pearlsnaredrummer77 Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 (edited) The Kingston show is one of my favorites of the year. The stadium is small, but cozy. The crowd friendly-you can talk to your neighbor about who was just on. I didn't take notes so this is just from memory. As for the show, the Kingston crowd loves the corps, large and small. The weather was cool, but kind of humid-which may have affected some brass performances. Nevertheless, it was a fine evening. You can't beat that kind of night for a drum corps show. Thanks to the Children's Home of Kingston, DCA and of course, all of the performers. After a powerfully sung (by this young woman whose name I didn't get, has amazing chops) rendition of the Star Spangled Banner the evening's entertainment commenced. In Exhibition 20th Century Limited. This small parade corps lined up in concert formation and performed crowd pleasing tunes to good effect. A strong battery-in fact one capable of competition-was the star of this corps. Playing with big time chops, the five man snare line set a good standard. They were very impressive trooping the stands and compared well to some of the competitive lines. The brass section on the other hand, seemed a bit tired and did not project very well, but seemed to know their charts well. The small color guard is a new section (I didn't remember one last year) and although they struggled a bit definately added to the GE of this small corps. Overall, this was a fine performance by a small local corps. I gotta catch these folks in a parade!!! Manchester Muchachos Similar in size to 20th Century, the Muchachos had a more ambitious program that featured a simple, but effective drill. The drum line and brass section at times struggled with their charts and some phasing was evident. Nevertheless, the crowd enjoyed the Muchachos. Both this corps and 20th Century would be ready for A-class competition. On a side note, the crowd was commenting on the small stand for the drum major. He showed amazing coordination and directed with skill despite not having the most commodious of platforms. Overall, the Muchachos are crowd pleasers who could perhaps tighten up the brass and percussion performances. I'm looking forward to seeing these folks again. DCA Competition White Sabers The White Sabers must be the DCA masters of prop usage. I remember a few years back they used the really cool Roman soldier cut-outs that made the corps seem much larger. This year, the White Sabers are using some round props that look sort of like old bass drums that have been converted. They formed staging platforms at various junctions in the show for soloists. Nicely done. The White Sabers are much improved this year-their show was very pleasing and coherent. There were phasing problems and the snares (3) in particular had a tough time with their book. The bass drums also seemed to struggle. The small pit was better and added quality keyboard work. Yet the bright spot was the brass section. The smallish (circa 21) brass section was much improved in marching and playing over last year. The small color guard nicely complimented the music. Well done White Sabers! Fusion Core Wow, This brass section can march and play!!!! At several junctures in the show, they sounded more like 32 brass-and they weren't blasting either-controlled volume. Excellent dynamics. The drill is demanding and Fusion is up to the task. This was the first time I saw Fusion this year and their guard is bigger and much improved. Fusion's weakness is their small battery. With 3 snares, 1 tenor and I think 4 bds, they were were balance problems with the brass. The folks who were playing were quality performers-particularly the lone tenor player who I quite admire. Oh, and the pit does some great work, both on keyboards, and percussion. The concert bd really helps give Fusion a quality low end that is lacking b/c of the small battery. Overall, this is a serious corps, playing serious music with serious chops. Fusion is a rising star in DCA. Bush Last week, Bush was having some phasing & brass execution problems. MAJOR improvements this week. Their show was a crowd favorite at Dietz. Their HUGE guard is excellent-athletic, Verbal (!) and skilled at equipment tosses. The show has a great running start with very nice work from the tymp player at that juncture. I can't say enough good things about Bush's battery. The five snares are just quality players who deliver each week. The rest of the battery follows suit. The Pit also does an excellent job and was playing some amazingly fast stuff on the keys. The Psychotic Circuis is really starting to jell just as last year's Gypsy show took a bit longer to peak. With a few more brass Bush would be giving Cabs & Empire cause to shudder. Excellent performance from Bush! Empire I thought Empire was flat last week. But this week BAM!!! That quality Empire brass sound was back and they really sold the show this week. The battery redeemed itself this week and was playing some tastey licks with abandon & cleanliness to spare. Also, the brass performance was much improved in accuracey and projection. I think this is imporant because as a lot of folks have noted the patriotic kind of theme is a little bit of a change-up for Empire. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy was a crowd favorite and Empire really began to heat-up in this section of the show. The pit was playing some difficult runs cleanly and dancing about (can capturing the crowd's affections as a result) and nicely complimenting the strong battery. Empire was the audience's first taste of that big brassy sound and they loved it!!! Cabs This week was Cabs turn for a flat show. That said, it was still nicely performed (just not at their best) and for those who remember old Cabs shows-let me tell you I was tired and my back hurt-after watching the OTL. These folks are moving big time and doing a good job of it. The ten man snare line-which tickles me no end-was only eight most of the evening. One snare was missing and another seems to have had a last minute pulled head and sat out most of the show. So the battery was NOT keyed in like they ususally are. I kind of thought that Cabs guard was on target that night. The best part of the show is when the drums play a unison kind of funky beat against the brass-very powerful & crowd pleasing. Yet this year's Cabs show is best described as elegant. Hurricanes Color guard, Color guard, Color guard. I am amazed at not only the equipment handling, but watch the feet of the guard-what a sensational section! I think the Hurcs were smelling a victory in the offing and during the Opener I was a bit worried-things were not in the pocket, the battery was overplaying a bit, etc. But then Hurcs calmed down and delivered a fine performance. I can't get enough of this battery in general and the five man tenor section in particular. HOT. The brass and M&M was good enough to win. I saw this as a clear victory for Hurcs. When you think back just a few years, (Jesus Christ Superstar) this corps had about 35 brass and the color guard was just beginning to jell-wow, what a fine organization this has become!!!! Everyone take a bow!!!!! Cabs Alumni Coming onto the field, it seemed like they had about 80 brass (closer to 60) and that funk-a-licious percussion section looks like a small army (30ish?). BTW: I have noticed people dancing in the stands to that funktastick cadence for the past two years. The brass sound is simply fantastic and the soloists (a never ending supply of them-such is the talent here) amazing. Their ability to use a variety of vintage horns situated in front on stands and more modern g horns is just plain cool. WALL OF SOUND!The drum to drum snare soloing is a lost art and these folks do it with aplomb. I have no idea what all of those 'vintage' marching percussion pieces are, but the concentrated effect is infectuous. When the snares get up close, the tremendous sound of the mylar drums about knocks you out of your seat. Everything here just works well-small color guard with traditional movements & equipment handling, basic, but fun drill and soaring classic charts. The crowd loved it and so did I. When the dust settled, it was a clear Hurcs victory. An improved show put Empire over Cabs tonight, but it could easily to the other way. These corps are just that close in my humble opinion. Bush is a few brass shy of the big guns but will be in play at Rochestor. Fusion looks to have their hearts set on a Class A chamionship and they just may do it. White Sabers are much improved and have a quality base for the future. The two exhibition corps performed very well and Cabs Alumni won the show in their own way. Edited August 11, 2009 by pearlsnaredrummer77 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storkysr Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Excellent review, as usual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elphaba01 Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 "Kingston": Thanks ever so much for the wrap up. Well done. Elphaba WWW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegalEagle50 Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 That was a great review! Thank you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrHornGrL Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Thank you for the wonderful review! It's nice to have at least one this week, since NO ONE reviewed the Waterloo show last week. On a side note, does anyone know where we can view the professional pics that were being taken on the field this weekend during the show? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msjbass Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Thanks for the review! They are far and few between on DCP lately. Thanks, again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homersopranopower Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Ive been yelping about the Hurcs drumline this year. In my opinion they have taking a big step up and are keeping them in 2nd when others see them as below empire, cabs and MBI because their Brass isn't as strong. Their Drumline is starting to turn heads. Way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom D'Bomb Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 The Kingston show is one of my favorites of the year. The stadium is small, but cozy. The crowd friendly-you can talk to your neighbor about who was just on. I didn't take notes so this is just from memory. As for the show, the Kingston crowd loves the corps, large and small. The weather was cool, but kind of humid-which may have affected some brass performances. Nevertheless, it was a fine evening. You can't beat that kind of night for a drum corps show. Thanks to the Children's Home of Kingston, DCA and of course, all of the performers.After a powerfully sung (by this young woman whose name I didn't get, has amazing chops) rendition of the Star Spangled Banner the evening's entertainment commenced. In Exhibition 20th Century Limited. This small parade corps lined up in concert formation and performed crowd pleasing tunes to good effect. A strong battery-in fact one capable of competition-was the star of this corps. Playing with big time chops, the five man snare line set a good standard. They were very impressive trooping the stands and compared well to some of the competitive lines. The brass section on the other hand, seemed a bit tired and did not project very well, but seemed to know their charts well. The small color guard is a new section (I didn't remember one last year) and although they struggled a bit definately added to the GE of this small corps. Overall, this was a fine performance by a small local corps. I gotta catch these folks in a parade!!! Manchester Muchachos Similar in size to 20th Century, the Muchachos had a more ambitious program that featured a simple, but effective drill. The drum line and brass section at times struggled with their charts and some phasing was evident. Nevertheless, the crowd enjoyed the Muchachos. Both this corps and 20th Century would be ready for A-class competition. On a side note, the crowd was commenting on the small stand for the drum major. He showed amazing coordination and directed with skill despite not having the most commodious of platforms. Overall, the Muchachos are crowd pleasers who could perhaps tighten up the brass and percussion performances. I'm looking forward to seeing these folks again. DCA Competition White Sabers The White Sabers must be the DCA masters of prop usage. I remember a few years back they used the really cool Roman soldier cut-outs that made the corps seem much larger. This year, the White Sabers are using some round props that look sort of like old bass drums that have been converted. They formed staging platforms at various junctions in the show for soloists. Nicely done. The White Sabers are much improved this year-their show was very pleasing and coherent. There were phasing problems and the snares (3) in particular had a tough time with their book. The bass drums also seemed to struggle. The small pit was better and added quality keyboard work. Yet the bright spot was the brass section. The smallish (circa 21) brass section was much improved in marching and playing over last year. The small color guard nicely complimented the music. Well done White Sabers! Fusion Core Wow, This brass section can march and play!!!! At several junctures in the show, they sounded more like 32 brass-and they weren't blasting either-controlled volume. Excellent dynamics. The drill is demanding and Fusion is up to the task. This was the first time I saw Fusion this year and their guard is bigger and much improved. Fusion's weakness is their small battery. With 3 snares, 1 tenor and I think 4 bds, they were were balance problems with the brass. The folks who were playing were quality performers-particularly the lone tenor player who I quite admire. Oh, and the pit does some great work, both on keyboards, and percussion. The concert bd really helps give Fusion a quality low end that is lacking b/c of the small battery. Overall, this is a serious corps, playing serious music with serious chops. Fusion is a rising star in DCA. Bush Last week, Bush was having some phasing & brass execution problems. MAJOR improvements this week. Their show was a crowd favorite at Dietz. Their HUGE guard is excellent-athletic, Verbal (!) and skilled at equipment tosses. The show has a great running start with very nice work from the tymp player at that juncture. I can't say enough good things about Bush's battery. The five snares are just quality players who deliver each week. The rest of the battery follows suit. The Pit also does an excellent job and was playing some amazingly fast stuff on the keys. The Psychotic Circuis is really starting to jell just as last year's Gypsy show took a bit longer to peak. With a few more brass Bush would be giving Cabs & Empire cause to shudder. Excellent performance from Bush! Empire I thought Empire was flat last week. But this week BAM!!! That quality Empire brass sound was back and they really sold the show this week. The battery redeemed itself this week and was playing some tastey licks with abandon & cleanliness to spare. Also, the brass performance was much improved in accuracey and projection. I think this is imporant because as a lot of folks have noted the patriotic kind of theme is a little bit of a change-up for Empire. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy was a crowd favorite and Empire really began to heat-up in this section of the show. The pit was playing some difficult runs cleanly and dancing about (can capturing the crowd's affections as a result) and nicely complimenting the strong battery. Empire was the audience's first taste of that big brassy sound and they loved it!!! Cabs This week was Cabs turn for a flat show. That said, it was still nicely performed (just not at their best) and for those who remember old Cabs shows-let me tell you I was tired and my back hurt-after watching the OTL. These folks are moving big time and doing a good job of it. The ten man snare line-which tickles me no end-was only eight most of the evening. One snare was missing and another seems to have had a last minute pulled head and sat out most of the show. So the battery was NOT keyed in like they ususally are. I kind of thought that Cabs guard was on target that night. The best part of the show is when the drums play a unison kind of funky beat against the brass-very powerful & crowd pleasing. Yet this year's Cabs show is best described as elegant. Hurricanes Color guard, Color guard, Color guard. I am amazed at not only the equipment handling, but watch the feet of the guard-what a sensational section! I think the Hurcs were smelling a victory in the offing and during the Opener I was a bit worried-things were not in the pocket, the battery was overplaying a bit, etc. But then Hurcs calmed down and delivered a fine performance. I can't get enough of this battery in general and the five man tenor section in particular. HOT. The brass and M&M was good enough to win. I saw this as a clear victory for Hurcs. When you think back just a few years, (Jesus Christ Superstar) this corps had about 35 brass and the color guard was just beginning to jell-wow, what a fine organization this has become!!!! Everyone take a bow!!!!! Cabs Alumni Coming onto the field, it seemed like they had about 80 brass (closer to 60) and that funk-a-licious percussion section looks like a small army (30ish?). BTW: I have noticed people dancing in the stands to that funktastick cadence for the past two years. The brass sound is simply fantastic and the soloists (a never ending supply of them-such is the talent here) amazing. Their ability to use a variety of vintage horns situated in front on stands and more modern g horns is just plain cool. WALL OF SOUND!The drum to drum snare soloing is a lost art and these folks do it with aplomb. I have no idea what all of those 'vintage' marching percussion pieces are, but the concentrated effect is infectuous. When the snares get up close, the tremendous sound of the mylar drums about knocks you out of your seat. Everything here just works well-small color guard with traditional movements & equipment handling, basic, but fun drill and soaring classic charts. The crowd loved it and so did I. When the dust settled, it was a clear Hurcs victory. An improved show put Empire over Cabs tonight, but it could easily to the other way. These corps are just that close in my humble opinion. Bush is a few brass shy of the big guns but will be in play at Rochestor. Fusion looks to have their hearts set on a Class A chamionship and they just may do it. White Sabers are much improved and have a quality base for the future. The two exhibition corps performed very well and Cabs Alumni won the show in their own way. Finally .. a review. Thank you! 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Jeff Ream Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Thanks for the review! They are far and few between on DCP lately. Thanks, again given how people react, can you blame them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
x27thsnare Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Finally .. a review. Thank you! Form Amedeo, & Mo! Thanks for the Kind words. We are the Pecussion instructors for 20th Century.Our Guys & Gals needed to hear this too show they can be just as good as the marching lines... We work hard even though we are a "parade Corps". We have the same drive as the field Corps, and this review proved it. Again thank you sooo much Pearlsnaredrummer. Look us up @ TCL.org Thank You Amendo Bruni( Director/Percussion Head) Mo! Clark (Percussion) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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