The Southern California Weekend Experience

[OttoReyer]

Got a chance this last weekend to check out the Southern California shows. (Nobody says "So-Cal" or "Nor-Cal" in real life.) Watched some rehearsals, hung with some old friends from a couple of staffs (staves?), and checked out some rehearsals and warm-ups. Spent a lot more time in the lots than in the stands. Since it's all about The Experience, I think what we really need are reviews of The Experience, not just the show. And since I got lotsa time on my hands in the summer, here it is, my Experience Review of The Weekend.

Bakersfield -

Yeah, right. Like I'd drive to Bakersfield.

Long Beach -

Try the teriyaki chicken at The Elephant Bar, but avoid the full police lockdown with hovering helicopters as you try to get there.

Don't stadiums have visitor side seats, anymore?

Really big rabbits hopping around at Long Beach City College. BIG rabbits. The rabbits outweighed a couple of the hornlines. And marched better. Coulda used their fur for a coat tonight. Brr.

Stupid long line at the snack bar. Why not open both sides? Missed a couple corps for a Starbucks run.

Wasn't there supposed to be some kind of retreat thing? And if you're going to have an encore you can't make the audience sit around for 30 minutes.

Riverside -

Not at RCC, so no Art's for martinis and prime rib. Cactus Cantina (in the heart of the 951) was really good. Nice margaritas. Too nice in one case.

What happened to 110 degrees for this show? Had to wear a jacket.

Terrible parking, construction all around the school, sprinklers on in some fields, nowhere for the hornlines to warm-up, dirt EVERYWHERE, not enough bathrooms. Yuck. Not a great show site. But visitor stands, so an OK show site.

Got to hear the America/Oh, Canada retreat thing, but it sounded like only one corps was playing, and after talking to a couple friends, I know which one it was. You really couldn't find time to play the tune a couple times? A performer has responsibilities to the audience and to the art.

Was that "It's a Small World"?

Westlake -

You've got to be kidding with this site. No back stands, and 50 feet from an intersection with lots of traffic. The whole school's built on a hill. There are NO flat spots. Anywhere. Dirt ramp to the field, no room to get around. Dirt, dirt, dirt. Parking was a mile away. Dark campus with kids trying to find their trucks. The trucks were 15 minutes from the buses. Buses parked on the street. Stupid show site.

Long Beach had rabbits, Westlake had frogs. Millions of frogs. Or maybe toads. Something of the order Anura. The frogs were louder than two of the corps tonight.

Did I mention this is a terrible show site?

...

Oh, the corps? You want to know about the corps? OK, fine. Instead of reviewing each show, here are some thoughts about each corps. I'm a brass player, by the way. That's what I usually pay attention to. And I don't take notes or anything organized like that, so these are very general impressions.

Hawthorne Gold - A young group having young group performance issues. Address the fundamental performance issues first. It's an interesting organizational concept, making it a school activity.

Jester - My heart goes out to the kids. I admire your courage. I can't imagine what the staff was thinking. Janacek? Address the fundamental performance issues first. Give the members a compelling reason to return to your corps.

Mystikal - Another program that is way too hard. I just don't get it. Smart, talented kids in the corps. Address the fundamental performance issues first, and give them a better chance to be successful.

Impulse - A corps in search of its soul. Some cool sounding spots, but absolutely no connection to the audience, the material, or from what I can see, each other. All the resources are there, but it's just so… distant. It's not solid, and it ain't zany. What happened to zany?

Vanguard Cadets - Weren't they way bigger last year? Many significant music ensemble problems. Good fundamental ideas, though, and when it cleans up it will be much better.

Blue Devils B - What a good sounding corps! Very solid, exciting and fun. Great performers in the guard, lots of connection to the audience. Way cool.

The Academy - A very fine corps. Really nice staff and management, got to meet a few of the kids. I disagree, though, that they're ready for Div.1. They sound really good and move with real control, but the demands of the current show are not at a Div. 1 competitive level. Not to say they won't be in the future. I like their approach to travel and money.

Esperanza - Great percussion ensemble sound. Brass section not as strong, smaller than last year. Is it a travel/cost thing? Show isn’t as well constructed as last year's. The whistles are LOUD. Ick. The Academy and Esperanza are very comparable, even look alike.

Mandarins - Good drum corps. Clean as snot, but with such a limited visual vocabulary it's no surprise. Brass has a very bright sound. Lots of edge and bite. One of my friends asked if they were playing on chrome horns. Not my kind of sound at all, and intonation is not real good, but they do play well together. Attacks, releases, crescendo/decrescendo. Very consistent, but sometimes mechanical. They beat PC on Sunday, but I don't see that happening again.

Pacific Crest - Very good drum corps. Not clean as snot. Sort of the anti-Mandarins. Nice, controlled open sound, but having attack/release/precision problems. Got much better over the three days, but the end of the show on Sunday virtually exploded with time problems. I think one of the baritones actually exploded like those little guys in the old Lemmings game. No question it cost them 2nd place. The guard is really good, but the little silver mirror gizmos made me crave a vodka tonic. Are they supposed to be ice cubes? Was there a twist of lime that I missed?

Vanguard - Great drum corps. Definitely well ahead of PC in most areas. Still having significant pulse, pitch and blend issues. Much of the enthusiastic reaction from the crowd seems forced or contrived, like they're applauding a show they expect to see, or a show they remember. The drums are odd. I suppose someone's explained why they hang the way they do. The white pants are cool, both PC and Vanguard just have beautiful look to the corps.

That's it. That's how I saw the weekend. Rabbits and frogs. But no locusts, at least.

[DCIHasBeen]

Did I mention this is a terrible show site?

...

Didn't make the Long Beach Show, as I'm on the wrong end of the 405 for a Friday evening drive.

Agree with you on the Jester comments ... Although I'm not complaining that it was cool and not too smoggy in Riverside.

As for the Westlake Village show ... Give these folks a break. Young corps, new show ... It takes a while to get everything working in a new organization. I think they did a fine job, and the stadium wasn't all that bad (although the corps parking situation kind of reminded me of Allentown.)

I did think the corps might have had an easier time of it if the barbeque grills weren't sending a steady stream of smoke onto the field (maybe they were trying to create a Riverside-like ambiance?)

Anyway, I appreciated the fact that there was a quality drum corps show a half-hour from my house. I hope they manage to do it every year.

[Dansize]

As for the Westlake Village show ... Give these folks a break.  Young corps, new show ... It takes a while to get everything working in a new organization.  I think they did a fine job, and the stadium wasn't all that bad (although the corps parking situation kind of reminded me of Allentown.)

I did think the corps might have had an easier time of it if the barbeque grills weren't sending a steady stream of smoke onto the field (maybe they were trying to create a Riverside-like ambiance?)

Anyway, I appreciated the fact that there was a quality drum corps show a half-hour from my house.  I hope they manage to do it every year.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When they first announced the SoCal shows this year, this show was going to be at Moorpark College. Does anyone have any idea why it was changed? The college stadium also has a new field/track and a much taller box. Pacific Crest hosted one of their first shows out there 7-8 years ago and I remember the crowds being significant. The nice thing about the college is there is no lcak of parking for fans or performers.

I liked Westlake as it was someplace new to go, but was also troubled by the lack of signage, lighting (for the return to vehicles) and coordination. This will certainly improve if they continue to host a show here. Best of all was the actual stadium seat for those in the center section. First one of those I've had in a while.

[ChiBoyinLA]

As for the Westlake Village show ... Give these folks a break.  Young corps, new show ... It takes a while to get everything working in a new organization.  I think they did a fine job, and the stadium wasn't all that bad (although the corps parking situation kind of reminded me of Allentown.)

Is there a reason why this show wasn't held at Moorpark College, which has a nice stadium that has been used in the past for a corps show?

[Marc66]

Moorpark College's stadium has recently been remodeled, and the school indcated that the stadium was not going to be ready for anything before mid August. Hence, the reason for relocating the show.

[84BDsop]

Moorpark College's stadium has recently been remodeled, and the school indcated that the stadium was not going to be ready for anything before mid August.  Hence, the reason for relocating the show.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Same issue with Riverside...the field at RCC is done (same as at Long Beach and Westlake...GREAT surface to march on!!)....the track's not done, tho....the rains we had earlier this year delayed completion, hence the move to King HS.

Otto...nothing on Dream???

[arivas2002]

Otto,

Thanks for the refreshing review. Will you be up north for the bay area shows? If so, can we expect another review?

[crAzy4guard]

CHEERS to Otto, for the upfront and honest review.

Consider me a fan....

[Goldsmith1210]

That smoke from the grill at Westlake was terrible. I'm glad I don't have asthma or I would've been in real trouble. Also, someone should teach Hawthorne Gold uniform etiquette. They sat in the stands the whole time in full uniform, not even together. Eating in uniform was always a BIG no no for us, but it seems like it was encouraged here. But I suppose that all comes with the high school mentality. I think their director should take a class on drum corps etiquette and teach it to his kids. Why wasn't a flag flying during the national anthem at any of the shows this weekend? Add that with the butchering that the anthem took at Westlake and you get a few ticked off folks.

End rant.

[84BDsop]

That smoke from the grill at Westlake was terrible. I'm glad I don't have asthma or I would've been in real trouble. Also, someone should teach Hawthorne Gold uniform etiquette. They sat in the stands the whole time in full uniform, not even together. Eating in uniform was always a BIG no no for us, but it seems like it was encouraged here. But I suppose that all comes with the high school mentality. I think their director should take a class on drum corps etiquette and teach it to his kids. Why wasn't a flag flying during the national anthem at any of the shows this weekend? Add that with the butchering that the anthem took at Westlake and you get a few ticked off folks.

End rant.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They'll learn....I ran into the DM during a food break at the Riverside show and had to explain retreat...no one told the kids, apparently.

Same thing happens in fencing...coachs are great at teaching how to do the sport, but NOT what to expect or some of the protocols at a tournament...that's why I wrote something up a few years back.