Bluecoats 2023

[MikeRapp]

7 hours ago, resipsaloquitur said:

Yea they should design their show to LOSE. Like you would do that if you were a champion. Not.

Of course I would. But that’s just me. I would not want to keep mining the same concept over and over again. As a designer, I would want to do something new and more challenging. 

[MarchMello10]

19 minutes ago, MikeRapp said:

Of course I would. But that’s just me. I would not want to keep mining the same concept over and over again. As a designer, I would want to do something new and more challenging. 

With all due respect 

23- The Life of Visual Artist Matisse

22- History of the Color Blue

19- The Ghostlight, Theatre

18- The Dreams and Nighthawks Painting

17- The Conceot of Change

16- The Tempest

15- Story Books and Fairy Tales

14- Director Fellini

13- The Rite of Spring

12- The Dada Movement

The major similarity in what BD does each season comes down mainly to doing shows generally about a specific artistic figure, a specific work of art, or a specific genre of art, which I think is a very winning formula, and every year feels unique in its approach with a lot of nuance and subtlety in the way its approached, this season in particular being a particularly high showing.

we can discuss musical and structural tropes that BD uses that contributes to that “sameness” however, because those are certainly there

[MikeRapp]

It may be that the maturation of this activity means each corps will (and will have to) develop their own distinct method and show style—and maybe it’s always been this way. The down side is once you get known for that, it can seem stale and safe.

Bluecoats’ “style” allows them to do a Beatles show one year and whatever Riffs was last year. And Garden of Love this year.  It’s still Bluecoats—but entirely fresh from year to year.

Crown has a musical style of arrangements and performance that we can immediately see and especially hear as Crown. But their show concepts are very diverse IMO.

If any corps’ “tropes” get so recognizable that it seems they are seen as boring or cynical (hey it worked last year, lets just keep doing that) then it’s up to each of us to decide whether we like that.

[Vuitton]

In my next life I want to be a member of the 2023 Bluecoats colorguard, and do flag only. Good grief that book is amazing and they are so in sync.

[Cappybara]

33 minutes ago, MarchMello10 said:

With all due respect 

23- The Life of Visual Artist Matisse

22- History of the Color Blue

19- The Ghostlight, Theatre

18- The Dreams and Nighthawks Painting

17- The Conceot of Change

16- The Tempest

15- Story Books and Fairy Tales

14- Director Fellini

13- The Rite of Spring

12- The Dada Movement

The major similarity in what BD does each season comes down mainly to doing shows generally about a specific artistic figure, a specific work of art, or a specific genre of art, which I think is a very winning formula, and every year feels unique in its approach with a lot of nuance and subtlety in the way its approached, this season in particular being a particularly high showing.

we can discuss musical and structural tropes that BD uses that contributes to that “sameness” however, because those are certainly there

 

14 minutes ago, MikeRapp said:

It may be that the maturation of this activity means each corps will (and will have to) develop their own distinct method and show style—and maybe it’s always been this way. The down side is once you get known for that, it can seem stale and safe.

Bluecoats’ “style” allows them to do a Beatles show one year and whatever Riffs was last year. And Garden of Love this year.  It’s still Bluecoats—but entirely fresh from year to year.

Crown has a musical style of arrangements and performance that we can immediately see and especially hear as Crown. But their show concepts are very diverse IMO.

If any corps’ “tropes” get so recognizable that it seems they are seen as boring or cynical (hey it worked last year, lets just keep doing that) then it’s up to each of us to decide whether we like that.

I quite agree with both of these posts. BD’s show concepts are vastly different from each other but all mostly fall under the genre of the literary or physical art. In a way they are the most “traditional” corps with their show concepts and it is clear they are very focused as a corps on giving their members a very strong artistic education by doing these deep dives into various artistic movements, styles, and artists. It has been over a decade since BD last did a show that was more about a general concept than an artistic medium. 
 

Where BD can come across as “same-y” to some people is with their visual and musical “tropes” as already mentioned before. At this point, most of the top corps all have a consistent design team that have their own distinct recognizable arranging and visual styles. That isn’t unique to BD. Bloo has been doing a ton of rhythmic moving sections in every show going all the way back to 2013. It isn’t a Bloo show without ostinatos being played for a full section of the show. The arrangements all have the same “sound” and chord structures to them that give Bloo their distinct voice. Carolina Crown has their own symphonic voice that they utilize with familiar horn licks and arban exercises every year, and they often reprise their opener in the closer. Even the Cadets, after having a completely new design staff, sounds like the Cadets of old in their horn and drum arrangements to the point that im convinced they could have played 2023’s show in 2016 and not missed a beat from their sound and style in 2015. So yeah, I vehemently disagree that BD is any more cyclical than the other top corps, I happen to like the familiarity they all provide year after year. 
 

And as MikeRapp said, it is up to the audience to decide whether they like the musical tropes or not

[MarchMello10]

1 minute ago, Cappybara said:

 

I quite agree with both of these posts. BD’s show concepts are vastly different from each other but all mostly fall under the genre of the literary or physical art. In a way they are the most “traditional” corps with their show concepts and it is clear they are very focused as a corps on giving their members a very strong artistic education by doing these deep dives into various artistic movements, styles, and artists. It has been over a decade since BD last did a show that was more about a general concept than an artistic medium. 
 

Where BD can come across as “same-y” to some people is with their visual and musical “tropes” as already mentioned before. At this point, most of the top corps all have a consistent design team that have their own distinct recognizable arranging and visual styles. That isn’t unique to BD. Bloo has been doing a ton of rhythmic moving sections in every show going all the way back to 2013. It isn’t a Bloo show without ostinatos being played for a full section of the show. The arrangements all have the same “sound” and chord structures to them that give Bloo their distinct voice. Carolina Crown has their own symphonic voice that they utilize with familiar horn licks and arban exercises every year, and they often reprise their opener in the closer. Even the Cadets, after having a completely new design staff, sounds like the Cadets of old in their horn and drum arrangements to the point that im convinced they could have played 2023’s show in 2016 and not missed a beat from their sound and style in 2015. So yeah, I vehemently disagree that BD is any more cyclical than the other top corps, I happen to like the familiarity they all provide year after year. 
 

And as MikeRapp said, it is up to the audience to decide whether they like the musical tropes or not

A great analysis, it’s interesting the back and forth relationship this community has with tradition

in some contexts, tradition is shunned in favor of being new and unique, but in other adjacent contexts, that tradition is latched into and revered

As for BD, I feel like I usually learn something deeper about the source material from the nuances of the show, granted the designer conversations that they post are essentially must watches unles you’re very intimately familiar with said material

Last year I was singing a different tune, I rolled my eyes at the “color blue” show, because for me, that pulled away too far into being so general that just about anything could be conceived to be within it. I much prefer this year’s design

[MarchMello10]

Sorry for potentially derailing into BD talk here, but it’s been a good discussion

[Jurassic Lancer]

11 hours ago, ContraFart said:

BD is not a point and half better than Bluecoats. That is a BS score. Just keep doing what you are doing.

Just checked the recap … yup, they are a point and a half up. I love Bloo. I’m a huge supporter, but BD is from another planet … Mars, I think. But I am super proud of their second place seeding. Excellent run, Bloo. Let’s do it one more time.

[Jurassic Lancer]

Tonight is the night. Bloo has a fantastic show, but realistically, Bloo could end as high as 2nd, or as low as 4th. So whether we land Gold, Silver, Bronze or 3rd runner-up, let’s show why Bloo fans are known for our class and cheer for all our worthy competitors.

Stay classy, Canton

Edited August 12, 2023 by Jurassic Lancer

[oldbandguy]

ANOTHER fantastic year for the Bloo team!  I do have one suggestion for 2024...let's do a complete 180 and instead of being the LAST corps to announce your show, be the FIRST.  A press release at midnight tonight would be good!!!

(Or at least a phone call to me and I'll keep it quiet till July if you want.)