Best of the Decade - The Cavaliers

[xXMelloSkiesXx]

1. 2003

2. 2000

3. 2004

4. 2002

5. 2006

6. 2007

7. 2009

8. 2005

9. 2008

10. 2001

[MikeN]

My list -

1) Frameworks (2002) - In my mind still the greatest show ever performed. An amazing, colossal, stupendous achievement of performance. There may be shows with more exciting music, but I don't think there has *ever* been a total package quite like it. My only quibble - did it have to be *those* guard uniforms...?

2) 007 (2004) - This might have been one of their closest wins score-wise, but man, I sure didn't see it that close. They totally blew everyone else off the field that summer. Welcome to Cuba is amazing - we've finally reached the point where tempos are so high you can play Latin charts again - just march in double time! - and the whole thing just oozes the "Bond" persona. Great guard uniforms, too.

3) Spin Cycle (2003) - It has taken many years for this one to grow on me, but it really has. This is one of the few shows this decade where I wouldn't have had a problem if the 2nd place corps had won. It's amazingly clean in visual and music, if maybe a bit... sterile. But it's still an amazing product they put out.

4) Four Corners (2001) - This show rarely gets the love I think it deserves. Although it used original music <cough-based onexistingsongs-cough>, it's an appealing program that really does show what the corps can do when the throttle is opened up. From the 3rd corner (drum feature) to the end, it's an absolute tour-de-force of drill with some good, if not great - music to go with it.

5) Samurai (2008) - This show was weird for me. The first time I saw it, it was a mess. I couldn't figure out all summer exactly how it was doing so well. By Quarters, though, it all finally clicked - I thought their final product was great, and very much in line with their Machine show as far as selling the total concept. I felt they finished on par with BD and Phantom, if not ahead.

6) Machine (2006) - The visual portion of this show is brilliant - absolute genius. Total package from start to finish. The musical program, though - honestly, I can't stand the music. *Not* charts I care to listen to over and over, for sure.

7) Niagra Falls (2000) - Honestly, I don't know if they should have tied The Cadets this year. It's a good show, but the music is hardly... yeah. But what they do, man they do clean.

8) The Great Divide (2009) - See my comments for Samurai (2008) - I have a feeling I'll be saying the same thing next week. It's not there yet, but I'm starting to get behind where they're going with it.

9) ...And So It Goes (2007) - This was the strangest kind of show for me - a show that included rock music that... well... didn't rock at all. Yes, I realize there was classical in there, too, but it wasn't until Italian Restaurant in the last 2 minutes of the show that it really showed what kind of program it could have been. Not my cup of tea at all.

10) My Kind of Town (2005) - I didn't like this show at all. The music felt shoehorned into the "moments" they were trying to create, and I think at the end of the day the problem is that the image the Cavs built up on the field have isn't a happy, playful one. It just didn't work at all.

[ouooga]

1. 2000

2. 2001

3. 2004

4. 2002

5. 2006

6. 2003

7. 2008

8. 2009

9. 2007

10. 2005

[GMichael1230]

2000 - One of the best examples of music and visual working together to creat one inified product, The drill itself was candy swett, perfect in its effect, in regards to staging, transitions , drama, and climax. One o fthe most well written shows ever.

2001 - Almsot like 2000 but not quite, still a great guard and such wonderful total package elements

2004 - 00My God ! Another classic Cavalier design and perfect total package.

2006 - Definetly a classic Cavaliers how, unique in design and totally formidable, deserving of every accolade it received.

2008 - Would not have been surpsed to see this win, another classic Cavalier show, always taking unique themes, ideas, and concepts and giving them that classic Cavalier brand

2003 Spin cycle was such a great show, a beautiful drill and an awesome guard with such beautiful silks.

2002 A larger than life display of the culmination of the growing Cavalier legacy, almost too good for its own good.

2005 - Clunker city

2007 - Clunker city part II

2009 - Seems like the younger brother to the other Cavalier classic shows that just hasnt hit puberty yet.

Geoffrey

[hostrauser]

1. 2002 - Frameworks - Possibly the only Richard Saucedo original show that really worked for me, musically. And visually, well, what can you say?

2. 2000 - Niagara Falls - Very enjoyable show. Shouldn't have tied for 1st, but a fun show.

3. 2006 - Machine - It's grown on me. Visually, I think, the most creative show the Green Machine has put out this decade. And the music had it's moments.

The rest...

4. 2004 - 007

5. 2005 - My Kind of Town

6. 2008 - Samurai

7. 2001 - Four Corners

8. 2003 - Spin Cycle

9. 2007 - And So It Goes

[bawker]

1. 2000

2. 2004

. . .everything else.

[gbell211]

I'm not a big Cavies fan, but they had a lot of success this decade.

1. 2000

2. 2003 (I also would have to agree this is an underrated show; most creative and unique show by them)

3. 2006

4. 2002

5. 2009

6. 2006

7. 2005

8. 2004

9. 2007

10. 2001

[GreenMachine009]

2001 - In my opinion, the best performed and composed music. Hornline as powerful as hell, and with some intense drill to go with it. Probably the best drumline the corps had all decade.

2002 - Frameworks. It's Frameworks, one of the best designed and executed shows in history. A perfect mix of mind blowing drill and music written to work with it fantastically. I would love to see the cleanliness of 2001's drumline (Not that 02's wasn't clean either) with this book and hornline.

2008 - Drill aside, a great recreation of asian and japanese themes and motifs. Typically one main melodic line, and a litle bit of harmony under to add to the power of the song. Very well written music, and incorporated with some of the best drill the corps has had, Samurai made for one of my favorite Cavalier productions of all time.

2003 - Yes, the argument of "Frameworks Part II" can be made, but this show is another total package. The music is more lacking than 2001 and 2002, but the drill and visual design are incredible. The biggest musical impact of the show was fantastic and in your face, but WAY too short. Definitely a visual based show, and with an upgraded music book, there very well could have been the first ever "four-peat" ("Five-peat" if you include 2004)

2007 - VERY different than every other show of the decade. Upbeat, quick, and bright, and with a strange melodic balance that alternates between almost all brass and all pit. Both sections were some of the better of each the corps has fielded, and if the two had been incorporated into the music TOGETHER instead of taking turns the entire time and playing almost completely independent of the other, this show would have been even more phenomenal, and possibly another championship, and probably second place.

2000 - An excellent package of both visual and music, but a bit lacking not in execution, but in design of both. The music is often lacking in compositional power (not volume) and is very often just a bunch of big, loud hits on a few chords throughout the brass. The drill was beginning to evolve into the very high paced, complex lasershow that it has been, but was occasionally a bit bland and stretched out.

2009 - I absolutely love the hornbook this year. Going back to more classical roots has really done the corps well, as the original music was beginning to become exhausted. It was good every year, but it was becoming obvious that it was getting harder and harder to come up with a theme that it would be possible to write impacting, fitting music to year after year. The drill is not as breakneck as it has been the past few years, but it is still very unique and extremely well incorporated into the show.

2004 - A fantastic production, but one that just never appealed to me like 01 and 02. Possibly the best hornline fielded by the corps all decade, at least when it came to technical work (double tonguing for the win!). A very powerful music book, coupled with innovative drill made for a fantastic show, just not one I have ever really enjoyed like my other favorites.

2006 - Another great show, but of course - very lacking musically. Of course, the Green Machine had to field a show themed after their fond nickname of old that was powerfully reinforced over the past 5 to 10 years, and they did it well. The drill design and its mechanical nature are very fitting to the name of the show and the corps, but were not coupled with a great music book.

2005 - A bit of a prelude to 2007 in the sense of its straying from the typical mood of the other shows of the decade. Probably the dirtiest hornline of the decade, with some very sloppy sounding sections, even on finals night. Still a great show, and well performed, but the design was sloppy. The show would either stick to one point for far too long, or make a new one with potential and cut it off WAY too early. In spite of this, I LOVE the mocking of the Boston Red Sox during the "Baseball Game"

[Abbevillekid26]

Am I the only person who liked My Kind of Town?

[TheICON]

1. 2000- Niagara Falls: I felt like this show was performed better than the Cadets...in all aspects. It was my first year really following drum corps and their combination of music and drill to depict the Falls really grabbed my attention.

2. 2004 - 007: I absolutely love this show. It is entertaining and I liked it from the start.

3. 2002 - Frameworks: This was by far the best they have performed. I was there live for their first-ish show in Toledo as well as Finals. Was skeptical in Toledo, but loved it at Finals.

4. 2003 - Spin Cycle: If it had been cleaner, I think it would have won. In my opinion, this is the best designed show visually and has tons of effect.

5. 2008 - Samurai: This show was amazing come Finals...it is too bad the music wasn't a little more interesting.

6. 2001 - Four Corners: In my opinion, this is the dirtiest championship show I have ever seen. It is a good concept, but nothing that gets me too excited nowadays.

7. 2006 - Machine: I hated this show all season and I hated that it won. The gimmicks and subpar brassline really bothered me. Now, I realize that it is an excellent show to introduce young students into drum corps. I showed parts to my Kindergarten music class and they were glued to the tv.

8. 2005 - My Kind of Town: What a blah show for me. I just didn't like the music and I thought the show design was forced.

9. 2007 - And So It Goes: I love Billy Joel, but I didn't particularly like this show. Actually, I don't like any of the 2007 shows. The only DVD of this decade that I do not own.

10. 2009 - The Great Divide: Maybe 16 contras could produce a solid base for the brassline....maybe not. I just don't like it, at all.