Quarterfinals on The Big Screen

[cmathis]

Oh, and I have to say that the saddest thing I've ever seen at a DCI competition is Spirit with a bass guitar on the field.

Don't know how it's legal, don't know why it's legal, but it don't belong on a drum corps field.

THIS!!!

[NakedEye]

Question:

Now that DCI is shooing in HD, what was the comparison between this year and last year quality wise? Substantially better, little bit better, same, not as good, etc.

Not sure if others had this issue, but at our theater in Orlando (Waterford Lakes) the picture was extremely dark and contrasty. Black pants all showed up with a prominent white halo around them and most colors were absorbed by the gigantic mass of curtain behind the field. One of the low-angle cameras seemed brighter than the others, but the rest were not great. I've been to the broadcast most years in the past and thought this one seemed poor in comparison.

Sound was fair, I guess, though you could tell some boom effect from the enclosed space. Our show was sold out in advance and they turned numerous people away. In the past they used a much larger theater and had a second one available for overflow.

It was pretty apparent from all the justification about the roof being closed that the broadcast team was doing that it was always the plan to do so. This struck me as rather sneaky of DCI, as i thought I recalled closing the roof just being an "option" when all the initial PR hoopla about the move to Indy was released. Now they cited at length the issues with the drainage, the almighty black curtain blowing around, and making sure it was a "level playing field" for all corps. Hmm. Unfortunate.

Perhaps it was the dark nature of our broadcast, but I just hated that curtain. Hated with a passion. It seemed to drain the life out of everything and made it seem the corps were performing in an empty barn. I'm about the farthest thing from a traditionalist, as I have welcomed most of the past changes, but I'm not sure this venue has me wanting to make many trips to Indy.

Despite all that, the shows are sensational this year. Our favorites (we are two longtime designers, instructors, FMM, and a newbie):

1. SCV - brought all of us to tears, and not just at the end. Throughout the show. The theater was almost silent during the whole production. Everyone was captivated. Without a doubt one of my favorite shows of all time. The word we all used was "perfect." Perhaps the best blend of visual, style, restraint and music I've ever seen.

2. Cadets - just great pacing and unsurpassed entertainment. I felt they were "on," especially the guard, but it felt like they still had more to give the next two nights. A good sign.

3. BD - Incredibly well-done. Whether you like the style or not, their attention to detail is exceptional. Huge layers of thought and design in it and how are they able to produce such quality performances year after year after year? Will take a major crater on their part to lose the title.

We liked Crown ok, but mainly the opening and closing sections. Something was losing our interest in the middle. The show seems to stall out. My one friend knows several of their staff and said that most of the judge criticism they are getting involves the center section as well. Their simply fantastic playing is making up for some of that, but I still think they are vulnerable to some of the other three really strong designs that they are ahead of by the tiniest of margins right now.

Such close margins between 2-4. Will there be surprises over the next few nights. I do think so.

[GoFanGo]

I just got home after drinks with friends. The broadcast IMHO was great! The HD looked way better than past theater broadcasts and yes the audio was not the best but the direction was way better. The descision to stay long on some high-cam shots would normally be a no-no in the real world of network sports, but in this case--the effect was appropiate to the visual grace and flow of drum corps.

Good job DCI (and Tom B.)

[kikitiki]

When Boston was setting up, there was a point where one of the guard girls set up inches in front of a horn player (both facing backfield), and the guy just happened to squat down to stretch real quick and popped right back up. The entire theater started cracking up where I was.

That was hilarious! Wonder how he and the girl will react when they see it.

[OHS_Bucs53]

That was hilarious! Wonder how he and the girl will react when they see it.

Haha same thing happened in the theater I was in! Everyone just started laughing!!!

[Musicman1084]

Just my personal rankings, and please be aware that these are NOT based only on execution as much as my personal enjoyment of the shows.

1. Crown - I think if BD were executing any less, this would be a definite championship year for them.

2. SCV - An absolutely tremendous show this year. Key explained it best. I kept on wanting more and more, and they waited for the perfect moment. Such a beautiful, elegant show.

3. Cadets - Pure adrenaline, but I don't consider it to be an entirely coherent thought in terms of the story associated with it. Amazingly performed.

4. Blue Devils - Obviously an amazing corps, or they wouldn't have won. But I just CAN'T enjoy this show... I had listened to it before and didn't particularly care for it, but watching it for the first time... well, they've completely lost me these past few years...

5. Cavies - Changed my mind on this show. Nothing really grabs me... even the signature INSANE Cavies drill isn't there, at least not IMO.

6. Bluecoats - I ended up enjoying this show a lot more tonight. Imagine is great, and the show was just a feel-good type of show.

7. Boston - HOLY CRAP they've cleaned up. Aggressive, sexy, sassy, classy. All the above. Story + execution, but man I wish their brass was more polished... also, was I the only one who noticed the synth cut out at the end of one segment, leaving the field in complete silence while the drum major counted off for the next piece? Isn't that supposed to sustain into the next transition? Keep it going Boston - remember that finals week isn't over with Quarterfinals!!!!!

8. Phantom - I ended up changing my mind a bit, too. I still love the music, but the drill is just blah. It's not BAD, it's actually kind of cool in parts... but it just doesn't fit or seem like a top 3 corps' drill.

9. Blue Stars - I actually liked the first half of the show more than the latter half. Is that odd? VERY difficult, and very obvious that they were trying something on a whole other level than the corps below them... but one negative (and I hope I'm thinking of the right corps...), the writing for trumpets stayed in the lower register far too much, not providing enough layering and impact of a more prominent lead trumpet sound. Either that, or I just wasn't getting enough sound from them.

10. Blue Knights - Again, changed my mind on this show. Good stuff, and the first year I truly enjoyed their visuals.

11. Glassmen - I ended up enjoying their show a bit more, too. Not as bad musically as people are making it seem, IMO.

12. Colts - Great, great theme carried out very well. Beautiful ballad.

12. Troopers - A cop out that I had to give them the tie for the 12th spot, but I honestly couldn't decide. I thought the Colts performed slightly better, but I thought the Troopers had the better show overall.

14. Academy - LOVED the music, but the maturity of the corps showed. If they had more experienced members they could probably pull this off for a finals placement.

15. Madison - My opinion still stands on this show... kind of embarrassing. Also, the balance was NOT there tonight. I wouldn't be surprised if they got a fairly low score in ensemble music because of how much the bass in the pit was drowning out the rest of the corps unless that was just something that was happening with the theater's sound system, but I didn't notice it with many other corps.

My absolute favorites on the night (ones that I could listen to over and over again and not get sick of them) were, in order: Santa Clara Vanguard, Boston Crusaders, Bluecoats, Academy and Crown.

[Stealthwolf]

1. SCV - brought all of us to tears, and not just at the end. Throughout the show. The theater was almost silent during the whole production. Everyone was captivated. Without a doubt one of my favorite shows of all time. The word we all used was "perfect." Perhaps the best blend of visual, style, restraint and music I've ever seen.

My thoughts exactly. It's been my favorite show of the year since that first airing in Walnut, CA, and there just isn't a more magical, breathtaking, captivating show than this one this year. Just...sublime.

Even the chattering high school band kids filling up the theater tonight were silenced by it. And I believe that speaks volumes.

[blindarbalest]

My thoughts exactly. It's been my favorite show of the year since that first airing in Walnut, CA, and there just isn't a more magical, breathtaking, captivating show than this one this year. Just...sublime.

Even the chattering high school band kids filling up the theater tonight were silenced by it. And I believe that speaks volumes.

Oh yeah, two things shut everyone up. SCV and Crown's preshow.

[Musicman1084]

It was pretty apparent from all the justification about the roof being closed that the broadcast team was doing that it was always the plan to do so. This struck me as rather sneaky of DCI, as i thought I recalled closing the roof just being an "option" when all the initial PR hoopla about the move to Indy was released. Now they cited at length the issues with the drainage, the almighty black curtain blowing around, and making sure it was a "level playing field" for all corps. Hmm. Unfortunate.

Perhaps it was the dark nature of our broadcast, but I just hated that curtain. Hated with a passion. It seemed to drain the life out of everything and made it seem the corps were performing in an empty barn. I'm about the farthest thing from a traditionalist, as I have welcomed most of the past changes, but I'm not sure this venue has me wanting to make many trips to Indy.

1. SCV - brought all of us to tears, and not just at the end. Throughout the show. The theater was almost silent during the whole production. Everyone was captivated. Without a doubt one of my favorite shows of all time. The word we all used was "perfect." Perhaps the best blend of visual, style, restraint and music I've ever seen.

Just wanted to comment...

I completely agree with you about the black curtain, and I also not a traditionalist. It just didn't feel like a drum corps show with the curtain there, and it didn't feel like finals because the roof was closed. :(

If they were really so involved in planning like they claim, and they also said that closing the roof was just an "option," wouldn't the drainage issue have been something that was addressed MUCH sooner?

And what you said about SCV ... I don't think I could have said it better if I tried. It was just total sophistication, elegance and perfection. Like you said, "restraint" was a major factor. I think this may officially go down as my favorite show of the season and most certainly top five all time.

[CasualFan]

Sorry everyone .. I don't want to go through the 22 pages ... Was it worth the $18 bucks?!

No. Of course, much of reason has to do with the fact that I now live in the anus of America. Back home, I always enjoyed the cinecast because people were not rude (not much talking/waiting between performances to enter/exit, etc..) I didn't like only seeing the top 15. IMO the bottom 7 corps have much more entertaining shows than some of the top corps this year.

Question:

Now that DCI is shooing in HD, what was the comparison between this year and last year quality wise? Substantially better, little bit better, same, not as good, etc.

Video was better quality than what I remember from previous years. Like other have stated, audio was relatively quiet to begin with but was louder after intermission but was not in-your-face drum corps volume. I don't think anyone asked for the volume to be turned up in the theater I was at so it was probably done on the broadcast side. IMO the multi-cam shots were way better than the Atlanta webcast.