A few thoughts after watching the corps...

[The Tsar]

Here are three more corps reviews (all based off of DCI's videos):

Crossmen

They were knocking on the door of the top five not long ago, and now they are forced to sit at the kid's table during dinner? What has happened to the Crossmen? I honestly want to know, because I don't know what took them from perennial top 8 corps to non-finalist.

That said, I sat down to watch the show, and thought I had the wrong corps at first. The Planets? I know that in 1995 they turned heads, going with School for Scandal. This is the same sort of head-scratcher for me.

The arrangements are interesting, but purely as an exercise in listening to something familiar and trying to decipher it. I mean, this is basically "Fantasia on Holst's Planets." While skillfully done (kudos to the arranger), it isn't my cup of tea. Drill is ok, nothing too terribly bad, but also nothing really eye-catching.

Well, isn't that interesting....a jazzy little beat to The Planets? Can it be so? Yes, apparently it is. Not sure how I feel about that. The middle tune is either something unfamiliar to me, or an arrangement of a "planet" that is so over-arranged that I don't recognise it at all.

The horn line can really wail...it almost feels like they are wanting to let go even more, which a jazzy show would be good for. The Planets isn't the right vehicle for them at this point. Guard seems pretty solid, though not terribly well-integrated. Ouch, sopranos are having a rough time in the closer.

I just don't see this show landing them back in the top 12. Sorry, guys. :-(

The Academy

This might be the first viewing of this corps for me...I don't recall having seen them before. The camera angle on the webcast seems to be at the very top of the stadium. The opener drill is very slow to develop, and too "scattery." There is also a lot of standing still. Hornline sounds pretty good, but there are a few spotty moments. I was let down by the ending of the opener...it didn't really seem to go anywhere.

Ouch! They are having some issues, hearing a lot of feet through the horns. These guys sound like they need a LOT more basics work. But I can now see why the drill writer chose to design a tad on the easier side.

I feel like I am watching a show that would have done very well in the early 1990s, late 1980s. There are some very slow-developing forms. The music is very sloppy right now. I am sorry to say that I am disappointed by this viewing. I don't see this show coming anywhere near the top 12. The low brass struggles with articulation, and the high brass struggles with intonation.

Edit: I wanted to put something nice in here as well, since the review comes across too negative: I do like the "A" drill at the beginning, as well as a nifty little move where they pick and and deposit members in twin lines near the fifty. I also appreciate the fact that their horn book is fully fleshed and not just three notes, a staccato drum hit, and then pit work.

Pacific Crest

Interesting drill design. Very good guard integration, and good staging of percussion. A little too much percussion at times, but it is obviously a strength, so might as well show it off. I like the show, but....four minutes in, and I'd say the horn line has played about 1 minute combined so far. This is a trend I don't like seeing, but it is happening more and more.

Ouch...some high brass issues that are probably a result of bad staging and too-fast a movement for the moment. This show won't contend for top 12, in my opinion, but is not a bad show at all. PC is a corps that is on the right track.

Edited July 10, 2008 by The Tsar

[chadwick]

Keep the reviews coming! BK, Mandarins and Pioneer....I think that is all you haven't covered.

BTW, did you say you were moving to Athens, GA working at the Univ of Georgia?

Edited July 10, 2008 by chadwick

[The Tsar]

Removed.

I'm going to wait until I have my second viewings of Pioneer, BK, and Mandarins before I come out with my "Master Prediction List."

Edited July 10, 2008 by The Tsar

[The Tsar]

Keep the reviews coming! BK, Mandarins and Pioneer....I think that is all you haven't covered.

BTW, did you say you were moving to Athens, GA working at the Univ of Georgia?

I will get to BK, Mandarins, and Pioneer later today.

And yeah, i am one of the two new guys there. Although funnily enough, over the past two years, all four guys in the UGA band department are brand new. It is an exciting time, and a great opportunity with some great colleagues and a great school. I'm stoked.

[fecontra]

I'd like to revise my standings slightly (or rather, my predictions).

1-3. Blue Devils, Cavaliers, Regiment (in alpha order).

4-6. Cadets, Crown, SCV (in alpha order).

7. Bluecoats

8-10. Blue Knights, Boston Crusaders, Colts

11. Glassmen

12. Blue Stars or Spirit

------------------------------

13. Blue Stars or Spirit

14-16. Crossmen, Madison Scouts, Troopers

17-19. Academy, Mandarins, Pacific Crest (if they are attending, I am not even sure of whether they are)

20. Pioneer

Edited to include Crossmen.

I love your analytical review style, I have no such competance to do so!

Was going to point out that you had Crossmen fall off " The Planet" ( i see you noticed )

Thanks for the great work.

[chadwick]

I agree with your predictions for the most part, but I see Blue Stars potentially challenging Glassmen, Colts and Blue Knights. I also think that Madison may have enough to challenge Spirit, albeit not for a spot in Finals but for 13th place.

You'll enjoy Athens, its a fun town...I'm a UGA Alum, can you tell? I have several friends that marched in the Redcoats and were music majors there.

[kevingamin]

The middle tune is either something unfamiliar to me, or an arrangement of a "planet" that is so over-arranged that I don't recognise it at all.

That would be "What a Wonderful World", which I actually took to be "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" when I first heard it.

[The Tsar]

Ok, i decided to go ahead and finish my viewing:

Mandarins

Starting a show outside of the "power zone" is always a risk. I appreciate that fact, and think Mandarins are doing a nice job with the start of their show. However, the first "hit" of their show needs a LOT more oomph. Color guard is kinda very sloppy right now...sure they will that soon.

They seem awfully small now, after having viewed all the 150-member behemoths earlier. Ugh, there are some more "pods." I hate these things. Is that Cajun Folksongs I hear? Ah, indeed it is....trumpet soloist needs to get his/her intonation up...flat is never fun on a corps field. Not to mention that the ear picks up more easily on flat than sharp sounds. It's not that I am not a fan of Ticheli's music, but...this part of the show sort of goes nowhere. Percussion has some tasty licks, now they just need to clean it up.

Well, that's new! A fugue on Cajun Folksongs....interesting, and cute!

Oh egad, more pods! I feel like I should know their third tune...it is on the tip of my tongue. They are missing some opportunities for better drill showcasing here. Overall, a pretty nice little show, but not a finalist threat by any means.

Pioneer

Pioneer looks larger than they have in recent years. Could be because of the props "cutting off" part of the field...smart move. Opening hit was very weak, and needs work. Here I was thinking that we wouldn't hear something Irish or English or Scottish....and then here comes the Holst.

Ok Roman, we get it...they're harkening back to their roots. But can you please maybe expand beyond that one of these years? There is no reason why these kids have to come in last place every darned year. Frankly, I don't understand why they don't go back to Division II (or Open or whatever the heck it is called this year).

Compared to every other corps I've heard, the sound is tiny. They need some serious breathing work. Surprisingly, the visual design is not terrible...there are some really nice moments.

Oh, and you know your hornline is playing softly if I can hear Ricky typing on his laptop over your ballad. Time to take it up a notch, horns. I am sorry, but I don't see this show in anything but last place again. These kids deserve better.

Blue Knights

Amazing Grace, as arranged by someone on a valium overdose? This is an interesting and chancy opening to the show. Some brass issues...ouch, trumpets. The show is taking a while to develop...trumpets are all over the place pitch-wise. Is that Turbine I hear? Man, John is getting all of his pieces played this year! And to imagine just three or four years ago he had never heard of corps and was asking my advice on what to charge the Blue Devils for licensing Redline Tango. He's got a good attitude about corps playing his music, that's for sure...he loves the exposure.

Ok, the brass fracks are getting very distracting. There is some serious lack of discipline in the hornline right now. Did they get a late start?

The middle section of the show meanders a bit...I can see where people would start to lose interest here. Very cool drill move straddling the 50 (reminiscent of the one the Cavaliers do). Not sure I like how it ended musically, however.

Well, it is a tough show to love, I think. There are things that can be appreciated, but there don't seem to be any "go for the jugular" moments. I am sure they will add some, but right now, the show is a step back from recent productions, in my opinion. The brass needs some serious polish, particularly the higher voices.

After having viewed all the videos, here are my standings. Please spare me the "you only saw them on video!" routines. I know this. So please take it into account when you read my standings.

Current Standings

1. Blue Devils

2. Phantom Regiment

3. Santa Clara Vanguard

4. Cavaliers

5. Carolina Crown

6. Cadets

7. Bluecoats

8. Blue Knights

9. Colts

10. Boston Crusaders

11. Glassmen

12. Blue Stars

13. Spirit

14. Madison Scouts

15. Crossmen

16. Troopers

17. Pacific Crest

18. Academy

19. Mandarins

20. Pioneer

Projected Standings

1. BD, Cavies, or PR

2. BD, Cavies, or PR

3. BD, Cavies, or PR

4. Cadets, Crown, or SCV

5. Cadets, Crown, or SCV

6. Cadets, Crown, or SCV

7. Bluecoats

8. Boston, BK

9. Boston, BK

10. Colts, Glassmen

11. Colts, Glassmen

12. Blue Stars or Spirit

13. Blue Stars or Spirit

14. Madison Scouts

15. Crossmen, PC, Troopers

16. Crossmen, PC, Troopers

17. Crossmen, PC, Troopers

18. Academy

19. Mandarins

20. Pioneer

[The Tsar]

I agree with your predictions for the most part, but I see Blue Stars potentially challenging Glassmen, Colts and Blue Knights. I also think that Madison may have enough to challenge Spirit, albeit not for a spot in Finals but for 13th place.

You'll enjoy Athens, its a fun town...I'm a UGA Alum, can you tell? I have several friends that marched in the Redcoats and were music majors there.

I'm going up tomorrow to look at houses. Any recommendations on a good place to have lunch or dinner?

[Kieren]

Blue Devils

Smoking show. Better drill than I am used to seeing from them, and very cleanly executed.

Yes.

Phantom Regiment

The color guard is completely lost with the colour of those unis. As long as the hornline isn't playing, there should be something more impressive there.

Yes.

Besides, if it was too big, then they couldn't "break it" in 2 counts when the gal gets her Mexican bowtie on.

What?

Vanguard

The closer needs a serious re-write.

Yes.

Cavaliers

Once again, Mike Gaines has delivered a great visual product.

Yes.

Cadets

The hornline is fantastic, the drumline is fantastic, the visual book is fantastic. This is one great corps...they just keep obscuring all that greatness, at least for me, with the narration.

Yes.

Carolina Crown

I think Crown is making great moves, and giving us fantastic shows. I hope more corps start using their formula, and I hope Crown starts making more noise in the rankings.

Yes.

Bluecoats

I am setting myself up to be bashed, but...I think the Bluecoats actually took a step backward this year....

No.

Overall notes:

Color Guards are way too big.

Yes.

Writing too fast + Dayquil Sinus meds don't make for a cohesive combination.

Yes.