2011 Season All-Corps Review (World Class)

[BlooFan]

This year has been a great drum corps year, especially for me. I unfortunately could only see one show in person (in Mesa, AZ), but I caught all of the webcasts on the Fan Network and went to both Cinecasts, season opener and prelims. I decided to throw in my two bits on all the World Class corps shows this season (I saw them all at least twice, the ones I saw live will be denoted with an asterisk*). I of course respect all the hard work the members and staff put into these shows, these are just one man's humble opinion on the programs. I suppose I should preface this with my thoughts on props/amplifications: I think they can work well in context/moderation, but can also fall flat, as with all facets. I'm also more of a brass/drill guy, so I may not go in depth on the guard or percussion, but they'll be addressed mostly. But enough of this jibber-jabber, onto the shows!

Pioneer - (Celebrate) I love this corps. Not just their shows, but their whole philosophy and attitude towards the activity. This show, as far as I'm concerned, was a great way for them to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Classic Pioneer, from the guard uniforms, to the Holst and Scottish music. This corps was the very first DCI corps I had ever seen, and they've always had a soft spot in my heart. They fielded a decent number of marchers this year, and it was a delightful program.

Jersey Surf - (Petal Tones) An interesting program from the weekend warriors this year. The first time I've seen Lady Gaga in a drum corps show, especially juxtaposed with the music of Carmen. I wasn't really blown away by their visual program, but it was what it was, and it wasn't terrible. I didn't see this show a lot, first seeing them in Atlanta, and my opinion on it is comparatively limited. But I liked the show for the most part.

Cascades - (Pandora: A Dark Gift) Like I said above, props can be hit or miss, and this show was full of them. The boxes. They do make sense, given the show's concept of Pandora. The central box did have great moments, with the trumpet feature through it, the straps holding the color guard member, so forth. As far as the other boxes, they didn't really do it for me. They seemed to hinder the visual progress at times, more so than it should have. I enjoyed the guard, especially the "eye" silks they had. The music was also pretty appealing, with some good original stuff. Overall, entertaining and dark, I approve.

Mandarins - (The Forty Thieves) I feel like this is a corps that is often forgotten, and hardly addressed in many reviews and discussions. I've really enjoyed some of their past shows (2009 comes to mind), and this year was pretty decent. They managed to have a pretty good brass sound, but their higher register was not nearly as full as I would have wanted. The percussion seemed to also do well, but I am no expert on that. I loved Octabones. Drill wise, it wasn't the most challenging or innovative drill I've seen, but they made it work.

Teal Sound - (Sinvitation 7) Ok, this is where I hope I don't anger too many people. IMHO, this was one of my least favorite shows all season. It was a good concept, and some of the drill stuff fit in with the theme, but the show did not do it for me. Some talented musicians, yes, even some good musical selections, but I'm sorry, keep the guitars, violins, and woodwind synths out of drum corps.

Pacific Crest - (Push, Pull, Twist, Turn) One of the better PC shows of past years. Some well executed music, chiefly the ballad come to mind (Mahler's 5th Symphony Adagietto), and great players to produce it. The drill did present some concept-fulfilling formations and maneuvers, but I think they could have done perhaps a little bit more. A great step for PC and their organization.

Crossmen - (Renewal) This is the first show that really stood out to me. I'm still young, but I've watched past performances, and I agree, the Crossmen are coming into their identity again. And this show was just good-old, toe-tapping, genuinely entertaining drum corps. Some great musicians with a couple of stellar duet sections and overall music selections. Hearing "Spinning Wheel" the first time was, to say the least, a delightful surprise. And the ballad, I figured it was a matter of time for a corps to feature Cohen's "Hallelujah" in their program, and the Crossmen pulled it off...splendidly. The drill also appealed to the eye and matched the music almost flawlessly. A shame they couldn't make finals, but scores don't define a corps.

Colts - (Deception: The Jagged Edge) A nice twist on Swan Lake, but unfortunately this performance didn't strike me as memorable. Some good guard work, I liked the back-and-forth with the swans, and the late-season change of the white swan turning dark was a nice touch, and the drill was marched well. However, the music and overall effect didn't particularly impress me. Talented musicians and all, but my attention wasn't rapt as with other corps.

The Academy* - ((RE)) Now I may be a little biased here, living in Arizona and having a few friends in the corps, but I loved the program this year. Great music; Bach's "Little Fugue", Whitacre's "Lux Aurumque", Adam's "Lollapalooza"...all a delight. Some nice musical effects too, the notes running down the lines of the formations, the reverb and conterpoint between different sections, quite engaging. Visually, first off, I LOVE the uniforms, some of the classiest duds in DCI. As far as the drill goes, rather good and fairly ambitious for a 10-year old corps, which means it wasn't quite as clean as say, last year, but they're reaching farther and improving. I wouldn't be surprised to see them in finals soon.

Troopers - (The Road Home) There was a lot of variety in styles this year, and this is a great example. A nice, pleasant, understated show. Honestly, not what I expected from the Troopers, but America's Corps did not disappoint. Unlike some corps, the Troopers didn't elect to blast your eardrums with loudness for 12 minutes straight, they instead went with a quieter more...minimalist show, and by golly did it work. The infinite chord, as I have seen in many other reviews, is certainly worth commending. I believe it was said that that note was held for 28 seconds; chills shot down my spine every 3 or so. Visually, also not a disappointment. I'll admit when I first saw the big pink path, I scoffed, but after watching the show, they actually made it work. The closer, when the battery lines the road and the brassline breaks off in groups towards the endzone, and the backfield playing, together with the throwback flags...it was magical. It was a show that actually made me happy.

Glassmen - (My Mortal Beloved) Let's see, how shall I put this...musically satisfying, visually...meh. Some wonderful selections, cleverly combining classics like Beethoven and Verdi with...Elvis, worked better than I thought. Also, one of the first notable drumlines (for me at least). The "aluminum" guard flags were fascinating accouterments to both GEs, and I think we'll see more of those possibly in other corps. Now the drill was fine, but the whole concept did not come across well until...well...the end really. Parts were just confusing. Ah well, still a decent show by this Ohio corps.

INT - Alright, coming into the Top 12 here, let's take a breather. So...come here often? Enjoying the review? Well, if not, I'm hoping to get a little meatier and in depth with some of these next corps, so stick around...please .

Spirit of Atlanta - (ATL Confidential: A Tribute To Film Noir) Talk about corps finding their roots again, let me say, congrats on being back in Atlanta. As far as the show goes, I was simply delighted. Being a jazz/blues fan, my personal favorite part musically was Harlem Nocturne. I showed my jazz trumpet player friend this show, and even he was impressed by their rendition. Some straight up great brass playing all around, and some great Spirited tunes (HA, I'm so clever...). Some awesome visuals too, from the old-school scrims along the front line to the memorable drill sets (the opening projector, the "NOIR", the body outline, at least three Deltas...), it was exciting and enticing all the way through. Let's just say I'm glad they're gonna be on my Blu-Ray disc.

Blue Stars - (REBOURNE) Now I will say that I enjoy the Blue Stars' shows, but this one didn't quite hit me like some of their others. Great musicians in La Crosse, but I found that when your entire program comes from scores of action movies, it tends to sound the same. It's unfortunate, because that ensemble can do great things, but all of their music kinda ran together. The scaffolding was kind of...predictable, but it looked a lot better once the black covering was decorated more. And by predictable, I mean that I could kinda guess what they were going to do with it, but once they did, it was satisfying, so props to them there. Not my favorite program, but certainly not the worst.

Madison Scouts - (New York Morning) Wow. I just...wow. This was I show that I was so heavily invested emotionally, that I almost cried. From the tuba solo that opens, to that building climax of an closer that was "Empire State Of Mind", I was hooked in. I feel like Madison is a corps that doesn't always get the respect it deserves, and the brass alone demonstrates that. Simply wonderful sound beginning to end, great baritone/mello duet in ESOM, and the percussion is an excellent compliment to that. Some deceptively complex drill that was executed with good precision and complimented with ever so subtle (and not so-subtle) accents within it (chiefly, the collapsing tower maneuver). Also, one could really see and feel the emotions behind the performers, and they admirably relayed that to the audience; I suppose the pre-season acting coach paid off, eh? Well done Madison, well done.

Blue Knights* - (An English Folk Song Suite) I've always liked BK, but this year was a pleasant surprise as far as style goes. Not nearly as dark as last year, and simply satisfying to watch. I'll admit I didn't particularly care for the preshow, but once they start in with Holst's "First Suite", they had my attention. Classic drum corps style tunes, definitely some pieces I'd be humming on the way home. Some purely fun parts in the program, with that trumpet duet, the pit's Scottish tenor (I think that's what they are) feature and the stick choreography, all of "Shepard's Hey", and so on and so forth. Some WONDERFUL drill and other visuals, but this show was more about the music for me personally. Overall, an impressive change from good old BK.

Boston Crusaders - (Revolution) I love it when corps include singing in any part of their program, so I got excited when the preshow included "Do You Hear The People Sing?" I love the music choices, "Les Mis" and "1812 Overture" proved to be a good combination; I however was disappointed they didn't incorporate more of 1812 into the program. And I must say, the baritone soloist is my vote for the best soloist of the season, such grace and beauty in his playing, pulled at my heartstrings. Some interesting formation work, particularly the separation of the brass from the percussion, pretty gutsy to do especially in a dome. And yes, the ever debated white drape on half the field in the ballad. I was...ambivalent towards this. I didn't think it was a terrible addition, I certainly saw where they were going with it, but it didn't really blow me away as a visual stroke of genius. But overall, good stuff from Boston.

Bluecoats - (Brave New World) As some may guess from my username, I may be a little biased here, but I'm being as objective as possible, so roll with it. Now this was not my favorite show this year, I personally think it was severely underrated. Most people seem to only remember "Creep", which I can understand, because it was a spectacular arrangement, but there was some other great music. What I particularly liked was the adaptation of certainly non-traditional marching music to the field. "Deus Ex Machina" has some fundamentally beautiful parts in it, and "Harvest" was arranged surprisingly well (Mackey is a favorite of mine), and come on...tuba feature, yes. The percussion performed excellently as usual, and they had a phenomenal hornline this season. They threw in some visual news this year as well. From the entire opener with the corps lining the field sans instruments and running on, to a pulsing and "living" formation in the ballad, some cool things to see. Blooo!

Santa Clara Vanguard* - (The Devil's Staircase) At the beginning of the year, I wasn't particularly impressed with this show. But talk about a show that'll grow on you, as the drill and the music got cleaner and cleaner, it really started to become something worth watching. The brass and percussion were exactly what one would expect from SCV, excellent. The music was repertoire that not many in the drum corps realm wouldn't be familiar with, which can be risky - especially since the closer was an atonal piano etude. But it worked, and it complimented the mood of the program set by the guard and its interactions with the other members of the corps. The drill, once cleaned, really became a spectacle that always kept your eyes and mind occupied. I was disappointed they chose to cut the cymbals Viper, but c'est la vie. A typical Vanguard show, and that is certainly a compliment.

Phantom Regiment* - (Juliet) Now for the show that actually DID make me cry. When I saw this live, I couldn't get over it, it was so masterfully done; and that was early season. The music was brilliant and performed to the usual PR brass standards. Both "Requiems" were integrated rather well, and the backfield, echoing ballad of the "Love Theme" from R&J resonated deep with me. Of course, "Elsa's Procession" was what brought the house down every time and was more than just the icing on the cake. I liked the all-female guard and the evolution of the ending continued to impress me throughout the season, from humble beginnings of raising a helmet to the dramatic drum major's death (also classic PR) and Juliet's...brilliant. Really, there's not much more to say.

Carolina Crown - (Rach Star) Corps seem to be gearing back to audience entertainment, and Crown is a shining example. The music was brilliant, and was rather clever to combine contemporary rock with classic Rachmaninoff. I would've preferred if the the preshow was shorter, I was never really sure when the show actually started; and again with the guitars...but it was really only featured in the end, so trivial details, still great music, and amazing brass. Visuals were a double edged sword for me. Some of the sets were unique, innovative, and unifying, and the guard really showed enthusiasm. However, I wasn't a fan of the columns (or girders or whatever they are); I understand they "set the stage" as it were, but they seemed kind of obstructive to me, not my cup of tea. But if you just wanted 12 minutes of fun, Carolina Crown was ready to provide.

Cavaliers - (XtraordinarY) The ultimate "in-the-moment" corps, the Cavies really pulled out the stops to entice the audience. The players performed quite well, particularly the percussion, but as with many others, I didn't really find the music that memorable. It was good, but it wasn't the type of music that stuck with you. What really made this show for me was the straight up visuals. Drummers balanced on their drums, guard and brass on stilts, brilliant drill, and, of course, upside down EVERYTHING (tenors, trumpets, drum majors, you name it). Truly a visual heavy show, and I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

Blue Devils* - (The Beat My Heart Skipped) Alright, flame shields up...I was disappointed. I frankly expected a lot more from the Blue Devils, and when push comes to shove, it didn't hold up. Now don't get me wrong, BD has some exceptionally talented musicians, and that is impressive. I also really like Burt Bacharach's music, and the arrangement was pretty decent. There were certain parts that really stood out to me, like the "Promises, Promises" section with some really clean runs. But again, a lot of music is dynamics, and I felt like BD never really went under fortissimo, but the playing was good. However, there are two parts to a drum corps show, music and visual, and the visuals lacked. The boxes and the poles really bothered me. It made sense when they formed the house at the end for "A House Is Not A Home", but for most of it, it was mainly distracting. And what was truly unfortunate is that these props got in the way and the potentially great drill suffered. Musically appealing, visually unimpressive.

The Cadets* - (Between Angels And Demons) Well, hopefully you're still reading, because now we're at the end! And...Holy Name! (See what I did there?) This was my favorite show this year (with PR as a close second) and I'm so glad it won. The music was beyond description, Ticheli's "Angels In The Architecture" to the classic "Doxology" hymn, it was a hodge-podge of musical treats. But was truly impressive was again, everyone say it with me, the visuals. A truly ambitious feat was dressing the corps into two completely different colors (yet still maintaining the classic Cadets look); Sacktig is a drill writing master, flawlessly integrating the two colors into an appealing mix. The guard was also spectacular, and really demonstrated good grasps of characters; angels were angels and demons were demons, and that was evident. Also a bold move was turning the corps into guard members during the percussion feature, but was executed well. I could go on and on about the brilliance of this show, but most of you have seen it and by now you're tired of me flapping my gums, so to conclude, Cadets rightfully earned their championship.

Alright, I'm done, congrats if you made it through that. But I'm really curious to think of what you guys think. Do you agree? Disagree? Wish to disembowel me? I'm genuinely interested.

[jwillis35]

Very nice review. Well done, and thanks for sharing!

[HMM]

Nice job! Was there at Finals week and Blue Devs were simply amazing musically and visually IMO so don't agree with your comments on them but hey would be boring if we all loved the same stuff eh?

One thing many seem to agree is the depth of quality of enteratinment and level of perfomance this year was so awesome

Also Madison, Phantom and Crown certainly got the biggest crowd responses mostly the three nights of competition in Indy and yes phantom made me cry as well, as did Madison!