Show Review

[ChrisVT2003]

First off, I would like to state that the stadium, weather conditions and the crowd were PERFECT for a dci show and that I had a blast last night! Great venue, great corps and awesome fans all around. Secondly, I have marched with Phantom Regiment before so I will attempt the most unbiased review possible but naturally have PR leanings. I was in attendance with a friend that I brought and his opinions will also be voiced in this review. Keep in mind, he has no prior experience with dci. Our seats were right on the 50 yard line about 18 rows up from the bottom row (so the sound hit me in the face, just as I like it to, but the visuals were harder to catch). So with that said, on with the review in the order in which the corps performed.

The Blue Stars: Jaws attacks their visual

They are attempting a show that I feel is difficult, but not too difficult to clean by the end of the year, in relationship to the calibur of performers they have in their corps. They were pretty dirty, however, and I counted 3 actual falls by the players while attempting what seemed like rather low velocity drill moves. The falls seemed to happen at some of their impact points so the crowd response to those impacts were more reserved due to the rather glaring mistakes. Much of the melodic lines were muddied by intonation problems and horn angle concerns as well. Overall, the show didn't translate like it needed to because of all the dirt. I want to say though that I am a HUGE fan of their choice in New World Symphony as their "go to" piece in their interpretation of the music for "Blue World" (which is, of course, a play on the ocean and what lives in the sea). The piece that sounds a little bit like "Jaws's theme song" in new world was well done, and definitly will be a GE scorer once it is cleaned up! Overall this corps is looking at a position in Finals after semi's--but more than likely an 11th or 12th place finish. My friend, who knew nothing about drum corps at the time, said, "wow- they get pretty loud but why were those people falling? Aren't they supposd to be the NFL of marching bands?" I just replied, "It gets waaaaayyyyy lounder, trust me".

Estimated placement after scores are released--6th

Brass-- 6th

Percussion-- 6th

Visual-- 6th (this will be their weakest category all year, the design just doesn't "thrill")

Phantom Regiment: The identity crisis in two parts

As I mentioned before, I may be slightly biased. With that said, I am a little disappointed. Ugh. I don't know if its because I expect more from these guys (and therefore being too hard on them) or if I can attribute some of the problems to it being early in the season (or maybe a combo of both). So with that said, here's my take.

The first half of the show is fast and furious with a lot of moving around (running being the operative word) and loud and fast and furious hits--all awesome except that it doesn't seem to resolve. There are very dissonnant, oriental type build ups where the corps is running around like crazy, all leading to what you feel will be a resolution in a big glorious chord and then....either silence or another dissonant chord. You want a place that you can jump up to and scream for and then when you think it "has to happen now!" it doesn't. The technical difficulty of the first half of the show CANNOT be overstated. It was difficult, and surprisingly clean for this early! Now that you know what I didn't like about the show, let me tell you about the parts I love. The last half. Wow. I have read a review that stated they felt PR was "quieter" than in years past. I am not sure where he was sitting, but I was right on the 50 and that Regiment low brass sound and stadium filling brass sound they are known for has NOT suffered one bit with the new arrainger this year. Nessun Dorma is absolutely gorgous!! I got chills two times this entire show and one of those times was right on the last looooooonnnnnnnng power chord at the end of Nessun Dorma. My friend looked over at me after they finished- right in your face at the end- and said "holy motha f*****!! That was amazing!" The people in front of us actually turned around to give us the evil eye after that slip of the bad word. LOUD! That's all I have to say, and a glorious building of the chords at the end from dissonant to discordant to scary to beautiful major chords and a trimphant last minute running around in the drill. I can't wait until they add a kick halt there.

So, with the first half being suspect and the second half being VERY reminicsnint of a 2006 regiment show mixed in with a little of their Juliet show in '11, I was overall happy but slightly dissapponted. I think they will have to redo some of the first half for more impact points. Not to say they aren't trying to win this year, they are. Its just not 'classic' regiment in the first half. It's more like Blue Devils and Old school Star of Indianna in the first half. Kinda feels like an identity crisis between the two halfs of the show.

Now, the color gaurd and percussion. First- I am no expert in either of these categories. I am just an old 'buick' player. But wow. The color gaurd stole the show- I think they were 2nd or 3rd of the night in that caption and they earned it! Percussion has an awesome feature in the first half of the show, and that was followed by an even cooler gaurd feature where, yes, more people are killed. This time with a very gory beheading! The crowd loved it! Another thing I must say is that the crowd gave standing ovations at the end of every show, typically at the end when the drum major was turning around to give his salute. For PR, and two other corps which Ill keep secret for now, the crowd was on their feet well before the end of the first chord and screaming. Yes, babies were thrown that day my friends, and I was there. PR brought the house down at the end of the show. People behind me were screaming and one older gentleman who had worked with the cadets in years past even stated that he liked PR the best of the night. They were the second most clean corps that night for sure, I just wasn't sold on the first half. Also, their visual performance is stunning but a little dirty yet. They are moving folks, finally! Visual was getting them down in the past and it looks like they want a new start in that department. All in all, I need to watch this show a lot more to catch it all. I liked, although they clearly wern't the winners of the night.

Estimated place after scores are released: 3rd or 4th (thats an honest take too)

Brass- 3rd

Percussion- 3rd

Visual - 4th

Carolina Crown - The second coming of the Star of Indianna and The Cadets from the 80's!

Ok, holy s**t they were loud and unbelievably talented!!!!!! My favorite show of the night by FAR. Imagine for me, if you would, the best corps that the cadets fielded in the 80's (thats a personal choice) and star of Indianna in '91. The music they play seems to have been written for one of these two corps. The runs are fast and furious, the chords are loud and perfectly in tune (sometimes short and sweet) and the pass throughs and running around they do on the field looks SO MUCH like the 80's cadets and Star's early 90's corps. AMAZING! Now with that said, they were dirty both in their feet and with the music. But, thats because it is an incredibly hard show and definitly the hardest show attempted on field by ANY of the other corps I saw on the field. If they clean this show, and tweak some of the other things that were weird with the show (like the split timpannis in the opposite end zones--why??? Horrible phasing issues) if they correct this and the dirt, they should be a MAJOR contender for the title this August. Plain and simple, this is there year to win.

Some gripes however. Awful percussion feature and percussion in general. They were just a hair better than Blue Stars folks. This needs to improve as a corps can't soley rely on the brass to carry them musically. Although, their brass might be able to do just that lol. The tippani split across the field is a nightmare for phasing issues and didn't add anything either visual or general effect to the show. People just scatched their head I think. The color gaurd was good as well, although coming after Phantom they seemed to lack a lot of visual punch. Otherwise this show was really awesome, and they are my pick, depending on the blue devils show which I haven't seen yet, to win this year. This was also my friends favorite show. He said the only thing he didn't like about them was their uniforms. His exact words were, "Phantom had such a presence that these guys kinda looked funny after them".

Placement when scores come out: 2nd

Brass- 2nd

Percussion- 5th

Visual- 2nd

The Cavaliers - 15 minutes (of fame) and I already forgot about them

So, then came the cavaliers and I told my friend to really watch these guys cause they usually win and are always running around. I have to say, they are not nearly in cavalier form as I expected. They have a show that seems like a good idea, and funny, on the outside, but on the inside is as hollow and empty as someone who searches for fame their whole life. To be honest, I don't remember much of this show. Except for the last minute where they jam out right on the front line, front and center on the 50, the rest was rather forgetful. Their percussion was sick, however! Great features and overall a fast paced visual show, but absolutely NO stand out moments. I think since they lost a lot of their staffers after the '08 season they just haven't been the same. The volume was much softer than PR, Cadets, Crown and the Coats. It was kind of strange to be honest. Here they are jamming in your face at the end and its like your waiting for them to get loud! The color gaurd provides pretty amazing work but they had to be the worst dressed color gaurd out there. They looked like an 80's boy band (like the new kids on the block). It was, just as I describe most of the show, weird. My friend said he didn't like them since they wern't loud. I also had to explain why they marched differently (as oppossed to straight leg style which he liked better). Overall, they are looking at a slip below 5th for the first time in many years.

Score after they come out: 5th

Brass- 5th

Percussion- 4th

Visual- 5th

The Cadets: I thought Christmas only came once a year? Nope, it comes whenever the hell the cadets want it to. (And I know what I want for christmas, a cadets DVD).

Holy Name, they can march and play! BY FAR THE CLEANEST CORPS OF THE NIGHT. I type in all caps because holy god they play LOUD!!! Do you remember the volume they reached in 2007? (when they wern't talking that is). Yeah, they play that loud again if not louder. My ears were ringing folks! And they have screamers! Really good ones!! They came out like it was July! How is that possible? For real? Somebody should check these kids for performance enhancing drugs. I usually am not a huge fan of the cadets, I generally think if Disney could design a show, they would hire the cadets to be their corps. I usually don't like their child like take on drum corps but this year it doesn't matter. You have to respect what they bring--fast, heart pounding, trumpet screaming, unbelievably loud sound, visuals that make your heart skip a beat, long company front giving it to you drum corps which is what they do this year. You can tell they have the most talent this year and it makes sense now that they are coming off a big win last year. Their uniforms look amazing too...all white but in the same traditional cadet style sash and button up. The color gaurd was the best of the night (slightly edging out PR's and Crowns)and their percussion was by far the best. If I had one gripe it would be during the balad as they play the last note. The horns are faced towards an endzone where the color gaurd are playing "in the snow" and sliding down these huge triangle slides (simulating a person sledding down a hill). This was kind of "impact killing" as the notes were amazingly pretty and the release was like heaven. Do it towards the stands. People will see the color gaurd and figure out what they're supposed to be doing without you facing that way. Overall, the obvious winner of the night, and a top 3 finisher for the year as well. Amazing, great music, fast drill and once again...the loudest corps I have heard in years. Wow. There were two standing ovations for the cadets, one after the screamer and in your face loudness at the end of their 3rd movement and another one before the end of their last note. These were the first standing ovations since PR performed.

Side note- this corps was sooo loud that I am worried they have their sound picked up in microphones by their pit which is projecting their sound even more. They have two mics (no other corps did this) that sit right on the outside of the pit and are at horn level right on the field. They have two large speakers right in front of the mics. Do you guys think those mics are always on? If they are, then they are definitly picking up the brass sound and that could be why they are so loud. The stands were actually shaking from the sound. Just curious. The screamer(s) used these mics too during the jazz feature section. My friend said he felt like he was at a rock concert but dci was louder after he heard these guys. (BTW, at this point he is completely sold on drum corps awesomeness!)

Scores when they come out-- 1st (by probably a whole point)

Brass- 1st

Visual- 1st

Percussion- 1st

The Blue Coats-- The coolest masquerade I have ever been to.

This was the home crowd favorite and the home crowd was not disappointed. If you guys liked the Blue Coats in 2010, then you'll like this corps even more. Wow. I thought to myself multiple times during the show that the writers for the pit and how they incorporate electronics with the percussion is by far and away the BEST use of electronics I have ever heard in dci. Its tasteful, it adds to the suspense and the percussion play off it so well (much like they did in 2010). This show doesn't stop giving, its fast paced and in your face the whole time. On top of that, the visuals are rather intricate and I can honestly say that there were a lot of "oooo's" and "ahhhhs" from the crowd that were completely unique. There is one part where the percussion runs right up to the front of the field and really get your foot tapping and the visuals are sweet with the color gaurd incorporated in with the feature. My friend said they all had "a very "bad ###" look to them like they knew they were the #### and showed it". Once again, this show gets the coats back on track with the momentum they had in 2010 and I think they have a better show here. The first half was absolutely amazing, you can tell they have more in store for the second half. The entire crowd was on their feet before the last note and rightfully so. Although I think this show was amazing, their was a distinct difference in quality both visually and musically from the Coats to the Cadets. It must have sucked to take the field after the cadets honestly. They were just so clean-july clean- that it made the dirt in the coats stand out some. This is still a top 5 show come august though!

Placement before scores are released-- 3rd or 4th (competing with Regiment)

Brass- 4th

Visual- 3rd

Percussion- 2nd

Placements overall for the night:

1. Cadets (Could win again, although the cuteness factor needs to be toned down)

2. Crown (these guys can win in august, and I would bet money that they do!)

3. Phantom/Coats (These guys will be fighting eachother all year I bet for 3rd, 4th and/or 5th place in August).

4. Coats/Phantom

5. Cavaliers (No chance without major changes at placing in top 5 come august)

6. Blue Stars (should be able to make finals again this year, barely)

I hope this information has been helpful and I apologize in advance for all the improper grammer and spelling issues. I had to write this review relatively quickly. Comment away!

CW

Edited June 17, 2012 by ChrisVT2003

[nero14]

Cool review.

Agree with your placements other than the cadets over crown part.

[ChrisVT2003]

Cool review.

Agree with your placements other than the cadets over crown part.

I hear ya, I just felt that the Cadets were much cleaner than Crown. Crown, once they are cleaned up, will definitely surpass the cadets. Give it time ;-)

[charlie1223]

Great Review!!!

[jwillis35]

Great review!! Love the long and detailed explanations on how the music and drill affected you. Very nice!

[Farmboy]

Thanks for the detailed review. Much appreciated. I would have plussed it twice if that were allowed.

[BRASSO]

Good review!