The Cavaliers

[triplefunk]

I just noticed this a little while ago, but I don't think there has been a corps that does a better job of building a show around a concept. Most corps build a show around songs. But the Cavaliers seem to take an idea and build around that.

Four Corners, Frameworks, Spin Cycle, My Kind of Town and especially Machine.

My question to you is, what do you think and do you agree? If you don't, please explain.

I can only wonder what concept they might have with the Billy Joel show, if this trend is actually true.

[Hrothgar15]

Agreed.

[bawker]

I'd say it's a natural progression; borne out of the theme shows that started in the late 80's and the further refining of those concepts in the late 1990's by corps like the Blue Devils, Cadets and Vanguard. The subtle change of emphasis from "what" you're playing to "why" you're playing it really took hold in 2000, I'd say, in both the Cadets and Cavaliers shows.

Right now, the Cavaliers certainly do have a handle on how to totally intergrate a concept into the show...sometimes with nuance (the 2005 show, with the ladders and reference to the Great Fire,etc) or occasionally by hitting you over the head (see "robot" moves). There's very little wasted design space in a Cavaliers production either way.

Whereas a lot of units seem to thematically try to tell a story now or relate an outside concept into the language of drum corps (Cadets 2005 is a good example, and it does so very, very well), the Cavaliers tend to make the production itself the story. There's no real outside reference point for "Machine", "Spin Cycle" or other shows....and even when other, outside material is referenced (007), only the most broad cues from it are taken.

Long story short: Agree. :P

[GGarrett]

Without a doubt. They obviously put tremendous thought into each production and pulling it all together requires a professional, cohesive staff

that communicates clearly with each other and understands the whole package as a unified team.

Cavaliers do it very well...

[chris ncsu]

Agreed, it's almost seamless as a package.

[JMS0527]

Their design staff is superior to all others...ever since 2000...moving from Bret Kuhn and Eric Johnson to Jim Casella was seamless

I agree with everyone so far...cohesion, integration...unparalleled

Taking a concept and running with it very well

Seems a lot of people are questioning the programmatic choice for 2007...I clearly remember questioning the 007 show...we all know how that turned out

And we still have another six months to wait until we find out

[ChiBoyinLA]

"Machine" was the best-integrated concept there has ever been in a drum corps production.

The guard dressed like robots;

The whole corps marched and performed movement like robots;

The drill included "pictures" of machines, like moving gears and conveyor belts;

The music sounded metallic and "machine-like" at times;

And, of course, the entire concept was a play on the corps' historic nickname.

[Piper]

Let's face it. People don't call it the "Green Machine" just for giggles. When they bring their "A" game with them they're practically invincable.

[OMello1]

Agreed. [insert generic pro-cavalier gushing comment here]

M

[LaSqueegee]

Agreed!!