Quarterfinals Open Thread

[BigBadMadMan]

So it's 'the way they've been since 1994,' but it isn't "who they've always been"?

16 years is a long period, too long to claim it isn't a substantial part of "who they've always been"...

No, I said I saw the paradigm shift happen then. Compare '93 and '94 and you can see it.

Case in point...they showed a clip of BD on the telecast before they went on of BD playing "La Fiesta", I believe. Would I realistically expect anyone to recognize THAT Blue Devils anymore? Unfortunately, no.

[DrinkinOuttaCups]

...so politics kept your favorite drum corps from placing as high as you think they should have placed?

I lost all respect I may have had for the judging community this summer. And no, it's not because "boo-hoo my corps isn't scoring uber-high even if they suck." It's for a different reason - one that I can't really divulge.

Also, some of the "fans" are really starting to get on my nerves as well, but that's another rant for another time!

[gimpy]

Just a few thoughts:

I liked Madison's show but didn't love it until the broadcast tonight. Great stuff!!

Phantom's horns sounded uncharacteristically crass to me, but I love the show and good lord that drum line is smoking.

Crown's high brass was a bit fracky tonight, love the show though.

Cavies were great, I had a feeling they would pass Bluecoats. Gonna be a fun fight for second.

BD was absolutely phenomenal. Their show captivates me like no other.

[blue_devil_fan9903]

Awesome Category:

Madison - Definitely one of my favorite shows. The repertoire was great.

Academy - I love this show and the musical choices.

Boston Crusaders - I usually don't like BC, but this year has a great concept and I dig the show.

Blue Knights - Not my favorite show, but I love the opener.

Carolina Crown - I love the show and would be my favorite, but personally, they ruin it in the end for me. I think they should just stick with the Mahler.

Cavaliers - The surprise for the night for me. The last few years I've been left flat with the Cav's. This year has made me love this show and I just want to watch it again.

BD - I dig the show. I love Kenton, I love jazz and I can take the atonal form. I understand why people aren't liking this show. It definitely is a little out there, but I love the show.

Disappointed

Cadets - Never have been a big fan of their shows from 2000 until now. They have certain moments, but it never fully clicks for me. I basically like their opening and their drum solo. BTW, I love the sound they get with marching 6 tenors.

Phantom - I found their show very boring. They have a great sound, but I just wasn't feeling the show. I do agree with the percussion scores, but I was very bored.

Blue Stars - Good sound, just a bland show musically. The Houdini concept loses it after about 3 minutes into the show.

Bluecoats - I'm not really sure why so many people like this show. Maybe it was because they came after the Cav's, but I just couldn't get into.

Anyways, that's how I look at things this year. I must say 2010 may go down as my favorite DCI year just because of some good repertoire. But these are MY opinions and I just wish for one moment that people can express their opinions on this board without getting into arguments. We all have the corps we like and the ones we don't like. Just leave it at that and life should be good.

[jwscv87]

I lost all respect I may have had for the judging community this summer. And no, it's not because "boo-hoo my corps isn't scoring uber-high even if they suck." It's for a different reason - one that I can't really divulge.

Also, some of the "fans" are really starting to get on my nerves as well, but that's another rant for another time!

Fair enough, I obviously read something into your comment that was not there. My mistake...

[perc2100]

We in the drum corps community have become so addicted to the visual that we're partly to blame. So I am left with the question of why? Why waste an incredible hornline like that re-hashing the same theme that's been on the scene for the last 10 years or so? Just like the kids at the mall standing out by blending in. It's a shame...

And I'm not a BD hater. I love love the Devs...or, used to at least...

You're right on the money when you talk about visual addiction. I guess to be fair, we've gotta blame Cavaliers from about 99-now for that one. They pioneered the beauty of designing around the visual program, which in turn "forced" designers to integrate their music & visual even more than previously. IMO Blue Devils kicked that up a notch (and to a smaller extent so have Bluecoats) by approaching their design similar to how WGI groups do. While I have not been in love with most of their shows, they have hit their stride and are undeniably producing shows that max out all captions of the sheets when performed well.

But I guess to answer your question, I imagine at some point Wayne Downey, Scott Johnson, and Scott Chandler grew tired of producing straight ahead drum corps shows (which many might find just as boring as you find this show) that they wanted to do something completely different. I don't know of any high-achieving artists/designers who like to 'rest on their laurels' and stagnate creatively. I mean, there are only so many times you can sit in a design meeting and interject, "OK, and then we'll have the park and wail section of the opener at this moment, complete with soprano squeal at the end." Drum corps has become so much more sophisticated over the years, it's natural for the great designers who have mastered designing shows one way (i.e. won many Championships in a fairly short period of time) and want to push themselves to do something different. Also, as I think we're been seeing from Cavaliers, judges get tired of seeing the same 'formula' every year. Cavaliers were wildly successful last decade, but once the other to corps started "borrowing" the Cavaliers formula, their design style wasn't as unique and they stopped winning. Same thing happened to BD in the 80's, Cadets in the 90's, and Cavaliers since 06 (NOTE: all of those corps were still great and consistently placing well, but their Championships were more staggered and other corps were dominating because they "found" a more unique formula).

[BigBadMadMan]

I don't totally disagree with your feelings. I also have not enjoyed BD's musical books nearly as much as I once did with the exception of 2003 (top 5 BD show ever IMO) and 1999. However, I do disagree with the implication that the horn guys are doing a talented hornline a disservice by not providing them with a challenging enough book. While I may not like the book that much I DO believe there is plenty of difficulty and a truck load of outstanding ensemble and solo work being performed (as has always been the case with BD).

Bottom line in my opinion is that the 2010 Blue Devils are flat out, clearly better than anyone else. They won't get my vote as the best show of the season, but they absolutely get my vote as a deserving champion.

Oh, to the contrary, I never said the book wasn't challenging. The demand is high. But a hornline THAT consistently good needs to be heard! Let's hear them play entire passages of music so we can actually ENJOY how outstanding they are. I'm talkin about a hornline so good, they can get women pregnant just by looking at them...a hornline so good that the corps can finish in 5th and they STILL win high brass (1993). Blow us down, slap us around and make us LOVE it!

IMO, that doesn't happen anymore. They are all tease and no consummation. Very frustrating.

[saxfreq1128]

No, I said I saw the paradigm shift happen then. Compare '93 and '94 and you can see it.

Case in point...they showed a clip of BD on the telecast before they went on of BD playing "La Fiesta", I believe. Would I realistically expect anyone to recognize THAT Blue Devils anymore? Unfortunately, no.

My point, though, is that if you think the paradigm shift happened 16 years ago, you have to admit that what they've been doing for the last 16 years is, at this point, a huge part of their longterm identity. 16 years is a long time. One may not recognize the old blue devils that you're talking about (and I'd dispute that), but does that really invalidate what they're doing now? Does that make the new stuff any less a part of the longer tradition?

[UNTdrummer11]

I knew regiment drums wouldn't be denied what's rightfully theirs!!! They rocked it tonight! But 10th in visual ensemble?? Cmon judges, get it together!!!! Maybe the next panel will like it more

[FHdork]

<I think Albert Lo has been reading too many DCP posts about the Blue Devils music.... puts them in 4th in rep.>

Maybe Albert is simply brave enough to put them there based on the quality of 3 other corps' rep?

As for BD, I agree with Jon Wagoner -

Enjoyed very much all the other shows...except where every corps from Phantom on down through Glassmen or so doubled...tripled...quintillionippled the bass through the magic button knob turning pushing machine.

Oh yes - and I really felt for the Cavie mellophone, standing there chest heaving with 200 bpm heart rate and having lost 6 pounds of sweat producing their great show, listening to his brother (the PIANO player...oh 'brother'!) stand there all dry and slow heart-rated say it's an honor to MARCH with his brother...

Edited August 13, 2010 by FHdork