Quarterfinals Review!

[gellio]

I believe it was in reference to the singer singing "ahhs" and "ooohs" instead of words.

How do you judge that? I mean the tone quality was nice a pretty, but how do you judge it? I guess the effectives of the vocals would fall in the GE category, but I don't know. How do you judge the technical quality of the vocals. Again, Crossmen had the most effective use. I just don't like this type of thing in drum corps. What made the activity so unique was the marching, playing and guard. It still is unique, but I hope this narration and singing stuff doesn't become the norm.

One thing I failed to mention about the Cadets was I loved the percussion transitions to and from the ballad. It was pretty cool. There were moments in this show that the Cadets I knew and loved appeared, but then the vocal would come in and rip it away.

[bandbuck]

It's a new age kind of thing...the same sort of stuff Enya does. Entire albums without a word of English!

Well...I just don't see a hornline giving this the ethereal quality the vocalist gave it.

The brass could have played it beautifully...but it would have been a different sound than what they wanted.

But it's 'drum corps' for a reason! Heck, Phantom didn't need vocals to get the beauty of Biebl's "Ave Maria" across, even though it is a vocal work!

I love choral music, but I don't want drum corps to turn into "drum corps with vocals". I love drum corps for the cool sounds that can be created by brass and percussion. I don't recall anyone complaining that Regiment's amazing '89 show of Dvorak didn't quite work because they didn't use strings.....

[gellio]

But it's 'drum corps' for a reason! Heck, Phantom didn't need vocals to get the beauty of Biebl's "Ave Maria" across, even though it is a vocal work!

I love choral music, but I don't want drum corps to turn into "drum corps with vocals". I love drum corps for the cool sounds that can be created by brass and percussion. I don't recall anyone complaining that Regiment's amazing '89 show of Dvorak didn't quite work because they didn't use strings.....

Exactly. The big thrill of it is to take music that isn't always written soley for brass and percussion and transform it into music for brass and percussion. I've never seen a ballad get the huge response that I saw Phantom's ballad get last night. It was stunningly beautiful - the music, the drill, the guard work - all of it.

After re-reading my review, I also made an incorrect statement re: the Bluecoats. There were a lot of "wow" moments, at least for me, created by the guard integration into the drill. I also liked the waving company front a lot. On season pass, I didn't like it, but it's much more effective live IMO.

[dsaeger]

Not only do I disagree with most of what you wrote, but I take great offense to any reviewer using insulting language toward any corps or performer in order to try and strengthen their review or prove their point. Gellio, you should be ashamed. Calling that girl, who IS A WONDERFUL SINGER (and that is a FACT), a "third rate lounge singer" was uncalled for and flat out wrong. First of all, you are not supposed to understand what she is singing. She is humming and using different syllabic variations. It's wonderful and well done, and she is using tremendous technique and sounds great. Take it from someone who knows a lot about voice. Your insulting style is just a bunch of non-sense and spews of your hatred toward certain corps or styles, and all you are trying to do is to tear something down that you don't understand in order to make what you do like look better.

You say in your Cadets review that you have wasted enough time writing about them, yet you wrote more about them than anyone else. I see you didn't give my Bluecoats much press, yet you say you liked their show. Didn't seem like it.

I agree with George, the next time you write a review, perhaps I will shout "No, don't do it."

Next time show the 3rd-rate lounge singer more respect and just say you didn't care for it, and spare us your 3rd-rate review.

I agree with Gellio completely. All of the vocals sucked and had no place on the field. Here's my review.

The Cadets 93.475 Ever see a pretty girls face spoiled by a nose ring? I don't go to a drum and bugle corps show to hear singing. Just like how I don't look at a pretty girl and say to myself "gee, she'd be really hot if she just had a ring in her nose". And George, when you toss the mics, get rid of those stupid uniforms too. btw, what's with Hoppy wanting to dress up his guard like Catholic school girls?

Dan

[gellio]

I agree with Gellio completely. All of the vocals sucked and had no place on the field. Here's my review.

The Cadets 93.475 Ever see a pretty girls face spoiled by a nose ring? I don't go to a drum and bugle corps show to hear singing. Just like how I don't look at a pretty girl and say to myself "gee, she'd be really hot if she just had a ring in her nose". And George, when you toss the mics, get rid of those stupid uniforms too. btw, what's with Hoppy wanting to dress up his guard like Catholic school girls?

Dan

Well, I agree that I was over the line in my comment, but I am a bit angry. Not only did I have to listen to THAT, but I've lost one of my favorite corps, and after losing 2-7, Star, Suncoast (to name a few), it sucks. The Cadets should stick to what they do best. My God, GH brought this corps up to the highest levels, wasn't that good enough? Isn't a show like '98 Cadets good enough. '00 Cadets? That whole anything you can do I can do better type feature was brilliant. Totally gimmicky, but man it was effective to no end. I sometimes just watch that segment over and over. Thrilling. This corps has given so many magnificant shows in its history. This is not one of them.

[MikeD]

Fair enough. I like Enya too. Believe me, I listen to more foreign music than I do music in English, being that I listen to mostly opera and I hate English opera, save Porgy & Bess.

It all boils down to that I miss the Cadets - the Cadets *I* knew and loved. The Cadets that just march so well, play so well, spin so well...just do everything so well. They do march so well now, and play so well now and spin so well now, but it's not the same. At least not to me. When I came into this activity, the first two big corps I saw were Phantom and Madison. They wowed me. I thought they were Gods. Santa Clara and Garfield completely awed me. Since 1984, these four corps have been my favorite corps (through Star in there too). I just don't agree with the direction the Cadets are taking, and it's not even for me to agree or disagree with, but I feel I am losing a corps that I loved a lot. I honestly cannot think of one year from 1984 to 2004 that I did not love their show....1999 was tough, but I liked it. I even liked last years show, which surprised me. But I just don't like this one.

Well...you like what you like, of course.

When I first saw the Cadets, or any corps...it was 1964 when I was 10 1/2. Blessed Sac...St Kevin's...Audobon Bon bons...St Lucy's...these are the corps I grew up with in the 60's.

If you just look at shows and equipment it's hard to even call it the same activity anymore. However, if you look at what I think really counts, it's pretty much exactly the same activity.

I personally like the direction of the Cadets the past two years...I was not all that enamored with 2001-2004, esp 2004, though individual numbers like "Moondance" are among my favorite moments of these years.

We were on the leading edge in my day...I like to see them stay that way, even if there are bumps.

[Phantom&Phitch]

How do you judge that? I mean the tone quality was nice a pretty, but how do you judge it? I guess the effectives of the vocals would fall in the GE category, but I don't know. How do you judge the technical quality of the vocals. Again, Crossmen had the most effective use. I just don't like this type of thing in drum corps. What made the activity so unique was the marching, playing and guard. It still is unique, but I hope this narration and singing stuff doesn't become the norm.

One thing I failed to mention about the Cadets was I loved the percussion transitions to and from the ballad. It was pretty cool. There were moments in this show that the Cadets I knew and loved appeared, but then the vocal would come in and rip it away.

no clue buddy,

shot in the dark but, her blend with the corps would go in with Ens Music (but what if she's a 'soloist' and supposed to stick out?)

and in regards to Cadets transitions, I LOVE them... its like on iTunes when one song ends and the next starts before the last has fully completed.

Edited August 11, 2006 by Phantom&Phitch

[MDempsey]

Well, I agree that I was over the line in my comment, but I am a bit angry.

In defense of GELLIO. His opinion is as valid as anyone elses. I dont see anything "over the line" written.

Gellio took the time to write a detailed review of the show, stated his qualifications and gave an opinion of the performances.

I might not agree with all that was said but I appreciate a good effort.

[I Marched Before]

Not only do I disagree with most of what you wrote, but I take great offense to any reviewer using insulting language toward any corps or performer in order to try and strengthen their review or prove their point. Gellio, you should be ashamed. Calling that girl, who IS A WONDERFUL SINGER (and that is a FACT), a "third rate lounge singer" was uncalled for and flat out wrong. First of all, you are not supposed to understand what she is singing. She is humming and using different syllabic variations. It's wonderful and well done, and she is using tremendous technique and sounds great. Take it from someone who knows a lot about voice. Your insulting style is just a bunch of non-sense and spews of your hatred toward certain corps or styles, and all you are trying to do is to tear something down that you don't understand in order to make what you do like look better.

You say in your Cadets review that you have wasted enough time writing about them, yet you wrote more about them than anyone else. I see you didn't give my Bluecoats much press, yet you say you liked their show. Didn't seem like it.

I agree with George, the next time you write a review, perhaps I will shout "No, don't do it."

Next time show the 3rd-rate lounge singer more respect and just say you didn't care for it, and spare us your 3rd-rate review.

Actually, that's an opinion. Thanks for playing.

[Orpheus]

Overall....this year is unimpressive to me. Not one show gave me goosebumps or would make me feel like jumping out of my seat.

I saw the cinecast, I wasn't there in person, but I had the totally opposite reaction. This is my favorite year in a long time. Only two corps -- BK and BAC -- failed to really excite me, and I thought even they had some great moments. The other fifteen corps I saw last night all gave me goosebumps. And there was a whole lot of spontaneous and enthusiastic cheering in the theater in Lexington, KY. IMO, it's been a long time since the overall entertainment value of D1 as a whole has been so high.