MikeN Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Craig - Or talking about "The Composition of Color"? (Sorry, man - I kid! Really! ) I can't wait to see Boston this year - from this and other reports so far, they seem to have all the ingredients that my favorite shows share. :) Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93Bluecoat Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Interesting that you thought this was "standard drill" from BAC, given that the entire visual design team is brand new to Boston this year......and I see absolutely nothing in common with the Kevin Ford drill designs of the past. A completely different approach, as a matter of fact.As far as being the "average Joe" drum corps, THANK YOU! It's about time a corps designed a show for the average Joe rather than the music majors doing their doctoral thesis on the deeper meaning of being. I for one will take a viceral, exciting, emotional production any day over an outdoor performing arts ensemble seeking to raise enlightenment. GO BOSTON! Hey don't take anything as negative in my comments...there's a reason why BAC is such a solid corps. It doesn't matter if the staff is new, there seems to be a lot of the same standard drill moves (i.e. two blocks form in the middle of the field and run at each other) that we've seem not only BAC do but others as well. One of the strengths of this program is that it is straight up musical, exciting drum corps. One of the things that irritated me last night was just what you mentioned: you need a libretto for most shows to know what the heck is going on (and heaven forbid if the narration doesn't work). I didn't know anyone's program last night until after the show when I picked up a program. Cavies and Boston communicated their music well. I think its a solid show with a LOT of cleaning to do (particularly in the brass section). DW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craiga Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 No offense taken...in fact I really relish the fact that so many people have reviewed the corps (including several well-known Bluecoats supporters on DCP), and have said they really enjoyed Boston. I personally don't want to watch a drum corps try to educate me......I want their show to bring me through a range of emotions-including excitement-and I want to be able to scream and cheer for them at the end, rather than simply clapping and "appreciating" the statement they are trying to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwillis35 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 (edited) No offense taken...in fact I really relish the fact that so many people have reviewed the corps (including several well-known Bluecoats supporters on DCP), and have said they really enjoyed Boston. I personally don't want to watch a drum corps try to educate me......I want their show to bring me through a range of emotions-including excitement-and I want to be able to scream and cheer for them at the end, rather than simply clapping and "appreciating" the statement they are trying to make. Boston is great this year. I loved their show. It's a very solid approach to music, and the visual is a more recent "vintage" Boston, if you will. The brass will need some work, as will percussion if they wish to push higher in the rankings, but there is no doubt fans will love this show. Having said that, I just wanted to comment on your preference of not wanting to be educated and that kind of corps performance. I totally respect your position on this and you have that right, but just remember that there are many fans that want something different too. I like to consider myself a life-long learner (as I am sure many of you do), and in that I, personally, like to see a mix. I was blown away by Boston, but I also loved the Bluecoats, and then the Cadets gave me something even more progressive and unique, and I loved that as well. Sometimes the traditional approach is cool, but I don't want to see 12 corps at a show all doing the same style or adhering to one standard. To me that gets old. I want a variety, and I do want to be educated, to experience something new (like discovery in an art museum or hearing a jazz great try something new with his improv). I want some corps to keep me on the edge, to expand what this art form can be about. Take me somewhere new and unique, even if I hate it at first. Often times those corps end up taking me the furthest. They give me a new outlook on the activity, a new reason to go to shows, a new form of entertainment and communication, and I have found that some of the most fun things for me, in regard to this activity, are those that don't make me stand and cheer, but ooh and aah and just get caught up in the moment. So the cheering and all is great, but there are more emotions than that, and I love the variety we are getting. To me that is the way it needs to be, and things will progress more, they will not go backwards (God I hope not). You know, tradition is good at times, but it's also a way to stay complacent, to not look for something better, and it causes us, at times, to avoid exploration and newer ways that speak to a new generation. Older preferences for long-ago fascinations have often denied us new fascinations. Edited June 25, 2008 by jwillis35 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan H. Turner Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Just a sad comment from this former VK drum major...it IS sad that Port Huron will be no more. If I am not mistaken, Port Huron holds a special place in the history of VK. It was at Port Huron in 1987 that VK broke a 90 for the first time EVER in its history, and I won high drum major and got a big whole cube...of PURE BRASS. I STILL have it on my desk today. Sad if the show goes bye bye... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianDirector Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Some great reviews and observattons in this thread and the other.....so here is a bit of a different perspective......from the eyes of my 5 year old son... First, a full day of school, a late start on the raod, two detours of construction, a slow bridge to USA, getting lost from a map that had the last part of the directions not printed, after we finally cleared customs (approx. 1/2 hour delay for "random check" and then a shift change of the border guards) grabbing McDonalds Drive thru to take in to the stadium, we made it....good seats....First....Dutch Boy has a special place in my heart.....so I do want to explain to some people who may not understand. Canada in general has no real marching music programs in the schools, in most districts scholl does not end until June 26, so no all days, move ins whatever you wanna call it, same problem as every other corps in getting brass players but with no marching music programs and music programs in general getting cut.....I thought they did well, although a very young corps this year, there is potential there, and they have a quality staff that knows how to get them to bring it out. SO all in all, I would have liked more from them but for the first show of their season, not bad at all. OK so here are the thoughts my son had, troopers were cool with train effects (kinda like Thomas the tank engine). He liked the "cowboy" costumes (the uniform and hats). Pioneer, he said they were ok but he loved when they trouped the stands with Gary Owen....He got up and clapped and really got into it. The red guys (Boston) was loud and they played good and loud. He cheered at the end (I think he was just imitating his father). Bluecoats, he loved this corps...."they box just like on our Wii".....he was totally enthralled in their show. He loved the boxers and all the "fighting" What I and some think was perhaps enough after the first 30 seconds, he could havbe watched all night. Cavaliers "the kung fu panda guys" he thought the swords were "cool" and really liked the tako drums. So for what it is worth, he LOVED it even with all the problems in getting there, he thought it was a lot of fun. So sometimes perhaps when we watch the corps, maybe we could learn a lesson from him and just enjoy the boxers or the kung fu panda guys or the train effects, for us a great night and I am now going to send a copy of this along with a letter of support to anyone in Port Huron that may have influence to keep this show!!!! Please everyone do the same, I enjoyed our daddy and son time and if I can see drum corps and he gets joy from it and we do it together.....what else could I ask for! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunkertim Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 So for what it is worth, he LOVED it even with all the problems in getting there, he thought it was a lot of fun. So sometimes perhaps when we watch the corps, maybe we could learn a lesson from him and just enjoy the boxers or the kung fu panda guys or the train effects, for us a great night and I am now going to send a copy of this along with a letter of support to anyone in Port Huron that may have influence to keep this show!!!! Please everyone do the same, I enjoyed our daddy and son time and if I can see drum corps and he gets joy from it and we do it together.....what else could I ask for! My daughter is in the Crusaders guard. She performs just for this reason. Thank you for watching her, even though I couldn't. I envy your son, he's got a good dad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nero14 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 I'm pretty sure the "electrical problems" everyone is saying the bluecoats are having are intentional... 3 nights in a row... nobody else having problems.... could it be that they are going for some kind of effect with the opening narration? (i really have no idea, just putting the pieces together)... like- might make it sound like an older recording? flash-back maybe? not sure... and there are a small handful of corps that the phrase "standard drill" conjures up images (i think that should be the test, right? if you say "standard drill" and you can think of some frequently repeated drill moves done by a certain corps?): boston would be at the top of my list, followed by cadets-- doesn't make the drill BAD... just means you can see moves in a show and say to yourself "they used that same move, or a slight variaton thereof just a year or two ago!"...i have found myself doing that quite a lot of boston's shows of this decade... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craiga Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 With a new drill designer at BAC this year, you'll see no "standard drill" of the past few years. The past years' standard drill never outscored the Cadets..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluecoats88 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Just a sad comment from this former VK drum major...it IS sad that Port Huron will be no more. If I am not mistaken, Port Huron holds a special place in the history of VK. It was at Port Huron in 1987 that VK broke a 90 for the first time EVER in its history, and I won high drum major and got a big whole cube...of PURE BRASS. I STILL have it on my desk today.Sad if the show goes bye bye... Ryan that was also the show that you guys passed us for good after we had been ahead of you for the previous couple weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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