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Star 1993 Has Been REPLACED


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This is true, however I would agree with you in a sense about how innovative Bluecoats 2014 & 2015 are as far as electronic + music sound design and how seamless designers weaved acoustic & electronic. Right now, at least to me, Bluecoats the last few seasons seems just as revolutionary and innovative as Star 1993's stark color pallet & music arranging plus all of the body sculpting seemed in 1993.

More than almost any corps (with the exceptions of Crown and Blue Devils), I'm more interested to see where Bluecoats go next couple of years design-wise, and they feel more innovative & fresh design-wise than nearly every other DCI corps. It's exciting that they have the talent as well: the last couple of years it seems like almost every one is trying to catch Bluecoats. I'm not sure what they would have to do to seriously contend for a Championship: it looks like score-wise perhaps their brass section was deficient relative to Crown, Blue Devils and Crown

I will go a step further and say I am more interested in seeing where Bluecoats go in the next couple of years than any other corps. They are definitely on the bleeding edge of show design. I am fortunate enough to live a half hour from Denison where Bloo holds their Spring Training, and I am already counting the days!

Edited by Jurassic Lancer
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I thought what Bluecoats did this year was interesting, but it was also a gimmick, and gimmick's don't stand the test of time in my opinion.

The music, drill, body movement, etc. in Star 1993 all shaped the direction many corps went, or tried to go, or are still trying to go creatively, which is why we still talk about it today.

Bluecoats 2015, yes performed well, yes trying new things, but a gimmick, IMO yes, and I find gimmick's forgettable.

Even now, the only thing I remember from them this year is the whole electronic to brass back and forth stuff, otherwise, I've all but forgotten about that show.

Edited by tesmusic
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I didn't like Star 93 and didn't care for the Bluecoats electronics overuse this year either.

Well, to help complete the thought ...

Opinion on Star 93 today?

I'll ask the next and final question in 20 years. (can't wait to see how DCP reacts when this thread gets necro'd in 2035 ... give or take a few years. I expect to be busy then.)

Edited by mingusmonk
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After a great deal of reflection - I have to say...

We had a show this past summer that will define and influence shows for at least a decade to come

The design was like a Drum Corps Mona Lisa. The more you stare at it - the better it gets

I honestly believe it was severely underscored in GE by the DCI judging community

And as evidence I offer an indoor run of the 2015 Bluecoats just prior to finals night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQtuAyiPI98

An amazing and layered program, fresh and creative in so many ways

So well done and original - Bravo!

George.

I echo that sediment, that show was well done beginning to end. cant wait to see 2016

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I didn't like Star 93 and didn't care for the Bluecoats electronics overuse this year either.

an army of one!

Edited by heartskipsabeat
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It was fresh and I enjoyed it more than last year

I’m not sold on the game changing aspect as I’d need a bit further definition of what that implies in terms to their show besides the catch all ‘electronics’? Specifics please. In their music book, those effect have been used or were used elsewhere and before, perhaps not to that extent. The only new thing were the speakers around the back of the field, which didn’t work out too well on finals night and I tend to see as a gimmick. Bluecoats have been playing with quadraphonic sound for a bit but acoustically, recently had a show that feature it and they split the corps in to 4, was part of their announcement (was it 2011?) and they did it again in 2013

Speaking of, how many corps had electronic fails at finals?

BD, Crown, Blue…SCV (was that a final or did he just stop playing) that’s a poor showing, 4 of the top 5 in a dome, third night in the same venue...we need an op on this, someone?

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It was fresh and I enjoyed it more than last year

Im not sold on the game changing aspect as Id need a bit further definition of what that implies in terms to their show besides the catch all electronics? Specifics please. In their music book, those effect have been used or were used elsewhere and before, perhaps not to that extent. The only new thing were the speakers around the back of the field, which didnt work out too well on finals night and I tend to see as a gimmick. Bluecoats have been playing with quadraphonic sound for a bit but acoustically, recently had a show that feature it and they split the corps in to 4, was part of their announcement (was it 2011?) and they did it again in 2013

Speaking of, how many corps had electronic fails at finals?

BD, Crown, BlueSCV (was that a final or did he just stop playing) thats a poor showing, 4 of the top 5 in a dome, third night in the same venue...we need an op on this, someone?

I think what made the show so innovative was how well the electronics were integrated into the show. So often electronics seem like an afterthought, or a way to ramp up the bass. The way Bliecoats use electronics is seemless in my opinion.

As for an electronics fail at finals, I was in section 139, on the 45. I didn't hear anything that sounded like an electronics fail from Bluecoats, and I believe SCV's problem wasn't an electronics issue.

Edited by Jurassic Lancer
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After a great deal of reflection - I have to say...

We had a show this past summer that will define and influence shows for at least a decade to come

The design was like a Drum Corps Mona Lisa. The more you stare at it - the better it gets

I honestly believe it was severely underscored in GE by the DCI judging community

And as evidence I offer an indoor run of the 2015 Bluecoats just prior to finals night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQtuAyiPI98

An amazing and layered program, fresh and creative in so many ways

So well done and original - Bravo!

George.

when other people start copying it...i'll agree

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I thought what Bluecoats did this year was interesting, but it was also a gimmick, and gimmick's don't stand the test of time in my opinion.

The music, drill, body movement, etc. in Star 1993 all shaped the direction many corps went, or tried to go, or are still trying to go creatively, which is why we still talk about it today.

Bluecoats 2015, yes performed well, yes trying new things, but a gimmick, IMO yes, and I find gimmick's forgettable.

Even now, the only thing I remember from them this year is the whole electronic to brass back and forth stuff, otherwise, I've all but forgotten about that show.

I'm wondering if you can explain exactly what you thought was a gimmick about Bluecoats music/sound design. Without knowing what you think is a forgettable gimmick, it's difficult to engage in discussion.

In general response...

I think in 1993 one could've (and I heard some) say that the body movement, starkness, etc. from Star 1993 was a gimmick. It certainly seemed like it might've been a gimmick when many corps did similar stuff in their 1994 production (for example, Cadets did some body movement stuff in the middle of "Mambo" that certainly felt like an ancestor of Star 1993), and only now several decades later is it apparent that the body movement was indeed an evolutionary 'movement' that is now the standard + has been expanded upon by corps. At the time, in 1993 as well as 1992 when Star experimented with the body movement, it could've easily been labeled a gimmick at the time, like the trampolines in Crown 2014.

Or Bluecoats music/sound design in 2014 & 2015. I think it's arguable that it was performance that drove their placement, as a few captions design outranked performance/achievement: particularly brass & Effect. We can obviously speculate all day if Bluecoat's music/sound design is a trend or something more specific to that particular music design staff. However, labeling it a 'gimmick' is, I think, kind of counterintuitive at best: dismissive at worst. A good example of what I'd call a gimmick is SCV 1988 and 1989 making the Phantom disappear: it was a one-and-done type of thing that fit a specific purpose in a specific show but it's that applicable ever again. It worked fabulously, don't get me wrong: but it was an awesome effect gimmick. Bluecoats kind of did two very different music design effects in 2014 (with the pitch bend as a specific obvious answer) and 2015.

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I wasn't sure if/where to post this so figured tacked on to this thread might fit. First I want to thank Bluecoats for being one of the only corps that put up Trumpet PoV cam videos, both this year and last year. Since I'm a trumpet player I really like to see them, and while there's lots of other instrument videos there's not too many trumpet.

That being said, I said this last year as well - the 'coats trumpet book is really pretty light, especially compared to other corps i've been able to see or figure out the parts. I credit some masterful arranging to make it sound intricate and difficult, but it's really not. Watch the solo trumpet video or the lower parts from both years. Where it fits into this thread, for me at least, is that the brass book from Star 93 was significantly more difficult thus this years 'coats could never replace Star 93 for me..

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