Bob984 Posted August 17, 2007 Share Posted August 17, 2007 yes, this is very late....better late than never...... general.....good weather....really big crowd.....a note: crowd didn't fill up until later.......I really would like to see more fans there for the whole deal...........all of these corps are good, and yet there were many who only showed up for the top 8........you missed some good stuff.....yes, qf is a long show, but......if the corps drew for random order, something tells me suddenly many would be on time............... Pioneer....they made improvement over the season....they are young, but show potential in all captions......fun "Irish" theme... Troopers...........great to see them back and large.......young but competent in all sections....pleasing show.....needed a bit more soprano sound.........I thought percussion did a strong job today........they have much to build on....I thought a bit underscored..... Mandarins...........solid job....I thought this may be their best hornline......I think they are on the right track, and hopefully growth will occur....also thought their score just a tad low...... Seattle.......some big impacts, and corps was competent.........I found the show to be a bit too dissonant and for me wasn't as effective as it could be musically......drumline clarity was an issue..........still, a good corps with lots of potential for the future... Crossmen...........the return of the capes was great and very effective.....why weren't they worn during the actual show?? Drumline and guard were proficient......brass played ok, but lacked impact, and arrangements were choppy. Decent visual book. Young corps. tips: keep the capes, get some fresh, hot arrangements, and the future will be bright............. Madison.........considering how much of their show was changed over the season, they did very well....the show was effective......the corps was young, and if the members stick with it, and they have stability behind the scenes, I feel they will rebound in a hurry........... Blue Stars.........beginning impact was wonderful.............fine horn sound........great pit percussion.............I thought this was a good show....my biggest qualm with it was the ending........just didn't seem very well written and I don't think it was fully effective........had that been stronger, we may have seen them on Saturday.........still, a very solid corps.......... Academy..........my 1st time ever seeing this corps, and I was impressed.......tough brass book, especially sopranos, handled well, and I thought they presented a variety of musical styles effectively.....percussion was competent, too, and they marched with confidence..............I am not a guard person, but noticed the guard score really hurt....however, I felt they should have had a serious nod over Spirit in music effect and brass....enough to put them in, but the judges saw differently..... Spirit.........competent in all sections.................good opening, closing impacts............middle of show lacked emotion and had some major lulls, which didn't show up in the effect score..........I didn't have them making the night show, and I feel they need stronger arrangements if they are going to stay in finals or challenge to move up in the future........... Glassmen..............gypsy theme works......I like some of the arrangements, but find some parts to be too much of a stretch......strong sound, and they played well, both brass and percussion....guard is solid, too......solid job..... Colts...........a strong return to finals....huge brass impacts along with a well-written book that was effective...percussion was musical, and visual/guard package worked fine.....................I am already curious to see what they will come up with for next year............. Boston.....consistent and solid in all captions...........I found the show enjoyable, yet I think they can deliver more excitement.....example: treatment of "La Fiesta" was a bit obscure...why not just play the Maynard version and go for it?? They have a good sound, and can play well, but I can't help feel that stronger arrangements would carry them further....... Blue Knights......the best they have been in quite some time.....strong, mature brass sound.....arrangements well written, and good visual package/coordination......competent percussion.............there scores are getting "up there", and it will be interesting to see if they can take it up a notch or two, as they have progressed well over the past 3 years........ Bluecoats.............the fact that a corps this good is in 7th shows how strong a year it was...........they carry the criminal theme well.....I wanted to see corps members "shoot down" the bandit at the end (lol), but the show was effective, and they performed very well................I thought score could have been a tad higher......... Crown...........probably my favorite corps of the year.........great arrangements which worked very effectively throughout, played by a great hornline with fine quality....I never thought they were fully rewarded judge-wise musically once this season.....the percussion line has come a long way: book is first rate, and they have room to grow there.....guard was stellar, and coordination was strong.........I thought their score was a bit low............. SCV..............great show.....solid arrangements, big impacts, and the visual package presented the music well.....good percussion section that is young and will thus be strong for a long time.........I thought overall score was just a bit low..... Phantom.........very strong in musical performance...that said, I think Firebird arrangement was not the best, and I also thought visual package, while good, was not their strongest point.....however, they performed very, very well...........with great impact and emotion............. Cavaliers.............I felt they were overscored all week long......stellar visual program and guard........musically, all the impact was in the 1st half, and it was severely lacking in the 2nd half, with many impacts barely reaching forte.......they play with very good control, articulation, and pitch, but lack a wide dynamic range.....percussion not as strong as the other contenders, and some noticeable dirt in qf.....music numbers starting to reflect the above problems, although how they received a 19.5 in MUSIC effect is beyond me, especially in comparison to some of the programs behind them that they outscored in music effect.................IMO dynamic range, especially in the marching music idiom, is an important element, yet one I believe they are lacking in but yet it doesn't show up much in the score............ Cadets..............brief side note: (a) they use hashmarks (B) the rulebook requires the field have hashmarks © there were no hashmarks (d) the director had every right to insist that they be there, as did every other corps.....if it wouldn't have been Hopkins, the fans would not have complained.....(e) remarks YELLED at the corps, especially during finals, were uncalled for and should have had the culprits ejected from the stadium.....NO CORPS DESERVES THAT....NOBODY....... They were obviously affected by the hostile environment, but they still performed well.....yep, if you hate narration and can't get by it, then you were not going to like them at all.....but there was a tremendous musical and visual program out there, which was well-written, effective, and performed...their 1st impacts nearly doubled the volume of Cavaliers, yet they retained quality of sound...........probably the most demanding show....score was right, and unfair penalty was removed.......... Blue Devils....they performed very well today......great lead sopranos, and huge impacts....opener sells well, and I liked the "wings".....percussion executed throughout....I thought they sold the program well...better than earlier this season.....they were the tighest corps on the field in quarters, and got the win.............. General:.....I don't know if it is me, but I would like to see more "percussion innovation"......many lines playing very similar licks....body poses......solo snares and then a pose...snares and tenors intermingled....ending with a couple of big hits and then the pose...either frontways or sideways.....there are many other things you can do.......also, many other instrument combos and percussion styles NOT being explored.........this year's sections were good, but I saw so much "copycat" or rehash, to the point that many look/sound the same.............don't be afraid to try something new/different...or rehash something not done in a long time... all in all, a great drum corps season! GB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradrick Posted August 17, 2007 Share Posted August 17, 2007 Cavaliers.............I felt they were overscored all week long......stellar visual program and guard........musically, all the impact was in the 1st half, and it was severely lacking in the 2nd half, with many impacts barely reaching forte.......they play with very good control, articulation, and pitch, but lack a wide dynamic range.....percussion not as strong as the other contenders, and some noticeable dirt in qf.....music numbers starting to reflect the above problems, although how they received a 19.5 in MUSIC effect is beyond me, especially in comparison to some of the programs behind them that they outscored in music effect.................IMO dynamic range, especially in the marching music idiom, is an important element, yet one I believe they are lacking in but yet it doesn't show up much in the score............ Emphasis mine. There isn't an emoticon of an arrow hitting the middle of a target. So I'll just say "BULLSEYE!" My thoughts exactly. Cadets..............(snip)They were obviously affected by the hostile environment, but they still performed well.....yep, if you hate narration and can't get by it, then you were not going to like them at all.....but there was a tremendous musical and visual program out there, which was well-written, effective, and performed...their 1st impacts nearly doubled the volume of Cavaliers, yet they retained quality of sound...........probably the most demanding show....score was right, and unfair penalty was removed.......... Again... I totally agree. Thanks for your review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeke Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 Thanks for giving a Quarterfinals in the stands pov review..much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medeabrass Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 General:.....I don't know if it is me, but I would like to see more "percussion innovation"......many lines playing very similar licks....body poses......solo snares and then a pose...snares and tenors intermingled....ending with a couple of big hits and then the pose...either frontways or sideways.....there are many other things you can do.......also, many other instrument combos and percussion styles NOT being explored.........this year's sections were good, but I saw so much "copycat" or rehash, to the point that many look/sound the same.............don't be afraid to try something new/different...or rehash something not done in a long time...all in all, a great drum corps season! GB I'm not a percussionist, but I totally agree with you here. When did the whole "snare soloing" become a mandatory element of a drum feature :) ? I think I saw it from atleast 6 different corps. Also, the whole "look what I can do" poses, pointing at the crowd, etc is getting old. Let me decide if you're a bad arse...don't sit there and tell me you're one. IMO it's much more impressive when you lay down some bad arse licks and act like it was no sweat (ie SCV). I'd like to see more musicality from drum lines too. Sometimes I get the feeling there's a push to put in as many notes as possible regardless if it fits in with the hornline or not...sometimes I feel like there's 2 completely different songs and/or styles being played at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supersop Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 (edited) I'm not a percussionist, but I totally agree with you here. When did the whole "snare soloing" become a mandatory element of a drum feature :) ? I think I saw it from atleast 6 different corps. Also, the whole "look what I can do" poses, pointing at the crowd, etc is getting old. Let me decide if you're a bad arse...don't sit there and tell me you're one. IMO it's much more impressive when you lay down some bad arse licks and act like it was no sweat (ie SCV). I'd like to see more musicality from drum lines too. Sometimes I get the feeling there's a push to put in as many notes as possible regardless if it fits in with the hornline or not...sometimes I feel like there's 2 completely different songs and/or styles being played at the same time. Why do we always have to agree about BD's drum book? :P Seriously, I had the same conversation with my All Age buds this past weekend on the bus to Minnesota. So many features end with double stops and a 5 second eyes to the box upright pose ....... just play your lick and move on. It's more impressive when your feature gets applause when you're not begging for it. Where is Suncoast Sound when you need them (ala 1986)? Where is 80-82 Bridgemen when you need them? Two of the most original and uniquely identifiable drumlines in DCI history ... throw in BD's drumlines from 82-90 (thank you Mr. Float). All of their books knew how to play a zillion notes, yet complimented the style and structure of the music being played in the brass book. Edited August 21, 2007 by supersop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sopchick_01 Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 (edited) yes, this is very late....better late than never......general.....good weather....really big crowd.....a note: crowd didn't fill up until later.......I really would like to see more fans there for the whole deal...........all of these corps are good, and yet there were many who only showed up for the top 8........you missed some good stuff.....yes, qf is a long show, but......if the corps drew for random order, something tells me suddenly many would be on time............... Pioneer....they made improvement over the season....they are young, but show potential in all captions......fun "Irish" theme... Troopers...........great to see them back and large.......young but competent in all sections....pleasing show.....needed a bit more soprano sound.........I thought percussion did a strong job today........they have much to build on....I thought a bit underscored..... Mandarins...........solid job....I thought this may be their best hornline......I think they are on the right track, and hopefully growth will occur....also thought their score just a tad low...... Seattle.......some big impacts, and corps was competent.........I found the show to be a bit too dissonant and for me wasn't as effective as it could be musically......drumline clarity was an issue..........still, a good corps with lots of potential for the future... Crossmen...........the return of the capes was great and very effective.....why weren't they worn during the actual show?? Drumline and guard were proficient......brass played ok, but lacked impact, and arrangements were choppy. Decent visual book. Young corps. tips: keep the capes, get some fresh, hot arrangements, and the future will be bright............. Madison.........considering how much of their show was changed over the season, they did very well....the show was effective......the corps was young, and if the members stick with it, and they have stability behind the scenes, I feel they will rebound in a hurry........... Blue Stars.........beginning impact was wonderful.............fine horn sound........great pit percussion.............I thought this was a good show....my biggest qualm with it was the ending........just didn't seem very well written and I don't think it was fully effective........had that been stronger, we may have seen them on Saturday.........still, a very solid corps.......... Academy..........my 1st time ever seeing this corps, and I was impressed.......tough brass book, especially sopranos, handled well, and I thought they presented a variety of musical styles effectively.....percussion was competent, too, and they marched with confidence..............I am not a guard person, but noticed the guard score really hurt....however, I felt they should have had a serious nod over Spirit in music effect and brass....enough to put them in, but the judges saw differently..... Spirit.........competent in all sections.................good opening, closing impacts............middle of show lacked emotion and had some major lulls, which didn't show up in the effect score..........I didn't have them making the night show, and I feel they need stronger arrangements if they are going to stay in finals or challenge to move up in the future........... Glassmen..............gypsy theme works......I like some of the arrangements, but find some parts to be too much of a stretch......strong sound, and they played well, both brass and percussion....guard is solid, too......solid job..... Colts...........a strong return to finals....huge brass impacts along with a well-written book that was effective...percussion was musical, and visual/guard package worked fine.....................I am already curious to see what they will come up with for next year............. Boston.....consistent and solid in all captions...........I found the show enjoyable, yet I think they can deliver more excitement.....example: treatment of "La Fiesta" was a bit obscure...why not just play the Maynard version and go for it?? They have a good sound, and can play well, but I can't help feel that stronger arrangements would carry them further....... Blue Knights......the best they have been in quite some time.....strong, mature brass sound.....arrangements well written, and good visual package/coordination......competent percussion.............there scores are getting "up there", and it will be interesting to see if they can take it up a notch or two, as they have progressed well over the past 3 years........ Bluecoats.............the fact that a corps this good is in 7th shows how strong a year it was...........they carry the criminal theme well.....I wanted to see corps members "shoot down" the bandit at the end (lol), but the show was effective, and they performed very well................I thought score could have been a tad higher......... Crown...........probably my favorite corps of the year.........great arrangements which worked very effectively throughout, played by a great hornline with fine quality....I never thought they were fully rewarded judge-wise musically once this season.....the percussion line has come a long way: book is first rate, and they have room to grow there.....guard was stellar, and coordination was strong.........I thought their score was a bit low............. SCV..............great show.....solid arrangements, big impacts, and the visual package presented the music well.....good percussion section that is young and will thus be strong for a long time.........I thought overall score was just a bit low..... Phantom.........very strong in musical performance...that said, I think Firebird arrangement was not the best, and I also thought visual package, while good, was not their strongest point.....however, they performed very, very well...........with great impact and emotion............. Cavaliers.............I felt they were overscored all week long......stellar visual program and guard........musically, all the impact was in the 1st half, and it was severely lacking in the 2nd half, with many impacts barely reaching forte.......they play with very good control, articulation, and pitch, but lack a wide dynamic range.....percussion not as strong as the other contenders, and some noticeable dirt in qf.....music numbers starting to reflect the above problems, although how they received a 19.5 in MUSIC effect is beyond me, especially in comparison to some of the programs behind them that they outscored in music effect.................IMO dynamic range, especially in the marching music idiom, is an important element, yet one I believe they are lacking in but yet it doesn't show up much in the score............ Cadets..............brief side note: (a) they use hashmarks (B) the rulebook requires the field have hashmarks © there were no hashmarks (d) the director had every right to insist that they be there, as did every other corps.....if it wouldn't have been Hopkins, the fans would not have complained.....(e) remarks YELLED at the corps, especially during finals, were uncalled for and should have had the culprits ejected from the stadium.....NO CORPS DESERVES THAT....NOBODY....... They were obviously affected by the hostile environment, but they still performed well.....yep, if you hate narration and can't get by it, then you were not going to like them at all.....but there was a tremendous musical and visual program out there, which was well-written, effective, and performed...their 1st impacts nearly doubled the volume of Cavaliers, yet they retained quality of sound...........probably the most demanding show....score was right, and unfair penalty was removed.......... Blue Devils....they performed very well today......great lead sopranos, and huge impacts....opener sells well, and I liked the "wings".....percussion executed throughout....I thought they sold the program well...better than earlier this season.....they were the tighest corps on the field in quarters, and got the win.............. General:.....I don't know if it is me, but I would like to see more "percussion innovation"......many lines playing very similar licks....body poses......solo snares and then a pose...snares and tenors intermingled....ending with a couple of big hits and then the pose...either frontways or sideways.....there are many other things you can do.......also, many other instrument combos and percussion styles NOT being explored.........this year's sections were good, but I saw so much "copycat" or rehash, to the point that many look/sound the same.............don't be afraid to try something new/different...or rehash something not done in a long time... all in all, a great drum corps season! GB Where's Pacific Crest and Southwind? Edited August 21, 2007 by sopchick_01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob984 Posted August 22, 2007 Author Share Posted August 22, 2007 Where's Pacific Crest and Southwind? I messed up....but did enter reviews for them under seperate cover......sorry...........GB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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