Crum-ble on the hill in Allentown - August 4, 2023

[Super Don-O]

22 minutes ago, jwillis35 said:

 

C) it does seem we may have a race for the title down the stretch run. I did not see the show due to gigs. Was BD on fire or was it an average performance by their standards? Same for Bloo. 

 

 

I'd say both corps had good runs.

Devils guard was spectacular. Their brass and percussion were their usual level of wow.

Bloo also had a great visual performance. A lot of the body movement stuff in the brass was the cleanest I've seen it. Percussion to my brass ears sounded clean as hell, but they came in 3rd so take my opinion with a grain of salt. Musically all the polyrhythms and musical quirks really clicked.

[Fred Windish]

Jwillis35 -

I’m not the best judge of performance. I’m not a musician. I watched of Flo, and there is no consistency in the quality of Flo representations over several different events at varied venues. But, that’s been my only measuring stick after watching 5-6 broadcasts.

Blue Devils did seem a little ‘off’ to me compared to other viewings. Maybe a little tired, maybe electronics at different adjustment. The first number didn’t blow me back in my chair like it’s done before.

Bluecoats looked and sounded their seasonal best to me. Excellent body movements in perfect space intervals and synchronized movement.  Seemingly, a steady and flawless music effort. Their colorful uniforms and props looked wonderful under Allentown lighting. I was very impressed with the noticeable growth I saw and heard.

I am not at all surprised by the small scoring margin between Places 1 and 2 last night.

Edited August 5, 2023 by Fred Windish

[Barneveld]

28 minutes ago, jwillis35 said:

Just my observation from a few subjects coming up.

A) if a corps scores higher than BD tonight you can make the argument that you have caught up, narrowed the gap...that kind of thing. You can say corps X has the highest score to date. You cannot say you are now beating BD or that BD has been defeated. Only Head to head determines that. Unless you defeat a corps head to head you have not won. 

B) you can draw some conclusions from the two days of DCI East. But as others have said one set of corps get an extra day to practice. It's two different shows on different nights. 

C) it does seem we may have a race for the title down the stretch run. I did not see the show due to gigs. Was BD on fire or was it an average performance by their standards? Same for Bloo. 

It is exciting when things tighten up. Sounds like it was a big crowd too from what @Jeff Ream mentioned. 

 

Not always the case....... BD & BK had 2 days between their last shows and Allentown. Boston and Mandarins have 1 day between.

[LabMaster]

30 minutes ago, jwillis35 said:

Just my observation from a few subjects coming up.

A) if a corps scores higher than BD tonight you can make the argument that you have caught up, narrowed the gap...that kind of thing. You can say corps X has the highest score to date. You cannot say you are now beating BD or that BD has been defeated. Only Head to head determines that. Unless you defeat a corps head to head you have not won. 

B) you can draw some conclusions from the two days of DCI East. But as others have said one set of corps get an extra day to practice. It's two different shows on different nights. 

C) it does seem we may have a race for the title down the stretch run. I did not see the show due to gigs. Was BD on fire or was it an average performance by their standards? Same for Bloo. 

It is exciting when things tighten up. Sounds like it was a big crowd too from what @Jeff Ream mentioned. 

 

I’m not sure corps from night 2 get an extra day of rehearsal especially those who had a show the night before day 1.  It all evens out.

[LabMaster]

1 hour ago, skevinp said:

Which makes no sense to me, because one set of corps has an additional day to practice.  

Not if they had a show the night before night 1.  

Edited August 5, 2023 by LabMaster

[Vuitton]

5 hours ago, craiga said:

Actually,  Allentown is the one,  the only show each year where you CAN compare the scores from the two nights, since there are identical judging panels in identical captions both nights. DCI does this by design, to help determine the order in Indianapolis. 

As for Bluecoats "solidifying that #2 spot", you may have overlooked the fact that just the night before, Boston  was ALSO  half a point ahead of Bloo.

At present,  the math would seem to indicate this is a horse race.  And, for a few people here on dcp (not you, CHIEF GUNS) who  spent this entire summer arrogantly declaring that nobody would get within 2 or 3 points of BD, you may have been a bit out over your skis.

 

Different nights, different conditions, different shows. I know DCI’s line on this being one show, but that’s just hogwash. Look at how Crown did at Allentown in 2019 and 2022 and how they did at finals. Scored higher than SCV in 2019 and finished behind them at finals, and scored higher than Boston and Bluecoats last year and finished behind both at finals. 

You can’t say Boston was a half point ahead of Bluecoats and therefore, because BD was also a half point ahead of Bluecoats they must be even with BD. They are not. Two different shows.

Unless it’s the same show, on the same night, at the same venue, and with the same panel, you can’t compare scores. Simple as.

I never said no one would get within 2 or 3 points of BD. I said they would go undefeated and win the title. I still stand by that.

It’s not arrogance. It’s getting beyond your bias. It’s understanding what separates a championship show from an exceptionally good show. It’s understanding BD is the best corps across all captions. It’s understanding Crown, Boston and Bluecoats have weaknesses that BD doesn’t. It’s understanding what the judges are rewarding at the highest level and what they are not. It’s understanding that only shows like 2008 Regiment, 2011 Cadets, 2013 Crown, 2016 Bluecoats and 2018 Vanguard beat BD, and we ain’t got none of those shows this year. 

Edited August 5, 2023 by Vuitton

[skevinp]

29 minutes ago, Barneveld said:

Not always the case....... BD & BK had 2 days between their last shows and Allentown. Boston and Mandarins have 1 day between.

Shows are practice.

[skevinp]

36 minutes ago, LabMaster said:

Not if they had a show the night before night 1.  

Whether it is practice from a rehearsal or practice from a show, or even a day of rest, corps benefit from a day’s worth of time.  

[lawdn]

If anyone tonight tops BD’s score from last night, after the season is over no one anywhere will remember that except on DCP. It is wonderful that there is a group of people so passionate about drum corps as to debate whether Allentown is one or two shows. I am here for it.

[lawdn]

1 hour ago, CAtenhut said:

I'm sure you can get a cool red one from Mandarins if you want. But it'll just be to wear cuz I'm confident you won't have to eat it.

That Mandarin hat will just fall off anyway 😂