Jeff Ream Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Review to come in bits and pieces as job and real life allow. Great stadium, and like any project Amy Snook is involved in, run extremely well...and I'm not just saying that because I get great seats! Parking always good, especially as every year I seem to get here at the last minute! But then again, I did leave a family reunion with steamed crabs for the show, so being a smidge tardy is ok. God....the poor world..all of the east coast Reams in one place! Marines Silent drill team....amazing as always! 10.5 pound rifles with bayonets....not me man! I did love seeing the picture of Amy posing with them on Facebook. yeah she smiled a little! great laugh walking up the steps as the panel was announced....knew every one of them. I can only imagine that pre-contest meeting was a riot! more to come!~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Windish Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Well, let's get it on, Jeff! I want to know exactly who will win the DCA Championship this year. BEFORE Labor Day Weekend! (same request to Big W). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted July 27, 2015 Author Share Posted July 27, 2015 Well, let's get it on, Jeff! I want to know exactly who will win the DCA Championship this year. BEFORE Labor Day Weekend! (same request to Big W). As I won't see all of the contenders til they hit my tv screen on Labor Day weekend, I can only predict whoever scores highest will win. now back to mortgage land Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajlisko Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Actually Fred, no one will win DCA BEFORE Labor Day weekend since the show is held ON DCA weekend ... c'mon now, you've been around long enough to know that! :-) Well, let's get it on, Jeff! I want to know exactly who will win the DCA Championship this year. BEFORE Labor Day Weekend! (same request to Big W). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted July 27, 2015 Author Share Posted July 27, 2015 ok: Excelsior "Destination 'U'"Stay With Me (Sam Smith), Maps (Maroon 5), Payphone (Maroon 5), I Just Can't Stop Loving You (Michael Jackson), Signed, Sealed, Delivered (Stevie Wonder) Link wise choices for a small corps...popular music that many generations will know. Show starts off with the pit, and a synth run through a small system, so clarity not what it could be. Nice build into the hit with an expanded guard framing the corps with gold flags. The Maroon 5 piece starts with a nice percussion groove, and the brass is kept in the pocket with rotating forms. Some trae offs within the sections happen, building to a climax with the brass upfront, followed by percussion and guard. The drum solo starts with a vocal clip of a phone call with some good work by each section, but there is some player to player balance issues, as well as some staging moments that do not help, such as snares and tenors blocking bass drums during their feature. When the brass re-enters with a slow push forward, even after a break in playing there is some ensemble balance issues. the ballad starts with a slow and pretty brass moment that builds to a big push, complimented nicely by some full corps body work. Steve Wonder is in the house to start wrapping things up, but brass stamina issues really start to set in. Also, given the size of the sections, several staging moments are causing minor tempo tugs or some serious balance issues. When your battery is as big as your brass, putting them on opposite sides of the 50 is a HUGE gamble, and right now, it's not paying off. That said....improved since last year. There's work to do, and this late in the summer, I'm not sure how much of the drill can be changed. Still unsure why one soprano is pitted most of the show, as on a rough night, he stuck out in several ways that weren't helpful. The rest of the brass section seems really young, so while they grow, the key is getting the percussion to back down some with regards to the dynamics so the brass can have a fighting chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 (edited) Actually Fred, no one will win DCA BEFORE Labor Day weekend since the show is held ON DCA weekend ... c'mon now, you've been around long enough to know that! :-) LOL Andy!!! I'm sure there have been times when a given corps (or two or three) thought they had won the title before Labor Day weekend, only to have it not happen!!! Edited July 27, 2015 by Fran Haring 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Windish Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Ya mean it's NOT fixed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted July 28, 2015 Author Share Posted July 28, 2015 ok back to the review: after seeing their season debut rained out, the Skyliners presented "whatever Lola Wants". Noticably larger than last year and in attractive new uniforms, Sky definitely catches your eyes as they take the field. It appears not all of the battery was present, as well as some members were working their way in and out of the show parts they knew. This was an eyesore at times, but I'm sure it'll be corrected as time goes on. The show starts with the pit starting off music from West Side Story as the brass enters playing backfield....this built nicely to the turn and hit that showed they have some power! The tempo picked up with I believe music from the Pink Panther, and here we meet Lola, who stands out in her red dress. Some nice upper brass moments happened. The corps segues into a waltz feel featuring the mid voices,a nd here we see Lola getting what she wants as she steals flags from guard members. This was followed by a drum break with some performance issues, then the brass re-enteres on side 2 to finish the song. Aint No Sunshine featured a nice soprano quartet that built into the big hit which had the corps splitting the field then slowly condensing to the front and center stage for a nice long hold. At this point the Lola storyline got a little confusing...we see her looking at a map, and I guess she's looking to go to the big city of Scranton?? As I tried to figure this out, the next tune, Tonight Quintet started off with some nice traffic jam feeling moments traded around the field as Lola seems to be seeking directions, and this builds into the full on Tonight Quintet. There was a really nice push forward ala Cadets 84 ( no Zpull), and from there I got distratced by Lola getting her man to take a lot of notes on the music and visual ending the show. The upside....definitely bigger corps, and better. Still maintaining some Sky feel, but not just rehash....and I did appreciate the nod to the iconic Traffic Jam. The battery issues need to be addressed fast. There's so much they can do to enhance the other music captions. Some brass fatigue issues at the end...it was a hot day, and pretty much everyone had some. The corps is young, and it shows at times, but again, they're already better than last year. With first show jittersoutof the way and some serious cleaning...and some power at the end of the show...this could be really fun come Labor Day. Fully fleshing out the Lola storyline will also help! Bush...The Industrial Revolution starts with the corps in the pit area, and as the sound effects play creating the factory feel, the corps starts filing on the field to drop off their "time cards" to start the day. This is a cool idea, but it drags on too long and momentum is lost. However the salute is timed to the sound of a time card being punched "in", and we see the upper brass start us off then the mid voices, then percussion and boom away we go into the Robert W. Smith music. One issue I had as a viewer in several spots was quickly evident as more sound effects covered up musical moments, this time the brass. A very active rifle line was featured as well as many meter changes within the feet of the performers. Several small mini breaks featured the percussion, but at times the brass seemed reserved. A stellar bass drum section was featured, but again at times covered up by sound effects. This was followed by some good role playing by the brass conveying the "workers", and some creative cymbal sounds helped add to the feel. Tempered Steel was up next, feeling several beats a minute slower than it could be. Brass did project some really nice power here. The build to the end wasn't quite in sync with musical matching the visual velocity, but that can come in time.Nimrod starts off as a pretty ballad with a nice brass sextet, and the pit added some nice lush tones under the full brass ensemble as the song grew in volume. The corps turned backfield as the tempo kicked up, then the corps turns front trying to build the intensity, and some fatigue issues surfaced causing the velocity of the drill not to be fully matched to the music. A brief silent hold, most likely with guard and body enhancement to come builds to a nice push forward, but incomplete guard work hampers the effect. Another increase in tempo brings some serious movement, but the brass stamina issues hampered the ending from being as big as it can be in time. At this point the "quitting time" whistle blows, and we see and hear the end of the show. I've seen people down on the show, and at some points I get it. It's July 25th and guard work is incomplete. I realize it was a hot day for all performers, but at times it seems if the brass wants to be unleashed but are held back, and while i get the sound effects used, the timing of their appearance is confusing. I mean that bass line is smoking, and parts of thier feature is covered up. The show has potential, but I almost wonder if they're trying to be too deep, and instead need to work on getting performance levels up.The recap shows there's some serious gaps between performer and book in almost every caption.....I don't think sound effects covering music, incomplete guard work and the brass being mezzo forte for a major portion of the show help. Bumping Tempered Steel up a few clicks on the dr. Beat would also help take the song to a whole new level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted July 28, 2015 Author Share Posted July 28, 2015 Next up were the White Sabers with Incantation, Ritual and Dance.Following their design style of the last few years, WS starts backfield under a bari soloist, and builds to a nice hit, featuring the guard on side 2. The baris are featured next followed by a musical drum break, and the tempo picks up leading to the end of the tune. The basses start off the next tune which builds in intensity into the Rite of Spring with some nice weapons work up front, followed by a really musical, but still slightly dirty drum break with a ton of body work and dynamic shaping to match. man when that's clean it'll be tasty beat city. After the drum break, the guard sacrifices someone...not sure, the story line was lost in transition. The pit starts off the Morissette tune Univited, which builds to a teaser hit, then a soprano duet that builds to the big hit...the way they have the corps and guard integrated and staged, it makes the corps appear HUGE! The perc enters to take us into Bacchnale ( no jungle sticks?) with some nice high brass/low brass tradeoffs. The obligatory slow push then sees the tempo take off with some nice velocity in the drill, but again, some fatigue held the ending back from truly going where it can. My problem was with the corps going into Open Class, i expected a lot more...and after 30 seconds, i forced myself to stop being super critic and enjoy the show, which has many good things happening. It appeared there were a few brass holes, so these need filled in, and it appeared some guard work is yet to come. I'm always amazed at how musical their battery is given their size relative to the brass line, and here they may have truly outdone themselves. A finals spot is all but a lock at this point, now it's a matter of cleaning and maxing out the bigs to truly take this show to the next level. And then, it got interesting. A very large Cadets2 corps took the field in their white uniforms, which made them look HUGE! With the guard in red, it worked very weel before they played a note of "the Red Square". Easily the most prepared C2 has ever been at this show, they let it be known they aren't just happy to be here. A staff member said with the heat it was a rough day at rehearsal, but the break recharged many batteries out there. The "Red Army" enters under winter sound effects, and we start the always haunting uptempo build of Russian Christmas Music...and check out that tympani player! We finally arrive at the big hit with a huge form and a lot of power. Remember in past years the guard being a weak spot? Not now! The tempo and volume softens with the pit leading us into a backfield moment for the classic slow push, and then boom, the uptemp ending we all know and love...just needs a touch more brass volume. The Lullaby starts with the pit into a baritone solo, and the corps breaks off into twos, with the guard integrated with purplish/red flags that look great against the corps white uniforms. This leads to a mello solo as the 2's slowly merge in a form playing backfield for a really pretty ending. Dance of the Tumblers starts with the huge battery, and while the brass gets their licks in, this is all about the percussion section, which just needs to tighten up the performance when they do the body work. Russian Sailors Dance closes the show out with some brisk tempos and trade offs in the brass, followed by the build to the end with both small and large rotating forms that build to the last few sets of drill. c2 isn't just a feeder corps any more, and while they have some work to do, for the first time in their history I feel it's all achievable. a few holes out there, but nothing like the past. The guard won on the night, which if you think about what that really says about the current staff....wow. When the brass gets their legs under them.....oh boy. Can they win? I dunno, I won't see other contenders in person. Can they make things fun? Sure can. Ladies and gents, C2 is definitely a show to catch! rest tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted July 28, 2015 Author Share Posted July 28, 2015 the Hurricanes brought "After Hours" to the field. With pit out on the field off on side 2, the corps starts off with a nice swing feel as the guard plays and dances around the tables set up on side 1. The Setzer tune built nicely into a hold before we kicked off into Nutville. The smaller hornline had some issues lining up the walking feel of the contras with some of the syncopated rhythms of the upper brass voices, and the battery does their best to hold things together at a relatively safe tempo. The soprano soloist was spot on, but there seemed to be some fatigue from the rest of the brass. Harlem Nocturne again featured some strong soprano solo work, as we see the brass work their way into the tables area. The corps followed with a really well done "down and dirty" section, which brought the tune to life. As the corps kicked into Jump/Jive, the active weapon line was featured up front doing some really strong work. The percussion was also featured, doing some nice work with the swing feel, and the show closed with an ending recapping all of the songs, To me the show just felt....safe. no groove truly locked in, some fatigue...missing a bass?.....The sop soloist is his usual outstanding self, but the corps as a whole isn't interpreting the charts as he is, and outside of the down and dirty section of Nocturne, none of the charts truly came to life. I'm not saying they need a super deep concept....I am A ok with good old jazz drum corps shows. But I never truly felt the performers were communicating that feel to the crowd. With Bush creeping closer, the Hurcs need to get busy on feeling jazz, not just playing jazz. and then came the hometown team, the Bucs. Clue#1 you're in for something different is the groove track playing over the sound system. Clue#2 is hearing Fran Haring's voice coming out of the sound system for a pre-recorded and spot on timed introduction. While this is going on, the corps sets the opening form under the pit playing, and up front you have to watch the cymbals...holy feature lids! The full corps enters big timed perfectly to Frans recording. Fran if they win, you should get a ring LOL. I'm not going to list all of the songs that you hear...it's really cool how "twist it' twists songs in and out of each other....if you listen you hear classics of Bucs recent past integrated with the songs listed in the program.....the best reaction IMO was for Adagio for Strings making a brief appearance in the ballad. Speaking of the ballad.....wow. moonlight Sonata sings, and the battery drops the drums to do body with the guard on side 2. The brass pushes down front on side 1 for the appearance of Adagio...and add a horn pop and that will be so sweet. The pit picks up the tempo, and hey...in the Philly Region, you're going to get a good response when you kick into Gonna Fly Now. It's the region's national anthem! This featured a well done percussion break, and when the brass comes flying back in, it's a show stealing moment. The pace slows a bit with the pit, then we gallop off with William tell, some barber of Seville, another drum break, then boom...a company front for William Tell...that turns backfield and plays App Spring! To follow that we turn back around front, layer in voices and melodies recapping the show. There you have it, typos and all. #### real world keeps getting in the way of drum corps reviews! Upside...yes please. During their incredible run of losing less than 10 total shows since 2005, if one criticism leveled at the Bucs by some fans, it was that they were too serious. This show is fun! The guard is in eye catching uniforms, but has to get some work done to catch up to C2. brass still has room to unleash the hounds to another level, and this is easily the best electronics integration of the night. Can they be beaten? I guess we'll find out when they see Cabs again and meet up with MBI, and C2 is lurking not far behind. But will they entertain even some of the stodgiest fans of the circuit? Yes, they will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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