Dublin, OH - June 23

[jwillis35]

It's very late and I just got home after some dinner and a 2.5 hour drive.

The Dublin show was wonderful. All the corps are to be commended for their performances. There wasn't one show that I didn't like, and I must say that there was a lot of melody out on that field tonight. A good thing in deed.

It is great to see Capital Regiment back on the field. Smaller in numbers at the moment, but the show works. You can tell they are younger than other corps with perhaps much less experienced marchers. The music is fun and I think the overall product is one that they can clean and have fun with. The show was not "over written" in other words, and that's a good thing. Often times I see the opposite and wonder what the staff was thinking.

The Colts have another fantastic musical book, big sound, solid drill, and a very solid percussion section. I think the musical writing is very good. They have to clean up the performance issues, but I believe they will be in the hunt for top 12, or in that 12 to 14 area, come August. I think the show is there. They need to watch the power of that electric bass. They were the biggest culprit tonight when it came to over using the synth bass. There were times it was just rumbling and you couldn't hear the other voices in the brass and percussion. That will hurt them.

The Glassmen are simply wonderful this year. This show is not boring. I wasn't sure what to make of their uniforms when I saw them on the web, but live I must say they are great. They have a solid music ensemble this year. Still work to do, but they pump out some sound, they have wonderful music, and their percussion section is very good. great use of field coverage, and the drill is good, although maybe not great. Still, they are top 12 material, no doubt.

My 2nd favorite show of the night was Boston Crusaders. WOW!!! They have an excellent show and boy did they perform it well tonight. The musical arrangement are first class all the way. Bacchanale is stunning, their use of synth effects is well done, percussion is excellent, and the drill is really creative and fun. But this is likely their best brass line in a number of years. By the way, they performed a wonderful encore prior to scores and they sounded like a million bucks. This is a show to watch out for. They have much cleaning to do, but the show flows so well. They will not have to change too many aspects of this production, therefore allowing for time to clean and bring out the effects and musical nuances. I believe they can challenge the Blue Stars in time. They are for real, and Glassmen are not far behind at the moment.

Carolina Crown is outstanding once again. Some do not like the uniforms, but I love them. It works and it's something we never see, something new and unique. Their big sound is back. They tend to let the baritones dominate more so than the top end. I like it, but I also like BD and Cadets. Each approach to balance for field is neat when done well, and Crown does it REAL well. The drill is the most demanding Crown has marched, but the musical book is where I see some flaws. Don't get me wrong, it is good, and they play wonderfully, but the musical GE is not what it was last year. They will have to tweak some things. The arranging is masterful in the middle of the show, with Over The Rainbow and West Side Story (Somewhere) being tied together in unique fashion, but it doesn't have the same effect as their ballad last year. The theme of their show is simply more demanding to expose and bring to the audience, so that section of the show is not communicating as well. Overall, I see them clearly as a top 6 or 7 corps. I am not sure the show has top 3 design. It is hard, so it has the demand, but does it have the GE?

The Holy Name Cadets (Garfield) were just fantastic this evening. I can tell that they have cleaned some things up compared to the Fan Network viewing I saw of them in Annapolis. In fact, the awkward musical transition into America in the opener was fixed and now just needs to be tweaked to emphasize the change. Their weakness right now is that they need to clean and fill in the phrase gaps between each section of the show. That said, WOW!!!!!!! This show will remind people of 1984 more than anything else, and it reminded me of my fascination with them in the 80s. They were magical tonight, even being as sloppy as they are at this point. The horn line is going to be amazing, and was in so many ways tonight. Percussion is excellent and the guard really pulled out a great show tonight. They had this crowd going, and I think it will get better as they clean. They had a few people on their feet at the end of the opener. Half the stands were on their feet after the ballad, with a chord that just goes and goes and goes! And then they tore the joint down with their closer, and the crowd just sprung to their feet when they hit the last company front. The drill at the end of the opener is just crazy good, and the end of the show is a fireworks display. I was amazed. With the right tweaks and mostly just cleaning, I can tell you that they have the "goods!" This show will be a CLASSIC, I can promise you that. Sometimes these things are difficult to see when a corps is still cleaning and it's early in the season, and maybe I am wrong, but I'd like to think I have seen this many times with corps over the years. These guys have "IT." And when they nail it...look out! I will not say they will win, but I would be really surprised if they finish lower than 2nd place at finals.

If you saw my tweets you will know that I thought Crown may have won this show. And I stand by that. They could have easily won tonight. But in the long run I don't know how anyone beats the Cadets. BUT...it's a long season, and the Cavaliers are always amazing and they are the masters of great show design and visual/musical connection, and you know the Blue Devils can light it up big time. Also, I have heard the Bluecoats brass and drums (have not seen the full drill yet since they just got that completed), but I can tell you that they are FOR REAL. The Bluecoats have a brass line that will compete with anyone, and their percussion is smokin' good. So there is much to be answered.

However, I must tip my cap to the Cadets. What a show, and, like someone else has mentioned, I was reminded of why I love this activity and why when I was young they were so amazing to watch. I was a kid again, and I am 44. By the way, the beginning of their closer where they create a HNC, then G, then CB, then 75 is magical and well done.

Looking forward to Toledo!

JW

[dans]

Thanks for the review! As usual your review was fair, balanced, good natured, insightful and you don't come across like you have an agenda. Thank you for the well thought out review, I always enjoy reading your posts. I hear really good things about the Bluecoats, can't wait to see them. I know you will be following them closely, best of luck to the Bluecoats!

[jwillis35]

Yeah, I can't wait to see the Bluecoats more myself. It was tough this year with them going off the California so early. The only show we had a chance to see them was their Debut show here in Canton for locals, but that got rained out, then the Rockford show got rained out (and I wasn't there anyway), so I am excited to see their final product. Usually I see the final show at spring training, but we were down there much earlier this year, maybe only a week or so into their training.

But hey, I hope the west coast folks enjoy having them out there. It is going to be a blast to have them back in the midwest soon.

[Quinny]

Great review, I love them when they are fair and unbias.. makes for a good read

[Jeff Ream]

great review. agree Cadets could be an all time classic too. glad to hear the America transition flows better as well

[BRASSO]

Great review.... and well written too.

But you make me hate you with jealous rage as you've seen these Corps live and I'll have to wait until later in the summer.....( oh well.....haha!)

[Dex]

Wow... nice review... Well done.. thanks

[Guizeppe]

Very good review. Thanks.