jwillis35 Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 4 hours ago, N.E. Brigand said: When I saw Bloo live, I absolutely felt drawn in, but tonight, I was also less engaged by them than by SCV. I was not there last night, nor did I get to watch on Flomarching, but I tend to trust your word on this. I, too, was totally drawn into Bluecoats show in Massillon and even the few times I've seen video. It's a great show that for all intents and purposes is still in the mix for a title. Congrats to Santa Clara on beating a monster corps in Bluecoats! Clearly SCV is cleaning and polishing. The early video of them (not a good way to really see drum corps) was certainly impressive and I like their show. I imagine it is really starting to sparkle now. I have no way of knowing if Bluecoats had a bad run, technical problems, or otherwise. Maybe they performed well. The bottom line on these types of things -- for me at least -- is if you are having consistency issues in performance, then you are who you are. You can't act surprised when someone beats you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwillis35 Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 5 minutes ago, cfirwin3 said: And SCV is a refresh of winning designs from 10+ years ago. Gaines is quite simply one of the (if not the) most engaging drill writers in the history of drumcorps. In a way, I'm glad to see SCV do well here as a vindication that 'new' design strategies aren't needed to win. I do not think Michael Gaines is writing drill for SCV. He is a consultant. I still think Pete Weber writes the drill. People have made mention of this a good bit on this thread and I believe it's untrue. Maybe someone with SCV can clarify. Pete Weber is a great drill writer and has been for a long time. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfirwin3 Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 1 minute ago, jwillis35 said: I do not think Michael Gaines is writing drill for SCV. He is a consultant. I still think Pete Weber writes the drill. People have made mention of this a good bit on this thread and I believe it's untrue. Maybe someone with SCV can clarify. Pete Weber is a great drill writer and has been for a long time. Holy smoke! From the bit that I have seen... Gaines seems to have his hands (or brains) all over it. It looks (to me) like they aren't wasting any funds on this consult if that is Gaines' role in this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Windish Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 SCV's choice of props is the best of all this year. Simple, functional, and correct scale. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjoakes Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 I asked this in the Madison thread, too. But this one is more active, so here: Is that briefly-appearing fleur de lis in Madison's show relatively new? I saw them last in Evansville, but wasn't as high as Minneapolis. It's a very cool effect, though unexpected and quick so that we in the audience didn't quite know we had seen it until a moment had passed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shofmon88 Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 21 minutes ago, jwillis35 said: I do not think Michael Gaines is writing drill for SCV. He is a consultant. I still think Pete Weber writes the drill. People have made mention of this a good bit on this thread and I believe it's untrue. Maybe someone with SCV can clarify. Pete Weber is a great drill writer and has been for a long time. Pete Weber wrote the drill. However, there are undeniable Gaines elements in a lot of the visual package. It's like a supercut of the best of Gaines and Weber, yet meshed into something so seamless you can't tell the two apart. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjeffeory Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Pete Weber wrote the drill, but Gaines collaborated. I mean two of the best combined.... Just remember to give Weber credit. He is awesome!!!! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDUB Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 A few scattershot thoughts on the morning after my first viewing of some of this year's shows . . . 1. I am really not digging the whole WGI vibe, especially the uniforms. The MMs look less like members of a drum corps and more like dancers who also play instruments. It is not a great look and I think limits the big-picture visual package. I understand the need to evolve, but I don't know that doing so requires everyone to jump into sequin-covered Under Armor. 2. Similar to 1, it seems to me that the show designs are getting more and more abstract. I'm not sure that I followed a single show from last night (although I missed Blue Star due to Flo problems). What exactly is going on in SCV's show? Don't even get me started on Phantom Regiment, which looks and sounds like a glorified mess. I feel like I need a libretto for each show. My advice to the corps would be to stop trying to chase Blue Devils. That corps has, somehow, figured out how to put an abstract, complex show on the field. These other corps have essentially mortgaged their identity to try to chase points and become more like BD. PR, I am looking directly at you. 3. Bloo. This will be a great show to listen to on CD. The problem is that music is only half (and maybe only a third!) of a DCI show. Someone is going to have to tell me where all this GE is coming from, because I don't see it. Marching through, and hiding in, the stage prop aside, this show design seems pretty half-baked. Unlike last year, when the props had design significance in the show, the prop in this year's show is a glorified stage. It bears no relation to anything in the show. Again, the music is very cool, but I'm not sure I understand how it connects to the overall theme of the show. I will now go into hiding as I get virtual tomatoes thrown at me for the sour post . . . 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwillis35 Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 5 minutes ago, CDUB said: A few scattershot thoughts on the morning after my first viewing of some of this year's shows . . . 1. I am really not digging the whole WGI vibe, especially the uniforms. The MMs look less like members of a drum corps and more like dancers who also play instruments. It is not a great look and I think limits the big-picture visual package. I understand the need to evolve, but I don't know that doing so requires everyone to jump into sequin-covered Under Armor. 2. Similar to 1, it seems to me that the show designs are getting more and more abstract. I'm not sure that I followed a single show from last night (although I missed Blue Star due to Flo problems). What exactly is going on in SCV's show? Don't even get me started on Phantom Regiment, which looks and sounds like a glorified mess. I feel like I need a libretto for each show. My advice to the corps would be to stop trying to chase Blue Devils. That corps has, somehow, figured out how to put an abstract, complex show on the field. These other corps have essentially mortgaged their identity to try to chase points and become more like BD. PR, I am looking directly at you. 3. Bloo. This will be a great show to listen to on CD. The problem is that music is only half (and maybe only a third!) of a DCI show. Someone is going to have to tell me where all this GE is coming from, because I don't see it. Marching through, and hiding in, the stage prop aside, this show design seems pretty half-baked. Unlike last year, when the props had design significance in the show, the prop in this year's show is a glorified stage. It bears no relation to anything in the show. Again, the music is very cool, but I'm not sure I understand how it connects to the overall theme of the show. I will now go into hiding as I get virtual tomatoes thrown at me for the sour post . . . You're not the only one to have issues with the WGI concepts in DCI, etc. So I wouldn't feel bad about explaining your feelings. I, myself, have enjoyed what Bluecoats, SCV, and others are bringing to the table. Admittedly there are a number of corps out there that have no business copying this model. There are a lot of shows that are missing the boat. Not only can they not entertain, but they don't score well either. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDUB Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 (edited) 10 minutes ago, jwillis35 said: You're not the only one to have issues with the WGI concepts in DCI, etc. So I wouldn't feel bad about explaining your feelings. I, myself, have enjoyed what Bluecoats, SCV, and others are bringing to the table. Admittedly there are a number of corps out there that have no business copying this model. There are a lot of shows that are missing the boat. Not only can they not entertain, but they don't score well either. It seems to me that DCI > WGI, and I think a lot of people feel that way. So it is confusing to me why designers are shifting so dramatically toward WGI styles. That's not to say that designers can't incorporate some WGI elements into their DCI shows, but it sure seems like more and more corps are starting to immerse themselves into the WGI design pool. Maybe I'm being cynical, but I think that strategy will start to turn off the "average fan." Edited July 9, 2017 by CDUB 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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