staying. We's all booked up! I guess nobody wants to leave! (WE DID).

**REVIEW BREAK**

Okay sorry for the delay -- Z headed home after lunch and I came back and took a nap.. so for now (until he gets on the thread and makes his comments), you're stuck with just me. I know I know..

After intermission, Spirit was on. Another first read for both Z and I.. and I had reservations about the uniform from the pictures.. I even saw them in standstill (Cedarburg) and still liked them alright.. but after having seen them on the field, I don't like them as much. I don't know why.. and maybe it was our vantage.. but they looked lopsided to me from far away. That said, I like their show a lot. I have no idea what theme they've chosen and I'm not sure it makes much difference other than not really connecting on that additional level for me.. but the music is beautifully played and IMO they have the ballad of the year. It's just breathtakingly beautiful.. I love the staging and the singing at the end just ties it all up in a beautiful bow. I am also fond of the guard's uniforms. I think they did a spectacular job of "man-i-fying" the uniform for the boys while keeping them consistent with the girls. Their performance level, like Southwind's, is about on par with the other corps I've seen in their scoring range. It's hard to peg any one to pull ahead of the others going into Pasadena but none of them would be surprising to find in the lineup on Saturday night.

Boston followed Spirit.. first what I loved. Guard uniforms.. HOLY SCHNEIKES you guys.. they are so classy and gorgeous.. very period -- down to the stockings and in some cases undergarments (which you often catch intentional glimpses of when the girls twirl).. Normally, I would object to the brownification of the guard.. but in this case against the bold red/black of the corps, it is just perfect. We got a chuckle out of the one girl who, while she finished the show completely unfettered, had obviously had a period costume malfunction.. it appeared that her garter belt came un-snapped, causing it and her stockings to fall down around her ankles, ultimately covering her feet making them look sort of like.. well.. flippers. And, God love her, she of course finished the show right off the fifty in the front. I realize some of you are thinking "but what about THE SHOW?" -- well.. I like it well enough but it seems kind of.. cluttered is the best word I can find. I understand why you'd use the easels and the frames but there are an awful lot of them and because they are, visually, so many lines to the eye.. it just seems cluttered to me. Less would be more in this case, I think. 5 or 8 of them.. sure.. 30? Umm.. no. I think the music is well chosen and well performed but the hornline seems bottom heavy.

and now for another, "What's YOUR Indy" moment:

The last thing we saw before the "thud" on the ride home ... awwwwww

*obligatory moment of silence*

Interestingly this is where the show seemed to kick into high gear for me.. I remember thinking.. "Oh.. regiment already? Geez this show is going by fast!" For some reason, they did the same thing to Regiment that they'd done to Pioneer earlier.. those kids stood in their opening set for a really really REALLY long time.. unfortunately, they were flapping the whole time. Yes, I said flapping. I imagine if you're just doing it for a short time, it's okay.. but for as long as they had to do it, it started to become a little ridiculous.. and there is a lot of flapping throughout the show now.. it was a little distracting for me.. but I've said it before, I like the show. I am really entertained by it and it's enjoyable. I had seen it again the night before and caught the wedge with kick.. which the crowds loved both nights. I didn't notice the feather headpieces in Naperville. Um. Maybe if they were to be wearing them the whole show, I wouldn't have found them so goofy.. but I thought they were goofy. The black ones were better.. but those colored ones.. not so much. They looked like antennae. Aside from that, like I said, I like the show a lot. I think they need to add a couple of elements to the show in order for them to really have a legitimate chance up against BD and Cavaliers -- though I couldn't begin to tell you what they would be. There's just something that isn't quite there.. To me the show feels more on par with the kind of show Boston has designed than with the kind of show Blue Devils and Cavaliers have designed. I do like the final guard costume, though.

Blue Devils were up next and there was a lot of talk about the incredible opener.. but maybe my expectations were too high. This was my first view of their show and I wasn't crazy about it. To me, I saw a lot of things they've used before -- visual elements on recycle.. wings, ostrich feathers.. The music was good but to me sort of non-descript. It did sound like BD.. louder and higher.. and I love the bravado with which they perform.. nobody else really has that anymore so from them.. while I expect it, it's refreshing. The extended drum solo is great, too.. though a little gimmicky *BUT WHO CARES*.. I was trying not to notice it too much.. but after an earlier season conversation with a very good friend I realize that when you see something you don't like happening over and over, it becomes more of a distraction the longer it goes on. Here it is.. prepare yourselves. Blue Devils Stand Still Too Much. I know about 50 people are going to come in here and disagree with me but I noticed it early in the show.. they were in a formation.. and just blowing our faces off.. and I expected a halt for a few counts.. but then they stayed. And Stayed.. AND STAYED.. from that point, I noticed that happens a lot throughout the show. When they move, they're clean.. but they aren't moving as much as I expected they were going to based on what I've read here. I do think it'll be an interesting end of the season.

Cavaliers came on last and I know you all know I love this show so I won't bore you with how incredible I thought the guard was and how much I think they've improved. I will make the haters happy by telling you about the gigantic ensemble tear they had in the second tune (yes even the Cavaliers have tears.. and in late season, too!).. but it happened.. and they recovered quickly and beautifully and within a few bars, they seemed entirely unphased by it.. the performance ended with high intensity and energy.. the guard was on fire.. We talked to all our kids after the show. The basses were excited to see us and even MORE excited when we told them in addition to the promised cookie refill, they had a cooler full of other treats waiting for them as well.. Their little faces just lit right up.. Some of the goodies had to be given to Mary, the head cook, for safe keeping until Jeff tells them they can have it.. but Spotted Cow keeps well and it'll only be a couple of weeks.. :) We also saw Nathan, our tuba kid, and found out he had heard Z yell "GO THAT GUY" before the show and he'd heard us call his name while they were marching off after encore, too.. he laughed at the faces we said he made. We said goodbye to them in the parking lot outside the capital and wished them well on the rest of tour. They had to head up to Chicago for the Rosemont picnic and a well deserved free afternoon. We'll see how things go.

That's it. Z will undoubtedly be adding comments and pictures soon. Thanks for reading!

Maybe if you planned ahead, you would have fared better. Indy is consistently rated a top-notch convention city for its ability to provide hotels, restaurants, shopping, and a major venue such as the dome, all in short walking distance of each other. And most people find that the Hoosier hospitality thing is quite real - unusually friendly residents. What other cities could have handled the Brickyard, a baseball game, and a DCI regional at the same time? Not many I would guess. Parking is a bit of a mess due to construction of the stadium right now, but that should be resolved with the opening of Lucas Oil Stadium.

I look forward to the next decade of finals in Indy. Lots of housing for corps. Very accessible stadium and city with very friendly people.