Allentown 1

[ech2os]

Just got back from night II. Glad this thread is going. None of the corps needed the amps. They added nothing to the shows from my vantage point. And Crown, who I usually take a water break on was sooooo good I thought.......until they tried to sing. That hornline is huge, loud, and pretty clean. I flew 800 miles to see this show......if I want to see karaokee caliber singing......I'll stay at home and go to church. Bugles gives me goosebumps, high school chorus' do not.

Same with Boston, the narration did nothing for me. Didn't need it, didn't add anything to it as far as I am concerned.

Santa Clara was great, Blue Devile hornline was outrageous.

All in all....not to be overly negative because I certainly think both nights were easily worth the price of admission........I like everyone's shows from last year better. Of course I thought last year was one of the finest I have ever seen.

[Sean1]

thanks for the review

[abercrombiedevon]

hs choruses give me goosebumps....anything performed awesomely gives me goosebumps.

[notelvis]

I disagree.  It is not tasteful.  It's jarring, takes you "out of the moment," and is nothing but a needless distraction from an otherwise awesome show.

We should be celebrating this corps.  Instead, a silly design decision by a few staff members (notice I pointedly did not say "faculty") has all but guaranteed that they will be remembered not for putting on a great show, but for singing into microphones.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree with this poster in regard to Crown's act this year. I'd suggest that perhaps the design decision is arrogant rather than silly.

When I saw Crown in Louisville I was certain that this would be the best corps that organization has ever produced.

I was sitting there in awe of the power and maturity of the hornline (in June mind you) and was absolutely mesmerized by the drill. I was never before so into what the Carolina Crown was showing me.

And then boom, out of nowhere comes this jarring and distracting vocal ensemble. I honestly believed that a television in one of the luxary suites at Papa John's Stadium was accidentally being piped in over the stadium PA. I was outraged that something so careless was ruining a great drum corps performance.

Then I saw them. People in corps uniforms singing into microphones. The sound system at Papa John's wasn't sabotaging Crown's show. Crown was sabotaging Crown's show.

Pity too. I was on the verge of becoming a fan.

David

Edited July 25, 2004 by notelvis

[glory]

Rant mode <on>.

There isn't a single thing innovative or "against the grain" about singing in the marching arts. Marching bands have been doing this for years and years. It is usually assumed by bands who use narration and singing that they need these things, because  they feel they have to verbally convey what cannot be understood visually or musically to a less savvy audience. I think Crown is utilizing the modern term of the word Bohemian, which is really a reflection of the Beaknik society of the 1950's. Yes, Bohemians (Beakniks) went "against the grain", but in a much different sense than how Crown is trying to portray with the singing and narration. Crown has commercialized on the definition of the Bohemian spirit by trying to make people understand their artistic motives in a way fashioned for the unintelligible masses (not your average savvy drumcorps fan) by using cheesy vocal effects, and the very act of capitalizing on something untrue to your art or yourself for any sort of gain is in direct conflict the philosophy of the Bohemians. Bohemians were not concerned with making the unassuming general public understand them and what it is they were doing (they answered to a different mistress). You could say it was Crown's motive for the general corps fan not to "get it" or "get them" (as so many Beatniks were not "gotten" by the rest of society) by using singing and narration, but unfortunatly, they decided upon a medium used for years by marching bands to flagrantly portray shows to elementary audiences in the hopes that they might "get" it, or them.  So, they have defeated their purpose any way you approach it. Also, "La Boheme" as used in France was a term used to describe bands of wandering Romanian gypsies, possibly originating from India. As they traveled through Bohemia (now the Czech Republic), they were given letters from the Bohemian royalty saying that they condoned and approved of their lifestyle. This awarded them prestige in foregone western Europe. As you can see, there is quite a disparity in the terms, really. Perhaps Crown was going for the prestige and acceptance (judges, anyone?) and in the process lost the true nature of their show. How very anti-Bohemian of them.

So, there is nothing about this show that is purely Bohemian, innovative, or (and I'm sick of this mantra that is echoed throughout the drumcorps community today by the ranks of the DCI/BOA B.O.D) "against the grain". It is an enjoyable show (save the singing) with a great hornline, guard, and drumline and in the grossest sense portrays some of the Beatnik spirit. "Holding true" to the music has absolutely nothing to do with vocals if you are playing that music in a different artistic arena (like, say, if your activity requires that you play it on INSTRUMENTS rather than implement microphones).  Many, many pieces that corps have played over the years are vocally driven, but they never picked up a mic. Staying with the TRUTH of your activity is a actually a very Bohemian thing (drumcorps itself is a pretty Bohemian thing, innit?), much more so than using useless, been-there-done-that voiceovers. I can try and live with the amping (though I do not like it), but I won't stand for mics used for voicing of any sort. Do not insult the intelligence of the drumcorps community with all the vocal bollocks. People "get" the general theme of the show without the unnecessaries.

Just do all us "purists" (I aged out in '02) a favor and leave the singing for the choir sweety. You WILL find the majority of fans not interested in the vocal prowess (as for the actual quality...well...) of a few of you your members.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

One thing is clear: Singing and other amplified voices in drum corps - irrespective of whether they are unique - certainly are "against the grain." If they weren't, we wouldn't be having these discussions. Crown's choice to be different in the drum corps community surely is a "bohemian" one.

HH

[LancerFi]

There is "good" different and a not so good "different"....

Any corps could have done it, but I guess their designers felt it wasn't needed and in no way added to their performance.

[MaestroAndre]

I hope that I can add something of taste and class here. In my time off ( I just left tour for a week) I have had the chance to catch up on what is being talked about in the drum corps activity. What I found (and I was not surprised) is the same old CRAP about how much people hate what other corps are doing in their shows. When will we as "fans" stop to recognize how hard the students on that field have worked to present something for us? How would you feel if something that you spent hours on was constantly bashed? Bashed by some people who have never engaged themselves in something that required work.

I am not trying to be rude here, but the members of Carolina Crown, Boston, and any other group who is using anything NEW deserve some respect. Respect for the simple fact that they get out there everyday and perform. It may not be for you, it is however all about those kids. Thank you to the people who have supported those drum corps who are trying some things out this year. More importantly, thank you for supporting those incredible kids who work day in and day out for the development of themselves and the drum corps activity.

Cool your jets folks and enjoy the rest of the season. So remember when you are kicked back on the couch hangin out, they are all over the country trying to grow as musicians, as peoples, and as performers! To all the members of todays drum corps, thank you for everything you are doing, and good luck!

AND IF I HAVE NOT SAID IT ALREADY!

GO CROWN!

Andre Feagin

Carolina Crown Brass Staff 03-04

[cage]

I hope that I can add something of taste and class here.  In my time off ( I just left tour for a week) I have had the chance to catch up on what is being talked about in the drum corps activity.  What I found (and I was not surprised) is the same old CRAP about how much people hate what other corps are doing in their shows.  When will we as "fans" stop to recognize how hard the students on that field have worked to present something for us?  How would you feel if something that you spent hours on was constantly bashed?  Bashed by some people who have never engaged themselves in something that required work.

I am not trying to be rude here, but the members of Carolina Crown, Boston, and any other group who is using anything NEW deserve some respect.  Respect for the simple fact that they get out there everyday and perform.  It may not be for you, it is however all about those kids.  Thank you to the people who have supported those drum corps who are trying some things out this year.  More importantly, thank you for supporting those incredible kids who work day in and day out for the development of themselves and the drum corps activity. 

Cool your jets folks and enjoy the rest of the season.  So remember when you are kicked back on the couch hangin out, they are all over the country trying to grow as musicians, as peoples, and as performers!  To all the members of todays drum corps, thank you for everything you are doing, and good luck!

AND IF I HAVE NOT SAID IT ALREADY!

GO CROWN!

Andre Feagin

Carolina Crown Brass Staff 03-04

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You know,I don't get ticked off easily, but do not tell anyone on this board to remember how hard the kids are working. We all know that and respect that. No one booed a show. On the other hand just because we know how hard the kids and staff work does not mean that we can't criticize what we consider to be useless part of a show. Being on the brass staff you should be more upset than us. You have helped to create the best Crown hornline ever and to have a chance for a great small ensemble moment taken for the chance to sing into a microphone...?

Edited July 26, 2004 by cage

[CrownsSweetheart]

I'm certainly not taking sides here because I don't follow the technicalities of drum corps, but I just wanted to point out that everyone seems to be saying how much Crown is hurting themselves etc... by having the amps, so I just wanted to point out (thanks to an observation made to me by a Crown guard member) that in Allentown, the amps didn't work and their score wasn't raised because of the lack of amps, or lowered because of their malfunction. Just thought it was interesting...

[marty_lucy]

Lots of collective farmers worked really, really hard to keep Russia fed during the communist era, too. Still, they labored mightily to support an idea that ultimately failed.

Before I go on, everybody here must know that I'm not comparing communist Russia to Carolina Crown. I haven't seen Carolina Crown this year. I loved 'em last year. I'm not crazy about amps in drum corps either.

The thing that it took me a while to get used to about reviews (and internet discussion boards generally) is that they're a showcase for people's opinions, which, as we all must remember, are like a body part that everybody has.

Be prepared to not like what you see if you go looking.