Steve's Drum Beauty Review

[cavie1185]

Hey all - Saw the show in Cottage Grove tonight. Usually held in Stillwater, was moved due to stadium reconstruction. Evening started with very ominous storm clouds to the South and East, but the weather ended up being just about perfect.

IMPULSE - It was announced that Impulse was unable to make the show tonight. Don't know why - hope it wasn't a breakdown or emergency.

TROOPERS (1st viewing) - Always like the Troopers, regardless of what they do or how well they perform. A couple of "Sunburst/Starburst"-like formations got my attention. Not much else though. Good solid corps to start the evening! Have always loved their uniforms - if only the DM could ride in on a horse- would be so cool!

PIONEER (2nd viewing) - Saw them in Michigan City in early July. Have cleaned up a lot of roughness since then. Still don't care for the coffee tables - they just don't give enough to the performance to warrant all the distracting hauling around the field. The pit is a bit too far back... the pit platforms also seem to limit the drill to just the front of the field. The singing of "Consider Yourself" just doesn't work for me.

MINNESOTA BRASS INC (3rd viewing) - Performed in exhibition... why??? I like their show this year. The opener is slick and flashy, but it seems to get kinda warn out after that. The solo sops wowwed the crowd, but they weren't on tonight. Men's guard uniforms look better than the womens. And for Pete's sake, pick up a flag or rifle or sabre or anything! - the guard spends more time without equipment than with. The only guard that should ever be permitted to perform without something in their hands is Phantom! But MBI did get me to my feet when all was said and done.

SOUTHWIND - (1st viewing) - Nice show! Love all the music! I played Esprit de Corps way back in Jr. High... loved hearing it again! Toccata was great - like how they arranged it. Did I say "Nice show!"?

COLTS - (1st viewing) - Wow! On entry, I didwasn't sure about their guard uniform... but it totally worked with their beautiful silks. Was a perfect counterpart to the rest of the corps. Very sharp drill. Can't wait to see it from up high in Madison!!!

SCV - (1st viewing) - Um, guard equipment was way to plain... needs more color. ;)^ Drill was great - lots of spinning and wrapping wedges - love the mirror bending arrows moosh toward the end! Guard equipment was almost too much for me - it was so busy... almost hard to look at - like those spinning black and white spiral optical illusion things that make you need to blink a few times to see things normal again. Will need some Dramamine for Madison!

CAVALIERS - (4th viewing) Saw the Cavies practice Monday evening. When you see them up that close, you really appreciate how fast these guys are running around the field. Tonight I noticed that they had even made some music adjustments since last night! Their show is amazing. There's not a single beat where something interesting isn't happening somewhere. Love the guard box that disolves the horn company front from right to left, ending with a solid square on the left - sweet! The horns are heavenly. Love the "Harmony" segment - especially the company front chord waves with the flags. LOVE THE COUNT SHOUTS! It's one of the very few times where using voice actually pays off! The percussion jam where the guard and horns are in a sqaure on the right 35 - they refer to it in practice as the "fight club". The suspense of the horns running and winding their way into that fight club square is almost too much for me to handle!!! My voice will be very hoarse come tomorrow morning.

Parting thoughts -

1. Thought that the Colts would be much closer to SCV.

2. Minnesota audiences suck!!! They never clap for the cool stuff!! They never respond - it's like they are being too polite! We need to totally applaud every corps - make them feel it's worth it, that they entertained us! Instead, they just sit there like dead Spam. I miss the good old Wisconsin and Illinois shows. <sigh>

3. Can't wait to see the new Stillwater stadium for next year!

4. Have to go order my tickets for next year's show right away!

5. Why don't all the corps have a souvenier table/trailer anymore? Every show I've been to this year has had a noticable lack of small corps souvie tables! I miss being able to go up and congratulate them on doing a good job.

My next show: Madison Quarterfinals!!!

[jlhiatt]

Great review, Steve.

Did you have to deal with the bored toddlers like I did?

I really thought MBI was just...bad. It's like they saved all their energy for the closer and their color guard? I think Grand Rapids or Irondale could beat them. Looked really inexperienced and lost. Hideous uniforms, can't handle the equipment. Horn line lacks the power I remember.

As for Impulse, I called this morning and they said Impulse cancelled. Why, I don't know.

You caught a lot more drill than I did. My seats were crap. But I'll be right on the fifty near the pressbox next year.

Thanks again!

[MikeD]

A VERY scary thought.....

LIVE SPAM!!!!

Going into hiding,

Mike

[Matt]

Here's my two cents....

TROOPERS (1st viewing) - I've always loved the troopers uniforms as well. I was really disappointed the corps was so small.

PIONEER (1st viewing) - I thought the coffee tables was a nice way to compensate for lack of people in the corps. It put a nice frame around the group and made them seem much larger. Considering their size, which was even smaller than troopers, they sounded a ton better!

MINNESOTA BRASS INC (3rd viewing) - Drum Beauty has always been a tough show for MBI. Think about it. Every other show they do during the season is on the weekend or holiday. This is the only show during the week. All the members spend all day at work. They then rush to the stadium and try to get into the mindset for a performance. The only way to do that is with some quick rehearsal. Every year they do two runthroughs to get ready and it helps and hurts. It gets everyone in the necessary frame of mind, but it wears out their faces and bodies....I love this show, and I love this corps, but it was a bit ragged tonight.

SOUTHWIND - (1st viewing) - This was the first time I've seen these uniforms. My wife leaned over and whispered that the color of the jackets reminded her of the Bridgemen. I had to agree there. This was a nice show. It was adequately played and marched, but it certainly didn't standout.

COLTS - (1st viewing) - This was the best Colts I have ever seen. I don't when they switched to the current uniform, but it looks great! I had forgotten what a difference it makes to see a corps wearing white pants. It is so much harder to hide marching mistakes. These guys played very well and marched great! They certainly beat my expectations.

SCV - (1st viewing) - First off--I love the new uniforms. Cesario did a good job. These guys were awesome tonight. I don't even know where to start. I loved everything about this show. Well done all around.

CAVALIERS - (2nd viewing) I have no doubt these guys will win DCI. It has just gotten better since last time I saw it. The drill is cleaner. The horn parts have been adjusted to be more playable in some spots. The drums are as solid as ever. The guard is awesome. What is there not to like about this show. My only other comment is that I thought the hornline was a bit off tonight, but hey--that happens! Good job Cavies!

Matt

[Anoka Flash]

MINNESOTA BRASS INC (3rd viewing) - Performed in exhibition... why??

Drum Beauty is a DCI show. MN Brass is the co-sponsor of that show and chooses to do an exhibition for our home crowd.

Kurt (Flash)

[Sean1]

Nice review