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The Blue Knights Have Gone Insane


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I agree with who ever said it is good to see people actually talking about BK. They are sometimes forgotten because of how consistent they are at being a finalist corps.

I also have to agree that if you have seen their show online only, you don't get the same effect.

I think most people are looking at BK's show for the up-front emotional appeal, however, I think BK's show is much more intellectual and aesthetic.

The beginning movement, tension building part of the show is so gratifying. You only have to try to appreciate what they are doing in the beginning to fully get the impact. They are getting their GE from the visual and not from an awesome sound like Phantom or Crown.

I wish they would get more credit for all the movement they are doing throughout their show. It is not easy!

I have not always been a fan of BK because I was looking for that very superficial layer of emotion. Now having toured with them, I am more a fan of theirs because I can appreciate how much they truly are doing and for what a class-act organization they are.

They are true to their community, their identity, and provide a great experience for those who march, teach, or volunteer with them.

I think that is all we should be asking of each corps.

Keep in mind that my opinion about BK has been years in the making. I have seen their shows online, live, and on field level from behind a horn.

The arguments of "you just don`t get it" and "if you just take time to understand" are not new ones with respect to BK. I even used some of those same phrases when talking to some friends who came to see our shows. The big point I was missing back then is that a show should speak for itself. When it is all said and done, if I we can`t get the audience engaged within that 11 minute window, than the onus is on us. What we say before and after the show are completely superfulous.

I believe that this "artsy", and dare I say "stubborn", attitude is precisely the mindset which has limited BKs progress over the last decade. And I hope it changes soon.

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i absolutely did not get that, and im sure only about 2% of BK's audiences gathered most of it when watching. i dont particularly care, since i liked the show anyway (though it's interesting to read afterwards), but the aforementioned concept wasn't conveyed (to me) at all.

Exactly. This issues in another problem I see- there is far too much lip service to those who are "in the club" for my tastes. Jared has a point...very few people in the audience know of, or even care about, the historial inner wars waged being BK and DCI. People want to see an entertaining show. That is all.

Throw in some history in the pamphlets being handed out in the stands if that is a message we want to convey, but leave it out of the show. Trittico and the pop step are very clear symbols of history which don`t detract from the entire 11 minute production.

Edited by noblegaijin
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In comparison to other groups in Atlanta the response was not great.

My opinion is, "If you don't know how to dance, don't dance" (just my opinion in general)

There are a million modern dance companies in the world. Each one feels they are special, changing the world, etc. etc. etc. but 99% of them can't fill a theater with paid admissions. BK does provide a break from the norm when watching a top 12 show but how many paid admissions would there be if all 12 groups performing followed the same show format as BK.

Sooooo, I respect BK, but I am not getting or enjoying the visual. I also think the members would have a better summer experience if they were performing to crowds that were going crazy over what they were presenting.

Best of luck to BK :thumbup:

Well said, Kevin.

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Uh hello? The thing that is really DIFFERENT during that break you're referring to is that it is a FRONT ENSEMBLE feature which seems to be pretty rare from what I can tell. The choreography in the background by the corps is NOT the point - the point is that the pit have a full part all to themselves with an assist from the basses. You may not like it, enjoy it, prefer it, whatever - but it IS very different, which is what you stated you wanted.

With all due respect to he pit and basses, this is an ensemble effort. Too much time allocated to any one group is not the way to go IMO. I believe this show crosses that line.

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Wow. I have to say that I have felt this way about the Blue Knights since first watching them (1990). I wouldn't have posted something like this as I think it's a bit too negative but since it's out there now... I have not enjoyed one single Blue Knights show (exception of 99.. yay! something positive here..) ever since I have started watching them. I'm sorry, but they bore me to tears year after year after year. I have never understood the whole "identity" this corps has. Who wants to make "boring" their identity? To each his/her own though... I don't have a personal problem with them, I just watch their show each year, hoping I will like it, and each year I am disappointed and just bored with it. I really hope the kids do enjoy performing this show because I don't hold it against them (although they know what they are getting into, obviously.) But being "artsy" just for the sake of being "artsy" to me is stupid and elitist. Still, I wish them the best of luck in their efforts.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Except for the part about being negative....I would like to think that we got people talking....this is a good thing.

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Judges aren't feeling it - One of the judges told them two shows ago that he thought the show was top 3 if this corps could clean it. It's scoring an 86 - the judges must like something they see and hear.

Fans/crowds aren't feeling it - souvie sales are huge this year. I've been on tour with them for two weeks, and the fans come to warm up and respond in the stadiums. Everyone says the same thing - "this show has grown on me and now it's one of my favorites of all time" or "this show is very beautiful".

I also like to remind everyone that the average age of this corps is like 19. It's a young corps. What they're doing out there is amazing for mostly rookies, especially with the horns.

You may not prefer Rob's drill style or like the ballet emphasis of BK, or the music of John Mackey and Eric Whitacre (and I've wondered if maybe not liking modern composers is part of the problem with appeal this year, just like not liking too classical Shostakovich was part of the problem with the appeal last year) but you can't deny these young people are marching, dancing and playing THEIR show and making it to the top ten too.

So, which is it? In your 2nd paragraph you share how souvie sales are up big this year and the wonderful commentary from fans. In your last paragraph you admit that there are problems with widespread appeal.

Look. Talk is cheap. It`s easy to say that BK could be top 3 while giving himself an out like "if you can clean it". Plus, I would imagine that comments like these are the exception rather than the rule, otherwide they would be placing higher.

If you want to cut through all of the fluffy BS and get right to the cold hard truth of the matter, look no further than the reactions BK gets from the crowd and how they score year in and year out. I will save you some suspense. They haven`t changed. BK is still just as misunderstook as they were in 2000 when I marched with them.

Just as a side note, if you take a good listen to the crowd during, say, a Cavie, BD, or Phantom show, you will notice almost immediately how much more engaged they seem. There is a healthy electricity in the air-a buzz throughout. The fans seem to cheer out of excitement rather than feeling compelled to out of politeness.

Finally, I never called into question the talents of our musicians. They rock. This is precisely why they should be a FEATURE of the show...not a footnote.

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So, which is it? In your 2nd paragraph you share how souvie sales are up big this year and the wonderful commentary from fans. In your last paragraph you admit that there are problems with widespread appeal.

Look. Talk is cheap. It`s easy to say that BK could be top 3 while giving himself an out like "if you can clean it". Plus, I would imagine that comments like these are the exception rather than the rule, otherwide they would be placing higher.

If you want to cut through all of the fluffy BS and get right to the cold hard truth of the matter, look no further than the reactions BK gets from the crowd and how they score year in and year out. I will save you some suspense. They haven`t changed. BK is still just as misunderstook as they were in 2000 when I marched with them.

Just as a side note, if you take a good listen to the crowd during, say, a Cavie, BD, or Phantom show, you will notice almost immediately how much more engaged they seem. There is a healthy electricity in the air-a buzz throughout. The fans seem to cheer out of excitement rather than feeling compelled to out of politeness.

Finally, I never called into question the talents of our musicians. They rock. This is precisely why they should be a FEATURE of the show...not a footnote.

I guess the whole world should conform to one idiom? What baffles me is that while you may not care for the style you are making a lot of generalizations about how crowds/fans have reacted to them not only this year but the years past. I ask again, what is it that makes it so terrible to be in 8th place looking to move up? We were in 9th the two years prior to your '00 season, but those same corps mates marched with you and moved up. I thought the crowd ate you guys up in '00 and i n'99 for that matter. In '06 and '07 I think the crowd generally liked the shows and gave them their just due. Are you wanting to see Malaguena and Malaga come from the hornline and see the corps change their style to conform to what else is out there? The Cavies have a slightly odd looking marching technique with regards to how close the hold their horn to them and the big knee movement, but it is there own. Until '92 they had never won a title and really since the turn of the millinium they have started winning a lot more. Consider that while you want BK to place higher as do I that they have made finals far less than those same elite corps that were around them. BK made finals for the first time in '91 then missed it in '95, '01, '02, and '03. This means that in the past two decades they have made finals in 13 years as opposed to Phantom, Cavies, SCV, BD who have been perrenial finalists since the activity began. Why am I saying this? Because BK has found a niche since '04 that is working and is on the cusp of breaking into the top tiers corps grouping. Consider the fact that this show is being performed by a group dominated by rookies in the hornline and you've got a big time future ahead of you. Is there room for tweaking? Sure there always is, but to change what isn't broken is absurd!! Ask Madison (no disrespect) what happened when they tried to become more competitive! I am not saying that your opinion is not important or wrong, for you! But just as this thread has shown there are plenty of people out there that don't agree and some that do. I bet if you asked about any direction that a corps outside of the top 3 is taking someone would suggest something needs to change. Change is not always the best course of action. Look at BK '95 if you don't believe me. They had the Creme De La Creme writing for them and played a jazzy show that took them from the cusp of elite straight out of finals. Considering they announced one of the biggest tryout numbers in corps history in Denver before Drums I don't think they are not inspiring others to march. They must have proven to be elite in the eyes of those young people. Just food for thought. Good luck BK and all corps this summer, what a great competition year.

Wes Perkins

BK '97 '98

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I think the organization in general is a little gunshy about artificially changing things up to be more "accessable" or "entertaining." As Wes points out, look at '95 and '01 for that. Talent wasn't an issue with either corps. Trying to be something they're not and failing to play to their strengths were.

At the end of the day, some people will really dig BK, some people won't, and the world will continue to revolve. I'd love to see Blue Knights more universally liked by the mob and ranked higher competitively, but not at the expense of striving to bring something new, refreshing, and artistic to the audience.

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I think the organization in general is a little gunshy about artificially changing things up to be more "accessable" or "entertaining." As Wes points out, look at '95 and '01 for that. Talent wasn't an issue with either corps. Trying to be something they're not and failing to play to their strengths were.

At the end of the day, some people will really dig BK, some people won't, and the world will continue to revolve. I'd love to see Blue Knights more universally liked by the mob and ranked higher competitively, but not at the expense of striving to bring something new, refreshing, and artistic to the audience.

I think many people in the audience would like to see the Blue Knights take a new and refreshing change in their direction regarding music being more accessible to them. There are LOTS of " dark ", and " somber ", and " cerebral " music that if done with more intelligence and creativity can be made much more accessible to more people than they are currently reaching. The OP is to be credited with enormous courage and honesty in my opinion to recognize that the path that the BK's are on of late, while good placement wise, leaves a lot to be desired for a lot of national audiences who really would love to enjoy and embrace them more.

Best of success to BK, whatever they decide. There are about a dozen Corps that would love to be where they have been placement wise the last few years.

Edited by BRASSO
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I don't disagree, Brasso... The point I'm making is there's not a shortcut to that end.

I've said it before, but if you think BK strives to disenfranchise people or to be boring, you're not familiar enough with the organization. They want to be entertaining, but they don't want to settle out of doing it their way. That approach will be unpopular with some, but I don't discount the people that like and respect it.

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