cadetzoid Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 As seems pretty standard, the top seven each have a strong image that is more than a few years old. This of course helps determine show choices aids fan popularity. This year's eighth place corps had a very identifiable 2008 production similar to its past music genre choices. We will see where it goes from here. Blue Knights, very identifiable image and identity. Boston, sometimes a little on the outer fringes of a clear image or identity, but fairly strong. Glassmen, please keep going in the entertaining, light hearted, accessible direction. This seems to be your accepted "new" image. Madison, reclaiming an image, but some competitive kinks associated with the identity/style to work out. Crossmen: where is this headed? Colts: broadway, Americana, ??? Spirit: simply huh????? Troopers: seems pretty clear, will require some in-depth creativity to keep it fresh and competitive PC: ??? Mandarins: ???? Pioneer: clear identity, like Troopers, will require some real creativity Spirit would probably be my choice to fix first. I don't want to hear another arrangement of "Georgia", "Sweet Gergia Brown", "Gone with the Wind", etc. I want that hard hitting approach of the 1980s, but something new and fresh, but accessible and instantly likable. The uniform is rough for me and doesn't help sell any image except blah and awkward. Come on Spirit, back in finals where you belong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan H. Turner Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 Freelancers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 (edited) I have no idea what " the on field image " is of The Cadets any longer. Maybe it's the " reinvent oneself every few years " image ? Blue Devils image used to be easily identifiable with one word....... " Jazz " What exactly is " their image " these days...( other than excellance ?) When I thought of SCV, I used to think...... " Broadway " ( ie, Fiddler, Carmen, Evita, Phantom, Miss Saigon, etc ) What is SCV's on field " image " these days that is consistent ? I have no idea. Phantom is...... " Classical " ( that's a no brainer ) Cavaliers are....... " Visual"...." Visual"..... and then to top it off..... " more Visual " Crown's image now seems to be a " fun, fun, fun,' till your Daddy takes the T- Bird Away" image, and seems consistent to me though. Edited August 23, 2008 by BRASSO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HockeyDad Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 Blue Devils image used to be easily identifiable with one word....... " Jazz "What exactly is " their image " these days...( other than excellance ?) Unidentifiable song fragments?......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PR_ducky Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 wow, have to with Cadets on this. Their "identity" for me are the shows they did from 83-96. They couldn't be further from that right now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajawon Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 Spirit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrossmenAlumni Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 I guess I would need a further definition of "identity" to be able to understand what this is supposed to be all about. For instance, to me, "jazz" is not an identity. "Classical" is not an identity. "Visual" is not an identity. To me, an identity is a corps who knows who it is, remains true to itself and what it believes in, and presents its material in a particular and consistent way year after year. In that respect, how anyone can state that corps like the Blue Knights, Blue Devils, SCV, or even the Cadets don't have an identity is beyond me. And I consider all manner of things such as technique, performance philosophy and style to be part of that. I watch SCV just enter the field, and I know I am watching the Vanguard. I see how the Cavaliers do their thing every year (even if some here are tired of it or think it doesn't deserve the scores it gets for whatever reason) and I know that it's the Cavaliers. Same with the Cadets. There is no mistaking it, and it goes beyond the uniform (though that kind of thing certainly can help). In that respect, I LIKE that these corps do their own thing. I don't want the Cavaliers to march like the Cadets. I don't want the Blue Devils to try and sound like Phantom. I don't want Phantom to try and look more like the Blue Knights. And I don't want the Blue Knights to give up what they do so well to try and be more like Carolina Crown. It also goes beyond my own personal preferences, because I do have them, and I do prefer some styles to others. But if everyone tried to be exactly like everyone else in technique, in style, in performance philosophy, it wouldn't be much fun. For me, anyways. :) Not sure if I expressed myself correctly here. Hopefully people understand what I'm getting at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galen Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 Colts: broadway, Americana, ??? Traditionally, that's been their niche. Think back to '95 when they had their best year, score-wise: they did a broadway show. They've pretty much always gone for the crowd-pleasing shows, save a couple off-years in 2002 and 2003. Spirit: simply huh????? That one I'll agree with, specifically because they HAD a great identity as the "southern jazz" corps before deciding to abandon that a couple years back. I'd say this corps, more than any other, could most benefit by "going home" PC: ??? Historically a "dark" themed corps, sort of a BK-lite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supertbone Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 (edited) Freelancers. It figures a VK alum would mention the Freelancers. LOL You are right though. They have a drum line, a guard, and no horns. Edited August 24, 2008 by supertbone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 (edited) I guess I would need a further definition of "identity" to be able to understand what this is supposed to be all about. For instance, to me, "jazz" is not an identity. "Classical" is not an identity. "Visual" is not an identity. To me, an identity is a corps who knows who it is, remains true to itself and what it believes in, and presents its material in a particular and consistent way year after year. In that respect, how anyone can state that corps like the Blue Knights, Blue Devils, SCV, or even the Cadets don't have an identity is beyond me. And I consider all manner of things such as technique, performance philosophy and style to be part of that. I watch SCV just enter the field, and I know I am watching the Vanguard. I see how the Cavaliers do their thing every year (even if some here are tired of it or think it doesn't deserve the scores it gets for whatever reason) and I know that it's the Cavaliers. Same with the Cadets. There is no mistaking it, and it goes beyond the uniform (though that kind of thing certainly can help). In that respect, I LIKE that these corps do their own thing. I don't want the Cavaliers to march like the Cadets. I don't want the Blue Devils to try and sound like Phantom. I don't want Phantom to try and look more like the Blue Knights. And I don't want the Blue Knights to give up what they do so well to try and be more like Carolina Crown. It also goes beyond my own personal preferences, because I do have them, and I do prefer some styles to others. But if everyone tried to be exactly like everyone else in technique, in style, in performance philosophy, it wouldn't be much fun. For me, anyways. :) Not sure if I expressed myself correctly here. Hopefully people understand what I'm getting at. With all due respect, if we removed ALL vestiges of identification of Corps..... and had them come on the field in June before you in street clothes and no insignia's at all,, I think you'd be hard pressed to tell if the Corps before you were the Corps you just mentioned here in your post, ie the SC Vanguard..... the Cadets..... the Blue Knights.... the Blue Devils. In their street clothes, there is nothing that shows off their " technigue", or " performance philosophy " , nor " style " that is unique to that Corps only. The Cavaliers MIGHT be identifiable, because a few of their drill patterns have been easily identifiable with them in the past. The 2008 Blue Devils could have easily been thought of as the 2008 Blue Knights if we kept their insignia's away in terms of " style " indentification. The Cadets use of Voice might give us a tip off on them, but other than that, there is little clear indentifiable " style " or " philosophy " or whatnot with them either. If I closed my eyes in June, and dd not know the programs beforehand, I would not have been able to tell if the Corps in front of me I was listening to was the Madison Scouts, the Crossmen, SCV, Troopers, The Academy, Mandarins, Pacific Crest, etc.. I suspect that if others were honest about it, neither would the vast amount of them be able to tell who they were listening too in that type of " blind-test " scenario either. Edited August 24, 2008 by BRASSO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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