DCM All-Star Preview Review

[Vince Lamb]

Cavaliers Repeat as All-Star Preview Champions!

June 15, 2001 -- Toledo, OH...Perfect weather greeted the return of the All-Star Preview to Toledo's familiar Glass Bowl after a year in exile at Jackson's Wethington Municipal Stadium. Thousands of fans, including some from as far away as Pennsylvania, were treated to what will probably be the best single evening of competitive junior corps until July, as nine of last year's top 21 corps in DCI Division I and a Division III finalist battled for position at the start of the season.

The Cavaliers (66 B, 19 FP, 9 PP, 36 G, 4 DM) continued to impress and astound the audience and judges, showing that all-original program can not only be artistically and technically challenging, but also fun to watch and perform. The visual design of the Green Machine's show attested to immaculate attention to detail on the part of the staff, with the multitude of open box and line sets, intersecting black, orange, blue, and purple stripes on the gray guard uniforms, matching orange, blue, and purple squares on the flags, and even the L-shaped guard equipment all visually reinforcing the musical theme of "Frameworks". The transitions between sets also showed great creativity, as evidenced by a flowing build into a company front, a ripple pose, and then a ripple countermarch into a block that slid and transformed into a cross--all during one minute of the opening movement! The Cavaliers' brass players demonstrated that they were willing to push the volume of their Bb/F brass to the levels of G bugles while still maintaining their tone quality and intonation, producing an organ-like sound with ringing releases. The closing drill had only been finished two days earlier, but the corps performed it with such confidence and energy that it seemed as if they had already been performing it all season. The absolute highlight of the show was a build into a box during which the drums played a rocking beat, the brass counted a synchopated number pattern, and the guard danced. When the brass joined the guard in the dance, the audience went wild, giving the corps a standing ovation during a break in the show, a rare event in junior corps competitions lately. The spectators showed their appreciation again at the end, giving the Cavaliers a screaming second standing ovation.

The original Odyssey was an epic journey that included a great deal of travel over a wide region. During their "Odyssey" show, the Glassmen (58 B, 20 FP, 12 PP, 29 G, 2 DM) demonstrated that they were true to the meaning of their chosen theme by covering a great deal of ground, both with their sets and with their movement. In fact, they had so much motion in their drill that when they stood still, it came as a bit of a relief--the audience could catch their breath along with the musicians! The brass, guard, and battery began the show in a scroll set that extended from the upper left hand corner to the lower right hand corner, covering most of the field. The battery telegraphed the amount of movement to be expected during the program by collapsing to the left endzone and then reentering the field to an accelerating tympani solo, all within the first minute. The fluegel soloist who was the star of last year's show returned during the second selection. This year, he was called upon to be lively, instead of lyrical, as he had in 2001. He was still flawless. The rest of the brass players demonstrated their ability to project through their brand new multi-key brass by playing a stunning fanfare to begin the final movement of the show. The quality of their playing was enough to earn the corps a first place in Ensemble Music, spoiling an otherwise complete sweep of all subcaptions by the Cavaliers. The corps displayed great use of side-to-side movement while rotating the Glassmen triangle logo, with the guard earning applause with high ripple tosses. The hometown fans responded with an appreciative full-stadium standing ovation.

After several years of performing "empty calorie" drills, Phantom Regiment (65 B, 16 FP, 11 PP, 36 G, 2 DM) presented their most substantive and demanding drill since 1996, when they last played Shostakovich's music and ended the season sharing their only DCI championship. The corps' members were up to the challenge of the intricate and active drill, performing it quite cleanly for mid-June, and maintaining the pulse center across the field while the corps was spread from corner to corner. The guard was more than ready to hold up their end of the visual program. To begin with, their purple cossack coat-dresses with red sashes and black leather boots (something not seen on an all-female guard in many years) highlighted the Russian origin of the show's music. Furthermore, they had a well-written equipment book and they performed it with elan. One routine that was a spectator favorite included a saber toss over head-chopping sickles, a saber-sickle exchange, and a ending pose of crossed sickles and sabers against a backdrop of spread flags. The result was a second place score in the Color Guard subcaption. Phantom Regiment's revived visual program alone was enough to earn the corps an energetic standing ovation.

The Bluecoats (63 B, 23 FP, 9 PP, 35 G, 2 DM) pulled off a perfect marriage of concept and execution, vividly evoking a sunrise through their original music and opening set and drill, setting up the mood for their "Urban Dances" show. The brass played both loudly and lusciously, earning them second place in the Brass subcaption. The guard grabbed the eye, both through their equipment work and their dancing, but not their uniforms, which were refreshingly color-coordinated with the musicians' navy blue uniforms. The percussion kept the trademark Bluecoat swing in the music, that is, when they weren't dancing with the guard. The show ended as strongly as it began, with sexy sabers who tossed as well as they danced, a rocking beat, a screaming soprano soloist, and a full-throated park and blow. The audience didn't notice the missing drill and equipment work during the last 30 seconds of the show. Instead, they appreciated the powerful and energetic performance, giving the corps an enthusiastic standing ovation.

The Madison Scouts (64 B, 23 FP, 12 PP, 26 G, 3 DM) put on a show from the moment they set foot on the field. The corps stepped off to "Conquest" while they marched in a company front to the 50. A squad of guard members formed a Latin percussion squad, accompanying the musicians onto the field. A guard member even wore a conquistador helmet and breastplate to complete the mood. When the corps turned to face the stands, blowing the last strains of the song in the audience's faces, the fans went wild, prompting the announcer to remind them "Yeah, and that's just the warm up!" The corps continued its crowd-pleasing ways throughout the show, with a drill full of big, flashy, easy-to-read moves, lots of stickwork and rudimental drumming from the battery, and a powerful brassline, a package that earned the corps a second place score in General Effect Music. The guard has continued to improve, both with its equipment work and versatility, as the Latin percussion ensemble from the warmup made a return appearance during the middle part of the show. One word could sum up the show--energy! It was a thrilling show that brought the audience to its feet in a roaring standing ovation.

The first thing that struck the eyes of the spectators when Colts (56 B, 21 FP, 10 PP, 33 G, 2 DM) came on the field were the colorful outfits of the guard. They were wearing black and crimson pantsuits with bright red half-skirts with bright yellow linings. The guard members themselves like these uniforms and find them as enjoyable to perform in as they are to look at. The attention of the audience was well-rewarded, as the Colts guard spun and tossed crisply and danced dramatically, earning them a third place in the Color Guard subcaption, ahead of the host Glassmen. Despite some minor timing problems, the brass managed to get a beautiful sound off the back stands and the percussion generated an interesting effect while playing an intricate rimshot pattern. After cleanly executing most of their moves, the corps attempted a contracting and expanding rotating block near the end of the show. While not a success, this will be a move that will be very effective when the execution is up to the level of the concept. The corps then remained in a block diamond set for the last minute of the show. Despite the lack of motion, the corps was able to elicit a "wow" ending and a scattered standing ovation just from the energy of the music.

Southwind (51 B, 22 FP, 10 PP, 23 G, 2 DM) began the show strongly, causing the audience to sit up straight from the very first thunderous note of "Toccata and Fugue". The corps continued with its by-now traditional selection of familiar drum corps music with "March Slav". The highlight of this selection was a quote from the "1812 Overture" during which the battery played on side-slung muffled snares--a nice period touch! The performance of "Esprit de Corps" was not up to the standards of the first two pieces--equipment work was missing and the corps began having difficulties maintaining alignment and spacing. However, this was a very accessible show which will be much more effective when the performance problems are cleaned up, equipment work is added, and three guard members sitting on the sidelines join the drill. Despite its problems, the show was still able to garner a sincere scattered standing ovation.

Capital Regiment (42 B, 19 FP, 9 PP, 19 G, 2 DM) retained many of its members from its inaugural year in Division II and it showed in a very confident performance. The defending DCM Division II champions showed that they were as ready to climb to new summits as the mountaineering music they had selected from the movies "Everest" and "Vertical Limit". The corps is already ahead of last year by expanding its guard from 9 to 19 members. It also retained its ability to communicate with the audience, drawing "oohs", "ahhs", and "wows" from the first growl from the contras and baritones, through impressive big rotating files, to the closing contrary motion company front. All these qualities allowed Capital Regiment to score ahead of Southwind in General Effect Music, Ensemble Visual, Color Guard, and Total Visual.

Pioneer (28 B, 21 FP, 12 PP, 13 G, 2 DM) fielded their smallest brass section since 1995, along with the second largest combined percussion section of any corps on the field this evening. The corps compensated for this imbalance by staging its pit between midfield and the back hash and filling up the field with 19 low tables that doubled as stands and backdrops. The brass line was able to balance the volume of the battery and use the tables effectively as stands, especially when the tables were placed in a heart set during a very hummable ballad. Once the holes are filled, the brass performs with consistent quality, and the equipment work and drill are cleaned up, this will be a very enjoyable show! Despite the difficulties the corps is having with the show so far, Pioneer was able to hang on to eighth place in General Effect Visual over Capital Regiment.

Marion Glory Cadets (12 B, 7 FP, 9 PP, 6 G, 1 DM) put on a very game performance featuring a larger pit, a larger guard, and a more demanding repertoire and drill than last year. They also had five members in reserve, three brass and two percussion, who will sooner or later be added to the show, increasing the size of the musicians marching in the drill by 25 percent. Not only was the guard larger, it was more effective than last year, with equipment work being performed for half the show. This show has lots of potential--look for the corps the begin reaching it when all the members and equipment work are added and the show is cleaned up.

The perfect weather held throughout the retreat and post-show concert. The new arrangement of "America the Beautiful" met with a sincerely enthusiastic response from the crowd. For the second year, running, the Cavaliers gracefully gave up their victory concert so that the Glassmen could serenade their hometown fans.

[Lynkin]

great review!

B)

[Vince Lamb]

great review!

B)

Thanks! And thanks to all of you who nominated me. Unfortunately, I thought the deadline for submitting a review was September 30th, not the end of voting!

w/Stp:

Grumble. <_<

Hey, George, you didn't specify which time zone you were counting for midnight! Pity all the poor people in California who think they have 90 minutes to vote! :o