Hotlanta On My Mind - July 29, 2023

[TOC]

11 hours ago, Ashontheinternet said:

according to a marcher at BC, the penalty is because the show went past time limit by about 15 seconds. its not really my story to tell, but i figured you all might be curious. 

What's the difference in prize money between third and fourth? 

[Barneveld]

9 minutes ago, TOC said:

What's the difference in prize money between third and fourth? 

I don't know. But it's not just about prize money. It's also order of appearance for early season shows in 2024 (random draws of 3)

[Triple Forte]

3 hours ago, craiga said:

Congratulations  to the Blue Devils for their win last night in Atlanta.    A .85 spread one show and 1.9 spread the next, with both BD and BAC having stellar performances.

I wonder, which panel was correct?  

Exactly …

[BDCorno]

6 hours ago, Cappybara said:

Except BD are the Patriots 

Except the Patriots don’t win enough to be mentioned in the same sentence with BD. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[Cappybara]

32 minutes ago, DCI Fan 9287928734 said:

But it was horrible in person. That stadium sucks sounds like a vacuum cleaner. Everything sounds like mush.

Must have been your seats, this was the opposite of my experience last season. One of the best acoustic environments I’ve experienced for drum corps 

[BDCorno]

3 hours ago, craiga said:

Congratulations  to the Blue Devils for their win last night in Atlanta.    A .85 spread one show and 1.9 spread the next, with both BD and BAC having stellar performances.

I wonder, which panel was correct?  

Both were in their own way. Blue Devils were much better last night than the night before. On the flipside, I don’t think Boston was as good last night, than the night before. The absence of a full complement of groups in TN also affected the spreads. Once again, I stress that BD was “night and day” better last night. NOT stellar on Friday. 

[ftwdrummer]

Last night on Flo high cam was my first read of the season. Some scattered thoughts, noting that (a) I was on Flo, (b) high cam only, so no details, (c) on a 13 inch laptop screen because the room with the TV is being repainted, and (d) in the midst of the show my baseball team traded for Max Scherzer:

Madison felt more Madison than last year's show. Probably because what I caught of it around Internet rebooting was hats and Latin.

Music City was a solid 'fine.' Same with BK and Pac Crest.

I adored Troop but I'm a Troopers mark. Would like a bit less cheese at the end, but really enjoying the body of that show. Harmonica good.

I don't think I'd realized quite how much brass arranging in DCI had changed in my time watching DCI until Cavies returned me to the music-that-sounds-like-a-screen-door-slamming era. The show it most resembles to me musically is 2001, which is...fine, if you're pairing it with the early 2000s Cavies visual package. Didn't work as much for me here. But that battery is fantastic, and a nice tribute to the idea that keeping good people in place long term pays dividends.

Cadets brass doesn't play much, do they? Kinda wish they had a different uniform--not the classic uniform, but something that feels a bit less rehearsal-uniform-ish. But the uniform reads well, and the visual stuff they're doing is good.

I need another read on Crown. Because most of what I got is that I'm getting bored with Crown brass books. They're starting to feel gratuitous in a way that isn't particularly enjoyable--akin to an outdoor orchestra concert I attended several years ago where they programmed Carnival of Venice and about two thirds of the way through the audience started applauding because it was impressive and also because we were bored out of our minds.

Phantom doing Muse is confusing but works? Mildly baffled by it. Also baffled as to how Phantom-y they are without really having any of the Phantom hallmarks visually. Also baffled as to how much I enjoyed this.

Bloo: I'm tired of their Sixties kick. I appreciate that the narration comes from the source music, but this year's set isn't really my cup of tea. And scorching hot take: Bloo hasn't had an ending that improved the show since 2014. 2015 was fine, but didn't dramatically alter the show. 2016 and 2018 just needed endings that landed the plane and they did that; 2017 was...fine; 2019 the new ending was dramatically worse; they had no clue how to end the show last year; and not sure they do this year either. I might not be cool enough for Bloo. Or too old for it. And that's ok.

Boston: it's Crown 2010 redux. And...I feel like BAC can't get out of their way with musical selections in some cases? It consistently feels like they're wedging things in that don't work. It was My Shot and Gonna Fly Now in 2019, Can't Take My Eyes Off of You last year, Wellerman and Shipping this year. Part of me wants to adore this show because On the Waterfront is secretly my favorite Bernstein, but...it was a solid miss for me.

BD: not the best BD show ever. Best thing on the field by a mile this year.

Overall: based on what I saw last night I kinda want to send everyone's design team home and say try again? There was no great show anywhere on the field on first read with maybe the exception of Phantom maybe, and that's a shame, because they all have elements of greatness.

Maybe it was just my read yesterday and I'll have a different opinion next time I watch.

[BlueStainGlass]

6 minutes ago, ftwdrummer said:

Last night on Flo high cam was my first read of the season. Some scattered thoughts, noting that (a) I was on Flo, (b) high cam only, so no details, (c) on a 13 inch laptop screen because the room with the TV is being repainted, and (d) in the midst of the show my baseball team traded for Max Scherzer:

Madison felt more Madison than last year's show. Probably because what I caught of it around Internet rebooting was hats and Latin.

Music City was a solid 'fine.' Same with BK and Pac Crest.

I adored Troop but I'm a Troopers mark. Would like a bit less cheese at the end, but really enjoying the body of that show. Harmonica good.

I don't think I'd realized quite how much brass arranging in DCI had changed in my time watching DCI until Cavies returned me to the music-that-sounds-like-a-screen-door-slamming era. The show it most resembles to me musically is 2001, which is...fine, if you're pairing it with the early 2000s Cavies visual package. Didn't work as much for me here. But that battery is fantastic, and a nice tribute to the idea that keeping good people in place long term pays dividends.

Cadets brass doesn't play much, do they? Kinda wish they had a different uniform--not the classic uniform, but something that feels a bit less rehearsal-uniform-ish. But the uniform reads well, and the visual stuff they're doing is good.

I need another read on Crown. Because most of what I got is that I'm getting bored with Crown brass books. They're starting to feel gratuitous in a way that isn't particularly enjoyable--akin to an outdoor orchestra concert I attended several years ago where they programmed Carnival of Venice and about two thirds of the way through the audience started applauding because it was impressive and also because we were bored out of our minds.

Phantom doing Muse is confusing but works? Mildly baffled by it. Also baffled as to how Phantom-y they are without really having any of the Phantom hallmarks visually. Also baffled as to how much I enjoyed this.

Bloo: I'm tired of their Sixties kick. I appreciate that the narration comes from the source music, but this year's set isn't really my cup of tea. And scorching hot take: Bloo hasn't had an ending that improved the show since 2014. 2015 was fine, but didn't dramatically alter the show. 2016 and 2018 just needed endings that landed the plane and they did that; 2017 was...fine; 2019 the new ending was dramatically worse; they had no clue how to end the show last year; and not sure they do this year either. I might not be cool enough for Bloo. Or too old for it. And that's ok.

Boston: it's Crown 2010 redux. And...I feel like BAC can't get out of their way with musical selections in some cases? It consistently feels like they're wedging things in that don't work. It was My Shot and Gonna Fly Now in 2019, Can't Take My Eyes Off of You last year, Wellerman and Shipping this year. Part of me wants to adore this show because On the Waterfront is secretly my favorite Bernstein, but...it was a solid miss for me.

BD: not the best BD show ever. Best thing on the field by a mile this year.

Overall: based on what I saw last night I kinda want to send everyone's design team home and say try again? There was no great show anywhere on the field on first read with maybe the exception of Phantom maybe, and that's a shame, because they all have elements of greatness.

Maybe it was just my read yesterday and I'll have a different opinion next time I watch.

Those are some statements 

[ftwdrummer]

1 minute ago, BlueStainGlass said:

Those are some statements 

They really are. Possible I'm dino'ing myself and that's...fine, I guess. Or that last night was a bad read for me because of distraction. But I'm probably not making it to a live show this year, so... oh well.

I'll probably have strong positive opinions on everything by Prelims.

[PR90]

10 hours ago, Ashontheinternet said:

if by more dedicated drum corps fans you mean butthurt older fans then maybe. is a drum corps fan that just recently got into the activity in the last few years who loves more progressive ideas like use of narration or electronic effects less dedicated than someone who thinks we should get rid of all electronics and go back to G bugles? i'd wager not. it is true that there is a loud group of people who hate the narration but i can't say i would consider that the majority. if anything most probably consider it corny but tolerable, if not funny and enjoyable. this is phrased in a way that only those who dislike the narration are dedicated, but those who enjoy it arent. this statement is either ignorant or inflammatory and i cant say which is worse. 

But "butthurt older fans" is not ignorant or inflammatory....  The activity keeps shrinking into more and more of a self-admiration society with lots more corps folding than coming into the activity.  Perhaps it would be a good idea to have ongoing discussions about why that is and allow all to speak frankly without feelings getting hurt.  Otherwise, we can just save the discussion until it's time to turn the lights off for everyone.  And then what will it matter?