Corps current identities

[GreenMachine009]

Blue Devils - A bit too showoffy, tend to play just loud and fast to show what they can do, it bores me after a while. Unless you go back to about 2003 and before when they did more jazzy music.

Blue Knights - Dark, almost symphonic brass, very interesting and different themes

Crown - Great brass, Drill is still kind of sloppy at times, but definitely evolving. I didn't like FINIS very much, I don't like mix and match music shows much.

Phantom - Loud, in your face, but not to the extent of BD. Very dynamically contrasting music, very emotional.

Cavaliers - When the Cavaliers take the field, I can feel their unity as a group more than other corps most of the time (I am slightly biased, though). Their drill and music mesh together very well, and since it is very often original scores, you can definitely pick out their style more than most others.

[Baritone13]

whenever I see the blue stars I always think of going to the concession stand.

[va9590jm]

whenever I see the blue stars I always think of going to the concession stand.

Thats usually me more with Blue Knights. I usually LOVE their musical program, its great to listen to...but visually they're usually boring to me. 08 was just boring all around. Normally I really enjoy LISTENING to Blue Knights, so its a good time to get food.

[dieselfume]

Pioneer: Irish, and they always hover around the bottom.

Pioneer does not "hover around the bottom" as much as they're assigned to that slot by some sort of reverse halo effect. For example, because the Cavies have been good, that must mean that everything they do is good. Not so true. Pioneer, in many ways, is the Rodney Dangerfield of drum corps for no other reason than clinging to Irish themes for their shows. Judges, being ordinary citizens at heart, want to see different things from each corps regardless of the rhetoric about judging each show within its own context. One does not have to wait for the announcement of Pioneer's 2010 show; it'll be something Irish. Pioneer, like all world class corps, has some tremendously talented performers. Why can't Pioneer do a show based on, say, the music of Stevie Wonder i.e., something not-so-Irish. They can still exit the field playing an Irish jig. The fans expect it and like it.

I grew up in Milwaukee and I remember it as a German-Polish town. I'm sure other nations were represented but Ireland was a fairly small contingent. Someone correct me on this piece of history if I'm wrong but my understanding that Pioneer references a printing company (Pioneer Printing) whose logo was a shamrock. Most people think of Pioneer(s) as heading west from St. Louis, prairie schooners, and such. Linking Milwaukee, Pioneer and Ireland is an amazing stretch.

I apologize for my Dennis Miller-esque rant but I think Pioneer is getting a bum rap if "hover around the bottom" is its primary tag line.

.

[beforeforever12]

"Blue Stars: The new kids on the block. They get a lot of respect for their dominance in the lower divisions in the old days and they're a good corps."

LOL! Must be a youngin' that posted that! Does 1972 and the rest of the '70s come to mind? They were/are a corps of fight and perseverance. Regardless of placement, they were always one of the hardcore units that stood at parade rest while others were goofing off and conducted themselves with class on and off the field. I still hope these ideals are being taught to the young men and women in their ranks today.

In terms of overall corps identities; that all went out after the '80s and '90s when the massive staff swaps began and the glorification, emulation, and copy cat idealism of the top 5 began to take effect. Might makes right and what's said and done at the top should be done at the bottom. **sigh** Not enough corps and those that are still around all look and sound the same.

What I think he meant is something like this:

--Just because there is a new kid at school, doesn't mean that he's new to school.--

If you catch my drift.

Edited December 4, 2008 by beforeforever12

[Latrobe's Finest]

Pioneer: Irish, and they always hover around the bottom.

Pioneer does not "hover around the bottom" as much as they're assigned to that slot by some sort of reverse halo effect. For example, because the Cavies have been good, that must mean that everything they do is good. Not so true. Pioneer, in many ways, is the Rodney Dangerfield of drum corps for no other reason than clinging to Irish themes for their shows. Judges, being ordinary citizens at heart, want to see different things from each corps regardless of the rhetoric about judging each show within its own context. One does not have to wait for the announcement of Pioneer's 2010 show; it'll be something Irish. Pioneer, like all world class corps, has some tremendously talented performers. Why can't Pioneer do a show based on, say, the music of Stevie Wonder i.e., something not-so-Irish. They can still exit the field playing an Irish jig. The fans expect it and like it.

I grew up in Milwaukee and I remember it as a German-Polish town. I'm sure other nations were represented but Ireland was a fairly small contingent. Someone correct me on this piece of history if I'm wrong but my understanding that Pioneer references a printing company (Pioneer Printing) whose logo was a shamrock. Most people think of Pioneer(s) as heading west from St. Louis, prairie schooners, and such. Linking Milwaukee, Pioneer and Ireland is an amazing stretch.

I apologize for my Dennis Miller-esque rant but I think Pioneer is getting a bum rap if "hover around the bottom" is its primary tag line.

.

Pioneer was founded as "The Imperials of St. Patrick" by St. Patrick's Church in Milwaukee- hence the Irish. The name "Pioneer" comes from the Pioneer Container Co. of Cedarburg, WI which was a big sponsor at the time.

[Granny Smith]

I wonder what would happen if at the beginning of the year you put the EXACT same uniforms on every corps. Could you identify who was who by their show?

I think in some cases you could. I also realize that for many corps their uniforms are integral to their identity; however, even some of that has been muddied over time.

For example, while I am entertained and amazed at the quality shows the Devils have put on the field, it just doesn't seem like "them" when they aren't blowing a lung loose on jazz. On the flip side, when I heard Madison last year in Rockford (first show of the year) I was tickled that they had that latin groove going on. While Crown is relatively young in the activity, each year I feel more and more like I am watching the Garfield Cadets. Even though I don't particularly like their style, I like the fact that I can depend on the Blue Knights to have a certain flavor.

Let us imagine the Troopers coming out in anything but their traditional uniform and playing Phantom of the Opera. That would be a travesty. They have spent decades branding (no pun intended) us with a certain genre and style and honestly, that's one of their strengths.

I for one WANT their to be distinctions between corps.

[2ndSop4Life]

My opinions that haven't already been stated by someone else:

Blue Knights: Boring music, boring drill. What the heck was their show about? Not a fan.

Boston: The past few years have provided shows that fail to keep me awake. Yes, I have fallen asleep at a drum corps show. In a dome.

Glassmen: Uh, what? Why are they still in finals?

Crossmen: A little over-rated. Not sure how they spent so much time in 12th place with that show.

Edit: I take back my comment about the Blue Stars. I was misinformed by a previous member who left the organization through "frustration with where the corps was going." My rant was immature. My apologies to anyone I have offended.

Edited April 7, 2009 by 2ndSop4Life

[FTNK]

Well...that was bitter.

[sdstar]

Blue Stars: Not Blue Stars anymore. They're a completely different corps. There are members in the corps that don't know the 6-pointed star was their old logo. Nothing about them says Blue Stars to me except the statement: "On the field from La Crosse, Wisconsin, the Blue Stars"

FWIW, there's a good reason they don't know the 6-pointed star was their old logo: it never was. The 6-pointed star recently found informal popularity among many members a few years ago. Less popularity now.

Here's the original star, from the First Federal Bank logo, the Blue Stars main sponsor at the beginning:

Looks a lot like the "new" star on the new uniform, eh?

Edited December 5, 2008 by sdstar