2023 Blue Stars

[Cellano]

I was thinking there was going to be some change, something new,  something to help up the GE scores, but the show has basically been the same since it was first performed in June and it shows, the GE scores have not moved since San Antonio. The members are performing the crap out of what they are given but It’s like staff just gave up on the season. 

[kdaddy]

Kind of has a 2011 feel to it. Some momentum (8th in 2010, 7th in 2022) that wasn't captured effectively.

I hope the powers that be don't freak out design team wise.

[DrumManTx]

Just now, kdaddy said:

Kind of has a 2011 feel to it. Some momentum (8th in 2010, 7th in 2022) that wasn't captured effectively.

I hope the powers that be don't freak out design team wise.

Agreed.  
 

I love a lot of things in this show and really applaud them for taking a pretty big risk with a super weird show, definitely wasn’t safe.   I agree with those that have said I was expecting a lot more development, layering, and evolution, but just didn’t really happen.  Not really clicking as a package like I was hoping it would in the end.  I’ll still listen to it more than at least 4 or so shows that will place ahead of them, brass is delicious and I love the ballad so much.  Interested in where they go next year.  

[ScottPREuph]

16 minutes ago, Cellano said:

I was thinking there was going to be some change, something new,  something to help up the GE scores, but the show has basically been the same since it was first performed in June and it shows, the GE scores have not moved since San Antonio. The members are performing the crap out of what they are given but It’s like staff just gave up on the season. 

GE is scoring ok. It’s brass and percussion performance where Blue Stars got smoked by Troopers tonight.

[Jake W.]

I agree with what everyone has mentioned so far - I am a little baffled at how the show ended up where it did in terms of development and reception now that we are in the final week of the season. I don't always get it right, but I've been around the activity long enough to generally make a pretty solid guess on what has bones and what doesn't, and I had high hopes for this one. It hasn't grown or turned into what anyone probably thought it would, but I truly cannot articulate why. I guess I found myself much more interested in parts of the show tonight (of which there are many terrific moments, and I still love the ballad), rather than the product as a whole. I wish I could flesh out what my thoughts are on this in more specific ways, but I'm at a bit of a loss to articulate them clearly. This is a new one for me - watching a show with good structure & bones paired with an exceptionally-talented corps that just didn't end up capitalizing or building on its architecture. 

The season is nowhere near over yet, but I echo the sentiments mentioned a few posts up that I really hope this less-than-ideal ending week doesn't lead to a major shake up with the design team. I really feel this is more of a blip in the road of a talented ensemble's success that could serve as a great learning experience for an already-cohesive team. I love it when any ensemble takes steps outside their design comfort zone. I would hope this year's show is used as a springboard as opposed to a reason to retreat to safety. 

Edited August 5, 2023 by Jake W.

[DCI-86]

I too am baffled. They normally evolve their show during the season and have a plan but this year it’s basically the same show they premiered with, give or take a few minor tweaks and hasn’t really got much better. Hence their score stuck at 87. 

This isn’t typical of this design team so I wonder what has gone on in the background?

I suspect they will fair much better indoors and their guard score will keep them competing for 9-11th spot. 

Edited August 5, 2023 by DCI-86
Typo

[corps8294]

9 hours ago, kdaddy said:

Kind of has a 2011 feel to it. Some momentum (8th in 2010, 7th in 2022) that wasn't captured effectively.

 

And we all remember what happened following 2011. Hopefully they will learn from this season so there is no repeat and spillover into next year resulting in a 13th or lower place finish.
There is a lot to critique about the Blue Stars, this year, and I'll save my constructive criticism until after finals. 

[brians]

if minds are made up, it doesn't matter what

Edited August 5, 2023 by brians

[corps8294]

...and all the pity-party drivel about "DCP hates the Blue Stars" and "The fans hate the Blue Stars" is simply not true. It's how the corps constructs its shows that DCP, DCCS, the fans, followers, etc have issues about. Again, a lot of people were hoping the Blue Stars would have capitalized on their 7th place finish, last year, by competing for a 5th or 6th finish and it didn't even come close. That can't be pinned on the members. They are doing the best they can with what they were given. Again, there is a lot to go over and that will be mentioned when the season is done. 

Edited August 5, 2023 by corps8294

[lawdn]

10 hours ago, ScottPREuph said:

GE is scoring ok. It’s brass and percussion performance where Blue Stars got smoked by Troopers tonight.

Blue Stars finished 0.8 behind Troopers in GE last night. That is a gap that is very hard to make up in performance captions. Across the captions some of the scores make sense to me but not all of them. Then again, I have only seen most of the shows on Flo and I am not a judge, though as a fan of drum corps and Blue Stars, I want to understand.