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Atlanta Review


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To start, I had seats on the side 2 48 yard line on the 12th row of the upper deck. The sound was definitely not in the blast zone but was super clear given how the dome's echo seems not to affect the upper deck seating that much.

I arrived around 12:30ish and parked easily in the orange lot across from the ticket office for $10. The traffic was much better on a Sunday than it usually is on a Saturday.

An interesting note, there were tons of falls tonight. At least half of the corps had 1 or 2 people fall. The turf must have been slicker than usual.

Now, onto the shows!

Carolina Gold

This show has some great potential to grow until DCA championships. It seemed like there were at least 10 holes in the hornline and because of this, the sound was pretty weak.

Atlanta CV

This was a much more solid production than the previous corps. They have a pretty good hornline this year, and they use it well. Some parts are really shaky at this point, but overall it was a pretty good show.

Pioneer

Their drill really is carrying the theme of the show. They were constantly going to or from some sort of religious symbol. The music at times seems to really lock in and do well. However, at other times it becomes a mess and hard to tell what is being played. I liked the inventive use of staging with the front ensemble on the field, so that the corps proper could march in front. I do feel like it is a missed opportunity not to use that as staging for a percussion feature or just to use it more than twice. I had them a bit ahead of Cascades tonight.

Mandarins

I actually think performance order helped these guys stand out and be remembered. I like the theme with the Chinese immigrant coming to the new world and discovering his place here. The percussion feature stood out for me with its eastern rhythms, and it looks like the kids are having a ton of fun performing this show. The hornline wears out at times, but it was unmatched in quality until Oregon came on. I would have had them above Academy but below Oregon Crusaders.

Cascades

This show theme was a complete miss. In fact, I have no clue as to the theme, and I wonder if the kids know either. From a design standpoint, this is a bad year for them. The brass and percussion were a little ahead of pioneer, but pioneer had the edge visually. I would have had this show last.

Jersey Surf

They definitely appeal to the bando (and I hate using that word) crowd. However, this did not feel like a drum corps show. Execution wise, they were the worst as far as attacks and releases being all over the place. In one section in particular, there were shots on the snares and impacts in the hornline, and neither of them were together. Other than the timing errors, they just overblow with disregard to balance or tone. I was really disappointed with this show after last year. Also, someone needs to take a sledge hammer to that wind controller; it is an abomination. I had them where the judges did.

Oregon Crusaders

This is a really good hornline. They are being taught the proper techniques very well, and it really made a stark contrast from Jersey Surf before them. An older FMM next to me asked who they were, as he had never seen them before and was really impressed. I am not quite sold on the theme, though. I think a bit better staging would help me follow it more. I had them just above Mandarins.

Academy

I have never heard the dome that awkwardly quiet in any year I have been there. There were a few on the lower deck who were trying to play along with the theme, but most seemed to have the same reaction as me. The hornline was solid. The drums were good. However, that theme is not going to help them out come finals. The "piano man" was trying to egg on the audience to sing, and I heard a few start to, but when they realized no one else was singing, they stopped. It is not a sing along. It is a drum corps show. The designers missed that memo. Maybe they just need to get some lyrics on big cards and borrow BK's ball to have a proper "follow the bouncing ball" sing along. I had this ahead of Surf but behind Mandarins.

Intermission - Drumline Battle

I really felt like Carolina Gold's drumline was asked last minute to do this. They played a parade cadence and part of their show. It really was sort of silly. The other group was obviously prepared, but they were atrociously bad. From the upper deck, there was no telling what was being played. Obviously, they gave the win to these guys, though, because according to the announcement, a third of the criteria is tricks and gimmicks. Is that what DCI wants associated with it? I thought technique and sophistication would be what they reward. Oh well, it doesn't seem to be catching on well anyway. After the intermission, the stands were much fuller.

Colts

The hornline loses steam over the course of the show. At the beginning, they are selling the show well (although, if the quotes have to do with the theme, then I am lost). It feels like a good 50s-esque theme, and it is fun and much less serious than other groups around them. I had them above Oregon but below Pacific Crest.

Troopers

This show is simply magnificent. They were one of two corps to produce enough emotion to move the audience. That opening statement is wonderful, and it says "We are back here to stay." Over the course of the show, the hornline produces such a rich, emotional sound, that it made tears well up several times, and when they hit the sunburst with the "Glory Chorus" of Battle Hymn, I would challenge you to have found a dry eye in that stadium. Words alone cannot describe this show. I had seen videos, and of all the corps you need to see live to really get the full effect of the show, this is the one that matters most. They stole the hearts of the audience, and I didn't see a butt in any seats after the final horns down. The ovation continued until they left the field, and those kids probably felt like they had won the entire show that night. If you were going off of crowd reaction, I would say they definitely did. I had them in a solid 12th.

Note: from here until Spirit, with the exception of BAC's closer, the crowd seemed to have been drained by Troop.

Crossmen

The preshow is a good idea, and it really sets up the women's rights theme well. The brass was quite spectacular, and that drumline was killing it. However, that drill is not doing them any favors. They used less field than Pioneer. It makes them seem really small, and hurts the pacing of the show (it seems really monotonous visually). Some Nights was a grand total of maybe 5-10 seconds, and it seemed like a huge letdown to have any of it in the show. That really should be the high moment of the show, and it was just disappointing. I had these guys where the judges did.

Pacific Crest

This show is boring, and that is sad because they have the most talent that I have ever seen from them. The hornline was definitely competitive with the corps around them, and the drums were too, but the brass and percussion books seemed to be devoid of anything that could let the kids show off their talent. It is not a memorable show, but if they can retain members well, they have a shot at moving up competitively next year. I had them between Colts and Crossmen.

Boston Crusaders

They win the loudest amplification award. Seriously, at one point it sounded like the Georgia Dome's PA system was being used as their speakers. In other news, they have a really strong corps. Visually, the program is pretty weak, though. Other than a few formations scattered throughout, nothing does much to sell the theme. The jacket change is a nice touch, but I must quote one guy around me: "Thank god, I was worried they got rid of the red uniforms." Also, if the hornline played like they did after the uniform change throughout the whole show, they would be easily above Madison or Cavies. As such, I had them in 10th.

Blue Stars

The show brings too little, too late into the show to sell the theme. It'll be a nice DVD show when they follow the little thematic voodoo moments, but live, the show is very flat. The hornline is about the level of those around them, but percussion is where they excel. Also, the drill design is leagues ahead of the others around them. I would say visual and drums are keeping them in 12th right now. I would have placed them below Troopers in 13th.

Spirit

The home crowd was nuts for Spirit. A standing ovation as they were walking onto the field. The show is very accessible and fun. If you were to show a non-drum corps person a show, this would be an excellent choice. They are loud and fun, and the crowd ate it up. However, from a critical standpoint, the brass could use some dynamics. It is less effective to be loud all the time. Also, give us more Sweet Georgia Brown. That is what we all want. The mellos are the best in years, and they are playing the high As throughout the show very solid and in tune. Visual is their clear weakness right now. I had them solidly in 11th, and I don't think they will move up or down.

Cavaliers

This show was very entertaining. Visually, it is fast paced and frantic, and it is staged very well. The brass can play. It is evidenced by the closer. However, as one guy next to me said, "If they just played the rest of the show that way, they'd be much higher up." I agree wholly with this, and I feel like the brass is holding them back from competing in the 5-6 area. It looks like the next few years will be good from the Cavies. I had them in 9th.

Intermission

Madison Scouts

The Atlanta crowd loves Madison. Better yet, this is a show that feels distinctly Madison. If I had no clue who it was playing and listened to it (minus the YNWA because that would be a dead giveaway), I would immediately say Madison. They are selling the theme well, but their color guard is not doing a great job. Also, YNWA was the second tearjerker moment of the day. The singing is sung with amazing emotion, and then the hornline comes in and plays with all that same emotion. The guy next to me actually started crying so much that he needed a napkin. It is a beautiful moment. I had them in 8th place.

Blue Knights

This is a corps that comes alive in person. On video, I lose interest, but in person, this is amazing. The blue ball should have a way to be deflated and hidden once they finish using it. I found it to be a distraction, just sitting there. Their biggest strength is that hornline. Honestly, I had their hornline in an easy 6th. I do not know what the brass judge was thinking with their placement. It was a glorious, rich sound, and it was strong throughout the entire show. I would have had this show sitting in 7th, but the 7th would be closer to 6th than 8th.

Bluecoats

The turn into a sudden brass statement was excellent in the beginning. Their brass and percussion are absolutely stellar this year, and I believe the percussion will definitely take 4th and brass 5th at finals. The technique section for the brass was amazing, and the percussion feature was one of the best of the whole day. I am not sold on the theme, but it doesn't seem far from it. I think they are just missing one or two little things that will sell this show come finals. I would have placed them in 5th.

Santa Clara Vanguard

This show is about as classic a drum corps show as you can get. That brass was absolutely on fire tonight. I was also thoroughly impressed by the amount of visual clarity they have this year. The stars of the show were definitely the mellos. They were absolutely magnificent. I would wager that this is the best mello section in all of DCI right now. Also, the mello soloist had the most beautiful solo of the entire night. You may not realize on video how exposed the solo sounds in person. It is very noticeable with how far from either the pit or hornline that he is, and some of the notes he was holding like it was nothing were very difficult notes to tune on your own on mello. Also, that percussion is astounding. I would have had the brass in 2nd tonight and percussion 3rd. I would have placed them in 3rd.

Phantom Regiment

This hornline is nowhere near where they were last year. I am still attempting to reason with the brass score. I would have had them 7th or maybe even 8th in brass. All the exposed parts (and there are quite a few) were noticeably poor. Also, go back to all euphs. The staff is obviously letting their baris overblow on purpose, so why not give them an instrument that takes more air anyway. I think they would retain the volume of low brass and increase 3x in tonality if they just ditched the baris altogether (note: this isn't a dig at baritones, but it is a dig at the fact that they want the same sound that they got from an all euph line, which is not going to happen). Visually, I enjoyed this show a lot. It is quite clean. That witch needs a redesign, though. maybe just a hood or something over its head could fix the silliness. I had them in 6th.

Blue Devils

This show is going to be controversial to some. It really has no spots to clap during. They give a huge brass moment, but then the go into a quiet and soft motif. The brass seemed to be off tonight, and there were one or two exposed sections that sounded weak. Because of this, I would have had their brass in 4th, and the only reason it would be 4th is because the other top 4 lines are so strong. I like the ending with the straight jazz solo on the trumpet, but oddly enough all the mic'd solos tonight from BD were way too quiet to hear clearly. Their percussion was definitely first, however. I think this is a show like 2010 that will be enjoyed by very few. It may win come finals, but it will be a close one if it does. I had them in 1st but not by much.

Carolina Crown

This show is refreshing like SCV's show. It feels very straightforward. In person, the counting works better than on video. However, the narration is annoying. Even though I was trying to consciously ignore it and listen to the brass, I could not because it was so loud. The brass plays excellent, and any other year they would be a lock for the Ott. This year, I would say that they will not get it. The brass had a few issues in some intricate spots that just aren't clean yet. They never have one of those moments like the lip slurs in Dreams last year that just wowed me. The crown set needs some reworking on the transitions into it, and luckily they are known to do this. This seems to be the show that would slip out of the top 3 if one does. I had the brass 3rd tonight. The show I had in 4th because SCV was on fire.

Cadets

This is the best brass of the year. The brass judge needs to grow a pair and just score them fairly. They were several tenths ahead of any of the other top hornlines. They sounded good at all dynamics, and were easily the most powerful brass line by a lot. In fact, I will say that of the Bb era, this is the best brass there has been. The most memorable moment of the whole day was the part where the trumpets play that part where they slowly march into the form, building it line by line on the really technical part, but unlike most technical parts, this one is hummable. The arrangements of the music is astoundingly well done. Next viewing of the show, pay special attention to the front ensemble. They are many times playing parts that the strings would play in the original pieces, and I thought that was a genius touch. The percussion is crazy good, but I don't know if they can beat BD's percussion. It will be a close fight between the top 3 lines come finals. I had Cadets in a very close 2nd but only because they have a view more visual issues than BD does at this point.

To recap:

My Placements:

1) Blue Devils

2) The Cadets

3) Santa Clara Vanguard

4) Carolina Crown

5) Bluecoats

6) Phantom Regiment

7) Blue Knights

8) Madison Scouts

9) The Cavaliers

10) Boston Crusaders

11) Spirit of Atlanta

12) Troopers

13) Blue Stars

14) Crossmen

15) Pacific Crest

16) Colts

17) Oregon Crusaders

18) Mandarins

19) The Academy

20) Jersey Surf

21) Pioneer

22) Cascades

It is a really great year for drum corps, and there is crazy competition at all levels. If you have yet to see Troopers' show, do whatever you can to see it live. In fact, try to see all the shows you can live. You won't regret doing so.

Edited by DarkHorner
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Great review and I agree both Cadets and SCV were underscored iin brass and Cadets in percussion. Judges need to grow balls. Also thought Crown Guard was underscored.

Edited by newjerseycorpguy
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To start, I had seats on the side 2 48 yard line on the 12th row of the upper deck. The sound was definitely not in the blast zone but was super clear given how the dome's echo seems not to effect the upper deck seating that much.

I arrived around 12:30ish and parked easily in the orange lot across from the ticket office for $10. The traffic was much better on a Sunday than it usually is on a Saturday.

An interesting note, there were tons of falls tonight. At least half of the corps had 1 or 2 people fall. The turf must have been slicker than usual.

Now, onto the shows!

Carolina Gold

This show has some great potential to grow until DCA championships. It seemed like there were at least 10 holes in the hornline and because of this, the sound was pretty weak.

Atlanta CV

This was a much more solid production than the previous corps. They have a pretty good hornline this year, and they use it well. Some parts are really shaky at this point, but overall it was a pretty good show.

Pioneer

Their drill really is carrying the theme of the show. They were constantly going to or from some sort of religious symbol. The music at times seems to really lock in and do well. However, at other times it becomes a mess and hard to tell what is being played. I liked the inventive use of staging with the front ensemble on the field, so that the corps proper could march in front. I do feel like it is a missed opportunity not to use that as staging for a percussion feature or just to use it more than twice. I had them a bit ahead of Cascades tonight.

Mandarins

I actually think performance order helped these guys stand out and be remembered. I like the theme with the Chinese immigrant coming to the new world and discovering his place here. The percussion feature stood out for me with its eastern rhythms, and it looks like the kids are having a ton of fun performing this show. The hornline wears out at times, but it was unmatched in quality until Oregon came on. I would have had them above Academy but below Oregon Crusaders.

Cascades

This show theme was a complete miss. In fact, I have no clue as to the theme, and I wonder if the kids know either. From a design standpoint, this is a bad year for them. The brass and percussion were a little ahead of pioneer, but pioneer had the edge visually. I would have had this show last.

Jersey Surf

They definitely appeal to the bando (and I hate using that word) crowd. However, this did not feel like a drum corps show. Execution wise, they were the worst as far as attacks and releases being all over the place. In one section in particular, there were shots on the snares and impacts in the hornline, and neither of them were together. Other than the timing errors, they just overblow with disregard to balance or tone. I was really disappointed with this show after last year. Also, someone needs to take a sledge hammer to that wind controller; it is an abomination. I had them where the judges did.

Oregon Crusaders

This is a really good hornline. They are being taught the proper techniques very well, and it really made a stark contrast from Jersey Surf before them. An older FMM next to me asked who they were, as he had never seen them before and was really impressed. I am not quite sold on the theme, though. I think a bit better staging would help me follow it more. I had them just above Mandarins.

Academy

I have never heard the dome that awkwardly quiet in any year I have been there. There were a few on the lower deck who were trying to play along with the theme, but most seemed to have the same reaction as me. The hornline was solid. The drums were good. However, that theme is not going to help them out come finals. The "piano man" was trying to egg on the audience to sing, and I heard a few start to, but when they realized no one else was singing, they stopped. It is not a sing along. It is a drum corps show. The designers missed that memo. Maybe they just need to get some lyrics on big cards and borrow BK's ball to have a proper "follow the bouncing ball" sing along. I had this ahead of Surf but behind Mandarins.

Intermission - Drumline Battle

I really felt like Carolina Gold's drumline was asked last minute to do this. They played a parade cadence and part of their show. It really was sort of silly. The other group was obviously prepared, but they were atrociously bad. From the upper deck, there was no telling what was being played. Obviously, they gave the win to these guys, though, because according to the announcement, a third of the criteria is tricks and gimmicks. Is that what DCI wants associated with it? I thought technique and sophistication would be what they reward. Oh well, it doesn't seem to be catching on well anyway. After the intermission, the stands were much fuller.

Colts

The hornline loses steam over the course of the show. At the beginning, they are selling the show well (although, if the quotes have to do with the theme, then I am lost). It feels like a good 50s-esque theme, and it is fun and much less serious than other groups around them. I had them above Oregon but below Pacific Crest.

Troopers

This show is simply magnificent. They were one of two corps to produce enough emotion to move the audience. That opening statement is wonderful, and it says "We are back here to stay." Over the course of the show, the hornline produces such a rich, emotional sound, that it made tears well up several times, and when they hit the sunburst with the "Glory Chorus" of Battle Hymn, I would challenge you to have found a dry eye in that stadium. Words alone cannot describe this show. I had seen videos, and of all the corps you need to see live to really get the full effect of the show, this is the one that matters most. They stole the hearts of the audience, and I didn't see a butt in any seats after the final horns down. The ovation continued until they left the field, and those kids probably felt like they had won the entire show that night. If you were going off of crowd reaction, I would say they definitely did. I had them in a solid 12th.

Note: from here until Spirit, with the exception of BAC's closer, the crowd seemed to have been drained by Troop.

Crossmen

The preshow is a good idea, and it really sets up the women's rights theme well. The brass was quite spectacular, and that drumline was killing it. However, that drill is not doing them any favors. They used less field than Pioneer. It makes them seem really small, and hurts the pacing of the show (it seems really monotonous visually). Some Nights was a grand total of maybe 5-10 seconds, and it seemed like a huge letdown to have any of it in the show. That really should be the high moment of the show, and it was just disappointing. I had these guys where the judges did.

Pacific Crest

This show is boring, and that is sad because they have the most talent that I have ever seen from them. The hornline was definitely competitive with the corps around them, and the drums were too, but the brass and percussion books seemed to be devoid of anything that could let the kids show off their talent. It is not a memorable show, but if they can retain members well, they have a shot at moving up competitively next year. I had them between Colts and Crossmen.

Boston Crusaders

They win the loudest amplification award. Seriously, at one point it sounded like the Georgia Dome's PA system was being used as their speakers. In other news, they have a really strong corps. Visually, the program is pretty weak, though. Other than a few formations scattered throughout, nothing does much to sell the theme. The jacket change is a nice touch, but I must quote one guy around me: "Thank god, I was worried they got rid of the red uniforms." Also, if the hornline played like they did after the uniform change throughout the whole show, they would be easily above Madison or Cavies. As such, I had them in 10th.

Blue Stars

The show brings too little, too late into the show to sell the theme. It'll be a nice DVD show when they follow the little thematic voodoo moments, but live, the show is very flat. The hornline is about the level of those around them, but percussion is where they excel. Also, the drill design is leagues ahead of the others around them. I would say visual and drums are keeping them in 12th right now. I would have placed them below Troopers in 13th.

Spirit

The home crowd was nuts for Spirit. A standing ovation as they were walking onto the field. The show is very accessible and fun. If you were to show a non-drum corps person a show, this would be an excellent choice. They are loud and fun, and the crowd ate it up. However, from a critical standpoint, the brass could use some dynamics. It is less effective to be loud all the time. Also, give us more Sweet Georgia Brown. That is what we all want. The mellos are the best in years, and they are playing the high As throughout the show very solid and in tune. Visual is their clear weakness right now. I had them solidly in 11th, and I don't think they will move up or down.

Cavaliers

This show was very entertaining. Visually, it is fast paced and frantic, and it is staged very well. The brass can play. It is evidenced by the closer. However, as one guy next to me said, "If they just played the rest of the show that way, they'd be much higher up." I agree wholly with this, and I feel like the brass is holding them back from competing in the 5-6 area. It looks like the next few years will be good from the Cavies. I had them in 9th.

Intermission

Madison Scouts

The Atlanta crowd loves Madison. Better yet, this is a show that feels distinctly Madison. If I had no clue who it was playing and listened to it (minus the YNWA because that would be a dead giveaway), I would immediately say Madison. They are selling the theme well, but their color guard is not doing a great job. Also, YNWA was the second tearjerker moment of the day. The singing is sung with amazing emotion, and then the hornline comes in and plays with all that same emotion. The guy next to me actually started crying so much that he needed a napkin. It is a beautiful moment. I had them in 8th place.

Blue Knights

This is a corps that comes alive in person. On video, I lose interest, but in person, this is amazing. The blue ball should have a way to be deflated and hidden once they finish using it. I found it to be a distraction, just sitting there. Their biggest strength is that hornline. Honestly, I had their hornline in an easy 6th. I do not know what the brass judge was thinking with their placement. It was a glorious, rich sound, and it was strong throughout the entire show. I would have had this show sitting in 7th, but the 7th would be closer to 6th than 8th.

Bluecoats

The turn into a sudden brass statement was excellent in the beginning. Their brass and percussion are absolutely stellar this year, and I believe the percussion will definitely take 4th and brass 5th at finals. The technique section for the brass was amazing, and the percussion feature was one of the best of the whole day. I am not sold on the theme, but it doesn't seem far from it. I think they are just missing one or two little things that will sell this show come finals. I would have placed them in 5th.

Santa Clara Vanguard

This show is about as classic a drum corps show as you can get. That brass was absolutely on fire tonight. I was also thoroughly impressed by the amount of visual clarity they have this year. The stars of the show were definitely the mellos. They were absolutely magnificent. I would wager that this is the best mello section in all of DCI right now. Also, the mello soloist had the most beautiful solo of the entire night. You may not realize on video how exposed the solo sounds in person. It is very noticeable with how far from either the pit or hornline that he is, and some of the notes he was holding like it was nothing were very difficult notes to tune on your own on mello. Also, that percussion is astounding. I would have had the brass in 2nd tonight and percussion 3rd. I would have placed them in 3rd.

Phantom Regiment

This hornline is nowhere near where they were last year. I am still attempting to reason with the brass score. I would have had them 7th or maybe even 8th in brass. All the exposed parts (and there are quite a few) were noticeably poor. Also, go back to all euphs. The staff is obviously letting their baris overblow on purpose, so why not give them an instrument that takes more air anyway. I think they would retain the volume of low brass and increase 3x in tonality if they just ditched the baris altogether (note: this isn't a dig at baritones, but it is a dig at the fact that they want the same sound that they got from an all euph line, which is not going to happen). Visually, I enjoyed this show a lot. It is quite clean. That witch needs a redesign, though. maybe just a hood or something over its head could fix the silliness. I had them in 6th.

Blue Devils

This show is going to be controversial to some. It really has no spots to clap during. They give a huge brass moment, but then the go into a quiet and soft motif. The brass seemed to be off tonight, and there were one or two exposed sections that sounded weak. Because of this, I would have had their brass in 4th, and the only reason it would be 4th is because the other top 4 lines are so strong. I like the ending with the straight jazz solo on the trumpet, but oddly enough all the mic'd solos tonight from BD were way too quiet to hear clearly. Their percussion was definitely first, however. I think this is a show like 2010 that will be enjoyed by very few. It may win come finals, but it will be a close one if it does. I had them in 1st but not by much.

Carolina Crown

This show is refreshing like SCV's show. It feels very straightforward. In person, the counting works better than on video. However, the narration is annoying. Even though I was trying to consciously ignore it and listen to the brass, I could not because it was so loud. The brass plays excellent, and any other year they would be a lock for the Ott. This year, I would say that they will not get it. The brass had a few issues in some intricate spots that just aren't clean yet. They never have one of those moments like the lip slurs in Dreams last year that just wowed me. The crown set needs some reworking on the transitions into it, and luckily they are known to do this. This seems to be the show that would slip out of the top 3 if one does. I had the brass 3rd tonight. The show I had in 4th because SCV was on fire.

Cadets

This is the best brass of the year. The brass judge needs to grow a pair and just score them fairly. They were several tenths ahead of any of the other top hornlines. They sounded good at all dynamics, and were easily the most powerful brass line by a lot. In fact, I will say that of the Bb era, this is the best brass there has been. The most memorable moment of the whole day was the part where the trumpets play that part where they slowly march into the form, building it line by line on the really technical part, but unlike most technical parts, this one is hummable. The arrangements of the music is astoundingly well done. Next viewing of the show, pay special attention to the front ensemble. They are many times playing parts that the strings would play in the original pieces, and I thought that was a genius touch. The percussion is crazy good, but I don't know if they can beat BD's percussion. It will be a close fight between the top 3 lines come finals. I had Cadets in a very close 2nd but only because they have a view more visual issues than BD does at this point.

To recap:

My Placements:

1) Blue Devils

2) The Cadets

3) Santa Clara Vanguard

4) Carolina Crown

5) Bluecoats

6) Phantom Regiment

7) Blue Knights

8) Madison Scouts

9) The Cavaliers

10) Boston Crusaders

11) Spirit of Atlanta

12) Troopers

13) Blue Stars

14) Crossmen

15) Pacific Crest

16) Colts

17) Oregon Crusaders

18) Mandarins

19) The Academy

20) Jersey Surf

21) Pioneer

22) Cascades

It is a really great year for drum corps, and there is crazy competition at all levels. If you have yet to see Troopers' show, do whatever you can to see it live. In fact, try to see all the shows you can live. You won't regret doing so.

Thats a great vantage point for judging "field" brass... :rolleyes:

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Thank you so much for taking the time to write a review. I'm so glad to hear that Vanguard is on fire. I'm also looking forward to seeing so many other shows at Indianapolis - Troopers, Madison, Cadets, and Crown just to name a few.

I don't think Vanguard will win this year, but it really doesn't matter. The crowd loves them and I do too. That's what really matters. This will be one of my all-time favorite Vanguard shows, joining the ranks of 2004 and 1987.

Thanks again.

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Those mellos from SCV we're unreal from the Fan Network broadcast, I cannot imagine what they sounded like in person. Pet's and small children should be kept out of the line of fire!! Performance numbers are already climbing. If the analysis and music GE numbers start to move SCV is going to be real dangerous. :thumbup:

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Thats a great vantage point for judging "field" brass... :rolleyes:/>

You need to quote the entire post just to make a demeaning comment regarding his first sentence?

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Boston Crusaders

They win the loudest amplification award. Seriously, at one point it sounded like the Georgia Dome's PA system was being used as their speakers. In other news, they have a really strong corps. Visually, the program is pretty weak, though. Other than a few formations scattered throughout, nothing does much to sell the theme. The jacket change is a nice touch, but I must quote one guy around me: "Thank god, I was worried they got rid of the red uniforms." Also, if the hornline played like they did after the uniform change throughout the whole show, they would be easily above Madison or Cavies. As such, I had them in 10th.

That was the Georgia Dome's PA System you heard during BAC's show. They played part of a DCI commercial that was meant for in between corps' performances during Boston's opener and beginning of the ballad. I am sure it was startling to the mm to say the least.

Edited by Slickstar
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You'd be interested to know that your favorite brassline of the night (Cadets) are all on baris - no euphs. I really enjoyed them as well. Good points in your review!

I actually did not know this. That does make sense as to why they have a different tone though (sharper and more cutting than the mixed lines or the full euph BD line). Cool fact.

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