jjeffeory Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 Oh Man.. the Blue Devils are rapidly becoming the Rodney Dangerfield of DCI... " I get no respect, I tell ya. No respect a' tall " They sure do get rings though! I'm sure people will fall in love of their show and they'll get some respect soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwillis35 Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 (edited) Overall thoughts: Already hate the guard uniforms that are goth and punk rockish. Not liking the piano synth coming from the pit. One guard from Cavies was really lost out there. SCV hornline needs work. And this overall format of two shows in Texas and then showing it at a movie theater, I'm not liking at all. What a colossal waste of money on gas for the west coast corps, and whoever else has to follow them back to CA. And then back to Texas. I wonder if someone were to do a study to see how much extra fuel is burned doing that? Thanks for the review, and I must say that I agree with your observations. It was a tremendous mistake to drag the top 8 corps all the way to Texas for a few shows, and then have them continue their tour from that starting point. I realize drum corps is a national touring model, but they should at least start in their local regions. There are so many local/regional fans that are waiting to see their favorite corps, and this point in the summer is when we are most excited to see drum corps. This particular model is not the best. I also agree with you and another poster that mentioned the fact that most fans only get to 1, maybe 2, shows a summer. Having an incomplete show can leave a bad impression. It's one thing to have an incomplete show in your local region, because perhaps the fans can catch you at another show in the area, and you didn't have to spend thousands of dollars worth of gasoline to make it to Texas to give a partial performance. It sounds to me like SCV could have used more time in California putting the finishing touches on their show and getting ready to perform for their local fans. That gas-guzzlin', not-so-cost effective Texas road trip would be viewed by some business people in this country as not a wise idea. But I'm sure DCI has a plan. Edited June 19, 2011 by jwillis35 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galen Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 The corps know WAY ahead of time when the first show is. This is purely their fault for not getting their acts together. As long as the judging community turns a blind eye to it, it will continue. If this actually, LEGITIMATELY effected scores early on, corps would come out prepared. Some people save up all their money, poor kids, kids from miles away, old drum corps vets. Sometimes they only get to see one show a season and the product they see isn't even finished. I'm not talking a "clean and polished product"... but not even the real product at all. I show up at the movies and get to watch the entire movie except the last 10 minutes, in which there is no sound. That's what I liken it to. I remember talking with one of the judges after an early show a couple of seasons ago regarding the whole "incomplete show at the first show" thing, and they're basically trained to ignore that and judge "what's on the field, not what isn't". So yeah, expect it to continue. I wish, like you, that more corps would have Scott Stewart's mentality about performing, that being that for about 70-80% of the audience, that particular night is the only time they'll see you perform all year, so the corps owes it to them to put the best, most complete product on the field possible instead of just a piecemeal show. And Hopkins is a total hypocrite for insisting that the touring model be redone to save money and then putting that type of tour schedule together for his corps. Guess he won the lottery sometime during the winter... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galen Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 The corps know WAY ahead of time when the first show is. This is purely their fault for not getting their acts together. As long as the judging community turns a blind eye to it, it will continue. If this actually, LEGITIMATELY effected scores early on, corps would come out prepared. Some people save up all their money, poor kids, kids from miles away, old drum corps vets. Sometimes they only get to see one show a season and the product they see isn't even finished. I'm not talking a "clean and polished product"... but not even the real product at all. I show up at the movies and get to watch the entire movie except the last 10 minutes, in which there is no sound. That's what I liken it to. I remember talking with one of the judges after an early show a couple of seasons ago regarding the whole "incomplete show at the first show" thing, and they're basically trained to ignore that and judge "what's on the field, not what isn't". So yeah, expect it to continue. And Hopkins is a total hypocrite for insisting that the touring model be redone to save money and then putting that type of tour schedule together for his corps. Guess he won the lottery sometime during the winter... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwillis35 Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 I call BS. the Cali corps have been coming in here year after year even tho finals are in the Midwest. Yet when a name corps from outside Cali announces they will go to Cali it's as if the 2nd coming had happened. Now imagine SCV or BD said "hey sorry we aren't coming to Allentown or Atlanta. Too far." There would be screams for their heads! It would take BD haterade to new levels! I see your point, but there has never been a time that the California corps have not been able to play for their local/regional fans before coming east. The California circuit is strong and they have a good number of excellent regional shows out there. The opposite is going to be true for the corps from the East and Midwest. Once they hit Texas and do their two shows, then the tour continues from there, and who knows when those Midwestern and East Coast corps make it back. I think my problem is not that the TOC wishes to meet up and do shows together, but that early in the season is maybe not the best time. I think that's my greatest concern. Fans are so excited and pumped to see drum corps, and I believe corps should stay within their region/state area at least for a week or so to try and promote more shows and more involvement and to get more fans before going more national and doing some of these TOC types of things. It just seems like a lot of wasted money. All this travel just so we can bring the top 8 corps together for the 1st show at a time when they are not exactly in top gear. Everyone is still putting in endings, editing and tweaking shows, and there is a Texas tour already on the books. I do like it when a corps chooses to go West once in a while. I see that differently. It's not every year, and it is a great benefit to the West-Coast shows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoyWonder1911 Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 (edited) Good morning everyone. Finally getting the chance to submit my own review before I head to bed. First off, my rankings for brass: 1) Crown - their music program is incredible, they sounded solid, in tune, was difficult, overall best sound. 2) Cavs 3) BD 4) Cadets 5) Bluecoats 6) Blue Stars 7) Phantom 8) SCV Rankings for visual 1)Cadets - incredible drill design - must have been a pain in the rear to make it work. 2)Cavs 3)BD - hey, how can you take off points when half of it is scatter drill, and the other half is hidden by props? 4)Crown 5)Blue Stars 6)Bluecoats 7)Phantom 8)SCV I don't care about percussion, mostly because I don't know enough about it to have an opinion on it, but I think Bluecoats sounded the best, Cavs a close 2nd. Same with guard, I hardly ever look at guard. General Effect 1)Cadets 2)Cavs 3)BD 4)Crown 5)Blue Stars 6)Bluecoats 7)Phantom 8)SCV My synopsis and predictions for judges rankings 1)I think Cavs had the best all around package - I think they will take the title this August, and I think they will win last night - even though they didn't march the last minute of their show. Still learning the closer, apparently. BTW, has there ever been a champion who didn't take any captions??? This could happen..giving Cavs a 2-1 to win it. I don't think Blue Devils can three-peat. 2)Blue Devils - I think they are still good, the show is intricate, didn't really understand the show or use of props - but something seems missing from last year - just didn't sound as good. Giving them a 3-1 to win it. 3)Cadets - Incredible visual program, brass was iffy in a few spots. I think they are a dark horse to win the title, would give them a 5-1 chance. But they need to bring it all together by August and make the show work. The more specific the theme, the harder it is to convey. I think they have the most room to grow of the top 3. 4)Crown - I think they might end up taking brass this year, but their visual program is iffy. The pre-show was kinda lame, cheesy. But I was very impressed by the brass. Music program was incredible. They will make changes along the season, changes always happen - if they make the right changes, they could make things very interesting at the top. I think with these top 4, it's almost anyone's game - I don't think Crown can win with this show, but a major upset could bump them up to 2nd and Blue Devils to 3rd or 4th - depending on what Cadets do - but top 4 could very well be within 1.5 points of each other by the end. I think it will be close. 5)Bluecoats - they lost a lot from last season, not from members, but from show design. The whole theme just didn't come through - I think their brass was good, visuals were ok, they will get clean, but total program, just not sure about it. I haven't read Brave New World, so really wasn't totally sure what it was all about, besides the sound recording saying "What the hell am I doing here?" or whatever it said. Although I think their percussion was probably best or close to best last night. Not sure what else they could do to make their show better and earn more pts. They might top out at about 95. 6)Blue Stars - trying not to be biased here - but they've stepped it up from last year. More difficult music, more difficult program in general. Classy use of props as always. They never try to hide their visual flaws with props. The brass needs work, but they are better than last year - they have a LOT of room to grow - not too worried about the music, the music is good but they need to clean, and everyone needs to play. Visual program was really good. All in all, more difficult program than Phantom - and it's nice to see something different - fast, loud and in your face - from the Blue Stars. I think that MAYBE if they pull more tricks out of their sleeve and Bluecoats fall flat, then we may see an upset. Giving a 20% chance of that happening. But the Blue Stars' 8th place rut has to end some time. Might as well be this year, they have the show to do it. 7)Phantom - Cute. Solid show. Brass was decent. Tuning problems, problems projecting sound, they will get better, but I think the show was pretty easy - brass book not all that impressive, neither was the visual program. They're going to have to have some tricks up their sleeves if they want to improve. Reminds me a lot of Crusader's show last year. It was there, but just wasn't at that level they need to be at. It was not as difficult a show as last year's was. They can't take 6th place with this show, plus they lost some percussion from a year ago. 8)SCV - ouch. Not dissing the members - but for the 2nd straight year, they are trying to be Star/1993. They got away with it last year, this year it isn't going to work. Percussion was the only good thing about this show. Visuals need a lot of work - the visual program is nice, just was really dirty. Didn't hear the brass. I don't think they played above a forte at any point in the show. I think the top 6 of my rankings will stay in the top 6. I think with a strong Boston, Madison or Blue Knights program, SCV and/or Phantom may not be a part of the TOC next year..... Anyways, those were my opinions. Will be interesting to see how the judges judge it both last night, and tonight, with completely different judging panels, and an opposite order of appearance. Edited June 19, 2011 by BoyWonder1911 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiodb Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 I think you (and others) are taking this too seriously. I know this is a frequent occurrence on DCP & the internet in general, but you really don't need to worry about every bit of minutia. How the fan voting ends up laying out really means absolutely nothing: if a ton of homers stuff the ballots to tip the scales in their corps' favor, then so be it: who cares?! It affects the bottom line. If only those who pay to view the show are allowed to vote, that creates an additional incentive to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaylogan Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 BTW, has there ever been a champion who didn't take any captions??? This happened with Star of Indiana, if I'm not mistaken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwillis35 Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 This happened with Star of Indiana, if I'm not mistaken. Well Star of Indiana won the title in 1991, and I think they won, or tied with BD, the brass title. I also think they took percussion, but not sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lincoln Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 7)Phantom - Cute. Solid show. Brass was decent. Tuning problems, problems projecting sound, they will get better, but I think the show was pretty easy - brass book not all that impressive, neither was the visual program. They're going to have to have some tricks up their sleeves if they want to improve. Reminds me a lot of Crusader's show last year. It was there, but just wasn't at that level they need to be at. It was not as difficult a show as last year's was. They can't take 6th place with this show, plus they lost some percussion from a year ago. Maybe the Montagues could get one of the Drum Major's to kill Juliet with a giant spear? Or better yet, maybe with the use of scafolding, Juliet could leap off her "balcony" onto an unfortunately placed spear? Or even better yet, maybe the guard could start spinning giant spears and kill all the Montagues? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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