Allentown Friday review

[LAMystreaux]

I don't even know if it's a matter of liking Phantom more. I thought both Phantom and Cavies were awesome.

Furthermore, I don't think it is that much of a stretch to think Phantom can outperform every corps. They were 1.2 or so behind the top. That's a tenth or two in each caption, something that could be made up for.

Yes, but you took it a step further and basically said the only reason Cavies/BD are ahead is the design. If you take percussion and brass performance out of the mix, Cavies are in another league.

[Triple Forte]

That doesn't mean they're not taking note of it...do you honestly think that they can put into words every single thing they're noting every second?

No.....I don't. I DO expect to here at least 50% of the time about how (good or badl) the performers are doing. Is that a lot to ask ?? The members are making a more significant commitment...then the designers

Triple Forte

[Jeff Ream]

Yes, but you took it a step further and basically said the only reason Cavies/BD are ahead is the design. If you take percussion and brass performance out of the mix, Cavies are in another league.

which is why ge needs averaged less and GE more.

well said Adam.

[Tez]

When I listen to the judges comentary on the DVD's each year I almost feel sick to my stomach a lot of the time. Most of them comment (Until the cows come home) how great or intriguing the design is and say very little about the achievment........ <**>

Triple Forte

I don't understand this comment at all. In the last three years on the DVDs they have included percussion and colorguard judge comments. I would have to say that about 90% of all comments from these judges are strictly about performance and achievement level with only the occasional mention of design. If you are referring to previous years DVDs, then I believe it was a GE judge... and they are supposed to comment mostly on design, right?

From what I have seen/heard this year... I believe the Cavaliers can easily outperform every other corps in all caption except for percussion/guard. They are simply cleaner. Phantom and BD probably have much more difficult musical books, but are not performing them as well.

[Triple Forte]

I don't understand this comment at all.

If you are referring to previous years DVDs, then I believe it was a GE judge... and they are supposed to comment mostly on design, right?

When I marched in a DCA corps several years back our brass instructor played judges tapes back to us all the time. I relize DCA maybe a bit different but most of the time the judges comented on the energy from the performance....and less about design. I just think a lot of judges are design junkies and cant help getting in to "bunches" over what they are watching/hearing.

You are right about the percussion judges......they have made some good comments on the dvd's and I listen to them the most.

Triple Forte

[Bob984]

Some background before the Friday review. I boycotted the 2004 season due to the passing of A&E. I attended one show in 2005 and was thoroughly bored. This is my first show of 2006 and while I had a much better time than at last year's offering, I have some food for thought for others to think about which I will offer at the end.

Now the corps

Jubal - a nice division two corps with a fun show. Obvious execution mistakes present, but it seems they were genuinely having fun in front of a large audience. Best (and maybe only) whistle soloist I've ever heard. Cool music, agressive show, nice start.

Pioneer - I will say I think Pioneer tried to go a bit more sophisticated with this show. Though I was not sold persay, I think the performance level is higher than what I witnessed last year. This group may finish in last at quarterfinals, but certainly not for a lack of effort.

Esperanza - I don't remember a lot about this show musically. I found there tobe a lot of performance problems, but the guard was memorable. Didn't look at recpas, but I would guess guard finsihed higher than corps placement. Agressive drum book, but very dirty.

Magic - Don't know what to say here for sure. I think I enjoyed it. However, I think it was a bit more than the performers could handle. Drum line was smokin throughout and I found myself watching them the most. Show needs more purple :P

Mandarins - This was an awesome corps in the division 2 and 3 ranks of the past. I found myself not enjoying this much. Too much percussion. I felt like the horn line was cheated and played maybe 5 minutes the whole show. Percussion played well mind you, but it was way too much.

Blue Stars - I thought the narration would upset me based on my A&E stance, but this show was the first one I loved. A great concept, a great story, and they sold it in every section. Maybe the show is a bit on the easy side, but based on the crowd reaction, maybe this was just enough for everyone to accept. Great division one start.

Capital Regiment - I enjoyed this show as well. I figured it would be close with Blue Stars. Some fun moments especially in the closer and all sections performed well. This is another corps that could clutter the already crowded finalist field in a few years.

Colts - Thought they were robbed in the socring department. Awesome horn line with a great visual package as well. Percussion was aso better than what I've been reading as well. Familiar musical themes with some clever visual hooks. I really hope this corps makes finals, but it doesn't look that great right now.

Glassmen - More familiar music, but the show lost me at times. Guard maybe tried to do too much while horn line executed well along with drums. I could see why it beat Colts, but smaller spread if you ask me. Conductor of the night, maybe the year, good to see some showmanship.

Boston Crusaders - I don't understand the show at all. However, I enjoyed the performance for what it was. I liked the music and respect any corps who ends a show quietly. I'm sure props and show would've made more sense if I read a program, but the performance was noteworthy.

Cadets - I was fully expecting to hate this show. I watched it with an open mind and was pleasantly surprised. Granted, I didn't understand a darn thing. Drum line played their rear ends off. Flying auxiliary was a cool effect. Too much going on at once. But for the love of all that is holy, lose the singer. I found it to be very distracting to what was happening in the horn line. The fact that she held over two counts after the release was annoying as well. So while I didn't understand the show, it has some cool moments.

Phantom Regiment - Wow!! Great musical book with a killer drum line. Didn't follow the story too much, but didn't need to, enough going on elsewhere. Loudest group of the night andf the fans gave it back in buckets. I really hope they can find another point in the last week and take a run at the title.

Cavaliers - Extremely creative and enjoyable show and theme. I'd love to kidnap the design team for a day and see what they are thinking. Anohter championship caliber corps depending on the performance. Everyone was hooked and while I've read of an empty ending, I thought it was fine (maybe it was changed?).

Overall outlook: I think DCI is in trouble as a whole despite a somewhat enjoyable evening. I think DCI is rewarding design over performance. Example, I think Phantom can outperform anyone including Cavaliers on any given day. However, Cavaliers havesuperior design so they will win with a lackluster effort. I know this opens the whole derived acheivement can of worms, but so be it. I think if a corps blows the house down, they should win.

Entertainment is down heavily. I could remember going to Allentown in the mid to late 90's and standing several times during each show top to bottom. Remember Pioneer's opener in 1998, balls to the wall, and that was 18th. Now I stand for five shows, and nobody got a mid-show standing ovation.

Music, name what you heard. Nothing familiar from a lot of groups. I am a music teacher with a vast background of musical knowledge, but there was still a lot that I didn't even recognize. Good for groups for trying new things, but is it really that audience appealing?

Don't get me wrong, I have the utmost respect and admiration for every performer on that football field and think the world of all of them. But for my money and I would guess based on the reactions of people around me, I think times are tough in DCI.

Adam Burdett

I agree with problems in the shows in terms of EFFECT......I think we do have programs that may be difficult, well-executed, and have good visual construction/"design". What I have a big problem with in many instances is quality of musical arrangements. Some of these products are so choppy musically that they wouldn't garnish a "C" in an advanced musical composition class. Yet somehow, you look at the music effect score, and it doesn't line up. And when a program DOES have strong arrangements that are well-performed, that program still might lose in MUSIC effect to a program that is the least bit cleaner or has a better visual design, yet very choppy and "not working", and that, IMO, is the travesty. If some of these corps were getting 15's and 16's in music effect now instead of 17's to 19's, I think you would see corps make a much greater effort at putting excellent arrangements that work from an effect standpoint on the field....I was tired and actually found myself nodding off during some programs....it was funny, but when Bridgemen came on at the end of Saturday....no, it wasn't real clean, and there were some performance issues....but there also was some great playing, great emotion, great impact, great sopranos, and above all...great Larry Kerchner arrangements that were as entertaining now as they were 30 years ago...no choppiness here, but a straight ahead, yet fine musical arrangement. Some of today's less experienced arrangers would do themselves well to go back and take a listen to some of the better arrangements of the past, and write the music first with the visual team nowhere in sight. If the arrangement can't totally sell standing still, there is nothing the drill is going to do to improve the music.

GB