Ankeny, IA Celebration in Brass

[geneseo_bari_87]

Ok, here is my 2nd review of the year...

First of all, I have to say that the $25/ticket for VIP parking, great picnic meal, program, visor and tickets on the 50-yard line in row S (19th row) was a steal. I actually felt guilty. How could they even break even, pricing things like that? :)Took my wife, 2 daughters and mom to the show for my birthday and everybody had a great time.

Also, I was happy that Brandt Crocker was the announcer. It just feels so good to hear his voice saying "On the field, from Santa Clara, California, the SANTA CLARA VANGUAAARRRRRD!" Little did I realze until this morning when I actually read the program that Brandt lives and owns a roofing & painting business in Ankeny. This show is permanently on the top of my list every year from now on.

Oh, and the weather couldn't have been better. :)

Now, on with the reviews...

PACIFIC CREST - First time I've ever seen them, and I was truly impressed. What a way to start a show! It only gets BETTER from here?!? Great horn line. I really dug the music they played.

TROOPERS - My mom's favorite corps. My wife even bought her a Troopers t-shirt and visor for her birthday next month. Love the music and the arranging - GREAT JOB, CHUCK! The uniforms are correct - good. The kids really seem to get the Trooper attitude, which is great to see. I really really want to see them take this year and keep improving on it until they are back in finals. I BELIEVE they can do it!

MANDARINS - Awesome uniforms, loved the drum solo, horn line was nice but a little weak. One cool thing is that they played the part of the 1812 Overture that you don't usually hear, and it fits very well with the other music they selected.

COLTS - Much improved over Rockford. My wife was really impressed with the opener. Old Man River was very heartwarming, and the blue river flags were very cool, a nice effect.

GLASSMEN - 2 years ago, I thought Glassmen were the most boring thing I'd ever seen. Well, this year I really really liked their show. I can't exactly put my finger on why that is. We all noticed lots of cool uniform changes in the colorguard. Funny squatting one-note contra solo. :)

CAROLINA CROWN - I liked this show a LOT. There was one impact in Bohemian Rhapsody that made me jump out of my seat. The words spelled out at the beginning of the show were sort of college marching bandish but really fast moving and not squared up on the yard lines, so it was very cool. I didn't catch all of the words they spelled, but noticed the last one was "LOVE" and at the end of the show the guard laid on the field and spelled "BOHEMIA" (I think). I actually did like the singing, I hate to say, but I just kinda cringed through the beatnik poetry rap narration. Overall, my 2nd favorite corps of the night.

BLUECOATS - I was expecting a lot from the Bluecoats last night, and somehow their show just didn't meet my expectations. Horn line has been louder, soloists have been more solid in past years, and I didn't catch much of the BLOOOOO attitude. I felt like they were actually a bit of a letdown after Crown. I still go back to Whiter Shade of Pale as the defining Bluecoats moment for me. When was that, like 1991 or something? Nothing memorable from last night, sorry.

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD - Yes. Oh my god. Vanguard is BACK!!!!!! WOW! THIS is why I come to drum corps shows. SCV is a drum and bugle corps. They oozed that Vanguard aura that I remember from the 80's. I was soooo happy to see it after the last I don't know how many years. The colorguard has a lot to do with it, but man, their hornline is awesome. Soloists that could be playing in major symphonies in the near future. Solid players up and down the line in every section, you can tell. When the whole mellophone section plays a passage with little grace notes and nuances and sounds like one player, THAT is what I'm talking about! Loud, soft, in tune, uniform in articulation, dynamics, phrasing ... passion coming through the bell of the horn and just grabbing you by the head. Oh, and the drumline ain't too shabby, either. B) I really really really really hope they clean up the few mistakes I saw/heard before Saturday, because this show needs to win DCI this year. It will probably make me go and buy a good symphonic recording of Scheherazade. The encore was the entire show (standstill), plus the bottle dance music and Send In The Clowns. I am now in love with SCV. Bought the shirt. :)

[corpsboy97]

Thanks for the review. It was great!

Anthony Arnold

Bluecoats Euphonium 1997

GO BLUE!!!!

[Snapettes Mom]

GO JONES!!

Mom

[ffffingloud]

Good Review- and it mirrors almost exactly what my mother told me over the phone. Ankeny is my hometown, and she goes to the show every year.

In short, she said this was probably one of her favorite Celebration in Brass shows ever. Everyone was good top to bottom.

cb

[geneseo_bari_87]

Good Review- and it mirrors almost exactly what my mother told me over the phone.  Ankeny is my hometown, and she goes to the show every year.

In short, she said this was probably one of her favorite Celebration in Brass shows ever.  Everyone was good top to bottom.

cb

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, one of the best "small" shows I've ever been to. Icing on the cake was the fact that IPTV was there with multiple cameras and Greg Orwoll doing color commentary, and is going to broadcast the show in Cedar Rapids on August 17th or 18th! They also announced the IPTV date for DCI finals - Sept. 5 @ 1:30 PM.

[AlexL]

yep. theyre broadcasting it tonight in des moines! awesomeness