FTNK Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 My background: I marched 3 years of Div. 1/World Class, 2 at Capital Regiment (remember them?) and one at Cadets, a decade ago. Been going to at least one show a year in person since 2001, Fan Network subscriber yadda yadda. Played tuba, and I was always good at marching from my first step of high school band, so my focus is naturally on the visual and the hornline. Don’t expect a detailed discussion of a drumline’s inverse double jazzamacues, or much about percussion. Likewise with guard, I’m not terribly versed with the finer details. The show: Man, this place was slammed. Perhaps too successful for its own good. Really crowded concessions, etc. before the show. Senior citizens and clueless middle school band kids (they’re probably like seniors in high school, I can’t tell anymore) are not a good mix trying to get into tight bleachers. Phantom Regiment: I thought I had timed my pretzel purchase expedition perfectly, but then I realized they were on and I was stuck under the stands. I’m so sorry. I’ve been harsh on this show all summer, and I was looking forward to potentially being proven wrong; I was pleasantly surprised last year, for example. From what I could see…the back of the drum major looked majestic from the tunnel. Brass sounded good through the stands, I guess? I also saw a rifle spin through the air, and it went pretty high, so congratulations! Blue Knights: This is a mature, ambitious program for them, and I mean ambitious in a good way. It’s not constant, in your face DRUM CORPS, but it’s subtle and artistic and lovely. Vocal samples were a little too much for my taste. Some breakdowns in marching technique at higher step sizes. Brass had a lovely sonority and plenty of power, setting the stage for a night of great brass performances. Trumpet and trombone back and forth in the ballad was fantastic, also setting the stage for killer solos all night. The ending with the mirrors and big, colorful flags was neato. Cavaliers: Pleasantly surprised by this show. At the theater in June, this was really rough, but has gained a ton of definition (as it should by the Monday of finals week, of course). Super technical brass book, and they are executing it pretty well. Tuba sound more “present” than BK from my perspective. Guard was more consistently integrated than Blue Knights. That classic Cavies bicycle step looked real good for the most part, and their marching in general seemed cleaner than BK’s. That trombone quartet, which some have criticized for harsh timbre, sounded good and funky to me; nice effect. “Run Boy Run” vocalist was even on point, and that section wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be; it was actually kinda good. The Cadets: I can’t enjoy watching my old team. I just want them to be so good, in every aspect, that I am hypercritical; so it goes. Please understand that my comments come from love and wanting them to be the best they can be. Sooo… They may have bitten off more than they can chew, cleaning-wise, with this show. There’s just so much constant velocity and demand. Saw a good amount of phasing, people edging into direction changes too early, breakdowns of individual technique, etc. Lots of little things, like body movement, seemed a little stiff, sloppy and/or ill-defined; I think they should hire a movement specialist for the hornline. Looking at the recaps, they won visual analysis and visual proficiency, so what do I know? Good to see they’re being rewarded for demand. I wish I had seen this show in the old uniforms to decide whether the all black is good or not; my feeling is that yes, they do lose a lot of definition as many have said. Brass has a lot of power and proficiency, with a definite “edge,” and constant demand as well. The drumline was absolutely fantastic! Much easier to tell generally in person, and they were killing it with some insane stuff, even I could tell. Crowd was on its feet at the BEGINNING of the Z-pull; best closer of the night. My issue with the show design is that compared to other shows, it’s a lot of the same “flavor” or emotion or effect: intense, frenetic energy. The opener is all about that, then the ballad is kinda…there, and then the last 2 productions are back to intensity. Other corps’ programs evoke, at turns, melancholy, reflection, wonder. They may not constantly hit you with intensity and demand, but they have these clever or pensive or graceful moments; I’d like to see more of that from this design team. The number 10 is a really weak theme and the more they slam it into your head, the more that becomes apparent. I’m rambling, so my final thought is: those green platforms look kinda terrible, especially now with the aluminum tape highlighting some of the numbers on them; amateurish. Carolina Crown: Holy moly. This corps can perform! Opening super-exposed brass attacks were right on. Actually, all of their brass attacks were right on; no one articulates like Crown. Color guard is absolutely SNAILING IT and taking names; I’m not a guard person, as I said, but they demand your attention with their aggressive style and sky-high execution levels. The entire corps moves so impeccably well; every gesture, step, and bit of added body/leg motion looks effortless and so coordinated. Tight-fitting pants seem to help as well, I think they’re the way to go. The best part about their movement program is it never seemed unnatural or tacked on; Cadets, take note. I got a kick out of just watching their legs and seeing what little bits of expression they added throughout the show. Drumline got really fuzzy at points, I’m sorry to say. Big big props to the flugelhorn soloist. Can they win? Most probably! Will they win? I have no idea. SCV: This show hasn’t really connected with me online, but it definitely did in person. So many lovely little moments. Loved the synthesized piano opening. Great use of electronics. Ballad with baritone soloist is aaaaawesooooome, such a fantastic vibe. I love that they incorporated Tesla’s love for pigeons into the flags! I couldn’t believe it when I realized that. I could use more field coverage from the drill, which is otherwise mesmerizing. Brass sounded great and powerful from where I was sitting. Drumline totally rocks for sure, it’ll be a toss-up between them and Cadets. I just can’t get over how, well, INVENTIVE this show is. The ending with the LED lighting is cheesy, but it’s very effective cheese and it doesn’t really detract from the quality of the show. The crowd gasped in excitement! Best 5th place show ever? You bet. Bluecoats: Home show for them, lots of energy. Big, brassy sound from the hornline. This might not be the total genre-transforming show some people say it is, but it definitely (along with Vanguard) sets a new standard for use of electronics. One of the only examples where pre-recorded voice enhance They move extremely well, not quite at Crown’s level but getting there. Fantastic ballad. Ending seemed forced and a clear attempt to recapture the energy of the “Tilt” ending. I really like this show, and it’s performed extremely well, but after SCV entranced me it seemed less memorable; I’ve also seen it more times. Final thoughts: The quality of the soloists really stuck out as a highlight of the night. Some incredibly good playing from all of them. Also, big shout out to tuba features, from Cadets at the beginning of the closer to Cavies, Bluecoats at multiple moments, etc. OK, I’m out! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 (edited) Great review, on-point with everything, IMO, as I was at that show. Have your secretary type it up and send it to me, and I'll sign it. +++ I like that you gave your credentials at the beginning. I think that helps everybody to see your perspective. You are a very knowledgeable former MM which in my book gives you some expertise. I never marched DCI and I'm not affiliated with any corps, and we still saw a lot of the same things in the shows. As you said, you were hyper-critical about your Cadets. I think you were, too, maybe just a little. But still, you've got a good eye and know technically what to look for and I appreciate your perspective. +++ I hate the word "cheese" but it kind of fits describing Vanguard's light show, so I have to agree with you on that word reluctantly, as I liked the cheese. Maybe it was creme cheese, kind of sweet and gooey, you know, the kind that after you've had it, you want more. If SCV's show was a contender and they did this light trick, I think the DCP community would be all over them, well, like flies on creme cheese. Instead we'll just declare it kind of cool and different, and move on. Edited August 4, 2015 by wvu80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Dixon Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 thanks for the great review! much appreciated, wish I could have been there :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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