TexasPRfan Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Just a few thoughts after getting back from the movie theater. First, thank you DCI - this new opening treat has been great the last 2 seasons. A great way to get excited about the season. Very well produced. Corps that left positive impressions on me: Cadets - Makings of a highly entertaining show. May have to guard against music feeling stale by Finals, but very enjoyable - and I really appreciate that they arent' afraid to entertain. Music arrangements very tasty, and drill was terrific. Not sold on the guard outfits (as Christmas Presents). Looking forward to seeing their show silks. Phantom - Wow. I am biased towards PR, but I was not expecting what I saw tonight. My expectations for them this year have just been elevated. There is some major demand in the show, and the visual program is very high caliber. I expect that demand will be layered in as they go, and what a great base product to start with. I definitely can see them improving on last year's placement, and they have certainly shown since '03 that they can catch lightning in a bottle and make a push with the right, emotional vehicle at season's end. Will be fun to see where they take Turandot. Guard is just fabulous - again. Crown - Less melodic and memorable (with the exception of the Fanfare strains), but deliciously difficult. If they pull off the demand, will be a real threat. Didn't care for the guard program much at all. Vastly improved drill, though. Hornline is insanely talented. Less than thrilled with the music book as a whole, but it is early, and was first read, in a movie theater, no less. Bluecoats - my biggest pleasant surprise of the night. Enjoyable melodies, and visually pleasing. Drill is behind the three above in terms of design and demand. If they can elevate the 2nd half of the show to the level of the first half, though, will be a nice bounce back to last year's disappointing product - a very impressive feat given some of the staff turnover, for sure. The jury is still out on... Cavaliers - Easily the biggest disappointment of the night for me. Now, I have certainly learned over the years that Cavaliers you see in June is no semblance of the final product you get in August, but wow, this vehicle left me flat. Very deserving of current placement. Really, really hated the guard program from a design perspective (not a knock on the performers at all). Seems to be an arrogance about their programming this year that may come back to haunt them, or it could be that they are ahead of us all and will shock us with the end of season product. For now, though, eek. Blue Stars -- Potential to be an improvement on last year, but a huge step back from the top 5 corps at Akron, and still way behind the quality of product (Design-wise) the Blue Stars gave us in a very nice run from '08-'10. I'm beyond tired of re-hacks of Dvorak's classic, and the musical arrangements left me very flat and un-inspired. So many incomplete thoughts. Visually, drill writing for Blue Stars has really slipped the last 2 seasons. Blue Stars had started to chart a very nice romantic tinged musical path with big drill statements and a feeling of a huge corps in '08-'10, but have regressed and feel small and un-imaginative at this point. Hopefully, this is a case of first impressions being very wrong. More convinced than ever that the bland corps uniform has GOT to GO. So there's my 2 cents. Very enjoyable night & looking forward to the season even more, now! Harvey 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmichelle917 Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 I have seen many predictions that placed Phantom in 4th or 5th place and they ended in 2nd. I think too many people are selling this show short, they have a show capable to expand and change and just keep getting better and better. I am tired of reading..well they have an easy show that is why they were ready...ask any of those kids out there performing their hearts out if it is easy. I look forward to seeing them again and seeing how the show evolves! Here is to a great Drum Corps season! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomVV Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Hard to judge blue stars show from the theater. It is even better in person. There is so much happening in their drill-- Myron Rosander is a genius. It is not time to start slotting yet. ---tom 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smf Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Phantom has the most potential IMO This show has so much room to grow and the hornline sounds solid! Cavies will be Cavies and grow this show beyond what anyone can guess. Bluecoats also have so much room to grow, but holy cow that hornline is awesome. The Cadets sound and look like The Cadets, I like it. Crown has the hardest show and while they others are adding and growing, they will be just cleaning and cutting back on some parts like they have already. I was sad about Blue Star I'm sure I will grow to love it but, not into it yet. The recaps were a load, Blue Star had 2nd in a caption, percussion crazy and phantom low in so many random captions... I guess they have time to work it all out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFZFAN Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 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. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan Mom Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 I have seen many predictions that placed Phantom in 4th or 5th place and they ended in 2nd. I think too many people are selling this show short, they have a show capable to expand and change and just keep getting better and better. I am tired of reading..well they have an easy show that is why they were ready...ask any of those kids out there performing their hearts out if it is easy. I look forward to seeing them again and seeing how the show evolves! Here is to a great Drum Corps season! I watched their rehearsal on Sunday night. They had already changed and added new drill from what was recorded Saturday night in Akron. Very strong final run-through at the end of the night. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrownBariDad Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Reviews just about say it all. Kudos to the field judge(s) that picked up the shoe and snare stick dropped by the Bluecoats. I was sure someone was going slip on one or the other. I think I also saw a bass drum mallet on the field toward the end of the show. Must have been a sweaty night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrownBariDad Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 I don't know which side of Atlanta you are on, but we're driving in from the North. I've got tickets for Merchants Walk Stadium Cinema, 1301 Johnsons Ferry Rd in Marietta. Now, I'm not sure (I couldn't find where we went last year), but it seems this theater had some tech issues last year (couldn't receive DCI's feed) and they sent us to another theater nearby. (Of course, NOTHING is nearby in Atlanta.) A bit of a hassle but we got there in time to see the entire show. So....I'm planning on extra time this year just in case. I do know the 2nd theater had hotdogs and nachos as well as the usual movie fare. Have fun! BTW--this theater in Marietta was the one that couldn't show the DCI feed last year. This year it was all straightened out and the picture and sound were great. Even had the Founder of Spirit of Atlanta, Freddie Martin, in attendance. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumcorpsfan4567 Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 (edited) Hard to judge blue stars show from the theater. It is even better in person. There is so much happening in their drill-- Myron Rosander is a genius. It is not time to start slotting yet. ---tom I'm watching them on the VOD now. I think their show has a lot of room to grow! There are a lot of performance issues which is holding back what I think is actually a really good design. I do think the uniforms need to go though. The Blue Stars, doing a show called Blue World about water, in predominantly gray uniforms? Edited June 19, 2012 by drumcorpsfan4567 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general_tsos_chicken2 Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 (edited) my thoughts if you care, in order of performance: 1. blue starspretty disappointed, I'm a music first guy, and blue stars usually give a great product to listen to (including last year). I do not like what they did to the Dvorak one bit. I'm going to need to get another read of the visual to form an opinion, too dirty and too many holes to tell right now. 2. Phantom Regiment, dudes, it's june, not august... you should suck a little still. I don't think the amount of demand is an issue as some have stated, they had a MUCH easier show last year and it didn't seem to hold them back. They have some very demanding moments, and the visual is VERY effective. maybe Jamey Thompsons best since 2006. where they place will depend on how much the brass and percussion can step up, and how much they can layer into the show. They have A TON more on the table right now than they ever do this early season, I just hope that doesn't mean they have less to add, because if it does... bad news. I can see this finishing 2-5. My only complaint is that prince kalef (however the hell you spell his name) comes off extremely cheesy in most of the show. I usually feel this way when a member of the corps propor plays a character roll rather than a guard member. Un-cheese it, please. Oh... and we need a big impact point in that first minute.. 3. Crown: I usually don't judge brass performance over a recording, but even the mics and speakers picked up crowns quality of sound out of their hornline, which to me is very telling. Horns had some incredible moments , absolutely incredible. I LOVE the brass book. The show itself is... meh... Very difficult as you all know, but honestly, it looks like it's hard for the sake of being hard, and not incredibly effective (I thought phantom regiments drill was much more effective). I didn't really notice the guard at all. I think this can all change as it develops however, they have a ton of room to grow, and i could see this becoming one of my favorites of the year..... the hornline/music already has me. 4. Cavaliers.... heartbreaking, tough to watch. Really disliked the show. Will be a character building season for them. They had a rough start in 2010, but the design was always there... this year is not the same thing at all... :/ 5. Cadets... what can I say, it's a great show. Well performed, well designed, there really isn't anything to dislike. Do you hear what I hear is my favorite ballad of the year so far. The show may not reach legendary status, but it's very good. 6. Bluecoats, I won't lie, I am rarely a bluecoats fan. I was expecting a lot more from them based on the reviews... It just doesn't interest me. They are performing well, however. Drumline sounded terrific with some great writing, very pleasantly surprised with the brass! OH! their BEGINNING guard uniform is just gorgeous (on the females anyway), maybe my favorite. I wish they didn't change out of it. not one bit surprised by the scores, I had them in the same order. The percussion scores boggle my mind however, but that seems to have already resolved itself in louisville. Edited June 19, 2012 by general_tsos_chicken2 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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