BigW Posted June 30, 2016 Author Share Posted June 30, 2016 (edited) The next core was... of course, Fusion (14FE/34 CG/46 Brass/2MG/16 Battery/3DM) with "Up". Where do I begin with this write-up? The Core was STOKED. They pushed hard from the first beat and they were trying to make a powerful statement about where they wanted to be this season. Last season was one where I think they had a large influx of new personnel into the brass section, and they played well, but they didn't have that comfort and cohesiveness that one has when you're playing with people you've been with for some time. They pushed- but it wasn't until the second Clifton show things began to lock up, and they finished well, but got passed up by corps with better traction at the end. This season they're out of the gate, aggressive, hard-hitting, and very hungry. The show is a different type of program for the Core- they've gone to a more dissonant and edgier side with with "Up", using compositions from various modern wind band composers as the basis for the program. The one thing this does is that it's given an opportunity to really show off the technical prowess and talent of Fusion's brass section in a very direct and in your face way. The Fusion mellos, great as always and spot on. Also it appears that Fusion's pushing a more open visual envelope by freeing up the center of the field from props and pushing them to the edge so they have more of an ability to write a freer drill, and they take advantage of it. The core has a palpable focus and intensity about themselves even in the softer and more introspective moments of the program, and that's very hard to do and a very high-end attribute for the corps to possess. There's a great brass fanfare in the middle of the show to watch and listen for. They can bring a large and really pretty sound up to the audience. The percussion feature was fiery, and the battery really pushed hard to sell this segment it was pretty exciting, and it'll only get better. The Brass ripple at the end was neat- and this will become another great moment when it totally cleans. The show is different for Fusion but it has a unique feel, and it's pretty (insert colorful metaphor) good, too. The core really believes in this program and they sell the heck out of it They had me clenching my fist at the end and saying- "Drive it home, come on, bring it!" at the end, they had me wrapped up in their world. You can't ask for more then that from any team. Fusion is a dangerous core right now. If they can keep this level of belief and intensity flowing throughout the season, they could do a lot of damage to anyone who's not willing to bring it at their best. Things could be very interesting at Ijamsville, quite, quite interesting..... The final corps was the Skyliner Alumni. I was happy to see these guys in a situation where the temperature was under 95 degrees on the field. When I see them at the Jersey contests, they're usually the lead-off exhibition and they're getting broiled in a hot afternoon direct sun, and look- I know how tough Sky's people are, I competed against a good bit of the personnel in that alumni corps, but I still worry about them. They took advantage of the cooler climate and brought a lot of enthusiasm and energy to their performance-- I know if I were them I'd want to show the active corps what Sky's about and that I could still bring it, too. The show's got classics like "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue", "Sing, Sing, Sing" And Elks' parade. The solo work was really exciting and well-played, the snares presented some solid old school rudimental work that was appreciated, and the fans appreciated their effort to close out the program. Time for the cat to give out the fistbumps... For those not familiar, The cat gives these out to the people and sections who did a great job but don;t necessarily get noticed. The Bridgemen Alumni's Lower Brass. The Marimba Player for Bush. Fine, fine effort, man. The White Sabres' Tenor section. Nice hands. Sky's percussion battery. Up another level from last season already. Head for the next one and keep running! Fusion's Bass Drums- great work in the Percussion feature, and their Front Ensemble. I sense even more excitement, intensity and life from a crew that's been a staple of Fusion's excellence over the past several seasons. Sky's Snares and their Contra feature. Don't sweat it, man. I saw you point up- I know Peanut dug it, you did him proud. If you were on the fence about this show, get off your can, get in your car, and go next year. Simple as that. Sky ran a solid show, in a clean, nice small venue, and everyone had a great time. Tomorrow, Ijamsville. I'll be there, and looking forward to seeing everyone involved bringing it in the first big contest. It's gonna be a serious slugfest. See you there, man! Edited July 1, 2016 by BigW 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Sun Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 My next door neigbor loved Tom Hart .she would bring flowers to every contest to present to him after retreat ,It started at the first contest in 77 we took her to ,she gave him a long stem rose he put it down on the ground to conduct the corps,she fell for sure he would leave it there and march off.He didn't he went over picked it up and threw her a kiss ,That's how the flower lady came to be.LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted July 8, 2016 Author Share Posted July 8, 2016 There was something "right and good" about Tom. I saw that as a 15 year old kid and have never forgotten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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