Salem, VA review

[chris ncsu]

Since the show in Benson in June was rained out, I was really looking forward to Salem and very very happy this one wasn't rained out, too! It's a great location for drum corps except a very small under-stands area for concessions and the souvies...I went there last year also and saw a very similar lineup of corps, if I remember correctly.

Vantage point = 10 rows from front, few yards to the right of the 50.

MANDARINS: I really enjoyed their show, it looked like they were having a blast with it ('Rhythm Nation'). There's a certain few measure beat pattern that ties the whole show together that finds its way to the pit (clapping), the guard (using yellow tubes of some sort), and I'm sure the battery at some point. Very energetic performance, and the announcer was a little quick to the gun to start talking after their 'first ending', because then the corps came up to the pit and they all started clapping that beat, great show!

COLTS: The step-up in execution and hornline power was immediately noticeable. This is a GREAT Colts corps this year. I will say that I'm a bit fatigued of time-theme shows recently (enter the clock chime, the clock drill...). But, they performed so well. The guard uniforms are fantastic, and some really great silks going on. The 'As Time Goes By' ballad was a real treat, with a wonderful guard solo finishing it up. And a really great hornline. These guys have to make up some ground to cut in front of Spirit and make finals, but if they don't, that's just a testement to how great the corps ahead of them are! Go Colts!

SPIRIT: My first impression was TOO MUCH BLUE! I think others have commented on this, the guard is in Spirit-teal colors. Anyway, the musical selections are entertaining, but I don't think I was drawn in all that much to the program. The guard was very good, but it didn't grab me, and I didn't really like the choices of silks either. I liked the arrangement of Ol' Man River, and I recognized Blue Shades there at the end. I think my mindset was 'oh no, not another tribute show', which isn't fair to them, but it probably prevented me from just taking it all in. In any case, this hornline has some serious power. It just wasn't all that exciting.

GLASSMEN: Wow, what a bold opening statement (5th Symphony), so exposed! Well, before I get ahead of myself, they are selling this show from the moment they step on the field...with two characters walking onto the field...a girl in a big pink hoop dress thing, with a guy on her arm...smiling at the audience and all that...and the guard also has top hats on and are just beaming at the spectators. And some crazy pit crew guy waving a British flag and yelling something, not sure what that was about. ANYWAY, the show was a lot of fun and there was a lot to watch. I only remember recognizing 5th and 9th Symphony stuff, but there was a great playful middle piece where the female guard members had those pink dresses on dancing with the males, and some sort of jealousy interactions things, ending with many of them stripped of some of their costuming (oh my). The going deaf part was great, and the entrance back. So I guess I'll say I thought this was a great show! Sweet drumline, too.

CROWN: I like the plumes, except that it indeed does make for a lot of purple on the field when combined with the guard's uniforms. This show sort of flies by you if you're not careful, and I actually don't remember much about it. As usual lately, the guard was incredible, and they deserved top brass last night. I'm a drum guy, and I wasn't listening too hard, but I didn't think the drumline was THAT poor as their scores this season reflect. The home crowd loved the show, of course, and they've really found their niche in the last few years to sell their show. It's a bit more abstract, but a beautiful show.

SCOUTS: The guard already had people chatting before the corps was even in place, laying down on the field with the animal print cloak pulled over them. I was a little worried because their unusual uniforms reminded me of their 2002 show (Cossack Brotherhood??) with the odd guard costumes (I say worried because it was not that great of a show). This hornline was probably the most powerful of the night in just sheer power, but executing very very well also (and it shows in the scores, just missing top brass last night). I don't remember noticing too much about the drill, but there's a lot of interaction with one particular guard character, including at the end of one of the pieces when the corps is in the upper right corner of the field and that character is on top of a scaffold and gets a flag tossed to him (victory?). Death Hunt was a great ending to the show, also.

SCV: This show reminds me a lot of their 2003 Pathways show. The visual program looks INCREDIBLY difficult, and it just doesn't let up. I was unfortunately looking in the right spots each time to see a few flag drops and a hornline member fall, but it didn't seem to shake anyone up...I honestly don't know how there aren't more collisions in this show. This is one of those shows that will be a lot of fun to watch on DVD, and it was fun to listen to people point out the lone member walking along the sidelines...and I really loved the ending with the corps exiting the field and the cymbals with the V waiting behind for the lost horn player, very entertaining.

NOTES:

Hate the Champion's Fanfare, it's very drab.

This Madison corps is really gunning for another great finish in the brass/drumline department, they are very very strong.

It's great to see SCV's visual program back to what we're used to from them and I hope they can hold on to 6th place...it would just be...irritating if they can only move up 0 or 1 spot from last year with a show with so much more to it than last year's...

Madison performed the encore, consisting of the show all over again, and Ice Castles (YUM!)...I was secretly hoping to hear SCV play Clowns, but I'll take this, too!

The announcer talked about finals being in Foxboro, oops!

There you have it, I was very very happy with the night. Rumors of this being a great year for drum corps don't seem to be exaggerated in the least, at least with this group of corps! Can't wait to see the others at Finals!!

[dciguy01]

Thanks for the review, didn't think we'd see one!

BTW, Madison's cossack show was 2000 :)

[chris ncsu]

Thanks for the review, didn't think we'd see one!

BTW, Madison's cossack show was 2000 :)

Ah! In any case, I still mean the 2002 show whatever it was.

Just to supplement, I don't remember seeing any particular caption that was obviously 'off' for any corps...again except for the drops/falls I saw in SCV. *shrugs* So in that respect, I don't have much to say about last night :P Only just comments about stuff I liked.

[irishinyourface]

This show was great. This is a great year for drum corps. I finally have a chance to be a fan, I aged out last year. This was one of the best venues for drum corps I remember performing in. Besides the fact that the dog show people are always there. They did not seem to be a problem this time.

HERE IS WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. I didn't want to spo the end the show taking notes and thinking about what I would write in this review. I spent gas money, and ticket money to be here. I expected to be entertained. leaving the scores up to the judges. While they are announceing scores I am already buying a hotdog and dont care. My hard earned money was worth it tonight. I LOVED ever corps I saw tonight.

Mandarins: was entertaining, I liked their performance.

Colts: are playing music. As time goes by was top notch. I want to buy a recording of that. It was memorable. that is what matters. It wasn't chopped up, it was straitforward and I loved it. I later heard a rumour that the composer of their closer, Samuel Hazo, has been working with them. It would be wonderful for him to enter deeply into the world of drum corps. He is a cutting edge composer and I have played his piece "Ride" which is the closer. They do it very well. They are not as loud as spirit. But their show put me in a trance. There are alot of good corps this year. If it were a few years ago they would be top 10 with this show, but there is just too many good corps this year. Which is good for me, the paying fan. I was impressed with the show, loved it and will buy a recording.....spending more money for dci. Other people who havent seen this show should here it, they are good. They are entertaining, and their ballad alone was worth more than the price of admission.

Spirit. Entertaining. loved the ''something borrowed" had blue devils written all over it, but they did it well, and it was not at all blaspheming. I have respect for the Glassmen a few years ago, but I love this arrangement of Blue shades much better. I was humming it away as the show was over. I disagree hover that they were the loudest tonight. They were definetly the second loudest. Entertaining show. It might be considered less difficult than the Glassmen or Colts, but they put out enought sound to oust the colts. They were cleaner than the Glassmen musically. This show is one of those entaining shows. They best they have been in a few years. I was entertained, my hard earned money was worth it. Good job Spirit.

Glassmen.

Love the show. didn't use to like the corps very much. The new direction they have taken in the last 3 years is good. I loved the show. I don't care what place they get. They should be a part of finals. I got it. I was entertained. It was so different that the other shows I saw that night. They are working hard. Might want to clean up the closer. (fifth syphony, 4th movement.) one of my favorite pieces of music, very exposed. Their show is much more demanding and cleaner than last year. Very good job. Again, my money was worth it.

Crown.

I have never liked the corps. I like to see other corps beat this corps. That being said, this was the best crown show yet. I think their score might be inflated by that fact. It is good to see that my favorites have a good show to try and beat. They did what they do and are establishing an idetntiy. The problem I have is the fact that the Blue Devils, Cadets, Phantom, Scouts, Cavies, and Vanguard are always competing against the shows each perspective corps put on in the past. Crown, having a shorter history, is not as much subject to being compared to past shows. This may the best Crown show ever, and if Santa Clara's show is not as good as 99, Crown might beat them this year. And that would be unfair. Kudos to Crown for a great show. Not as demanding as Vanguard or Scouts, but very clean and done well.

Vanguard.

Nothing was memorable really, besides the guy circling the field. The show as reminicent of the pre 'old school years' 04-05 and reflected more of 93-03. It was a very good show. I saw them again the next night. and it was MUCH MUCH cleaner (in warrenton) They have a run of the mill vanguard show. and it seems that they are doing it very well. I liked it. I always like Vanguard. The fact that I think there wasn't anything memorable doesn't matter. It just seems like from chart 1 they turned on the burner and never shut it off. The ballad was written very well for my tastes. I believe they got ripped off lasyear. I also think that that amazing drumline from 04 is coming back. Drums were very very good. If they get less than sixth this year, I will be disapointed. Honestly though, I had that thought they they were copying cavies 03.....constant circling motion. This show seemed to me to be designed to get back what they 'lost' last year and not a show designed to win in 06. Last years show was one of my favorite shows ever. They are one of my top 3 favorite corps and they are on their way back to playing the game, but in a good way. They are a good corps, never to be ignored.

Scouts

Honestly, I was not thinking that this would be a very scout-ish show, and that cesario had permanetly neutered the men of madison....I was wrong. It is one of those shows you have to watch. They have been handed a drill that is of champion level. The guys might not have seen this kind of drill before. The show is ..........the most "Madison" it has been since the whole change in administration has taken place. They were the loudest corps of the night. I was expecting a softening up after Vanguard, but I was wrong. Madison won the crowd, and made my money worth it. Maybe the dirty show a month ago was slotted and the cleaning that has taken place in the last few weeks has been forgoten by the judges. The GE score should be higher for these guys. I love this show much more than last year.....again, 6th place last year might mean 9th place this year...there is alot of competition. But it seems to me that they should be given credit for a difficult strait forward show that puts the gimmicky drill of Crown in the back of the paying fans mind. All that being said, wherever they finish this year, this will be a show that will be watched on dvds for years to come. Great job guys. Madison has started to get its itendity back again.

[irishinyourface]

It ocurred to me that I didn't write as much about that mandarins as the other corps. this review was just a quick last minute thing full of spelllllling erorrssss. Sorry about that. But , anyway, Mandarins did was they did, and it was clean. I would not compare it to the other corps in that they are bigger and more experienced, but I was impressed with the Mandarins. It was not just some national anthem little corps warm up show. It was honestsly a very good show, and they performed it very well. I paid money to see the show tonight and Mandarins alone were worth the premium seats. If they don't beat PC this year, there is a serious flaw in the judging system. Thank you for your hard work to put on an entaining production. Great soloists, great show,.....It was Bad A$#.