Bluecoats getting the shaft this year

[Cappybara]

31 minutes ago, pudding said:

On the topic of SCV, I feel that their show is just so completely unremarkable. They have many nice, little moments, in between extended periods of either percussion features, small brass features, or nothing. They don't build to any particular climax, and the pacing of the show is disjointed (again, because of the many interludes). They look nice, and they have some nice visual effects (such as the four-person snake pods), but every time I watch their show I find myself wanting more. Their props are much-vaunted this year, but I personally don't find them to be that interesting; after a few minutes, they actually become an eyesore for me. As someone else mentioned in a different thread, it almost comes as a relief when the props get turned around to reveal the solid black. 

I like SCV, and I want them to be successful, but I don't think that this should be the show that wins for them. I felt that Force of Nature, Scheherazade, and Les Mis were all better designs than this show.

I don't agree with most of the things you post, but we're in 100% agreement on this one 

[MotoSurfBass]

3 hours ago, Midwest said:

I have participated and have been following drum corps for a very long time. I have adopted the changes over the years with open arms. I love most of those changes and have no wish to turning the clock back. I start with these points because I know some punk will accuse me of being old school or for not understanding modern drum corps. Rest assured I understand it quite well and I am very familiar with the judging sheets and scoring process. 

Having said that, it is a shame what the judges are doing to BC this year. I have watched closely all season and have seen the bias that is so obvious. It appears to me the judges have a grudge of some sort against them. Is it the guard outfits?  I read the corps changed to longer shorts due to complaints about a little butt cheek or two showing. Is it because the judges believe it is destiny for BD and SCV to be fighting it out during their anniversaries?  Maybe it is because they don't have enough pretty colors. I noticed BD has pink in their uniforms. That certainly must be worth an extra 3 or 4 points in visual. It apparently outweighs the extreme drill design BC is marching. 

Unfortunately, the scores are simply the opinion of a select few judges. They are human and have biases. This years "collective thought" appears to be against the Bluecoats. That truly is a shame given the energy and talent this corps has.  The message the judges are sending to all:  don't do anything risky, keep your drill simple and clean, focus on having a strong palette of color choices and color guard, both have more impact on your overall score then drill, brass, or percussion. Fast is old school. March slowly and precisely. When playing, be sure it is loud and try to stand still while doing so. If you are going to march at a fast tempo, be sure to do it while not playing. And finally, never ever make the young women in the guard where something feminine. Modern women are not supposed to be feminine or sexy. 

When the shock of novelty wears off after a year, it becomes easier to nitpick details. Scores this close this year are determined by minutia.

17 minutes ago, Brass Lover said:

Ok then. Then why do you think Crown is above Bluecoats in GE?

Musically, Crown has much more variance in design elements, both in brass and percussion. They are doing a wider variety of things, and cleaner too, to boot.

Visually, Crown being ahead is a much tougher sell. Their drill greatly complements their angular props and yard-line magic tricks. From a design standpoint, I think Crown does a better job of emphasizing the area of focus throughout their show. You aren't missing something important because something else is happening somewhere else on the field. Even though 95% of the time Bloo has more of a "WOW!" factor with their big moments, and use their stage to near perfection, that other 5% of the time will kill them when up against a show of similar strength in design. As a said above, it all comes down to the minutia.

[pudding]

Just now, kinetic inferno11 said:

Also how is Bluecoat's staging harder than others? When I saw them in Nashville I never saw anything too spread out except the ending. SCV in their ballad seemed to be the farthest spread out.

Spread alone is not difficult. When you're playing long tones, it doesn't matter how far the spread is. Bluecoats have by far the most intricate book rhythmically, and no other corps is attempting anything like what they are if they're not in tight pods.

[George Dixon]

Just now, Cappybara said:

I don't agree with most of the things you post, but we're in 100% agreement on this one 

I watch the show, I recognize the excellence, I feel nothing and sadly, lose interest. And totally respect  others feel differently. 

[kinetic inferno11]

1 minute ago, pudding said:

Spread alone is not difficult. When you're playing long tones, it doesn't matter how far the spread is. Bluecoats have by far the most intricate book rhythmically imo, and no other corps is attempting anything like what they are if they're not in tight pods.

I wouldn't say SCV's ballad is long tones. And while I do think they have some hard rhythmic stuff, NO one to kNOW one has some hard stuff rhythmically too imo. To each their own. It'd be boring if we all agreed all the time :) 

[MotoSurfBass]

16 minutes ago, kinetic inferno11 said:

Sorry that I disagree with this. Clearly if this were the Case, they would've lost last year too. But no, they won GE by a long shot. So I don't think music selections really have anything to do with it. Honestly after reading the program notes for this show and Crown's, Crown's still makes more sense than "Jagged Line."

 

At the end of the day it's still one of the most entertaining shows of the year, but I don't think entertainment is a justifying reason for why a group should be in first. Clearly there isn't judges bias because they've been 4th since before SA. It isn't anything to do with the show, just performance achievement.

I had trouble understanding Crown's show for the longest time. When someone finally told me the secret of how to watch the show, I suddenly had no qualms about Crown beating Coats this year. Coats have a fun, cleverly planned piece of fluff that wins over audiences but leaves them exposed where the Content subcaption is judged. Crown's show, while much, MUCH harder to comprehend on the surface, has both context AND subtext, and that complexity is complemented by a smart design that emphasizes both of these parts.

[pudding]

1 minute ago, kinetic inferno11 said:

I wouldn't say SCV's ballad is long tones. And while I do think they have some hard rhythmic stuff, NO one to kNOW one has some hard stuff rhythmically too imo. To each their own. It'd be boring if we all agreed all the time :) 

What would you say their ballad is, then? Anything more rhythmically interesting than a quarter note is played by the small ensemble (which is admittedly also spread fairly far). Crown's Akiho is not as intricate as Bluecoats' Thank You Scientist or Zappa; sure, the baris have a very difficult ostinato (wait, is this a dirty word? It sure seemed to be last year), and some 3/8 bars thrown in, but any rhythmic challenges are soli or tutti, where Bluecoats' brass book has inter-section hocket rhythms and more complicated tuplets than any other brassline is playing this year.

[MotoSurfBass]

As a final addendum, this thread is cancer, and I hope it is closed sooner rather than later.

[Terri Schehr]

2 minutes ago, MotoSurfBass said:

As a final addendum, this thread is cancer, and I hope it is closed sooner rather than later.

It was predisposed to negativity and the disparaging of several corps.  Let us live this last week and a half in some semblance of civility.  

Edited August 2, 2017 by Terri Schehr

[whitedj2002]

2 minutes ago, MotoSurfBass said:

As a final addendum, this thread is cancer, and I hope it is closed sooner rather than later.

Amen...