Goodbye to the "00s"

[2000Cadet]

The decade of 2000-2009 was the Visual Decade.

However, as we closed out the decade, the Corps that was undefeated in 2009 was a Corps that slowed down the frenetic movement we'd become used too where we went from marching to literally running on the field. It was not missed on this poster that the winning Corps in 2009 took a chair, took a seat, and slowed things down a bit. How symbolic. Even their entrance onto the field in the first visual move was designed to be slow and methodical.. How creative and refreshing I thought ( as did the judges )

I believe that the next decade we'll see a more balanced approach in the activity. We'll see the return to more music taking preference over the visual. There will be less running into formations. ( it is hard to run with electric guitars for instance). 2009 was a snapshot into the future of the DCI marching band as it continues to evolve.

It is becoming increasingly funny to me how people get bent out of shape when someone outside the activity refers to drum corps as marching band, yet I've seen almost three posts where people are referring to it as marching band. To each his own though.

And as far as your post about BD, I've never really looked at it that way. It is a pretty creative and refreshing, but let's make no mistake. Cadets over the past 25+ years have always had frenetic drill so I doubt that THEY will be slowing it down a bit. I am thinking they will try to improve on mastering the music as well as they master the drill.

Edited December 25, 2009 by 2000Cadet

[SpiritOfJSUFan]

My moments from the 00's!!

2000 - Cavaliers and Cadets tying for the World Championship!

2001 - First Show I EVER Saw Live. DCI Said no more ties. Paul Snow Stadium @ JSU - Cavaliers and Cadets Tied AGAIN!!

2002 - Frameworks - Spirit back in Finals!

2003 - Phantom Regiment in white and Playing the mess out of Cannon in D! Spirit making finals with a very emotional and tear jerker of a program!!

2004 - Shaken not Stirred!! 007 - thats about it.

2005 - Blue Devils - Yowsa Yowsa Yowsa...... Cavaliers and Ladders! Spirit Doing WICKED!! Cadets taking Gold with a very awesome show! loved the unis

2006 - Phantom should have won. Cavaliers were awesome. Cadets didnt work out to well with a part 2..... Spirit hitting some awesome sweetness with old new borrowed and blue!!!

2007 - Ok honestly every show from 2007 was awesome. Loved BD, Crown, Cavies, Cadets, PR, Bluecoats, and Spirit!!

2008 - I am Spartacus! Spirit doing some great music - visuals didnt work out though. Blue Devils being ABSURD. Crown with an amazing Hornline. That show was EPIC

2009 - My First DCI Tour. Seeing Crown and Cadets All Summer., Meeting Really Cool People. making a drum corps family that i truly miss. and seeing what the true meaning of Drum Corps is.

Looking Forward to 2010 and on.....

2010 - Teal Sound being world class and at least making Semis. Phantom moving up in the ranks after a not so visually good program in 2009. Santa Clara doing the same thing they did last year just with different music. OMG! Spirit getting new unis. Seeing what the Madison Scouts Blast! of Indiana can come up with!! and NO MORE CHAIRS. DCI IS FOR MARHCING NOT SITTING!!

[BRASSO]

It is becoming increasingly funny to me how people get bent out of shape when someone outside the activity refers to drum corps as marching band, yet I've seen almost three posts where people are referring to it as marching band. To each his own though.

And as far as your post about BD, I've never really looked at it that way. It is a pretty creative and refreshing, but let's make no mistake. Cadets over the past 25+ years have always had frenetic drill so I doubt that THEY will be slowing it down a bit. I am thinking they will try to improve on mastering the music as well as they master the drill.

Good point on the Cadets usually having a frenetic drill. Last year in particular, the velocity of movement was striking. However, we usually find that the pace setters for the following years tend to be the winning Corps. For instance, it was almost unprecedented to see a DM replaced on the podium in a musical stanza. But after Phantom did this with Spartacus in '08, we found a few more Corps in '09 that emulated what Phantom did via a 2nd DM coming up onto the podium in mid song.

My guess, we'll see more Corps going more vertical in their visuals rather than horizontal with wide field coverage for 2010. And it would not surprise me to see corps slowing down the velocity with marchers in 2010,... Cadets included. Corps did have members fall down both in bad weather in June and at Championships in 2009.But who knows. We'll just have to wait and see if Corps continue with the high risk velocity drills of the recent past knowing that the undefeated winner in 2009 had no fall downs and no high velocity drill moves, despite the overall high demand of their visual show in general.

Edited December 25, 2009 by BRASSO

[2000Cadet]

Good point on the Cadets usually having a frenetic drill. Last year in particular, the velocity of movement was striking. However, we usually find that the pace setters for the following years tend to be the winning Corps. For instance, it was almost unprecedented to see a DM replaced on the podium in a musical stanza. But after Phantom did this with Spartacus in '08, we found a few more Corps in '09 that emulated what Phantom did via a 2nd DM coming up onto the podium in mid song.

My guess, we'll see more Corps going more vertical in their visuals rather than horizontal with wide field coverage for 2010. And it would not surprise me to see corps slowing down the velocity with marchers in 2010,... Cadets included. Corps did have members fall down both in bad weather in June and at Championships in 2009.But who knows. We'll just have to wait and see if Corps continue with the high risk velocity drills of the recent past knowing that the undefeated winner in 2009 had no fall downs and no high velocity drill moves, despite the overall high demand of their visual show in general.

Yeah you're pretty spot on in reference to Phantom and BD. And I have to say that Phantom's 2008 show was my favorite from them because of the fact that it was very different from the rest and I RARELY like Phantom's shows. Well I know I am looking very forward to seeing what these corps put on the field next year because this year was definitely a treat.

[corpsreps]

My personal highlights for the 00s

2001 - Going to Buffalo for finals with my son and talking with Glen Paisley at the LVK booth

2002 - My son's first season with LVK

2003 - My son in II/III finals at the Citrus Bowl

2004 - My son performing in Denver

2005 - My son makes Crossmen

2006 - My son is one of the deejays in Crossmen's radio show

2007 - My son makes the move to Texas with Crossmen

2008 - My son's first DCI championship and high percussion

2009 - My son's second DCI championship and high percussion, an undefeated season, and age out

Just what I thought. The 00s were all about my son.

[bawker]

There's lots more . . .but this is what comes to mind from memory (also from a holiday food-induced coma ):

2000: Probably the best year this decade overall to me. SCV, Cavaliers, Blue Devils and Glassmen were all very entertaining. Even though it's lauded on here, I still can't get into the Cadets show. Madison was a bit of a disappointment.

2001: SCV and Madison; great shows from both; "Short Ride" sounds better on Bb. Glassmen were nice as well.

2002: . . meh. I don't think I've rewatched any of the shows from 2002, except for Crossmen. However, that #### X-Men opener is awesome.

2003: Phantom, despite the overblowing . . .SCV and BD. Another Phantom "resurgence" after a few down years, some tasty percussion from SCV.

2004: Another pretty good year: Regiment, SCV, Cavaliers. Definitely an acquired taste for the tango stuff from Phantom, but I bought in. SCV with Scheherazade was a nice bit of taking their Russian trademarks and moving it into the 2000s. Cavaliers with one of the most audience accessible shows ever put on the field; no one I've ever shown it to fails to "get it". Boston and the infamous "color" show: probably the biggest example of designer excess this decade.

2005: Cadets, Regiment and Crown. . .not a big fan of the Cadets show at first. It grew on me. Now, I'd say it's my favorite show of the decade from them, by far. SCVs show was a lot of fun . . . Regiment wasn't amazing, but definitely a solid show . . .the same for Crown. BD's "Dance Derby" is a big letdown.

2006: Regiment, Crown and Blue Devils. Parts of Bluecoats stick out as memorable, especially the opener. "Machine" may be my least favorite championship show of the decade. Crown with a really nice vehicle that should have beat BK. SCV did nothing for me.

2007: BD, Regiment, Crown serving notice. Madison, despite not making Finals. "Uninvited" is just #### cool. My first effect of the new amplified era that I find kinda sweet (the laugh during the BD space chords). BD's first six minutes of the show are amazing drum corps.

2008: Spartacus takes the decade, easily for me . . .with Crown on the move. Not much more can be said about Phantom winning. Very satisfying and a Phantom show for the ages.

2009: This year and 2002 didn't do too much for me. Crown was a highlight, as was the last bit of SCV. I found some things visually that were nice in a few groups, but only Crown really sold me completely. Some of the new electronic stuff is well done: Crown, Cadets and Colts.

[2000Cadet]

There's lots more . . .but this is what comes to mind from memory (also from a holiday food-induced coma ):

2000: Probably the best year this decade overall to me. SCV, Cavaliers, Blue Devils and Glassmen were all very entertaining. Even though it's lauded on here, I still can't get into the Cadets show. Madison was a bit of a disappointment.

[

You know it's funny you mention that. When we first learned the show, I couldn't get into it either. I really couldn't get into it until San Antonio. To me, it didn't really seem like Cadet show. But after SA, it was definitely my favorite show and I LOVED performing it. To this day, I still watch the end of the show until my eardrums blow out.

[skewerz]

I think my favorite moment of the decade was Bloo and the standstill in The Boxer...I'd like to hear the same moment, with the same performers, in G...

[laurasop]

My favorite moment was the Troopers making finals for the first time since 1986.

[lowbrasschick]

I remember, a couple years ago, seeing the Cavalier's Frameworks on DVD. It was my first experience with drum corps, and though it took me a year or so until I finally realized how awesome it was, now I'm completely hooked. Last year I saw my first live show, and I'll always remember hearing that wall of sound for the first time. It was awesome. This year, seeing Crown was probably the highlight. Merry Christmas to all!