Most difficult shows

[fsubone]

2007 Cavaliers is insane visually.

And such an under-appreciated show. Probably because it occurred between two of their best shows in Machine and Samurai

Most difficult goes in many different directions. Crown the last two years have had some of the most dense brass books I've ever heard, same with Star in the early 90s. But difficulty isn't just density of the book. I'd throw SCV '09 into the mix, as trying to keep the volume low and the music tight and clean is a huge challenge, or BD the last few years with those tall chords and exposed sections.

Visually, Cadets and Cavaliers always seem to have the most difficult shows, although the opening section of Bluecoats this year was one of those moments I was blown away by, and couldn't understand how they did it.

Edited February 24, 2014 by fsubone

[fsubone]

Visually, 2009 Vanguard blows me away. Until the ending, there are almost no sets on a horizontal plane. Every set is at an odd angle...had to be rough learning and cleaning those sets.

Z

That is a great show from every angle. Pete Weber really found a way to perfectly marry the visual and musical sections. Long, flowing curves everywhere that complimented the lines exactly.

[George Dixon]

For the modern era that's what I was going to say, 2013 appeared to be a notch or two easier visually, but it also cleaned MUCH better than 2012 which was just insane.

way more than a "Notch or two" easier and IMO it wasn't any cleaner visually - other than the guard - which was cleaner. Those unis in 2013 hid a ton of dirt, and the drum line was dirtier at finals than 2012 - both musically and visually. IMO.

[George Dixon]

I'm not so sure about 2013 being only a notch or two easier, or even really THAT much cleaner, though the uniform did help with that. 2012 Crown is probably the hardest drill and body movement a corps has attempted (in certain aspects), and certainly showed everyone the limits of being that good in both brass and visual. But that show, while visually harder, wasn't designed as well as 2013. Also 2013 was pretty middle of the road difficulty visually (if anything i'd say shows peaked in sheer difficulty mid-2000s). They had an opener (sort of opener) and closer where they moved (for half of it) and that was kind of it, a walking drum break and ballad. Also Sprach outro (the last drill move of the show, the last thing, as a drill writer, you want your audience to remember) was an awkward half time baby step from a blob shape to an ill-shaped crown shape. Cadets shows any given year on pacing alone will usually be the hardest shows.

Crown's brass book was probably the densest and cleanest any corps has done, but nothing a corps hasn't done before. It was mostly variations on a Bb scale and multiple corps have done the technique runs they've done. From the videos on youtube it's also apparent they play every lick multiple times in a show warm up. Take the first little run of "Rocky Point Holiday", have your trumpets in two groups and play it alternately and you get that show's main musical effect. That squiggly run is the same lick three times and not everyone plays, the bird and bela runs lasted longer and sounded harder. Crown's writers are really good at making it flashy and wow-pizzazzing you and most people have fallen for it very very hard. But it really is one for the books.

wow - great post

I agree. Well said.

[theCHEZman]

Crown 2012 was a much more demanding show than Crown 2013. I think 2013 was smarter but certainly not as difficult. And lets admit it, dark pants mask a huge amount of visual dirt vs cream so I am not sure if Crown was actually cleaner or just harder to pick up the dirt. In any case, their design team made smart changes and it paid off.

Edited February 24, 2014 by newjerseycorpguy

[IllianaLancerContra]

i would like to see any of today's guards attempt the work done by the 1980 27th Lancers.

[Lincoln]

1991 Cadets - ABCs of Modern American Music

[RContra]

i would like to see any of today's guards attempt the work done by the 1980 27th Lancers.

Just watched that show. Don't think it would be too much of a problem.

I'd like to see the 1980 27th guard attempt some modern BD books.

[BRASSO]

I'd like to see the 1980 27th guard attempt some modern BD books.

I think they'd sit in a chair WAY better than BD. They've had WAY more practice in this of late than BD has.

Edited February 26, 2014 by BRASSO

[RContra]

I think they'd sit in a chair WAY better than BD. They've had WAY more practice in this of late than BD has.

Funny, but seriously watch their guard from 99-present. I'm generally a BD hater, but their guard has had some SICK books in the last 15 years. Watch 99. Watch 03. The list goes on and on.