N.E. Brigand Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 I mean this same conversation happens every year now: Regiment has a less-than-stellar early season performance and everyone takes to the streets predicting their tragic fall from the activity's top tier (and someone always HAS to be fired.) It's so overdramatic, it would almost be funny if it wasn't equally annoying. No it doesn't happen every year. "Turandot" premiered in 2012 at the Akron show that was the first-ever season-opening cinema-cast and took second, behind Cadets' "12.25" and ahead of Crown's "For the Common Good", and it was widely predicted on these forums from that point forward that Phantom would medal that year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewsquared Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 you're also comparing JD Shaw to Don Hill. Not even on the same level. I'm sorry, I was merely pointing out that a show can drastically change to cut out chopiness over the course of a season. Hill has absolutely nothing on Shaw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sutasaurus Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 If I put a fat lady smoking a cigar up there, would that help? Unfortunately.....no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirkAnthony Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 I whole-heartedly agree. Phantom is too locked into Romantic-era music and heavy-handed theatrics. I would love to see another 2004-type show from Phantom, when they performed Astor Piazzola's "Nuevo Tango" music. The production was evocative, subtle and graceful, that is, the very antithesis of a typical Phantom show. Sadly, the Piazzolla show was an anomaly. I think it would take a while for another 2004-type show to occur. But even that show, I remember the #### out of it. It was powerful! High brass had some #### in there that completely baffles me. That was a show that happened ten years ago, was very atypical of a lot of their previous and later shows like you said, but was powerful and memorable. Only a year later and I don't remember Triumphant Journey. Not a single second of it. The only part of Juliet I can remember is the closer and only because it's so common. Yet I can recount all of 08 and 10 off the top of my head. Phantom's just been flatlining for me lately, and it's very disappointing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
year1buick Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 As for Don Hill's writing, well, I was pretty excited when rumors were going around that he was fired after last year. Is it too much to hope for Jim Wren to come in and massage the brass book a little? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poprocks Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 (edited) I whole-heartedly agree. Phantom is too locked into Romantic-era music and heavy-handed theatrics. I would love to see another 2004-type show from Phantom, when they performed Astor Piazzola's "Nuevo Tango" music. The production was evocative, subtle and graceful, that is, the very antithesis of a typical Phantom show. Sadly, the Piazzolla show was an anomaly. JD even said in a podcast (after the 2012 season, I think) that the 04 show was one of his favorite/most challenging books he'd written, but it wasn't well received for awhile because it was so out of character for Regiment. So they basically never tried again. Edited June 11, 2014 by poprocks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quietcity Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 JD even said in a podcast (in 2012, I think) that the 04 show was one of his favorite/most challenging books he'd written, but it wasn't well received for awhile because it was so out of character for Regiment. So they badically never tried again. What a strange attitude they have. Phantom explores a different style, and even though it is successful artistically, they scurry back to the tried-and-true once they get some resistance to the change. Blue Devils experiment with different styles all the time. Some of these styles work, some don't, but in the process, BD takes genuine artistic risks. I don't always enjoy a BD show, but I respect the hell out of them, as they are willing to push boundaries like no one else. Hate to say it, but Phantom has a very mid-western mind-set, and I say that as a mid-westerner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaos001 Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 (edited) JD even said in a podcast (after the 2012 season, I think) that the 04 show was one of his favorite/most challenging books he'd written, but it wasn't well received for awhile because it was so out of character for Regiment. So they basically never tried again. he also got a lot of flack for '10 from the old hens. I'm sorry, I was merely pointing out that a show can drastically change to cut out chopiness over the course of a season. Hill has absolutely nothing on Shaw i wholeheartedly agree. i also wanted to point out the stark contrast in abilities. i know we all probably need to have a wait and see approach with how things turn out (lord knows i'm trying), but don't forget the number one predictor of success is ability...and in the world of pageantry, ability begins with the designers. Edited June 11, 2014 by chaos001 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sutasaurus Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 JD even said in a podcast (in 2012, I think) that the 04 show was one of his favorite/most challenging books he'd written, but it wasn't well received for awhile because it was so out of character for Regiment. So they badically never tried again. The Piazzolla show was a major departure for the corps and because of that, it did not fare well with the judges. While Rhapsody was yet another not your typical Regiment offering though well designed, it didn't get a lot of love. So when they tried something like Faust, it clicked. If I recall correctly, Faust did not start the season off with a bang. Rather than the corps take the season off and wait for a vehicle that's more to your immediate liking, let them play out the season work on transitions and tweeks to the music. You might be pleasantly surprised. But then again a few folks will not be, no matter what. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWilliams Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 And another thing. Someone mentioned there are over 100 rookies. Doesn't this speak volumes for where the corps has been headed for last several years. This statistic should never happen to a corps like PR. What does being a rookie have to do with anything, if you have as much or more skill then a Veteran? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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