A rock and a hard place

[Marauder124]

I thought the blue devils show was pretty well put together, I really like the Cadets program too, well maybe with a little less narration. Then again I tend to like the more entertaining shows, I thought the Crossmen, Scouts, Crown and Bluecoats overall had the most entertaining shows this year!

[ScribeToo]

Neither do I. :(

BUT

Since they are less than .6 out of first place, I will not give up hope (especially for a 2nd place finish). :)

agreed.. and I haven't given up either.. the spread is so small.. a few tenths could be the difference.. and the fluctuations we've seen in scores this week can support that possibility.

Stef

[cantgetenoughcorps]

I think the OP has some valid points. I have heard alot of people talking negative about the BD show. And tons of people are so frustrated with Cadets narration that regardless of how well the show is performed/executed, they do not want to see them win. Cavies on the other hand have a very good show as well, but just not up to the standards of their last 7 shows.

I would predict Cadets are going to pull out an upset tonight, and I have the feeling many people are going to be very upset about it. To me, other than the narration, Cadets probably do have the most entertaining show. Some classic Cadets drill stylings put with some great music(I would've enjoyed a little more music, a little less chatter) and I think you may have the winning show.

[cmathis]

I personally don't like narration, but I don't boo the corps like MANY other people do. The kids that are marching with the Cadets had no idea how much narration they would be using when they joined the corps. It is not the kids' fault. It's the staff's fault. Boo the staff, not the kids. All booing in public does is lower the kids' motivation, and if you were marching with them, you wouldn't want anyone to boo...

[Marauder124]

I like the concept of the cadets show, and obviously the narration adds to the general effect....its kind of overpowering at points, but I like the drill and music, especially blue shades. It will be interesting to see who pulls it out in the end! I'll be happy with whoever!

[mcjordansc]

When I saw the Blue Devils Thursday night, I though the show screamed championship. Nothing boring or easy about it. I guess everyone has their own taste.

[Tekneek]

This is a season where it seems I won't like the winner. It has probably happened before, although I don't recall a particular year off the top of my head. I don't really enjoy BD, Cadets, or Cavies right now.

If The Cadets came out without their microphones tonight, I might love that show forever, but they seem to think amplified vocals are crucial to a drum corps show these days. So I have a problem with the design of that show. I don't know how anybody can ignore talking throughout the show like that. It is impossible for me to not hear them talking.

I really like Phantom and SCV this season, but they are so very unlikely to be able to get to the top.

Crown appears to have ruined the end of their show. I gave the talking a chance and I'd rather hear the instruments instead. I got the feeling they just dumbed down the entire presentation. Perhaps they thought nobody understood it was a race and felt they had to talk through it to tell the right "story" at the end. Funny as it may be for some, I found it to be unnecessary.

Bluecoats are good, and the amped vocals at least sound a little better going through that other device as opposed to the unaltered voice, but the narration is just way too cheeseball for me at moments.

I went 7 deep and I only truly enjoy two of the shows. They will roughly be in the middle of that pack, it seems. I'm happy Spirit made it, as an alum, and hope Phantom and SCV can find some way to move up tonight...

Edited August 11, 2007 by Tekneek

[Wadep66]

Well I hope to be a reasonable voice in this thread -- unlike the two I've read so far who would prefer to be rude, call you and your supposed favorite corps names, adding nothing to the conversation. Let's see if we can make a conversation out of this despite a rocky start.

I watched the webcast last night.. and I realize that I'm not getting the whole picture from that webcast, multi-cam view of the shows but I must say I see where you're coming from.

I saw BD live in Indianapolis and noticed the same thing you did.. I expected them to come in and hold a form while they blew my face off throughout their show (as I like to have my face blown off, I was looking forward to it).. but then they stayed in those non-moving spots for a really long time. The more it happened, the more puzzled I became. I was trying to understand why the scores were so high. The show was pretty good for the first half.. but then it felt like it died out in the second half. Lots of recycled visual elements (note that I recognize EVERYBODY does it.. I just didn't get anything NEW mixed in like we seem to get from other corps who do it).. For me, TOO much standing still playing.. but I can see how they wouldn't be tired when they DO have to move so that when they do move, it is much cleaner -- which could explain the high numbers.

I had not seen Cadets before last night and I was braced for the worst.. but you know (and I may very well be in the minority on this), I like that show. I GET IT. I really do get it. I think the narration works.. I even think the show would be less good without it (and I am NO FAN of narration). But the first viewing of this show.. late in the season as the finished product.. I got it. The voices of many in the first half are talking about the things they believe and bring with them into the whole.. and how those beliefs all kind of work together to create this amazing whole thing.. but then the second half (people like to call that the emo kid -- which I disagree with.. but that's another issue entirely) is about how the WHOLE and all the beliefs that made it so great impacted an individual which explains why he's the only one talking through the whole second half.. I mean... I even get giddy when I talk about it. I really get it.. and even if that's not the intent.. that's what I get from it and that's part of what makes it so cool. I think my concern before seeing the show was that the narration was telling me what to think about stuff.. or what to see.. or how to interpret.. but when I finally saw and heard it, that wasn't the case at all. So.. couple that with the incredible music they're playing (I'm not completely sold on the drill.. though I know what they're doing is extremely difficult in parts.. I think the Cavaliers have them here).. I think I was watching this year's champion last night.

Now.. to your point, I would find a Devils championship this year very disappointing. Not that I dislike them.. I don't. I grew up on a steady diet of BD and SCV.. but the show they have this year doesn't grab me from top to bottom technically like I expect a championship show to do. I think back over the last 20-something years of finals' I've watched either live or on PBS or elsewhere.. and back to the champions of those seasons.. and with out exception, whether I liked the show or not, the champion that year grabbed me. The technical superiority of the champion each of those years is undeniable from top to bottom of the show they won with.

I'm not getting that from Blue Devils this year.. and I tend to agree that I think Cavaliers should be ahead of them.. and I'll grant you, the Cavaliers are my favorite corps. I won't deny that.. but even without that, I think the demand and execution, element to element in their show surpasses the demand and execution in BD's show.

That's my opinion and I'm sticking with it.

Stef

I love you.

Thank you for being able to sort through the emotions and write an intelligent analysis. I'm so tired of immature folks on here who attack others instead of disagreeing with their ideas. More posts like this would make this board a better place.

[chaddyt]

I will agree that BD left me flat emotionally. (Granted, it was the via webcast.) I thought their percussion and guard were on fire however, and that seems to be what's been keeping them on top. I will also agree that just because it looks easy, doesn't mean it is. There is a lot of park & blow coming from Concord though, and that bothers me when I look at their scores.

The Cavies left me emotionless as well. It's the same formula, the same show, they've used for years now, just set to more recognizable music. It never ceases to amaze me how many drum break/drill features they can put in a show. (But hey... at least they ARE moving.) And I was once again deprived of hearing more of that great Cavies brass sound because they just don't play as much as the other corps.

The Cadets. I like the changes in the narration. It's toned down a bit, although "emo-kid" seems to have turned into a motivational speaker on crack. He needs to learn that emotion does not mean talk louder and blow out the mic. Otherwise, I thought they had the most entertaining and demanding show out there last night.

[Marauder124]

I really really really thought Santa Clara would score a little higher, I like the concept and the last drill set was pretty sweet! I couldn't really get into The Cavaliers or PR show this year. I haven't seen one of my favorites even in the top 6 since 2005, just makes me look forward to what they are going to pull out next year. And its great to see how much Crown and Blue Coats have grown over the years!