InspaDave Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 The change from 93 to 94 for BD was among the most stark changes in design I've seen That dramatic turn-around in BD drums in '94 is why I consider them the best line of the 90s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seen-it-all Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 This may not really count, but I remember the first time I saw Star of Indiana in 1990. They had always been a finalist before, and had some very fine moments in those first few years (6th place in 1989 with a 95 something is nothing to sneeze at), but that 1990 Belshazzar's Feast show was like them kicking down the door to say, "WE ARE FOR REAL." My jaw was on the floor when I saw that show for the first time. What an incredible portent of things to come! Boston 2000, again, another corps where you just knew this was not some middle of the pack or lower top 12 corps. Everything came together in such a wonderful way at the same time for them that year. 1986 Cavaliers was another. Always a solid finalist, but that show was really a statement of things to come. They became one of those corps you had to include in the conversation as contenders. Going back to 1990 again, the Crossmen. Up to 7th from 12th the year before. The new uniforms (still the best they've ever had IMO). And Baroque Samba, which I consider to be one of the truly great jazz openers in DCI history. 1987 Phantom. The all-white debut really christened a new era for them. A tremendous season. Santa Clara 1997, a return to the top groupings of corps for the first time in a long time. I love that show. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colby Padgett Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Can't believe that nobody has said this yet... STAR OF INDIANA. Non-existent in 1984, 10th in 85, 3rd in 92, and 1st in 93. Won a championship only 8 years after being founded. Not exactly a comeback but the progress is the same as a comeback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seen-it-all Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Can't believe that nobody has said this yet... STAR OF INDIANA. Non-existent in 1984, 10th in 85, 3rd in 92, and 1st in 93. Won a championship only 8 years after being founded. Not exactly a comeback but the progress is the same as a comeback. (1991 was their first title. They were 2nd in 1993.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sideways Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Blue Devils 1993-1994 (4th place - 1st place) New uniforms, guard more modern, less "FLAIR and FAUX-BRUSHES" - more design and power Honestly I don't think there was too much modernization going on for BD between 93-94 other than the uniform change. The '93 show was/is very modern...it was just #### near unclean-able. One of their best brass lines ever, incredible soloists throughout the entire show, my favorite Downey book, percussion was still recovering somewhat, and that guard had a tough book to sell. The heavy rain on finals night during their run certainly did not help. Between the tempos, odd meters (thank you Don Ellis), and the pacing throughout the show, I'm surprised they got that monster as clean as they did!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesleyrp Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 I'd say BK 2002... Though they didn't make finals (was in but Magic came from div 2 to knock em out) they came back with a vengeance from 01 debacle.... If say the same thing bout 2004.... They came with Finsls or bust attitude and got to make that triumphant return in front of the home crowd at Mile High for Finals... Cool moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinwiz Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Shouldn't a corps have already been there for them to come back? Corps X getting their highest placement ever isn't a comeback, it's a welcome party. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sideways Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Magic of Orlando 2002. Inactive in 2000. Small ensemble unit (Micro Magic) 2001. Then back to full size in 2002 and classified as Div. II due to a DCI rule quirk of the time. Won that and then placed 11th in Div. I finals as well. They were really almost all-new staff, designers and organization under the old name, and without the tuxedos, Robert Smith sound or beloved weirdness of the former corps, but definitely a strong competitor again. Bought and paid for the Syracuse Brigadiers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acolli17 Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 08 to 09 too Crossmen 11-12 Spirit 10-11 I would really say the Troopers every year from 06 to 09. 06 - Inactive, 07 - 20th, 08 - 16th, 09 - 12th. It was a really nice succession through the years for them. I remember in 10, speculating amongst friends informally about potential 8th and giving bluecoats and others a run that year. oops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacob Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Sorry to dredge up a 2 day old topic - put it down to me not being able to really check posts during the week because of graduate classes. I agree with you about all you've said - the 1993 show is a ridiculously difficult and amazingly well written show. When I listen to it, it flows seamlessly from one chart to the next (something as you've said with all those mixed meters is very difficult to do). The soloists were amazing, visual was good as well, and the ensemble was SOOOOOOO tight. (My favorite part in the show are the tutti syncopated brass hits back behind the soloists "riffing" down front in Strawberry Soup - it sounds like a super-tight high quality studio jazz band playing back up to some great soloist). The reason I mentioned it being a "they're back" isn't because they went away (all evidence to the contrary as they still remain probably the most consistently excellent Div 1 corps) - but I still think they tightened their idea of design from 1993 to 1994 while maintaining that crazy musical ability. 1993 is a more difficult sounding show, but there are still moments in 1994 that are crazy difficult (Night Streets I think is their second chart that year - really crazy runs in that one). What sets the 1994 show apart from 1993 is the overall package that the amazing musical quality is wrapped in is more cohesive, effective, and finessed. Their look, their sound, and their overall program just seemed more modern and polished than it did in 1993. There is a visual style in the show that is cleaner and simpler than 1993, but is incredibly effective in terms of melding the visual and the music into one intense package. Perhaps the concept of "My Spanish Heart" is easier to portray visually than "Don Ellis Portrait." The former lends itself to less "gimmicky" ideas - and even when you throw in a few obvious ones (heart shapes and red flags), they are used effectively at high points to make a statement). 1993's visual ideas always left me feeling underwhelmed - the drill design to me didn't communicate their theme and so it remained up to their great color guard who had to use brushes, canvases, and a big helping of outfit and color changes. (Not saying ANYTHING against outfit changes - they can work REALLY well - but they can also not work as well - especially in sparkly/baggy overalls - I always thought of clown pants when they put those on). The corps being able to finish in 4th place, in the pouring rain, with that high of a score, is truly a testament to the talent of that corps. Sorry I've rambled on too much here. I hope that makes sense. Feel free to disagree - opinions only for the most part. :) Honestly I don't think there was too much modernization going on for BD between 93-94 other than the uniform change. The '93 show was/is very modern...it was just #### near unclean-able. One of their best brass lines ever, incredible soloists throughout the entire show, my favorite Downey book, percussion was still recovering somewhat, and that guard had a tough book to sell. The heavy rain on finals night during their run certainly did not help. Between the tempos, odd meters (thank you Don Ellis), and the pacing throughout the show, I'm surprised they got that monster as clean as they did!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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