JFitz19 Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 I attended Boston’s standstill performance at Post Office Square in Boston tonight, and I’m glad I did. The Crusaders were very generous with their time and music, playing for a full hour. Plus those of us who arrived early were able to hear an additional half hour of warm-ups. The new uniforms look elegant and should work well on the field. The brass sounded great and was very competent in all sections, with the lower voices particularly impressive. The battery sounded clean and the pit was playing a lot of notes very well. I am not a brass or percussion expert, so I cannot comment on the difficulty of what was being played, but the brass book sounded plenty difficult. They opened up with their parade tune, IIRC, from A Few Good Men, and then played their 2012 opener, The Titans, followed by a Dropkick Murphys tune and Conquest. Then they played the full show and the corps song Giant. They finished out the performance by repeating the entire 2014 show, Giant and the Dropkick Murphys tune. How about that! I have not been a fan of the Crusaders’ musical choices and programming efforts the last several years, but this year they surprised me in a good way. The show is in six sections, and the music, it was explained, is primarily Russian orchestral music. I did not recognize any of the orchestral music. However, quotes of more familiar music are mixed in, including Old McDonald, Oh My Darlin’ Clementine and Meadowlands. The show also includes a long quote from Conquest. However, it is a quite different version. If you like how The Cadets played Doxology in 2011,you will like this version of Conquest. There was no request for secrecy, so I assume it is fine to mention these titles. There was also no inclusion or mention of narration. IMHO the Crusaders have achieved a new level of sophistication and organic flow with this show. I was impressed. It is a dark show, but it is not dreary. It is very percussive and there are a lot of changes in tempo and volume and a lovely ballad they are calling The Boxer, after a character in Animal Farm. The show holds together very well. It is also accessible to the untrained ear (like mine). Depending on the visual, it should sell well, and I think the judges will warm to it. This could be the best Boston Crusaders yet. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumManTx Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 I attended Boston’s standstill performance at Post Office Square in Boston tonight, and I’m glad I did. The Crusaders were very generous with their time and music, playing for a full hour. Plus those of us who arrived early were able to hear an additional half hour of warm-ups. The new uniforms look elegant and should work well on the field. The brass sounded great and was very competent in all sections, with the lower voices particularly impressive. The battery sounded clean and the pit was playing a lot of notes very well. I am not a brass or percussion expert, so I cannot comment on the difficulty of what was being played, but the brass book sounded plenty difficult. They opened up with their parade tune, IIRC, from A Few Good Men, and then played their 2012 opener, The Titans, followed by a Dropkick Murphys tune and Conquest. Then they played the full show and the corps song Giant. They finished out the performance by repeating the entire 2014 show, Giant and the Dropkick Murphys tune. How about that! I have not been a fan of the Crusaders’ musical choices and programming efforts the last several years, but this year they surprised me in a good way. The show is in six sections, and the music, it was explained, is primarily Russian orchestral music. I did not recognize any of the orchestral music. However, quotes of more familiar music are mixed in, including Old McDonald, Oh My Darlin’ Clementine and Meadowlands. The show also includes a long quote from Conquest. However, it is a quite different version. If you like how The Cadets played Doxology in 2011,you will like this version of Conquest. There was no request for secrecy, so I assume it is fine to mention these titles. There was also no inclusion or mention of narration. IMHO the Crusaders have achieved a new level of sophistication and organic flow with this show. I was impressed. It is a dark show, but it is not dreary. It is very percussive and there are a lot of changes in tempo and volume and a lovely ballad they are calling The Boxer, after a character in Animal Farm. The show holds together very well. It is also accessible to the untrained ear (like mine). Depending on the visual, it should sell well, and I think the judges will warm to it. This could be the best Boston Crusaders yet. Thank you for the thoughts! Much appreciated, very excited based on what you said. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cappybara Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 I attended Bostons standstill performance at Post Office Square in Boston tonight, and Im glad I did. The Crusaders were very generous with their time and music, playing for a full hour. Plus those of us who arrived early were able to hear an additional half hour of warm-ups. The new uniforms look elegant and should work well on the field. The brass sounded great and was very competent in all sections, with the lower voices particularly impressive. The battery sounded clean and the pit was playing a lot of notes very well. I am not a brass or percussion expert, so I cannot comment on the difficulty of what was being played, but the brass book sounded plenty difficult. They opened up with their parade tune, IIRC, from A Few Good Men, and then played their 2012 opener, The Titans, followed by a Dropkick Murphys tune and Conquest. Then they played the full show and the corps song Giant. They finished out the performance by repeating the entire 2014 show, Giant and the Dropkick Murphys tune. How about that! I have not been a fan of the Crusaders musical choices and programming efforts the last several years, but this year they surprised me in a good way. The show is in six sections, and the music, it was explained, is primarily Russian orchestral music. I did not recognize any of the orchestral music. However, quotes of more familiar music are mixed in, including Old McDonald, Oh My Darlin Clementine and Meadowlands. The show also includes a long quote from Conquest. However, it is a quite different version. If you like how The Cadets played Doxology in 2011,you will like this version of Conquest. There was no request for secrecy, so I assume it is fine to mention these titles. There was also no inclusion or mention of narration. IMHO the Crusaders have achieved a new level of sophistication and organic flow with this show. I was impressed. It is a dark show, but it is not dreary. It is very percussive and there are a lot of changes in tempo and volume and a lovely ballad they are calling The Boxer, after a character in Animal Farm. The show holds together very well. It is also accessible to the untrained ear (like mine). Depending on the visual, it should sell well, and I think the judges will warm to it. This could be the best Boston Crusaders yet. A bit confused. You meant specific quotes but then say there isn't any narration... Which one is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Thanks for sharing. Its appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumManTx Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 A bit confused. You meant specific quotes but then say there isn't any narration... Which one is it? I believe he meant quotes to other pieces of music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liahona Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 I attended Boston’s standstill performance at Post Office Square in Boston tonight, and I’m glad I did. The Crusaders were very generous with their time and music, playing for a full hour. Plus those of us who arrived early were able to hear an additional half hour of warm-ups. The new uniforms look elegant and should work well on the field. The brass sounded great and was very competent in all sections, with the lower voices particularly impressive. The battery sounded clean and the pit was playing a lot of notes very well. I am not a brass or percussion expert, so I cannot comment on the difficulty of what was being played, but the brass book sounded plenty difficult. They opened up with their parade tune, IIRC, from A Few Good Men, and then played their 2012 opener, The Titans, followed by a Dropkick Murphys tune and Conquest. Then they played the full show and the corps song Giant. They finished out the performance by repeating the entire 2014 show, Giant and the Dropkick Murphys tune. How about that! I have not been a fan of the Crusaders’ musical choices and programming efforts the last several years, but this year they surprised me in a good way. The show is in six sections, and the music, it was explained, is primarily Russian orchestral music. I did not recognize any of the orchestral music. However, quotes of more familiar music are mixed in, including Old McDonald, Oh My Darlin’ Clementine and Meadowlands. The show also includes a long quote from Conquest. However, it is a quite different version. If you like how The Cadets played Doxology in 2011,you will like this version of Conquest. There was no request for secrecy, so I assume it is fine to mention these titles. There was also no inclusion or mention of narration. IMHO the Crusaders have achieved a new level of sophistication and organic flow with this show. I was impressed. It is a dark show, but it is not dreary. It is very percussive and there are a lot of changes in tempo and volume and a lovely ballad they are calling The Boxer, after a character in Animal Farm. The show holds together very well. It is also accessible to the untrained ear (like mine). Depending on the visual, it should sell well, and I think the judges will warm to it. This could be the best Boston Crusaders yet. What a awesome review! Thank you so much... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigadier80 Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 I just got back from the BAC concert in the park. My first impressions are that they sounded wonderful which in part had to do with me standing 3 feet away from them and of course they not moving. Brass line seemed a bit smaller than previous years. I think I counted around a dozen tuba's. Volume was good although not up to 2010 levels (their ballad that year produced a wall of sound). Last year I really wanted more brass impacts. Anyway, This probably translates into another huge guard similar to last year. The new uniforms are attractive but even just 10 feet away waldo fades away quickly. Similar to last year they are weaving together 'scenes' that contain original music (the ballad is all original) and sampling other familiar pieces (The Great Gate of Keiv (I think) Old MacDonald had a farm). At one point the lower brass does a fair imitation of grunting pigs. They have definitely moved away from traditional programming like they did in 2012. It is debatable whether this is good or not. But they certainly are not the only corps doing this (thanks BD !) Last years show left me a bit cold. Without visuals trying to link some of the scenes together was difficult. Tempo's were pretty aggressive. The 'Animal Farm' theme was evident thru some of the aforementioned sampling. Their director mentioned that the ballad is named after one of the donkey's in the book and is quite haunting. I have listened to the entire show on my IPhone several times already and found the music exciting and accessible but certainly not ground breaking. I found myself thinking about some possible visual's that might accompany the music. The director mentioned that much work had been done creating the final piece by sampling themes from the other scenes. I am not sure if I picked all of that up. I did pick up a sampling of "Conquest' which sounded pretty much like it did when they used in in 2010.Ending was pretty abrupt which is expected for June. Thankfully this year they have a new visual designer which they needed after last years mediocre design. I am definitely excited to see the entire package that Cinema event. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Thanks for sharing your thoughts as well. Its also appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craiga Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 They have 72 brass plus alternates (the same size as last year) and 42 guard plus alts. Battery is 9-5-5. Usual size front ensemble and 4 conductors total. 156 members at present (inc alts). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 (edited) Boston decided to go out with 72 brass last season and a larger Guard. 'looks like they have decided to do the same with that in section numbers this season. BAC's strongest section last year was their Guard ( finished 6th at Finals ), so it looks like the 40+ numbers for their Guard will be again what they will be performing with.( This is the largest Guard again In DCI, it would appear. ) Edited June 13, 2014 by BRASSO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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