RussJW3 Posted June 20, 2004 Share Posted June 20, 2004 Well, let's get right to it! Nice night, a little chilly. Really comfortable night to watch some drum corps... Marion Glory Cadets- Well, there were some ticket issues that forced us to only listen to this show from just outside the stadium. The drumline sounds good, but overpowers the brass through most of the show. They have a good grasp of the music (The Planets), but its hard to get a read on them at this point of the season because it seems they haven't had much rehearsal time yet. Memphis Sound- Holy baritones! The hornline sounds as if it were comprised of 30 baritones and ten other random horns. They really give the show everything they've got. Pretty rough go tonight, though. Should be a pretty exciting show once they pull everything together. Southwind- Not sure about the new unis...they're sort of "Glassmen-esque," with the mix of cream, black, and gold. I had no idea who they were until I saw a staff member on the sideline with a corps jacket on. They've got a pretty exuberant trumpet section, which seemed to be overblowing at times, but its all good cause this corps was out there to have FUN. The pit is really good, especially the mallets. The second number starts with a sort of tambourine feature, which gets the crowd clapping along in time, but the pulse never really locked in (must've been too many former guard/horn people in the stands :P ). The mallets then take over and play a LOT of notes, and start running around switching places while playing all those notes. Then the rest of the corps starts getting in on the fun. I'm not sure what all happened, but there were a lot of people cheering in the stands and a lady next to me seemed overwhelmed by it all and started yelling out about how much stuff was happening on the field. Fun show, despite the obvious first show mistakes. I'm really happy to see the corps just go and lay everything out there. Kiwanis Kavaliers- Even though I've probably heard enough WSS to last a lifetime, it was refreshing to hear melodic rather than motivic arrangements. Throughout most of the show, they played through all the familiar melodies without interupting them with a bunch of drum hacks and staccato horn blasts. For some reason, this show put the changes in corps arrangements over the last 15 years into a perspective I could wrap my head around. They close with "America," which really didn't go that well tonight. The corps struggled with the 3 against 2 rhythms, but I'm sure that won't take long to fix. They end the show with a trash can feature. Yes, that's right, a trash can feature. You see, all throughout the show, there are 5 aluminum garbage cans on the front sideline at about the 40 yardline of each side of the field. At the end, members of the corps (I think the quads and some pit members) come up and start wailing on them, and a guy in the pit picks up a couple of trash can lids and starts playing them like crash cymbals...but, imo, it doesn't really work well. For as much effort as the kids look like they're putting into smacking those cans, all it produces is a rather pathetic, tinny sound. Like a really bad set of cymbals. And then they kick the cans over VERY ANGRILY on the final release of the show. The whole thing looks really intense, but I'm not sure it'll stay in the show the whole season. Capital Regiment- The beginning of the show was pretty cool, with a trumpet unison part that sounded really good. The beginning of the show displayed a much more mature horn sound for Cap Reg. If they can maintain that quality throughout the entire show, they'll be in really good shape. The quality sort of tapered off tonight as they started running around and it seemed as though half-way through, they resorted to just producing as much sound as they could, regardless of quality. They end with a jam session type thing, but it sounded like they ran out of gas and didn't have that extra bit of sound that's nice to pull out when you finish a show like that. Also, the melody seemed to have been lost amidst all the cymbal crashes on 2 and 4. But, like I said, if they can maintain a great quality of sound throughout the show and have enough in reserve to sell that ending, this will be a rockin' show come August. I don't want to predict a placement for them without seeing everybody else, but I'd say they have a chance at a finals night performance this year. Bluecoats- Well, I read a review of their dress rehearsal that said they were extra loud this year. I think I missed that volume tonight. The beginning of the show is AWESOME, and yes, definitely VERY LOUD. But they don't approach that sound again throughout the rest of the show. The guard, however, is VERY GOOD, and VERY SASSY. Before the show starts, the guard sets the mood for the show by acting, well, sassy. They got a pretty enthusiastic reaction from the crowd for their work at the end of the opener. Very colorful, and there is a TON of stuff flying through the air. Very cool moment when the guard is all on rifles and integrated with the rest of the corps in a big block and do a BIG throw and nail the catch. They end the show with a random jam section. I might have missed it, but I think the last 20 seconds is a random appearance by a completely new melody, and they just open up and rock out on it. I think it would have been a lot cooler ending had I been more familiar with that melody before they get to that point (and its entirely possible that I just missed everything that lead up that moment and everything's fine, but at least tonight I didn't get into it). Cadets- I have to admit that I usually go into viewing a Cadets show predisposed to find something about the show I hate, and this year was no different. And sure enough, I found something in this show I really REALLY disliked... It ended. THIS SHOW SHOULD STILL BE GOING ON RIGHT NOW AND NEVER END! HOLY HORNLINE...I think when the show started, some sort of aircraft picked that unfortunate time to fly over the stadium...and is now forever lost after being blown into the far reaches of the universe by the massive power of this hornline. The trumpet section is INCREDIBLE...these guys just throw down, the guard, the battery, the horns, everything is smokin' this year for the Cadets. And I have to mention the guard here...it looks like whomever was in charge of guard outfits was able to raid the "Seinfeld" wardrobe, cause the guard starts out wearing jeans and the famed "puffy" shirt. And then the females remove their puffy shirts to reveal some pretty cool retro style top...the guys, however, still have their puffy shirts on, until they do a sabre toss, at which point the females rip the dudes' shirts off in time for them to catch the sabres in their new matching retro tops. Very cool moment. They close the show with a big drill movement, and it sounded like the horns lost a little energy, but this will no doubt be fixed before long. Did I mention how awesome this show was? Cavaliers- b**bs I just described this show to a friend via instant messenger...take the awesome 20-30 second groove moments the Cavaliers have featured in their shows the past few years. Now start a show with such a neck-snapping groove...but instead of ending it after 20 seconds, end it NINE MINUTES INTO THE SHOW. The music is SPECTACULAR. After the first few absolutely roaring numbers, I thought they'd have to play a ballad. Well, just as I thought they'd do that, the pit breaks into this incredible latin groove, and the rest of the corps joins in and brings even more awesome. Finally, the much anticipated ballad arrives, and at the climax, I thought I heard a huge, crackly mellophone entrance, but it was just the reapparance of the Bond theme out of nowhere, just like how ol' 007 is able to turn the tables on his foes when things look their bleakest...but I digress. As awesome as this show is, I can't help but think it might be better if the last two numbers are moved up and they end with something more akin to the AWESOME AWESOMENESS of the first 9 minutes of the show. The hornline really opens up this year. I don't think they have the same clarity as the previous few years, and I heard a lot more horn dirt than I've grown accustomed to hearing from them. There's also a flugel solo at some point in the middle of the show, where the soloist picks it up cold, and it was pretty out of tune. I can sympathize with the guy, though, as I've had that same problem with flugels plenty of times switching between them and my trumpet on stage. Hopefully this was a result of the abnormally chilly temperature we had tonight and not something that becomes a big problem throughout the summer. One more comment...they need to turn down the amps during the whistling section! ^0^ Glassmen- This show reminded me a lot of Star/Blast, for obvious reasons connected to the repertoire. Lots of poses as can be expected from the Glassmen. I ended up enjoying this show by the end, even though the horn book just couldn't hold a candle to the excitement of the previous two shows. The hornline sold it very well, though, in my opinion. They definitely produced an exciting enough sound to make up for any lack of excitement in the arrangements, and in the end, that was enough to keep me satisfied. Final thoughts- I actually left before scores were announced. I thought Cadets might win, based on percieved horn dirt from the Cavies. But now that I think about it, I'm not sure if that was really horn dirt or just a lot of jazz inflections. The Cavies' trumpets do a lot of grace note/half valve stuff, and that can sound like missed entrances when they really aren't. Either way, I'm very pleased with the fact that those corps' shows are just so mind-blowingly fun to listen to, probably even moreso than they are to watch, and that's saying a lot with the Cadets and Cavies. I also had Glassmen on top of Bluecoats. I'm not sure what it is with the Bluecoats show, but I'm usually instantly hooked with them, and I felt rather detached after tonight. In regards to amps, I didn't really notice them. I only took offense to one vibraslap in the Cavies show right into a mic that seemed pretty obnoxious coming out of the amps. Other than that, I didn't notice any difference at all in the sounds coming from the pits tonight off the amped/acoustic corps. It was funny to see a sound tech checking the board during the Cadets warmup, though. No flute solo, though...too bad! I was looking forward to one out of curiosity over how the audience would react. Anyway, it was a great show, and I can't wait to see how this season plays out. I have a feeling its going to be a good one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FluteLove4EVER0405 Posted June 20, 2004 Share Posted June 20, 2004 GOOOOO CADETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drumcorps4life Posted June 20, 2004 Share Posted June 20, 2004 If you would have listened the first jam section was from in the mood. The last jam session was also from in the mood. And that is not their closer. They just haven't learned the drill to it yet. By Louisville the real closer will be in. Mark Fosdick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerriDitt57 Posted June 20, 2004 Share Posted June 20, 2004 Southwind-Not sure about the new unis...they're sort of "Glassmen-esque," with the mix of cream, black, and gold. I had no idea who they were until I saw a staff member on the sideline with a corps jacket on. They've got a pretty exuberant trumpet section, which seemed to be overblowing at times, but its all good cause this corps was out there to have FUN. The pit is really good, especially the mallets. The second number starts with a sort of tambourine feature, which gets the crowd clapping along in time, but the pulse never really locked in (must've been too many former guard/horn people in the stands :P ). The mallets then take over and play a LOT of notes, and start running around switching places while playing all those notes. Then the rest of the corps starts getting in on the fun. I'm not sure what all happened, but there were a lot of people cheering in the stands and a lady next to me seemed overwhelmed by it all and started yelling out about how much stuff was happening on the field. Fun show, despite the obvious first show mistakes. I'm really happy to see the corps just go and lay everything out there. I can't WAIT UNTIL FRIDAY NIGHT to see them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sburstall Posted June 20, 2004 Share Posted June 20, 2004 Terri, you are going to enjoy thier show. Trust me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevingamin Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 Steve, did you give in and go into the stadium? :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sburstall Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevingamin Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 Good man! What did you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sburstall Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 I gave my thought in the junior discussion. As a whole, probably the first time I have been thoroughly entertained from beginning to end. The only low spot was Glassmen. That's a show that will put you to sleep very quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sburstall Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 I'm not sure what it is with the Bluecoats show, but I'm usually instantly hooked with them, and I felt rather detached after tonight. My only real complaint about the Bluecoats' show was thier lack of "in your face" power that could have been done when they were jamming in a couple spots (near the end). Cadest and Cavies let it all hang when they jammed. Man, I though Memphis outblew Bluecoats at times. Someone on Bluecoats brass staff needs to learn to let the corps loose at times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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