Thoughts on 2005 DVD

[NationalGropp]

I have a lot of biases when it comes to the activity. For instance, I tend to not really care for the Cadets.

This year, I thought they were nothing short of excellent. 99.15 was a bit much, but they definitely deserved to win by about a point.

As for Phantom . . .?

Eh.

I think things pretty much ended up where they should have been, at least in terms of overall. Kudos to the judges.

[BlooooContra]

Word.

Finals night was pretty spot-on this year in terms of scoring. I'd have changed things a tenth here and a tenth there, but I think the spreads were pretty good.

Cadets on top (though I'd have put them a point or so lower)

Phantom medaling, very close to Cavies

Bluecoats less than a point from BD

Madison 2 behind Blue, but solidly in the Top 6

Crown hitting Box 5

Spirit edging its way into finals

All in all, 2005 made me a very happy age-out.

[Tez]

I really thought that the Cavies hornline was a little bit down from where it has been the past few years. I hear some intonation, blend, and balance issues more that what I am used to from them. Maybe their music was more difficult this year, I don't know. I do not hear much of this at all from Phantom. Therefore, in my opinion, Phantom was much cleaner musically than the Cavies.

Here is an easy way to hear what I am talking about with the Cavaliers' sound:

Listen to the first chord of the Cavies and Blue Devils shows (they are the same chord), and compare the sound. The Cavies are a little shaky with some voices sticking out. The Blue Devils nail you with a big fat wall of sound that sounds extremely professional. Does anyone like the Cavies' first chord better than BD's?

[jaylogan]

... Does anyone like the Cavies' first chord better than BD's?

*raises hand*

[posaune10]

:

Listen to the first chord of the Cavies and Blue Devils shows (they are the same chord), and compare the sound. The Cavies are a little shaky with some voices sticking out. The Blue Devils nail you with a big fat wall of sound that sounds extremely professional. Does anyone like the Cavies' first chord better than BD's?

I noticed this on the CD's, especially. The main thing to me is that the first chord on Cavies is quite out of tune, especially in the upper voices that are sticking out.

BD's first chord is about perfect.

Don't get me wrong...I liked both shows. These are just observations.

[Phantom&Phitch]

*raises hand*

you must be a drummer, lol :P

[rut-roh]

Since we're nitpicking chords and the like, if you listen to the first two BIG chords in the 1986 Blue Devils championship show, you'll hear pretty undefined and horrible ensemble brass releases. And this from a corps that many think was one of the greatest of all time.

Under a microscope, no show is perfect. Just sayin.

[chris ncsu]

yar!

[jaylogan]

you must be a drummer, lol :P

I realize from listening to the CD that the Blue Devils' chord felt more solid. But the Cavaliers' chord led to more development musically, as opposed to the Blue Devils' chord being a setup for the show itself, using the narration, drum work, and field work to build up intensity to the next hit. I liked the Cavaliers' use of the chord to serve the music more so than the Blue Devils'.

But I guess I should say that BD's chord did feel more solid to me. There...you happy now? :)

[drums]

That's pretty easy when they revisit the melody to two songs about 50 times throughout their show.

But seriously... I thought Phantom should've gotten 4th. Maybe 5th. It just didn't do it for me.

Amen, someone finally stated the obvious! Phantom's music was very un-interesting and they did play the same melody for almost the entire show. Their show was really lacking musical variety and was way over rated