A third Lima Review, 6/25/02

[Vince Lamb]

Glassmen hang on as Bluecoats sneak up on them

June 25, 2002 -- Lima, OH...Despite thunderstorms sweeping the region after nearly a week of scorching weather, the entire fifth annual Summer Serenade contest came off without a hitch as skies cleared by the scheduled start time and conditions improved steadily throughout the evening. The determined fans who came to the contest were rewarded for their perseverence with inspired performances that transcended the damp field and humid air. In return, the audience responded enthusiastically to every corps, continuing a tradition of great performances and appreciative crowds in Lima.

Lima was also one of several contests where Drum Corps Midwest tried out an experimental four-judge panel. The panel consisted of the two General Effect judges and the two Ensemble judges. The resulting score was then multiplied to 1.25 to compensate for the missing three Performance judges and Color Guard judge. The scores and placements from this system were very similar to those expected from a full panel, although a few of the spreads seemed anomalous, such as the very slim 0.2 between Glassmen and Bluecoats. Still judges, corps staffs, and show sponsors alike will all be scrutinizing the results of these experiments before the next meeting of the regional association.

When the announcer asked if the corps was ready, Glassmen's Union-Jack-waving volunteer Vivian Whittaker yelled back "We're always ready! We're rockin'!" The corps (56 B, 21 FP, 11 PP, 32 G, 2 DM) proved him right with a performance that drew applause from the audience 12 times, including a very respectful standing ovation at the end of the show. The corps demonstrated great growth over the past two weeks, especially in the visual captions. In particular, the drill which had seemed busy to the point of being hard on the eyes at the All-Star Preview now was now revealed by the corps as well-crafted choreography that was a treat to watch, especially the rotating triangles that formed the Glassmen logo both right-side-up and upside-down during the finale of the show--what an ending!

Bluecoats (62 B/24 FP/9 PP/35 G/2 DM) showed their refined side by delicately performing their "Sunrise" opening from the back left corner. Once they were sure the audience was completely awake, the corps then unleashed the press-box shaking power for which they are justifiably famous. The solid brass, screaming soloists, driving percussion, and talented and energetic guard put on a roller-coaster of a performance. As a result, they matched the Glassmen in numbers of times the audience applauded them (12 each) but managed to elicit even greater volume and enthusiasm from the fans. The judges noticed as well, with the surprisingly narrow spread between the Bluecoats and Glassmen coming from a strong showing in General Effect Music.

After a year when the Blue Knights ((58 B/16 FP/12 PP/26 G/2 DM) did their best to evoke images of Wile E. Coyote chasing the Roadrunner and falling off a cliff, the Colorado corps has returned to the classical music format that brought them success in previous years. They have also brought back the modern dance and ballet for the entire corps that they showed off in their 6th place finish in 2000. The result was a soprano section that danced better than most guards. Of course, their guard dances even better than the musicians, making them one of the top dancing units in the activity and a real treat to watch. Apparently, the guard thinks it's a treat to perform, as well. Third-year guard veteran Kat Kumlin commented that "the show is really intense. It's a thrill just to be a part of it. It's fun to perform and easy to get into."

Capital Regiment (41 B/19 FP/10 PP/19 G/2DM) continued to scale their personal Everest by defeating the Troopers in the two corps' first meeting this year by the astonishing spread of seven points. The corps managed this through its evocative arrangements, expressive brass, and vastly improved guard. The opening strains of the show successfully mimicked the throat singing of Tibetan monks. The dramatic modulations in volume, the effectively eerie sound of the brass echoing off the back stands, and the emotional playing of the soloists all successfully communicated the solitude of climbing the Himalayas. As a result, they earned the first standing ovation of the evening. Once the execution of the marching and drumming show reaches the level of the guard performance and brass playing, the corps should reach the summit toward which they are striving.

Despite two minutes of drill missing from the end of their show and the large gap between them and Capital Regiment, Troopers (37 B/15 FP/8 PP/17 G/2DM) looked and sounded miles ahead of where they were at this time last year. The brass projected a very powerful and well-balanced sound for their size right into the press box, drawing appreciative comments from the audience. The corps marched more confidently than in their appearance in Lima last June and had a more substantial drill to perform. The corps members themselves have felt that they are better off than last year as well. Soprano player Paul Equinhua noted that "the corps is working harder together and like each other more than last year. It's like a family"--a sentiment echoed by many other veterans in the corps.

Scenic City (19 B/11 FP/ 6 PP/6 G/1 DM) looked like they had a wonderful "Saturday in the Park", complete with park benches, a jogger, a mime, a flower girl, and even a beat cop, as the corps played their all-Chicago show. The audience enjoyed the corps also, especially the two screaming soprano soloists, the crisp sound of the brass, the solid drum line and the dancing and equipment work of the guard. Despite being the first corps on and dealing with a wet field, the corps did an admirable job of maintaining its footing. Veteran guard member Amanda McCarter, who portrayed the flower girl, had this to say about the show and the corps: "The show has lots of potential to go far, the fans love it, and it's very competitive. The corps has lots of talent in every section."

Marion Glory Cadets (12 B/10 FP/8 PP/6 G/2 DM) have completely revamped their opening drill and added many details to their show since it debuted in Toledo two weeks earlier. The changes were effective. The new opening drill made the relatively small brass line look and sound much larger. The guard performed equipment work and drill throughout the show. Finally, the most striking additions were the five large wood frames set on the field. The corps used them to showcase featured sections, even managing to fit the largest around the entire brass section at one time. As staff member Matt James explained, the frames derived from the translated title of one of the pieces they are performing--"Mathis the Painter" from the original "Mathis der Mahler". The corps is still adding members to both the brass and percussion, so look for a larger unit and an even more detailed and polished performance in the weeks ahead.