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East Rutherford 8.5.2012


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Not long into Blue Devils' performance — okay, within the first minute — one realizes the DCI judging community has quite a dilemma on its hands.

Last night at Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Carolina Crown laid out its "For the Common Good" production in stunning fashion, making one forget there was a drum corps show going on, sucking in the audience with a huge brass sound, commanding brass technique and a lightning-fast visual design. Two corps later, the 14-time world champions smacked their program in its keister, turning off a lot of people while at the same time captivating those allowing their esoteric, dada-inspired show into their heart and/or mind.

The question becomes, where does one go from here? DCI certainly didn't help matters by allowing the corps to perform off the sheets last night due to inclement weather and subsequent late start. So the last contest of the season went into the books without officially going into the books, no last-minute number comparisons or stats.

In the end, to say one corps or the other will win this week in Indianapolis would be calling it too soon, too close. Even so, one must consider the Blue Devils the odds-on favorite, due to their skein over Crown this entire season. But one thing is certain after Sunday night's performances, Carolina Crown is not done yet. Neither is Phantom Regiment, which performed its show after being told to get off the field because of rain. Their color guard complied with the request, but the horn and drum lines and front ensemble stayed on the field and performed the remainder of the show without a guard.

Yes, there were other corps at the show (Boston Crusaders, Santa Clara Vanguard, Bluecoats, Cavaliers and Cadets), all of whom performed well to a soaking-wet, tired, but appreciative audience. But the battle at the top almost overshadows the rest of the lineup.

All of that said, Boston led things off with its Titans show, using lots of field and filling the stadium with sound and the color red.

Santa Clara, also in red, performed without aussies for the first time ever (?), to this reviewer's recollection, bringing a most-improved drum corps to the field for its "Starry Night" production. Appreciated was the crispness of the performance — no missed horn moves, turns, or visuals. A very well-disciplined group of kids for sure. Also appreciated was the use of "Music of the Night" from their championship production of Phantom of the Opera, which helped to round out a strong program from the Vanguard.

Bluecoats delivered on its theatrical presentation of "Unmasked." From the opening strains of "Masquerade," the blue crew had this audience member mesmerized. The show has lots of attitude in it and lots of performer-audience communication that is really cool. The taking off of the masks at the end is a great moment.

Now its no secret that The Cavaliers have struggled this year to find their niche. Well, struggle no more. I've been a Cavie nay-sayer all along, but I have to give them their due. They were very entertaining Sunday night. No electronics to support or muck up or help or hinder, and I have to say the show was very enjoyable. The colorguard has some show-offs, in a good way. They also have a trumpet section that can play and their volume level is up a few notches over the last six seasons. They've rediscovered how to play like a drum and bugle corps. I wanted to say to them, "where ya been all my life?" However, the poor guys went on after Carolina Crown, so it might have made it a slightly tougher sell.

Same could be said about The Cadets. They had to go on after the Blue Devils and they didn't do poorly. No, no, they were really good! They really are selling this Christmas theme. Several times throughout the run-through I wanted to jog to the car and go to the mall, maybe even eat a Cinnabon or something. It's a "cool" show that borders on preachy, but proves that anything done by a drum corps can be cool. Even "Jingle Bells."

It would be unfair to rate Phantom Regiment based on last night's performance. Again, their guard bailed about 1/4 of the way into the performance, leaving the brass and percussion to fend for themselves in the harsh Meadowlands elements. That they did, however. Lines, intervals, attacks, releases, volume levels were all spot on. "Turandot" is a neat production and it's too bad Crown and BD are so good. This show and this corps could be a top contender any other year.

Crown. Crown, Crown, Crown, Crown. If describing a meal using the word "delicious" really tells a reader nothing, then describing Crown as "amazing" or "awesome" or "really freaking good" or what have you is pointless. My reaction to their show was that I could not stop cracking up laughing the entire time. This wasn't because they were some reincarnation of the Velvet Knights or something like that. Quite the opposite. What other reaction can one have to a corps who decides to take every difficult brass-instrument exercise from method books such as Arban's and throws them into a field show? You want to explain that to me? It's madness. It's craziness. It's SUBLIME. When they spread THAT hornline all across the field in mixed groupings — MIXED!! — and then have them articulate or attack together the sound is unlike anything that has come before. Comparisons have been made to Star of Indiana, and I am here to quash those comparisons. Having watched Star every year of their existence save 1985, I never ever saw or heard them do what Carolina Crown is doing this year. There is no comparison. When they hit the crown set at the end of the show, it is extreme happiness juxtaposed with extreme sadness that the show is over. I could watch them for days on end and NEVER be bored.

But wait! There's BD. The Blue Devils are louder. There, I said it. And, their hornline has a meatier, tighter, more aggressive sound than Crown. The difference is they're are usually staged closer for the louder moments, making it no less impressive, but it is certainly a contrast. A lot of people don't like "Cabaret Voltaire." My 16-year old daughter said, "what the hell was that? They were loud, but...." And I have to admit I see where she's coming from. Sadly, this show is not for her. It's for us drum corps honks who have been at this for far too long and who fancy themselves as instructors/designers/judges/experts/superfans, etc., who no matter what cool things you've done in this activity the Blue Devils show still forces you to think, "how did they think of that?" In a word, the show is breathtaking. It is written by geniuses for enthusiasts of the Blue Devils and this great activity. That's their audience. Noobs will have to check out the other corps, I guess, to get hooked on drum corps, but how could you not appreciate what the Devils have achieved here? Without exposing the fact I need a translator and perhaps a PhD to really get it — I am studying now ahead of finals later this week — I have to say the Blue Devils' show this year seems a lot like they took the last five years to try out certain things, and now they are applying concepts in an intellectual way. Crazy, I know! Just give in and love it, will ya? Sheesh.

Edited by EdMedina
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Sweet review, loved your use of adjetives!

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Same could be said about The Cadets. They had to go on after the Blue Devils and they didn't do poorly. No, no, they were really good! They really are selling this Christmas theme. Several times throughout the run-through I wanted to jog to the car and go to the mall, maybe even eat a Cinnabon or something. It's a "cool" show that borders on preachy, but proves that anything done by a drum corps can be cool. Even "Jingle Bells."

:xmas::xmas::xmas::xmas::xmas::xmas:

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