Mello Dude Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Just got home from the show. I'll give some opinions... Blue Knights: Not sure if it was just me, but it felt like the corps barely played at all. It just wasn't my kind of show. Too many electronic interludes and such. Phantom: They sound killer this year. Great blend and balance and the show flows really well. Nessun Dorma was magical. Great performance. SCV: Loved this show as well. I'm kind of surprised that their score was as far away as Phantom's as it was. Their brass sounded just as strong, their visual looked a little bit muddier but the shows aren't 6 points apart IMO. Academy: I think this is the most ambitious show they've done. The score is low probably because they only have around 8-9 minutes on the field. Honestly I felt that their brass sounded as good or better than BK. Really cool music, interesting drill. This show will be a contender for the top 12 once they have the whole package together. Watched some of SCV and was definitely impressed but up to Regiment at this time...methinks not. Also, I personally was not impressed with difficult horn parts being in the pit as opposed to the field. Perhaps this is to still be written into the show but hey, if Cavies in the 80's could do it..well. Early in the season and you get points for what you do..not what you attempt to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craiga Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Ok where to start..... You single out BK for as you say not needing to be in a conversation with Corps they've beaten at various times in the past few seasons... Ok...but then to imply that BK is not consistent enough to be recognized as a finalist corps year in and out.... Dude they've been in finals from 91-94, 96-2000, 2004-present. Including a top 6 finish and numerous single digit placements. At my count that's 16 years out of 20... Would you like to retract your statement?? Also are you really implying that it should be the exception for students to remain loyal to their corps? I had a sudden of mine march Crossmen for 6-7 years, and he had the type of talent to go to any corps in the world. He chose to stay with the Xmen because though thick and thin he wanted to amme a difference and he did!! Finalist caliber corps are not lower class citizens because they aren't winning titles. In fact the whole notion of corps members getting experience to go march a elite corps is wrong. No corps should be treated like an after thought so they can get dumped on! I remind you, corps like Crown were not too long ago very much in the same boat as BK and others. Just saying! Wes P BK 97 98 This. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crownisking Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Ok where to start..... You single out BK for as you say not needing to be in a conversation with Corps they've beaten at various times in the past few seasons... Ok...but then to imply that BK is not consistent enough to be recognized as a finalist corps year in and out.... Dude they've been in finals from 91-94, 96-2000, 2004-present. Including a top 6 finish and numerous single digit placements. At my count that's 16 years out of 20... Would you like to retract your statement?? Also are you really implying that it should be the exception for students to remain loyal to their corps? I had a sudden of mine march Crossmen for 6-7 years, and he had the type of talent to go to any corps in the world. He chose to stay with the Xmen because though thick and thin he wanted to amme a difference and he did!! Finalist caliber corps are not lower class citizens because they aren't winning titles. In fact the whole notion of corps members getting experience to go march a elite corps is wrong. No corps should be treated like an after thought so they can get dumped on! I remind you, corps like Crown were not too long ago very much in the same boat as BK and others. Just saying! Wes P BK 97 98 I stand by my statement, but I realize how it may have appeared as though I was singling out BK and I want to again say that that was not the case. I still firmly believe that while very entertaining, The Blue Knights are not seen on the same level as (for the sake of this conversation) The Cavaliers or Vanguard. I'm sure I'll get bombed for saying it, but I know most people are thinking it. And again, SOME kids will remain loyal to their first corps, and SOME won't. I never said which one out-weighed the other. But it's the truth, and we both know it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookies Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 (edited) I truly don't intend to sound disrespectful, but the thought of SCV or The Cavies even being mentioned in the same sentence as BK or Spirit is kinda laughable to me. Why? Your posts make it seem like you (altogether) don't like the fact that change MIGHT be happening in the top 12. It sounds like you aren't up for the idea that the top 12 MAY be changing. I hope you eventually see the light, and see that some 'non top 5' groups are very well trained and deserve to be placed higher. I personally would LOVE to see new corps break in, kick others out, and have some fresh new groups take some top 10 spots :) It was bound to happen eventually. I hope it continues. Edited June 21, 2012 by Cookies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookies Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 (edited) error. Edited June 21, 2012 by Cookies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crownisking Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Why? Your posts make it seem like you (altogether) don't like the fact that change MIGHT be happening in the top 12. It was bound to happen eventually. I hope it continues. It's not that I wouldn't like it, I just would't expect it to stick the next year, especially if it (hypothetically) meant a corps like The Cavaliers or SCV falling out of the top 12. Those are groups that at least entertain me every year and I can't say the same for some of the corps outside the top 12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookies Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 It's not that I wouldn't like it, I just would't expect it to stick the next year, especially if it (hypothetically) meant a corps like The Cavaliers or SCV falling out of the top 12. Those are groups that at least entertain me every year and I can't say the same for some of the corps outside the top 12. I value that opinion, but I personally have always been an underdog fan. I hope corps get shuffled around and are no longer placed where they are based on the organization's name! (Ok, maybe that's a little silly ;] ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesleyrp Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 It's not that I wouldn't like it, I just would't expect it to stick the next year, especially if it (hypothetically) meant a corps like The Cavaliers or SCV falling out of the top 12. Those are groups that at least entertain me every year and I can't say the same for some of the corps outside the top 12. More power to u man... Best o luck... All great things eventually have a down turn. Madison was as consistent as they come even winning World Titles, they seemed an inmmovable main stay, but the 00's were very rough for them.. Who'd have bet that the Madison Scouts wouldve gone through numerous missed finals? Not saying Cavies or SCV are headed that way, (two of my all time fav corps by the way) just that groups like Bluecoats, Crown, Gmen, BK and Boston all have broken into the top 6 or higher and it proves theres great corps that have just as much chance to make the upper tier.... I have an idea, let's not have finals instead let's just let the "upper tier" exist in drum corps!! That's it, the key to upper tier corps is everyone else fold cause they never have a chance to succeed.... Wes P 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaddabout Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 (edited) Been dwelling on the show ever since I got home last night. It was not that hot for a Phoenix night. About 100 degrees when BK took the field and probably about 5 percent humidity. No breeze, but it was mild and tolerable. Very uneven night very everyone but Phantom, which looked like they were about a month away from perfection. My thoughts: BK: Well executed show for June, but it's Firebird Suite, so ... it's hard to live up to expectations that others have done so well already. I just couldn't get inspired. Did like the standing tune at the end I Love You Baby. Some fun. I don't know if it was the heat or what, but they just didn't bring it for this show. Perhaps this will improve going forward. The batterie excelled here. What you would expect, also, from a Hardimon regiment. SCV: I've never seen so many spacing issues from this corps. Just. So. Dirty. Not a real fair assessment in June, but they looked far behind the other corps. On the flip side, the show is there. Perhaps it's just a different process from, say, Academy, which is attempting to master the front end of the show before putting the whole thing together. The horns won the day here, though. If I had any hair left, it would have blown off by about the 7 minute mark. Good grief, they can scream. The perc book was very traditional SCV, very orchestral, but a lot of the tech passages are tucked away. I wonder if they need to beef it up a bit and be more out front with it. Phantom: Just outstanding. Was not expecting any corps to execute so well last night. The design is there for another typical Phantom run, and the arrangement of Puccini is delicious. If they lacked anything, it was that raw intensity from the horns, but the tone was beautiful. Academy: I had no idea what to expect with all the staff turnover and new faces of people I am unfamiliar with. I certainly did not expect the intensity and aggression of both the show design and the performance. That left an indelible mark on the hometown audience. Just take the batterie score, which had so many notes it must look like a black page. That was very ... un-Academy. And they actually executed it for the most part. The whole corps just looks more savvy and veteran than they have in the past. They do appear to have some fresh faces on the color guard they're hiding in the back, but the featured rifle work looked very challenging to my untrained eye. That part was very clean and well executed. The general sound was so much bigger than in the past. They looked and sounded like a serious World Class drum corps out there, and no longer just a mere dark horse or underdog. I'm not familiar enough with Rite of Spring to know which song they ended with on the field, but it has the potential to be a show killer. It was a very strange and abstract modern arrangement that seemed to suck the charity they had earned from the crowd. But then the finale played standing returned a lot of the promise of the show. So wish I had seen them march it. BTW, the all-black British unis (or whatever they are) are really sharp. They should keep them going forward. They look and sound like a very angry Phantom. Edited June 21, 2012 by Gaddabout 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaddabout Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 (edited) [deleted[ Edited June 21, 2012 by Gaddabout Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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