Review of Revolution Dress Rehearsal

[wesleyrp]

Hello all. I just got back from a local high school here in the San Antonio area where Revolution held their final rehearsal before leaving on tour tomorrow. The corps did a full on dress rehearsal in front of a crowd of curious local supporters and family. The weather ws gorgeous tonight, not hot and extremely dry which is a rarity but we are in a drought. On to the show.

Size- 75 members- 33 horns 18 guard, 24 percussion or so.

Music/Brass and Percussion Performance:

Revolution is performing music from the Bulgarian Womens Chorus and have fantastic arrangements. As a former Blue Knight I was hoping that their rendition would be a little different from the 2003 Knights just for variety sake, and it was. The music starts the same with the Baritones playing the haunting theme to Kaval Sviri, but it really differs from the BK show after the first 30- 40 seconds. After the intro they move to a very fast opener with great technique being shown and VERY HOT Battery playing going on. They carry this into a soloistic/back field ballad section which most impressed me because they do not have a back field conductor and their timing was impecable. From the ballad they play a very regal sounding third movement and then jump it back into an intense closer and lay the hammer down at the end. A fantastic production and performance levels from a playing standpoint are very high!! I have to say it, this battery and front ensmble would give many D 1 lines a run for their money. Wow and again i say Wow!! Very tasty playing, and impecable technique. Overall this is a well put together show in all aspects and the members are up to the challenge. The hornline is using G Bugles (which I persoanlly miss, but that's another story) and have a nice dark sound. The ensemble sound is very rich and there are no members sticking out. They crescendo and decrescendo well together and are being taught and are centering the tone very well. I have to say that I was quite impressed with the brass and I feel they will compete very well musically with the top dogs in Div. II.

Vis/Guard:

As you'd expect this time of year the visual side from a cleanliness standpoint still has a ways to go, but I am in no way slamming them. They will be able to handle it. It all starts with solid individual tecnique and this is prevelant throughout. The members march very well. The forms are visibly readible, but there are numerous spacing and dressing mistakes being made. The more practice they have the more this will clean and trust me it will. The movement and drill design are very good. I think that they are challenging their members without going overboard. They portray the mood of the music very well in their body movement and the technique being shown. I like it alot, and can't wait to see them next month in the Dome. The guard is strong, althogh nothing stuck out in my mind. My wife would kill me for saying that, but i really need anther view to get a fuller perspective of them. I can say that the flag work is well written and the dance section that they do in the 3rd piece is fun and the rifles seem to have it all together.

Props to the Revo staff. Texas deserves to have a great drum corps and I think under GM Kuzma and his staff have got that. I will continue to send my students to him and the corps as I hope many will keep doing in the future. They are a special group with a load of talent.

God Bless to all and Good Night!!

Wesley Perkins

BK '97 '98

[WWonka]

The horn lined sounded great for a Div III last time I saw them. I think they are going to suprise a few folks.

Edited June 29, 2006 by WWonka