Madison Scouts 2014 -- Playing the Music of Stan Kenton and Don Ellis

[BozzlyB]

If the guard score holds true they've made a lot of improvement there. Impressive.

I agree, I think we will get a better read tonight with a full panel, (and no rain possible thanks to our resident forecaster) but it seems that Madison has fixed some issues and their colorguard is starting to be more competitive. I have no predictions at this point, tonight will be a better read, but I do think Madison has made changes and improved in certain areas that may keep them ahead of Blue Stars , and will make them competitive with Boston for that placement. Tonight and especially Saturday will give us a good picture of what is to come. I do think, however, that a lot of folks gave up on Scouts this year, but may be pleasantly surprised with the end results. Tonights results with a full panel will be telling. Even more telling, will be finals week, when we have veteran judges looking at things.

Edited July 25, 2014 by BozzlyB

[brians]

I agree, I think we will get a better read tonight with a full panel, (and no rain possible thanks to our resident forecaster) but it seems that Madison has fixed some issues and their colorguard is starting to be more competitive. I have no predictions at this point, tonight will be a better read, but I do think Madison has made changes and improved in certain areas that may keep them ahead of Blue Stars , and will make them competitive with Boston for that placement. Tonight and especially Saturday will give us a good picture of what is to come. I do think, however, that a lot of folks gave up on Scouts this year, but may be pleasantly surprised with the end results. Tonights results with a full panel will be telling. Even more telling, will be finals week, when we have veteran judges looking at things.

Perhaps, but I stick by my original prediction, with Boston and Blue Stars duking it out for the 9th spot creeping up upon Phantom in the 8 spot in the end

Edited July 25, 2014 by brians

[NR_Ohiobando]

I don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but I absolutely hate it when a corps member is relegated to prop duty for the duration of an entire show. Having the lone member on wheel-duty is just shoddy design and I wish people would stop doing it.

[Granny Smith]

I'm coming in just a wee bit late, but this is really all I have to say (despite all the nay sayers and critics):

I love the Scouts' show this year.

I realize they are scoring as well as they'd like, but I'm really enjoying what they've put on the field this year. I'm thoroughly entertained.

[The Other Mike]

so, can someone explain the ending to me.....explain it slow as if I'm a drummer

[NR_Ohiobando]

so, can someone explain the ending to me.....explain it slow as if I'm a drummer

Not the show designer, and I haven't seen any closeups of what the guard character does throughout the show, but here's my take.

The show as a whole is about the transition from the Pleasantville-like 50's into the more experimental 60s and 70s. As the clock moves further down the field we get closer to the endpoint of an environment where experimentation and the blast of color is the norm. I assume the ending is both reflective of what happened in the show up to that point, and it also brings us down to a state of normalcy rather than an explosive variance. It's perhaps meant to be a "down" ending to get the point that the experimentation was fun, but it's time to try and go back to your normal life with all of that in mind. (Or they could just be playing to the judges, who knows).

It starts with the Kenton tunes and colorguard in suits and what-not. The Passacaglia and Fugue feature following the opening hit is even a variation on an old Bach composition. This section of the show is fun, but it's still pretty standard. Once the Don Ellis tunes get going (Bulgarian Bulge right after the trombone feature), a huge amount of rhythmic and sonic experimentation goes on for the rest of the show. They're playing things in 32/8 and 9, and they're using echoplexes for the trumpet solos. A huge amount of color is brought out to contrast with the earlier black & white suit & tie thing. All the while pushing the clock further into the future.

So basically, it's a 50's to 70s transition. We end with the down ending because as fun as the experimentation was, people still have to try to go back to some sense of normalcy.

Edited July 25, 2014 by NR_Ohiobando

[FlamMan]

Not the show designer, and I haven't seen any closeups of what the guard character does throughout the show, but here's my take.

The show as a whole is about the transition from the Pleasantville-like 50's into the more experimental 60s and 70s. As the clock moves further down the field we get closer to the endpoint of an environment where experimentation and the blast of color is the norm. I assume the ending is both reflective of what happened in the show up to that point, and it also brings us down to a state of normalcy rather than an explosive variance. It's perhaps meant to be a "down" ending to get the point that the experimentation was fun, but it's time to try and go back to your normal life with all of that in mind. (Or they could just be playing to the judges, who knows).

It starts with the Kenton tunes and colorguard in suits and what-not. The Passacaglia and Fugue feature following the opening hit is even a variation on an old Bach composition. This section of the show is fun, but it's still pretty standard. Once the Don Ellis tunes get going (Bulgarian Bulge right after the trombone feature), a huge amount of rhythmic and sonic experimentation goes on for the rest of the show. They're playing things in 32/8 and 9, and they're using echoplexes for the trumpet solos. A huge amount of color is brought out to contrast with the earlier black & white suit & tie thing. All the while pushing the clock further into the future.

So basically, it's a 50's to 70s transition. We end with the down ending because as fun as the experimentation was, people still have to try to go back to some sense of normalcy.

Bla bla bla...nobody cares. I want my face peeled & ears bleeding at the end of a Madison show.

Edited July 25, 2014 by FlamMan

[The Other Mike]

Not the show designer, and I haven't seen any closeups of what the guard character does throughout the show, but here's my take.

The show as a whole is about the transition from the Pleasantville-like 50's into the more experimental 60s and 70s. As the clock moves further down the field we get closer to the endpoint of an environment where experimentation and the blast of color is the norm. I assume the ending is both reflective of what happened in the show up to that point, and it also brings us down to a state of normalcy rather than an explosive variance. It's perhaps meant to be a "down" ending to get the point that the experimentation was fun, but it's time to try and go back to your normal life with all of that in mind. (Or they could just be playing to the judges, who knows).

It starts with the Kenton tunes and colorguard in suits and what-not. The Passacaglia and Fugue feature following the opening hit is even a variation on an old Bach composition. This section of the show is fun, but it's still pretty standard. Once the Don Ellis tunes get going (Bulgarian Bulge right after the trombone feature), a huge amount of rhythmic and sonic experimentation goes on for the rest of the show. They're playing things in 32/8 and 9, and they're using echoplexes for the trumpet solos. A huge amount of color is brought out to contrast with the earlier black & white suit & tie thing. All the while pushing the clock further into the future.

So basically, it's a 50's to 70s transition. We end with the down ending because as fun as the experimentation was, people still have to try to go back to some sense of normalcy.

Well I was thinking along those lines but I also wondered if at a design meeting someone pulled out a bong, things got interesting until all but one designer passed out and the last guy looked around at everoney passed out away from the table, and thought, " and then there was one" and thought COOL IDEA

[SFZFAN]

Well I was thinking along those lines but I also wondered if at a design meeting someone pulled out a bong, things got interesting until all but one designer passed out and the last guy looked around at everoney passed out away from the table, and thought, " and then there was one" and thought COOL IDEA

I LOL'd - thanks!

[Magbo]

Love this show, also. For all the negativity on this forum, I think the Scouts will surprise everyone with a very strong finish this year. I saw them live recently, and you cannot appreciate the show until you have seen them in-person. They are really moving out there...and are playing extremely difficult time signatures, as mentioned above. It is highly energetic and entertaining. I think the judges are finally starting to realize the complexity of their drill and music and giving them credit where credit is due. And as usual...the crowd eats them up. At least they did at the show where I saw them live.