Thoughts from Hillsboro and Salem

[Goldsmith1210]

After a day of helping run the Salem show it was nice to SIT and enjoy a night of drum corps at a great venue like Hillsboro Stadium. I have two complaints about the show. First was having no student pricing. I think $25 was a bit steep for an 11-year-old. The student price at the Salem show was $10. The other issue was the amount of time between the National Anthem and the first corps entering the field. It took around 25 minutes for Thunder to start after the Anthem. Enough whining. On with the show.

Thunder:

The 2008 Open Class finalists are back after a year of inactivity. The corps is small with less than 50 members. The show is challenging but not impossible. I have the highest level of respect for small hornlines. Those players have no ensemble to hide in, especially their ONE tuba player. Kudos to these kids for having the guts to be out there giving it their all. I was unfamiliar with their music, but it was presented well. These guys and gals are finishing up their tour on the 17th in California this will allow them to tighten this show up pretty well and break 70. Welcome back Thunder!

Oregon Crusaders:

I was very impressed with the Crusaders. They are way ahead of last year and have a challenging show that is not yet complete. The horns and drums are solid. The horn book has some very challenging passages which the line is handling well. This show has a lot of body movement in it, but not too much and it is done very well. I got to hear the corps perform the show in an arc the previous night, and that hornline has some lungs! Once they get the visual buttoned up, this corps will be in the top 5. Great job Crusaders!

Cascades:

I must say that the Cascades surpassed my expectations. I don't quite understand the show, but the corps has some passion which really showed. The show didn't bore be at all like it did in parts last year. Some of the drill looks like it has been on the field less than a week, but at least it's there! The corps is definitely in better shape than it was a year ago at this time. I really enjoyed their closer from "Annie."I think they will move up out of last this year.

Troopers:

Troop is solid this year, but they don't seem to be at the same level as last year. Close but just not quite. Their scores are very close to this time last year though. Having said that, this corps has come LIGHT YEARS from where they were 5 years ago. Hats off the corps, staff and administration. The opening visual is awesome. I won't ruin it for anyone though. The corps played Tender Land which I just ate up; I just wish I could hear it in a stadium with some resonance. I'd love to say that the corps has a lock on finals, but right now I'm just not sure.

Blue Knights:

BK is for real this year. It's rare anymore for me to instantly recognize a piece of music performed by any corps, but I immediately recognized Bizet's Farandole and was able to hum the entire production without any weird arranging to throw me off. Hats off to Jim Prime for that awesome arrangement! It was also nice to hear some Enigma Variations on the field again, Elgar's works always seen to translate well onto the field. The corps has finally changed it's marching style! I couldn't believe I was seeing BK with straight legs! I think the "G7 better watch out, because I think that come August, BK is going to be knocking on the door.

I'm hoping next year we can get more corps up to the great NW. Believe it or not we love drum corps too!!!

Thanks!!!

[wesleyrp]

Awesome Reiew, and one of these days I'd like to make it out to Oregon and Washington. I've been to Idaho a few times but never the upper Northwest. Enjoyed your comments and I will be very interested watching BK go against the corps in 6-9 right now. Gonna be fun!!

Wes P

[Kevsmomm]

Thanks for the review!

[Bob984]

Thanks for the review! I've only seen BK and Troopers on FN thusfar, but my impressions were similar........

GB

[Guizeppe]

Nice review! Good read.

[Tez]

Blue Knights:

BK is for real this year. It's rare anymore for me to instantly recognize a piece of music performed by any corps, but I immediately recognized Bizet's Farandole and was able to hum the entire production without any weird arranging to throw me off. Hats off to Jim Prime for that awesome arrangement! It was also nice to hear some Enigma Variations on the field again, Elgar's works always seen to translate well onto the field. The corps has finally changed it's marching style! I couldn't believe I was seeing BK with straight legs! I think the "G7 better watch out, because I think that come August, BK is going to be knocking on the door.

Did Jim Prime arrange for the Blue Knights this year?...... I was thinking Sylvester said it was Jay Bocook.

[wesleyrp]

Did Jim Prime arrange for the Blue Knights this year?...... I was thinking Sylvester said it was Jay Bocook.

Jim Prime did the arrangements and I know that Bocook did some of it as well.

WP

[Goldsmith1210]

Did Jim Prime arrange for the Blue Knights this year?...... I was thinking Sylvester said it was Jay Bocook.

One of their staff told me it was Prime.

[Zeke]

Did Jim Prime arrange for the Blue Knights this year?...... I was thinking Sylvester said it was Jay Bocook.

Jay Bocook wrote some of the arrangement? I thought it was just Jim Prime.

[emtbill]

Out of all the corps, I found the Blue Knights the most enjoyable. Yes the music was instantly recognizable, which I appreciated immensely. I wish all the corps had that power. Its too bad it had to be the last performing corps that gave me goosebumps. If any of you reading this have a chance to see BK, do so. And watch the drum majors. They are not the typical robots, but performers also.

I wish the Portland Summer Music Games was a larger show. The stadium is pretty much a perfect venue, and its big enough. I was really glad a couple years ago when Phantom Regiment came out to visit, and I wish more midwest corps would come out. The weather here is much better than WI, or IL, or IN this time of year.

Nice review and thank you.