Best Carolina Crown Shows of this "Decade"

[KakkoiiOtaku]

Just like in the Blue Devils thread, rate your favorite Carolina Crown shows of the past 11 seasons, from 2000-2010.

1. 2009 - The Grass is Always Greener

This is, by far, not just my favorite Crown show of all time, but my favorite overall show of all time. This show brings out so many emotions in me that it will probably never be topped. Then again, I said that about 2008 until near the end of the 2009 season. It has, what I feel, is a moment that will always stand the test of time as "Legendary" (Puck) and has the best concept and music of any show I've ever heard. This show just has so many things going right for it that you can't go wrong. This is my "go to" show when I try to introduce an outsider to this activity. Of course, the others would be shows like Cadets 2000, Blue Devils 2000, Vanguard 2009, Phantom 2008, Madison 1995 and Star of Indiana 1993.

2. 2008 - Finis

This show will always remain close to my heart for reasons I won't state here. I just grew very close to this show and have loved it since the first time I heard the music. The first time I heard this show from start to finish, it immediately became my favorite show of all time, at that time. I still think it's the second best drum corps show of all time.

3. 2005 - Angelus

This one will also always remain close to my heart, but for reasons that I will state here. My age-out would've been 2005. I had been told by people who had marched that if I went to a drum corps and tried out for auxiliary in the pit that I would be locked for a spot because no one ever tried out for auxiliary. I went to the auditions and Seth Adams told me that they were not having any just auxiliary players that year. They were limited to 11 players ... 5 Marimba, 4 Vibe and 2 Timpani. I hadn't played Marimba in forever, until I started looking at the audition material and I didn't really have a good camp because of it in November. I ended the camp with a 2.5 rating. I almost didn't go back. Now, I'd also been practicing the drumline exercises because I'm really more of a drumline guy. I realized I could actually play the exercises well. I didn't try out for the drumline originally because I really didn't believe that I had a snowballs chance of making that line. So, I realized that if I went back to the next camp in December trying out for the pit, I'd get cut and have a horrible weekend. Period. However, if I went back and auditioned for the drumline instead, even if I got cut I knew I'd have a lot more fun and become a better player. So, I went back and auditioned for the bassline and I did have a better camp. Ended up with a 1.75 on my actual audition because I was nervous about auditioning for Jeff Queen. So, my hands were a little shaky and I flubbed up a bit, but I still did a lot better. In fact, I ended up being one away from being asked back to January. So, I learned a hard lesson about beliving in yourself because of this experience and that lesson, and all emotions connected to it, are also connected to this show. So, while I feel like other shows after this that are below it in this list (2006, 2007 and 2010) were performed better, this one is still more meaningful to me for the reasons listed above. Had I gotten in, it would've been my Age-Out.

4. 2010 - A Sec2nd Change

I have loved this show from the very beginning. The music is fantastic and it was a great show overall. I never really thought the ending was the best it could be until right before Allentown when they premiered the new ending ... the reprise of the 2009 Promise of Living Reprise. That, to me, was the best ending statement a show has ever had and it was great to hear it again live. However, I felt that the transition into it from the Mahler was a little weak and I wish they could've tweaked it to be a little better, but I still think it was a better ending than the original. I also did love the fact that they brought back the main character from last years show to run off, with Carrie, into the tunnel at the end of the show. Fantastic ending. I also realize that the problems they had with injuries held them back this year and kept them from reaching their full potential as a corps. Who knows where this show would've ended up if those injuries that took members permanently out of the show had not occurred.

5. 2007 - Triple Crown

This was the show that, after the season was over, was responsible for Crown becoming my favorite corps. This show blew my mind when I first heard it. I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever heard! I still ove this show, but there have been other really great ones since so that's why this is lower.

6. 2006 - In.trance.it

In.trance.it is, I think, an underrated Crown show. It was a great concept and the visual really fit the concept well. Plus, the music was fantastic. It's sad that they dropped to 8th with this show, but it's okay. It's still a great show overall.

7. 2004 - Bohemia

This was the show that showed me Crown was starting to get better and get recognized for the amazing corps that they are. I've always loved Bohemian Rhapsody, so it was really great to see this on the Drum Corps field. Looking back, now that I've fallen in love with the music of RENT, I kinda cringe during the part where they have members singing "Seasons of Love" because the don't sing in tune with each other. Plus, that Beat Poetry section kinda grated on me a bit. But, the rest of the show I absolutely loved. When the brass line brought out the end of "Seasons of Love" ... that blew my mind.

8. 2003 - Bellisimo

This was the first show that really made me start loving Crown. This was the turnaround for them when Jim Coates came on to the team -- the beginning of the rise that took them to Silver last year and a Gold very soon.

9. 2001 - Industry

I only saw this show a couple times, and rewatched it again recently. It's a great show, just not very clean. I enjoyed the concept and the playing, but it was just an okay year for them.

10. 2000 - The Mask of Zorro

10. 2002 - Greek Mythology: Stories of Gods and Heroes

These last two are a tie. I really am not that familiar with either, but I will say that I think that the Greek Mythology show was a fantastic show that was definitely underscored. I only saw it live once (at NightBEAT) but I remember that it was great. Now, I'll unforunately never see it again since they didn't make Finals. *sigh*

Okay, so now it's your turn. What does your list look like?

Also, there's a poll up top. Pick your favorite Crown show from the past 11 seasons and vote for it.

Discuss!!!

Edited August 19, 2010 by CMFC4Ever

[squeefritzmon]

1. The Grass is Always Greener

2. Triple Crown

3. Finis

4. A Sec2nd Chance

5. Angelus

6. In.Trance.It

7. Bellisimo

8. Bohemia

All the other shows I haven't seen. I should get on that haha.

[hostrauser]

1. The Grass is Always Greener (2009) (one of the most original, effective shows I've seen in 20 years)

2. A Second Chance (2010) (raising the bar for difficulty; plus, I'd been waiting for Khachaturian's 2nd to be brought to the field)

3. Bell-issimo (2003) (a textbook example on how to design a show minimizing a corps' weakness, in this case a super-raw horn line)

4. Triple Crown (2007)

5. Finis (2008)

6. Industry (2001)

7. In.trance.it (2006)

8. Angelus (2005)

9. Bohemia (2004) ("Seasons of Love" is a rotten song that makes me cringe every time; Beat poetry was worst use of vocals in DCI)

10. Mask of Zorro (2000) (kind of a kitschy, uninspired show; not indicative of the creative, original ideas to come from this corps)

11. Greek Mythology: Stories of Gods and Heroes (2002) (easily their worst execution of the decade)

[OICMR corps]

The top two are hard to pick. Triple Crown is performed better but Angelus just worked so well. Bohemia could have been higher but you had a mediocre high school choir sing what could have been played by what was beginning to approach being one of the best outdoor instrumental sounds ever produced.

2005 - Angelus

2007 - Triple Crown

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2006 - In.trance.it

2009 - The Grass is Always Greener

2008 - Finis

2010 - A Sec2nd Change

2003 - Bellisimo

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2001 - Industry

2000 - The Mask of Zorro

2002 - Greek Mythology: Stories of Gods and Heroes

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2004 - Bohemia

[bawker]

1. 2010: This show is a tour de force for the classical music fan. It's like Crown decided they would be Phantom Regiment this year, with Regiment content to play a safe BOA-inspired show. There's nothing safe in the way this hornline is exposed throughout the book. Amazing show, questionable choices thematically . . .but I don't play themes on my iPod. I wouldn't have glommed on the 2009 ending, but the Mahler makes up for that. Unquestionably the step forward they need . . once visual marks and the percussion catch up, they'll get their ring.

2. 2006: The Danielpour show is criminally underrated. This was the first show that really made me take notice of Crown as willing to explore some new ground musically and finally got me over the general yuck of the 2004 show. The "evil chord" about six minutes in . . .that's your precursor to the wall of sound to come down the road. Very close between Crown and BK this year . . .even now I'd still be tempted to place Crown higher.

3. 2008: Just a fun show to listen to . . .no, you aren't going to grow yourself as a musician, or learn any new things about yourself, but not all drum corps shows require deeper dissection. The "Candide" hit is the stuff of legend and is the moment of the year as much as Koji assassinating people on the podium is. A good "road trip" kind of show, easy to get into and out of without having to wear your thinking cap a bunch.

4. 2009: "Puck" is a lot of fun, and definitely a high point of the year. Been a while since anyone had the stones to go after "Sensamaya" since Cavaliers in 1994, and it works well for the theme. Well put together without sacrificing theme or musicality, and a big reason why this finished 2nd. The most cohesive design of the decade for Crown.

2007 was well put together, excepting the horse race overkill at the end, and there were some nice moments in 2005 as well. The 2004 opener was awesome, but the show just makes me cringe after that point until "Bohemian Rhapsody" picks up. Even with the beat poetry, it's still better than the "see how little we can have the hornline play" effort that "Bell-issimo" was.

[contrajedi8]

2005

[crazymello]

I've never actually seen a video of 2002. I've heard all of these horror stories and never gotten a hold of the vid...

[Jeff Ream]

Finis. if they had the 09 talent and this show, it's a whole new game that year

[TerriTroop]

Triple Crown for me is tops by a BIG margin.

Angelus is second.

[KakkoiiOtaku]

I've never actually seen a video of 2002. I've heard all of these horror stories and never gotten a hold of the vid...

I had the VHS's from that year, but I let a friend borrow the Volume 1 tape and never got it back and my college roommate 2003-2004 school year stole one of the other two before he left school and I'm honestly not sure which tape it was. Here's hoping it was NOT the one Crown was on.