wishbonecav Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 (edited) Riverside Convention Center, Rochester, NY An awesome start to DCA weekend. Great individual and ensemble performances at the Clarion, on Main Street and in the Hall. My FAVORITE was Deb Peterson of the Anaheim Kingsmen who performed her color guard rifle individual in the uniform of the corps proper and with absolute precision, style and grace. She got a standing-o. I liked it so much, I asked her to take a picture with me. On to the Mini-Corps, and with the review format you have come to expect from me: Thunderbirds have this genre in their back pocket. The six time Mini-Corps Champions know how to deliver the flavor and at a high level. Biggest Plus: Magnificent Seven was off the chart. Biggest Question: Isn't it unfair to give us what we want, only louder? We have no choice but to stand and cheer! Overall: They earned the standing - o. Ghost Riders literally "set the stage" with post-and-rail fences, wagon wheels, whiskey barrels and flags of the cavalry and set us up for sounds from the Western frontier. "Reveille" brought the corps to life and a rousing book of Americana ("Glory, glory. hallelujah!"), some phenominal solos and dueling trap kits made for an intense but pleasing presentation. Biggest Plus: Donny can still play. Biggest Question: Will they ever get the musical credit they deserve (especially the chorale)? Overall: The Ghost Riders are a "must-see" at DCA Mini-Corps. They are always good, always entertaining and a great example of quality in a 24 person outfit. There are occasions in drum corps when a group is so surprising, so refreshing and so fun that we as an audience simply pour out emotion and reward their effort with ovation after ovation. Such was Music City Legend Mini-Corps. First and foremost, the mellophones were absolutely HOT! The opening chart gave them a chance to drop some heavy chops in some exposed stuff and....WOW. Real...good....drum corps. But the best was the contra soloist and the 4 soprano's who probably broke a few windows. Biggest plus: two of the mello-ladies are really cute, too! Biggest Question: Why were they on so early? Overall: "Birdland" brought the house down. Golden Eagles played a strong opening chart with Frank Ponzo (was that him?) in the audience for the first solo. Solid and fun. Big charts, big sound and not afraid to put some air in the horn. Biggest plus: They have the horses in the hornline and some old-school veterans who can haul the mail. Biggest Question: The striped shirts? Overall: A little too heroic in the closer when looking for a blended sound. Mass Brass was all about the Malaga opener and spanish attitude in Malaguena and El Gato Triste. Big-time horn sound. Big-time. Biggest plus: volume Biggest Question: what will it take to overcome the top cheeze (Indiana)? Overall: Many in the audience had them high with one corps to go. Star United. When I saw Becky Wood in the Hall and asked her what Star was playing, she said she'd tell me but she'd have to kill me. She wanted to keep the surprise. As if the original opening piece wasn't enough (it garnered a standing-o), Rocky Point Holiday was equisite in its performance, accuracy and VOLUME. Add to it the body movement and drill and it was simply a sensational offering from the defending champs. Biggest plus: it looks like they are having FUN and it is communicated to the audience. Biggest Question: Why do some of our DCA brothers resist and protest? Star is par excellence DCA. Overall: Awesome, again. Not to be missed on Sunday Night!! Edited August 31, 2008 by wishbonecav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njthundrrd Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 CONGRATULATIONS STAR UNITED! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FPonzo Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 AWESOME review Joey........thanks for the kind words on the Golden Eagles. And yes.......that WAS me in the opening solo!!!!! Looking forward to your review on the alumni corps!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossil50 Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Riverside Convention Center, Rochester, NY Golden EaglesBiggest Question: The striped shirts? I think it's for the "Slimming effect.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scv guy Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 My FAVORITE was Dedra Peterson of the Anaheim Kingsmen who performed her color guard rifle individual in the uniform of the corps proper and with absolute precision, style and grace. She got a standing-o. I think you mean Deb Peterson. She is a former Kingsmen and Blue Devil. Her son is in BDB and her husband Doug was in BD and is marching with Renegades this year. Good people. Kingsmen Alumni Rifle Line: Deb Peterson is 4th from the right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wishbonecav Posted August 31, 2008 Author Share Posted August 31, 2008 Kevin, What a great gift! The picture of AK's rifle line has become my desktop! As a kid, the Kingsmen were like movie stars. Deb's rifle individual, for me, will be an all-time memory. Thanks for sharing this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDMOM Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Kevin,What a great gift! The picture of AK's rifle line has become my desktop! As a kid, the Kingsmen were like movie stars. Deb's rifle individual, for me, will be an all-time memory. Thanks for sharing this. Kevin, it was a pleasure meeting you this weekend and an honor to represent the Anaheim Kingsmen. I also idolized the corps when I was a kid and even though I am an alum of the corps, the glory days, the hard hitting hard corps days were gone before I hit the drum corps scene. To have the chance to relive the "moment" was a dream come true for all of us who marched in the Kingsmen Alumni Corps last summer. My escort, Mark Porter from the Caballeros Alumni Corps gets a special mention for chaparonning me while in uniform. Corps etiquette requires that all members of the Kingsmen colorguard travel in pairs while in uniform and Chief Warrent Officer Porter allowed me to make the trip and still uphold the spirit and traditions of our corps that we love so much. We both hope that the KAC will somehow, someway find their way to the east coast and the DCA family. Until then, we will all find other homes within other corps such as the SF Renegades and the Caballeros. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDMOM Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 (edited) double post Edited August 31, 2008 by BDMOM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Drum Corps Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Joey, Good Job on your review of the mini corps. I also wonder if Ghost Riders will get the deserved credit for what we are doing in the area of design. Whatever the order was, the mini corps have yet again raised the bar for this competition. It was a great show from top to bottom. The performance level of these groups continues to climb to a new level every year it seems. Thanks for the recognition! Donny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike_B Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 On behalf of the Thunderbirds and only because I'm the first one home, thank you for the nice review. We got a real late start this year due to busy instructors. What you heard was the guys in the line giving all they had; its an honor to play with them. Thanks a bunch and glad you enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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