Official DCI Quarterfinals Discussion Thread

[CrownMe]

It's Debbie Torchia (Colorguard Judge)  ^0^

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YUP, dislikes crown guard. Crown will finish 7th at Semi's and Finals.

[Sideways]

I'll try and keep this short and simple. Don't know if it was just the location of the microphones or performace issues, but almost every group up to and including Blue Knights at moments where the trumpets/sopranos sounded thin and strident. Not too mention performance issues with hearing feet through the horns in the more exposed and soft dynamic sections. That was my biggest beef with the entire evening.

Priceless moment of the night: The Cadets school girls not being able to explain their own characters and show!!

I was hoping to see someone from Cavies ask Jessica Allen if she had become a Bond girl yet!!

Now on to a brief review:

Mandarins - larger than I ever remember them. I like the uniforms but they tend to muddle feet and forms. Equally solid in all captions and they continue to improve each year. First third of the show seemed safe and timid with lots of intonation issue in the hornline. The performance got considerably stronger and more confidant as the show progressed.

Seattle Cascades - Zero of that narration was necessary and could have done with less emphasis on the props. Drill design seemed to be the major issue with this group, though the ending was nicely done. Like the guard outfits.

Capital Regiment - The sundial made a lot more sense now than it did in Toledo. The show is still over-written for the talent level of the corps. Agressive brass and percussion. Should be strengths in the future. Drill for the last quarter of the show was excellent but filthy. They could use a couple more weeks of cleaning. Liked the overall package.

Crossmen - Like the music book and the performance level is great musically and visually. There legs are straighter than Cadets now. Performance level, no matter how great, doesn't mean much when content is not there however. By far the simplest drill book of the evening. The girlfriend dug all the oldies music and the guard outfits!! Note to trumpet soloist: That note was quite a bit out of tune...

Colts - For the most part I really liked this show. The Landworkers really seemed out of place with the rest of the music though. Captions seems solid enough across the board. Much meatier content than Bones but very loose performance tonight. The girlfriend loved Till There Was You, ending of the song seemed forced though. Tighthen things up and you will have 13th to yourself. Too much ground to cover to catch Spirit.

Spirit - The last couple years this corps seems to be bristling with talent and the shows seemed very conservative. My cousin, a theatre geek, was along for the evening and could name every single tune. Arrangements were well done and did not mind dozens of melodies mixed together. Worked well for this group. Wishing You Were Here Again was a high light and brought goosebumps. There is something holding this group back and I can't quite put my finger on it. They just need to cut loose.

Glassmen - A lot of people around me did not like this rendition of New World. I loved this show, but then again I like Robert W. Smith arrangements. Solid and fun all the way around. Should catch Blue Knights.

SCV - Years like this happen. Go back to the uniforms you used in the late 90s, tilt the snares, and get ######. It worked for you before. Won't even comment on the drill Felt they were underscored by maybe a point.

Blue Knights - Absolutely beautiful color guard. Miss the dots. Distinctive marching style, but it distracts from the rest of the show and flat out annoyed me. They execute it well enough, but I just can't help but think it adds unneccesary dirt to the show. The jam session felt a little tight and forced, but nice to see the Knights exploring different genres. Nice job.

Boston - What a beautiful show. Solid all the way around. They are sticking to what works for them. Obvious step up from everyone beneath them but not enough meat to hang with the big boys. I loved Sing, Sang, Sung but it almost did not fit this show. Another group I thought that was underscored by about a point. Deserved to beat Crown tonight.

Crown - This hornline is going to be one to watch in the future. Strongest guard at this point in the show. Overall a better show than BAC but too many performance errors tonight. Lots of leaning into step offs, a couple of missed halts, and one attack in hornline that was just brutal. Several forms just did not hit either. These moments were in stark contrast to what I saw from the rest of the show . Deserved to lose to BAC tonight. Throw down a good one they be ahead by about a point.

Bluecoats - Some them in Toledo and they "blue" me away. Best Coats ever. Fast, intense performance that never stops. Beautiful guard work, but there content is just a notch below the big boys. Brass and drums can throw down with the best. Beautiful drill but still enough dirt to keep them in the six spot. Whoever is cleaner, BC or Scouts, on finals will end up in fifth.

Madison - Welcome back boys and gal. Best show since '99 by far. Smokin hornline and problem the best drums to come from this group. Carmen, a hottie and she knows it. Where the #### did this guard come from. WOW!!! Great trumpet features!! About the same level of visual dirt as Coats. I feel they are about the same GE-wise and musically, so who ever marches the best show and finals will get the 5 spot. Neither group has the vehicle or talent to catch Devs.

Blue Devils - Not your typical show from Devs. It is far from my favorite, but it is not nearly as bad as others have been saying. Cheesy yes, but the narator sounded professional and was completely in character for the era being portrayed. I only lost interest musically in the second of Riffs. Outstanding marching and amazing guard, should say dance troupe. A lot of uncharacteristic dirt from the horns and drums though. Performance level is way to high to drop below 4th.

Phantom - Best from them since '96. Best total package of the night. Not sure what is holding back the GE numbers. Is it not enough content compared to Cavies, and Cadets? Could easily end up in second at finals. Maybe a 15% chance of catching the Cadets down the home stretch, unless they can capture that lightning in a bottle like they did in '96.

Cavies - It's finals week. Time to unleash the hounds. I know the hornline has more power than they are letting out. It's now or never boys and you are going to need it to keep Phantom at bay. I really enjoyed this show more than the past several years from Cavies. 4 of the last 5 ain't shaby. Have a little more fun with it, throw down and you might make it 5 of 6.

Cadets - It is your's for the taken. Huge point spread going into semis and I thought the last minute or so last night was a little rough performance wise and came across flat. The look on the performers faces is enough to tell you that they are in the "ZONE." If they do what they know how to do gold goes to Maroon & Gold in 2005.

[Tsar Nikk]

Thank you! BD's show rocked! Talk about demand! Easily the most difficult show and they really pushed the envelope this year. Not only was it so demanding, they performed it so well The 94.225 is absolutely ridiculously low!

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Well, we all have bias issues, each and every one of us. But yours is showing big time. :P

Frankly, I didn't find THAT much demand in Blue Devils. I spoke with two alumni of the corps, Larry Shane who was the sop soloist in 1990, and Phil Rodell who was a bari in 1994...and they both had mixed feelings about this show. At no time did they say the demand was greater than the corps above them, nor did they say that Devils were underscored...

So, instead of me giving you what I think becuase of MY own biases...I'll let their comments stand on their own.

P.S. I DID add that I feel Devils are going to come out angry and smokin' hot next year, though...

[crfrey71]

Well, we all have bias issues, each and every one of us.  But yours is showing big time.  :P

Frankly, I didn't find THAT much demand in Blue Devils. I spoke with two alumni of the corps, Larry Shane who was the sop soloist in 1990, and Phil Rodell who was a bari in 1994...and they both had mixed feelings about this show.  At no time did they say the demand was greater than the corps above them, nor did they say that Devils were underscored...

So, instead of me giving you what I think becuase of MY own biases...I'll let their comments stand on their own.

P.S.  I DID add that I feel Devils are going to come out angry and smokin' hot next year, though...

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Bias, absolutely not (towards any specific corps)! I am biased towards shows that truly go out and entertain me and thrill me. last year, Cavies and SCV were my 2 favorite shows and was really pulling for SCV, but when I saw Cavies do 007, I knew they were clearly the best.

BD's show this year is absolutely amazing. Truly pushing the envelope! It's my favorite. I think the upper echelon corps' for the most part had better shows last year than this year, except Phantom. They did put a great show on the field. It just not have the demand (except that incredible contra playing) that BD's show has. I don't think any show touched the demand of BD's show this year. I think I could say that for the Cavies show last year. 1 full point ahead of BD in percussion??? Next!

[drmcornut]

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anytime you need a microphone to explain the show instead of the music making you feel the show..well....call me a purist, but I just can't stand it...

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THIS is at the heart of my dislike of narration. Thanks skewers

[crfrey71]

I don't like any narration either, but BD's is not used to explain a story, one bit.

[Sideways]

And was it just me or the broadcast last night, but Cavies opening fanfare sounded like a mess?

[InspaDave]

I don't like any narration either, but BD's is not used to explain a story, one bit.

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Uhhhh . . . . .

[Tsar Nikk]

Bias, absolutely not (towards any specific corps)! I am biased towards shows that truly go out and entertain me and thrill me. last year, Cavies and SCV were my 2 favorite shows and was really pulling for SCV, but when I saw Cavies do 007, I knew they were clearly the best.

BD's show this year is absolutely amazing. Truly pushing the envelope! It's my favorite. I think the upper echelon corps' for the most part had better shows last year than this year, except Phantom. They did put a great show on the field. It just not have the demand (except that incredible contra playing) that BD's show has. I don't think any show touched the demand of BD's show this year. I think I could say that for the Cavies show last year. 1 full point ahead of BD in percussion??? Next!

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Well, it's all a matter of opinion, of course. I think this year's edition of Regiment is heads and shoulders over last year's, and frankly, I think it's heads and shoulders over Blue Devils. If I were to allow myself to think about scores again, even after I said I wouldn't, I would say that Regiment should be even further ahead of Devils.

However, I don't need to say that. Obviously, this year's Devils entertain you a lot. Cool beans. This year's Regiment entertains me. But I don't think you're going to find a majority of people who think that the Devils' demand in horns or drill is higher than Regiment's. At least not in the non-partisan ranks.

But...frankly, I don't care. They entertain me, and Devs entertain you. I'm just sick of seeing the "demand factor" used as a way to put Regiment's show down somehow.