NeutralNovice Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 (edited) Hey all, here is my review from the Stanford show! First off, let me say that this has to be one of the BEST times I’ve had in drum corps since I’ve started following. Stanford Stadium is an amazing stadium in a beautiful area on an awesome day! The acoustics, the comfort, the crowd were GREAT (though with a couple of gripes). I mean, it was just a GREAT day overall and my best experience with DCI to date. This review is going to be LONG with pictures and include ALL of the competing corps. It’s going to have a weird format but I think it should flow well. Oh, and the pictures… I started a thread on the D-1 forum asking for suggestions and such… being the beginner that I am with photography, I didn’t really do too well. I stuck to using my fish eye lens so I could capture more of the field. I apologize if the pictures are terrible, but I just decided to take few pictures so I could enjoy more of the shows. In addition, I will be adding some of my friends comments. This was her VERY first DCI show EVER and was pretty much experiencing this type of performance for the first time. She does not have any previous experience in music at all and she could care less for sports and competition so I would have to say that she was unbiased when stating her opinion. I did as much as I could to not feed her any information regarding any corps. Also, I am not experienced by any means as well, so my opinions will not be too technical. Some fans: As you already know, the majority of the crowd were BD & SCV fans/alumni. There were some fans who were, of course, Pro BD; thus, Anti SCV. There was this one guy that said, “I hope SCV falls flat on their faces.” (He was once part of BD.) I thought that was incredibly rude and dumb to say. Have some respect buddy! I know there must be some cross-bay rivalry going on but c’mon. Would you wish death on anyone? And remember Karma… (BD 2nd) Also, to some fans, if a show is currently going on, wait to get your seat or leave your seat AFTER IT IS FINISHED! Please ignore any and all grammatical errors and what not. It's late, I'm tired, and this is not school. Thanks and enjoy! Mandarins – Sacramento, CA – Dragon Dance – 77.100 +: I really really enjoyed watching this show! The music is intense from beginning to end. I have seen this show in the early season and let me tell you that they have made wondrous improvements since then. The props they used seemed to be more stable this time and they added bigger and thicker sticks!!! (I actually made that suggestion in my review of their show from the early season, though it’s probably just a conikedink). Many may disagree with my next comment, but they were LOUD and had several big pushes/points throughout their show. They’ve always had odd colors; however, I didn’t mind them. They were very unique. They also had a lot of great visual surprises (not drill) that made me enjoy the show even more! -: Yes they were loud; however, I did hear a few issues, but only a few. I am not too ear trained to music so I can’t give an expert or even advanced opinion. They had a few drops in their color guard; however, again, they have improved a lot since I’ve seen them. Friends Comments: She really liked the show! She thought it was fun and intense. She asked me if they were all Asian because of the Asian theme they had to the show. I just rolled my eyes and ignored her comment. Crowd Response: Standing Ovation Enjoyment: 8/10 Cleanliness: 5/10 Memorable: Kind of. Placement Agreement: No, higher Troopers – Casper, WY – Awakening – 79.850 +: Their show was good! I thought their uniforms were pretty classic. They had some great musical impacts and they sounded very western. -: They weren’t too loud and the show was not very memorable. I really wish I could give a longer review but I don’t have too great a memory retention. The most that I do remember is that I enjoyed it. Friends Comments: “Man, they look like they were in the Civil War… OH MY GOD, they are part of the Confederate Army [referring to the opening formation – see picture]!” “It was an okay show, but I liked Mandarins more.” “I like them! They have a lot of spunk!” “That Confederate drummer boy is really cute… from up here! [i roll my eyes]” Crowd Response: Partial Standing Ovation Enjoyment: 6/10 Cleanliness: 5/10 Memorable: No Placement: No, 9th Cascades – Seattle, WA – Three – 79.875 +: I don’t remember many +’s. I liked their guard. -: I don’t remember any negatives either. Friends Comments: “I like their flags with the Roman Numeral III on it.” Crowd Response: Relatively subdued. Enjoyment: 4/10 Cleanliness: 6/10 Memorable: No Placement: No, 10th Crossmen – San Antonio, TX – Metamorphoses – 81.900 +: I really think I am a new fan of this corps! They have a GREAT theme and they seemed to cover it really well! They had some pieces that I really liked. I really like their opening uniforms with capes, it definitely had a dark and creepy feeling to it, especially when they spread them. I think I remember them having a great company front. -: I don’t remember many negatives really. I can’t say much from a technical standpoint. The same negative would be for all, which is clean clean clean! Friend’s Comments: “Haha, is this the Harry Potter Corps?” “Ooh, those capes give me chills.” “Did they just rip off her clothes? Wow. [Then laughs].” Crowd Response: Partial Standing Ovation – Including me. Enjoyment: 7/10 Cleanliness: 7/10 Memorable: Yes. Placement: No, 6th Glassmen – Toledo, OH –Gitano – 84.425 +: This was a great show! Their triforce shields on their uniform were sporadically reflective… it gave the corps that sparkle that they deserved and I liked. I do remember enjoying most of their show. I really liked their uniforms… very rustic. -: The theme was one of those more indirect themes. All I knew about this show was the name, “Gitano.” I guess I didn’t really know what to look for. Friend’s Comments: “I like how they sparkle in the night!” “Oh my God, ZELDA!” “I LOVE their guard uniforms!” Crowd Response: Partial Standing Ovation Enjoyment: 6/10 Cleanliness: 7/10 Memorable: No Placement: No, 7th Blue Knights – Denver, CO – Dark Dances – 88.625 +: Can someone say dark? They were the beginning of the top performers of the night in both the judges and my opinion. They had quite a bit of action going on in the field and I thought their show was good. I liked some of the pretty deep sounds I heard. Contender for Top 7? I would say no, but still nothing to be ashamed about. -: The music unfortunately was not too memorable for me. I liked some of the drill moves they had but they just didn’t WOW me like the rest of the Top 5. They had a few good drill moves; however, overall they looked a little bit scattered and cluttered. If they want to break Top 7, they have quite the large and steep hill to climb. Friend’s Comments: “Is he dancing? [Referring to one of the hornline]” “I don’t get it!” “They seem to be all over the place.” “I liked the Mandarins more than them!” Crowd Response: Partial Standing Ovation Enjoyment: 5/10 Cleanliness: 7/10 Memorable: No Placement: Yes Edited August 5, 2007 by NeutralNovice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeutralNovice Posted August 5, 2007 Author Share Posted August 5, 2007 (edited) Santa Clara Vanguard – Santa Clara, CA – ! – 90.675 (-1.00 Penalty) +: Ohhh man. What else is there to say about this corps? They enter the field with class and a sense of honor. They are hardcore. I must say that this is most definitely my favorite show of the year. They have improved leaps and bounds from the last time I saw them in person as well as from the last time I saw them on the live webcasts. Their Eureka! theme is VERY subtle and nowadays, it seems like one must have a clear theme to succeed. With such a subtle theme, I must say that they execute it INCREDIBLY well. They’ve got some incredible sounds coming from the hornline, a GREATLY improved battery. Of what I can tell, they seem to have the hardest show of all the corps that performed tonight and they performed it greatly! There is something about this corps that just makes me smile. While the music seemed pretty darn hard, their drill seemed the hardest by far, especially when compared to the other corps. It’s so unique and complex. And boy, can they move or what?? Their guard was excellent as well. It seems like they changed their poles from white to chrome, though I could be wrong. They have some excellent and demanding choreography . -: Okay, although I love their guard, I am torn with the uniform. I like it because it’s unique; however, I just can’t stop thinking of Nordstrom Christmas Gift Wrapping paper whenever I see it (Wrapping from 2005 at least). With both complex drill and tough music, it is no doubt hard to perfect it. They had some music issues; however, I believe they can iron that out by finals. Their drill, as it is incredibly complex, was very clean but still dirty when compared to other corps. I am hoping that they can clean it all up and just be perfect, then WIN IT ALL! Other Comments: They definitely added a whole lot to their show! Their ballad, which I felt before was a little anemic, is now amazingly intense and beautiful. They have several impact moments and I must say that they definitely have the LOUDEST HIT of the night in their 1st movement. Their cymbal line is a joy to watch. Their flags are just vibrant with color. Their ending changed since the last time I saw them and again, it ends with so much style and class. Their show was first after intermission so it was confusing, to me at least, to know exactly when they should start. They received a penalty, and I have a feeling that it was for going overtime. When Brandt Crocker (I think it was him) asked the drum majors if their corps was ready, the DMs were nowhere near the DM stand(?). It seems like they started late and ended late, which then got them the penalty. I am sure that this issue will be resolved come finals so if that penalty were to be rescinded, they have been making a steady improvement in scores, of which I am definitely happy. Friend’s Comments: “Ooh, I like their colorguard!” “This music is great, it’s very fun!” “Holy Crap! [Responding to their first hit]” “Eureka!” “That is awesome. They are making me dizzy.” “Vanguard!” “Oh, that’s so cool, I have to take a picture of that!” Crowd Response: Full, Roaring Standing Ovation, my first WOOT of the night. Enjoyment: 10/10 Cleanliness: 8/10 Memorable: Yes Placement: No, T-1st Bluecoats – Canton, OH – Criminal – 92.075 +: What an incredibly entertaining show! They have some incredible impacts and an awesome sound coming from the hornline. Their drumline was rocking it out tonight and their guard was simply amazing. A hardcore show requires a hardcore attitude and they most definitely have it! Mostly everything fit together and created a great piece of work at the end. The lasers, the guards… I just can’t explain how much I enjoyed this show! The silent drill… AWESOME. -: There isn’t really anything negative to say about this show… I mean, they have it all down! If they want to win, they will have to clean it up quite a bit. Other comments: This show, I felt, was tops, tied along with SCV. While SCV had a very subtle theme, Bluecoats had a very direct theme. These two corps did it the BEST and they deserve to be on top… at least in my book. I really hope to see them at the top come finals. Narration: They completed their narration in a very pleasing and effective way. They didn’t sound muffled. The sound that was coming out fit the theme very well… it really sounded like it was coming from what is it, a megaphone? Friend’s Comments: “That’s hot.” “Hmmm.. I wonder what they are doing behind those black walls!” “COOOL!” Crowd Response: Full Standing Ovation, 2nd WOOT of the night. Enjoyment: 10/10 Cleanliness: 8/10 Memorable: Yes Placement: No, T-1st Blue Devils – Concord, CA – Winged Victory – 94.825 +: Now this show is just amazing. When I first started watching them, it was only their first half that was incredibly intense. Now, the whole show is super intense. The ballad sounds a lot better and is more enjoyable than it used to be. Their color guard is just… WOW. They seem to have the hardest choreography/drill to follow of all the corps I’ve seen this year IMO. Their closer changed again. They are CLEAN. They have great feet and are very accurate! I am seeing a lot more movement than year’s past in this show and the drill is MUCH better! -: I couldn’t help but feel that they were slightly off tonight. The part where they are in a partial company front, then the center spirals into a circle then both sides spiral out making a shape that I don’t know what to call… that looked a little dirty for some reason. Also, their new ending… I couldn’t help but feel like there was something wrong that happened because at some point I became slightly confused. Other comments: Although this is very much a winning design, I just couldn’t help but put them below both Bluecoats and SCV in my book. Those two shows grabbed me in a way that BD (and Cadets) did not. Friend’s Comments: “Cool wings, that’s scary!” “They are so loud!” Crowd Response: Full, Roaring Standing Ovation, 3rd WOOT of the night. Enjoyment: 9/10 Cleanliness: 9/10 Memorable: Yes Placement: No, 3rd The Cadets – Allentown, PA – This I Believe – 95.125 +: This is just a great show! They move incredibly fast and have some pretty cool drill knocks. Their hornline is pretty much on fire! Blue Shades (I think that’s what it’s called) was played extremely well and it is one of my favorites (Though my heart belongs to SCV for this piece). This is an incredibly talented corps. -: Their version of Narration (see Bluecoats and how they executed it). Narration: They certainly used it in a most INEFFECTIVE way. Too much, too loud and too quiet. Their narration blurs out the music itself which is not good. Bluecoats’ narration pretty much only occurred when there was no music played and it was minimal. They also sounded muffled. Their talking really distracted me from the music itself and I believe that narration should be supplementary and not primary. Here is a suggestion that I believe they can complete before finals without changing too much around: Have the pit talk through a mic that is not glued to their face. Remove all the narration that occurs concurrently with music. There was actually a point where one of the comments was something like, “Okay, we’ll stop talking.” A lot of people clapped right after that. I do not know if it was applause for the comment or something else. Friend’s Comments (All of the comments by my friend on this review is true): “Who’s talking?” She was distracted from the show itself as she was trying to look for the person speaking. “Awesome music, now this is what I like!” “Why are they talking so much?” “Athletes of God? [she then starts laughing]” I had to quiet her, out of respect for others around us and the corps. Also, remember, I did not give her any background on any show. “Do they really need to talk to complete a theme?” Crowd Response: ¾ Standing Ovation Enjoyment: 8/10 Cleanliness: 9/10 Memorable: Yes Placement: No, 4th Opinion Placements: T 1st: Santa Clara Vanguard (Best & Hardest Drill, Indirect Theme, Best Music) T 1st: Bluecoats (Best Brass, Direct Theme) 3rd: Blue Devils (Best Color Guard) 4th: Cadets (Hardest Music) 5th: Blue Knights 6th: Crossmen 7th: Glassmen 8th: Mandarins 9th: Troopers 10th: Cascades Edited August 5, 2007 by NeutralNovice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sddolfan Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 Thanks for the review and pictures. It was a fun read! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loph Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 Great job with the photos and the review! Thanks for posting it so quickly. loph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwillis35 Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 Thanks for the great review, especially of the Bluecoats. I am glad the people in Cali got into the show. I don't think we were as clean as we can be (judging from the webcast) but you are right about the show...it delivers. And your comments on narration are right on. I think everyone needs to look at what the Bluecoats did this year when considering narration in the future. By the way, most of what the 'Coats say comes through a "bull horn," not a front pit mic, although they do a little with that. For whatever reason, the bullhorn sounds the clearest no matter where you are in the stadium. JW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guizeppe Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 Excellent review. Wish I could have been there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeeWee Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 YOU write great reviews! And I share your bias I'll see Phantom, Crown, and Madison tonight in San Diego! ^OO^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantombass Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 (edited) Thanks for the review... I'm waiting to see anything till semi-finals in my local theater :( but was wondering if anyone knew why SCV got the one point penalty?? Thnks guys- Edited August 5, 2007 by Phantombass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurakemb Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 Thanks for the review! It's funny how people's opinions of how things should have turned out can be so completely different from the way the judges go..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurakemb Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 Thanks for the review... I'm waiting to see anything till semi-finals in my local theater :( but was wondering if anyone knew why SCV got the one point penalty?? Thnks guys- Timing penalty, they were late to the field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.