Bluecoats

[Elmo Blatch]

DCI judges today are fickle they don't like staffs to take the easy way out when it comes to concept and design. When it comes to the top three they seem to like the craft of subtlety rather than the creative obvious.

Read my post above. :)

[FedDevil80]

Interesting.

Perhaps you can't hear it. Perhaps you don't know the song.

The title of the program happens to be Imagine. If you listen closely to the first minute or so of music, you will hear the "Imagine" melody, originally by John Lennon (1971). Now, you won't hear it if you are listening to the hornline or the drumline...you gotta listen to the front ensemble. More specifically, listen to the orchestral bells and crotales...if you are listening to the section, the melody sounds a little like a wind-up music box.

But of course, I am sure you already knew that.

yes right in the beginning when the announcer intros the corps I am aware. but Lennon's song does not entirely help define the whole program concept.

[perc2100]

Hypothetically speaking if this staff was tasked to design the Star 83 show they probably would have used flags with an image of a bottle marked poison instead of the plain red flags the Star staff used at the end. DCI judges today are fickle they don't like staffs to take the easy way out when it comes to concept and design. When it comes to the top three they seem to like the craft of subtlety rather than the creative obvious.

Except for Phantom last year.

Almost without exception, clean wins. With Bluecoats as talented as they are musically, it is hard to count them out, no matter how not-Top 3 the show design is.

However, I do agree that this is not the show to get Bluecoats to a new level (Top 3), or even regain past highs (Top 4). I do think that this show will have a shot at Top 6, but not much higher. Right now, I don't think this show/corps will touch:

* Blue Devils

* Cadets

* Crown

* Cavaliers

Phantom is a wild card right now, IMO, and SCV is still a better corps and show. Bluecoats can top them in the end if their talent can get the show clean, but it will be another repeat of 07: placements of 5-7 within just a few tenths (corps = Phantom, SCV, and Bluecoats this year).

[trumpetcam]

I am very puzzled by the Bluecoats this year... I like the brass, guard, and drums but feel like they're very very dry... I know I might get flamed for this, but I think the opener musically was a terrible choice. I see and hear it and think Blue Devils... Might be a great comparison except I hear BD '96 not Bluecoats '09... The music has been done and they do nothing unique with it... The show drags and the drill is pedestrian at best... Play, move stop, play move stop, repeat... I am not a Bluecoats hater, go back and look at my posts I have become a big Bluecoat fan since '02 when they started opening my eyes with that killer hornline. But this year? I feel that they have the most to be worried about in the top tier... I see them as pretty darn clean and the corps under them not... I feel in the end B Stars, B Knights and Boston will be battling for 7th with Bluecoats or come finals time... Could be wrong, and I also see their talent as top 4 or 5, but... hmm..

Wes P

BK '97 '98

That's interesting, because I hear a REALLY HARD horn book that's REALLY DIRTY, even for July. I would say they were one of the dirtiest corps tonight on the webcast, musically and visually . I do think their show needs much tweaking to get their theme across, but with their talent and the difficulty of the show, I think it will help them stay ahead of the other teams and make a push to gain a spot or two come finals week.

It's all guesswork for us until the end i s'pose..

[FedDevil80]

Except for Phantom last year.

Almost without exception, clean wins. With Bluecoats as talented as they are musically, it is hard to count them out, no matter how not-Top 3 the show design is.

However, I do agree that this is not the show to get Bluecoats to a new level (Top 3), or even regain past highs (Top 4). I do think that this show will have a shot at Top 6, but not much higher. Right now, I don't think this show/corps will touch:

* Blue Devils

* Cadets

* Crown

* Cavaliers

Phantom is a wild card right now, IMO, and SCV is still a better corps and show. Bluecoats can top them in the end if their talent can get the show clean, but it will be another repeat of 07: placements of 5-7 within just a few tenths (corps = Phantom, SCV, and Bluecoats this year).

[/qu

The Dev's tanked in drums fifth place! This fact was also mentioned in the DCI countdown telecast this year........

[FedDevil80]

I am very puzzled by the Bluecoats this year... I like the brass, guard, and drums but feel like they're very very dry... I know I might get flamed for this, but I think the opener musically was a terrible choice. I see and hear it and think Blue Devils... Might be a great comparison except I hear BD '96 not Bluecoats '09... The music has been done and they do nothing unique with it... The show drags and the drill is pedestrian at best... Play, move stop, play move stop, repeat... I am not a Bluecoats hater, go back and look at my posts I have become a big Bluecoat fan since '02 when they started opening my eyes with that killer hornline. But this year? I feel that they have the most to be worried about in the top tier... I see them as pretty darn clean and the corps under them not... I feel in the end B Stars, B Knights and Boston will be battling for 7th with Bluecoats or come finals time... Could be wrong, and I also see their talent as top 4 or 5, but... hmm..

Wes P

BK '97 '98

I agree...I like Fight Song but why pick "dream?????" Thinking back....The Devils "Dream" was a brilliant selection for their Chronicle program...it even sounded gangsta...with it's machine gun like staccato phrases. Probably one of best selections of music by a staff; it fit the opening perfectly.

[Silver_King]

but whats the show about.

like BDs is about the 1930s you know

Glassmen the journey of one they have themes of one throughout the show

Blue Stars factory they have the tables and radio thing

PR has a red violin and goes with the movie

I just dont understand how the whole show for the Bluecoats comes together with the tutle Imagine

Edited July 12, 2009 by Silver_King

[Elmo Blatch]

yes right in the beginning when the announcer intros the corps I am aware. but Lennon's song does not entirely help define the whole program concept.

See, there you go again. A minute ago, you indicated that "When it comes to the top three they seem to like the craft of subtlety rather than the creative obvious."

So, once again, if you know that the 2009 Bluecoats program is entitled Imagine and that that the visual program is based loosely around the surrealistic work of Renee Magritte, then you have an idea that that program might have something to do with dreaming or imagination. But don't take my word for it. Wikipedia has a small article on Magritte that might point you in the right direction.

Renee Magritte on Wikipedia

Additionally, if you know the lyrics to "Imagine," then you would certainly understand how this fits into the surrealistic setting. Lennon himself was very much into surrealism and indicated as much by saying: "Surrealism had a great effect on me because then I realised that the imagery in my mind wasn't insanity. Surrealism to me is reality."

So, what is it that you are seeking? If you are looking for subtlety, there is a ton of it loaded into the Bluecoats' program this year. Perhaps the subtleties within the program require an aesthetic understanding and an artistic vocabulary through which to connect them; then again, I am sure you know all of this.

To not like something is one thing; to not understand it is another.

[FedDevil80]

but whats the show about.

like BDs is about the 1930s you know

Glassmen the journey of one they have themes of one throughout the show

Blue Stars factory they have the tables and radio thing

I just dont understand how the whole show for the Bluecoats comes together with the tutle Imagine

What does their show narrative say? does anyone have this years DCI Program? The staff picks Mingus Children's hour of Dream presumably because it has the word "dream" in the title I guess Dream and Imagine can mean the same thing ohhhh also the word IDEA! the next movement is the absurd... pigs flying...they select a fun whimsical tune have the brass perform some body movement. Then the drumline daydreams laying in an abstract meadow, staring into the clouds and eventually becoming part of the heavenly sky...soaring dreaming....imagining....The brass joins in ...well this is were the concept gets lost. .

[Tez]

The show is fun to watch...I liked "Fight Song" but the level of design sophistication is lacking to be top 3 competitive. Bluecoats want to be a consistent top 5 corps. The show design this year may not get them there.... Hypothetically speaking if this staff was tasked to design the Star 83 show they probably would have used flags with an image of a bottle marked poison instead of the plain red flags the Star staff used at the end. DCI judges today are fickle they don't like staffs to take the easy way out when it comes to concept and design. When it comes to the top three they seem to like the craft of subtlety rather than the creative obvious.

The judges can like subtlety in concepts (Cadets 2005, Blue Devils 2007, Phantom 2006).... but I really don't think shows like Blue Devils 2006, Cavaliers 2006, Cavaliers 2008, or Phantom 2008 were that subtle at all. Those were all pretty straight forward including on field murders, robots, and dead fish/horse head flags. Sometimes being blatantly obvious gets your point across better..... of course, I'm not sure what point the Bluecoats are trying to get across, but I love their show anyway.