My Powder Springs, GA Review

[DarronSopDude]

Holly and I met my dad in Powder Springs last night for the DCI show at McEachern High School last night. I love this activity, and up until this year was a proud soprano player for the Atlanta Corpsvets. I find that I'm really missing marching, and will probably jump back in the mix next year.

This is not a full show review, but just the things that I thought were worth mentioning.

CorpsVets

This corps being my old corps were special to me. Their show is different from their past shows mainly in the level of difficulty. They are really moving out there for the first time in their history. Good to see it. You guys rock. The music for the opener, I'm still not sure I 'get', but Strawberry Soup kicks butt. I'm digging it. Mello's running all over the place, hot (whew) sop solos, lush baritones, and big contra sound. Not to mention the improved drumline. (nice tenors by the way). This show has the potential to put you into your highest finals showing ever. Keep up the great work you all are doing this year. It's showing up with results on the field.

Glassmen

Holy cow!!! I've never really understood the Glassies, but always respected their marching. This year they pulled me out of my seat with the music alone. I LOVED THE SHOW (My favorite of the night). It was so good to see that these guys can express fun music. Nice compliment shouted from the audience.... You did it without amplification, and we still heard it!.

Carolina Crown

Good music selection. The GLAD album that the opener was cut from is one of my favorite CD's of all time. You did it well. I'm not a fan of amplification, but not for the traditionalist view. It comes down to this. When the corps gets soft, you need to turn down the amps. Sitting low in the stands (usually the best place to hear the brass) all I could hear was marimbas, and pit percussion. Your pit guys are playing softer, but the mic's don't transmit the lower dynamics into the stands down low. It really puts those of us front and center at a big disadvantage. Really distracting. Maybe some one shaking a maraka with one hand, and turning the amps up and down with the other.

Boston Crusaders

Nice show, especially the Sing, Sing, Sing arrangement. I like it. It had style. I especially liked the dissasembled drum sets on carriers, marching around the field. It added depth. Same drumset sound, but with one set played by 5 people, it was like having a drummer with 10 arms running around the field madly flailing about. Good stuff.

Cavies

Woo Hoo, I'm on fire. Someone grab a ladder. I loved it. Almost took my favorite show caption. The horns on the ladders really kicked butt, and the show ratcheted up a notch once they got on the field. Loved Sweet Home Chicago. Would have loved to hear them do the standstill, (but that was Spirit's spot, and rightfully so.)

Cadets

Guys, you have been my favorite for the past couple of years, because you were the first to play recognizable tunes again. The hornline was smokin', loved it, and if I'd have known that an outhouse could multiply schoolgirls, I'd have never left Alabama! Neat trick. I wasn't expecting that, very cool. The moving start didn't work as well this year as it has in the past for me, but maybe it was the announcer being uncomfortable as to when to ask for the judges, and drum major's ready signal. Who knows. Overall, good show, but I'm not so sure I'm 'feelin' it. I'll check back next month when I see you again.

Spirit

My first love... Spirit. I was very excited about hearing this show, as I hadn't heard any recordings, or really anything about the show. It was good. The guard work was great. I loved the witch flags at the end. The horns were a little shaky, I still believe this corps just needs to hang it out and play. Trying to be too rigid doesn't work with a southern corps to me.

Overall

How can you beat this lineup? Add Blue Devils and Madison to the mix, and I'd call it perfection. Great show, great venue, and great crowd. What a great time. Sorry if you missed it.

[CVSoprano]

Congrats, Darren! I chose your thread to vent on ^0^

Great show all-around, and nice review! But I'm trying to figure out what was recognizable about the Cadets show? The confused (and sometimes outright annoyed looks) in the audience lead me to believe otherwise...

I really had no idea how I would feel about amplification (lightning rod, I know), and ended up liking it - until the Cadets show...

Year in, and year out - I adore what the Cadets put out on the field (second only to my personal favorites - Madison Scouts), but it seemed like a combination of "now it's legal, so let's overuse it" with the amps, and a throwback to some of really esoteric productions of the 90's where corps were trying to be "weirder" than everyone else. Just my point of view, for what's it worth - and sometimes, that ain't much :P

[DarronSopDude]

But I'm trying to figure out what was recognizable about the Cadets show? 

When I was talking about them being first to play recognizable tunes, I was referring to them sneaking in Moondance, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, etc...

Not too much this year recognizable. I wasn't complimenting them on song selection this year completely...

[GeorgiaGirl]

The moving start didn't work as well this year as it has in the past for me, but maybe it was the announcer being uncomfortable as to when to ask for the judges, and drum major's ready signal. Who knows.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Y'know, that's interesting-- I was sitting right next to the PA announcer, and when the Cadets were setting up to go on, a Cadets staffer showed up in the pressbox right behind him-- they had a short conversation, and Ross told him, "okay, so you'll cue me?" and the guy did just that.

So-- I guess things went the way they wanted.

We were running around tying up loose ends yesterday afternoon, and at one point I ended up in front of the Cadets' mellos in a sectional. If I'd have stood there much longer, they'd have melted my hair :) Whatta sound!

[George]

thanks for the review!!