Another Memphis Review

[sblez]

Please be kind - this is my first time to write a review. I figured - what the heck, my opinion is worth as much as anyone elses - not a lot!! :)

Memphis in the Summertime - If you're into heat and humidity, this is the place to be. I feel for the Corps that come here and to any of the other southern Shows (except those like SA that are indoors). Anyone who thinks this is not an athletic sport needs to pickup a horn or drum and work all day at 98 degrees and then go march a show at night!

We drove up yesterday from NE TX to spend a little time with my son who is in Southwind and to see are ally good show - we weren't diasappointed. Getting back in at 4:30 this morning didn;t do a lot for me but, oh well. Guess it's good that old guys don't need as much sleep :P A freind of ours who is a drum corps fanatic got us our seats and top row, fifty yard line doesn't get much better.

Pioneer - I only saw these guys last year at the Quarters and I was blown away. They are heads and shoulders above last year. I think anyone that came here and expected the leadoff corps to put on a weak show was pleasantly surprised. Their horn and percussion lines appear to be fairly full (pit was a little small but played their hearts out) and I really enjoyed the guard work. Music quality was good - some minor blurbs here and there but nothing that a couple fo weeks won;t take care of. I think they have some good opportunity to move up this year. With a little more cleaning some possible revisions to the design I think they'll do nicely. They accomplished what every corps needs to strive for - they entertained!

Kiwanis - If I'm not mistaken this was KK's first show and it looked it. They had some holes (missing personnel) and some fo the music was a little rough. I did like the music selections though. Visually, with no intention of being judgemental, they didn't do a lot for me but the season is young. One thing that is the most fascinating to me about DC is the amount of change you can see in a corps between the first and final shows. I'm sure kiwanis will be no exception.

Southwind - OK, as mentioned, being an Sdub parent I'm going to be a little partial here. I'll try not to gush. :) My son (Frontline - Vibe 1) started with them last year and the show this year is without a doubt waist, neck, head and shoulders above last years. The design is more intricate and elaborately designed as is the music. I heard the show at the dress rehearsal but from a stadium perspective you can pick up ALL the various pieces that are included (and there are a bunch). The hornline is fuller and stronger now than they were mid season last year and the drumline, especially the snares were cleaner last night than at quarter finals. There has been a fair amount of discussion concerning some design idosyncracies (i.e., sharkos, guard unis, etc.) but IMHO, they work and lend to the overall effect. The one thing that is neat about this show is that the kids are EXCITED about it and what they could possibly achieve. If you get a chance, you need to see these guys this year!

Cavies - I have always been a big fan of the Cavaliers, the quality and effect they project is just awesome. The word I come up with is professional. They look and sound like they are born to do what they do. BUT, all that said, I really have some mixed feelings about this show - but then again, I wasn't overly impessed with their show last year until later in the season. Their opening statement was, as you come to expect from these guys, amazing. Full, loud, it is what drum corps is all about. I really liked the hrn ensemble "voices" and the overall blend and musicallity (is that a word?) As always, the music quality and the polish to the drill is amazingly good so early in the season (i.e. professionalism). I like the baseball section of the show and you can tell the guard has a lot of fun with this. They should have used real bats thought instead of rifles. I'm sure Louisville Slugger would have made them a deal on the bats. The Chicago Fire segment was good but the ladders didn't do a lot for me. being from Northeast Texas, the home of the Kilgore Rangerette's (It's a Texas thing), every little girl grows up wanting to be in drill team and be a Rangerette - OK, that's an exaggeration - my daurghters think it's dumd and are both heading for the drumline!! Anyway, the ladders gave me a little feel for a drill team ladder routine so that was kind of lost on my. My compadre who got me the tickets and who is also a band director suggested Cavies might want to take the ladders back to Lowe's and get their money back. Oh well - just my opinion. Anyway, as it is I don'tt see this as being a Championship winning show (maybe 2 or 3) but we still have a long way to go and this season is REALLY becoming interesting.

Bluecoats - I LIKED this show. I felt they were the loudest and most "in your face" of all the groups last night. If they had asked me to score these corps (and they didn't :P ) I would have placed them over the Cavies last night. From my subjective point of view I don't think the Cavaliers deserved to break 80 last night but that's neither here nor there. The Coats horn and percussion were as good as I have seen them in quite some time and their guard was impressive. I honestly don't get into the guard routines all that much but I like the use of color and the contrasts. It really completed the overall effect. I can't tell you one thing that I would want to see different in this show other than a little spit and polish. I believe they will beat hard on the top 4-5 this year.

Glassmen - I hate to admit it but I've never been that big of a Gmen fan. Not that I have any problem with them, I guess I never paid them the attention they deserve. I did enjoy their show although I will have to see it a couple of more times to really GET IT. I'm just not there yet. Strong percussion - my opinion the battery and frontline carried the program although brass was strong. I heard one-two sort of shaky notes. With the heat and humidity I'm surprised we didn't hear a lot more broken notes from all the corps. I have no doubt these guys will clean a lot more and set in the mid to lower end of the top 12. I'm looking forward to it.

Memphis Sound - this was their home show and so obviously these guys had a lot fo fan support but they would not have needed it - they were gettin' it. Much stronger show than last year. Good full corp and full corps sound - more like a lower end Div 1 than a Div 2. I think they said they are only missing 2 horn positions. . . . Anyway, good overall program and design, well executed for what appears to be a fairly young corp. Keep up the hard work guys!!

Last night was just a good show - It was worth the cost of the tickets and a 10 hour round trip drive. i am reallty excited about what I am seeing in DCI this year. So many of the corps seem to be "taking it up a notch." Obvioulsy this is to the credit of the staff and kids but we as fans definitley reap the benefits.

My next one will be Dubuque - I can't wait!!

[manlybandman]

Thanks for the review....especially the kind words about Pioneer. I'm really pleased to see how much they've grown since last year.

Musicality is a word.

And I have seen the Kilgore rangerettes!!!!!!

Looking forward to seeing the Southwind show at Charles City, Iowa next week.

[DannyII]

nice job Mr. Blezinger!

[randomguy]

i was there and couldnt agree with you more!

especially what you said about how bluecoats would have done if you were in charge of judging! i said the SAME thing when we were waiting for scores, and so did about five people around me... that show had exactly the kinds of things that i love from drum corps in heaping quantities... i think its "11 minutes of bliss" for sure

(thats what someone told me to expect from bluecoats several days before i saw them)

[Quadz]

Thanks for the review. No matter which Dubuque show you go to (July 7th or July 27th) I will see you there.

[93Bluecoat]

Steve, Great review!!!! I have to agree that SW has a great show this year. They need to clean visually though. When I first saw the show several weeks ago I thought it had an outside chance at making finals but the scores just haven't jumped into the 70s like they should be. I really hope they can start kicking it (a former student of mine is on the brass staff....Lonnie Thernes....great girl!).

I taught in Tx about 10 years ago...I know exactly what you mean about the Rangerettes! Haha. Keep working on your daughters (paradiddle, paradiddle, para para diddle para para diddle, para para para diddle, para para para diddle, para para para diddle!). The whole Tx drill team thing kind of eluded my mentality...I guess I just don't get it. They are like a strange cult, or the Masons. Haha.

I'll get my second fix of the Bluecoats today in Harrison. Going to watch rehearsal and go to the show tonight. Got a call from one of the members last night and he said they had an AMAZING practice day yesterday. Added some things, reworked a few sections, and he said they are primed to make a big push in the next few weeks. I'm excited. The Blue Hype Train is for real....I'll tell you how much steam it has after I see them tonight.

I like the Cavies ladders, although it does significantly cut down what they can do on the field (which is a Cavies strongsuit historically). I'm not a fan of the CG unis or the fireman hats though. When was the last time Cavs won CG at finals? I'd be curious to find that out because when I saw them a few weeks ago I thought they had a design that could win it. Just my opinion.

More after tonights show.....

DW