Personal Top 12 of "X Place"

[brassmeaway]

(Honorable Mentions in Parenthesis)

1. 2008 Phantom (2002 Cavies)

2. 2009 Crown (2005 Cavies)

3. 2000 BD (2004 SCV)

4. 2002 SCV (2003 PR)

5. 2003 SCV (2002 Phantom)

6. 2006 SCV (2010 Phantom)

7. 2005 Crown (2009 Boston)

8. 2002 Glassmen (2004 Scouts)

9. 2002 Crossmen (2010 Boston)

10. 2010 Scouts (2000 Scouts)

11. 2002 Magic (2010 BK)

12. 2009 Troopers (2003 Spirit)

1st -- Phantom was just the epitome of a complete show. I find it hard to believe anybody could watch that show and not be completely, personally plugged-in. (Cavies set the bar this year and surely paved the way for design & effect for years to come.)

2nd -- I really wanted to put Cavies here, but I had to put Crown because I truly believed they should've won. People can argue that BD was insanely clean that year, but hey, so is surgery and nobody wants to watch that.

3rd -- This is everything I wish BD would consistently be. Sound, design, etc. That brass sound alone, is enough to get them here. (Nothing against Vanguard, but this is my all-time favorite show, so nothing's going in front of it!)

4th -- This seems to be a forgotten year for SCV, but if you want a clinic in show pacing and flow, THIS is the show for it. A simple concept, but done so well! (Even before the members increase, Phantom really set the standards for THE big sound in this show. Accessible and goose-bump guaranteeing.)

5th -- This is just an exciting show, start to finish. Difficulty off the charts. But I feel more should be said about the HM here. (To me, this is Phantom's niche. Shostakovich. They had the aura/mentality for it. Not only do they powerfully convey the music, they put you in the meaning behind it too. Another forgotten year that should be remembered as a building block for the corps' identity.)

7th -- I think this was the first BIG step for what Crown has (successfully) developed into in recent years.

8th -- No brainer, honestly, for anybody who saw this show. Wonderful execution. Anybody who wants to talk about nerves of steel: watch the ballad ... ALL on the flugel soloist. (Madison did a great job bringing back some favorites here--I have no complaints about Malaga like some did at the time--and that ending is just straight swagger, LOVE IT!)

9th -- Come on, talk about laying it out there. This is one of the most physically demanding shows on this list (definitely shows placement doesn't ALWAYS equal difficulty). A classic, BTTW Crossmen show. (Boston did a great job with everything in this show, especially continuing from the year previous. That ballad is killer!)

11th -- If you were there for it, who remembers the ridiculous hype and energy in the community this year for Magic? 99.05 in Div. II, jumping up to Div 1, and NOT coming last! It was/is one of the greatest drum corps "Cinderella" stories. And flat out great show!

(This may be long-winded or whatever, but I just felt that the polls had too many shows that were in because of the freshness is people's memories. Some great shows got the shaft simply because of the unknown factor, so I wanted to shed some light on others that are my TRUE favorites and differentiate from the results.)

Edited July 14, 2011 by brassmeaway

[brassmeaway]

I'll take the quiet as a unanimous consensus!

[DCIfan90]

Why did you leave out 6th and 12th when you talked about the shows?

[DrinkinOuttaCups]

Why did you leave out 6th and 12th when you talked about the shows?

And 10th.

[brassmeaway]

Just didn't have anything I felt NEEDED to be said about them.

Do you all agree or disagree with what I have?