Fan of the Arts Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 As a general rule, I don't go around with a stopwatch when I watch shows live, but I think it's safe to say that the 2006 Cadets have more mic'd vocals in their show than any other show in the brief history of DCI's era of amplification. By a lot. Just sayin. Neither do I :) I've never done something like what I've proposed. I've always just enjoyed watching their show instead of saying how much they use amped voices. And it is safe to say the Cadets are using more vocals this year. Oh; let's not forget about those props either :) Irving Fan of the Arts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MUSICandCHARACTER Posted June 29, 2006 Author Share Posted June 29, 2006 How would you rate BD's show last year? If you're saying Cadets show has lots and lots of vocalization; what would you say about Blue Devils show of last year?Irving Fan of the Arts Yowser, Yowser, Yowser .... It is a good question IMO. I thought last year's BD show was confusing and distracting too. Not as much as the Cadets 2006. Again, a great corps was hidden behind a design that was not a winner with the fans. I remember taking my wife to see that show twice. Even the second time (again, she has a music degree from UCLA along with being a pastor) she thought the show was "silly." Polite probably for "distracting." I do not think we will see BD do a show like that again in the near future. The Scades show last year had way too many props and too much narration too IMO. What about Crown in 2004? The singing didn't bother me quite as much as the Beatnik poetry. I doubt Crown will go that direction again in the near future. Or BAC using then dropping then reinserting the narration about "colors." Did we need to be told about colors? Why take away from an excellent corps performance by putting on what seems to be gimmicky production around it? If drum corps wants to do Broadway productions, do what Star did and go make a Broadway show. My wife made an excellent point last night to me. She is not a rabid fan like I am. But in 2005, she remarked how the Cavies told the story of Chicago, by using ladders for the fire scene and making you believe you were at a baseball game without saying a word. In 2004 they actually made a "007" on the field and whistled (without amps) a James Bond theme. They told the story without shoving it in the face of the audience or distracting from the corps. She liked those shows. She loved PR and Crown's show last year. She did not like The Cadets or BD last year at all. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan of the Arts Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 Yowser, Yowser, Yowser .... It is a good question IMO. I thought last year's BD show was confusing and distracting too. Not as much as the Cadets 2006. Again, a great corps was hidden behind a design that was not a winner with the fans. I remember taking my wife to see that show twice. Even the second time (again, she has a music degree from UCLA along with being a pastor) she thought the show was "silly." Polite probably for "distracting."Jim Careful Jim -- you're sounding like I agree with you on Blue Devil's show being confusing and distracting :) It is my experience the more I find out about a corps' show (from the corp members); the more I understand it or understand what they are attempting to do. There may be two corps in the top six this year that the audience may not agree with; does that make them bad shows? Irving Fan of the Arts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MUSICandCHARACTER Posted June 29, 2006 Author Share Posted June 29, 2006 Careful Jim -- you're sounding like I agree with you on Blue Devil's show being confusing and distracting :) It is my experience the more I find out about a corps' show (from the corp members); the more I understand it or understand what they are attempting to do. There may be two corps in the top six this year that the audience may not agree with; does that make them bad shows?Irving Fan of the Arts Irving, Again, a great question. Since DCI this year had the judges emphasize the broad appeal aspects of a show (GE etc.) I think they see that the disconnect with the fans is not a good thing. Technical prowess is not what it is completely about. Presentation is a big part. If the presentation BY DESIGN is poor -- then the show may not be "bad" as much as it is not a good as it could be. Or even maybe not even fair to the marching corps members. Play your butt off in a poorly designed, distracting show can be slightly disappointing. The Star show where the guy road the unicycle was a good example. One person featured while 134 people played their butts off in a backup role (or as it seemed). Whereas the "Roman Images" show won, IMO, because it was great music and they marched the snot out of that show as a unit. Would a corps member rather finish in the top 5 with a show that might be remembered for the singing and risers more than the corps? -- or finish 10th or so (like VK did a lot) and be very entertaining and people remember the corps, the songs, the unis ... etc. It is a tough question. Someone on this thread said my 14 year old son (a fantastic euph player BTW -- all region in Jr. High) might someday want to march with The Cadets. Last year he would have said that was his dream. After this year, he is really disappointed with the show. I don't think if you asked him today he would be real gung ho about auditioning for The Cadets in the future. I think he has become more a Cavies fan (fairly local to us and a young man from our church marched with them for 3 years, winning two titles). He also likes the ideas the Troopers set forth. The long blue line that connects the corps alums to the present corps, and the corps' philosophy, HLD -- Honor, Loyalty, Dedication. One show can have an impact. Not everyone will see it twice. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrothgar15 Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 The characters are necessary because the show is themed Volume II. Just like a good movie -- you may have to see it more than once to catch what you didn't see in the first viewing.Irving Fan of the Arts I seem to remember the characters from the Cadets 1995 show quite well...the main soldier, his girlfriend, all the other soldiers and their girlfriends...and they told a beautiful, serious, coherent story that I got the first time I ever saw the show, oh and what else did they do...oh yeah, they didn't OPEN THEIR MOUTHS. I had NO idea what was going on during the Cadets show I saw last Friday night. Something about a yellow girl and a scantily clad lady in red and a rabbit who swallowed something. That's all I got out of the book. I didn't want to understand what was up with the yellow girl and her friends, I wanted to understand the music the hornline was playing and the licks the percussion was throwing down. Unfortunately, ALL of the performers took a back seat to the four "characters." My freakin' God...and people are wondering why this show is getting such negative reviews... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan of the Arts Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 ." My freakin' God...and people are wondering why this show is getting such negative reviews... The Cadets got negative reviews all the way up to winning the championships in Foxboro. Some things don't change. Thank God the people who need to understand what they are doing are the ones wearing green polo shirts that say 'DCI' on them. Maybe if you ask a staff member of the Cadets they will let you listen in on one of the tapes [wink, wink]. Irving Fan of the Arts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MUSICandCHARACTER Posted June 29, 2006 Author Share Posted June 29, 2006 The Cadets got negative reviews all the way up to winning the championships in Foxboro. Some things don't change. Thank God the people who need to understand what they are doing are the ones wearing green polo shirts that say 'DCI' on them. Maybe if you ask a staff member of the Cadets they will let you listen in on one of the tapes [wink, wink]. Irving Fan of the Arts The problem with this, is that DCI has seen a bit of the "fan's light" and has emphasized GE and broad aspects of the captions. I really don't think this show will be like 2005. I saw the 2005 show early and was quite critical of a door in the middle of the field, and girls walking around. By the end of the year, the girls were incorporated into the guard and the door made more sense. But, a great corps STILL marched behind that door. I want to see the corps marching! They marched a bit behind the door this year too. If the judges in the green polos get too disconnected from the fans, well, the obvious thing is the gate revenues will decline. You really do not want "champions" being booed. You don't want fan favorites that are technically inferior winning either. This show has to be radically changed, IMO, to make gains like the Cadets of 2005. Not allowing the APD for "on field performance issues" here recently has caused a stir. The Cadets are a great corps with a long and proud history. This show, IMO, doesn't do that history proud. In 2005, the characters didn't yell into wireless mics. But we will see. With good starts by the Cavies, BD, PR, and even SCV the competition this year is shaping up to be great. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan of the Arts Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 The Cadets are a great corps with a long and proud history. This show, IMO, doesn't do that history proud. In 2005, the characters didn't yell into wireless mics. But we will see. With good starts by the Cavies, BD, PR, and even SCV the competition this year is shaping up to be great.Jim Good morning Jim -- You forgot about Blue Coats. Looks like they're looking to increase their stock in the top 5. As for the remaining suspects you have mentioned; we'll just have to wait and see. If I had to select a top three right now (no specific order) who do you think I would select? You got it -- Cadets, Blue Devils & Cavies. Irving Fan of the Arts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MUSICandCHARACTER Posted June 30, 2006 Author Share Posted June 30, 2006 Good morning Jim --You forgot about Blue Coats. Looks like they're looking to increase their stock in the top 5. As for the remaining suspects you have mentioned; we'll just have to wait and see. If I had to select a top three right now (no specific order) who do you think I would select? You got it -- Cadets, Blue Devils & Cavies. Irving Fan of the Arts I have not seen BD or the Cavies. I have read some reviews from people I respect. The Cadets show, again IMO, has no where to go. Last year at this time, the Cadets were a good 5 points down to the Cavies. But the show had lots of potential (still didn't like marching behind the door -- oh well). The Cavies are always strong. BD has come out like gangbusters with a more traditional BD show. PR's show has not been far behind and the Bluecoats are well into the hunt with a show I think can really grow into the season. Anything can happen -- but since I have not seen those other shows, I am a bit handicapped to make picks. I have heard the Cavies APD and PR's APD -- and they SOUND good. Nope -- your three are a safe bet. But this year seems to be shaping up differently. Even SCV has made a big surge since last year. I am going to watch as it seems to be shaping up as a great competitive year -- which IMO is good for the fans. DCI has only had 8 champions in 33 years. Some might say that is not much of a competition. But the competition this year looks promising. Here's to "Marching Music's Major League" Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan of the Arts Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Last year at this time, the Cadets were a good 5 points down to the Cavies. Jim That's an easy one Jim :) I was at the Toledo show last year and even without a closer the Cadets were only tenths behind Cavaliers -- they both scored 74s. They were never down to Cavaliers by 5 points at any time during the year. I can even tell you the day (a Sunday) the Cadets finally past the Cavaliers (it was the Indianapolis show and they both scored 94s). The rest....well, we know what happened. Oh, btw; have I told you I'm a Cadet fan? Irving Fan of the Arts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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