"Sterile" shows of 2009

[Plan9]

That seems to be happening a lot.

I wish I could see a live show in person this year, but the webcasts are the best I've got.

Come on Lance, an uber-veteran like you should be getting free tickets. Hell, you should be seated between the pit and the field!

[JayM]

or maybe you are the only one that thinks that.

No, I think that as well.

[Horizon]

I think Glassmen's show is pretty sharp actually.

[Perry S]

I think Glassmen's show is pretty sharp actually.

glassmen show this year =

[7trumpet7]

These are the shows that reflect the fact that their design staff didn't get the memo that the days of the boring artsy-fartsy shows are coming to an end. These are also known as beer corps. Of course they do have a place in dci....it gives us a chance to get to the parking lot for a refreshing break!

Glassmen

Blue Knights

Cavaliers

Not to be missed because they have decided to reach out to the general audience and give us something that excites us.

Cadets

Blue Devils

Crown

Boston

Troopers

[rut-roh]

These are the shows that reflect the fact that their design staff didn't get the memo that the days of the boring artsy-fartsy shows are coming to an end. These are also known as beer corps. Of course they do have a place in dci....it gives us a chance to get to the parking lot for a refreshing break!

Not to be missed because they have decided to reach out to the general audience and give us something that excites us.

Please don't speak for "us." Thanks.

[tja273]

Until I saw them live last night. My attitude about their show has done a complete turn around. I was blown away from the first note to the last.

Interesting. Last night was the third time I saw BD live, and I thought the show was a bit flat. My previous viewings had me at the edge of my seat. I also thought a lot of the top corps seemed tired last night...a lack of energy. I wonder if the heat/humidity combined with the three big shows in a row was starting to wear on them. I saw some very uncharacteristic errors in Cavaliers show (visual phasing to the point of one or two people out of step). A BD soloist also struggled during the encore.

Then again, Vaguard gave me goosebumps last night (also a first in the three times I have seen them live). They have done a lot with this show. The dynamic changes in the first half really help the show build up to the big ending. They have also added a lot of body movement for the horn players (this may not be as obvious on Fan Network). This should add some difficulty and effect that they need in their visual program.

Still a great show both nihts in Houston. I just wish I could have stayed an extra day for a side trip to San Antonio.

[skajerk]

Interesting. Last night was the third time I saw BD live, and I thought the show was a bit flat. My previous viewings had me at the edge of my seat. I also thought a lot of the top corps seemed tired last night...a lack of energy. I wonder if the heat/humidity combined with the three big shows in a row was starting to wear on them. I saw some very uncharacteristic errors in Cavaliers show (visual phasing to the point of one or two people out of step). A BD soloist also struggled during the encore.

Then again, Vaguard gave me goosebumps last night (also a first in the three times I have seen them live). They have done a lot with this show. The dynamic changes in the first half really help the show build up to the big ending. They have also added a lot of body movement for the horn players (this may not be as obvious on Fan Network). This should add some difficulty and effect that they need in their visual program.

Still a great show both nihts in Houston. I just wish I could have stayed an extra day for a side trip to San Antonio.

Well, last night was my first live viewing so that may be why I got more out of it.

[ShouldveMarchedAgeOut]

Well then that's your problem Lance

Well, the webcast is definitely better than nothing. Just remember it doesn't do some of these shows justice.

For what it's worth, after seeing them all live (except for Surf), here's how I have them in order of the shows I love to the shows I just like:

01. SCV

02. Crown

03. Blue Stars

04. Blue Devils

05. HNC

06. Troopers

07. Bluecoats

08. Cavaliers

09. Phantom

10. Boston

11. Colts

12. Blue Knights

13. Academy

14. Glassmen

15. Madison

16. Crossmen

17. Mandarins

18. Pacific Crest

19. Spirit

20. Pioneer

21. Cascades

Mine is really really close to the actual standings right now...

1. Blue Devils

2. Cavaliers

3. HNC

4. Crown

5. SCV

6. Boston Crusaders

7. Blue Stars

8. Phantom

9. Blue Knights

10. Colts

11. Scouts

12. Glassmen

13. Spirit

14. Troopers

15. Academy

16. Crossmen

17. Mandarins

18. Pac Crest

19. Pioneer

20. Cascades

(not placing Bluecoats or Surf since I havent seen them)

[Mark in AZ]

My favorite show of the year so far is SCV (although I saw them in person and I'm a huge Copland fan). Music is great and the drill continues to impress (hoping for a lot of cleaning before Indy). My second favorite has been Crown, but they seem to have run out of steam. I thought that Cavs totally impressed tonight (unlike earlier in the season when I thought their show was flat). This year's Blue Devils is the first one in a while that I have liked.

Cadets are a total disappointment. First, why did they have to do WSS again (for the hundredth time). There is so much Bernstein material that has never been done or done infrequently. What a great tribute it would have been to bring some new Bernstein material to the field and put the Cadet stamp on it. Also, they have brought absolutely nothing new to WSS and the show seems pretty boring to me. All that being said, the drill is fantastic and will be amazing if they get it cleaned up. However, I don't think that will win for them. Next biggest disappointment is PR (and coming off a championship year -- sort of like Madison 76).