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Riverside, CA - July 1, 2018


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1 minute ago, MikeRapp said:

Need to see all the BD visuals on the field, and the Metropolis ending for SCV.

BD’s show seems a bit more “skeleton-y” than usual this year. Feel like there’s more to come visually to follow along with the theme 

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Just now, Cappybara said:

BD’s show seems a bit more “skeleton-y” than usual this year. Feel like there’s more to come visually to follow along with the theme 

I feel like something fundamental has happened with SCV in the last two years. Their visual concepts have been so huge, so ballsy, so challenging to pull off. They literally cover the field with stuff that requires pinpoint accuracy. And they pull it off, while playing one of the most insane books I’ve ever heard in drum corps. 

While I love the Bloo show, that Metropolis closer is going to blow people away. Those mellows, and their high brass blast...wow. Gonna be a big moment in Indy.

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2 minutes ago, MikeRapp said:

I feel like something fundamental has happened with SCV in the last two years. Their visual concepts have been so huge, so ballsy, so challenging to pull off. They literally cover the field with stuff that requires pinpoint accuracy. And they pull it off, while playing one of the most insane books I’ve ever heard in drum corps. 

While I love the Bloo show, that Metropolis closer is going to blow people away. Those mellows, and their high brass blast...wow. Gonna be a big moment in Indy.

That fundamental thing you're referring to is called Michael Gaines 

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3 minutes ago, Cappybara said:

That fundamental thing you're referring to is called Michael Gaines 

He is a scary genius. It takes huge balls of brass to write something this demanding on all levels. I don’t know that this show could get or be more complex or more frenetic. They really are putting it all on the table this year.

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1 minute ago, MikeRapp said:

He is a scary genius. It takes huge balls of brass to write something this demanding on all levels. I don’t know that this show could get or be more complex or more frenetic. They really are putting it all on the table this year.

My theory is that Gaines takes a bit more of aggressive approach to drill than Weber did, and this translated to SCV's music writing which led to Ourobouros being a big departure from every SCV show since Bartok. There are some great percussion and brass arranging duos out there, but Shaw and Rennick have to be one of the best. 

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11 hours ago, Chief Guns said:

I saw your pics you posted. I think i was sitting in front of you lol. Would have been nice to meet you. I always enjoy reading your thoughts on the shows and the season in general.

Thanks my man, appreciate it. Same here.

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2 hours ago, Cappybara said:

BD’s show seems a bit more “skeleton-y” than usual this year. Feel like there’s more to come visually to follow along with the theme 

Yes, there will be.  I spoke to Scott Chandler at BD's Sunday practice.  There will be "A LOT" more added with respect to the characters.

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12 hours ago, 2muchcoffeeman said:

Okay, here:

Does that help?

I did, and do, find it weird. I did, and do, find it dark. Dark can be legitimate. I'd love the Troopers, of all corps, to come out with a darker, angrier show one of these years, hopefully before I die, please Lord.

And I think I pretty much said the exact same thing you did: People are focusing on the fact the Mandarins have stepped it up, just as they did with Academy two seasons ago. I also made the claim that, because Corps A is doing so much better than Corps A did in a previous season, fans are rightfully enthusiastic, but it does not necessarily follow that Corps A should be beating Corps B, C and D in general effect in the current season.

Nor do I disagree with your observation that over-analyzing a corp's show is too easy a trap to fall into these days. Indeed the days are gone when "four good songs" was enough to get you to finals. But music is still communication. Good communication requires clarity -- clarity of expression, and clarity of reception by the audience. And Mandarins 2018 are not a very clear communicator at the moment, in my opinion.

They play notes in tune. They play them loud. They play them, I assume by the judges' marks, pretty clean. But is it "darn good music" as you say? Well, I can allow that It is pretty well-played music, but compared to other corps on the field in 2018, I would say that to my ear, it's not as musical as others. It's a lot of mood and buildup and BIG HIT and more rumble/mood/atmosphere BIG HIT. I like a big hit as much as the next DCI nut, but I also like a sense of direction (and will throw bouquets at even the slightest scraps of melody), and at the moment Mandarins are, to me, a swirl of loud, well-played, unconnected musical thoughts. At least on the livestream. Sometimes you just gotta be there live to appreciate it, and maybe this is one of those cases.

Don't forget about the drumline.  I think it's still possible that Mandarins may not make finals.  And I think Academy has a legitimate shot at making finals.   I would have not said that a week ago.  I saw them both multiple times this past weekend, in practices, in the lots and in the shows. When i saw Mandarins in the lot at Oceanside, I was shocked at how dirty the snare line was.  At first, i thought I was watching one of the open class lines.  Then I realized this was Mandarins.  When I saw that i thought there was no way they are making finals.   Maybe it was the over night bus ride the night before.  In the lot at the Rose Bowl,  they were much better.  And in the Riverside lot, they were a little better than Pasadena.  Watch the way the drumline drill is written.  Most of the time,  they are hidden towards the back of the field.  Even in the drum solo,  their drill has them playing towards the back side line about half the time.  The drum judge at Riverside rarely crossed the front side line to chase the drumlines around the field.   Don't get me wrong,  I think Mandarins have paid their dues and I would like to see them in finals.  But, depending on which snare line shows up,  I'm not sure this is going to be possible.  I know one of the snare techs, Rich from his Pulse days.  He's a very capable guy,  and hopefully he can clean them enough by finals.  Might be a similar situation to the Crown Einstein show.  I saw that snare line at practice in Banning, CA early that year.  They were horribly bad.  I mean really, really bad.  With probably the best horn line I had ever seen before or since.  They were able to get that snare line "good enough" to win finals that year.  Let's see if the Mandarin's snare line will be "good enough" to get them into finals this year.

As for Academy,  I wasn't expecting much,  from what I was reading on here from earlier shows and the live stream from Stanford.  Boy was I wrong.  I watched their Thursday night practice in Temecula.  They were very impressive. Much cleaner than I expected.  Great attitude and a hard working vibe.  I think some of that comes from their program coordinator Lindsey.  What a firecracker she is.  The snare line had a normal amount of dirt for this time of year.  Dakota,  another Pulse guy,  is a very capable snare tech and should clean them quite nicely.  If they get a little more G.E.  into that show, and clean that guard enough (they are beating Blue Knights guard now) I really think they could sneak into finals.

One other thing.  A drum line that impressed me was Troopers.  Their snare line was pretty clean in the lots.  The scores aren't showing it yet,  but if they can translate what they are doing in the lot to the field, they should be fine.

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