The unofficial SCV is getting HOSED thread!

[wesleyrp]

No flaming, and I appreciate your opinion. I persoanlly had picked in my pre-season polls based off SCV's show in '04, that they would win this year. i agree that music should be emotional and that we should not have a bunch of random music blurbs, but I did not think that there was much of that last night. To me, corps like BK, Boston, Crown and most definantly Bluecoats are catching up with others, not only in design, but also in quality of sound. Listen to the Blue Knights, you might not get goosebumps, but they march the crap out of their show and play with a dark lush sound. Honestly a group like Carolia Crown to me had the best sounding hornline last night and in San Antonio. i am not saying that I don't want to be entertained, because why would I want to watch a show and be bored, but what entertains us as individuals is what makes us unique. When I was a kid I did not understand how anyone could like music from Samuel Barber or Bela Bartok, and thougt that their pieces were like someone forgetting to do their homework and then just throwing some random music together. But as I got older and studied into modern music, my tastes changed and I can not get enough. Point being, DCI is changed even from when I marched 8 years ago, but, we all become fans based on our tastes and like and there is no shame in that. If your goal is to go home patting your foot and humming, then there is a corps for you. If you want to go home envisioning some crazy drill and music then there is a corps for you. If you want dark music that is evil sounding, there is a corps for you. I love the activity because even if we don't like every corps, you have to admit they perform very well. That is my honest opinion. That is why some of us feel that BK should be ahead right now, because even though it is not a foot tapping event, it is well performed and enjoyable with well defined melodies and visual ideas. Just my thoughts.

Wes P.

[Hops819]

I have beena huge fan of recent Vanguard offerings...but this one kinda left me flat.  I can't really put my finger on it, but there is just something missing.  Don't you feel it?  Even the biggest SCV homer has to admit that this show is missing something, something essential. 

Heck, to be honest with you, I thought Blue Knights were better.  I wouldn't be surprised to see SCV in 10th.  And, like Blue Devils, I have a feeling these guys are going to come back like gangbusters and give us a great show next year.  Glad I got my Super Three Tickets early...now...who to take? :-)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Right on, Nikk. It's just not what is expected of the Vanguard. Maybe they ARE competing against themselves, but they truly deserve what they're getting this year. I would love to see this show done by the Vanguard we all know and love.

[Blue Devil Legend]

I would love to see this show done by the Vanguard we all know and love.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Would love to know exactly what you mean by that.

This years corps could be one of the strongest-willed SCV corps EVER. All they have heard and read the entire season is TOTAL negativity from EVERYWHERE, yet amongst all that crap, they continue to perform with pride, and.........TRADITION.

You bet your ### SCV '05 IS the Vanguard.

Edited August 12, 2005 by Blue Devil Legend

[Lance]

I have a couple of nephews who aren't huge drum corps fans, but they always remember '88, '99, and '04 SCV as some of their favorite shows when I show it to them on DVD, or in the case of '04 SCV, live. I took them to the cinecast with me and asked them what they thought of SCV's show, and I didn't give my opinion. One said it just felt like something was missing. The other just nodded his head. I agree, unfortunately. There's just no other way for me to put it. :(

[dmfootworks]

Remember the days when drum corps used to play melodies? Remember when you used to walk away from a drum corps show humming more than a few of the shows?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And other than Russian Christmas Music, which is a drum corps standard of sorts, what Santa Clara pieces from '05 are you humming today?

I walked away from the theater last night with only two shows in my head... Regiment and SCV.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Really? Did you happen to see/hear that corps from Carolina?

[dmfootworks]

I know this may sound crazy, but maybe SCV is placing where they are because...they aren't performing at a higher level than those ahead of them!

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You know, I think you may be on to something here . . . :o

[dmfootworks]

I'm thinking a white shako with a tall white plume.

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:o ampssuck :(

[Blue Devil Legend]

And other than Russian Christmas Music, which is a drum corps standard of sorts, what Santa Clara pieces from '05 are you humming today?

Really? Did you happen to see/hear that corps from Carolina?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

#12.

That is all.

[PeeWee]

I walked away from the theater last night with only two shows in my head... Regiment and SCV

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I walked out of the theater, laid in bed all night, and worked all day today with only ONE corps music rolling around in my head...

PHANTOM REGIMENT!!!

...and it's still playing over and over and over again, even as I type this! :)

[dmfootworks]

I still believe that if you put RCM in the opener slot, the show works much better.

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It's not a bad thought, but if RCM loses the crowd as a closer, what makes you think it would work as an opener? If you can't hook the crowd in the opener, the corps might fall flat just as the audience seems to do -- with the possibility of not recovering for the rest of the show.

That said, I have seen shows that have scored in the 90's that were worse then this one.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

While is is not my desire to see you criticize other corps, I think it's important that you use specific examples rather than vague, general statements since you seem to make your argument so strenuously. Such which shows are "worse" than SCV's?

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.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And that's certainly a valid point of view to express, but one that was more commonplace two or three years ago, whereas it has been conceded by many (unhappily in many cases) that entertainment for its own sake does and will take a back seat to concept and demand and successful execution of such.

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.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is also a valid concern. And it would make sense if Vanguard's show was 1) highly entertaining, and 2) cleanly performed. But it falls short on both of these criteria. In fact, as a fan of Vanguard, their shaky visual performance (and I do mean marching and drill sets even moreso than design) was a frequent source of frustration for me at the Cinecast.

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.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Here again I don't disagree with you. But by your own standards, not only Phantom but Carolina Crown and Blue Knights continuously play music of substance and march better than Vanguard. I don't think Cavaliers get enough credit for their music because it's not as compelling as in recent years. As for all the others, you gotta give it to 'em on demand and execution, and I certainly think that's fair. I mean, it is a competitive activity.

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}>

There may be some truth in this, too. I agree with some of it. Personally, I hate that too many corps play sappy second-pieces with mindnumbingly cliched or overly silly dancing. On the opposite side, I was absoultely floored by the flashback to '76 Cavaliers. It nearly sucked me right into the screen and I'm still trying to settle down. There is a balance somewhere in the middle and I hope we find it. But all in all, I came away with an appreciation of the variety of shows, even if some left me flat.