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Drum Corps at the Movies


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Thanks for the education, not that familiar with that symphony haha. Still I really like it!

I definitely thought it was their most effective moment. It works on 2 levels.

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I definitely thought it was their most effective moment. It works on 2 levels.

Once that gets better it will be great. The guard is not integrated well for that part however, but I'm sure changes will be coming there.

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Really enjoyed the show, which seemed better produced this year than last--at least the sound levels were better in the theater where I saw it this year.

A thought for the producers: I understand the need to promote the upcoming shows, but it would also be great if you could send a cameraman out to wander around and shoot some B-roll of the various corps warming up in the lot. That would give you something else with which to fill the dead time between corps, other than the announcers filibustering (no knock on them whatsoever; I'm guessing they'd be glad to have a little less airtime to fill while waiting for the corps to get on and off the field). And I think it would actually be a better promotion to get people to come out for a show than seeing dots on a map.

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Cadets- I really thought I was going to hate this show! ( I hate Christmas music) But, The arrangements are great! the drill was complex as well as the music. The guard was very good. I enjoyed the show! Lots of room to grow and clean. Thank You Cadets and Crown for Bringing Back The Marching /Playing Drum line!

the camera angels kinda of sucked in the broadcast. I had Cadets 2nd or 3rd

Phantom- I really enjoyed Phantom! The best guard uniforms brass and percussion sounded great for June. Visual looked a step up from last year. Brass hasn't missed a beat and percussion is a season more experienced. Their visual show wasn't as complex as Crown or Cadets but fit the show well. Phantom was the cleanest of all the corps. I had them 2nd.

Crown- Wow! I loved Crown last year for shear Ballsy Fun! This year I love them for their shear ballsy Marching and Playing! I'm still not sold on the guard uniforms but I think this show can win! Again, Thank you Crown and Cadets for Bringing Back The Marching /Playing Drum line! I had Crown 1st.

Bloocoats- Very good show They. I'm tired Ill finish tomorrow!

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General observations:

Blue Stars - I like the show. This is Rosander's best drill since 2004 and it's obvious they let him write. The brass is good, percussion seemed a little weaker then last season but still solid. Feet... YIKES!!!!! Body control.... DOUBLE YIKES!!!! If they can clean the visual (technique and drill), I see them easily back at 8th or 7th. They have room to grow.

Phantom Regiment - So clean and polished that I was shocked. The drill is imaculently done and very clean for this time of the year but come August, will it have the content? Best feet of the night (never said that about PR before). Music is nice but I'm not sold on the percussion yet.

Crown - That brass book is just insane. The drill is very hard. Heck... this might be one of the hardest shows I've seen. Can they clean it? Is the vis book quality enough and staged well enough to touch Blue Devils? Can possibly be one of my all time favorites.

Cavailiers - (The biggest telling point of the night and what I think might turn into the story of the season.)

Biggest applause before the show started: Cavaliers

The only corps to not get applause at the end of the show: Cavaliers

Cadets - I liked the show. Nothing spectacular but I see them in that 3rd -4th range by seasons end. Agreed with them on top. Solid corps but doesn't have "it".

Bluecoats - Some nice arrangements but not sold on the vis package. Drumline should be top 3 by seasons end but I see them in 6th by seasons end. Love the 2nd song.

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I had it like this:

Phantom

Cadets

Bluecoats

Crown

Cavies

Blue Stars

I really think Phantom and Cadets will be in the hunt come August.

My assessment too.

Phantom-full show, integrated with guard, enough demand without being silly, solid horns and drums, beautiful guard and cleanest (best, hands down).

Cadets-enjoyed the music more than i thought i would, lovely drill, great hornline, drums cut thru well, but all i could think when i looked at the guard was "Candyland!" why not some classy burgundy elves instead? lol

Bluecoats- such a treat visually and musically, second best guard uniforms, just a bit messy in all aspects

Crown-ADD on steroids, 'let's see how much drill we can fit into a show' mentality, best hornline hands down (but do they really have to do sit-ups or planks while playing?), liked Fanfare, felt like i was watching a pinball machine the entire show

Cavies-didn't get how the guard went with the horns at all, enjoyed the second half more for some reason, needs a lot of cleaning, just seemed lackluster

Blue Stars-sadly, the only thing i remember was the horns falling all over each other

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My thoughts after watching in the movie theater.

The volume was not nearly loud enough, even after an employee came into the theater to ask if the sound was up loud enough. There were maybe 25 people watching here in Flint, MI. They did not use surround sound - speakers either.

Was disappointed.

I saw a lot of useless camera-angle changes. Sure, I'd much rather have the high-angle view of the entire field 100% of the time, but if you're not going to broadcast all of it from high-angle, then at least do well with the other angles you show. At one point, they had the camera on the pit, for 5 seconds while they weren't playing. ????

Anyways, here goes.

Blue Stars - Dirty. Visual drill was difficult - maybe this year they can clean it. Musically it was uninspiring.

Dvorak's music is supposed to be done by corps in the 12-17 level who are building, not by a corps who's made finals for the past 4 years. Having said that, their brass is good enough to max this musical program.

They have a lot of room to grow this show, maybe the percussion will get the credit they deserve - last year they were much better than 11th or 12th in percussion.

Cavs - Same ol', same ol'. But this time, it's not working. Uh oh, maybe they should have just went with Richard Strauss' music and make a show out of it? Don Juan was good, but they should have just stuck to that kind of theme. Abstract themes are dangerous. This year it seems they won't get away with it. With a new staff should come new ideas.

Phantom - They were very clean for June!! Great show overall, and a little more demanding than last year, it seems. I was not a fan of last year's Juliet show, but this one is better, but doesn't seem demanding enough to keep pace.

I loved the beheading, I could not believe I saw that. Make this show more aggressive in parts, and more passionate in others, and you have a well-rounded show that could take 3rd.

Bluecoast - Was intrigued in the beginning, but I got bored quickly, which really disappointed me, because I'd love for this corps to get another medal. Like many said, the first half was good, but the 2nd half got boring, because the 2nd half was the same as the first half.

Cadets - Incredible for pulling off a Christmas show. Obviously not finished. Not too impressed with the ballad. That needs some work. This corps is so good, they can pull off anything, would not be too surprised if they won again this year.

Crown - After not being a fan of their past 2 seasons, this show is great. Incredibly difficult. Like someone said, it almost seemed difficult just for the sake of being difficult. It's fun to see them running 220 bpm, but it has to integrate with the show...and they almost seem like they're copy-cating the Cadets' past drill moves.

It was dirty, but that's because it was difficult. Brass was great. If they want to win a championship, this is the year they could do it. Seems a lot like 2009.

Predicting this year's top 3 will be Blue Devs, Crown and Cadets.

Phantom 4th, Cavs 5th, Bluecoats and SCV 6-7, but that's not seeing the Crusaders yet, I have high hopes and expectations from Mahler's music.

Thanks for reading.

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My thoughts after watching in the movie theater.

Anyways, here goes.

Blue Stars - Dirty. Visual drill was difficult - maybe this year they can clean it. Musically it was uninspiring.

Dvorak's music is supposed to be done by corps in the 12-17 level who are building, not by a corps who's made finals for the past 4 years. Having said that, their brass is good enough to max this musical program.

They have a lot of room to grow this show, maybe the percussion will get the credit they deserve - last year they were much better than 11th or 12th in percussion.

Thanks for reading.

Good thing I read your disclaimer. I'll pass your thoughts on to the 1989 Phantom Regiment.

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Yes, 1989 was 1989. 6 or 7 years prior to that, they were hardly doing curvilinear drill...Dvorak's New World Symphony hadn't been rehashed umpteen million different times prior to that, like it has in our era, in the last 23 years.

Please read what I said in context of that, like you should have, instead of leaving a rude comment about my disclaimer. At least I wasn't intentionally being rude. :mad:

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Blue Stars - :thumbdown:

Phantom - :thumbup:

Carolina Crown - :worthy:

Cavaliers - :sad:

Cadets - :tongue:

Bluecoats - :cool:

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