Too soon for SCV "Phantom of the Opera" reboot?

[perc2100]

Wasn't '92 Mr. Royer's last year as director of the corps? With what he helped bring to the corps and DCI, '92 was so appropriate. yeah,not what they thought when it came to placement, but it was quite a show. The Chava Ballet portion is absolutely beautiful and so well done as was the rest of the show.

There is something so appropriate about that year being his last with the corps. Fiddler on the Roof was a signature theme with them and I don't think anyone could make it as meaningful.

I remember hearing about his death and being so incredibly sad. To this day, SCV will always be affiliated with his memory.

That's true, and this show transcends placements, or even the standard "retread" show. That 92 show (ESPECIALLY in its early season version) was more of a tribute to the history of SCV. The judges seemed to not like it, so the show was tempered quite a bit at mid-season. I've heard many stories about that year, and I had the privilege/luck of seeing the first version of that show early. I only saw it once, and don't remember too much, but I remember vividly being really upset when I saw them later in the year with the huge changes. Seeing them Finals night (at my first DCI Finals) was awesome, dirt-and-all, and I will always have great memories of that show (and always be bummed that I don't have a video of the first version/early season of that show).

[quietcity]

That's true, and this show transcends placements, or even the standard "retread" show. That 92 show (ESPECIALLY in its early season version) was more of a tribute to the history of SCV. The judges seemed to not like it, so the show was tempered quite a bit at mid-season. I've heard many stories about that year, and I had the privilege/luck of seeing the first version of that show early. I only saw it once, and don't remember too much, but I remember vividly being really upset when I saw them later in the year with the huge changes. Seeing them Finals night (at my first DCI Finals) was awesome, dirt-and-all, and I will always have great memories of that show (and always be bummed that I don't have a video of the first version/early season of that show).

Your wish is YouTube's command. Here are a couple fragments of of SCV's 1992 show from early in the season, screechy trumpets and all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWGBwMtO7JI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAj9KSM87Go

And here is audio only from pre-change Pacific Procession (with wildly enthusiastic home crowd).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgsk3rSM1pc

[Lincoln]

Your wish is YouTube's command. Here are a couple fragments of of SCV's 1992 show from early in the season, screechy trumpets and all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWGBwMtO7JI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAj9KSM87Go

And here is audio only from pre-change Pacific Procession (with wildly enthusiastic home crowd).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgsk3rSM1pc

So what occurred in the original version that the judges didn't like? My memory is weak on this, but was the guard originally shown in original SCV uniforms (white boots and all) at the beginning of the season?

Personally I love Chava Ballet much more than Sunrise Sunset and am glad that it was the replacement for the prior.

[jjeffeory]

That's true, and this show transcends placements, or even the standard "retread" show. That 92 show (ESPECIALLY in its early season version) was more of a tribute to the history of SCV. The judges seemed to not like it, so the show was tempered quite a bit at mid-season. I've heard many stories about that year, and I had the privilege/luck of seeing the first version of that show early. I only saw it once, and don't remember too much, but I remember vividly being really upset when I saw them later in the year with the huge changes. Seeing them Finals night (at my first DCI Finals) was awesome, dirt-and-all, and I will always have great memories of that show (and always be bummed that I don't have a video of the first version/early season of that show).

Same here. I only read about all the problems in DCW. I saw them in Allentown and was blown away, but wished I could have seen the early season version. I think alot of it was guard related stuff too.

[Tim K]

I attributed the challenges of 1992 to three things. One was Gail Royer's retirement and the huge void that would create. Second, "Fiddler" was a good show, but not quite what SCV had done in the past. Second, it did not measure up to "Phantom" or even "Miss Saigon." It probably should have placed better, but only a spot or two higher, and may have been impacted by, forgive me for the terrible pun I can't resist: Tradition. Finally, "Fiddler" works well on stage and has emotional music, but in my opinion it does not translate well into drum corps as a total show. Bits and pieces work well, but not as a total package. Even with these observations, I do enjoy watching it.

[xandandl]

Don't see ANY corps doing Phantom of the Opera. Everyone wants to run at 220 bpm and sorry to say the music would suffer from visual killing the music book. Music has to breathe a little and we aren't seeing a lot of that. All you have to do is listen to any corps playing their old music. It's like a race to the finish with zero musicality or feeling.

One of the higher ranked open corps (Genesis?) has already announced they are doing so. I think they announced that here on DCP in late August.

[HornTeacher]

Don't see ANY corps doing Phantom of the Opera. Everyone wants to run at 220 bpm and sorry to say the music would suffer from visual killing the music book. Music has to breathe a little and we aren't seeing a lot of that. All you have to do is listen to any corps playing their old music. It's like a race to the finish with zero musicality or feeling.

Oh Lord...are you saying we'll soon hear Brandt Crocker intoning "Gentlemen...and Ladies...START YOUR DINKLES!!!"?