Spokane. WA Scores

[apoch003]

I've seen Seattles show. The scores are correct, IMO.

[Maleko13]

poor kids can't catch a break. I disagree it is not the score they deserve, they have a very physically demanding show so of course it is going to be dirty, also the kids are young, not much in the way of vets or older members, but seriously I find it VERY hard to believe that the show has not improved one iota. I saw the show in Hillsboro, then in Seattle and already I could see an improvement but .05 is all they went up, give me a break judges!

[Musical_Spinner]

ALRIGHT BK!

[KungFuCharlie]

I know what it's like to be seemingly beating your head against the wall when it comes to scores. You think you're getting better and then you go out the next night and your score drops. It is very frustrating.

[Scadesfan]

It's very disheartening to see what is happening with Cascades but given the fact that they have an interim director, lost their program director, brass caption head, and shut down their primary funding source (bingo) worse things than low scores could have happended. Right now their brass section is being run by 2 age-outs from 2 years ago who are trying to do the best they can with a young hornline. The two of them are not getting much respect from the judging panel because of their lack of experience so it is very fustrating for them. I hope that they can hold things together thru the rest of this season. It's very sad to see all the progress they made up till 2002 slowly slip away.

Right now the NW Corps with the momentum is the Oregon Crusaders who look like Cascades did in 2001. The Drum Corps landscape in the NW may look very different in future than it does right now.

Sorry to be so gloomy but I just don't have good vibes on the situation having been through something similar with my son's high school band.

[freakyswotboy]

What gives with BK and SCV? I would have expected a greater spread. Are BK solid in every caption? or are SCV just struggling with the drill.

I just wish SCV would mix it with the big hitters earlier so they can get to grips with what they need to do!

[Jason Harrison]

I know what it's like to be seemingly beating your head against the wall when it comes to scores. You think you're getting better and then you go out the next night and your score drops. It is very frustrating.

I'm a high school band director in AZ (if you know me, HELLO!). I have this deal I make with my band every year. Do better than the time before and that's all I can ask and I am a happy band director. No matter what score the judges give you, if you do better than the time before you KNOW you ended with your greatest performance of the year and you never settled and you never quit. I really feel the cascades need to believe in this. Granted I have not seen them, but still the philosophy is still solid.

[thelittleman]

I was at the show in Hillsboro on Friday, and it was clear why the Cascades are scoring so low. The show has a lot of potential, but they have some very serious issues right now. Even though I'm not a horn player, I can tell that there are very serious intonation problems with their hornline. The visual execution was far from what I expected. I think that their score should start to go up as they work on these problems. However, as posters above me have said, they have had some pretty large staff changes and these are being very clearly reflected on the performance of the program.

[SassyMama]

It's very disheartening to see what is happening with Cascades but given the fact that they have an interim director, lost their program director, brass caption head, and shut down their primary funding source (bingo) worse things than low scores could have happended. Right now their brass section is being run by 2 age-outs from 2 years ago who are trying to do the best they can with a young hornline. The two of them are not getting much respect from the judging panel because of their lack of experience so it is very fustrating for them. I hope that they can hold things together thru the rest of this season. It's very sad to see all the progress they made up till 2002 slowly slip away.

Right now the NW Corps with the momentum is the Oregon Crusaders who look like Cascades did in 2001. The Drum Corps landscape in the NW may look very different in future than it does right now.

Sorry to be so gloomy but I just don't have good vibes on the situation having been through something similar with my son's high school band.

Rick you and I are usually in agreement and again I agree. In another thread, my comment was to wait to see how things went until Denver. My personal feeling is, and you know I love the Cascades dearly is to look at things in realistic terms. Apollo is having problems at every turn in the road it seems, the staff changes are killing them (and you remember what 2003 was like - shades of El Paso I presume). If I were on the Cascade BOD, I would pull the kids back from tour, give them most of their fees back, figure out ways to appease the NW judges and educators which do not support the Cascade organization, and save the money that would have been spent on tour on getting money invested to fund a group that can go on tour without some of the worries that are obviously plagueing the corps next summer. The staff bus and the cooling unit on the food truck are not small issues to deal with, especially on the road. It's obvious that the kids are trying so very hard, and that the bandaid staff isn't pulling it's weight.

If Tom P is out there anywhere....what is your take on all this?

[Lance]

Now I feel bad about my review. I tried not to be harsh, but what you say really shows on the field. Obviously, the kids are way into the show and trying to please the audience. That's never a question with this group. Thanks for the info, and best of luck to the Cascades who have been near and dear to my heart for a long time. :)