androidx2 Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Excellent Review!! Thanks for taking the time. I was at the show as well and felt your opinion was spot on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Krackin' Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 i cry bogus.Bucs more often than not have their #### together at Wildwood, and many of their folks deal with an indoor season that runs til the first weekend of May. Easy there, Jeff. You're giving away our "secret" again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Easy there, Jeff. You're giving away our "secret" again. oh no I didn't. I didn't tell them about the beatings administered the week after TIA in Wildwood....oops. and I believe Cabs have a few members in this boat too. it comes down to like we've talked about a zillion times in other threads.... planning and rehearsing smart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Easy there, Jeff. You're giving away our "secret" again. If by "secret" you mean, "stuff everyone knows but isn't willing to implement", then yes. Secret revealed! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCA1Fan Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Want to chat about a few great things i saw at the show, but wanted to get the bee out of my bonnet first. All corps, even exhibition corps, need to adhere to their performance schedule. I felt bad for Cadets2 on Saturday, waiting for their time on the field. Yes, the shows are for entertainment and the audience, but not getting off the field when you are supposed to is not only disrespectful to the next group, it can mess with their performance mindset. This is, for those corps, a competition. Most directors I know have that stuff carefully timed to maximize their group's performance. Ok, enough bad... Three things from Saturday well worth the price of admission and groups I want to catch in the "lot": 1) Bucs percussion. Wow, just...wow. not only are they throwing down some complicated stuff, they are doing it with practiced ease and that certain look in their eye. This line, in my opinion, could compete with any of the junior lines out there on playing ability. I think they actually dared the judge to say something negative! If you've seen Bucs show once, next time, just follow the battery or watch the pit. They are possessed! 2) Hurcs guard. I swear most of the show they had one member out there and 20+ mirrors. That performance could have been at finals without shame. When you consider so many groups aren't even done their basic guard book, it is even more amazing. You dont see transitions...you dont see dead space...you dont see extraneous motion. The fluidity and grace of the group as a whole was breathtaking. Pagentry in motion is an understatement! 3) Fusion's brass. I had to count the line 3 times, then watch as the backdrop was taken away to see if more brass members were hiding back there. These cats can play, and not just loud but musical. Bucs may have them beat on the technical brass book and sheer volume, but Fusion is a leg up in both musicality and sheer entertainment. Their third place was well deserved...and may have even been a bit low. While the judges handling the communication caption need to open their eyes, it was good seeing the brass judge give a small hornline the placement the crowd knew it had earned. Lots of good shows given by everyone and it is clear to see the hard work being put in. Hope to see an even better show from everyone in a few weeks! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fecontra Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Want to chat about a few great things i saw at the show, but wanted to get the bee out of my bonnet first. All corps, even exhibition corps, need to adhere to their performance schedule. I felt bad for Cadets2 on Saturday, waiting for their time on the field. Yes, the shows are for entertainment and the audience, but not getting off the field when you are supposed to is not only disrespectful to the next group, it can mess with their performance mindset. This is, for those corps, a competition. Most directors I know have that stuff carefully timed to maximize their group's performance. I don't know what happened up front , but I can tell you one exhibition corps was at our spot ahead of time , and had to stand around for quite a while. Also we were undertime on our exhibition , ( we were at minute 14 - we are alloted 17 ). We actually jumped the gun on starting while awaiting the end of the narrative. Second time in two weeks we have stood around in the pen and the hot sun waiting for our que to enter the field. frankiE 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Priester Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 I don't know what happened up front , but I can tell you one exhibition corps was at our spot ahead of time , and had to stand around for quite a while. Also we were undertime on our exhibition , ( we were at minute 14 - we are alloted 17 ). We actually jumped the gun on starting while awaiting the end of the narrative. Second time in two weeks we have stood around in the pen and the hot sun waiting for our que to enter the field. frankiE And Al Katz and Allan Buel asked me how long our show ran and I told them 17 minutes and they both said that was OK. If they (DCA) have time restrictions, then that should be explained (and enforced) to ALL exhibition groups, not just the full corps who are appearing. This is getting a little lame. Ray 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classicslv Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 (edited) A huge part of it is that most members and staff are also involved with WGI - so first rehearsals for guard typically happen in May. Learning the whole show (drill and work) in basically 6 weeks (weekend only rehearsals) is a little much to ask. But at this point - all the big impacts of the show should be learnt. Major kudos to Hurricanes for not only having all the work done - but it's already pretty clean and they're performing the heck out of it!!! Later, Mike sorry IMO this is nothing more than a common excuse...Ive been in this business a long time with WGI guards and DCA and DCI corps and at very least 3/4 of a show can be done and should be...impacts should be there or at very least reflected in that guard score...WHICH in some cases was not last night..and should have been..if your not finished fine...THANKS FOR COMING...i will admit I only got to see some videos sent to me but it was easy to see in most cases As a guard person, I have to agree with GUARDLING on this one. Using WGI or indoor is not a valid excuse. Many if not all of these corps have winter camps. Apparently, they are not being utilized efficiently. Put aside WGI, I know that many of the guard members in BUCS and some other top corps are also involved in TIA so their season goes on for almost another month. Using the BUCS guard as an example here… only because I am aware of some process. The members and sections are not even decided until the week after Wildwood indoor which is already into MAY. Neither is the drill because of the commitments the members are completing for their indoor programs. Not to take anything away from the other top groups in the same boat. Yet, BUCS for example come to their first show usually 80% prepared with usually uniforms and their flags. They have the same Fri-Sat-Sun rehearsal schedule as everyone else. Those that choose to be prepared do what is needed during the winter to hit the ground running when indoor is over, not start planning the day after. Thats why BUCS, CABS, HURCS and others for example are more prepared. FIRST IMPRESSIONS are essential in the competition arena. Those that choose to ignore that are simply miss-managed from the top down. I'll give a little slack to CADETS2 for not being "finished" (and very little at that), only because they were building an entirely new program from the ground up. They did not have the "vets" setting the example on rehearsal etiquette or familiarity of the style, but that then should fall on the staffs responsibility to teach, train and embed in order to function with utmost efficiency. Why drill was not completed by July 14 by some groups even without guard work is IMO unacceptable. If CADETS2 are indeed a training corps for the next generation of DCI CADETS, then take it from a CADET alumni, they are in for a shock if/when they do move up. I believe CADETS2 administration made the wrong decision to bring them on a mini-tour with big brother for the first few weeks instead of staying home and getting established and prepared for their first shows out. Thats my opinion but seeing now what we do, Im sure many may agree with me. I understand giving CADETS2 a taste of the bug league may have been an experience, however again FIRST IMPRESSIONS go a long way. If this corps looks like it does today, what impression were they making a month ago to the DCI crowd? That reflects on the organization as well as DCA. Its no wonder some DCI members look down their nose at senior corps as a less than acceptable alternative when they age-out. Should they have stayed at home and rehearsed could possibly have pushed everything a whole lot further for their first competition. All choices lead to another, but they all have to start with one somewhere. I hope this will not be one of those, If they only had another 2 weeks situation for Cadets2 to have been just that much better come September in their first season out. On the other hand, they still manage to step over some groups that have already been established for several years if not decades. Does that say more for the CADETS2 or more for those they passed? Glass half full or half empty, you decide. Even if youre struggling in areas I totally agree at least get your impacts together! Hornlines, drumlines, colorguard no exceptions. Again, back to FIRST IMPRESSIONS. Give me something to look forward to in the rest of your program or face the consequences when the reviews come out. In the end it can be summed up in one line YOU ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS YOUR STAFF. Look at your better programs and then look at their staff. Look at the sections that are lacking and then look at the staff and you will find your answers. There were a lot of skeptics on these boards when news came out about the BUCS staff turnover, but apparently the understudies that were left behind must have been paying attention all those years, because if you ask me the 2013 program appears to be holding more than a candle to some of the previous seasons. At least indoor guards that are incomplete when their season begins might be able to blame SNOW for cancelled rehearsals, but drum corps dont have that excuse. OK, Ill give you rain, but its water people, get out there and deal with it. To my knowledge drum corps rarely cancel rehearsal because of rain. Ive put more than my share of rehearsals in the rain, in an available gym or under a bridge to learn guard work. For all the dinosaurs that linger on these boards talking about back in the day and being finished… news flash.... this is not your fathers drum corps. Color guards for one are well past the slams, presents and butterflies…. (well most of them are at least ), but I would rather see filler work and that good old back up the dreaded ripple until you get to it and re-write it. At least it is better than right shoulder for an entire number. You do what is needed and make the impression you want But at this point - all the big impacts of the show should be learnt. Major kudos to Hurricanes for not only having all the work done - but it's already pretty clean and they're performing the heck out of it!!! As a side comment, I was in Bridgeport, and Mike I will totally give KUDOS to Hurcs guard. They impressed me and yes came out very clean, as they usually do. I thought the show was fun and enjoyable. I liked their uniforms and yes they do perform the heck out of the show. I was not in Clifton, but looking over the recaps according to what I took note of was the Achievement above Composition. Being a fellow guardguy you and I both know what that says. So yes, it better be clean. I hope the Hurcs staff also took note of it. Tom Edited July 17, 2012 by classicslv 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 And Al Katz and Allan Buel asked me how long our show ran and I told them 17 minutes and they both said that was OK. If they (DCA) have time restrictions, then that should be explained (and enforced) to ALL exhibition groups, not just the full corps who are appearing. This is getting a little lame. Ray I remember a dozen years ago there being quite a lag due to some corps ahead of the competing corps that slowed the show up quite a bit up there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 I remember a dozen years ago there being quite a lag due to some corps ahead of the competing corps that slowed the show up quite a bit up there I know Reading stood at the back gate in Bridgeport last year for a looooong time while an alumni corps (might have been two) performed mid-show. That kind of stuff is really not acceptable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.