Jump to content

Sort of quick review of finals


Recommended Posts

First and foremost Rochester was fun, great time, good stuff all around. We got to watch Grenadiers play through there show at the hotel we were at, and wow is all I can say. Huge sound, insane battery, no clue why they didn't make finals. I didn't see them on the field so that could be the issue, and as the old saying goes, "everyone sounds good standing still" but still awesome job.

My quickish recap of finals

Crusaders. I hate to be negative, so I'll start with the good. The horns seemed balanced, and played ok, nice lower end, fit the program. The battery was less then I expected, issues with moving and playing. When they played they played a lot of notes, maybe too many, just more fuzz then I'm used to seeing from them but it looked like a young line. Now for the bad, the visual program was just plain bad, I really couldn't make out more then a few readable forms, really fuzzy feet, battery out of step at times, defiantly not their best visual performance. It just seemed flat to me. But that's just me, quality group that didn't put their best foot forward.

CV Liked the end, Shannedoh (sp?) on top of simple gifts was really cool, and they marched clean. Crystal clear forms. Not hard drill, but harder then last year. The guard was good, but only used flags which seemed odd to me. The rest of the show was a bit lack luster to me.

Gades First time I saw them this season, much improved. Note to the battery, tune your basses down, you play great notes, but we can't hear them when the drums are tuned to toy like octaves. Horns were loud, as always, and more musical then usual, neat concept but weak marching hurt them more then they would have liked. Liked most of it.

Brig Seemed really flat at finals. Really good quality stuff but prelims set the bar higher for them, quality horns battery and guard. All around solid show, just not a fan of the program.

Bush Loved the show. Power and excellence in the horns, even with lower numbers, Battery was a bit uneven, snares were insane and the rest of the line was kind of lack luster, not bad, they were clean, just didn't seem to have the same level of demand as the snares particularly in the bass line. I'm a drummer, and their guard blew me away, opening statement had my jaw on the floor, kudos, best I saw all night.

Cabs What can I say? Solid percussion, great horn line, bad marching. It finally caught up with them, being musically great this year simply wasn't enough. I'm not a fan of the same old Latin music year after year, but they did it well, usually not a fan, but I really enjoyed them this year in all honesty, but I do agree with the placement.

Hurcs Hated the programming, just a personal opinion, I didn't like the western theme. However it was done insanely well, great battery, great horns, and while I don't like the theme, I did like the writing, neat how they fit Mag 7 in all over the place, and a beyond solid visual program. Again even though I don't like the music I had a smile on my face the whole show and I ended up liking it.

Empire Surprised me in 3rd, as most people probably were including them. I agree with the placement, I just didn't think DCA had the jewels to man up and put them there. Loved the show, Basses you are my hero, great great great job, best bass line of the night, snares had tiny bit of fuzz, but there are like 50 of them, tenors had some issues, nice moments but over all one of the weaker sections. Liked the music, horn line lays it down every year this year was no exception.

MBI Wow, what a change from the mid west shows. Seemed the battery played safe in the past, but not at DCA, total package horns, drums, marching were all there. Though they should have at least taken the percussion title if not the entire deal, but it wasn't to be. Congrats on the boost, you earned it.

Bucs The year of doing what has already been done. Admittedly it's difficult to be original in drum corps, but to take the exact arrangement and body movement was a bit much for me, I was under whelmed to say the least. Battery, tenors were sick (in a good way) solid bass line, but the snares were a bag, one of the worst of the night IMO. Usually I'm a huge Bucs fan, not this last year too many issues with percussion. Horns played well, and the pit was stellar to say the least, almost made up for the popcorn in the background. Solid visual, and great horns puts them on top.

These are just my opinions and don't represent any current or past corps I've marched with. Regardless of placing and judging and everything else it was an awesome weekend of drum corps. If you didn't make it to prelims you seriously missed out. Rochester put on a great time as usual.

Edited by pvt_cairns
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 38
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

First and formost Rochester was fun, great time, good stuff all around. We got to watch Grenideirs play through there show at the hotel we were at, and wow is all I can say. Huge sound, insane battery, no clue why they didn't make finals. I didn't see them on the field so that could be the issue, and as the old saying goes, "everyone sounds good standing still" but still awesome job.

My quickish recap of finals

Crusaders. I hate to be negitive, so I'll start with the good. The horns seemed balanced, and played ok, nice lower end, fit the program. The battery was less then I expected, issues with moving and playing. When they played they played a lot of notes, maybe too many, just more fuzz then I'm used to seeing from them but it looked like a young line. Now for the bad, the visual program was just plain bad, I really couldn't make out more then a few readable forms, really fuzzy feet, battery out of step at times, definatly not their best visual performance. It just seemed flat to me. But that's just me, quality group that didn't put their best foot forward.

CV Liked the end, Shannedoh (sp?) on top of simple gifts was really cool, and they marched clean. Crystal clear forms. Not hard drill, but harder then last year. The gaurd was good, but only used flags which seemed odd to me. The rest of the show was a bit lack luster to me.

Gades First time I saw them this season, much improved. Note to the battery, tune your basses down, you play great notes, but we can't hear them when the drums are tuned to toy like octaves. Horns were loud, as always, and more musical then usual, neat concept but weak marching hurt them more then they would have liked. Liked most of it.

Brig Seemed really flat at finals. Really good quality stuff but prelims set the bar higher for them, quality horns battery and gaurd. All around solid show, just not a fan of the program.

Bush Loved the show. Power and excellence in the horns, even with lower numbers, Battery was a bit uneven, snares were insane and the rest of the line was kind of lack luster, not bad, they were clean, just didn't seem to have the same level of demand as the snares particularly in the bass line. I'm a drummer, and their gaurd blew me away, opening statment had my jaw on the floor, kudos, best I saw all night.

Cabs What can I say? Solid percussion, great hornline, bad marching. It finally caught up with them, being musicaly great this year simply wasn't enough. I'm not a fan of the same old latin music year after year, but they did it well, usually not a fan, but I really enjoyed them this year in all honesty, but I do agree with the placement.

Hurcs Hated the programing, just a personal opinion, I didn't like the western theme. However it was done insanly well, great battery, great horns, and while I don't like the theme, I did like the writing, neat how they fit Mag 7 in all over the place, and a beyond solid visual program. Again even though I don't like the music I had a smile on my face the whole show and I ended up liking it.

Empire Suprised me in 3rd, as most people probibly were including them. I agree with the placement, I just didn't think DCA had the jewles to man up and put them there. Loved the show, Basses you are my hero, great great great job, best bass line of the night, snares had tiny bit of fuzz, but there are like 50 of them, tenors had some issues, nice moments but over all one of the weaker sections. Liked the music, hornline lays it down every year this year was no exeption.

MBI Wow, what a change from the mid west shows. Seemed the battery played safe in the past, but not at DCA, total package horns, drums, marching were all there. Though they should have at least taken the percussion title if not the entire deal, but it wasn't to be. Congrats on the boost, you earned it.

Bucs The year of doing what has already been done. Admittedly it's difficult to be original in drum corps, but to take the exact arangment and body movement was a bit much for me, I was underwhelmed to say the least. Battery, tenors were sick (in a good way) solid bass line, but the snares were a bag, one of the worst of the night IMO. Usually I'm a huge Bucs fan, not this last year too many issues with percussion. Horns played well, and the pit was stellar to say the least, almost made up for the popcorn in the backround. Solid visual, and great horns puts them on top.

These are just my opinions and don't represent any current or past corps I've marched with. Regardless of placings and judging and everything else it was an awesome weekend of drumcorps. If you didn't make it to prelims you seriously missed out. Rochester put on a great time as usual.

I've been reading dcp for years but have never posted until now. I felt the need to reply to this review:

First off, if your going to just go out mostly negative, at least spell things correctly. I know it takes a lot of guts to post reviews, especially when your going to say things controversial- but if you want anyone to take you seriously, you're going to have to have a better grasp on language you speak. That’s not to say you can't make mistakes, but at least proofread! Spelling things like "gaurd, jewles, definatly, insanly, suprised, arangment, and other bad spelling mistakes just makes you seem uneducated. You probably aren't, but it gives the impression you are.

Secondly, when you're going to be negative, try to avoid saying things like "Hated the programming," or "just plain bad," or "sounded like popcorn, or especially "snares were a bag." Try to think of your statements differently, maybe being more constructive and specific, or pointing out what they could have been doing better next time. You could say things like "I disliked the program because I have a thing against Copland." or "I didn't care much for the arrangements, maybe the orchestration could have been thinned out, or " the snares didn't seem to be locking with the rest of the drum corps," or "I noticed a lot of stick height discrepancies."

Lastly, If you're a drummer, at least try to acknowledge the pit. You only said something about Reading. Maybe you just don't feel comfortable because its not your forte, but it looks like you were fine critiquing guard, brass, and battery, so you should at least say something about the pit.

Sorry, its nothing personal, if anything this will make your next review that much better. A lot of people will be reading all these reviews so just keep that in mind.

Edited by joerules03
Link to comment
Share on other sites

First reply is a troll, ignore him.

To the original poster: Great review, "jewles" and all.

Thank you, he is right I should have used spell check. However as far as being negative goes, as much as it may seem like it I'm not trying to knock a corps, I just call it the way I see it. If that involves using a negative term, then so be it. I apologize for my poor speling but not for my comments, they are simply my opinions and you can choose to agree or disagree with them, or how they're worded. That's the beauty of this activity.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bush Loved the show. Power and excellence in the horns, even with lower numbers, Battery was a bit uneven, snares were insane and the rest of the line was kind of lack luster, not bad, they were clean, just didn't seem to have the same level of demand as the snares particularly in the bass line. I'm a drummer, and their guard blew me away, opening statement had my jaw on the floor, kudos, best I saw all night.

Thanks a lot of for the great review of the show!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe that it is pretty close to being right on the money.

Excellent review...high box 4 even with the spelling inconsistencies!!!!

Donny

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi all,

just to add - I also agree with pretty much everything the reviewer said. To me, it just didn't feel like a great year for DCA corps - there was just no real "wow"moments - except for Bush's guard (how they didn't win best guard is a mystery for the ages).

And I was beginning to think that I was the only one who noticed Bucs drumline totally mess up at finals (looking at the recaps - the judges certainly didn't)

I did enjoy Hurricanes though - one of the cleanest corps of the evening drill wise, thought that Renegades had one of the coolest horn books and that MBI had the best ballad of the weekend,

Later,

Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi all,

just to add - I also agree with pretty much everything the reviewer said. To me, it just didn't feel like a great year for DCA corps - there was just no real "wow"moments - except for Bush's guard (how they didn't win best guard is a mystery for the ages).

And I was beginning to think that I was the only one who noticed Bucs drumline totally mess up at finals (looking at the recaps - the judges certainly didn't)

I did enjoy Hurricanes though - one of the cleanest corps of the evening drill wise, thought that Renegades had one of the coolest horn books and that MBI had the best ballad of the weekend,

Later,

Mike

I'm glad to see someone else agree with me....Bush's guard was the BEST of finals night. Hurcs had a few drops that the judge didn't see???????? And Bucs drumline messing up, again the judges didn't see????? Something not right! Buccs drill was one of the slowest of the top 5 corps (not a lot of movement). What's up with that?

Just my opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear joelrules03:

If you're going to criticize someone about their spelling, at least you could learn the correct way in which to use the terms: Your (actually a contraction of you and are and should be spelled: you're); as well as its in the form that you used it (again, a contraction of it and is and should be spelled: it's.

:thumbup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



×
×
  • Create New...