Cincinnati Review

[Machine]

Here's my take on the Cincy show... nothing spectacular just a few thoughts.

I'm not convinced that the East beats the Midwest for entertainment this year For the Cavies there's a Cadets. For the Phantom Regiment there is a Crossmen. But the Bluecoats beat out BAC in my book for entertainment value. Not to mention Madison, Colts, and Southwind who all have very entertaining shows IMO. Oh yeah, the Glassmen are good too! Although even though I like their show 6th overall out of the midwest (Div I only, because the two Capitols have very fun shows as well), I still like them better than Crown and Spirit. Maybe that'll change once I get to give the East coast another viewing.

Magic - Hold the phone if you think Magic is going to walz through Div II. They have an outstanding program with a rifle line that really made me take notice but I've seen Capital Regiment 3 times this year and think they have an excellent shot at taking out the Magic. It'll be a dogfight, no doubt, but from my vantage points I saw a more demanding program coming from CR than from Magic although I think Magic is performing their show more cleanly. It'll be interesting to see how it shakes out. Both have great programs....

Spirit - I think I need to see this show again to make a better judgement. It's good but hard to get your head around in one viewing. I loved what the guard did with the color schemes, lightening as the show went forward. And I loved their hornline. They had some extremely effective dynamics toward the end of the opener when they were alternating playing from one side of the field to the other. Very cool!!! Other than that, I think they need to work on the dynamics a bit. Very flat, IMO. They need more contrast.

Carolina Crown - I was expecting horrible guard uniforms and they really weren't. I understand they changed them recently so I guess the change was good? The men's toga's looked quite appropriate. The guard also added snake wigs for the closer to look more like Medusa. That's an improvement from what I read where they only handled snakes during the closer (which they still do). I have the same complaint with this show as I do with Spirit. They need more dynamic contrast. Also, fix the ending! It's over and nobody knows it until the DM turns around. That series of jabbing chords doesn't provide any closure to the show. Other than that, the show was pretty well contructed and is a toss-up as far as Spirit is concerned. I don't think we've seen the end of the flip flopping!

Boston Crusaders - I liked the opening and closing of this show. Basically all the Copland stuff. The quotes were pretty cool too. Not cheesy like I was afraid it would be. The middle two pieces lost me though. I liked their singing in '00 and even in the couple of years before that. This year it didn't work for me as much. The piece after that didn't do a lot for me either. Maybe it will grow on me. I didn't particularly enjoy the Bluecoats and Cavaliers on first listening either and now I love their music programs. BAC's guard seemed to have some issues handling their equipment, but overall were pretty nice. I was surprised though to see that they finished higher than the Crossmen. I just don't see the same level of demand in their program.

Crossmen. WOW! WOW!! WOW!!! This corps is smokin'! Best Crossmen show I've ever seen. They've finally done something to top '92! The show is so good that it's the only show I've seen that literally felt like it was only 5 minutes long. Both at rehearsal and at the show I thought, "What? It's over already?!?!" I watched them rehearse for 4 hours in the afternoon and met the member I'm sponsoring this season. She's an extremely nice girl and has had a crazy last month or so due to medical reasons. The fact that she's even marching at all is a miracle and kind of inspirational too! I won't say anything more since it's really not my place to do so but if anybody goes to a show with the Crossmen, yell "Go Kate!" before they start. Just don't hire a plane :) Back to the review.... what I saw that night was awesome but they didn't perform it quite as well as I saw them do it at times in rehearsal. They have a month to gain that consistancy though so I'm not worried. This corps has some chops and they have a drill to match! I would not at all be surprised to see them finish in the top 3. I haven't seen the westerners yet but I can say without a doubt that this show has the legs to beat everyone in the midwest (save Cavies). PR would be a close one. I haven't seen the changes they made but the Crossmen aren't quite done with their show yet either! It'll definitely be a battle. Things I like about the show? The opener cooks! The ballad is breathtaking! The closer is powerful! Things I'd like to see changed in their show? Do something with the trumpet solo in Strawberry Soup. It sounds like they're screwing up (which based on my multiple listenings I don't think they are - at least not every time) and it lacks power big time. It sticks out like a sore thumb compared to power of the rest of the corps during this tune. The impact points all throughout the show could also be extended just a tad to send the audience over the edge. I think that may help out the ending as right now the two little hits after the main power chord kind of fake you out that you're getting more instead of just ending it. But, overall I was very impressed! Lots of movement (read: RUNNING!) and lots of notes and they are performing it on a very high level. The integration across the sections is there (i.e. the guard work matches up to the musical book AND musical staging very well). Marching technique also looks very good and uniform across the corps. I think if they can develop a swagger to go with everything they already have in place they will drive this show right into the belly of the Fab 4!

Cadets - Lot's of hype on these guys coming into the show and they definitely delivered. I don't really care for music like West Side Story, New York New York, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, etc. but these guys maximized the music in every way possible. It probably still won't be my favorite musical program of the year (hard to argue with Shostakovich, the Crossmen's jazz selections, and the Cavies THX like selections IMO) but it definitely got my toes tapping and lifted me out of my seat! Musically I did love the opening statement and the ballad. The ballad is absolutely gorgeous and the pledge worked well (although it would work just as well without...). Boogie Woogie was fun and it's staged in such a way that the crowd can't not react to it. If they had stayed on the field it would have been just a another jam session. Designers take note: If you want to maximize crowd reaction, interact with them a little closer. The closer needs some work IMO. They are cramming way too many themes in there and they are all getting lost in the process. See the Cavaliers show this year (and last year as well) for how to write a reprise that works. From what I heard, their guard was off last night but if that's the case there isn't a corps out there that wouldn't want the Cadets guard, this year, on an off night. They are that good! Coming out of this show I was hoping to get a better read on who I thought was going to win it all if it came down to the Cavies and the Cadets. I just don't know. My gut is telling me Cavies simply because they have such a clean and well integrated design. My seats were kind of low last night so I couldn't get a good read on the Cadets drill, but their whole show set-up from beginning to end seemed very cluttered. A lot of their work was done when they were all bunched together. I think the only time I saw them truly spread out was during part of the ballad. I'm looking forward to seeing it again as they continue to tweak the drill and the staging. Maybe sitting up high will help as well.

I didn't stick around to watch the victory concert, although I did see it from the side because I met up with Dave B. from the Soundmachine Discussion Board and talked to him for a half hour or so. Very cool guy and I look forward to catching up with him, Kate, and the rest of the corps later on tour! Go Bones!

[Guest GeorgeD]

VERY nice review Machine. Great insight on these corps after only one viewing. I heard from friends they were all a bit flat at Cincinnati (they had a really long drive from the night prior) but it sounds like you still really enjoyed them so that's a good sign!

George

[Machine]

Thanks George. Yeah, a 500 mile drive would take it's toll. I can't wait to see a show where all these guys are on! This is an amazing year of drum corps!