Late Westminster MD review

[mbb919]

Missed the first two corps @ Westminster due to a late rehearsal, but made it just as BAC was taking the field.

BOSTON - Had heard good things about this show and am really hoping the BAC has a good year. The talent level of the corps has been very high the past few years, esp 2004 & '06, but they haven't quite been leaving their mark on the activity as the 2000 & '02 Crusaders did so well.

That said, I was pretty disappointed in this admittedly early-season performance. The brass didn't present a very cohesive sound and were way out there in the intonation dept. Impacts were OK, but nothing great. Again, just not a cohesive, blended sound. I recognized many snippets from their '03 show in the opener...can't really comment on the effectiveness of the arrangements until I hear them played up to tempo and with a little more panache.

Percussion seemed fine...that's all I remember, sorry. It was 3 days ago.

Visual design seemed less than adventurous. I can't understand this as with the troubles they've had recently in Visual GE, but it was very plain...definitely not shooting for box 5. (??!) I don't get it either. CG seemed to be in OK shape for June, with the ladies in cute French looking outfits and the men in brown? outfits with very unfortunate looking smocks/aprons. I expected the men to do something with the layers...lose the smocks at least, but no dice. Later down the road, perhaps. The CG was the only reminder that somehow this show is being related to the genius of Picasso, with silks reflecting his works/periods.

The crowd reaction to the show was unfortunately very minimal, considering the design team seems to be aiming for an exciting Latin fan-friendly package.

The pacing and tempos on this evening just seemed to plod along until the very end w/ a recognizable version of "La Fiesta."

I sincerely hope the BAC can get it together this year, as so far this marching band-esque show is not going to push them forward competitively.

Room to grow!

A NOTE on the Westminster "experience" - it's tough for any corps here, as the stadium is less than an acoustical gem. Much less, in fact.

The field was also wet, and many corps had obvious problems with that - dropped rifles, slipping & sliding around etc.

This show (sponsored by YEA) is always a little on the lame side due to the venue and lack of "showmanship" from the show sponsor.

After the final perf, we waited nearly a half hour for scores, the only entertainment being endless YEA ads extolling us to attend their other shows,

and then we got a drum major retreat, scores, more YEA advertising, and "thanks for coming." One would think that at least one of these corps could give a 5-minute concert for their fans, but it never happens for the paying audience ($27) at this YEA show.

Though it is close to DC and away from traffic, so that's a plus.

but I digress...

CROWN - I saw this show in Annapolis a few weeks back so I pretty much knew what to expect...but I was still blown away by the professionalism of this corps. Brass exhibits incredible control, range, and astounding intonation. This book is loaded with exposure, and they do it with ease...97% of the time.

Numerous exposed attacks and releases were beautifully handled by this very mature ensemble. And the conductor simply did a masterful job controlling his ensemble. Very impressive performance.

The CG is pretty clean and very musically written, and the designers are throwing everything but the kitchen sink into that book. Very challenging and generally well performed. Not many problems here w/ wet rifles. I was a little disappointed in the "fences" as they seem under-utilized at this point, and are kind of getting in the way/ distracting towards the end of the show (as they are being repositioned) , hopefully this is a work in progress.

Overall, the show has great pacing and a little something for everyone without sacrificing content. I particularly like how the "opening theme" keeps returning...nice common thread. The crowd loves the "William Tell" moment, but it's from this point where the show doesn't seem like it's finished...the end particularly doesn't quite click yet.

That being said, it is a super package from the Crown people, and while it doesn't quite speak to me like last year's show, it is a great vehicle to get them into the top 5-6-7 and well into the nineties in Pasadena.

BLUE KNIGHTS - Nice that the Denver corps made it out to the east coast this year. The crowd obviously appreciated their presence at this usually all-east show. I continue to be impressed with the sound of this corps. They had an incredible show on finals night last year, and continue to train all elements (brass, perc cg) well. While their cerebral approach to show design left my two friends feeling a little icy, I generally enjoyed their performance.

The low brass always displays an amazing resonance and cleanliness where attacks/releases are concerned. It's almost a BK trademark. Tubas (12) at the show opening exhibit great blend and intonation. They gave the audience a great sense of the anticipation that opens the show/ symphony.

I was a bit mystified at times with the arrangements, however. Shostakovich 10 has been one of my favorite works since I was a teenager, and at times I felt like they missed the boat. I'm not a huge fan of the cut/paste style of arranging classical works...ie, cutting off the real thing and suddenly pasting in a "drum corps" ending to a phrase (whether it relates to the original or not). Many of these "jarring" moments popped up in BK's show, whereas last year

(Barber Piano Cto) the arrangements were far more seamless. I liked how they brought out the recurring " D-S-C-H " motive (Shostakovich's musical signature: D-Eb-C-B ) , but was surprised when they didn't end the show with the blockbuster 10th symphony ending. Instead they "cut and pasted" their way through that, continued on for a short while and then ended the show abruptly.

The crowd seemed a little discombobulated by the ending and didn't give nearly the reaction that greeted BK at the beginning of the show.

There was also a strange passage towards the end where all other activity stops and the baritones/low brass played a passage by themselves. Seemed kind of empty and could have used a little percussive help.

Another problem compared to last year is demand & GE...meaning it seems not to be on the same level as '06 in the visual and musical captions.

Though since it seems like BK's direct competitors (BAC, GMen, Spirit, uh, Scouts?) are having similar issues this year, perhaps BK won't have too difficult of a time staying ahead in the "race for eighth."

An aside - get on amazon and find yourself a recording of Shostakovich 10 ! I recommend Slatkin/ St Louis or Jansons / Philadelphia.

Another great piece where Shostakovitch uses his "musical signature" (DSCH) is his eighth string quartet.

PHANTOM - I was very excited to see Phantom, as my high school band director's son is marching with them this year!

Back then he was about 3 years old, but now he's all grown up & in the big leagues!

The crowd was also very enthusiastic when Phantom took the field, but maybe not for the same reasons.

Anyway - I was immediately struck at the "antiphonal" or doppler-type effect the pit generates from the beginning, and echoed by the brass a few seconds later. Very effective. It became instantly obvious that this corps has it all - each caption is so well taught and written for - each has the strength to possibly win in Pasadena.

This show starts a little slow, but it is relentless, and as the show develops the demand does as well. As is usually the case with PR in the early season,

the weakest link seems to be the visual design, but that's what I said last year and look what happened.

There are many obvious details to come...flags, the black "hiding places" on the field will look different, and I imagine the CG costumes and their tie-in with the show concept will continue to evolve.

The section needing most improvement design-wise right now seems to be the Flower duet - I appreciate the duet concept, but again, hope it continues to evolve. The beautiful close of the Flower duet (ensemble) is when the crowd began to come alive in Phantom's show, and it continued as the show accelerated to the finish. One of the evening's biggest reactions came during the visual velocity during the Firebird toward the end of the show.

As for the ending, maybe I'm sounding cranky here, but I'm still not crazy about the brass arranger's, *ahem*, cut and paste tactics. I haven't been crazy about Phantom's hollywood endings that hardly relate to the symphonic material they're based on, and this ending is no exception. Just doesn't flow yet.

Last year the ending evolved pretty nicely as the season progressed, let's hope this year's is a working ending right now and the best is yet to come.

Overall, though: talented corps + talented staff = another first class production for Phantom.

And motivation helps too - while everyone else was eating dinner in the lot after the show, Phantom's CG was rehearsing like it was 10am.

They even seemed to be enjoying it....

CADETS - I also saw this show in Annapolis with friends and family. It has improved.

I have seen more than a few postings about this show, and most have been right on the mark. Let's start with the positive.

This is an exceptionally talented corps. And it is an exceptionally written book. The brass and percussion amazed me in Annapolis and upped the ante in Westminster. Phenomenal performance. The brass impacts physically hit you...just like they're supposed to! Technical demand is handled with ease.

Great drill design. Very strong GE moments/climaxes. Light years ahead of last year's production. I was also pleased to see that the CG is getting in the game and catching up w/ the brass & perc after being way behind in Annapolis.

The problem is with the talking. While the show is obviously designed around narration, I don't understand why the Cadets design team feels like they need to

champion this so-called "innovation." Because it isn't innovative. It's amateurish and degrades the amazing product the Cadets are putting out.

While I did enjoy the performance in Westminster more than the Annapolis show, I was bitterly disappointed with both. Watching the Cadets show is like sitting in a concert hall or movie theater watching something amazing, and wanting so badly to lose yourself in the experience...except the guy behind you keeps talking. Constantly. "Just ignore it," you think. "Stay focused." But he keeps yammering. Even as you try to ignore it and try to focus on the positive, eventually it's all you can hear, all you can think about. He keeps talking, and you eventually give up on enjoying yourself, and you give up on the performance on the field. And it is a shame it has to be that way.

I'm not against amplification. I thought the Cadets used it very innovatively in 2005. Same with the Bluecoats that year. Crossmen had some success last year with their road show. I've also seen it used amateurishly and fail miserably. (BAC 04 - Crown 04 - BD 05 - Cadets / Blue Stars '06)

The difference, and thanks to my friend for discovering this in Annapolis, is that when amplification works, it is when it the voice is used as another instrument or musical layer. If the voice and it's particular sonority can somehow fit into the texture *or* add an interesting unique new texture / sonority to the mix - THAT'S innovation.

Unfortunately , the Cadets are using the human voice in an entirely different context, basically reading a script like the Blue Devils did in '05.

The voice is not amplified in a professional sounding manner, and the script is hopelessly sophomoric. It sounds like a 7th grade talent show.

And that's not bad in some situations. Some marching bands use narration and it sometimes works. But it's not such a big deal because it's a high school group. Not professional.

The Cadets, however, are not un-professional. They are one of the greatest drum & bugle corps in the world, and achieve miracles of sound, sonority and technical achievement. They have done so for decades, and have been an inspiration to countless fans and students through their innovation and unparalleled excellence.

But suddenly someone has the idea that bad amplification and sophomoric narration is the wave of the future. Guess what? It's not. It just cheapens the amazing product that the Cadets and others work so hard to produce. Could you imagine listening to/watching the Cadets in '92 or '93 and suddenly someone comes over an amplifier yammering on explaining the "Dawn of Flight" or how exactly the "Kings Go off to War"? Can you imagine someone droning on during the beautiful ballad in the 93 show? I sure hope not.

I love progress and innovation. I realize it's sometimes tough in this idiom to come up with fresh, new ideas. But this is not one of them.

In most instances this year (back to my review), the narration is not adding to the excellence of the brass, perc, and CG, and at times it is plain distracting and barricades the audience from enjoying the show. For example, there is a section in this year's show where this guy (we call it the Napoleon Dynamite section) talks about what a loser he used to be before he started to play trumpet in high school. But instead of feeling sorry for the guy and his awful plight, all you do is think "when is this guy going to shut up already?" In order for us to feel sorry for him, there needs to be character development or something, but instead we are just expected to stop listening to the show, listen to what the guy has to say, instantly feel sorry for him, and go on listening to his troubles while the drum corps show continues. How about instead - what a concept - use the music to plumb our emotional depths?

'Cause Napoleon isn't cutting it. Let him get back to his trumpet.

The narration is more tolerable in other sections, such as the "This I Believe" before the opening hit, and the CG section. I say this as I am fully aware the narration is not going away. The show is built around it. The PROBLEM is that it just keeps going and going AND going, and it consistently comes off in a very unprofessional, unpolished manner. As I sat through the show in Westminster, the corps would play something or finish a passage in a fantastic and/or highly polished manner, and I would be thrilled...and then the sophomoric narration restarts and erases the positive impression the musical and visual excellence just gave me.

As my mother said quite simply in Annapolis following the Cadets perf- "It's just too bad, because I used to really love that group."

Cadets - go back to visual and musical innovation. (you can even use amplification) Just keep up the technical excellence, and your audience will love you again.

And...it is a pretty darn good show.

Thanks for reading my review! Remember, it's just one man's opinion.

[CadetsFan08]

I don't agree with your concert hall analogy. The Cadets show is designed for narration. Your analogy should be, "It's like going to a concert hall and listening to a piece of music containing narration/amplified voice."

[CadetsFan08]

Oh, and if you're referring to the 2006 Cadets ballad, it is titled "Sanvean" It is a piece written specifically for voice. In 1993, The Cadets played On A Hymnsong for Phillip Bliss. This is a piece written for band without voice. So, you're right, it wouldn't make sense to have a vocal drone going on in the Holsinger piece. Brilliant thinking. <**>

[MikeD]

Cadets - go back to visual and musical innovation. (you can even use amplification) Just keep up the technical excellence, and your audience will love you again.

Micced narration is part of "musical innovation."

The audience does love them. They got one of two standing o's at Giant's stadium. Don't translate your dislike of narration into the general audience.

[DCI_Dadx2]

I think you're certainly correct with those that have been Cadets fans, but the comments here at the forums show there is more distaste for their use of narration than there is support for it. I for one am not a big Cadets fan, but would easily pick their show this season as the best I have seen were it not for the narration. I was blown away by their hornline, and that isn't easy for any corps that has to follow Phantom, but I was distracted from the music by the voice.

[euponitone]

I think you're certainly correct with those that have been Cadets fans, but the comments here at the forums show there is more distaste for their use of narration than there is support for it. I for one am not a big Cadets fan, but would easily pick their show this season as the best I have seen were it not for the narration. I was blown away by their hornline, and that isn't easy for any corps that has to follow Phantom, but I was distracted from the music by the voice.

Its ok...you're allowed to do that, despite what others might say. :P

[shawn craig]

Missed the first two corps @ Westminster due to a late rehearsal, but made it just as BAC was taking the field.

BOSTON - Had heard good things about this show and am really hoping the BAC has a good year. The talent level of the corps has been very high the past few years, esp 2004 & '06, but they haven't quite been leaving their mark on the activity as the 2000 & '02 Crusaders did so well.

That said, I was pretty disappointed in this admittedly early-season performance. The brass didn't present a very cohesive sound and were way out there in the intonation dept. Impacts were OK, but nothing great. Again, just not a cohesive, blended sound. I recognized many snippets from their '03 show in the opener...can't really comment on the effectiveness of the arrangements until I hear them played up to tempo and with a little more panache.

Percussion seemed fine...that's all I remember, sorry. It was 3 days ago.

Visual design seemed less than adventurous. I can't understand this as with the troubles they've had recently in Visual GE, but it was very plain...definitely not shooting for box 5. (??!) I don't get it either. CG seemed to be in OK shape for June, with the ladies in cute French looking outfits and the men in brown? outfits with very unfortunate looking smocks/aprons. I expected the men to do something with the layers...lose the smocks at least, but no dice. Later down the road, perhaps. The CG was the only reminder that somehow this show is being related to the genius of Picasso, with silks reflecting his works/periods.

The crowd reaction to the show was unfortunately very minimal, considering the design team seems to be aiming for an exciting Latin fan-friendly package.

The pacing and tempos on this evening just seemed to plod along until the very end w/ a recognizable version of "La Fiesta."

I sincerely hope the BAC can get it together this year, as so far this marching band-esque show is not going to push them forward competitively.

Room to grow!

A NOTE on the Westminster "experience" - it's tough for any corps here, as the stadium is less than an acoustical gem. Much less, in fact.

The field was also wet, and many corps had obvious problems with that - dropped rifles, slipping & sliding around etc.

This show (sponsored by YEA) is always a little on the lame side due to the venue and lack of "showmanship" from the show sponsor.

After the final perf, we waited nearly a half hour for scores, the only entertainment being endless YEA ads extolling us to attend their other shows,

and then we got a drum major retreat, scores, more YEA advertising, and "thanks for coming." One would think that at least one of these corps could give a 5-minute concert for their fans, but it never happens for the paying audience ($27) at this YEA show.

Though it is close to DC and away from traffic, so that's a plus.

but I digress...

CROWN - I saw this show in Annapolis a few weeks back so I pretty much knew what to expect...but I was still blown away by the professionalism of this corps. Brass exhibits incredible control, range, and astounding intonation. This book is loaded with exposure, and they do it with ease...97% of the time.

Numerous exposed attacks and releases were beautifully handled by this very mature ensemble. And the conductor simply did a masterful job controlling his ensemble. Very impressive performance.

The CG is pretty clean and very musically written, and the designers are throwing everything but the kitchen sink into that book. Very challenging and generally well performed. Not many problems here w/ wet rifles. I was a little disappointed in the "fences" as they seem under-utilized at this point, and are kind of getting in the way/ distracting towards the end of the show (as they are being repositioned) , hopefully this is a work in progress.

Overall, the show has great pacing and a little something for everyone without sacrificing content. I particularly like how the "opening theme" keeps returning...nice common thread. The crowd loves the "William Tell" moment, but it's from this point where the show doesn't seem like it's finished...the end particularly doesn't quite click yet.

That being said, it is a super package from the Crown people, and while it doesn't quite speak to me like last year's show, it is a great vehicle to get them into the top 5-6-7 and well into the nineties in Pasadena.

BLUE KNIGHTS - Nice that the Denver corps made it out to the east coast this year. The crowd obviously appreciated their presence at this usually all-east show. I continue to be impressed with the sound of this corps. They had an incredible show on finals night last year, and continue to train all elements (brass, perc cg) well. While their cerebral approach to show design left my two friends feeling a little icy, I generally enjoyed their performance.

The low brass always displays an amazing resonance and cleanliness where attacks/releases are concerned. It's almost a BK trademark. Tubas (12) at the show opening exhibit great blend and intonation. They gave the audience a great sense of the anticipation that opens the show/ symphony.

I was a bit mystified at times with the arrangements, however. Shostakovich 10 has been one of my favorite works since I was a teenager, and at times I felt like they missed the boat. I'm not a huge fan of the cut/paste style of arranging classical works...ie, cutting off the real thing and suddenly pasting in a "drum corps" ending to a phrase (whether it relates to the original or not). Many of these "jarring" moments popped up in BK's show, whereas last year

(Barber Piano Cto) the arrangements were far more seamless. I liked how they brought out the recurring " D-S-C-H " motive (Shostakovich's musical signature: D-Eb-C-B ) , but was surprised when they didn't end the show with the blockbuster 10th symphony ending. Instead they "cut and pasted" their way through that, continued on for a short while and then ended the show abruptly.

The crowd seemed a little discombobulated by the ending and didn't give nearly the reaction that greeted BK at the beginning of the show.

There was also a strange passage towards the end where all other activity stops and the baritones/low brass played a passage by themselves. Seemed kind of empty and could have used a little percussive help.

Another problem compared to last year is demand & GE...meaning it seems not to be on the same level as '06 in the visual and musical captions.

Though since it seems like BK's direct competitors (BAC, GMen, Spirit, uh, Scouts?) are having similar issues this year, perhaps BK won't have too difficult of a time staying ahead in the "race for eighth."

An aside - get on amazon and find yourself a recording of Shostakovich 10 ! I recommend Slatkin/ St Louis or Jansons / Philadelphia.

Another great piece where Shostakovitch uses his "musical signature" (DSCH) is his eighth string quartet.

PHANTOM - I was very excited to see Phantom, as my high school band director's son is marching with them this year!

Back then he was about 3 years old, but now he's all grown up & in the big leagues!

The crowd was also very enthusiastic when Phantom took the field, but maybe not for the same reasons.

Anyway - I was immediately struck at the "antiphonal" or doppler-type effect the pit generates from the beginning, and echoed by the brass a few seconds later. Very effective. It became instantly obvious that this corps has it all - each caption is so well taught and written for - each has the strength to possibly win in Pasadena.

This show starts a little slow, but it is relentless, and as the show develops the demand does as well. As is usually the case with PR in the early season,

the weakest link seems to be the visual design, but that's what I said last year and look what happened.

There are many obvious details to come...flags, the black "hiding places" on the field will look different, and I imagine the CG costumes and their tie-in with the show concept will continue to evolve.

The section needing most improvement design-wise right now seems to be the Flower duet - I appreciate the duet concept, but again, hope it continues to evolve. The beautiful close of the Flower duet (ensemble) is when the crowd began to come alive in Phantom's show, and it continued as the show accelerated to the finish. One of the evening's biggest reactions came during the visual velocity during the Firebird toward the end of the show.

As for the ending, maybe I'm sounding cranky here, but I'm still not crazy about the brass arranger's, *ahem*, cut and paste tactics. I haven't been crazy about Phantom's hollywood endings that hardly relate to the symphonic material they're based on, and this ending is no exception. Just doesn't flow yet.

Last year the ending evolved pretty nicely as the season progressed, let's hope this year's is a working ending right now and the best is yet to come.

Overall, though: talented corps + talented staff = another first class production for Phantom.

And motivation helps too - while everyone else was eating dinner in the lot after the show, Phantom's CG was rehearsing like it was 10am.

They even seemed to be enjoying it....

CADETS - I also saw this show in Annapolis with friends and family. It has improved.

I have seen more than a few postings about this show, and most have been right on the mark. Let's start with the positive.

This is an exceptionally talented corps. And it is an exceptionally written book. The brass and percussion amazed me in Annapolis and upped the ante in Westminster. Phenomenal performance. The brass impacts physically hit you...just like they're supposed to! Technical demand is handled with ease.

Great drill design. Very strong GE moments/climaxes. Light years ahead of last year's production. I was also pleased to see that the CG is getting in the game and catching up w/ the brass & perc after being way behind in Annapolis.

The problem is with the talking. While the show is obviously designed around narration, I don't understand why the Cadets design team feels like they need to

champion this so-called "innovation." Because it isn't innovative. It's amateurish and degrades the amazing product the Cadets are putting out.

While I did enjoy the performance in Westminster more than the Annapolis show, I was bitterly disappointed with both. Watching the Cadets show is like sitting in a concert hall or movie theater watching something amazing, and wanting so badly to lose yourself in the experience...except the guy behind you keeps talking. Constantly. "Just ignore it," you think. "Stay focused." But he keeps yammering. Even as you try to ignore it and try to focus on the positive, eventually it's all you can hear, all you can think about. He keeps talking, and you eventually give up on enjoying yourself, and you give up on the performance on the field. And it is a shame it has to be that way.

I'm not against amplification. I thought the Cadets used it very innovatively in 2005. Same with the Bluecoats that year. Crossmen had some success last year with their road show. I've also seen it used amateurishly and fail miserably. (BAC 04 - Crown 04 - BD 05 - Cadets / Blue Stars '06)

The difference, and thanks to my friend for discovering this in Annapolis, is that when amplification works, it is when it the voice is used as another instrument or musical layer. If the voice and it's particular sonority can somehow fit into the texture *or* add an interesting unique new texture / sonority to the mix - THAT'S innovation.

Unfortunately , the Cadets are using the human voice in an entirely different context, basically reading a script like the Blue Devils did in '05.

The voice is not amplified in a professional sounding manner, and the script is hopelessly sophomoric. It sounds like a 7th grade talent show.

And that's not bad in some situations. Some marching bands use narration and it sometimes works. But it's not such a big deal because it's a high school group. Not professional.

The Cadets, however, are not un-professional. They are one of the greatest drum & bugle corps in the world, and achieve miracles of sound, sonority and technical achievement. They have done so for decades, and have been an inspiration to countless fans and students through their innovation and unparalleled excellence.

But suddenly someone has the idea that bad amplification and sophomoric narration is the wave of the future. Guess what? It's not. It just cheapens the amazing product that the Cadets and others work so hard to produce. Could you imagine listening to/watching the Cadets in '92 or '93 and suddenly someone comes over an amplifier yammering on explaining the "Dawn of Flight" or how exactly the "Kings Go off to War"? Can you imagine someone droning on during the beautiful ballad in the 93 show? I sure hope not.

I love progress and innovation. I realize it's sometimes tough in this idiom to come up with fresh, new ideas. But this is not one of them.

In most instances this year (back to my review), the narration is not adding to the excellence of the brass, perc, and CG, and at times it is plain distracting and barricades the audience from enjoying the show. For example, there is a section in this year's show where this guy (we call it the Napoleon Dynamite section) talks about what a loser he used to be before he started to play trumpet in high school. But instead of feeling sorry for the guy and his awful plight, all you do is think "when is this guy going to shut up already?" In order for us to feel sorry for him, there needs to be character development or something, but instead we are just expected to stop listening to the show, listen to what the guy has to say, instantly feel sorry for him, and go on listening to his troubles while the drum corps show continues. How about instead - what a concept - use the music to plumb our emotional depths?

'Cause Napoleon isn't cutting it. Let him get back to his trumpet.

The narration is more tolerable in other sections, such as the "This I Believe" before the opening hit, and the CG section. I say this as I am fully aware the narration is not going away. The show is built around it. The PROBLEM is that it just keeps going and going AND going, and it consistently comes off in a very unprofessional, unpolished manner. As I sat through the show in Westminster, the corps would play something or finish a passage in a fantastic and/or highly polished manner, and I would be thrilled...and then the sophomoric narration restarts and erases the positive impression the musical and visual excellence just gave me.

As my mother said quite simply in Annapolis following the Cadets perf- "It's just too bad, because I used to really love that group."

Cadets - go back to visual and musical innovation. (you can even use amplification) Just keep up the technical excellence, and your audience will love you again.

And...it is a pretty darn good show.

Thanks for reading my review! Remember, it's just one man's opinion.

Good review and I would agree.

My opinion is that the Cadets narration is about as cutting edge as a dull butter knife. :P

My friend wanted to leave after Phantom before the Cadets. But that's us. If others like it, enjoy, but I just don't get it.

I do believe Phantom's show is stronger than it was at this time last year, especially the guard. Rumor has it that the changes will be coming soon. They've had a chance to get judges feedback, see the show in action, and see their competition.

[louderisbetter]

As for the ending, maybe I'm sounding cranky here, but I'm still not crazy about the brass arranger's, *ahem*, cut and paste tactics. I haven't been crazy about Phantom's hollywood endings that hardly relate to the symphonic material they're based on, and this ending is no exception. Just doesn't flow yet.

Last year the ending evolved pretty nicely as the season progressed, let's hope this year's is a working ending right now and the best is yet to come.

I have to agree with you here. If there is any corps out there that should be experimenting with endings that are a little less "drum corps", it's Phantom. With the musical sensitivity they've shown in the last few years, I'd like to hear something besides long tones with a couple of quotes thrown in.

In addition, I think I'm on roughly the same page as far as the amplified voice is concerned. Innovation is usually defined as introducing or doing something new... as usual, I know opinions are illegal on DCP when they come to disagreeing with a corp's fans, but here it goes anyways. While it's relatively new to drum corps, it's been done, and it's old hat for marching band. In my estimation, we aren't taking things to a new level here. So I think it's time we stop playing the "innovation" card.

It was innovative... but like all things innovative, it eventually has to settle in to being just another aspect of show design. Feel free to call it "creative" if you like it, or "tasteful" or whatever floats your boat. But unless you still want to call body movement innovative, or low mark time, or the use of Bb/F brass...

Personally, I think the next big step in innovation should involve jetpacks. Talk about taking it to a new level!

[mbb919]

Hey, thanks for the great opinions! Just want to quickly clarify a few things that might have been misunderstood....

"Don't translate your dislike of narration into the general audience."

Yeah, I don't recall speaking for the general audience in my post. I was pretty much expressing my personal opinion, and perhaps those of friends/family at the same shows.

"I don't agree with your concert hall analogy. The Cadets show is designed for narration. Your analogy should be, "It's like going to a concert hall and listening to a piece of music containing narration/amplified voice."

Again, thanks for telling me what I should have thought. Next time I'll try to do better. My actual analogy referred to how distracting the continuous narration was and how it disturbed my enjoyment of the musical / visual parts of the performance, much like it would be if you were in a movie theater and someone kept talking constantly.

Anyway - I also don't recall saying I'm against narration (whether the piece was originally intended for that or not).

I'm against poorly amplified, unprofessional sounding narration that contains sophomoric, meaningless sounding text.

Why is it that the '07 Cadets (or the '05 Blue Devils or '04 BAC, for example) seem to have a Box 5 mentality (ie, striving for excellence of the highest order)

with the drill design, brass, percussion, color guard, but the narration somehow gets a pass and is allowed to sound juvenile?

It doesn't make sense in my book. If you're shooting for artistic excellence (and the '07 Cadets obviously are) , why not do it across the board???

Box 2 level-sounding narration doesn't have a place in such a show as this. It diminishes the extraordinary excellence they are already achieving.

thanks - and remember - opinion! It may not even be the same as yours!

[rut-roh]

Cadets - go back to visual and musical innovation. (you can even use amplification) Just keep up the technical excellence, and your audience will love you again.

Here's a case where you should probably refrain from making such a broad statement which, in essence, speaks for "the audience." There are plenty of fans across the country who love the Cadets just fine, even with their recent shows which spotlight amped voice. Some (gasp) actually enjoy these shows! :)