Meadowlands Report

[Tony L.]

Before I begin the actual review of the show, I have a few things to say about Giant Stadium. It is without a doubt the loudest stadium I have ever been in as the constant background noise. Because the seats on both levels are below the concourse, there was a constant murmur that was quite loud at several points. It was just awful!

Also, a note to YEA! Why was there no coordination with the New Jersey Transit Authority to get the bus running between NewYork and Giant Stadium? Thank goodness the Creflo Dollar Ministries had a meeting at the Continental Airlines Arena with NJTransit buses going there, otherwise many of us would probably not have been able to attend the show last night. OK, on with the show.

Mandarins: I was very shocked that they scored below 75. They were infinitely cleaner than they were in Orlando! Marching looked good, the guard had a really solid night and the new helmets looked cool. FOr those who have seen them, the corps proper now wears a modified version of the drum major's helmet wih the horns. The singing was completely inaudible due to the loud concourse, but the horns played much better tonight and seemed to have more vlume than in Orlando. The balance between the drums and horns is just about right. I think this show could really push for a semis spot, especially if they can keep improving at the rate the did since Orlando. Great show Mandarins!

Blue Knights: Quite frankly, after I saw them in Orlando, I was convinced that they would easily be Top 12. Unfortunately, they were really off tonight for some reason. The horns had real ensemble issues and just lacked the same quality of sound that I heard in Orlando. The guard had a rough night it looked like. But since I was low, I was really able to watch a lot of the marching tonight. The forms were not clicking like they did in Orlando and I noticed a lot of phasing and step problems -- not stylistically, simply staying in step. Also, it seems like they upped the tempo for "I Go On", which really destroyed the impact fo the song for me. I just seemed rushed. On a side note, kudos to the BK Drum Major!! She was the ONLY drum major who DID NOT flash that cheesey smile after her salute that every other drum major (except SCV) does. Very classy.

Carolina Crown: Well I love this show and really think it has so much potential. Unfortunately, the performance level was lower tonight for them than the other times I had seen them. First, I noticed far more brass ensemble issues tonight from them, especially trumpets. The guard had a good, but not great night. But once again, because of my vantage point, I saw some pretty dirt marching going on! The introduction to "Bohemian Rhapsody" was a mess as they marched and played backfield. I swear, the Tubas (even just 4 at a time) were never in phase during this entire sequence and for the most part, there was always someone out of step during this segment. In addition, they had some other form issues all night. Just not their best visual performance tonight. As for the amped stuff, they have changed the "beat" voiceover. Gone is the little poem about the drummer and in its place are some random msings about the "beat generation". Oh, and the guy who narrates is using a real mic. instead of his wireless headset! You can actually hear and understand him now. (For better or worse). A little off for them I thought. Oh yeah, I think that they added a part at the very end where the guard lay on the ground and spell out a word on the inside of the heart. (I think it was "Crown", but I could be mistaken, I was low.

Crossmen: Much stronger than Orlando. Their marching looked much improved and the guard (despite a couple of exposed drops) are finally starting to resemble a Crossmen guard. They are still having problems with Both Sides Now. I'm still hearing some phasing problems with it. But Puma is coming along nicely. Unfortunately, I am not a fan of the recapitulation of all of the themes from the show before they finally finish Puma. It just seems to cut Puma and keep it from really reaching its potential. They are improving rapidly though. Tonight I thought they were closer to Crown than to Blue Knights. But we'll see in Denver if this keeps up.

Bluecoats: I love their opening. But they really seem to lack that last notch of volume to really knock it out of the park. Great sound!! But it just builds and then plateaus. I'd liek to hear them just let loose there. Now, they marched a fantastic show tonight. It was just very well done. Great technique and the forms were all held together well. I did notice some phasing in the feet, but nothing too egregious. The drums were very aggressive tonight and very strong. The guard had a realy rough night though. Lots of drops. While I think that this is a very talented corps with a pretty difficult package, I just have not been able to get into their music. So while I appreciate what they are doing and how they are doing it, it just isn't connecting with me.

Phantom Regiment: After Orlando, I was thinking that this show was not that strong and that they could very easily fall in the rankings. Tonight showed me that I was wrong. This show has some fantastic elements to it and it really was performed well tonight. They really sold the show tonight. That being said, there were some problems. First, I think that the horns sounded a little top heavy tonight. Maybe it was my position, but I didn't hear the baritones and euphonia the way that I should with Phantom. They had some feet issues tonight as well. Forms still aren't rock solid. And the ballad imho doesn't evolve the way it should. When they turn around and hit us with the big hit, it is too sudden and doesn't really grow from the music leading into it. Also, I'm really not a big fan of the heart drill formations -- bad HS experience with the heart formation. I do think that this show still has a lot of potential and could be fantastic in Denver.

Blue Devils: Still not digging this show so much. Excellent horn quality, rock solid drum line and a stellar guard. But, the music just doesn't do anything for me. They really are perfoming this show extremely well for this time of year. I really don't see how they could have marched a much better show than last night, everything was pretty much locked right in. The gurard did have a few uncharacteristic drops, even on relatively simple spins. I haven't seen recaps, but I would imagine that they lost guard, drums and music ensemble to the Cadets tonight. The ending of the show still doesn't work in my opinion. The final jam ends too abrubtly and then the actual ending, while thematically appropriate just lies there, not very effective to me. Actually one problem I do have with the drill at the very end is why do the corps members just walk around after they hit the endzone? If they are a train, doesthat mean there was a derailment? Shouldn't they just keep following the leader into a solid block in the endzone? Maybe if it were more constructed, the ending would work more for me. I thought Cadets were much closer to them than .9.

Cadets: My oh my, they have finally made this show work. After seeing it on a few other occasions, I really didn't care for it, but last night, they were finally able to put it all together and wow! I was amazed. The much maligned drill was finally performed solidly and what a difference that made. The horns, who sounded so good in Louisville, but so mediocre in Orlando, were outstanding once again. The drums were fantastic as usual. But the guard! Wow, they were absolutely top notch last night. Without seeing recaps, I would be shocked and horified if they lost guard to the Devils. Just fantastic work and the baton twirler had his best night in the times that I've seen him. With that being said, the opener is still a little bit of a drag on the show, but once the shirts from the guard come off, the show just cooked! Maybe it was being on their home turf, but this was infinitely better from them than when I saw them in Orlando. So everyone who was wondering if Phatom will catch the Cadets in Denver or if the Cadets would challenge for the title: my answers are NO to the former and YES to latter.

Thanks for reading and I apolgize for being so wordy. Next show Denver.

[curtis]

Thanks, great review! Pleaseeeeeeee Phantom continue to clean your show!

[jaypet]

Sorry to piggyback on your review....but figured, why make yet another thread of the same....but my thoughts:

MANDARIN: never seen this corps live, ever. Only heard them on CD. But I can really see why they are such the *powerhouse* in their division, they can crank brasswise and especially with the drums. I was up pretty high in the stadium, so their singing didn't really project all that well. Liked the theme

BLUE KNIGHTS: could be top 12 but it may be a close call for them; show was called Knights Tale so I was expecting, I dunno, a knight theme show :) It wasnt really that, muscially or visually. Show was a tad on the dull side I thought but still very reminiscent of BK's style over last several years. Oddly, I found myself focusing on that *foot maneuver* that I know they're noted for...it really seemed like it was used practically every time they took off to move to the next set! If they make Top 12, we can make a drinking game out of it watching the DVDs, heh...

CROWN: No one was in step as they marched in block onto the field to begin their show...I guess it doesn't really count, but geeze were they off! I undertand they're spelling words on the field right off the top....but in the mezzanine I couldnt make any of them out, just squiggly drill from my vantage point, so guess you gotta be WAAY high to read that. This is just a great show package overall, such a shame the amps are getting in the way for most posters here. (I'll say, three guys in my section actually left their seats when the beatnik chatter started, they were grumbling as they went up the aisle). I dont care for it either but oh well, rules allow it I suppose. ANyway, best Crown show, for sure, in all their Top 12 appearances (IMO), Queen was a nice closer. (I think the ending drill was of a crown with the guard lying down spelling 'Bohemia,' maybe we're both wrong,heh) Frankly, though this show beat Blue Coats...I certainly thought the 'package' did at the very least

CROSSMEN: I had a sort of ho-hum reaction to this program, not sure why. The musical selections for the most part were enjoyable, guard was ok, performance on the whole was fine. They may be scraping to get a top12 spot too, hopefully they get the job done

BLUE COAT: I liked last years show much better and even with that one, I tend to skip right by if I'm looking at DVDS. Perhaps I'm just not into Blue Coates, so take no offense if I don't share the same excitement as apparenly a lot of DCP posters have. Solid show though, not terribly spectacular overall IMO, I can *kinda* see why it was scored over Crown though...but no waaay did I think this was .2 from PR

PHANTOM: brasswise alone, I thought that would have increased the points over Blue Coates. PR sounded really nice to me, very rich and controlled throughout, nice challenging runs thrown in here and there. I liked their sound the best, though I can understand why they place where they did. Visually (drill& Guard) was more interesting that last year's show I thought, but not nearly as GE packed. Liked their company front, thought it was very effective visually/musically/guardwise. I spotted the drumline move from last year, where the line crashes thru the hornline block, though this time the maneuver was isolated thru just one small ensemble block of horns. Ending was kinda *eh.* I thought they were a point or two over BCoates

BDEVILS: guard euipment is set up in various *track* formations framing the field I noticed, letting us know what we are in for. The Blue Devils are a very very strong corps this year, no doubt they are defending champs. They really have a command of the field when they are out there, no doubt about it. Very strong marchers too, though one guy literally ate turf, falling face down, during some 'jazz run' maneuver that very nearly took down the rest of the people running behind him (it was CLOSE to dominoes going down. lady next to me gasped "OH NO!!!" LOL) but nice save, surprised I'm the only reviewer to mention this, it was quite obvious. Guard, nice program BUT had a considerable number of dropped rifles/sabres, I noticed at least 3-4 occurances, so they weren't really tight in that caption I didn't think. In fact, I'm shocked they won guard at all. Liked the train effects throughout. Overall, not a show I'm gonna go ga-ga over, but I can see its strengths. I thought Cadets won last nite though, given that fall & the guard problems, or at least a MUUCH closer spead than .9. Even with those issues BD managed that spread, so I suppose this bodes well for BD fans

CADETS: music is very entertaining I think, & I agree they are starting to make this program work for them. I thought they really turned it on at last nights show and were very clean, particularly their CG. In no way did I ever imagine they'd lose that caption, but I'm no judge. Baton was effective first two appearances, the third appearance though I was like 'oh enough of you' :) Crowd appealing though. I noticed some people had trouble marching that straight leg going backwards, couple people seemed like they almost tripped, but it wasn't widespread, I'm talking maybe two people I noticed struggling. Opener of the show just, Idunno, comes to an underwhelming end, it just does not elicit baby throwing at all & probably never will, think they needed to rework that, but maybe they'll somehow pull it off. And the ending, also a bit underwhelming (visually/drillwise), seems I saw a variation of that move at the end of cadets-01? They are not the cadets at the forefront of drill, thats for sure, this drillwriters creative effects peaked in 1997-99 IMO. But despite my comments, i will say cadets show does rock the audience in places & is poised to do well for the rest of the season.

Later!

JP

[hsreed]

Two for one - thanks for the reviwews. They're very helpful for those of us that don't have any more shows to attend this year.

[rdeger1111]

I have to disagree about Phantom. I thought they are one the most undervalued Corps. They have some executions to clean up but GE wise I thought there show was much better then Blue Devils (this year's show doesn't compare to last years Phenomenom of Cool). The BD's were nearly flawless as usual but their show just didn't move me musically or visually to warrent their score. I'll be seeing them on Sat. (weather permitting). I don't know, maybe the BD name is influencing everyone (I'm a big time Blue devil fan, but let's be objective). Cadets were definately No. 1 and Phantom should be much closer to the pack. I was on the 2nd level and the PR horn section was FAT, FAT, FAt and the trumpets were great.

Just my opinion.

Hope everyone enjoys it there own way.

[1999RingBearer]

I don't know, maybe its me, having won a few Jim Ott's in the past....

But, umm, I saw PR in Kalamazoo....I am biased, yes, being a BD and CBC alum...however, I think the PR hornline has a lot of work to do on their edgy quality, sops ripping out of the ensemble, a mellophone line that could peel paint and overall harsh sound. I know, a lot of people prefer that, but, I don't know, after ten years of music school and six years in the two finest corps out there, its not that appealing a sound to me. The aggression is truly appreciated, not so many hornlines go out there and go like that anymore....but, something just isn't right there....