exitmusic Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 Seems as if you have a beef with GH or The Cadets in general. BD has been doing "weird" for 6 years, Crown has had the same "sound" for as long and hardly shook the visual world last season. The last championship show that was "Holy WoW" for me was probably any of the Cavies winning shows during their dominance. Cadets may have been a disappointment visually last year, but you can't deny it was a musical treat in composition and performed masterfully by both brass and percussion. Oh man, I loved 2013. The finals performance was incredible. I was on the 45, about 40 rows up. It was exactly what I like in a drum corps show, but competitively it would have been state of the art in 2003. If I have a "beef" with GH or the corps, it's that what I love most about the Cadets -- the "screw it, let's do it because no one else can" or ZIG ZIG ZAG attitude -- is long, long gone, in favor of whatever it is they are deciding to do these days. I mean, I loved 2013, but why are we playing music that has been done and MAXED OUT already?! The 2001 "quote" shirt said, "Faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." (Hunter S. Thompson) What happened to THAT corps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 lol! a friend of mine who marched Riley Raiders told me about the marching french horn from BITD, then pulled one out and let me play it. I don't remember if it was in G or not, but that thing was so gutsy. :-) "Gutsy." OK... we'll go with "gutsy." LOL Seriously... that was a great instrument to play in drum corps. Very, very challenging to get it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2000Cadet Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 Oh man, I loved 2013. The finals performance was incredible. I was on the 45, about 40 rows up. It was exactly what I like in a drum corps show, but competitively it would have been state of the art in 2003. If I have a "beef" with GH or the corps, it's that what I love most about the Cadets -- the "screw it, let's do it because no one else can" or ZIG ZIG ZAG attitude -- is long, long gone, in favor of whatever it is they are deciding to do these days. I mean, I loved 2013, but why are we playing music that has been done and MAXED OUT already?! The 2001 "quote" shirt said, "Faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." (Hunter S. Thompson) What happened to THAT corps? I can honestly see your point as there are times (many MANY times) where I wish Cadets would do more of what they're known to do. But I think in their eyes, it's more of a "we've done so much 'innovating' over the years, what more can we do?" Then again, this is my own opinion and I have absolutely no idea what they're thinking these days about how to create newish shows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 I can honestly see your point as there are times (many MANY times) where I wish Cadets would do more of what they're known to do. But I think in their eyes, it's more of a "we've done so much 'innovating' over the years, what more can we do?" Then again, this is my own opinion and I have absolutely no idea what they're thinking these days about how to create newish shows. although some of the best shows cadets have done have been remakes of old ones I think maybe sometimes people just get bored doing same ole same ole and need to experiment for their own sake. Usually every few years a show is produced that screams classic cadets and works for them but as good as some corps are sometimes people need to branch out and at least see or experiment with some new and different, even if it doesnt work at that moment. NOW, an audience or die hard's usually don't like this because we all get used to what we like and don't want to mess with it but imagine year after year after year after year trying to find yet another way to do the same type of thing. Sooner or later , no matter who likes it, it becomes very stale and not a great motivator to some. JMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaddyt Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 I can honestly see your point as there are times (many MANY times) where I wish Cadets would do more of what they're known to do. But I think in their eyes, it's more of a "we've done so much 'innovating' over the years, what more can we do?" Then again, this is my own opinion and I have absolutely no idea what they're thinking these days about how to create newish shows. I too have no clue how to make newish shows, as you say. But I have to agree with exit in that the Cadets had the market cornered in that area in the 80s and 90s. Nowadays, it seems like the planets need to be aligned perfectly in order for the design team to pull off something new. I don't know what more they can do, but I expect them to figure it out. It's the higher standard I hold them to, and I will continue to gripe about their lackluster designs because they've shown me what they're capable of and I know they can deliver. Hopkins has his faults, but he has his strengths as well. I will never question his passion or dedication to the corps or its members. But part of me can't help but think he's partially to blame for putting the corps in this box they can't seem to get out of. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2000Cadet Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 I too have no clue how to make newish shows, as you say. But I have to agree with exit in that the Cadets had the market cornered in that area in the 80s and 90s. Nowadays, it seems like the planets need to be aligned perfectly in order for the design team to pull off something new. I don't know what more they can do, but I expect them to figure it out. It's the higher standard I hold them to, and I will continue to gripe about their lackluster designs because they've shown me what they're capable of and I know they can deliver. Hopkins has his faults, but he has his strengths as well. I will never question his passion or dedication to the corps or its members. But part of me can't help but think he's partially to blame for putting the corps in this box they can't seem to get out of. Concert F is my favorite key signature....is what I have to say to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris ncsu Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 I have no idea what this paragraph means. Care to elaborate? Each of the 3 main sections of the show will have a main color, just like last year's show and many drum corps shows. The colors will be orange, blue, and dark gold. The colors will appear at least in the corps cummerbunds (apparently switching them out during the show), though you can expect silks and maybe guard unis to have the colors, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris ncsu Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Yeah, it's just my opinion. Not a groundbreaking concept or show. Against Crown 2013 or BD 2012, it's a distant, distant and very vanilla 3rd place. Mostly I'm sad that the Cadets used to be the ones pushing out the walls of what was possible and now they are content to keep playing the game as it existed ten years ago. They are in danger of becoming the group that everyone likes because they are "throwback." Aren't different opinions great? :-p For me, Angels & Demons ranks up there as one of the most perfectly designed shows in recent memory. To put that on the field, with the different unis and colors, with the ensemble demand, the drum battle, and one of the great building crescendo climax..was daring IMO, and is exactly what I expect from The Cadets. I think "pushing the envelope" is obviously subjective, and people can be guilty of viewing the past through rose-colored glasses. It's funny you mentioned a Cadets shirt from 2001 -- I have very fond memories of that show and year, but that show's only concept was "play whatever we want", and do it extremely well -- they did that, but it wasn't "pushing the walls off what was possible". What are YOUR examples of when Cadets did what you wanted them to do, after the 1980s Golden Era? I can see the arguments for 1991-1993, 1997-1998, 2000, 2005-2006, maybe 2007, 2011. 2012 was gutsy even if you don't like it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theCHEZman Posted April 1, 2014 Author Share Posted April 1, 2014 Between Angels and Demons was a very solid show that won. I come from the camp that if a show is written well, one will "get it" within the first few minutes. Not necessarily understand every nuance, but the "feel". Whether its about contrast, weirdness, darkness, lightness etc. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exitmusic Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Between Angels and Demons was a very solid show that won. I come from the camp that if a show is written well, one will "get it" within the first few minutes. Not necessarily understand every nuance, but the "feel". Whether its about contrast, weirdness, darkness, lightness etc. Yes, it was the very definition of "solid." I think "pushing the envelope" is obviously subjective, and people can be guilty of viewing the past through rose-colored glasses. It's funny you mentioned a Cadets shirt from 2001 -- I have very fond memories of that show and year, but that show's only concept was "play whatever we want", and do it extremely well -- they did that, but it wasn't "pushing the walls off what was possible". What are YOUR examples of when Cadets did what you wanted them to do, after the 1980s Golden Era? I can see the arguments for 1991-1993, 1997-1998, 2000, 2005-2006, maybe 2007, 2011. 2012 was gutsy even if you don't like it. 2001 was bonkers. So many notes and so many different styles. Cadets did "what I want them to do" in 91-93, 96-01, 05, 07 (but without the terrible narration). Between Angels and Demons was a very solid show that won. I come from the camp that if a show is written well, one will "get it" within the first few minutes. Not necessarily understand every nuance, but the "feel". Whether its about contrast, weirdness, darkness, lightness etc. Yes, that show was the very definition of "solid." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.