SFZFAN Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 It's the Major Matt Mason knees and elbows in their (ridiculous) costumes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCI-86 Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 I think the way this show is constructed is what makes it stand out. There is not one down moment, not one functional moment (despite the constant shifting of the stage/performance space) and everything is so well integrated. The way the guard is staged is so interesting (no big blocks out the front or curves around the corps) and the caption winning standard of every section makes it exceptional. Rarely do the stars align in a show this way and that is what gives SCV the "X" factor and why I hope they win! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tedrick Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 Vanguard's Babylon leaves me cold - it's a continuation of old snake eyes from last season - anger is it's main emotion - I do like the clever use of the platforms - that is neat - and the baritone soloist - the show is not life-affirming as most Vanguard shows have been in the past decade - it's just loud loud and louder - but what the hell, if Boston can't win this year, SCV has earned it the title this year and they have waited a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icer Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 1 hour ago, StuStu said: I agree wholeheartedly. There isn't some theme or idea being crammed down your throat. I generally don't favor shows that rely on narrative/characterizations, or some other "concept". I feel like I'm charged with solving a puzzle and that is highly distracting. SCV doesn't make those demands of the audience. We are able to engage in the show on a non-literal level, and simply experience it. I know they are not performing at quite the same level (or doing anything with height), but that’s what I like about this year’s Cadets show. It’s smart music and good drill, presented in a way that just allows the audience to absorb the whole thing. Personally I find that appealing. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomOfBeardland Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 (edited) Their sticks and mallets? Really though, it's the cohesive music choices that makes it pop. Too many designers are guilty of selecting favorite pieces and quotes, and just stapling them together with a random pit segue. Edited August 7, 2018 by TomOfBeardland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim K Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 I will not be seeing SCV live until Thursday evening in Indy, and perhaps when I do I’ll see it as the most innovative show ever, but when it comes to things being innovative, in many cases we don’t realize what is truly innovative until we look back, and what we view as innovative at the time turns out to be a fad. Also excellence is not always innovation and innovation is not always excellent. If you take Star as an example, lots of folks were impressed with their fast rise to the top, and they did produce amazing shows. Star of 1991 is one of drum corps most beloved shows. No question it was a brilliant show and Zingali’s masterpiece, but was it innovative or were his innovations during his time with 27th and Cadets brought to perfection with Star in 1991? You could probably make valid arguments supporting either point. In 1993, I don’t recall “innovative” being the word to describe Star at the time though I am sure many saw it that way, and I do not recall innovative being used to describe Star after their departure after the 1993 season, at least in 1994. Sour grapes was more of what I remember. Looking back, you can’t deny all of Star’s contributions and innovations. I no doubt will see 2018 SCV as an example of excellence, but I may need to wait a year or two to use innovative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precious Roy Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 Personally, I think the term "innovative" gets overused. Not just this year, but any year. Changes in this art form are evolutionary, more than revolutionary. Having said that, this SCV show this year has completely won me over. I've been a big Bluecoats fan, especially since '14. The first couple weeks of this season, I couldn't get enough of Session 44. Love Blooo's show this year (and I really still do). Then I started reading about the reactions to Babylon, and watched a few clips of that show. It sounded interesting. But then I happened to catch one of the full show videos before it got pulled down. Wow. And then seeing it live, in Atlanta -- nothing else that day/night compared to it. Its kind of funny -- in this age of drum corps where narration is so prevalent, the current top scoring show is themed around non-verbal communication, and has (by necessity of that theme) not a single spoken word. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slingerland Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 I don't see anything innovative in it, per se, but it does a better job with the tools and vocabulary of the activity than its competitors. Much like "Frameworks", it's the whole package and the performance level of the production rather than any one ingredient that makes it noteworthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdaddy Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 (edited) I don't know if "innovative" is the right word. But I'd say that they most effectively take many innovations from recent years and combine them in the most coordinated way. They've taken innovations and perfected them, in my mind (much like Apple). For example, SCV isn't the first to use electronic dance music, but in my opinion they've done it the best. For another example, SCV isn't the first corps to use big props that are wheeled around, but in my opinion these are the coolest engineered props ever used, they're so well integrated, and they're moved around perfectly (designed INTO the show, much like last year's props). Edited August 7, 2018 by kdaddy 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommeee Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 5 hours ago, Cappybara said: What I gathered from this is that the thing that puts Babylon in the category of "ahead of its time" is the talent level and execution of the performers? Yes, it sounds like many people aren't answering your question. There are things about the SCV show that remind me of recent Bluecoats, and also remind me of mid-90's Madison Scouts. So, not necessarily "innovative" in my opinion. Maybe the props are innovative, in the number of different ways they are used. But the drill is actually taking a big step back, again in my opinion. I liked Pete Weber's drill way better. Innovative or not, I think it is an awesome spectacle to see/hear, especially live. I won't get to see it live again, but I sure am anxious to see it in the theater on Thursday! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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