Hardest show ever - Cadets 2015?

[Tobias]

I have heard this sentiment from many who were at finals. Even die hard fans of other corps have told me they were shocked Cadets took 4th. But that's how it goes sometimes. Scores aside, The Cadets were truly amazing this year. I just could have done without the abundance of "10" related trivia. Best 4th place corps I've ever seen.

Agreed but maybe this is a blessing. I think Cadets would benefit from a small shakeup staff wise so this may be the impetus. Overall great season and Cadets did what we've been asking them to do for a long time.

[Tad_MMA]

I have to agree totally.

Other than Colin MacNutt, there is no one on the design team younger than about 45-50. They all are grandparenting age, AARP members, Geritol geezers like me, dinosoars!

Visual program has tended to be a re-cycling of past forms and processes for about the last six years. Like them, the design is tired. Only the musical was unique.

Adding the director's daughter, another yes person, to the list is not helpful as there has been no new blood, new insights, or new energies into the design experience in quite awhile.

The visual department suffered this year due to the ongoing absence of many of the usual personnel who have skills and experience with the cleaning.

P-Dunk, Prof DeGroff, the Ben, and Joe Roche all were missing in action for most of the tour due to excellent professional commitments and priorities from their life outside of drum corps. Many of the other usual staff are now on Coats viz staff. The younger team at Cadets viz did well for most of the season but lacked the finesse of how to clean for championships week. The black unis only compounded the problem by obliterating wonderful things the Cadets had mastered. The ballad work was almost not visible from the stands. This, even more than guard considerations, is where Cadets lost championships and medals in GE and viz captions.

Seriously, did J. Sacktig's mother hang a mobile over his crib with floating Xs? I know "X" is the Roman (which Shosty was certainly NOT) "10," but he's been humping that note since the end of Stonehenge. When I relive his 1995 and 1997 drills, I marvel at the organic way they flowed (read: G. Zingali). Tons of crossthroughs, features (based on music) and, best of all, unpredictability.

[JFitz19]

I also believe Cadets lost GE points for turning down the brass volume too much. I was sitting in Section 640 at Lucas Oil Stadium. My hearing is fine. However, you could not hear quite a bit of what the brass was playing throughout the show. It was very frustrating. Yes, it was the top section. However, I was in Row 3, and all 11 of the other finalist corps were louder. I can't help but believe that this has to have hurt GE2.

[xandandl]

I also believe Cadets lost GE points for turning down the brass volume too much. I was sitting in Section 640 at Lucas Oil Stadium. My hearing is fine. However, you could not hear quite a bit of what the brass was playing throughout the show. It was very frustrating. Yes, it was the top section. However, I was in Row 3, and all 11 of the other finalist corps were louder. I can't help but believe that this has to have hurt GE2.

You were evidently sitting not far from me in a row ahead. Section 640 often experiences that phenomenon with Cadets other seasons as well, most often due to the velocity of the corps' drill and the acoustical dynamics of LOS. While the corps was attempting to give its most polished performance, they did not "turn down the volume" per se although the energy of the musicians might have seemed lesser than the park and barks. And of course, the bells of the French horns are not front forward; in fact the musicians were on the oblique. Welcome to 640.

[JFitz19]

You were evidently sitting not far from me in a row ahead. Section 640 often experiences that phenomenon with Cadets other seasons as well, most often due to the velocity of the corps' drill and the acoustical dynamics of LOS. While the corps was attempting to give its most polished performance, they did not "turn down the volume" per se although the energy of the musicians might have seemed lesser than the park and barks. And of course, the bells of the French horns are not front forward; in fact the musicians were on the oblique. Welcome to 640.

Thanks for the comment. One question: I've been attending finals consecutively since 1989, and the phenomenon of the reduced volume at Finals is not a new one. It seems to have occurred many, but not all years, compared to early season volumes. One exception: In 2007 in the Rose Bowl the Cadets were plenty loud, and I was high up and far from the field (as all were in that stadium). Other years, not so much. So my question is, how much of the volume issue at LOS was attributable to the acoustics and how much to a possible decision by Cadets' staff to sacrifice volume for tone quality and dynamics?

[Cappybara]

Thanks for the comment. One question: I've been attending finals consecutively since 1989, and the phenomenon of the reduced volume at Finals is not a new one. It seems to have occurred many, but not all years, compared to early season volumes. One exception: In 2007 in the Rose Bowl the Cadets were plenty loud, and I was high up and far from the field (as all were in that stadium). Other years, not so much. So my question is, how much of the volume issue at LOS was attributable to the acoustics and how much to a possible decision by Cadets' staff to sacrifice volume for tone quality and dynamics?

I'll take tone quality and dynamics over volume any day.

[Tommeee]

When I relive his 1995 and 1997 drills, I marvel at the organic way they flowed (read: G. Zingali). Tons of crossthroughs, features (based on music) and, best of all, unpredictability.

I went back to my old videotape of 1997 yesterday, and I agree with you. LOADS of unpredictability and VARIETY of drill in the Cadets drill that year. From a visual effect standpoint, I'd say Cadets 1997 was stronger than 2015.

2015 was certainly a step in the right direction for the Cadets, in terms of more velocity and more notes. I'd like to see them hone those ideas going forward.

From an overall "difficulty" standpoint, it's hard to say if 2015 was the most difficult. But it certainly must be close. I will also name 1997 Cadets, 1990 and 1991 Star, just to mention a few.

[Lance]

The Cadets brass book was pretty much all sections exposed all the time.

Very few places where they'd play any type of chord for more than a half note.

As I said before, it's a credit to the individual performers that they got the volume they did, and I'm really glad the field brass judges consistently gave them credit.

[Hrothgar15]

Thanks for the comment. One question: I've been attending finals consecutively since 1989, and the phenomenon of the reduced volume at Finals is not a new one. It seems to have occurred many, but not all years, compared to early season volumes. One exception: In 2007 in the Rose Bowl the Cadets were plenty loud, and I was high up and far from the field (as all were in that stadium). Other years, not so much. So my question is, how much of the volume issue at LOS was attributable to the acoustics and how much to a possible decision by Cadets' staff to sacrifice volume for tone quality and dynamics?

Cadets were definitely softer this year than I can remember from previous years (2012, 2010, and obviously 2007). Unfortunate since a lot of the writing in this show called for FFF.

[BRASSO]

The Cadets brass book was pretty much all sections exposed all the time.

Well, my guess, thats about to change for 2016. To Crown's credit, after their opening chords, they pretty much did not play a brass note for over a minute. They did that first quarter of the show without playing brass. So the Cadets ( I would assume ) will revisit their strategy for 2016 on their the brass playing so much while they do their fast paced, fast tempo, high velocity drills.

Edited August 15, 2015 by BRASSO