Have You Seen the Blue Devils in Person or Not?

[Lance]

ROAD TRIP!!!!!!

I wish. Maybe I'd like BD's show more if I saw it live. Won't happen, though.

Won't even get to see the Quarters in the theater....band camp to teach that week. :(

[WestCoaster]

In 2008, there were plenty of folks that loved BD's show (myself being ine of them - I think they should have won) but come finals the crowd backed a different horse and we all saw how that worked out. In 1995, a lot of people had similar feelings about BD that they do this year and after annihilating everyone most of the season, they got nipped at the end by a corps who again had very good fan support and a less executed program.

I like BD's show visually. Typically I always like them visually. However, the music does leave something to be desired for most of the program for me. In the end, I think the crowd will have some pretty important input come finals week as to who the champion will be, and that would make me a bit nervous if I were them this year.

Two examples (throw in 88 if you want a third), versus the thirteen times that a dominant BD unit destroyed all comers and ended up winning the championship.

I like their odds.

[dcialumni1989]

Two examples (throw in 88 if you want a third), versus the thirteen times that a dominant BD unit destroyed all comers and ended up winning the championship.

I like their odds.

Destroyed? I don't think all of those 13 were complete and total domination.

Besides, those 2 years I mentioned have some familiar parallels to this year like BD being a clear cut front runner with a show that was not at all a fan favorite getting nipped in the end.

Finally, we have a few instances of BD going from 1st to not the last week, but how many times has BD turned it up the last week and come from behind to win?

[Lance]

Destroyed? I don't think all of those 13 were complete and total domination.

Besides, those 2 years I mentioned have some familiar parallels to this year like BD being a clear cut front runner with a show that was not at all a fan favorite getting nipped in the end.

Finally, we have a few instances of BD going from 1st to not the last week, but how many times has BD turned it up the last week and come from behind to win?

It doesn't happen that often period.

And when it does, it's not just because the corps that does it "turns it up"....unless pulling out the old hose is considered "turning it up."

[ttrevan]

Good post. I believe Wayne wrote this chart to be both an homage to Kenton's city of glass and to compliment the design teams idea of mirrors (which may have been first). They clearly weren't slapped together. It's designed to be disturbing musically. If you saw the movie "Blair Witch Project", how would you describe your experience? Hilarious? Fun? Sad? Disturbed? It's pretty obvious and that is the emotion that it's supposed to stimulate. Wayne's chart eventually is resolved into the gorgeous "Laura" but just enough to keep you clear to the fact that you're still in the city of glass. It's not Simple Gifts or WSS or Rapsody or other selections that are developed into big cresendos and company fronts, lots of corps are doing those, partically everyone. They're familiar and comfortable and no surprise. The fact that you're annoyed at BD's production is the right direction, the fact that you think that it's not on purpose is where you're wrong.

And this kind of thinking pretty much defines esoteric. The fact is that I can set up a jarring tableau of my dog taking a dump on my front lawn, and a lot of what you said about Devil's show would apply to my dog's bowel movement. And having been to art school, I'm pretty confident I could get an excellent critique if I set it up well.

But it's not entertaining. Shoot me now if I'm way outside of the bell curve, but I still want to be entertained by drum corps.

Blue Devil's show THIS YEAR does not entertain me, and that would appear to describe the feelings of over half of the people who responded to this poll. So, in my opinion, no matter how well executed or ingeniously designed, it fails. Again, just my opinion...but the drum corps trifecta is superior execution, superior and innovative design, AND widely entertaining; and Devils do not hit on all three bases this year.

[WestCoaster]

Destroyed? I don't think all of those 13 were complete and total domination.

Sure they were. Looking back through the years the MOST second place finishes for a winning season was 6 in 2007, all the rest were 5 or less (usually just a few if any). Never a third place finish in all those 13 years.

If you don't think that is complete domination, I'd like to hear your definition of it.

Finally, we have a few instances of BD going from 1st to not the last week, but how many times has BD turned it up the last week and come from behind to win?

Absolutely true. BD has to be utterly perfect to win, any sign of weakness will kill them.

Other corps can win with flaws, BD can't. They're held to a higher standard, it seems.

[DCI dad]

Enjoyed the show on video. I hope to love the show when I see it Saturday in Atlanta. We are sitting on the 50 in club level at the Georgia Dome.

Can't wait.

[snarecal1]

I have seen the Blue Devils in person and I neither loved nor hated their show

I saw them in California and again in Oklahoma and Texas

Visually, top notch- like many others feel.

Musically, not top notch- like many others feel.

[dcialumni1989]

Sure they were. Looking back through the years the MOST second place finishes for a winning season was 6 in 2007, all the rest were 5 or less (usually just a few if any). Never a third place finish in all those 13 years.

If you don't think that is complete domination, I'd like to hear your definition of it.

Cadets 2005 is complete domination. BD last year is a pretty good example of domination (winning by as much as hey did and all).

Absolutely true. BD has to be utterly perfect to win, any sign of weakness will kill them.

Other corps can win with flaws, BD can't. They're held to a higher standard, it seems.

Oh here we go.. The ole "BD is held to a higher standard than everyone else" line again. I have been hearing the blue devils staff tell their members and the community this for decades now and it never ceases to amaze me. It just wreaks if arrogance (not that BD is ever accused or stereotyped as being arrogant or anything ) and self-righteousness. BD has earned every victory they have achieved, but they also have earned every defeat too. If they were in fact held to a higher standard, it improbably their own hubris that got them there.

[Lance]

Cadets 2005 is complete domination. BD last year is a pretty good example of domination (winning by as much as hey did and all).

Oh here we go.. The ole "BD is held to a higher standard than everyone else" line again. I have been hearing the blue devils staff tell their members and the community this for decades now and it never ceases to amaze me. It just wreaks if arrogance (not that BD is ever accused or stereotyped as being arrogant or anything ) and self-righteousness. BD has earned every victory they have achieved, but they also have earned every defeat too. If they were in fact held to a higher standard, it improbably their own hubris that got them there.

every corps has its haters. thanks for making yours explicit. nothing worse than people who try to hide it.

my day is complete now that I've heard somebody attach the word hubris to a youth activity involiving people marching around on a football field.

anyhoo, i'm wondering if anybody on here has changed their mind after seeing this show on the webcast initially, and then live.