Columbus Show 6/17

[ipecac]

Once again, a worthy soccer stadium but a crappy advertising campaign... not a great crowd.

When one goes to a fine steakhouse, one doesn't talk about the taters... just the steak... so the div 2/3's will get little space (when i go to a show, i'm in my seat before the National Anthem, thank you).

Marion Cincinnati Glory Cadets or whatever (9th: 33.40) struggled... but ya know? I'd rather see them 20x than some of the crap you're about to read...

Scenic City (8th 38.85) was the first corps to step off.. enjoyable!! Another smaller corps with something to say.

Americanos (7th 47.05) used to be, well, fun.. now they take themselves way too seriously..."La Fiesta Mexicana" is one of my fave pieces.. this needs a more definitive ending.

Pioneer (6th 48.95) are doing "Oliver!" which is one of the most awful films to win Best Picture. I knew i would hate this show (why did they go last??). I was wrong. Wonderful staging. This is my very favorite outing by Pioneer. I really enjoyed it (and i normally hate that music).

Capital Regiment (5th 52.40): WHen they marched out, my eyeballs jumped out of their sockets, and my jaw hit the bench: Aaa-OOOOOOOOO-gaaa! They're friggin' HUGE! Not 135 members.. but h###, SOMEONE did some top-notch recruiting! Good job, kids! Watch this corps... big things a-comin'.

Blue Knights (4th 59.40): Back in the top 12? Oh yeah. Star of Indiana-----er---BK will hit it good. Too bad they have no identity... the show is weird for the sake of weird.. but it works. It's just doity doity doity right now. Drumline sounded pretty fresh... i have yet to see a recap.

Madison (3rd 64.30): I hope these guys have dates on Finals night... 'cause they'll need someplace to go. This is a horrible mess. They're ###### lucky they can play... they cannot march.. and i've seen Junior High color guards spin better (guard will NOT be top 16 on Friday night in Madison). The guard uni looks like one of those old Captain Doofus serials. Suggestion: spend less time on your silly, pointless warmup grandstanding. and...leave "Conquest" (the warmup) to Boston, ok? Christy Brown could march better than this unit (if ya hafta ask, don't). Definitely the nadir of the evening... but hey.. the crowd still loves this crap...gawd knows why. Then again... people paid to see "Dude, Where's My Car."

Phantom (CLOSE 2nd 68.65): My, my, my... if these kids didn't have two left feet... they'd have won this'n BIG!!!! I've only been a fan of Phantom in '89 and '93.. and now '02. I LOVE this!! Musically, it is astounding. Beautiful, brilliant, wonderfully written... bring up the visual, and this will most certainly be a top-3 corps. The guard, CLEARLY the very best tonight, was tremendous. Wonderful! I really didn't dig 'em at all last year... HUGE turnaround in terms of vocabulary and "telling a story" simply through great music. CONGRATS!

Glassmen (1st 68.85): They march well.. and probably drum well.. they sound like crapola. Plus, the repertoire is cheaper than Sominex. What IS it with these people? All that talent.. 3 (i think...) 5th place finishes... yet, no one seems to know how to plan a decent program. BORING!!!!!!

I was thinking.. on the 7 minute drive home... T-shirts:

Marion Glory: "We're conquering Ohio! One city at a time!"

Scenic City: "Tennessee'in' is Believin'! (apologies to Matt Groening)

Americanos: "We were better without the battery!"

Cap Reg: "Holy s###! We're HUGE!"

Blue Knights: "He told me to BURN things!" (ahem.. Denver)

Madison: "Call me! I'm free Saturday, August 10th!"

Phantom: "We may LOOK like a train wreck, but ######, we SOUND great!"

Glassmen: "Euthanizing fans since 1961"

Ok.. it was harsh. Sue me.

:P

[Guest GeorgeD]

Dude: have you noticed its June?

[SWEuph04]

yeah for real! alot will change before august!

[Cainan]

Being that it is only June, THANK GOD that the season doesnt start in May. Could you imagine what he would have said then?

[RContra]

I liked this review. Finally, someone was honest. ^0^

[ssorrell]

(speaking of Phantom)... bring up the visual, and this will most certainly be a top-3 corps.

Let's see...first they have to take out Glassmen, which granted, is only a couple of tenths away. Then they have to pass at least one or two others, like the Cavies, Devils, Vanguard, or Cadets. Oh, and by the way...have you seen the other corps?

[arrangerx]

Little harsh, but I'd rather get honest reactions than the fluff that usually passes for reviews.

Few corps are ever great in June. This year sounds like no exception.

However, each of us with any experience in drum corps at all can begin to see where a program MIGHT go. It's rare that anyone is surprised by a late season placement. . . so. . .

Keep the reviews coming! I love it!!!

Hopefully we'll hear just as much honesty about the Crossmen's show. We're listening. . .

^0^

[scoutsmom]

:sshh:

Edited July 12, 2003 by scoutsmom

[bd5times]

Yeah, it's crap alright--you said it yourself.  I suppose you could do better...which corps did you march in?  Bet they were glad to have you and your sparkling outlook on life.

Personally, I like the honest assessments. For every person who thinks the show is wonderful, there will be somebody who thinks otherwise. Why not let them have their say as well?

Wish somebody COULD sue ya...

That would solve the problem, wouldn't it? Perhaps somebody could purchase rose colored glasses for the creator of this thread. Maybe things would look different....heh?

Rob

[ipecac]

Yes.. it was harsh, but I shan't make apologies.. I had surgery last week and couldn't even say hello to all my buds I only see in stadia (24 stitches in my big, fat mouf).

Really? It's June? Oh.. allow me to retract...

When I saw The Cadets at this show last year, I was harsher... granted ,my first "viewing" of them annually makes my knees weak. I cannot explain what the corps does to me emotionally.. but that repertoire was crap (I'm STILL stymied as to how they soared in GE in Buffalo!). I was thoroughly disappointed in the entire production and let it be known. Granted, I give 'em balls for doing what others don't: rather than watering it down, they added about 60,000 notes. hehe lost 'em a Brass award, but won some respect.

I realize that the kids---even the Scouts---read this stuff. Well? Put yourself in the public eye, and take your licks. Here's what one highly regarded NY Book reviewer had to say about my first published piece:

"It reads like a gigantic sloth, leaving trails of bodily waste up and down the tree."

Ouch!!! I laughed all the way to the deposit slip.. and Madison (etal) should rest assured that even if the color guard stands on the 50 and takes a noisy dump (which I'd prefer over the alleged flag-spinning), the crowds will shriek and want more.

By the way.. i omitted a positive: their show flies by.. seemed like about 7 minutes. WAY TO GO! YAYYYYYYYY! Short and (un)sweet. YAYYYYYYY! (who gets that high-larious reference?)

Seriously, I know it's June... I've seen June shows for decades (remember June 3rd shows?). Take heart in the fact that it only took about 2 minutes for me to become rabid about Phantom again:) B)