JayM Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 I don't feel like writing an entire review, so I will just post some random thoughts here. I was 30 rows up (just a few down from the top) on the side 1 45-yard line. I didn't see Frontier or the Mandarins, and I got stuck in the very front for Pioneer's performance. My background: baritone from 03-05 in a Div 1 corps. Also, I'm not really trying to write a cohesive review; I'm just putting some random thoughts down on paper. That said: Pioneer: This performance was probably the most entertaining I've seen from them ever. Maybe it was just because I knew the music (First Suite and Horkstow Grange), but I definitely was not bored. Because I was so close, I was able to get a good look at the kids marching. They seemed to be having a good time out there, and they seem to like their show. If I'm being critical: individual marching technique is a mess, as is visual ensemble, and it's pretty easy to see why they're scoring where they are. I don't know much about color guard, but it was cool to see that they let the girls let their hair down, given how relatively uncommon that is. The drumline was probably loud than the hornline most of the time, and it looks like they attempted a split roll in their snareline at one point, which was a fairly ugly moment (even BD has had trouble with it in the past). Crossmen: I like the black/white on the uniforms better than the black/red of the past few years. They might need to add a few more accents here and there, though. I was very surprised by the control the hornline displayed. It seemed like the crowd was very happy to see that the Crossmen are doing well. Though I marched with a corps from another state, the idea of having a top world class corps in Texas to call our own is pretty cool. IMO they are a lock for finals, and I predict they will only get better in the years to come. I think they performed well enough to get some kids in the crowd excited about marching with a corps that is relatively close to home (Dallas to SA is 5-6 hour drive sleep.gif). I think they had the best guard uniforms of the night, and the show is pretty entertaining all the way to the end. Individual marching technique might be their downfall, IMO. They march pretty well most of the time, but technique goes out the window sometimes during the more difficult moves. Scouts: The first few minutes of the show are pretty decent, and the crowd seemed pretty impressed. I think the Crossmen played a little better, brass-wise. I would be surprised to see this version of the uniform to stick around for very long. My thoughts haven't changed: they got the shade of green wrong; it's almost the exact shade of the pro-turf. There were maybe a couple of moments that felt like Madison to me, and unfortunately they didn't last that long. They win the award for the most pointless drum-break drill of the season. The last half of the show feels like transition after transition, intermingled with attempts at typical drum corps effect. I don't seem them in finals. Hopefully they are able to retain members and staff, so they can build on what seems to be another re-building year for them. They could probably afford to make a few staff upgrades. Pacific Crest: Too much black. I think they should brighten the shade of the sequined area and possibly add other accents. The start of the show was pretty exciting and they're being asked to play some difficult licks. The loud moments are just loud, and lacking in quality. For how much they rehearse, they're actually pretty good, but I don't see them in finals. There's too much to clean and the show isn't designed well enough. Blue Knights: The show is very typical of the Blue Knights, but in this case that's a good thing. I was surprised at the cleanliness of their many contagions and dance movements. The ballet influence is evident from the very beginning. They're sounding pretty decent, and the show is interesting enough to be entertaining. It's not traditional drum corps entertainment, and I'm sure some people probably don't like the show at all, but it's hard to deny that they've become masters of their niche. Blue Devils: Clean is the word. The crowd ate this show up. They had the best show-design of the night, and they are performing the crap out of their show. The guard was tossing their rifles noticeable higher than any of the other corps. I don't think the ending works. I love Dance Movements, but I'm really not sure what they were thinking when they chose to throw it in there. They'll be first or second come finals. They aren't unbeatable, but any corps that is going to stand a chance has to bring their A-game all three nights in Bloomington. Vanguard: I honestly don't know their 2003 show all that well (it was my first year marching, so I never saw it live), but that's what the beginning of this show reminded me of. I was expecting better drill than I saw. However, I loved most of the show, and it was probably my favorite musical package of the night. I'm a fan of the new uniforms, and the drum finish works well (it seems like they've used it before, though). If they get clean enough, they could do some damage, but I'm honestly still not sure where to place them. In any case, they have something to be proud of. This is easily my favorite SCV show of the decade. Phantom: They're at the top of their game again. The gold is interesting, but I'm not sure if I like it or not. I love the ballad and the mellophone solo. I'm not sure what it is about that tune, but it's one of my favorites this season, easily. While I'm sure most appreciate their approach to show design, I'm still not sure if their storytelling method is the best approach for their brand of drum corps. With both them and the Cadets, I get the feeling that they've got the bread and butter, but that they try to throw something on top of it that just doesn't quite click. Anyway, they're pretty clean and the drumline was easily the best of the night. The show is definitely going to get some love, but I get this feeling that they might peak soon. It's not that the show's too easy, it's just that I think they still have some integration issues and color guard issues. That's all I've got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chadwick Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Thanks for the review!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdaddy Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 A couple more thoughts... Crossmen and Madison are MUCH improved over last year. After last year's arrangements, I wasn't sold in the preseason on the stuff that Crossmen were doing, but the arrangements are really solid. Wonderful World a little out of place for this show, but not for traditional Crossmen. Madison's show has some similarities to 2006, but there appears to be some more tango-like dance music in this one. Their arranging style is a lot closer to what the judging community would like to hear, I guess - staccato hits, etc. Much better than last year, but I didn't care a great deal for it. I didn't really get Pacific Crest's show. I really like Wind and the Lion a lot. Like the OP said, BK is doing their typical show musically and visually. Tons of body work. I loved last year's show, and this one is, to me, alright. Great closer, but most everything else is pretty dry. Disclosure statement about BD: I typically don't care for BD. 93 and 94 BD are some of the most entertaining shows out there, but their departure from their traditional identity has been harder for me to accept than most other corps' departures. At any rate, this show is wonderful. Very little jazzy stuff, but it's a phenomenal design. Gimmicky stuff all over, and the crowd loved it. And incredibly clean. Here's guessing they're winning number 13. SCV's show is very similar to what they've been doing the last few years. I liked it quite a bit. Some pretty cool guard stuff choreography. Great drill. I agree with Tony Hall - PR's show is an epic. Note that I'm a huge PR fan, but this show is better than I expected. Their entrance onto the field was incredible - the corps acting as Roman soldiers forcing the slave guard into labor, the drum major podium was pushed out by slaves with the drum major standing on top, etc. Great show musically. The drill offering to me is not what it was with Jamey Thompson, but it's pretty solid. Easily my favorite show of the night. Also, this was my girlfriend's first show. Her favorite three were BD, PR, and Crossmen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoreyD Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Their entrance onto the field was incredible - the corps acting as Roman soldiers forcing the slave guard into labor, the drum major podium was pushed out by slaves with the drum major standing on top, etc. Great show musically. BD was awesome last night, I wish SCV would of performed before them though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NR_Ohiobando Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 (edited) Scouts: The first few minutes of the show are pretty decent, and the crowd seemed pretty impressed. I think the Crossmen played a little better, brass-wise. I would be surprised to see this version of the uniform to stick around for very long. My thoughts haven't changed: they got the shade of green wrong; it's almost the exact shade of the pro-turf. There were maybe a couple of moments that felt like Madison to me, and unfortunately they didn't last that long. They win the award for the most pointless drum-break drill of the season. The last half of the show feels like transition after transition, intermingled with attempts at typical drum corps effect. I don't seem them in finals. Hopefully they are able to retain members and staff, so they can build on what seems to be another re-building year for them. They could probably afford to make a few staff upgrades. I thought that too at first(and still kinda do.) The last part of the show is supposed to be spanish/latin culture being industrialized(with busy streets and what not). Keeping this in mind, the drill makes a little more sense, though I still think they could've done a little better. Edited July 18, 2008 by NR_Ohiobando Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesleyrp Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Great Reviews guys, I'm taking a break before going back out in the heat to watch some more rehearsing. Thanks for your thoughts. Wes P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan H. Turner Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 What is a "split roll"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayM Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 What is a "split roll"? Not sure if that's the correct term, but watch the beginning of BD '03 to see what I'm talking about. Specifically the part where two of the snares alternate strokes on a roll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamparadiddlediddle Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 A couple more thoughts...Crossmen and Madison are MUCH improved over last year. After last year's arrangements, I wasn't sold in the preseason on the stuff that Crossmen were doing, but the arrangements are really solid. Wonderful World a little out of place for this show, but not for traditional Crossmen. Madison's show has some similarities to 2006, but there appears to be some more tango-like dance music in this one. Their arranging style is a lot closer to what the judging community would like to hear, I guess - staccato hits, etc. Much better than last year, but I didn't care a great deal for it. I didn't really get Pacific Crest's show. I really like Wind and the Lion a lot. Like the OP said, BK is doing their typical show musically and visually. Tons of body work. I loved last year's show, and this one is, to me, alright. Great closer, but most everything else is pretty dry. Disclosure statement about BD: I typically don't care for BD. 93 and 94 BD are some of the most entertaining shows out here, but their departure from their traditional identity has been harder for me to accept than most other corps' departures. At any rate, this show is wonderful. Very little jazzy stuff, but it's a phenomenal design. Gimmicky stuff all over, and the crowd loved it. And incredibly clean. Here's guessing they're winning number 13. SCV's show is very similar to what they've been doing the last few years. I liked it quite a bit. Some pretty cool guard stuff choreography. Great drill. I agree with Tony Hall - PR's show is an epic. Note that I'm a huge PR fan, but this show is better than I expected. Their entrance onto the field was incredible - the corps acting as Roman soldiers forcing the slave guard into labor, the drum major podium was pushed out by slaves with the drum major standing on top, etc. Great show musically. The drill offering to me is not what it was with Jamey Thompson, but it's pretty solid. Easily my favorite show of the night. Also, this was my girlfriend's first show. Her favorite three were BD, PR, and Crossmen. ................................................................................ ............................ "Here's guessing they're winning number 13." Game over. BD wins. Don't really like them. But they win. "The game was over by the third inning, so I went home and tended to that yard work I have been putting off for several months". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arno0940 Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 Great review - your comments about Madison are bang in IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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