Houston: Night 1

[Dave Sloan]

Greetings from muggy Houston. With the exception of a rather pesky rain delay, it was a great night for drum corps at the beautiful Berry Center.

Cascades: Sorry guys, due to the wonder that is Houston traffic, I missed you. I'm sure it was solid; hopefully I'll catch some of it later.

Pacific Crest: I managed to catch them just as I got in the stadium. I like the show and their performance of it. A bit dirty still and fairly low and demand so I doubt it will challenge for a much higher spot, but the members are selling it very well and the crowd was very receptive. Thanks for coming out guys!

Mandarins: Cool show concept. I could've done with out the synthizizer effects, but the exoticism is cool. Very, very dirty both visually and musically. The product is there but performance has to be stepped up, I think, in order to challenge. A bit more demand than PC.

Spirit: It's nice to see that they are "Spirit of Atlanta" again. The new uniforms are cool and can provide some very interesting visual effect. Whether or not it does so in this show is something entirely different. It seems that they try to, but it doesn't work as well as is intended, but it provides for some potential in the years to come. Show-wise, the whole "Icon" thing seems a bit corny, and the whole "forging an icon" with audio track and sledge hammer props don't help with that. That being said, they make it work and look/sound decent while doing so. A lock for Semis, Finals? Eh...

The Academy: Love the Borodin program. A very solid offering by The Academy that may very well make Finals. Not much else to say, really, just a very solid show solidly performed.

Troopers: I love the Troopers and I loved that they made Finals for the first time in 20-some-odd years last year. This show has the potential to do that for them again, but there are too many little things. Individuals not reading the form correctly, sticking out for too long, even some phasing. June errors can't be happening in late July. I think this show has a ways to go before it can challenge Glassmen or hold off Academy for #12, but it is definitely possible.

Glassmen: As a former member, I have a soft spot for the G-men, I did not think this year's show is that strong an offering. First, the hornline is not selling that book. More contrast, detail, I guess maturity is the word I'm looking for. I need more maturity in their performance. They had some stick-out issues like Troopers did. The concept is interesting, but the pace of the show is pretty slow. I've heard people this season refer to them as "Boring" and I think they are not too far off. If Troopers or Academy get cleaner and more GE in their shows, I don't see this show as being strong enough to hold them off.

Blue Stars: I guess now might be just as good a time as any to say that I really hate pre-show stuff. Call me old fashioned, but it seems improper to begin anything on the field before you have been given permission by the crowd/announcer.

At least these guys did salute during their pre-show stuff in response to the announcer. Anyways, yeah, I get the whole Houdini thing, the whole magic thing, but it doesn't seem to do it for me. I don't know, with all of the props, boxes and chairs, I don't know what I was expecting. It was well performed, A LOT of movement for those guys; kudos to the members for making that drill work. Sound is fine. Apparently there was some kind of trick at the end of the show, but I missed it, I was looking elsewhere. Ehh, I'll see it again in the theater; maybe it'll be different. A solid lock for Finals though.

Santa Clara Vanguard: I really dug this show. SCV did a very good job of making it their own and not being held to the ideals set by Star 93. Visual design was very tasteful throughout and the music was very well done as well. Very delicate and deliberate, which not just any corps could pull it off.

Bluecoats: Bloo is for real this year. It seems they've got all cylinders clicking; they've got the show, hornline is great, drums are solid and the visual program is very neat. Some visual dirt. Really cool music. It probably won't win this year, but it certainly might medal.

Carolina Crown: My God, that hornline is the stuff dreams are made of. By and large, some of the cleanest, clearest, most mature hornline playing I have heard in DCI. That being said, the show is very cool but it is lacking that "x factor" of last year's show. As much potential as they have in horns, drums, guard and drill, this design, I don't think, won't be enough. The members are performing it very well and it is quite clean already; I'm worried that unless some changes take place (which now is the time to do it), this show will peak too soon and allow for other corps to pass them up. In either case, I think it will medal. From what I hear about the Devils this year though, it won't win.

Well, there you go. I look forward to Day 2 tomorrow.

Thanks for reading.

[CorpsRelic]

Thanks for the review. I had predicted that the Academy would top Troopers in Houston but would end up behind the Glassmen. Close prediction but no cigar.

I'd like to see the Academy claim 5th place, all to itself tomorrow in Dallas. Catching Glassmen will take a bit more spit, polish, some cleaning.. and a few more shows. I am also aware the Gmen have some class cleaner of their own, but truthfully, the pace of its show is too slow... I believe they are vulnerable. I don't think they have a lock on that coveted 12th place in finals. Not yet anyway.

[CorpsRelic]

Thanks for the review. I had predicted that the Academy would top Troopers in Houston but would end up behind the Glassmen. Close prediction but no cigar.

I'd like to see the Academy claim 5th place, all to itself tomorrow in Dallas. Catching Glassmen will take a bit more spit, polish, some cleaning.. and a few more shows. I am also aware the Gmen have some class cleaner of their own, but truthfully, the pace of its show is too slow... I believe they are vulnerable. I don't think they have a lock on that coveted 12th place in finals. Not yet anyway.

Ummm, what I meant to say above is, "I'd like to see the Academy Claim 6th place tomorrow." Sorry.

[A Cavalier TDY]

Carolina Crown: My God, that hornline is the stuff dreams are made of.

I'm sure there are many symphony orchestra music directors who would want to take that hornline and put it on stage to play Mahler. And the Elgar segment? Gorgeous!

[BozzlyB]

Blue Stars have some end of show staging issues to address if that effect is going to get pulled off. Right now the whole corps except for the guard is on the right side of the field, and the "trick" is happening to the left on the boxes. The ending is very exciting musically so the tendency at this time is to focus on what is happening away from the trick. Hope they can fix that.