Brassman53 Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 My thoughts are being presented from a brass player ( lead sop) point of view. I was seated high up on the 35 to the left of the 50 as you faced the field... Vigilantes-Pleasant suprise, Huge tight percussion battery that didn't overpower the 14 brass- nice balance. Some very talented players in this hornline. Loved the sop quintet in " "Don't mean a thing" Gold- Nice to see them back. Musically a depa-tre for them from their past productions which were more pop/roadway oriented. Highlight for me was their visual- very crisp forms- on par or better than a lot of Open class corps- they carried themseleves with confidence. Best number in my opinion was their second oiece which featured a cool pit intro. Grenadiers- Kenton music a good choice. Lots of field coverage.. loved the drum cadence coming on the field. Their guard was the best of class A- very confident. Nice three person mello section. Handled their feamures very well. Nice field coverage. Govenaires- Very Impressive , They have the total package, and you can tell they enjoy performing... Very well staged show, with some nifty body movement that enhances the production. very solid percusssion. 20 brass play really well as an ensemble. Great solo in "Lust" Love the arrnagment of "Hot for teacher". This is definitely their best corps since first coming to DCA. Well deserved title!! The big boys... Corpsvets- I had read they were playing a very controlled show- not tonight... the controls were loosened!! I thought the show got better as it progressed. My favorite was the piece that incorporated licks from " the Saints go marching in" very cool use of sections trading off licks back and forth. Outstanding sop solos as usual. Percussion seemed be struggling a tad execution-wise tonight. Overall a fine show.. Alliance- Man do these guys move. Very impressive jump in size and performance level over previous years. I had heard that this show was probably a little too-DCI-ish. Nah, the crowd got into it. Real strong percusssion, and some real nice brass impact points- all this while motoring high-speed around the field. A little more GE, and look out upper eschleon DCA! Bush- Loved the show concept and the music, really creative arrangements intertwining circus-type ( real and original) music. Percussion very solid- guard excellent. In my opnion the brass line was too contolled, and at times tentative. Play with a little more confidence ( yes I know the brass book was very demanding) and you're back in the upper tier hunt. Brigs- Nicely performed show that to me was missing impact points. The highlight was when the hornline laid contorted on the ground and played. Liked the way the "Common Man" theme was interwoven into the show. Percussion seemed very solid. Renagades- Love the new unforms. A few things stand out for me in their show... The Faces arrangement rocks, I love that tune... the new uniforms look great....Some outstanding solo work as well. Hornline volume was very impressive...Percussion also had a cool feature that had the plays kind trading off with one another. Nice job! Cabs- Who said these guys don't move? Only Reading moves more. This was one of those shows that just flew by. Very entertaining. Loved the Mis Abuelos with it's trade offs between sections. piece and th Rumps opening statement. Lead Trumpets were really nailing stuff tonight. I had them over the Hurcs and Empire. Empire- Highlight for me tonight was the Sing Sang Sung piece...They really rocked it. Don't know why people were bothered by the "pledge", thought it fit nicely. Very nice duet in the ballad. Overall a nice performance , but not enough typical Statesman wow moments for me. Hurcs- This is by far their best overall corps in recent memory. In the past they always seemed to be plagued by individual marching style issues, or brass not playing within the ensemble. Those days are gone. Very nice overall package presented. I just feel it's missing some impact points that would take it to the top. MBI- A complete package! Very impressive. All sections are first rate. Some really interesting body moevement throuout the show that enhances the production. The brass impact moments are many and very exciting. My favorite was Night in Tunsia. great arrnagement, outstanding playing! Bucs- Well I first saw reading in 1964. This is their best corps ever in my opnion. They have it all. No weakneses. I used to be a little disapointed that recent additions of this great corps didn't do much in the way of upper-register sop playing- well this year it's there, and very well done. I think that was John Molloy playing on both the trumpet and mello in a solo- very nicely done. As others have talked about they have an unbelievable quint drum feature , Holy bleep! The drill is awesome, just a great show overall, Congratulations!!! Rcc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Cavalier TDY Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 My thoughts are being presented from a brass player ( lead sop) point of view. I was seated high up on the 35 to the left of the 50 as you faced the field...Vigilantes-Pleasant suprise, Huge tight percussion battery that didn't overpower the 14 brass- nice balance. Some very talented players in this hornline. Loved the sop quintet in " "Don't mean a thing" Gold- Nice to see them back. Musically a depa-tre for them from their past productions which were more pop/roadway oriented. Highlight for me was their visual- very crisp forms- on par or better than a lot of Open class corps- they carried themseleves with confidence. Best number in my opinion was their second oiece which featured a cool pit intro. Grenadiers- Kenton music a good choice. Lots of field coverage.. loved the drum cadence coming on the field. Their guard was the best of class A- very confident. Nice three person mello section. Handled their feamures very well. Nice field coverage. Govenaires- Very Impressive , They have the total package, and you can tell they enjoy performing... Very well staged show, with some nifty body movement that enhances the production. very solid percusssion. 20 brass play really well as an ensemble. Great solo in "Lust" Love the arrnagment of "Hot for teacher". This is definitely their best corps since first coming to DCA. Well deserved title!! The big boys... Corpsvets- I had read they were playing a very controlled show- not tonight... the controls were loosened!! I thought the show got better as it progressed. My favorite was the piece that incorporated licks from " the Saints go marching in" very cool use of sections trading off licks back and forth. Outstanding sop solos as usual. Percussion seemed be struggling a tad execution-wise tonight. Overall a fine show.. Alliance- Man do these guys move. Very impressive jump in size and performance level over previous years. I had heard that this show was probably a little too-DCI-ish. Nah, the crowd got into it. Real strong percusssion, and some real nice brass impact points- all this while motoring high-speed around the field. A little more GE, and look out upper eschleon DCA! Bush- Loved the show concept and the music, really creative arrangements intertwining circus-type ( real and original) music. Percussion very solid- guard excellent. In my opnion the brass line was too contolled, and at times tentative. Play with a little more confidence ( yes I know the brass book was very demanding) and you're back in the upper tier hunt. Brigs- Nicely performed show that to me was missing impact points. The highlight was when the hornline laid contorted on the ground and played. Liked the way the "Common Man" theme was interwoven into the show. Percussion seemed very solid. Renagades- Love the new unforms. A few things stand out for me in their show... The Faces arrangement rocks, I love that tune... the new uniforms look great....Some outstanding solo work as well. Hornline volume was very impressive...Percussion also had a cool feature that had the plays kind trading off with one another. Nice job! Cabs- Who said these guys don't move? Only Reading moves more. This was one of those shows that just flew by. Very entertaining. Loved the Mis Abuelos with it's trade offs between sections. piece and th Rumps opening statement. Lead Trumpets were really nailing stuff tonight. I had them over the Hurcs and Empire. Empire- Highlight for me tonight was the Sing Sang Sung piece...They really rocked it. Don't know why people were bothered by the "pledge", thought it fit nicely. Very nice duet in the ballad. Overall a nice performance , but not enough typical Statesman wow moments for me. Hurcs- This is by far their best overall corps in recent memory. In the past they always seemed to be plagued by individual marching style issues, or brass not playing within the ensemble. Those days are gone. Very nice overall package presented. I just feel it's missing some impact points that would take it to the top. MBI- A complete package! Very impressive. All sections are first rate. Some really interesting body moevement throuout the show that enhances the production. The brass impact moments are many and very exciting. My favorite was Night in Tunsia. great arrnagement, outstanding playing! Bucs- Well I first saw reading in 1964. This is their best corps ever in my opnion. They have it all. No weakneses. I used to be a little disapointed that recent additions of this great corps didn't do much in the way of upper-register sop playing- well this year it's there, and very well done. I think that was John Molloy playing on both the trumpet and mello in a solo- very nicely done. As others have talked about they have an unbelievable quint drum feature , Holy bleep! The drill is awesome, just a great show overall, Congratulations!!! Rcc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Cavalier TDY Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 My thoughts are being presented from a brass player ( lead sop) point of view. I was seated high up on the 35 to the left of the 50 as you faced the field... Thanks for the review. Empire must have been smokin' last night as it was the first time they beat Hurs this season. Any comments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stanforj Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 My thoughts are being presented from a brass player ( lead sop) point of view. Great Review! Concise and to the point. Thanks for taking the time,it is always appreciated from those who did not attend live. DCP did a Spectacular job covering the Week-end, had to be the best DCA yet!! especially in terms of number of participants in all venues and the talent!! WOW!!!! :devil: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom D'Bomb Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Thanks for the review. Empire must have been smokin' last night as it was the first time they beat Hurs this season. Any comments? They were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorpsBuff Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Cabs- Who said these guys don't move? Only Reading moves more. This was one of those shows that just flew by. Very entertaining. Loved the Mis Abuelos with it's trade offs between sections. piece and th Rumps opening statement. Lead Trumpets were really nailing stuff tonight. I had them over the Hurcs and Empire. Thank you for the kind words, we had by far our best performance of the year at finals and while some of us were disappointed in the score and placement we know that the fans loved our show and that is by far the most important thing in drum corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 great review! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Rott Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 (edited) It was a great show all around. It was my wife's 1st DCA show (but she's very familiar with DCI). She called some placements better than I Even though she's a guard person, she said she really liked Hurcs Drumline...and she really enjoyed Alliance and Brigs shows... I do have a question...although I'm a Buccaneer alum (and vey proud they won again)...and for the last few years I've always thought MBI was underscored..so it's nice seeing them up there again...but my real question...and I've thought this for the past few years. Nothing against any other guard, because there were some great guards out there, but why doesn't Bush win guard. I thought they were amazing..did the judges really see them that much lower then the other guards...or is it that a 9th place corps can't win guard. I've just never understood why they don't place higher. What am I missing? Point of history...if I recall correctly...when I marched Bucs, the Matadors were cleaning up in guard all season. They did not make finals as a full corps, but DCA let them compete so that their guard could compete... Edited September 8, 2009 by G-Rott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Matczak Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 They were. very true,.............and I thought Hurcs had a great show also,......as did Brass,...............2-4 was a tough call finals night,.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegalEagle50 Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Loved Brass' show. It was the first time I had the opportunity to see them and I thought it was fantastic. As far as the rest of it I'm keeping my comments to myself. It is better that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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