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DCA Finals weekend thoughts


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Saw every competing corps. Not going to touch on any of the other stuff about the weekend, I don't want to be an internet troll.

 

Dear DCA sound engineers...YOU DON'T NEED BASS DROPS AT THE END OF EVERY MAJOR PHRASE ENDING! For the love of God stop!!1

 

Bucs.....Saturday really good run, Sunday even better. Nice added little touches with Bugginess and the corps really got into the role playing. They didn't win every sheet, but they won enough, and I can't argue with how it turned out. Good solid show, with a nice touch of humor without going over the top cheese.

C2...I thought Saturday had some shakiness after the drum break, Sunday held much better. I do think the trademark nutty cadets drill may have hurt stamina a touch at the end, but the kids pulled it off. Given the hell the organization endured this year, 2nd is by no means a reason to hang heads. I loved Waterfront, and Big Apple here was more enjoyable than C1 in 99.

CV...this was a ###### fine show. Sunday I thought they added passion and emotion that wasn't quite there Saturday, but may have sacrificed some cleanliness. I'm good with either option, but this had screamers, good playing, good movement, and I loved the stuff with the snares and tenors coming into the pit. And....Roundabout! Always a fave, and they slayed it. if anything I thought the very end came kinda of abruptly...i realize it was about chaos, but that seemed too chaotic and affected flow.

Fusion......as always, the guard steals the show. I mean Tommy VanderGrift in kids clothes is just letting him be himself! Thought the brass played well, but the percussion didnt quite stack up in a year of really good percussion teams. Sunday IMO...didn't seem to have the passion Saturday did, but still a #### fine show.

My love affair of the summer....Bush. On 7/7 I thought it had potential. on 7/28 I saw it was starting to be realized. Last week I thought they should have beaten Cabs, and Saturday as well. Sunday, they did. Look....I've beaten Bush, I have lost to Bush....I always respected them and 93 is still one of my gold standard shows ( as well as prelims 92)....this show came the closest to 93 of anything since, even that run around 06/07. it just gelled and had a vibe to it. They had the crowd both days in ways corps above and below them didn't have it. I can only imagine if they had 10 more brass. 

Cabs....I really, really wanted to like the show....but in the end, to me it seemed like they were trying too hard to NOT be the Cabs...which is a double edged sword, because people ##### when they are TOO Cabs. Plus, visually i got distracted whenever the dueling went way off to the side. Now...the soloists were very good, i dug the Thurston lick, and there was some really good stuff in there...but I couldn't overcome that which distracted me.

White Sabers.....I love you guys. But next year, how about 1/10th the  bass drops please? Pretty please?? In a year where that sound was done too much, you were then hands down winners. Or losers depending on your POV. Another corps that finals night seemed to lose some quality in exchange for some in your face raw emotion. Many around me and I worried at the end as the tarps didn't stay down...i really thought someone was gonna bite it hard, and there were some close calls. The idea worked tho, and a 2 spot drop seemed much IMO. In a year of deep competition, it looks like as the judges judged their show of the day, lots of subs placed above the overall placement, but the bottom line worked out how it did. 

I said at Peckville it Cincinnati Tradition had all of their bodies with them and cleaned....look out. being on early, they set the stage and got the crowd into them, and finals even more so. I'd love to see it with 10 more brass and 10 more guard. Very smart design...maybe asking a bit too much of the performers in spots, but getting enough of it. I honestly thought the score should have been higher. A welcome addition to Open Class.

Hurcs.....welcome back! Well thought out show, and I think Saturday was the better of the 2 runs. Another Thurston Lick, so props, and of course the smoke machines. Story flowed, now it's just a matter of getting the performers up to the material. In a deep year, 9th is nothing to snicker at. This was a good corps and show, even if they let Kevin Bell near the plugs on Saturday

Sun.....many great opportunities within the show, but the members just weren't there yet. Percussion, given their late tart and staff change, did better than many expected. Enjoyable concept with good music, asking a lot from the kids, and the kids just not there yet. Be anxious to see how they build on this.

 

Chops...I'll be honest...Saturday i had them higher. Sunday, there were more noticable performance issues....had happy to be here approach and vibe. Fun show about the Sky Scrapers, great opening soloist. it wasn't until the last minute of the show Sunday that I realized they didnt march tenors. Not sure I would have changed placements, but the score might have been higher in my eyes

A Class:

Saturday, the Gold/Govies battle could have gone either way. Sunday, no doubt.

Gold......a very well done show, written wisely for what they had. Brass did seem a few times to be outgunned by the percussion, but not in a way that did too much damage. Great guard, and Sunday came to win. 

Govies...always fun, John changed up the standard intro ( my wife was NOT sold on that LOL).....and the ladies won the day! Saturday IMO the better of the two runs. Sunday the music side didn't deliver as strongly as it could have. Did highly enjoy all aspects, and IMO, the visual package was a touch too aggressive for the number of brass players...and in Sundays heat, i think that was a huge factor. 

Sky....welcome back to finals! Show grew by leaps and bounds, especially after a winter of bad rumors, admin changes etc. The show definitely grew since Peckville, and the performers stepped up their game. Some risk and performance issues where everything didn't line up, but the show definitely took several leaps forward. Sunday the corps took it to another level, especially musically. 

Cadence....liked it from the -10 yard line last week, truly enjoyed it from the front. Some performance issues, especially in the battery...really hurt at prelims. Finals, a better more controlled run, and the show connected with the fans in the heat better than under grey skies! Glad you came across the pond and hope we see you soon!

Southern Knights.....musically the corps did some nice things. Visual is what hurt. A fun show though, easy to follow, and a good start in A Class now that you're able to attend. 

TBirds.....2 strong captions held back by the others. Musically the corps was asked to do a lot for their size, and at times it just didn't pan out. It was fun to watch and hear, just performance issues due to size.

Highland.....getting to see from the center showed lots of potential. Not sure why the battery guys didn't march...the book combined with being up front was an issue It wouldn't have been had they moved, and put serious pressure on the brass to try and keep up. The story line flowed better, and the Games more understood. Good starting place!

Saints.....I kinda liked the show, but I don't think they had the horses to pull it off. I get it...new corps, trying to recruit, being safe doesn't help....but it did cause issues. Don't let it get you down, you have to start somewhere, and this was a good place to build on!

 

A very good show both days. scores are scores...last place in A is light years compared to the last time I watched everyone live in 2013. I'm looking forward to 2019!

 

 

 

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follow up....#### I missed Fran Haring. Anderman does a good job. the finals guy tried too hard to sound like the WGI percussion guy. Fran, we will miss you more than you know

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55 minutes ago, dbriggs said:

was out in the car waiting to pick up someone, but did I hear the Alumni announcer say, at the end of the show, "Be sure to come back tonite for DCI Finals"?

I'm pretty sure he said DCA. Steve  wouldn't screw that up.

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4 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

follow up....#### I missed Fran Haring. Anderman does a good job. the finals guy tried too hard to sound like the WGI percussion guy. Fran, we will miss you more than you know

Great review, as always!!!

And thank you again, my friend. And the same to all the rest of the folks who have had a kind word or two to say, either in person or otherwise. That means the world to me.

Would have been nice to have been there to wrap up my DCA years. I'd say more, but I'm trying to reduce my blood pressure meds.  :tongue:

Had fun just being a fan at the alumni show Sunday.

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11 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

Highland.....getting to see from the center showed lots of potential. Not sure why the battery guys didn't march...the book combined with being up front was an issue It wouldn't have been had they moved, and put serious pressure on the brass to try and keep up. The story line flowed better, and the Games more understood. Good starting place!

Thanks for the review! PM me if you have any questions about us this year or moving forward.

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7 hours ago, MotoSurfBass said:

Thanks for the review! PM me if you have any questions about us this year or moving forward.

will do. good start. Remember, not that long ago, some of these corps above you were in the same place

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