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Drums on the Ohio 6/27


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Maybe, I'm wrong, but I got the impression that the things he disliked were so overwheming that it obscured any positives for him. I know that if I go to a fine restaurant and pay good money because the restaurant has a first rate fine cuisine reputation....... but my food was truly awful and made me nauseous, , I'm not inclined to want to talk about how much I liked the potted plants, the ambiance of the place, nor the knowledgeable and capable waiter, etc, , Perhaps his experience was so overwhelmingly negative,it blurred out any positives for him. Just a thought. Perhaps he could comment further. My guess, like a bad dream, he's trying to put this experience behnd him. If so, that could be interpreted as a positive.

LOL.....interpretation is such a dangerous word. You believe or assume what you want. You certainly tried to make that one fit. FACT: There is plenty positive about the Cadets show. Now for some simple math: The show is about 11 1/2 minutes long; Cadets amp voices no more than three minutes and most of that is the ballad. You amp haters talk as if they sing and talk through the whole show. :)

Irving

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But that doesn't mean that people will throw roses at their feet, worship the ground they walk on, agree with the placement, or even like the show.

####, that point was already proven last year! As much as I enjoyed PR's show last year Cadets marched, played and performed circles around them. You're right; no one was throwing roses at their feet but they accomplished what they set out to do -- put the best performance on the field to win a championship. I for one gave them a standing ovation for that.

Irving

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I'm curious to know where the Reviewers seats were.

Were you down front on the side of the Bluecoats bass drum? if so that could be why the drum was all encompasing to you but not to others who said they didn't notice anything.

I wish that was the problem for me. I had excellent seats. 45 yard line, 3rd row from the top (in a one level HS stadium).

As for being critical of a show -- I was quite critical. That does not mean I am not appreciative of the kids who worked hard. They neither designed the show nor ran the soundboard. As a fan who pays money -- my entertainment dollar -- like a movie review, I have the right to say what I think about the show.

I thought the Bluecoats put forth a wonderful effort. If the bass drum through the ballad was supposed to give an "EKG" effect, that would make sense. But it was way too loud to be such an effect and really sounded more like a car thumping by. Again, the kids played the snot out of the show. So did the kids in the Cadets. I am being critical of the show design -- and perhaps the execution as directed by the staff. Indirectly, I am being critical of the staff.

Don't amp that stupid bass drum, and the EKG effect would have been wonderful. But when the concert bass drum is so loud you cannot hear the gong -- something is not right.

I am not being critical of the effort the kids put forth. If anything, I am defending the kids. Here is my logic. If the show can reach more fans but the staff and designers hold them back (again IMO) then the kids' efforts are being diminished.

Yes, early in the season the Cadet's show won -- barely. Generally the top tier corps have the older, more experienced kids and usually a more experienced staff. They come out like gang busters -- much cleaner and better.

Believe me, I am a huge supporter of these kids. I just wish the bass drum on the Bluecoats show was not amped, or amped so loud. My goodness, an EKG type effect would have been terrific from the basses in the battery (at that point in the show, the battery was in the backfield and not playing - ready to "break out" into the drum break).

As for the Cadet's show. 4 "guard" members became actors in a bizzare play. If I was a guard member and paid my money to tour and to stand out there and yell into microphones - well, I would be upset. The pink risers, the characters, and IMO the overuse of the singer made the efforts of the other 130 kids marching and playing move into the background. It was distracting fans from watching and listening to, a good corps (again, IMO). Even when VK used "actors" from the guard to entertain, they danced and worked with flags and were still part of the guard sometime during the show.

I am a big supporter of the kids. My problem, and hence a critical review, was with the designs of the show. I really was a bit too critical of the Bluecoats. The bass drum was just overdone. I was probably hypersensitive after just seeing the Cadet's show. I am sorry to those who are Cadet's fans if my comments seem hurtful. But that show was all about a singer and 4 characters and not about the corps. People were stunned (and not in a positive manner) by the weirdness of the Cadets show.

Again, my 14 year old son, who is a huge Cadet's fan and loved last year's show was very disappointed. When he heard the show was going to be like last year's, he was excited. He bought the tour t-shirt with the "Through the Looking Glass" logo on it before the competition started. He can be stubborn. I expected him to like the show no matter what. He was the most disappointed of all.

Jim

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LOL.....interpretation is such a dangerous word. You believe or assume what you want. You certainly tried to make that one fit. FACT: There is plenty positive about the Cadets show. Now for some simple math: The show is about 11 1/2 minutes long; Cadets amp voices no more than three minutes and most of that is the ballad. You amp haters talk as if they sing and talk through the whole show. :)

Irving

Fan of the Arts

Irving,

I love the fact you at least sign your posts. It shows the courage of your convictions. I am not a amp hater. I could do without them. Failures in balance and out and out failures (like during the Cap Reg show last night) are troublesome.

Yes, most of the singing was done during the ballad (and the opener). But amplified voice was used a lot in the show with the characters also. You want positive about the Cadets. As ALWAYS, they marched very well. They played very well. They are an extremely talented group of kids. That show has potential to be an entertaining show. But as it stands now, it seems to me to be a 5 person show with an excellent drum corps as a backup.

Jim

Edit: About the standing ovations at Evansville. Wow ... the fans in Evansville are wonderful. The corps exit and then march on the old track in front of the stands. The fans always appreciate the efforts of the kids. They always stand and applaud loudly for all the corps when the parade by. Great fans. They stand and applaud for nearly every show also. They are some of the best fans of any show I have ever been to (and I have been to a bunch). They truly appreciate the kids. And IMO, that is the way it should be. Memphis Sound got a loud applause as did the Bluecoats. The Cadets had so many props to take off the field they couldn't exit and parade in front of the stands -- they had to exit out the bigger gate on the other side. They didn't get the applause they should have because of this. But they still got a standing ovation, as did every corps. The fans in Evansville are knowledgeable and terrific.

Edited by MUSICandCHARACTER
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Again, my 14 year old son, who is a huge Cadet's fan and loved last year's show was very disappointed. When he heard the show was going to be like last year's, he was excited. He bought the tour t-shirt with the "Through the Looking Glass" logo on it before the competition started. He can be stubborn. I expected him to like the show no matter what. He was the most disappointed of all.

Jim

Then I hope he has a chance to come to Madison to see the outcome. Let's see if he remains disappointed...

Irving

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Irving,

The Cadets had so many props to take off the field they couldn't exit and parade in front of the stands --

Those kids are either going to love those props or hate them :) I say that from experience.

Irving

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Then I hope he has a chance to come to Madison to see the outcome. Let's see if he remains disappointed...

Irving

Fan of the Arts

He won't. We are a pastor's family and live on a small income (my wife is the pastor). Madison is too much of an expense. We often get to Murfreesboro (or wherever they moved the show this year, I forget) but since he is marching with his HS, that might not be possible. I hope I can get him to see the quarter finals at the theater presentation. But the closest theater to us is 3 hours away.

Being a drum corps fan can be expensive. You travel, stay in hotels, pay for tickets. Sometimes, unfortunately, you may only get to see the corps once. I hope perhaps I can get him to another show.

I know last year we saw the Cadet's show early. They had the girls from the door just standing around. By the end of the season (we went to Indy) they were well incorporated into the guard and the show was vastly more entertaining.

Jim

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Then I hope he has a chance to come to Madison to see the outcome. Let's see if he remains disappointed...

I know it's not really what you intend to imply, but that almost sounds like you're saying that fans who might only get to see any given corps once in the early season don't matter ... that only the "finished product" is important. The people who pay to see the corps in Evansville in June deserve to be entertained just as much as those who attend Finals. Sure, the shows won't be as far along, but you should at least get your money's worth.

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He won't. We are a pastor's family and live on a small income (my wife is the pastor). Madison is too much of an expense. We often get to Murfreesboro (or wherever they moved the show this year, I forget) but since he is marching with his HS, that might not be possible. I hope I can get him to see the quarter finals at the theater presentation. But the closest theater to us is 3 hours away.

Being a drum corps fan can be expensive. You travel, stay in hotels, pay for tickets. Sometimes, unfortunately, you may only get to see the corps once. I hope perhaps I can get him to another show.

I know last year we saw the Cadet's show early. They had the girls from the door just standing around. By the end of the season (we went to Indy) they were well incorporated into the guard and the show was vastly more entertaining.

Jim

Jim I certainly understand you when you talk about the expenses one accrues following drum corps :) My mother can't believe I still chase drum corps the way I do.

Well, good luck to your son's band season and I do hope you and he get another opportunity to see another show.

Irving

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I know it's not really what you intend to imply, but that almost sounds like you're saying that fans who might only get to see any given corps once in the early season don't matter ... that only the "finished product" is important. The people who pay to see the corps in Evansville in June deserve to be entertained just as much as those who attend Finals. Sure, the shows won't be as far along, but you should at least get your money's worth.

You're right, I wasn't implying anything. Again, its simple math: The performances one will see in Madison compared to any you see in June will not be the same. I wish all the corps could come out the gate performing at an unbelieveable level. But do you know how many corps compete their first week without a closer or have just finished their show hours before peforming it the first time in front of an audience?

If your concern is being entertained then I would suggest selecting a show where you will get more bang for your dollar. For me seeing a corps in June and watching them improve with every performance is what I love about drum corps. Just look at the scores.

Irving

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