Aeuphemismist Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 I'm going to start off by saying that I am brass guy. I'll make a few other comments but this review is brass focused. This is my first review so go easy on me I'll go in performance order. Rochester Crusaders: Rochester has a disadvantage due to the size of their hornline. I would guess their hornline to be around 32 horns?? With a very heavy low end (7 tubas). This is not a sloppy hornline. Aside from a few early entrances they play together really well. They have a good sound for small ensemble and they're good listeners. Intonation was in pretty good shape and there were moments of a very nice balance and blend. However, I attribute the size of their hornline to their endurance problems. The sound by the end of the show was very thin and they need to be able to sustain to the end. Phrases were getting cut short and big hits seem to get hit hard and back off fast. I wouldn't count these guys out though. The percussion section is very strong and they have a lot of talented horn players. They will turn it around....and I love Pictures at an Exhibition...hard stuff to pull off as a closer. Corpsvets: This healthy size hornline of what I would say is about 42 horns, and they do pack a punch. However there seemed to be many timing issues rights off the bat, and the traveling music in between the major hits was sloppy. The loud parts were great, but this hornline needs to learn how to play with a full sound at some different dynamic levels. I was impressed with the low brass in shenendoah. I thought they did a very good job, but as it got to the closer the hornline seemed to be mushy and lacking in endurance. Tubas need to articulate way harder and faster in order to obtain some sort of clarity. The rest of the show through Appalachian Spring was just not big enough and really fell flat. Sorry guys. Hurricanes: The dark horse! What a color guard this corps has I mean first of all they're HUGE and man they can spin. The color guard can and will carry this corps. Anyway, hurcs have another healthy sized hornline and they're pretty decent. The first big hit was MASSIVE and think someone might've jumped the gun in the trumpet section but it didn't matter the crowd loved it and so did I. Right afterward though there were some serious timing issues in the trumpet section. This hornline needs to learn how to not let the tempo own them. They drag a lot in the low brass at various parts of the show. They need to own that tempo and really lay it down in order to stay above the caballeros. I felt that this was a good hornline, but certain sections really let me down. Trumpet section needs to learn to play as a section and the baritone section needs to be fuller. I need more meat in this hornline, and this means the middle parts need to be more present (3rd trumpets, mellos, Euphs, 2nd Baritones) The hornline still had some volume but by the end but it was thin and I heard a lot of tuba, 1st baritone, and lead trumpet. I love this show though it's really cool and it has some really cool moods with the backfield stuff in the very beginning and the really dark beginning to Mag 7. Kudos for dealing with the wacky PA system. Good job Hurcs keep it up! Go big green! Reading: They sported the biggest hornline of the night. This corps moves really well and has a really demanding visual package. They get major credit from me just to be able to get the great sound they're getting throughout a very demanding show. But hey I guess that's why they're the 3-time DCA defending champions huh. This is a great hornline they're really fierce and they really come to play. My major gripe with them is in the beginning I didn't really have a good sense that the corps knew where the tempo was. Everything was really hazy and mushy and not as concrete as it should be. That and I was not really thrilled about some of the phrasing in Nessun Dorma. I felt the soloist did a really great job and the rest of the hornline should take after him. I also think there were points in the show that weren't taken advantage of well enough by the hornline. Low brass has the melody of Beethoven's 9th and I really wanted that to big bigger. The show itself didn't really win me over tonight and I wasn't really feeling the reprise at the end. It felt awkward and out of nowhere to me. You guys are great though and you deserve to be winning and to continue to win. Caballeros: I had a lot of issues with this hornline and it was all mainly in the high brass. I think the baritone section is incredible and I won't give them any negative comments. The hornline from the beginning seems to lack foundation, and I dont feel like there is a solid center of pitch. The lead trumpets really need to do a better job at listening. Because right now this hornline has lots and lots of volume, but it doesn't sound as good as it could. You need to use your ears, even on fast runs you cant just ignore certain notes and just play em however the come out. You need to think about where they're going and give them direction. I didn't feel the high brass had a great sense of that. High brass also seemed sloppy on faster articulations and seemed to drag a lot and then ran out of gas by the end. Thank you baritones you guys were great you were right on top of that tempo, you played nice and full, articulations were hard and clear, and you had some really great moments. Bushwackers: They were small....really small...and they had a ton of holes. The color guard (which was huge like 30 or so) was bigger than the hornline, but the color guard also deserves a lot of credit bush has a really solid guard this year. I don't really know what to say about these guys. They looked and sounded small to me. The color guard was great and the trumpet section caught my attention a couple times with some really cool sections, but overall I just wasn't interested. Some stuff at the beginning of the show just seemed so wacky tempo wise that it just didn't make any sense to me. Sorry guys I don't have much else to tell you just keep workin' I guess and fill those holes! I hope this was helpful! Just let me know if you need to know anything else! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Drummer Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Good review...but how about the exhibition corps???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aeuphemismist Posted June 29, 2008 Author Share Posted June 29, 2008 Good review...but how about the exhibition corps???? They were all great haha. I won't criticize any of those guys I admire them for being out there. The marine drum and bugle corps was especially awesome though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJH Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 (edited) Just curious. When was the last time Hurcs beat Cabs? Edited June 29, 2008 by MJH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aeuphemismist Posted June 29, 2008 Author Share Posted June 29, 2008 (edited) '82...Hurcs went crazy last night that's for sure. Edited June 29, 2008 by Aeuphemismist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VOReason Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 (edited) Just curious. When was the last time Hurcs beat Cabs?Somebody hasn't been paying attention...the correct answer is "What is 1982"? As evidently has just been stated in the post just before mine... Edited June 29, 2008 by VOReason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camel lips Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Looks like the corpsvets did well against the longer established corps in the NE.Congrats on a a great start on the season.Can't wait to see your show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classicslv Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 '82...Hurcs went crazy last night that's for sure. Since Bucs had to leave right after the show, I bet Bridgeport went crazy for the BARNUM FESTIVAL when HURCS led off the parade today. When was the last time that has happened. MAG7 was probably blasted all the way down the route LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorpsBuff Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Thank you for the review and the nice comments about the Bari line Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chadkirkdc Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 If I am not mistaken, the Marines led today's parade, and boy was it sticky out there! Anyone got a review of the Marine show? Always good to know how the fans view it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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