kaseyW Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Just back from the show. Will write a combined Dublin-Erie review tomorrow. Madison was hot, but Blue Knights were on fire. I was sitting very low--even lower than Madison's drum major, who conducted their show from the stands--and, while I still find BK's narration annoying, in their blast zone I was just melting in beautiful music and it was clear they would break 90. Well luckily annoyances don't affect scores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Matczak Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 (edited) Just back from the show. Will write a combined Dublin-Erie review tomorrow. Madison was hot, but Blue Knights were on fire. I was sitting very low--even lower than Madison's drum major, who conducted their show from the stands--and, while I still find BK's narration annoying, in their blast zone I was just melting in beautiful music and it was clear they would break 90. Hey Brigand,............sorry that again our paths did not cross,....... I have some simple comments about the event, and corps that I had the opportunity to view from my seat. no offence to the earlier performers, I was many duties to tend to prior to the show, and for the first half up until intermission. Weather - couldn't get much better for the performers and the fans. After seeing horiffic forecasts during the lead up to the show, the cool, crisp, clear conditions were perfect!!!! Venue - Epic, and tho I live here in Erie, I have not been to too many places in my nearlly 50 years of attending shows that are as acoustically pleasing, and fan friendly, you can't get much closer to the action than Veterans Stadium here in Erie. The closest comparrison I can even think of at this moment is the old DCA championship venue in Rochester - St. Thomas Aquinas Stadium Crusaders - LOVE the uniforms, what an awesome look, as an Edgar Poe fan, I was really struck by the interpretation, and while I am a DC traditionalist, I couldn't help loving the girl on violin and how appropriate it felt in the scoring - BEAUTIFUL!!! Troopers - True Americana, thank you, thank you, thank you, fans on their feet cheering their brains out for tha last two minutes, I cried tears of joy. Fred Morris (who got his start as an Erie THunderbird) knows has to get to Joe Lunchbucket, and the traditional drum corps fan, I actually lost my breath, and colapsed into my seat after that performance. WOW! Blue Knights - Holy Crap! what a sound! Battery was FANTASTIC, non stop action from the entire corps, there was no more paint to peel off the walls, JIMINY CHRISTMAS that was loud and clean to my ears. Scouts - I wished I could have gotten more out of Fanfare for the New, excelent balance between the relatively small battery with the rest of the corps, pit (rhythm section) felt so close to a jazz bass, piano and drums, trombone feature and soli was pretty sweet, even tho I still am not comfortable with the whole bone thing, solo sops were ###### good, and grabbed me and the other traditionalists that were in the house. Kenton and corps to the extreme - Great show fellas!, I did my best to congratulate each member as they left the stadium, the boy scouts swung pretty friggin' hard! Edited July 30, 2014 by Gary Matczak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv4corps Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Venue - Epic, and tho I live here in Erie, I have not been to too many places in my nearlly 50 years of attending shows that are as acoustically pleasing, and fan friendly, you can't get much closer to the action than Veterans Stadium here in Erie. The closest comparrison I can even think of at this moment is the old DCA championship venue in Rochester - St. Thomas Aquinas Stadium I have venue and coast envy right now. I live in Portland, Oregon and we get our one show here at the absolute beginning of the season and then all the corps clear out of the west entirely and head east, where you fans get multiple show ops PLUS the advantage of seeing the more polished shows. This venue looks like an absolute winner from the pics I've seen. And who doesn't love to see their kid warming up with his section in someone's front yard? Absolutely priceless. Love the strong drum corps tradition you have in the east. I think out west if a drumline warmed up in someone's yard the police would be summoned... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Matczak Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 This venue looks like an absolute winner from the pics I've seen. And who doesn't love to see their kid warming up with his section in someone's front yard? Absolutely priceless. Love the strong drum corps tradition you have in the east. I think out west if a drumline warmed up in someone's yard the police would be summoned... gotta share this after reading your post,.............about 20 years ago, my sister and I bought a 2 unit flat,......she lived downstairs and I live up,........It was litterally one block from this stadium,...........we lived for show day, as all the buses, trucks, cookies etc. were litteraly right out front, back, side, etc.,............one year on a downpour day we cooked off about 300 burgers and dogs for the cavaliers and scouts as they were on our lawn, porch, etc,...............they used our bathroom, showers, living room, etc,...........I would love to somehow, someday, connect with the young lads that we shared our homes with, just to laugh and re-tell the stories of that day,...........so very special to us,...............you simply cannot replace that memory 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precious Roy Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 So glad to hear this show is back at Vet Stadium. Saw many shows there back in my youth, which helped cultivate my love for the activity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavie74 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 gotta share this after reading your post,.............about 20 years ago, my sister and I bought a 2 unit flat,......she lived downstairs and I live up,........It was litterally one block from this stadium,...........we lived for show day, as all the buses, trucks, cookies etc. were litteraly right out front, back, side, etc.,............one year on a downpour day we cooked off about 300 burgers and dogs for the cavaliers and scouts as they were on our lawn, porch, etc,...............they used our bathroom, showers, living room, etc,...........I would love to somehow, someday, connect with the young lads that we shared our homes with, just to laugh and re-tell the stories of that day,...........so very special to us,...............you simply cannot replace that memory I posted this in the closed Cavalier Alumni facebook group. We'll see what pops up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Matczak Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 (edited) Awesome........... memory is cloudy,............I will get with my sister and try and zero in on the year,.......had to be late 80's early 90's tho,............ somewhere between say 87 -94,................Scouts battery rehearsed in the vacant lot next to our flat,.........Cavies brass was in the radiator shop lot across the street,............ Edited July 31, 2014 by Gary Matczak 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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