Mmmmm... This Crow Sure Is Tasty

[boxingfred]

- Ok, I'll say it! I loved Crowns drums! They were not the best but, I love the staging and the visuals and the way they accented the music!

- I loved Blue Devils quirky dancing and movement! It fit their music so well in the end.

- I Also loved Phantoms opening visual statement. The book opening and the guard spreading out like words on a page!

I absolutely hated Boston at the beginning of the season and Absolutely love them at the end!

Edited August 13, 2013 by boxingfred

[DrumcorpsmademeaTuba]

I absolutely despised the Crossmen's show after my first viewing this year. I really wanted to give the corps a lot of credit for whatever they did this year because I'm still upset about what happened at Semis a year ago as a touring member of that Blue Stars group that fell short of making Finals, and letting that affect my opinions of a drum corps was immature and I knew it. But when I saw the show for the first time, I felt betrayed in a way that I had attempted to give them credit. It didn't help that they were scoring better after that viewing than I would've thought they deserved, and that there are a few overtly vocal fans of theirs on this site.

Then I saw Protest at the Theatercast of Prelims and I was very pleasantly surprised. All of the moments I had thought were just poorly designed and poorly executed had become much clearer and much more enjoyable. In fact, even though I'd been pulling for the Troopers over them all year long, after I saw their Prelims performance and put it against Troop's, I was baffled that the gap was as small as it was that night. (.15 I believe. I had them at least a point over! My judging goggles need some work...)

It's hard to put into words how much my opinion improved of Protest, and I can only feel bad for my earlier feeling because it wasn't fair to anybody involved at all. I said already that this was the second year in a row I wished that 13 corps could have made Finals, but this year might be slightly different in that I believe I'd want yet another extra because the Crossmen ended up astounding me this year.

Honorable mention goes to the Bluecoats and the Madison Scouts as well for similar but much, much less extreme opinion sways.

[NakedEye]

My crow has about 25 years of history behind it, during which time I'm hard-pressed to remember ever liking the Bluecoats. Ever.

Select past comments have included:

"Well who wouldn't want to wear giant white diaper-butt pants?"

"What this show really needs is more fuchsia sequins."

"When in doubt, play Autumn Leaves."

"Who is responsible for the deaths of those feather boas on their helmets?"

"I'm sure this is all very hip, urban and edgy, but as I am none of those things, I'm bored to death."

And as recently as early last week, while we were planning the menu for the Finals watching party:

"But if we don't have hot dogs, what am I going to do during Bluecoats?"

With all that in mind, I sat in the theater for Prelims with a consistent look of displeasure on my face when they started, which quickly turned to shock and then amazement when I LOVED THEIR SHOW.

I loved everything about it! The way they moved gracefully from parade block to show and back was handled in a clever and fantastic manner. The bleachers were extremely effective and they did not look at all clumsy going up and down them. The girl with the ballon was totally Cirque, as was the way they handled transitions, both musically and visually. The music was moving and effective, the purple stripe op-art strobe flag near the end was a fantastic pop, and the "organ grinder monkey" bit was hysterical.

I was expecting another Stanbury Bomb with uniforms that usually look interesting in a sketch, but in real life turn out ill-fitting and poorly proportioned, but they were great too. Very distinctive, classy and looked very good when they moved.

All in all, it was one of my top-5 shows of the summer and I look forward to seeing it again. I'm still feeling disoriented, like I went through Crown's wormhole, but if this is their new direction, I can't wait to see what they do next!

[Tim K]

I picked Crown early on, then after seeing Cadets was certain they would win, then went back to Crown.

Later I had SCV ahead of Cadets. Never happened.

Thought a lack of preseason chatter about Cadets and Bluecoats meant disaster for both, again till I saw them.

I thought Phantom would have a top 3 show prior to the season's beginning based on what I thought were few age outs last year.

Had both Blue Stars and Blue Knights oiut of finals.

Cavies would be at the bottom of the pack, Crossmen and Spirit would find higher placements.

Troopers would have made finals.

Expected Academy to be finals or close to finalists, Mandarins would not be as improved or as interesting.

My predictions changed all summer. I don't know when or if that has ever happened.

Edited August 13, 2013 by Tim K

[skeptic]

A few "little" things from some of the top 12.

Crowns narration in the ballad. Hated it then loved it. That kid put serious emotion into it. Great moment.

BDs poles. Kinda just forgot they were there by the end of the season.

SCVs entire show... just kidding, that was amazing all year.

Bluecoats... wasnt a fan of all the randomness. Still not a fan but I learned to appreciate it.

Cavies robes. Hated how long they had them on until it got cleaned up. Cool effect by the end.

Boston in general. A snooze fest until finals for me. Never saw it live until then... might have been the problem.

Scouts. Felt like a lot of cheese early season but it had me tearing up a tad come finals. Loved it.

[Jeff Ream]

Crowns narration in the ballad went from hate to large dislike

:tongue:/>

[CDUB]

I'm sorry, everybody />/>/>/>/>/>/>/>

http://www.drumcorpsplanet.com/forums/index.php/topic/156444-i-dont-love-any-of-this-years-shows/page__p__3274081#entry3274081

Edited August 13, 2013 by CDUB

[Northern Thunder]

This thread is sort of like being at confession.........

And I'm not even Catholic!