MikeD Posted July 5, 2005 Share Posted July 5, 2005 Hoping the rain rain rain would go away and come again some ohher day, I trekked up to Secaucus....and lucked out. the show, while delayed a bit, went off just fine. I was on the 40 yeard line, near the back of the lower deck...hence...I had the upper deck over my head blocking some of the sound. So..take this for what it is worth... Surf....yet ANOTHER great show...only three plates this year...are they new? They did not seem as featured as those of the past few years. Stars and Stripes/1812 combo was excellent...the one spot I thought they may have 'missed' an opportunity, design-wise, is during reh company front diagonal. They move about 16 steps on one diagonal to S&S and then 16 counts the otehr way, also to S&S...it might have been neat to do the first 16 count move as is and then on the next 16 direction change switch to the 1812...because the next section is a neat combination of the two. Outside of that...a more 'traditional' show than the past few years, with regular unis, but an outstanding effort by the kids....best of luck, as always. Raiders...JCSS...need more trumpets, obviously. Some very nice charts...the battery part of the percussion is especially good, as always. One spot the entire horn line is bunched up at the sideline doing a park and blow...I'd make sure the trumpets get down front on that...they were in back and were lost. If it's possible I'd also keep the trumpets closer together...they have some huge splits in the drill, which makes for some sound problems. I think this show is a great one for them...in their reach yet not simplistic. Great job by admin and members. Spirit...Broadway...I love the guard uni and the first flag. For me personally, "They're Playing Our Song has always been a show/tune I don't like...seems kind of lame to me. The arrangement and members get the most out of what is there...but I would not have picked that tune to open my Broadway show. The Webber balled...the Playbills are a nice idea that needs a bit of tweaking....much of the balled is a tune from "Sunset Blvd", yet the highlighted Playbill is "Phantom of the Opera" (only a fragment is played from that show). I'd just switch them two around on the field. If they want to bring out that Phantom fragment, lower the Sunset Blvd prop and pick up the Phantom, if need be. It just bugged me..though it's not a big deal. "Luck be a Lady Tonight" from Guys and Dolls has great potential...right now it doesn't sound "New York" enough...it needs more accenting and more pizzazz to sell, but the chart is there, so IMO they'll get it there. BAC...initiwl coment...gorgeous guard...and excellent as well. Love the salmon colored costumes...the opening Bach needs some more nuance and drama, but that will come...It's a wonderful arrangement. Candide is not the 'tradtional chart...but it works. One spot in the show the brass/battery are close to the sideline and the guard just fills the field...a VERY nice moment. I think this show will work for them. Crossmen...I really like the show this year, better even than last. "So Far Away" is their ballad this year, and I personally like the tune better than last year....it needs a LOT more shaping to really sell...the high point I thought might be scored a bit low for the trumpets, not permitting them to really "laser out" a cutting edge sound, but it is certainly lush..and a great tune. Always wanted to do the Meatloaf piece with a band, so I'm happy to see and hear it...very nice chart whoch is going to work well for them once the performance level is raised up. Classical Gas...everyting old is new again...first heard it by 27th back around 69. Very nice chart by the Crossmen. I've always liked the tune, and their version is a good one. One thing about black unis...just about any guard costuming will stand out, and the Crossmen picked some VERY nice guard costumes. Crown...A gorgeous hornline...even more "Regiment-ish" this year than last....that line may keep them up where they were last year...or even higher. The battery did a very nice job, with some demanding music. Guard...wow...one of my favorites of the night. While not controversial this year, I think this show can carry them a long way. Cadets...I bet the staff had an "oops" moment when listening to the opening narration....balance with the rest of the corps was waaay out...could hardly hear the narration at all. Also, the guy's voice is in the tenor range...can he drop it down top at least the baritone range? My one overall tiny negative is that I might like just a bit more 'down'...the show is so fast paced and frenetic...percussion feature..shades of 2000 with the tenors! I did not mind the vocalising..but it does have to be crisper. This show certainly is different, but I think it has potential to stack up agsinst anybody...something I haven't thought the past few years. Edit: I understand how people look at the door prop and go eeewwww at this point. For me, it looked like a black tarpapered unfinished outhouse. If it were me, I'd paint the black part the shiniest glossiest black I could...to make it look almost like marble or something...to signify deep space. Definitely not a flat black. Or...maybe turn the black around the doorframe into painted "marble" columns...I had this marbleizing kit I used on some columns in my basement that looked real neat. All in all, a great show, IMO. More "straight-ahead" drum corps, with Surf wearing regular unis and Crown not singing, and BAC not narrating. But...just a good as last year for all three, and hopefullt even higher placements to come. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeBishop Posted July 6, 2005 Share Posted July 6, 2005 Surf is marching four new cymbal players this year. Only 3 appeared at Giants Stadium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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