jjeffeory Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 (edited) We all have our favorite corps & shows here on DCP. At times we come to their defense whenever we feel that someone has offended them. It got me thinking about something... Why do we like the corps that we do? What things do they do that us think, "Wow, that was cool!" or "That was BAD A**!" or even “That was pretty lame!” When I started going to shows about 20 years ago, it was about how loud, fast, and high the corps were performing. I marveled at the virtuosity, precision, complexity, and pageantry the corps oozed both musically & visually. SCV 87 and Phantom 87 were two of the loudest; most precise and difficult shows I had ever seen live. Phantom came on first and was just brilliant with the Nutcracker and Swan Lake! I didn't see how anything could be better than that! Then I saw SCV! OMG!!! I was in heaven! In my mind, they both were equally brilliant. My thought was, “I can’t believe that there more groups that sounds this good!!!” Ever since then, I have to admit that I love Russian Composers' music played in the drum corps idiom. Over time, I found out that there were MANY corps that were really that good. After that, I really began to notice the overall design - How well things are put together... When I go to a show I ask myself "Self, does it all fit together well" Next I wonder if the members are having fun, or can I tell they are "into" it? I like to listen and marvel at how well the music is arranged and played. I still love the loud, fast, and high though! The last things I usually notice in a show apart from their impact in the overall design are the guards and the drumlines unless they have a feature or some really awesome move or silk. Some shows that I feel are exceptional as far as OVERALL design are: Cavies 85-89, 92, 93, 95, 00-04, 06 Star 88-93 BD 85,88,90,92.93,95 Suncoast 84-88 Cadets 83-89, 92, 98 PR 82-89, 91, 93-96, 02-06 SCV 84-88, 90-93, 96-01, 04, 06 I guess I won't just name off every show that I like, but the shows above, have just an exceptional aspect to them that I really enjoy. Star's show in 91 was just a real treat all the way around. Everything was integrated together so well. Blue Devil's 1985 show, for me, was just outrageous with all the cool charts the hornline got to play blended so well with the "tuned gong thingies" and the rest of the drumline! The guard was pretty smokin' too! The drill, eh it was 1985... 1988- Cavaliers' Firebird Suite was everything that the 1997 version wasn't! The arrangements were better; the drill made more sense, and Packy had the baritone solo!!! Anyway, I just wanted to give a little justification on what I meant by "exceptional overall design". What do you notice most and look for in a show? Try to come up with an example of the definitive "This is what I like to see in a Drum Corps show". Hopefully this will be fun; maybe I'll go look at some show from a different perspective! Edited August 17, 2006 by jjeffeory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomMoore Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 (edited) What makes a show for me is emotion. Impeccable execution is impressive, brilliant design is impressive, impeccable volume and intonation is impressive, and difficulty that looks easy is impressive. But what keeps me going to contests and what drives my passion for the activity are corps and shows that take me on a journey, that make me feel something -- happy, sad, hopeful, laughter, etc. There are so many variables that go into this, of course, that it's hard to single out. Certainly the items mentioned by the original poster come to mind. But I can't specify exactly. Repertoire, volume, drill, color guard writing, color (a biggie for me--purple always gets me!), and others, and a combination of these things, all play into it. I always wondered why I was drawn in particular to PR and SCV over the years, and I finally realized that, for my money, they consistently take me on that emotional journey that makes drum corps satisfying for me. I've only been attending DCI championships for 7 years, but for me this was by far the best year in that department. Quarterfinals was a feast. There were only a small handful in the top 12 that didn't "do it" for me, and in those shows there were moments I'll always remember. For me, when done right, drum corps is theater, spectacle, pageantry. And the common thread there is emotion. Edited August 17, 2006 by TomMoore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradrick Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 I know I'm gonna get called a dinosaur for this but... I really think it's cool when a hornline marches and plays... at the same time. I know the judges want them to do other things besides that, but that's what I like when I go to a drum corps show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 I would love the color guard to be the color guard and not a dance troop. My daughter joined guard in high school but all they do is dance. <**> Oh and have uniforms and not costumes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToreyP Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 park & bark....the only corps that i really got that WOW feeling from this year with shere volume was The Scouts.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kusankusho Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 A hot bassline. The rest of the corps can blow bubbles but if the bassline is on then I'm a fan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geneseo_bari_87 Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 I definitely look for great brass playing first, combined with a set of charts that shows a wide range of emotions and that is played in such a way that I can tell the players care about what they're playing. I also like to see great solos - screaming trumpets that can really scream (last I saw this was BD '04), mellophones with tone pure as snow, and baris that either wail or play lushly, like buttah. Even the occasional contra solo, which I noticed a couple of corps featured this year, is nice. Next, I want the drum parts to accompany the music tastefully and appropriately, with a good 1-2 minutes of percussion feature somewhere in the show. Third, I want the visual package to not only go along with the music but enhance it without being too distracting or annoying. I think the corps that accomplished this the best this year was Carolina Crown. That was my favorite show at semis. Next, I'd say Cavies, then Phantom, then Glassmen, which surprised me. I though BD didn't have enough soloists for what I expect from them. Cadets' horn line was not playing nearly enough. What I did hear from them was nice. Loved the White Rabbit intro near the beginning of the show, wished I could have heard the whole tune. BK was not melodic enough (I know that's how the Barber piece is...). Too many arrangers butcher tunes until they are almost unrecognizable these days. The rest had their moments, but it was mostly generic, overarranged, uninspired, unmemorable vanilla pudding. It was nice, but... Lastly, I want corps to have an identity. With most top corps auditioning and accepting people from all over the world these days, it seems that I can't get a feeling of a distinct identity from any of the corps like I could 20 years ago. You got the feeling that Phantom was made up of midwestern kids, BD and Boston were made up of the toughest kids from their respective coasts, Spirit and Suncoast were really a bunch of southern kids having a good time... Bridgemen and VK had identity up the wazoo. Now it seems a few have retained some of their identity, but a lot has been lost. Used to be that Blue Devils didn't have to do things like chanting "sleeps with fishes". They were bad### enough just being the Blue Devils. I was somewhat pleasantly surprised when I thought I heard a couple of Conquest quotes in Boston's show, but the corps' identity has changed so much that I felt it was just lip service. Of course, if the corps was really still made up of tough kids from Boston's inner-city neighborhoods, they might not be able to get the talent needed to make top 12, so which is worse? That's why this is the last of the things I like to see in a drum corps show, I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Nights Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 I'm with the guy that said emotion. What sells a show for me is a great ballad. My favorite shows this year were Regiment, Cavalers, and Bluecoats- and I don't think it's a coincidince that they all had great ballads. One of the first shows I download next will probably be BAC- for the same reason. I also love emotion in the fast, loud stuff. Seeing PR lean back and tear the stadium apart during Scythian Suite was amazing!! If it's music you can crank up to maximum volume until the walls are vibrating and the neighbors are screaming and calling the police, it's a great show. But it's gotta have a melody you can sing. :) As for "Bad A**," I love the screaming trumpet solos and high stuff. This isn't my favorite type of show (see above) but BD 2004 is AMAZING!!! I can sort of play one of those solos, but I listen to it again and am like "Wow, that is simply amazing!!!" then I replay it over and over and over... b**bs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErieSopMike Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 What I look for in a show.... 1. Powerful opening statement. IMO, the first 30 seconds to a minute are setting up the show. If it's dull and flat, I'm lost for the rest of it. If I get the power chord (#1) and the goosebump factor, then I'm set. 2. Continuity... The show has to flow, I dont' like being lost and bored watching stuff on the field. 3. Percussion Feature... Ok drumlines, show me what you got!!!! Dazzle me and make me 4. Ballad (hornline feature)... Make the deep dark chords, and the slow lyrical phrases take over... And at the end of your feature, when the drumline has possibly snuck back in, hit those last few chord progressions with all the power you have and stick the cut off... there's nothing that leaves more goosebumps than an echo from a perfect cutoff. I also like the backfield playing as well... good mystical effect... anyway, you have to shine... you are the emotional peak of the show. If you aren't emotionally drained after this feature, you didn't play it right. 5. The ending/recap of the show.... Wrap it up with a fury.... Put your closing remarks on the show and say, this is our show!!!! Hit the power ending to say we're still here!! Leave the field by leaving goosebumps and jaws dropped in the stands... That's some of what I look for in a show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield_cadets Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 (edited) What I look for in a show.... 1. Powerful opening statement. IMO, the first 30 seconds to a minute are setting up the show. If it's dull and flat, I'm lost for the rest of it. If I get the power chord (#1) and the goosebump factor, then I'm set. 2. Continuity... The show has to flow, I dont' like being lost and bored watching stuff on the field. 3. Percussion Feature... Ok drumlines, show me what you got!!!! Dazzle me and make me 4. Ballad (hornline feature)... Make the deep dark chords, and the slow lyrical phrases take over... And at the end of your feature, when the drumline has possibly snuck back in, hit those last few chord progressions with all the power you have and stick the cut off... there's nothing that leaves more goosebumps than an echo from a perfect cutoff. I also like the backfield playing as well... good mystical effect... anyway, you have to shine... you are the emotional peak of the show. If you aren't emotionally drained after this feature, you didn't play it right. 5. The ending/recap of the show.... Wrap it up with a fury.... Put your closing remarks on the show and say, this is our show!!!! Hit the power ending to say we're still here!! Leave the field by leaving goosebumps and jaws dropped in the stands... That's some of what I look for in a show. He said it in a nutshell. Blow my socks off at the beginning and end, and take me on an emotional journey the rest of the show. Make me go "WOW" with drill tricks, show me a guard that does moves that make me say, "I could never do that, even though I've done guard for 20 years!" Make me jump up and down, pee in my pants, and scream until you are well into the parking lot after a performance. Edited August 17, 2006 by garfield_cadets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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