Allentown II (Saturday night)

[GMichael1230]

Allentown PA, August 2, 2003. - J. Birney Crum stadium. After a week of "putting it on hold" the Blue Devils and the world champion Cavaliers finally had the opportunity to "duke it out" on the field and gain supremacy and confidence going into Championships week.

Two contests since Indianapolis have been rained out where both superpowers of drum corps were expected to face off. Blue Devils finally eeked out a victory over the Cavaliers in Indy, but since then......they have been waiting....tonight was the night......

A sold out crowd wittnesed both the duel of the favorites and an impressive line up. It was thrilling to look left or right and see a packed house, not so thrilling to be jammed like a sardine in the souvie area.......but that's a good thing.

Again, like Friday..not a bad corps or performance in the house......pretty much everyone has done their off season homework and shows are full of crowd appeal, sophistication, and good 'ole drum corps.....I also noticed corps are starting to look less and less like a carbon copy of each other, and the top supercorps.....kuddos for those building on their own strengths and identities.

Troopers led off with a fun show , warm up received a great response as they achieved a "suicide" and a sunburst. The corps was a solid little package with an appealing "safe" show.....guard was too small to be really effective but they did have a nice complimentary book. When wil lthe day come that the Troopers are back among the elite ??? Year after year, we wait, we hope......I love this corps, as does everyone, I just wish they could get the right pieces in place to make Casper a formidable place again.

Glassmen were next and I was excited to see what they had done in a months time. I was disappointed....Gone are the inovative, breakneck drills, in its place, a generic, unexciting visual program....guard ??? Who came up with the idea to have the guard use blue gumballs ?? messy, ineffective and sophmoric......that alone is enough to make one sigh.........I did notice alot stronger execution, and alot more confidence in the brass line but where is the emotion ?? The concept of the elements is completely lost, it seems, in the show...I see nothing representing them, nothing telling the story of them......I have no doubt this is going to place in the 13-14 range come Orlando. I hope they get a wake up call like Crown did last year and it will be interesting to see what next year holds.......

Seattle Cascades were next..again Lots of internet hype, not much in the way of it on the field. Their show was a nice solid production worthy of associate status but missing the polish and pizazz of a finals caliber program. Guard is improved over last year, brass is playing well, but not many memorable moments as of yet.

What they do, they do well, but what they do isn't as exciting or as well staged as could be....I think they are locked into 15th place unless Colts make a surge.

Just why has Spirit been placing so low ???? Well...I was about to find out...and after watching this show/hearing this show...I havent a clue.....seems like they are rebounding scorewise anyway and will be in finals....I can almost guarantee you that. The whole "time" theme is designed very well as the corps takes just the right amount of time to develop it before the hit you full force !! Hourglass effect with guard "pouring" through is also nice and clever......The drill is quite tasty, pleasing to the eye, and starting to be executed rather well..thats the key to the placement of this show...execution, once they master it, the emotion will ooze out. Love Nutville, made me realize just how good jazz sounds on the field and realize that hardly anyone does it anymore.....The "tribute" section is very classy, just enough "schmalz" to make it extremely touching and tasteful. "let it be me" ..wow !! Was I the only nerd who stood for that ??

I see this show in finals, I would like to say securely but Im not judging the field..I say they have "it" all over the Glassmen, BK, and Magic....so expect to see them Saturday night.

Blue Knights disappointed me...sorry to say. What the &$%# are they playing ?? I expected so much more based on the internet, I was disappointed and couldnt understand how they were beating Spirit and Magic........I cant recall one highlight of this show. Guard has white uniforms, better than the ones offered in early season photographs. Brass played well, whatever it was they were playing.....too many "visual " things and body poses...they are sorta silly, as is the "chugga, chugga" whatever the corps was chanting....I heard chuckles, did nothing to enhance the show or showcase the talent.

This is not a show for finals and I see them thirteenth......if not lower.

Carolina Crown, the "darlings" of the '03 season were next..and they did not disappoint. All the issues I noticed and wrote about early in the season have been addressed and refined..this show is hot !! and you can tell that the memebrs A) know they have a good show, B ) know they are loved by the crowd, C) are confident of the positive review and it shows in their performance.

Everything works in this show, solid GE , solid guard, brass and percussion playing well, staged well, ...all good things. The show just whizzes by, timewise and its over before you know it. Drill changes in the mid section are evident and the corps is now more complete and confident heading into Orlando..they could catch Crossmen, which would be no small feat.

Crossmen were next and much improved since early July. Guard has added colored "tops" to their uniforms for each segment of the show. Over the rainbow seems to have been changed a little, the crowd ate it up, I still feel it's holding them back a little......Next number is really swinging and jazzy. The visual program is refined and clean and they are selling their show now. They bring the house down with the end of their show and it is quite crowd pleasing. This is a fun Crossmen show, like last year and the year before it...it will do well in Orlando

The Scouts were next, the crowd just ate them up. Welcoming them onto the field..alot of "welcome back" were shouted. Wow, what an opening statement..the colorguard is absolutley dazzling witht their yellow & black silks. These boys can spin, and spin well......a most improved guard and noticeable and welcomed change. Drill is vintage Scouts with sharp execution and broad field coverage.....Brass sounds as they have always, the music fits this corps image well. Crowd didnt react as loud or as positive as I thought they were going to, I expected more from the crowd, don't know if they were stunned, or expecting more.......this show fits right into "DCI" and today, while still providing excitement and accessibility that the fans want. This is a good, solid show with lots of effect and lots of things to enjoy..it will easliy be either 6th - or 7th

Bluecoats......Solid execution, appealing show design, competent guard and a pleasant sounding musical book. Again the tango section was quite appealing, done so well.........The capture/escape theme has been expanded on and the crowd liked it. Wonderful silk design, and good equipment work, for the most part. Tp take aline from the great Michael Boo..."Great corps, wont offend anyone" that is so true of the Bluecoats this year. Look fo them in the 6 - 8th pack come Orlando.

The nerves set in, the stomach was in knots and the tension buit as the Blue Devils were on next. Were they for real ?? Were they just another victim of "Internet hype" ??Could they really stay ahead of Cavies ?/ Was Indy a fluke ?? Could the drumline deliver ?? Can the guard really be better than ever ??

Well, for the first time this season, the corps has lived up tot he "hype" Not sure what I was going to see but what I did see stunned me. I was silent. I usually scream throughout a BD show, this one had me silent.....in stunned appreciation, almost a dropped jaw effect......This 2003 Blue Devils corps is on a different level than every other corps out ther...ahead on everyone. This is the most professional, most polished group of individuals I have ever seen come out of Concord in a long, long time....the old cliche' "they make it look easy" is out of the closet for this show. It is absolutly thrilling, almost perfect. Scott Chandler is an absolute genius, simple as that. The total integrated package, is what the Blue Devils have this year. No weak spots......For those who like to "whine" about the BD drill.....faghedaboudit !! it moves, its hard, its demanding, its intricate, its exposed, its packed with "wow", and highlights the music even better than they have ever done. It doesnt stop...it flows from one set to the other with the most perfect transitonal skill I have seen......And the brass is playing throughout each pattern/set. No park & bark ,like some other corps........Its a seamless effort.

The guard has the most demanding book of anyone out there this year. Probably the most :notes:, the most diversity in style and the execution is flawless........they toss high...real high...they toss alot...I mean alot..oh, and they are clean as a whistle ..again they do some dance, but as is the BD style, the dancing is so sophisticated and fits the music so well, its appropriate..almost called for in the parts of the show where it is.

With all this, I still see room for the show to grow. The ending is still in need of confidence, as good as it is....once they can clean it up, they really shouldt have anything to worry about, as long as they dont get too cocky, and keep their minds on the task at hand, victory is within their reach........Wow, what a show .

Cavaliers were next. There was something wrong tonight. They had major confidence problems. I dont think they expected to be upended in Indy by the "Blue Crew" and then have the whole week to sit and stew with it. Their performace was tentative. As I have been saying all along...If you have no emotion, you arent going to sell the kind of show the Cavaliers have. Sure, wonderful execution, and awesome display of talent..but what are they doing ?? what are they playing ??? The music took us nowehre....we wanted to embrace the corps, be apart of it...it is too sterile of a show, not enough peaks and valleys......all of the "wow" maneuvers they were famous for are now commonpalce and predictable......there was no fire in this performance. Guard uniforls are just plain silly, again, and even more blatant when "knocked down a notch" Theres no reason for the guard to look like that..again, whne you have a hard sell such as the Cavies show, you need all aspect of your corps working full steam to sell it...the guard just detracts and "cheapens" the effect desired. The reverse ending was kewl, I liked it, but not nearly as "wow" needed to not only beat the Devils, but hold off the hungry sharks nipping at their heels. Its upt ot hem.....No emotion, no title, even so, I dont think they control their own destiny anymore.........Spin cylce could either clean house or be washed up.

When scores were announced, and Cavaliers were announced in second, the crowd went nuts, many standing...it was weird, but the crowd was delighted that the Blue Devils beat the Cavaliers.......talkng to many after the show, it was unanimous that the Blue Devils were just simply amazing, better than they had expected and Cavaliers left them a little flat.

~G~

Edited August 4, 2003 by GMichael1230

[Sean1]

Thanks again G

[jlhiatt]

Thanks, G!

:)

[DrumCorpsRadio]

A sold out crowd wittnesed both the duel of the favorites and an impressive line up. It was thrilling to look left or right and see a packed house, not so thrilling to be jammed like a sardine in the souvie area.......but that's a good thing.

Great review!

I'm just nitpicking, but the stadium wasn't sold out by a long shot. As you know, announced attendance was 10,600, largest ever for DCI East and very impressive, but there were plenty of empty seats near the 5 yard line and beyond.

I agree - seats were very cramped (at least in the upper deck).

[kimelabari]

Go Blue! I am glad that this year will be a very competetive year for the top 4.

Thanks for the review

[GMichael1230]

As you know, announced attendance was 10,600, largest ever for DCI East and very impressive, but there were plenty of empty seats near the 5 yard line and beyond.

Yeah, I saw that...I think those seats were General Admission, and the "sold out" reference was for reserved seating...

~G~

[Sluggo]

Great review ~G~!!! Just wish I could have finally have met you! would have been interesting to see what would have happened if the Cavies actually had a great show. But I agree with you, the BD show is starting to take off and it's taking off well!

[Panther Pilot]

Cavaliers have. Sure, wonderful execution, and awesome display of talent..but what are they doing ?? what are they playing ??? The music took us nowehre....No emotion, no title, even so, I dont think they control their own destiny anymore.........Spin cylce could either clean house or be washed up.

Great review and I agree 100% with your anyalsis of Cavies show. Actually, I think we see things pretty much the same as far as the Top 12 corps this year, but I don't like the tango section in Blue Coats show. You love BD and it shows and me Madison. You are 100% correct, BD has a great show this year and will make it Championship #11.

Got to love that big hill in Allentown ... the joy of trugging up that thing.