The unofficial SCV is getting HOSED thread!

[TMan]

Lord knows I'm not an expert, but watching and listening to the Vanguard on the cinecast last night, I didn't find the SCV "package" to be particularly engaging. There were times when the drill and the properties seemed to have been designed for a bad high school band. (Spelling out USSR, for example). But if you think that SCV should have ranked higher, just who should have ranked lower?

[PhantomR]

There were times when the drill and the properties seemed to have been designed for a bad high school band.

the fact that you associated them with a high school band is bad enough... but a BAD high school band?

come on... THAT is taking it wayyy to far.

~>conner

[alvinpr89]

I was a bit surprised when I looked at the visual numbers for Vanguard last night and noticed they were higher than music ... Since visual is what was, ostensibly, killing them early season.

I won't go so far as to say Vanguard is getting hosed ... Although I think they should be right on top of Crown and Bluecoats.

Drum Corps is like this great big train moving in a certain direction, and SCV doesn't seem to be following along.  Their show is straight-up drum corps and, apparently, that just isn't good enough to be competitive these days ... It's like you've gotta' have some kind of gimmick.

Maybe if they had a door on the field and made the whole corps disappear through it ...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mabey SCV should wear masks and dissapear under a big tarp, that could get them some higher scores.

[profhill]

I'm surprised no one has said anything about SCV's guard this year and the impact that losing Adam Sage has had on them visually. It's my belief that we don't have enough guard people on DCP.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Only seeing the video clips on Season Pass, I would have to agree. (Seeing Phantom this year too makes the point even more) Too bad they couldn't keep him. Of course, I thought he was going to leave after last year when I saw the show last year. Great guard, but you couldn't tell because of the horrible staging.

Also, as much as I liked the new uniforms off the field, I just don't like them on. I'm not saying they need to be "Cesarioed", but they just need a little something.....bring back the STRIPE!! :)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't like the uniform with the hat. Another hat would make that uniform look so much better. I'm thinking a white shako with a tall white plume. If they wanted to keep the aussie then they should have choosen something better to go with it.

[manoloblahniksabre]

You assume correctly. I hope you had a good time watching quarters...wish I could have been there :)

Well, that's good.  I assume I will hear from you before too long. 

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[PeeWee]

I feel SCV is about where they belong. It's no conspiracy guys.

I feel, however, that they should be beating Boston Crusaders (in other words, Boston is ranked too high). They're about even with Blue Knights, so any given night is a toss-up between the two corps.

[Matt_S]

Scoring where they should be? No, I don't think so. I think Blue Knights should be ahead of them for ninth. These are the guys that I think are getting hosed, as they keep getting yo-yoed around by the judges, scoring well above Vanguard at seperate shows, never quite catching them head-to-head, and always watching that spread see-saw from less than a quarter of a point to almost two.

[wesleyrp]

Well said. I remarked to my wife and friend yesterday that I have never seen a corps (BK) lose to another corps (SCV) by less than .05 so many times as I've seen this year. I could understand it when I saw both corps in San Antonio, but not last night. As most are saying, SCV should've been solidly 10th last night.

Wes P.

[Newseditor44]

Well said. I remarked to my wife and friend yesterday that I have never seen a corps (BK) lose to another corps (SCV) by less than .05 so many times as I've seen this year. I could understand it when I saw both corps in San Antonio, but not last night. As most are saying, SCV should've been solidly 10th last night.

Wes P.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just my honest opinion... but I disagree. Maybe its a matter of taste or perspective... which I believe is one of the great things about this board is that we can all voice our opinions.

This is not my favorite SCV show, that is for certain. I still believe that if you put RCM in the opener slot, the show works much better. That said, I have seen shows that have scored in the 90's that were worse then this one.

My point, or one of many, is that I, as a fan, was not enetertained by any other corps above SCV other than Regiment and possibly the Cadets. There were a whole lot of notes, a lot of fast marching, and some faintly recognizeable, crowd friendly charts. But nothing that would give me the urge to stand up and applaud.

But my biggest complaint is that now it seems to be acceptable for a show to be dirty visually and in some cases musically, just becuase the demand on the performer is higher.

There were several instances in the top 5 shows were forms weren't quite lining up because performers legs weren't quite long enoug to get them there in time. Lines weren't dressed, or there were multiple scatter drills to get performers from one place to another (and I do love a good scatter drill, just not 15 in one show).

Musically (horn chart wise), everything is "run here, run there, balls out chord, splat splat splat, run here run there". Challenging, #### yes! But as a fan, I am really starting to get bored with it. Give me more goosebumps, more emotion, more 'get up out of my seat and sacrafice my first born onto the field' moments.

Honestly, after several years of reconnecting with the fans, I think we are starting to see a return to the 'artsy-fartsy play fast and make it look difficult' drum corps that caused a decline in audiences for several years.

Ok, getting off of my soap box and waiting to get flamed...

[Matt_S]

Ok, getting off of my soap box and waiting to get flamed...

Well, no flaming here, just some good honest disagreement. :)

My point, or one of many, is that I, as a fan, was not enetertained by any other corps above SCV other than Regiment and possibly the Cadets. There were a whole lot of notes, a lot of fast marching, and some faintly recognizeable, crowd friendly charts. But nothing that would give me the urge to stand up and applaud.

I was tremendously entertained, and by nearly every corps I saw at finals in Indy. Even below SCV, Blue Knights again came with some of my favorite music of the night, and will likely get some of the most play on the CDs. Boston had fun with us for the first time since 2000, and Sing Sang Sung was a blast. Carolina Crown had a great performance of a well-rounded book. And the top six was incredible. Bluecoats had me screaming, especially during the drum break. Madison had me captured through the whole show, and played some great music. Phantom was obviously a treat, as you would agree. Cavaliers successfully achieved a number of effects, probably taking me through more emotions than any other show. And the Cadets made me a fan at once for the first time ever (excepting 2000) with wonderful music - especially the Bjork pieces - and a sense of daring that no other corps had. With the exception of the Blue Devils, I think every corps in the top ten entertained me at least as much as Santa Clara did.

Musically (horn chart wise), everything is "run here, run there, balls out chord, splat splat splat, run here run there". Challenging, #### yes! But as a fan, I am really starting to get bored with it. Give me more goosebumps, more emotion, more 'get up out of my seat and sacrafice my first born onto the field' moments.

Honestly, after several years of reconnecting with the fans, I think we are starting to see a return to the 'artsy-fartsy play fast and make it look difficult' drum corps that caused a decline in audiences for several years.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And because we disagree on how entertained we were by the shows, it follows that we are clearly going to disagree here. I'm not saying we shouldn't, and I'm certainly not telling you that you absolutely have to enjoy what you see this year. That's your choice to make, and there's no accounting for taste. What I do want to say, though, is that just because the shows this year didn't live up to your taste, it doens't mean that there is necessarily a widespread problem with the activity as you seem to claim. Myself, and certainly many others, were thrilled with this year's shows, and I can say that because I've read reviews by people on here who have said so. Of course, again, to each their own. :)