Dallas Review

[LAMystreaux]

It's about 3AM, so forgive anything that sounds too weird. The show went very well. . .a great night of drum corps. This was the 26th annual show put on by this high school band booster group, so it was run well.

May I suggest in the future. . .don't let corps warm up so close to the stadium once the show begins. Colorguards were warming up right across the street from the stadium, so not only could we watch them while other corps performed, we could also hear the Dr. Beat.

Also, some sop/tpt from an early corps got directly behind the visiting stands and attempted high notes the rest of the freakin show. I would love to know what corps this guy/gal was from. They had to know that everyone could hear their attempts, so it seems like something deliberate to me.

Anyway, on to the show. . .

PIONEER-63.65

I actually enjoyed this show a good bit. I like the staging with the pit and the platforms on the field. With as small a corps as they have, it worked to their advantage, and I heard the pit just fine. I think the design of the show was smart, but there is still a ton of dirt there.

SPIRIT-77.60

I love this show! The design is right on the money. Everything works together to sell the darkness to light theme. It is amazing to me what 2 years of great sponsorship can do for a corps. They are light years ahead of where they were last year. I think they may have recently added a couple of new guard members. There was one girl who was off the entire show. I would have put them ahead of Crown (more on that later). I think this is a definite finalist corps. Its all about the cleaning now. . .I would change nothing about the show. They got a huge Standing O at the end of the show.

SOUTHWIND-70.05

This corps needs a good dose of oomph. The show lacks a lot of energy, and to be honest, the design of the show is just kinda blah to me. It has a lot of file/rank/block moves in the show, and seems very safe. Looks like they marched some holes tonight, also. Another thing. . .the almost all black guard unis need to go. With all the black in the corps unis, the guard almost gets lost unless they are using some of the larger equipment, which was not that often.

MADISON SCOUTS-77.35

Some of the things I was expecting to be bad were not that bad, and some were worse. The individual marching technique is not bad at all. . .fairly uniform. What this corps lacks in a HUGE way is attention to detail. Several forms just don't hit and a lot of the body movements are not there either. Then, there is the whole guard issue. They are definitely getting the guard scores they deserve. Almost the entire show, the guard was off. . .as in early June off. This is hurting them big time. Also, the yellow velvet they use in the end and the conquistador unis they use during warm up need to go. Now, the positives. . .the hornline is smokin'. Much like last year I was left wishing they had a visual on par with their music/brass/perc performances. The entry with Conquest was great. They are definitely still a crowd favorite, but the boos were quite faint when their score was announced. I think they do have a shot at Finals. It will be close because there are just so many corps who have raised the game, but Madison has a good show to perform, they just need to clean the poopie out of it and workworkwork on the guard!

CAROLINA CROWN-78.05

Well, first let me say I thought Crown was on the right track after last year's show. . .being very creative, improved hornline, better design, etc. With that said, I think this year is a step back instead of forward unfortunately. The good things are that this is the best hornline they have ever had. . .very much improved! Percussion is still strong, but nothing amazing that I noticed. On that note, please do something visually during the ballad with your percussion. I don't care for that stick them in the back of the field routine. Anyway, what does not work is just the flow of the show. There is no cohesiveness to the design, and what makes it even worse is some of what the guard is doing. I had come to expect big things from Crown's guard, but was very let down tonight. They definitely deserve the guard scores they have been getting also. However, I did not mind the guard unis at all. I definitely expect Spirit to pass them, and I think making Finals for them is gonna take a lot of work.

BOSTON CRUSADERS-83.10

I liked this show a lot more than I thought I would. They do a lot of nice things with Appalachian, and the Artie Shaw stuff is a lot of fun. The guard does a lot of nice things to enhance the show. There really are no big weaknesses in this corps. Good hornline, much stronger percussion, and a very improved guard. What I think will hold them back and keep them in the middle pack of corps is their visual demand. It's just not there. Also, the signs they use. . .at first are neat, but the more they use them in the show, the more I felt like I was at a BOA competition. They do use the disappearing/reappearing company front, but do a much different treatment of it than Cadets did in 87. Its not as copycat as I anticipated, which I am glad about. Good show from a good corps.

BLUECOATS-82.60

This is just a fun show! This is one of those shows you are watching and saying "I wish I was out there." (or at least that was what I was saying) The music is fun and catchy, the guard is probably their strongest in a long time, and the percussion book is very tastey. What could end up holding them back is their visual demand. They have plenty of it, and it is showing a bit. I liked the fact that the battery does visuals/body movement the entire ballad. The opening of the show is fantastic. . .very good use of the guard. I expect them to be right in the middle of the 12.

CROSSMEN-83.10

One word. . .WOW! This is the best show the Crossmen have ever put on the field. The opener definitely had its groove tonight, and the visual demand, especially at the end of the opener is amazing. The ballad works big time, as the guard uses a combination of some huge golden rods and some beautiful silks to make it come to life. Out of all the versions of Strawberry Soup that I have heard, this is my favorite. Those who complain about the Crossmen park and bark. . .they were listening. They rarely stop moving during the show. I expect this corps to challenge the top 4 and if not that, I will be shocked if it gets lower than 5th. I was amazed!

BLUE DEVILS-88.55

Rumors of this corps' demise could not be more false. The changes they have made both visually and musically are working very well. The show flows, the music cooks (although the Gershwin is too choppy for my taste), and the design is now there. They move a lot, and believe it or not, there are not many box/diamond moves in this show. The guard is amazing. They were in the middle of the field before warm-up doing some stretching, and one of my kids commented that that was what an athlete does. Once the show began it was clear that this is a very athletic guard. They are all over the place and spin like crazy. With that said, the problems right now are just about being cleaning. This is not at all typical BD late July clean. A handful of forms did not hit tonight, and some pretty obvious lines were out of place. I know they are making changes with more to come, so I am not sure whether or not they will have time to clean enough. They now have a show that could challenge for the title. . .we shall see if they can clean it enough.

THE CADETS-89.10

This show gets another WOW from me. I expected a bigger point spread between them and the Devils just based on cleanliness. As for the show theme which has been a hot topic of debate. . .you can speculate all you want about their motives for doing this show but the truth is, it works in a HUGE way. From the downbeat they had the crowd in the palm of their hands. I like the changes in the opener a great deal. It is more fast-paced with a bigger ending, which sets up the ballad nicely. The pledge works well also. . .very tastefully done. Nothing more can be said about Boogie that has not already been said. It cooks! The closer will probably undergo more changes, but you can already see some great things in the works. Sylvester is definitely a welcome change, IMO. Now, let me say a few words about the guard. OMG! Other than one rifle drop, the guard was flawless from my vantage point. The flags are together every step of the way, and the rifle work (all male) in the closer is amazing. The whole changing into the uniforms/boxers thing is pretty neat. There were a few giggles when they first walked out and then it was apparent that this was meant to be something solemn and important to the story. So, with all that said, I really could care less where this show ends up in August. I hope it wins because it is just one of those shows. . .but regardless of 1st or 15th, this is a show I will remember for a very, very long time.

A few side notes. . .I polled the 30 band kids I took as to who they enjoyed the most. Everyone said The Cadets without hesitation.

Did anyone else know Bluecoats are now also stationed in TX? They have 51 kids marching from TX.

Yelling "Go Bones!" would have been better had you chosen to do it before or after the show, sir. . .instead of in the middle of their ballad.

I am off to the Houston showdown tomorrow night, but I will not get back in until sometime on Sunday, so I am not sure if a review will be coming for that one.

Enjoy!

[BennyASU]

very nice review, thanks!

[ipecac]

very nice review follow-up, Benny! B)

[Geneva]

Well done! I enjoyed your insights.

[ssorrell]

SPIRIT-77.60

I love this show! The design is right on the money. Everything works together to sell the darkness to light theme. It is amazing to me what 2 years of great sponsorship can do for a corps.

Great review....thanks!

One quick clarification, just so there is no confusion...

Spirit does NOT have a sponsor. JSU "adopted" Spirit as their summer performing ensemble, but the corps is still fully funded by the corps itself, subsidized by the FFF (Family, Friends, and Fans) and the SOAAA (Spirit of Atlanta Alumni Association). The corps members do pay tuition (which is included in their dues payments) and the university does give the corps some funding for expense, just as they would any other official school organization. However, it is FAR from being a sponsor...it is more like a "parent"! But the bulk of the operating costs come from within the organization.

[secarizona]

Great review. Almost Bennyesque!

(How do you like me now?) B)

[Guest GeorgeD]

Thanks for the great review. Sounds like Blue Devils are making great progress! B)

[WoofInTheWoods]

Excellent review! You should write for Drum Corps World.

[LAMystreaux]

Excellent review!  You should write for Drum Corps World.

LOL! I'm not pro-Madison enough to write for DCW. Oops, did I type that out loud?

[MikeD]

Excelent review!

We seem to agree on quite a few areas, going back to my own review of Clifton, esp Crown's hornline.

I DID think that the way Crown reintegrated the battery after their ballad was pretty neat though.

Great job!

Mike