Dan Detweiler Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Well, unless you're a male who wants to be in guard. :tongue:/> March Madison or Cavies. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granite Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 (edited) About PR... This was my first time seeing their show. My son told me that one of PR's screening qualifications for their brass line includes height...and it does appear that their members are all about the same size. I don't know if that's true, but I remarked to my son that the all-girl guard appeared to be made up of a bunch of clones. I don't have any problem with either thing. It made for a very good show...and I was relieved to see that someone died. (the evil queen) I was beginning to worry this year. About Cadets... Also my first time seeing their show. I liked their show. I'll be watching the dvd more than a few times because I feel like I missed a whole bunch of subtle side-by-side nuances in the theater show. What I want to see the top 6 to look like after finals: Blue Devils Cadets Carolina Crown Santa Cara Vanguard Bluecoats Phantom Regiment ps...I also want to see Blue Knights upset more than one of the other three Corps in their grouping. (I realize that I won't get what I want) Edited August 9, 2013 by Granite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrunchyTenor Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Maybe they could cut out the 'why do you love me john' bits. Hey, Evan? Dust off your copy of Glass' "Einstein On the Brach". It will explain everything, including the counting. And, yes, your Cavaliers are much improved since I saw them 3 1/2 weeks ago in DeKalb. You're also correct that you have to experience Crown's brass live. Amazing. Garry in Vegas 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrunchyTenor Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 March Madison or Cavies. Or any of the other 33 corps. Garry in Vegas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCPatrick Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Hey, Evan? Dust off your copy of Glass' "Einstein On the Brach". It will explain everything, including the counting. And, yes, your Cavaliers are much improved since I saw them 3 1/2 weeks ago in DeKalb. You're also correct that you have to experience Crown's brass live. Amazing. Garry in Vegas Thank you for this comment about the speaking in Einstein on the Beach. I'm trying to find a comparison to people saying that Crown should get rid of the voice. I feel it is almost like saying, "Hey SCV, love the music, but why all the French blahdeeblah thrown in, your show would be better with a different theme, but love the music!" Both the voice in EotB and the French theme are essential to the shows. Part of the what I love about drum corps, and I first started watching it in when I was a 13 year old 1989, is the fact that my world of music was opened up so much--from Star's Medea show, to Phantom playing Ginastera--I would go to the public library and check out the records to listen to the source material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Thunder Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Can the dancing/leaning/squatting/sitting on the toilet while playing horns/drums just STOP? Great description! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skywhopper Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 My son told me that one of PR's screening qualifications for their brass line includes height...and it does appear that their members are all about the same size. I don't know if that's true I hope it isn't true for a number of reasons. If it is true, perhaps it explains why PR's brass has been relatively weak this year. If the corps feel that judges are penalizing them in visuals for varying heights of the members, then something needs to be changed, but height requirements are not it. Obviously there are going to be some minimum requirements in terms of marching speed/step size capabilities, but height alone doesn't make any sense as a criterion for membership. And if step-size or height requirements are knocking out more women than men, then there's a problem. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdlykdad Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 "Oh, and I really like the Rite of Spring, but Stravinsly is spinning in his grave right now after they butchered his masterpiece" You do realize they are not playing the Rite of Spring .... they are playing Brenzel's/Sebesky's jazz arrangements of the Rite of Spring. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAW Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Saw the theater show tonight in Beaverton Oregon with my dad, aunt, girlfriend and two friends who are new fans to the activity. Almost a sold out screen, I'd guess 80-100 people. Saw familiar faces in the crowd: both of my high school band directors, one brass instructor from corps and one drum major from corps. The crowd was very pro-SCV and Oregon Crusaders. I've seen almost all of the ten theater shows since 2004 and this was the best looking/sounding/produced one. My only complaint was that they held scores until the end of each half, and the commentators spent probably too much time ribbing Rondo being old, but congrats to his hall of fame announcement. In general the talent in the corps were the best performers I've seen for a top 15 grouping. Seems like almost every corps but Cadets had new uniforms or uni changes of some kind. I'm not a fan of this new trend of having one sleeve of the uniform different than the other (Blue Devils, Phantom, etc). Visually it's distracting. Still hate all the amplification. You could hear the pit before just fine before that change and now the amped keyboard/bass/cymbol crashing/sampling sounds drown out the rest of the pit and the hornlines at times. And what the #%$! is with giving soloists microphones to play in? Goddammit. Can the dancing/leaning/squatting/sitting on the toilet while playing horns/drums just STOP? Every single corps does it now. Why?????? Last time I checked this was not a thing to 'check off the score boxes' visually. Ok, brief corps thoughts: PC - Holy balls batman, they are loud and sound good. Get some drill and a full tour, PLEASE! Troopers - made my dad cry in a good way, but he's sort of a softy. Probably the best show I've seen from them ever? Crossmen - I respect the theme of their show. I'm not really a fan of protesters/noise, so it didn't get me emotionally like say, their 1992 show. Bluestars - Voodoo was alright. Sharp unis. Spirit of Atlanta - Good, but nothing sticks out in my mind a few hours later. Blue Knights - I'm not a fan of props that just sit there or soloist/characters that are focused on too much, so the ball wasn't my thing. Narration can go jump off a cliff. Things are round, we get it. Loved the brass line. Boston - Knew they'd get hit with some penalty when I saw the dust effect. Sad. Ironic that their show theme mirrors the tragedy in Boston earlier this year. Intermission seemed short this year. Madison - It's about time they gave the color guard in this corps something really masculine to do besides be a bull fighter or Broadway dancer. Might be my favorite Madison show since their 1997 Pirates. Much respect to the people in the crowd singing the corps song and no, it wasn't just alumni, broadcasters. Lots of women singing it too... this show made my dad cry, again. ROFL Cavaliers - ah, my boys. I bet marching with hoods and having no peripheral vision much be a pain. So much better than early season Youtube videos I saw that made me cringe. I have faith in the creative staff once again. I think it will be interesting to watch them battle Madison for 7th the next two nights. Madison have the emotional connection with the audience but Cavaliers are cleaner. Bluecoats - I'm curious if they have to build those stand set pieces every time or if they just have room in their equipment truck for them. Nice use of them though. Good show, sharp unis. Phantom - There was no need to focus on the fact that this corps went back to all-female guard. So many corps have a one-sex guard or change from year to year and it's never brought up. The opening drill formation of 'opening the book' was fantastic. Sadly I thought the rest of the show was lacking. Again, too much focus on one character(s), the evil queen was goofy and a little unlike Phantom's reputation. Not surprised to see the Coats pass them. SCV - My 2nd favorite and has been since I saw them live this year. Major props to the soloist who carried the show while the others were behind the city walls. Love the uniforms except for the little gold dangley bit that's on the left bottom on the jacket. Cadets - Argh... My ears tell me they are playing old SCV and Star shows, but then things change and it gets convoluted musically. Maybe I'm a purist, but I hate the mashups that happen in drum corps music arranging sometimes. Battery is great. I get the prop usage, didn't bother me. I don't see them jumping in the top 2. SCV might jump them into 3rd. Crown - My favorite of the night. Brass might be the best I've ever heard, wish I could hear them live. Thought they nailed everything visually. #### clean. Not sure why drums are getting nailed in scores, perhaps it's their drum book. Thought the narration would bother me but in this case it was overlooked. Maybe they could cut out the 'why do you love me john' bits. New ending seemed a bit... off? I was so used to seeing the guard run off to the right falling down and now they reprise Also Sprach and the lovers end it sitting on the bench. Hmm. Will be rooting for them next two nights because... Blue Devils - you have a very nice drum corps. I'd just rather not sit though that mess again. Here's what I heard: dissonance, sometimes a bit of rite of spring theme. Good battery but shouldn't top SCV or Cadets . Here's what I saw: uniforms that are way too gaudy and long. What's next, capes next year? Lots of stand and blow from the brass. White poles (Oh they're supposed to be trees? Thank you announcers for explaining that to me) being moved from one place to another. Scatter drill. Running around drill and too much dancing. Very rarely any sort of clean 'form'. Look, I get it, they're talented. Musically the show isn't there for me. GE it isn't there. Visually it's laughable. Percussion might be the only thing clapping for. This is not the sort of entertainment I want to see in the drum corps activity, and I don't believe the corps staff writes to excite the audience like other corps staffs do. Wish this corps wasn't all about ring chasing and was more about pushing the edge of creativity WHILE ENTERTAINING THE AUDIENCE. Most of the other corps are doing it, why can't you? E-Sarn - too bad the audience in the stands didn't stay for them. They probably entertained the theater viewers more. Shirtless cymbal/small gong guy is quite the showman. Crowd in the stadium seemed a bit tiny for Prelims. Hope attendance is better next two nights. Can't wait for next year. Yes, Bloo gets to take apart and put together those bleachers multiple times per day to move them from facility to facility. 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ashevillemurphy Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Phantom Regiment is neither sexist or racist. That's just silly. They take the best people who audition for them (like any other corps) and that has, over the course of numerous years, included men and women of all colors. "White" is a stretch ... Fame, the young lady who was Turandot in last years' production is still in the guard. In fact, she is the one dancing at the very beginning of the show side 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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