crfrey71 Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 (edited) Folks, this silly arguing about what we saw at a movie theater is absurd (sorry, but that is true). Be over-joyed we have some amazing performances, especially from the top 4 . How about we talk about what we liked and what stood out. Stuff which is constructive. griping about judging, based on poorly placed mikes, and where the camera was at a particular point is ridiculous. I am not saying you can't complain or talk about it, but make it semi-constructive. I think every corps and honk can find plenty of scoring discrepancies to make a case. Anyways, I am going to throw out some random thoughts. 1. Judging brass from the theater was the most pointless of them all. With no track, there is not enough room to place the mikes there to capture the sound. I think the mikes need to be placed on some stands or moved so they are higher. Corps which project well to the pressbox sounded so quiet at field level and vice versa. It sounded like the pit was performing live in the theater though. So I think someone can actually judge the pits from the theater. 2. The video quality and color balance between the various cameras was pretty shoddy. The cameras which I think are placed around the tunnel(the lower tunnel in the stands, I think) looked very blurry. BAC and Colts almost looked orange. I think the close-up shots that camera on the boom had the best quality. 3. Don Warren's comments on his wife marrying 135 men got a good laugh in the theater. 4. I thought SCV's visual looked immensely better. 5. I think there is way, WAY too much body movement on the horn players. 6. Cavies percussion book I liked a lot. 7. Great music writing in Crown's show. That is very tough to blend all that together and make it work. 8. A little too much focus on the boxers, the Cadets stage, and the girl with the balloons. 9. I miss Jessica Allen on the sidelines. Thought John Madden did a good job. 10. Seems a lot more corps are playing music and marching before the "you may take the field in competition!" is announced. Another trend. I get it. 11. Brandt can't say "Absurdity" 12. No audio on the ring announcer at the beginning of the Coats show 13. Where are the 2 ladies that kiss the stage winner on the podium in Blue Star's show? The winner always gets the 2 ladies to kiss him. 14. Thought the cadets weren't that annoying. Nothing like the narration was last year. Seemed like John Madden doesn't care for narration at all. 15. Phantom's heart needs what the 1991 show with a heart had. Looks too muddy 16. Thought Phantom started out flat but got it into gear 2/3 the way in. Then again, the mikes didn't capture their powerful hornline all that good either. That's a shame. 17. Coats...should have borrowed PR's herald trumpets and start the show with the Rocky fanfare...just the fanfare. I also thought the laser ropes should have been used in this show as ring ropes. This was the show that I had the most problems with design wise. Their brass was awesome at that one part. 18. I thought the SCV 1987 show was a strange show to choose of all the shows back then as a historical reference. 19. Cavies raising over half a million...simply WOW!!! :peek: 20. BD's drill was inpeccable. Their guard was really on. 21. Why put the guard in all white? The rifles and sabers equipment work gets lost in that. Edited August 8, 2008 by crfrey71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetman1287 Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Just got back from the theater, here is my take: Phantom should have taken this show tonight. I realize their visual design is not as strong as it could be but the show seemed to have a lot of emotion, there was just some sort of buzz around it...even if they do not win in the end I think they had an exceptional PERFORMANCE tonight, whereas the other top scoring corps performed as expected - "this is quarterfinals." Musically and visually it all seemed to click for Phantom tonight. The Blue Devils. I cannot understand how the judges can't stop loving them. The absurdity theme doesn't work. The music is standard. Performed well, yes, but the writing is average for a top corps. A perfect visual score? Never. Cavaliers also had a fine performance but I don't think the show design is championship quality. Crown started off strong and I thought they could take Phantom until about midway through the show. I know it's all endings, I know the music is well written and performed but...I just notice it getting repetitive very quickly. Crown 2007 had a much more interesting and engaging flow to the program. Cadets at the very least should have been closer to the top corps. The show takes a little too long to develop in the beginning but the music writing is strong and the last two minutes of the show is the best closer in DCI this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spartans87 Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 you know what I think is crazy about tonight? It is 12:53am in the east, and 142 people were reading this topic when I started typing! Drum Corps fans are nuts, and I love it! Spartans '87 The Foundation Year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 first off, i'm no Hop fan, but I respect the hell out of him for the change with the ending. taking the happy smiley face ending off and letting that insanity end it is 100% the right call. 2nd, HUGE props to Delucia for saying what many have said here...the narration, when used right is good, and cadets use of it isn't. That's balls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supersop Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Music Ensemble Dave Carbone THANK YOU FOR NOT SLOTTING! May you be a lesson to other judges tomorrow night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NR_Ohiobando Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 first off, i'm no Hop fan, but I respect the hell out of him for the change with the ending. taking the happy smiley face ending off and letting that insanity end it is 100% the right call.2nd, HUGE props to Delucia for saying what many have said here...the narration, when used right is good, and cadets use of it isn't. That's balls. Even if they did take out the ending, the show is VERY incomplete without some sort of "finding of happiness". I'm happy it's gone, but without some sort of resolve to the angry(yet incredible) ending that is Vesuvius, the show definitely feels like it's lacking something. Though...I think what we've realized is that the product is beyond repair at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadetalier Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 1) Phantom was cheated out of a well deserved 2nd place IMO. 2) As much as like their show, BD should not be beating the Cavies in Overall Visual. 3) GO CAVALIERS!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Even if they did take out the ending, the show is VERY incomplete without some sort of "finding of happiness". I'm happy it's gone, but without some sort of resolve to the angry(yet incredible) ending that is Vesuvius, the show definitely feels like it's lacking something. Though...I think what we've realized is that the product is beyond repair at this point. actually, the happiness was found by many fans who got a Cadets ending that we all loved from 1983-2003. fast, furious, even insane. they finally zagged when everyone else zigged again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadetsfan Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 first off, i'm no Hop fan, but I respect the hell out of him for the change with the ending. taking the happy smiley face ending off and letting that insanity end it is 100% the right call.2nd, HUGE props to Delucia for saying what many have said here...the narration, when used right is good, and cadets use of it isn't. That's balls. And they were saying that before the Cadets went on.I was shocked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 well Delucia's comment made up for the "deal with it" comment the other year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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