Rockford, IL July 18, 2010

[PeeJay]

I almost wish the narrator didn't say, at the end of his prayer, "we can have a winning corps.." I half expect to hear him say, "we WILL get better every day" and that would still seem a little bit cheeseball.. but the other bit sounds a little.. well.. self-loathing.. like, "we know we've been last place ever since we moved up to Div I.. but we know the sun'll come out.. tomorrow.. betcher.. bottom .. oh.. sorry.. what? Sorry."

Thanks for your review. I enjoyed reading it. First of all, Pioneer has not been last in Division I ever since they moved up. The broke semi's twice in 17th and 16th, have many 18th, 19th and 20th places. They were not last in Div I/World in 2009 by the way....

Then for the prayer. It has been in existence for a long time and just listening to "we WILL have a winning corps" just is out of context. It talks about the pain of losing (92, 96) and the joy of winning (91, 94, 95) and all with a smile. And then: "Remind us Lord, that by doing the very best we can at all times, we WILL have a winning corps". Meaning as much as.....if we make sure we stick to the Better Every Day motto.....we will be winners. It's not about DCI judges, scores or recaps.....it's about the positive and professional attitude Pioneer is all about. I think many World Class groups might have forgotten that dropping a spot or two from a previous year does not make a season a 'failed season'. I think this is what Drum Corps is about. Teaching kids to cope with positive and negative things in life. Pioneer does an excellent job at that. So it is not self-loathing at all. The fact that most corps ending in the spot Pioneer has earned (did you read the word earned) the last few years, almost always fold.....that says something I guess. Pioneer keeps pushing. And that's what the corps prayer is all about.

However I do understand this is a message hard to get across in a Drum Corps show. And I do understand not all fans 'get it'. That is Pioneers problem and not the problem of fans.

[Fan of the Arts]

Also, I wanted to add something to my review -- I love, love LOVED Cadets guard! It surprises me that anyone beat them last night. I do have one tiny suggestion, however. They need to have someone old-school go in there and beat angles into them. They were mushy and too fluid in the beginning section. They need to be more crisp and precise in their flag work and body movements. If they get that little detail down, they'll be the guard to beat.

Stef

Thanks for your review. I am a huge fan of the Cadets particulary their guard. This year Cadets' guard has been tasked to perform in Cadet military jacket, shako, and that three foot plume. Not an easy task when you're spinning a flag, saber, or rifle! But they are getting better with each performance. I still believe Cadets have a package that will catch BD. Only time will tell. Again, thanks for the review. I return back on tour next week and I can't wait. My daily blogs will be a bit more detailed going down the stretrch.

Irving

Fan of the Arts

[ScribeToo]

I return back on tour next week and I can't wait. My daily blogs will be a bit more detailed going down the stretrch.

Irving

Fan of the Arts

Well then, maybe we'll have to look each other up at regionals? What night are you guys on in San Antonio? If I can, I'll come find you -- please do the same! Always interested in putting faces with names for this place!

for the record, too, I get what they are doing is tough.. but look at it in context.. the old-schoolers had to do those sharp, precise movements in shakos and wool uniforms that didn't stretch and they didn't get to take off.. it's just a piece of technique that I KNOW is within their skill set.. losing the fluidity in the opening sets will make the departure from it even more spectacular..

also, for the pioneer person above, I realize you may not understand my style of prose or how I write. I have been around long enough and watched Pioneer for many years.. and even volunteered with them for a couple of seasons. I'm familiar with the prayer, I know what having a "winning corps" entails and I know they haven't always been in last place. the POINT was that the statement made it SEEM a little self-loathing.. the part in quotes at the end ... with the paraphrase from the musical Annie was meant to illustrate the point, only. It's just a review.. I'm not here to quote history.. just calling it like I see it and sometimes I use a little artistic license to make my point. Sorry if you took offense.

Stef

Edited July 20, 2010 by ScribeToo

[Fan of the Arts]

Well then, maybe we'll have to look each other up at regionals? What night are you guys on in San Antonio? If I can, I'll come find you -- please do the same! Always interested in putting faces with names for this place!

for the record, too, I get what they are doing is tough.. but look at it in context.. the old-schoolers had to do those sharp, precise movements in shakos and wool uniforms that didn't stretch and they didn't get to take off.. it's just a piece of technique that I KNOW is within their skill set.. losing the fluidity in the opening sets will make the departure from it even more spectacular..

Stef

Stef it would be a pleasure to meet f2f, unfortunately I will not be on in San Antonio. It is the Atlanta show I come back.

As for your comment in the second paragraph; I am from the old school and I marched rifle with the Polish Falcon Cadets (Cadet style jackets) back in 1975 and let me tell you we gave Anaheim Kingsmen a run for their money when it came to those sharp precise movements in shakos. So I do know how difficult it is for the Cadet guard to be doing what they're doing in that jacket. And just to be fair about your comparison the old school doesn't even come close to what the Cadets can do with 16 counts movement and equipment wise. One thing you should know about those jackets the Cadet guard are wearing; they are not made of the new material the rest of the corps is wearing. They have the older jackets which are of the wool material which does not give them much movement with the book they are performing. They have the skill and the fluidity will come after doing it a bazillion times. So the spectacular you speak of I can promise you will come, its just what they do as Cadets. Thank God the peak of that comes when they arrive in Indy.

Irving

Fan of the Arts

[ScribeToo]

Stef it would be a pleasure to meet f2f, unfortunately I will not be on in San Antonio. It is the Atlanta show I come back.

As for your comment in the second paragraph; I am from the old school and I marched rifle with the Polish Falcon Cadets (Cadet style jackets) back in 1975 and let me tell you we gave Anaheim Kingsmen a run for their money when it came to those sharp precise movements in shakos. So I do know how difficult it is for the Cadet guard to be doing what they're doing in that jacket. And just to be fair about your comparison the old school doesn't even come close to what the Cadets can do with 16 counts movement and equipment wise. One thing you should know about those jackets the Cadet guard are wearing; they are not made of the new material the rest of the corps is wearing. They have the older jackets which are of the wool material which does not give them much movement with the book they are performing. They have the skill and the fluidity will come after doing it a bazillion times. So the spectacular you speak of I can promise you will come, its just what they do as Cadets. Thank God the peak of that comes when they arrive in Indy.

Irving

Fan of the Arts

Well then come find me in Atlanta! I'll be there for that show and free day the next day, then I'm home for a week and I get back on for finals week.

I realized after I wrote it that I must sound like one of those "oldsters" who likes what they grew up on and only that -- and I'm sorry of that offends anyone, I'm all for liking what you like.. but it's no secret I get annoyed with the stubborn inability (or conscious decision not) to appreciate what drum corps became and is still evolving into.. The first drum corps I EVER saw was 1984 Garfield and so I was "raised" on a steadily changing diet of 80s and 90s drum corps.. what I know of angles and old-school is what I learned after the fact from old videos and friends I made along the way.

Irving, it sounds like Atlanta will be a good time.. I hope to see you there!

Stef

[somerville]

Love the review, very funny!

Thanks,

[yabetterbelieveit]

Thanks for the great review! I'm upset that I couldn't be at Rockford, especially after Minneapolis being tornado'd out.

Obviously your opinion, but do you think The Cadets have the gusto to maybe pull off an upset? Or at least grab the silver trophy? I've only seen Fan Network vids from Denver, which was a while ago (especially for The Cadets). After watching a second time, I love it, but I feel like certain parts just need an extra oopmh. Is that what you felt?

[ScribeToo]

Obviously your opinion, but do you think The Cadets have the gusto to maybe pull off an upset? Or at least grab the silver trophy? I've only seen Fan Network vids from Denver, which was a while ago (especially for The Cadets). After watching a second time, I love it, but I feel like certain parts just need an extra oopmh. Is that what you felt?

Yes, let's preface this with "it's my opinion that..."

Quite frankly, I have seen the show twice over a period of about four weeks.. so, drawing on those two experiences and how much the show changed for the better in both program development and cleanliness, I would say that yes, I think this show could pull off an upset... but I have to say that I can't call it an "upset" solely based on the scores a certain west coast corps has been receiving in competition so far this year. I haven't seen that show (other than as a Fan Network replay and from viewing it that way, I'm puzzled as to how it's scoring the way it is -- I could be missing something live).. so I can't just automatically delcare it "the show to beat" based on the scores they've been getting that I can't justify based on what I've seen.

Man, this girl can talk a circle, huh?

What I'm trying to say is this: I think the Cadets have a program that could win.. or at least I think it's developing INTO a show that could win -- based on what I've seen.

I can't say it would be an upset because I have only seen one other corps I think could contend (coats and crown have been rainouts for me this year) and that corps isn't a "front runner" based on scores yet.

Make sense? Did I answer your question?

Stef

[yabetterbelieveit]

Yes, let's preface this with "it's my opinion that..."

Quite frankly, I have seen the show twice over a period of about four weeks.. so, drawing on those two experiences and how much the show changed for the better in both program development and cleanliness, I would say that yes, I think this show could pull off an upset... but I have to say that I can't call it an "upset" solely based on the scores a certain west coast corps has been receiving in competition so far this year. I haven't seen that show (other than as a Fan Network replay and from viewing it that way, I'm puzzled as to how it's scoring the way it is -- I could be missing something live).. so I can't just automatically delcare it "the show to beat" based on the scores they've been getting that I can't justify based on what I've seen.

Man, this girl can talk a circle, huh?

What I'm trying to say is this: I think the Cadets have a program that could win.. or at least I think it's developing INTO a show that could win -- based on what I've seen.

I can't say it would be an upset because I have only seen one other corps I think could contend (coats and crown have been rainouts for me this year) and that corps isn't a "front runner" based on scores yet.

Make sense? Did I answer your question?

Stef

I think so, yes. Hahahaha. I think what you're trying to say is that, in the limited comparisons you can make, Cadets could be the 2010 champs. We mustn't forget about Crown and Bluecoats either. Go Cadets!

[Lightness]

I think so, yes. Hahahaha. I think what you're trying to say is that, in the limited comparisons you can make, Cadets could be the 2010 champs. We mustn't forget about Crown and Bluecoats either. Go Cadets!

But that annoying little "boy" - and the giggling baby voice - could THOSE keep them from being the champions?! To me - it's way too G rated! LOVE the music, their brass sound. Don't like whatshisname or the guard uniforms : (