"wow, they're back"

[kdaddy]

A few performances stick out to me where something changes about a corps where I feel "this corps is different than last year." Not just placement, but also design, performance, or just an air of "new beginnings." Some examples:

Madison 2010. 15th in 2009 to 10th in 2010. But more than placement, a very different and competent design direction from the folly in 2009.

Crown 2003. 16th in 2002 to 8th in 2003 is obviously a huge jump, but it seemed like an entirely different corps. Didn't look the same, didn't sound the same. Brass was still weak (and not prominently featured given the strong percussion section), but what a shift. Hindsight shows how genius the staff changes were, but even in 2003, you could feel something different.

Bluecoats 2001. 12th to 8th. For me as a fan, 2001 marked the first year that I really liked a Bluecoats show (aside from 93). Design seemed very different than year - did they change design staff after 2000. Doug Thrower was definitely there in 2000.

Phantom Regiment 2005. 5th in 2004 to 3rd in 2005. Not a significant jump in placement, especially given that PR was 4th in 2003. But finally, drill that made sense and guard design to match the brass and surging percussion designs.

Some others?

[DrumManTx]

Troopers this year.

[DrumcorpsmademeaTuba]

Blue Stars of '08, and hopefully this year too! />

Heh, but I can really only imagine how it was just when things jumped back to Division I, and then to 14th in the first two years, much less that sizable vault into 8th with Le Tour.

That they were an original DCI member doesn't hurt it either, if you ask me.

Edited July 15, 2013 by DrumcorpsmademeaTuba

[Jacob]

Phantom Regiment 1992-1993 (8th place - 3rd place) New uniforms, guard more modern, less "FLAIR and FABRIC" - more design and power.

Blue Devils 1993-1994 (4th place - 1st place) New uniforms, guard more modern, less "FLAIR and FAUX-BRUSHES" - more design and power

Cavaliers 1997-1998 (7th place - 4th place) from that Firebird show which always leaves me underwhelmed, to a show that really foretold where they would be going in the next decade creatively (visually and musically).

The first two I didn't mean to say nearly the same thing for them, BUT it happens to work as a description. In those 2 years, those corps went from looking like an 80's or very early 90's corps, to one that belonged in the "mid-late 90's modern drum corps era."

There are many others as well - but those are the ones I can think of really quickly.

[BRASSO]

A few performances stick out to me where something changes about a corps where I feel "this corps is different than last year." Not just placement, but also design, performance, or just an air of "new beginnings." Some examples:

Madison 2010. 15th in 2009 to 10th in 2010. But more than placement, a very different and competent design direction from the folly in 2009.

Crown 2003. 16th in 2002 to 8th in 2003 is obviously a huge jump, but it seemed like an entirely different corps. Didn't look the same, didn't sound the same. Brass was still weak (and not prominently featured given the strong percussion section), but what a shift. Hindsight shows how genius the staff changes were, but even in 2003, you could feel something different.

Bluecoats 2001. 12th to 8th. For me as a fan, 2001 marked the first year that I really liked a Bluecoats show (aside from 93). Design seemed very different than year - did they change design staff after 2000. Doug Thrower was definitely there in 2000.

Phantom Regiment 2005. 5th in 2004 to 3rd in 2005. Not a significant jump in placement, especially given that PR was 4th in 2003. But finally, drill that made sense and guard design to match the brass and surging percussion designs.

Some others?

Boston Crusaders 15th 1998

9th 1999

5th 2000

I can see them making some staff changes... and for the better... after this season. Organizationally, from all reports that I hear they are in better shape than they have ever been.

[AlexL]

Madison 05.

After dropping out of finals in 02, they climbed back in in 03, had kind of a 'meh' show in 04 (malaga was fun but the rest... meh) that still garnered 8th, but 05 was terrific. Best show theyve had since the 90s IMO. Loved watching them that whole summer. Wasnt a huge climb placement-wise going from 8 to 6, but it was definitely a huge climb in show quality.

Unfortunately then they followed that up with the disaster that was 06, and then compounded things in 07.

[mckdan]

Troopers, back in the day! 1978 20th place (and really did not deserve it!) To 1979 12th place!

Edited July 15, 2013 by mckdan

[kdaddy]

Phantom Regiment 1992-1993 (8th place - 3rd place) New uniforms, guard more modern, less "FLAIR and FABRIC" - more design and power.

Blue Devils 1993-1994 (4th place - 1st place) New uniforms, guard more modern, less "FLAIR and FAUX-BRUSHES" - more design and power

The first two I didn't mean to say nearly the same thing for them, BUT it happens to work as a description. In those 2 years, those corps went from looking like an 80's or very early 90's corps, to one that belonged in the "mid-late 90's modern drum corps era."

That's a great point about transitioning from the 80s to 90s with those particular corps seasons. PR programmatically had a very different approach in 1993. And BD leapt to a whole new level (also benefitted from Scott Johnson and Todd Ryan that year).

[DAvery]

27th Lancers 1974 to 1975. 20th to 4th.

[xbones7480]

It's not August yet. We'll see.