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Tuesday June 30

Willoughby, OH (DCI Atlantic) Okay, here is my near full-length review for the Willoughby (listed as Canton on schedules), Ohio show last evening. The weather had been threatening but cleared up by showtime and in fact become a bit of a hazard in being too sunny. The first 3 corps had to battle the sun in their eyes. After the sun set, the temperature plummeted and it began to snow. Okay maybe no snow, but it was nice and cool. The stadium was a little on the small side, with low stands. Thanks to some nice connections, I got to watch almost the whole show in the pressbox, sitting smack dab on the 50. There were only 4 people sitting higher than me and they were judging. To fulfill Mr. Playloud's request (gosh, he sounds familiar), the stands were almost full, which equated to just over 1000 people. This was the first year for this show and the Willoughby people did a fantastic job (word was they need to sell either 600 or 1000 tickets to break even - they did that with ease). Tickets were $10. I had to miss Lake Erie Regiment because I was expecting someone who never showed up, so I apologize to them for not seeing their show. TARHEEL SUN - First observation: why doesn't the pit where the sun logo like the rest of the corps? Bright yellow uniforms really make these guys noticeable and for a Division II corps these guys are huge! In fact, Tarheel had the 2nd most horns of any corps, which made for some really loud moments in their show at that was fun to listen to. The show is a Kenton suite and El Conga Valiente was very well done. Tarheel is still young in age in terms of membership and that shows at times with many wayward horn angles and lack of upper body control. The drill is somewhat compact and does not spread out a whole lot, but they do a nice job of flowing from one visual transition to the next. Another big plus for this corps is the soloists, shed that Division II moniker this corps could hang with a lot of Open class groups. Probably the biggest hole in this show right now is the guard, their drill is not well written and they don't integrate too well with the rest of the corps. Still, these guys put on a great show and perform well. Well worth catching this show a bunch of times and look for them to kick some heiny in August. KIWANIS - I saw their first show a week ago in Columbus, so I was eager to see the improvement. I noticed right off the bat that the guard had some additions the uniforms, so they aren't in all black (so I thought, more on that in a bit). The opening soloist was restaged too and I think is more effective. The progress with Kavaliers is well noted, but they still have a lot of horn holes, I counted less than 40 horns. However, their quality and control was, at times, very, very good. They moved pretty well at times too. As with Tarheel, the low viewing angle made much of the drill look muddled and hard to read. Like I said a week ago, Kiwanis appears to like this show and they communicate their performance rather well, plus they aren't afraid of hanging it on the line and maybe making a few mistakes. However, after the first half of this show the guard was suddenly back into all black again and they hardly spun or did anything except run around the field. And honestly, I found this a little disconcerting. It's been a full week since they started and the guard still doesn't know the whole drill and still doesn't have a full show's worth of work. This did and will continue to kill Kiwanis in a number of captions. To their credit, I think there was a lot of rewrites out there that were just learned and the corps seemed to struggle at times to keep the drill moving. I like Kiwanis and I really like this show, but they've got a whole heck of a lot of work that has to be done, otherwise they will definitely slip a few notches come August (hey, anyone out there thinking of marching, go find Kiwanis and join up). While Kiwanis scored a 54 to Tarheel's Division II 61, I noticed a big difference in terms of presence between the two. Kiwanis is a little older and they carry themselves better. **** For a 6 corps show, they stuck in an intermission, why? It was at this time that clouds rolled in and got much colder. One other note, the theme for this evening's show was "let's debut our massive rewrites tonight." CROWN - Crown's guard is highly noticeable thanks to their brightly colored outfits. It would appear that they spent a lot of time cleaning the opener as it came across very well and was the cleanest of anything they did. At times, they pumped a really, really nice horn sound. The overall visual design is well laid out in my mind, though the mellos seem to dominate the time up front and the melodies (but then again, run with your strengths, eh?). Crown had some individual performance problems this evening in terms of wayward horn angles, missed attacks, squeaks and burps. At times they appeared quite timid with parts of the drill (a number of people looking around while marching and taking an extra step after a halt). This also caused their marching technique to suffer as well. Playing Russian Christmas is ambitious as I imagine many people like me will make unfair comparisons to SCV (no one will ever play it as well as they did, in my mind). Crown's design though is smooth, it moves well and has some very nice moments. The guard has a lot of upfront time and has some good talent as well. As has been discussed much on here, the battery is indeed very strong and the snare section in particular did a real nice job. They can play, they can play real well, they deserve a lot of credit for that. CROSSMEN - I'm curious as to who made the comment earlier that the percussion section did not seem to play all that much, because I didn't see that, they played a lot and they played extremely well. Crossmen's show is another well designed show with few problems. It's a smooth show that really ties in well with the music of Metheny (kudos to the designers). The horns can play well (53 of them that I counted) at times and they actually put out some sound this year, though they usually only got real loud while standing still. The flowing drill and such made the show look very easy to march (I'm not claiming it is easy, just that it appears easy). The guard, all 835 of them, were everywhere. They were huge, they were good and they added a lot to this show. A quick question, were X-men always planning on just 5 snares? The battery seemed small, but they kicked butt. Like I said, the hornline at times was really nice, but at other times I heard some funky tuning and blown attacks. Again, it appeared that there were a lot of rewrites as there was a lot of small visual miscues everywhere and lack of good visual technique (have I mentioned there were a lot of wayward horn angles this evening?). The other thing I noticed about this show was the lack of major impact moments. And you could see this effect on the crowd, they kind of appeared to be lulled into some new age trance. The show is so smooth and flowing that there was a lot of edges to rip the crowd out of their seats. And the ending of the show comes quick and sudden, which I think surprised the crowd. Personally, I liked First Circle better the first year they played it, but this year's version is still quite nice. The guard feature in the middle of that with the corps framing them is, so far, the best visual moment I've seen this year - easy. But what's with the baritones and, I think, contras standing still in a half-circle for like 45 seconds? Come on, if you're going to feature them, do something with them - anything! This show is on par with what they did last year, but it's too difficult to say right now if this show will move them up, keep them steady or drop them down (I've seen only 4 top 12 corps' total so far). They did deserve win this show. BLUECOATS - This was the DCI/A "home" show for Canton and they did bring in a good home crowd (which seems to be the norm in Ohio anyhow). Guess what? The Bluecoats also did a major amount of rewrites this week, almost exclusively in Summertime and it showed. The opening move constricting the highly spread out set is still very effective, the guard popping off their jackets into that explosion of color thing I mentioned in my last review was a little bit less effective tonight (but then, I was expecting it). The beginning bari feature had some flubs, and blubs in it and as with every single other corps out there, I saw a fair amount of foot phasing (how can someone's feet not be in time but still be playing in time?). The guard is still very strong and adds a whole heck of lot to this show. Some of the sop solos and features don't seem to be cutting through (maybe staging, maybe tired chops, I don't know), but there is one soloist in particular that you would swear was born and raised in Concord, California. Wow. Like I said Summertime was a major rewrite and it showed by being somewhat flat in terms of visual and musical performance. The singing is well done, my belief is that it's not all that easy to sing that well while moving around and all that. The transition into Autumn Leaves is a little stilted, there's no DM cutoff, but there's an obvious pause in visual motion which caused the crowd a little confusion, plus a DM exchange and well, it's just a wee bit confusing. Oh, the drum solo continues to lag a bit. The snare feature was cluttered and the Basses seemed a little out of whack, but the tenor line comes down the front and center wailing away. The line has a lot of room for improvement and I suspect they'll do just that. Autumn Leaves is coming along really well for Canton and it becomes more and more apparent that they like to play the tune. I'm biased about the tune and I was rather affected by it this evening. The hornline had it share of great moments and some flubs and blubs, they've still got about 4 holes (mellos and contras). The ending of the show is strong musically and I think (hope) that in a few weeks the loudness level here will approach the Spinal Tap 11 mark. Word was that Canton won 2 of the 3 visual captions, but got dumped heavily in ensemble visual. I thought they moved well on the field with generally the best technique (at times), but like everyone else there's major room for improvement. Conclusions: For the first ever show here, it went well (a newspaper ad wrongly had the show scheduled for Wednesday), though no one told them how the retreat was supposed to go (we had to whisper to them to bring the DM's forward before announcing scores and to dismiss the corps). Still they were excited and are already planning next year (the pig roast is almost worth admission alone). Crossmen's 5 point spread I thought was a little much, but their show is more polished at this point than Canton's. Crown has a good show design, but they don't seem to have the members locked in to performing at the level needed to move up higher. Canton has pieces and parts of a really good show, but they still have work to do in terms of bringing the package together into a whole. Kiwanis has another good show concept but need more practice time and people. Tarheel Sun is a corps to watch (if they were a stock, I'd invest in them right now). Jeff Wise Tarheel Sun For those of you into checking out the Div. II/III corps, here is a great example of a corps that is doing the right things both on and off the field. They are quite large for a div. II corps (126 total members, and I think 64 brass). They put out a powerful sound, and the percussion is solid. The corps performs a show called the "Stan Kenton Suite," featuring "September Song," "El Conga Valiente," "Malibu Moonlight," "Artistry in Percussion," and "Artistry Jumps." Their show is solid drum corps, with singable themes, and good entertainment. Check 'em out. Lake Erie Regiment A very small corps, Lake Erie did a fine job of performing for the audience under tough conditions. I say this because they went on first while a large portion of the audience was still entering the stands and talking -- too much talking. However, I enjoyed the effort they put forth, and only wish they could fill all the holes in their show. By the way, even though they are small, this corps can pump out some sound. Kiwanis Kavaliers This show is set in post-WWII Paris, as they perform the 1951 Oscar winning classic, "An American in Paris." The music is recognizable, but the way it's arranged did not seem to sit well with the audience. One moment you are following along just fine, the next, the show takes off into about 2 minutes of chaos. More than anything, I found the visual program to be the weakest element for these guys. Through the entire show, not one visual effect hit me or captured my attention. It seemed like 11 minutes of running where ever you wanted and hoping the forms somehow came together. The corps is much smaller right now than they were last year. I counted maybe 40 brass and maybe 25 percussion. They wrote for more than that, so I hope they are able to come up with the people to fill those spots. Their horn line does pump out some sound, and their control was quite good in a number of sections, but nothing was consistent. Carolina Crown The music of Alfred Reed seems to be working well for them. I'm not that hip on the arrangement of "Russian Christmas Music" which opens the show, but I love the drill. The corps is really moving this year. I think their visual book was probably the hardest and most beautiful here tonight, although it is certainly the most dirty as well. The second portion of their show consists of "Armenian Dances." Now this arrangement I really like, and they play the heck out of it. Overall, their horn line is wonderful sounding, with the contra line adding so much depth because of their beautiful sound and good intonation. Their drum line is incredble, and their guard must be the largest guard in DCI this year (nearly 40). The final part of the show features the music of "Praise Jerusalem." This is powerful music that makes for a nice encore, but I felt that the final company front was somewhat lackluster. This was in part because they haven't cleaned the visual move, but also because I don't think the music builds enough before the final offering. Overall, this is a good, solid drum corps show which will, no doubt, have something in it for everyone. Bluecoats I really like Canton's show this year. Simply put, this show is 100% pure entertainment with a capital E. The "Four Seasons of Jazz" show is starting to come around, although there have been many changes, so there is still a lot to clean. But the 'Coats have a solid total package, including a very strong horn line, a good percussion line, and a real good guard. They use a lot of field and have some great visual moments happening, but the crowd really dug the music which was always humable, exciting, and in your face. In fact, there is a section of the show which features some great singing by the members of the horn line which is done tastefully, and they really sell it to the audience. There is a lot to be cleaned in this production, especially the feet in which I noticed lots of problems. But in another week or two this show should be well on its way to doing very well at the big regionals, and finals. Crossmen What can I say but WOW! I really like this show, although it is not the aggressive Crossmen we have come to expect. They are more like last year's corps, balanced brass and percussion, but the music is not quite as driving as last year's. There is a sort of relaxing feel to this music which I find appealing, especially in "First Circle." They are playing music of the Pat Metheny Group, and the feel and groove of the music is true to the Metheny recordings. The percussion is simply outstanding, and their technique is amazing. I really liked the use of the steel drums during sections of the show. The horn line is not real big, I counted 54 horns, but they put out a nice, balanced sound. The Crossmen guard is simply awesome. Make sure to watch them some, they will blow you away with some stellar visual effects, including one towards the end of the show in which they rotate a block at high speed, while doing some incredible synchronized flag work. This is a show that is very capable of putting the Crossmen back into the top 6, and no lower than 8th or 9th. Jonathan Willis

Saturday June 27

Glendora, CA (DCI Pacific) Earthquake: very-small, but solid musical sound. A good seed corp which with luck will grow into something special. Blue Devils B: won their division tonight. Great brass sound -- of course -- you know where they grow the A-corps from. Drill design needs work. Pacific Crest: has an open-class feel and sound this year, even more so than in previous years. If they were going to Finals this year, I imagine they could be a contender (with some work) for an open-class finalist slot, and would surely place near the high-end of Div II. (The home crowd thought they were better than BD-B -- but execution gave them problems. ) Madison: crowd pleaser of the night! at least three very good effects. interesting opening in "old-time" drum corps mode, even better and challenging drill in the middle, then fades a little at the end. Musically good, but the selections didn't really flow for me. Problems in visual execution are probably holding them back just a bit. score 78.? Blue Devils: At last, some melodic music from BD with only a couple spots back-sliding into "standard formula". Music general effect is very good and better than Madison. Real clean drill, but it looks unchallenging -- you know lots of wavy lines not much risk. Great sound and strong guard as ever. score 81.0 A special treat was that both Madison and BD played concerts at the end. (made up a little for there only being 2 open class corps) I liked that Madison didn't play their show, but instead a few of their standards: You'll Never Walk Alone, God Bless the Child, and two others whose names I'm drawing a blank on. As a measure of how much the crowd enjoyed Madison tonight, when the PIT CART drove out to setup, it got a standing ovation. Attendence was down a little from last year (maybe 10%) mostly noticed as a 100+ seats unfilled in the center section. This could have been solely because of SCV not being present. All of the shows including BD and Madison once again showed fundamental flaws in show concept, musical selection and arrangement which make them less appealing than they might have achieved. Madison had the visuals and excitement, but lacked some musical effect, BD had the music effects but came up short on the visual side. To me, neither would be a strong sales tool for bringing in new audiences. Sigh. Now if I can just hunt down a show to see SCV at... Jim Houston

Wheeling, IL (DCM) Ok, gang, I gripe about reviews enough, so here's mine. This was my first of few shows this season, so I was very excited to be there. The Cavaliers started the night (first by being late, but it was the equipment bus' fault!) by having a concert for the start of their celebration of their 50th year. It was a beautiful way to start the evening. See Terri Dettrich's notes on what they played. The evening was very pleasant (chilly, if you ask me, but I'm used to the St. Louis 85 degree nights!). I wish I knew who the announcer was, 'cause he was great- so enthusiastic! (he said a few dumb things, but what can you do!) I believe he was associated with the Scouts, but I'm not sure. Memorial Lancers, St. Louis, MO...31.9 Ok, I'm a little biased on this one, because I see these guys alot at home. They have a really cute show and the soloists are great. However, there is no enthusiasm in the show. I'm sure they'll be at the IL State Fair again, as well as the VP Fair parade next week. Cincinnati Glory, Cincinnati, OH...44.9 I was so pumped to see these guys after reading about the efforts to get them started the past few years on RAMD. I'm sorry I don't have what songs they played (weren't in the program), but I know one selection was from Ben Hur, so that can give you an idea of what the theme of their show was. I really think these guys got screwed. In fact I think all the scoring for this show was a little screwy, except the top two. Anyways, the guard is wearing some purple sheaths over black spandex and chains tied around their waists. The chains are cool because in the beginning, there is a solo, and as the guard dances, all their chains clang in unison. I thought this was a very entertaining, exciting show and well executed. All the members are enthused about the show, and you can tell watching it. I really expect their scores to go up. Probably since we were so low in the stands (5th row!), we missed alot of dirty stuff. Phantom Legion, Rockford, IL...47.3 Not much to say about these guys. The guard is wearing PR's uni's from '96. These guys are a mini-PR, just more exciting. They actually look like their having fun. Again, I couldn't tell you what they played, but I know it was symphonic, of course. The whole show is duplicates of PR's work, but not executed as well. Kilties, Sr, Racine, WI...47.4 Whatever. The score means nothing. Why even give these guys a score, when they deserve so much more. What can I say about the Kilties? Do I have to say anything, when we know it all? They kick butt, they rock the house, they are the coolest corps on the planet! I love these guys, and have so much fun watching them. They got everyone clapping and singing, and it was a blast. Heeeeeeeeeeyyy, hey baby.... :) Capital Sound, Madison, WI...49.9 These guys have come so far from when I first saw the newly formed corps. They also doubled their guard with the use of mannequins! It was a very cute idea, and the girls danced with them, while one girl tried to steal a man. She ended up gettting a real one in the end of the show. The show is very exciting and alot of fun to watch. I expected them to score higher, too. Pioneer, Milwaukee, WI...58.5 These guys score is screwy. Why are they scoring so low? The show is very exciting, very clean (from where we were, 5th row, again), and well executed. Unfortunately, they have an incomplete show. What the guard does perform, they perform very well, but there are about 5 minutes of no work. The horn line is wonderful, and their playing fits the theme, Irish in your face. Phantom Regiment, Rockford, IL...73.4 As most of you know, PR is doing Pines of Rome. There is no comparison b/w this show and Star. I found myself mostly bored with this show. There did not seem to be much movement or enthusiasm. There is no inginuity with the guardwork, it is all the same old stuff. The corps has added a red sash with gold and purple accents to their uni's. One special note: With it being so close to the 4th, there were many people in the neighborhoods lighting fireworks. At the company front that closes the show, a red and gold firework went off right behind the field near the 50. It was very cool. Perhaps PR should consider it! :) Cavaliers, Rosemont, IL...76.3 First, let me say I am very biased. That out of the way, this show is awesome. I was so excited waiting for it, and it delivers. It literally starts out with a bang and is non-stop. The beginning is traditional, and it is load of fun finding old stuff throughout the show. Things to look for: thumping of the bass drums, authentic Cavie drill, marching over the guard. My favorite part has to be the third movement. This beautiful song is absolutely awe-inspiring. It starts out with muted sops that sound like voices from the past. Then, a mellophone solo comes in, as if to be a voice from the present, and he is joined by the rest of the corps. It sent chills down my spine. The song crescendos beautifully and finishes gracefully, returning to the muted sopranos. You could almost feel the souls of 50 years of FMM's moving these young men around the field, it was so mesmerizing. I can almost guarantee that I will be crying my eyes out during this song when my baby brother takes the field for the last time in August. The final song finishes the show with a flourish, looking to the next 50 years. It will get you moving. I thought the end was a little choppy, drill-wise, but I'm sure it is being worked on. I cannot wait to see these guys again, of course. The Cavies "Traditions" CD went on sale during this show. It is a must-have. Selections include: 1957, 1961, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1980, 1984, 1992, 1995, 1998, and others. Anyone that buys this CD and listens to how the crowds grow (you can hear them on the CD), cannot honestly say that drum corps is dying!!! After the presentation of the anniversary cake to Don Warren, and a framed 50th anniversary T-shirt (which I must get- it has pics of old uni's on it), The Cavaliers finished the night with their concert, which included the show, the Corps song, and Rainbow. Then, all alumni were invited onto the field to sing the Corps song and Rainbow. Then, we all ate tons of cake! (which was very good!!! :) Dar Colts '92 w/ a Cavie bro

Elkton, MD (DCI Atlantic) Well, here I find myself on the East Coast visiting mom, dad, and sisters in the D.C.-Baltimore area and lo and behold there is a DCI-Atlantic Division show just up the road a piece in Elkton, Maryland. So, my sister and I drove on up and attended a very entertaining show on an absolutely gorgeous night. After attending a couple of DCM shows the past two weekends in the Midwest, it was nice to see some other corps this early in the season. Before I went, there were a couple of question I was hoping to get answers to, or at least some solid impressions: 1. Do The Cadets of Bergen County have a show that can get them over the hump and back to No.1? 2. Was the Crossmen’s success last year a fluke, or will they continue their march further into the upper echelon of DCI? 3. Will Magic, Crown, or Bluecoats break out of the pack either further up the rankings, or out of the Top 12 making room for a new Finals entrant (Colts, Kiwanis Kavalier, or even Spirit)? 4. Is Spirit really all the way back and ready to make a serious bid for Top 12? Jersey Surf, Berlin, NJ - Unfortunately we got to the show late and only heard the second half of their show from behind the stands, but what I heard sounded pretty decent: "Portraits of Spain, Scenes 1,2 & 3" by Chick Corea and Arturo Sandoval. Tarheel Sun, Cary, NC - Performing the production "Stan Kenton Suite" this unit looked splendid in their bright yellow tops. The flags used in the opener, "September Song," are beautiful. While the brass produced a nice sound throughout the program, I thought the percussion book for the battery could have been a bit more challenging. Overall this was a really nice performance. Spirit of Atlanta - Presenting a southern/gospel production, Spirit is much improved over last year and their opener, "My Friend" brings back memories of the Spirit of old with an impressive wall of sound. The gospel stylings in "Take My Hand Precious Lord" and "Maybe God is Trying To Tell You Something" are powerful and feature some interesting drill and movement. The percussion feature had a very nice bass run, but toward the end of the show as "Sweet Georgia Brown" wore on the corps seemed to get tired and the musical performance became choppy. By the end of the season, those problem should be behind them. Spirit’s return is definitely continuing in the right direction. Bluecoats, Canton, OH - Presenting the "Four Seasons of Jazz," the Bluecoats start their show spread across the entire field from endline to endline. While the first season presented, Winter, is quiet and short, "It Might As Well Be Spring" bursts with colorful flags and unis from the guard and screaming sops. The corps version of Gershwin’s "Summertime" is truly unique with vocals from the corps and a neat circular drill. The percussion feature is a great showcase for the battery which seemed to be pretty strong. Magic of Orlando, Orlando, FL - Wow!! What a start. Playing "God Bless The Child" Magic tries to blow you away early and boy does it sound good. The brass is definitely the strength of Magic and, as has been said on RAMD earlier, they play a lot of notes throughout the show. This year’s program "Muddy Water Blues" is much more to my liking than last year’s show (though I still hum "Eliza Jane" every now and then). One question: where the hell are the snare drums? Talk about seeming non-existent. I saw them marching out there, it’s just that they were barely heard from. I can envision continued posts on RAMD complaining about the lack of a percussion book. Carolina Crown, Fort Mill, SC - Overall I really liked the music and the performance of the brass and percussion. The program is the music of Alfred Reed and includes "Russian Christmas Music," Armenian Dances," and "Praise Jerusalem." The battery seemed to be especially strong during the percussion feature and the overall ending for the corps was quite strong. My big problem is with the color guard. First, for some reason, this seemed like the world’s biggest color guard and they were everywhere. So much so that they were just plain distracting. The distraction of the color guard was most prominent during the opener when they were at the front of the field either dancing or doing equipment work, and they even managed to mess up the effect of a company front. When the guard was more in the background they really were quite effective and I did quite enjoy them. Cadets of Bergen County, Bergenfield, NJ - Presenting "Stonehenge" by Jan Van der Roost, at first the most noticeable thing about the corps is the amount of equipment the guard is bringing on to the field. Well let me tell you, they use it all and to good effect. The guard is absolutely amazing. Oh, and the rest of the corps isn’t bad either. This show, which I like much better than last year’s, is pure power full of entertaining moments, strong musicianship, and incredible drill. The very strong battery features a wicked tight snare line and superb tenors. Watch out, CBC means business this year. Crossmen, Newark, DE - The hosts for the evening had the unenviable position of performing after CBC, and they really failed in comparison, unfortunately, with what seemed to be a flat performance. Their show, featuring music by Pat Metheny, has some great musical moments, but they seem too far apart, and you sometimes find yourself wandering during their show. There’s obviously more of the show to be learned by the guard, which when completed should help tremendously. Percussion again should be strong for Xmen this year. Overall, while the show was good, there seemed to be lots of room for improvement. Some closing thoughts and answers to the questions: CBC definitely has the show to get them back on top. They are definitely ahead of the top Midwest corps that I’ve seen (I haven’t seen Madison yet). Looks like it might be a another dog fight between CBC, BD, and SCV. I was kind of surprised by Crown’s score and placement, but the scores coming out of the East this past week have been absolutely whacky. Magic beat Crossmen on Wednesday and then lose to them by almost 10 points three days later; what’s that all about? No, Crosssmen weren’t a fluke last year, but right now I like better what the Cavies, PR, and the Glassmen are doing. As well, based on what I hear about BK (which I haven’t seen), Crossmen could place as high as 5th or as low as 9th. Based on the scores at this show, it would seem that Magic broke out of the pack negatively, giving Spirit and the Colts more than a glimmer of hope of making Finals. When Crossmen’s battery started making the clapping sound at the beginning of "First Circle" by Pat Metheny with their sticks, I very fondly thought of Pride of Cincinnati from this past winter guard season’s championships. Special moments in life are hard to forget and easy to recall when prompted. Hey, wasn’t that Rich Kim of SBVE and color guard newsgroup fame in Xmen’s guard? It was great seeing that old spirit in Spirit of Atlanta. Can they make it into Top 12? There’s a possibility, but I don’t think so, at least not now. But who knows, it’s still early in the season. Overall, this was a great show that was well run. The show started at 7 p.m. which made for getting home at a decent hour. And the mass performance by the YEA corps at the end of the show was quite nice. Congrats to the Crossmen, their staff and volunteers. Michael Pleasants Overland H.S. Marching Scots - Aurora, CO Percussion (Bells-'80; Tenor-'81; Snare-'83) Drum Major - '82

Bridgeport, CT (DCA) For those who couldn't make it, I will supply some of my reactions to the corps that competed in the Barnum Festival. This showcase contest has had a consistent gargantuan-sized audience, and this year's rendition conformed to that tradition. I would like to say 10,000, but I could be significantly off. They really know how to promote this show. The reactions will be in order of appearance. US MARINE SILENT DRILL TEAM - "Hey, get to the drum corps. We aren't interested in these guys." Well, if that is your position, you are missing an opportunity of seeing a really talented group. But what is different is that fact that nothing should be different. They, according to "tradition", still be traditional. Even the traditional change. They are doing more of a drill - although based totally on the straight line and fill - and have subordinated somewhat their equipment. And some of that equipment work is down-right dangerous for the best weapons handler. If you ever get a chance, check these guys out. They are for real...or as the younger sect say, they rock! SUNRISERS - "Gates of Kiev" as a warm-up is pretty. It is so effective to play backfield, and this is apparent in warm-ups. All corps that did on-field warm-ups played a recognizable ballad rather than scales. The horn line was 32, about the same as in the Evaluation Show of two weeks prior. There seemed to be five blanks, which means there were probably six. The guard is in a basic black minimalist "suit" that does not offend but seem incomplete. Seeing no change in two weeks leads me to think this will be it, but you never know. The drum line of 7 snares, 2 tenors and 4 bass are still waiting for the fifth bass. Also, tenors, like lead sopranos seem to be a prime commodity in DCA this year with few corps having a full line. In the opener, "Festive Overture", the guard had a relatively over-sized flag that was awkwardly manipulated. This would be just as effective as color support if it were smaller and it would be easier to handle. In most of the show the guard was supportive, although usually segregated more than the norm. Right from the first number, the corps made it apparent that this would not be a performance the corps was capable of. The movement was erratic with evident phasing, forms breathing too much and body angles inconsistent. I know they allocate time to their movement-technique program but it was not evident tonight. There is a possibility that the faulty movement impacted negatively upon the sound as the horn line seemed more insistent than previously noticed. This was noticed in "Russian Sailors' Dance" - the well-balanced ensemble sound would get thin when the movement demand increased. Why such an inconsistent performance, I don't know. But Sun will get it together and prove to be one of the most musical groups in DCA. Patience and determination. Fourth place - 67.2. HURRICANES - 33 horns, 6 snares, 3 tenors and 5 bass, a corps that did not suffer a lean winter. The John Arriantano charts was all big band, I believe. Starting facing backfield with "Baroque Samba" was pleasing played backfield and continued to be so after turning front, which is not always guaranteed. "Stellar by Starlight" had a questionable balance with the drum line overpowering the horn line. That may partially be because of the "whatever" heads the snares had. (Ask one of the "Tilted Snare" posters for a better explanation. But then again, they may feel it is fine. Go figure!) Wheeling out the 7 trap sets on dollies required a poor and possibly unnecessary transitional lapse in the show. A little better logistical thought and planning can eliminate this problem. "Swing" to the third power worked well. The corps got into it as did the guard. The use of the trap sets seem more appropriate in this year's show, as do the few stages that were brought onto the field, reminiscent of the Cadets but not becoming a Cadet clone. To cover a positive and a negative about the Hurcs: First, the negative. They really need a show coordinator who can see that the corps money is invested efficiently. The Hurcs have been more than modifying their uniform a number of times over the past two decades. Somehow, they are able to find the funds required to do that. But how was that money spent? The corps jackets of dominantly green with white and black embellishments, are new but with semblances of the previous styles. Along with it is a new hat that is black. How this goes with the total look, I cannot comprehend. Someone will say it is the traditional Hurricanes hat. That may be true, but it does not complete the harmonious ensemble look, as they say IMHO. I had an even bigger problem with the guards' "costumes". The blue pants were not coordinated with the black tops which were not coordinated of contrasted with the corps. But the biggest problem was that the young ladies did not look appealing in their varying degrees of undress. With my adult daughter accompanying me to the show and sharing an on-going dialogue with me, I know that she would never perform wearing what the guard was wearing. The Quebec guards have been known how to stretch the envelop in this area but they always did it with appeal. This was not appealing. I cannot believe that Mickey Kelly, who was so superior in developing an always magnificent product in his Skylarks, is still involved. On the positive side, the Hurcs movement package. Previously it was written by Dan McBride, which still may be the case. Last year, I considered their movement package too simplistic, lacking demand and not having the mileage necessary to allow them to be formidable. Boy, was I wrong with that evaluation. This year, I thought Hurcs might be having some problems since they pulled out of the evaluation show two weeks ago. I was wrong about that one too. And this year's movement package is a logical evolution of their accomplishments in '97. The tempos are comfortable to handle. The demand is reasonable. The step size is within the performer's comfort level. And the use of negative space gives the forms good depth and readability. The horn line is presentable and will get more musical. The drum line, I can't tell you. The guard has work to do. So that means the Hurcs are better this year than last and have the potential of surpassing the '97 final product. Fifth place - 66.0. BUCCANEERS - 40 Horns, 7 Snare, 4 Tenors, 5 Bass. This corps is such a pleasure to watch and listen to. Their "Festive Overture" is staged so clearly that each voice is very easy to locate on the field. This is because their forms are open with clearly discernible negative space between the layers. Most the the other corps have the complex pictures one expects, but the layers are are often too close - not to the point of being considered clutter but not with enough expansiveness to be considered pleasing and supportive if the sectional presentations of the brass. When one hears a soli, one wants to find the players easily. That happens with the Bucs. The guard is in white blouses and gold pants, both satin-type. This contrasts nicely with the corps proper uniforms, especially when within forms. But guard, WHAD-UP? At this point, you cannot have so much down time, even in the opener. It it obvious from their carriage and movement that they are not unseasoned performers, so why this? "Russian Christmas Music", their final number (too long to be considered a closer...in baseball, a closer pitches not much more than an inning), reflected the horn line's endurance as their sound did not falter to the end. This is a compliment to their brass program that has developed that. The use of sticks-on-cymbals instead of the typical chimes works, I guess. I am so used to eeing it the traditional way that is reminiscent of the piece. I love a corps or part of a corps with an attitude and that applies to the BUCS drum line. They don't just have it on the field. They live it! All wearing matching corps t-shirts and black bandannas while they walk around prior to being in full uniform. Yes, DCI, and they even talk to people outside their corps (like all other DCA corps). I thought their third place could have been even closer to the Cabs - 69.9. BUSHWACKERS - 19 Horns, 4 Snares, 3 Tenors (two playing), three bass. The winter in NJ was mild one unless you are from Harrison. There were rumors of a large exodus (another mandatory number from the "60s) from Bush and tonight revealed that it was fact. The returning horn line that marched could be no more than one third of last year's since three of those on the field were from Sky. You just can't do too much with only four sopranos. And you know they will kill the drum line without at least a fourth bass. That was Bush's fate in their first contest of the season. Their show is all "Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde." "A Moment in Time" was the opener, a very slow tempo limited visual development for the sake of the musical statement. A slow starter that is not guaranteed to grab the audience. It is quite obvious that the healthiest section is the mellophones who have many of those typical Bushwacker runs. The three contras did not cut through and I am not aware of the baritone contribution, outside of the BM solo. From a movement technique standpoint, they seemed in the middle of the pack, which is positive for a group coming out of a traumatic or lethargic winter. But that doesn't mean they necessarily beat anyone in marching. One can't tell how the judges penalized the 19 horns marching a show written for 30. I understand 5 horns were not ready and will go in in the near future. The positives: The guard, for one (22). In varying pastel tones, the body suits were beautiful and complementory of the corps total look. As my daughter said, "Even the guys look pretty." (Back off! She meant that as a compliment.) The guard still has its high level of talent and will do more than their required responsibility to support the whole package. The second positive is how the guard is used in adding color within the layers and by extending their forms for the anticipated smaller corps. The question, however, is whether the visual judges will give the appropriate credit to a guard that does not have significant audio support. Bush has had lean winters before and still was a contender, at least, by Labor Day. It is the harder way to do it...to play catch up...but I know they will not give up. We'll be watching to see their growth. I have the most faith in the horn line making it. Sixth - 59.8 CABALLEROS - 42 Horns, 5 Snares, 2 Tenors, 6 Bass. It seemed the Cabs had around four blanks in the horns line, with Frank Ponzo, the most classicially-trained sounding soloist who was not classically trained, marching only the second half of the show. The lead sopranos were not so evidently lacking tonight, but there isn't that piercing top end that one becomes accustomed to hearing from the Cabs. I was probably sharp-shooting the percussion line to see if their staging was changed or how dominant their presence was impacting upon the over-all sound. Surprisingly, the blend was very musical...possibly too musical. That proves those of you wrong who think ex-Blue Devil snares cannot control their hype. Robbie Robinson is a show in himself to watch. Marching has always been the Cabs trademark (They will never call it movement.) But there were evident variations of the glide step the corps has always used. Some almost using a pedal step. Also some upper body control problems were noticed, bouncing and angles. These inconsistencies are an anomoly for this corps. They do work technique but it is not there yet. Part of the problem could have been they tried to win the war at the Evaluation Show and did not do their last number. This was their first performance of that piece and the last minute of the show reminded me of the old movie when they intentionally drove a herd of horses off a cliff. That last minute impacted more upon their demise for the evening than anything else. They redefined the wheel during the "Rumps." I wouldn't be surprised if that cost them at least a point. From a design stand-point, they still have to open up the forms to add some additional negative space between the layers. At the same time the velocity is impeded by a smaller step size in different sets. If the tight forms coincided with the smaller step size, expanding these forms would naturally increase the step size requirement, thereby directly raising the velocity and the excitement of the movement and, therefore, the musical presentation. No, that is not a run-on that is the Gertrude Stein approach to Gestault show design. One change effects all succeeding possibilities. On the positive side, the horn re-established their beautiful sound playing backfield during that Spanish ballad, "El Gato de Spanish Heart - Ole' - Que Viva - or whatever it is." You Madison fans know the one. And the mellophone solo was at least as beautiful. For some reason, I get additional appreciation that the player is a female. Sometimes, prejudices can work in a person's favor. While I am on the subject of Cab females (at one time, an oxymoron): It was nice to see Mirna Lopez back with the corps as a staff person. Mirna was an original first year female guard person who performed for at least ten years and was once accorded the title of Caballero of the Year. Also Rose Catanio (Spelling is right this time), rumor has it, will not receive her female drum majors uniform until the rest of her dues are paid. Where will Cabs be on Labor Day? Right where they have to be. Why? Only one reason: they work harder than anyone. Second - 72.4. EMPIRE STATESMEN - 56 Horns, 8 Snares, 4 Tenors, 5 Bass, 6 Cymbals. Finally, a corps with a lead soprano line, and they let you know it! "The Westside Story" with charts that doesn't make you say "I heard this too many times." The drum line had a deeper sound to it - someone might say darker - that complemented the horn sound so nicely. Why anyone thinks drums that sound line one playing one floor tiles is pleasing or appropriate, I will never know. The dynamics, over all, were tastefully done. There were the triple fortes but they were spaced and their duration never exceeded what I found to be suitable. The baritone line in "Maria" was especially mello. The whole horn line's backfield playing ( a concept returning recently, along with percussion features) was effective, not only for the piano sections but also with the occasional forte section. The pit was placed on the sideline so that horns and guard could traverse in front of it to get in an even stronger impact position. Maybe it might be considered a nice finishing touch to make the pit area into a stage with a low backdrop since they are so visible. (Nothing like helping to write someone's show even though I wasn't asked). The package is such a well planned one, it is hard to determine what could improve it. One might be the "fight" scene might be given more specific coordinated choreography rather than allow everyone to do his or her thing. Musically the intro to "America" just seemed to be a series of ongoing chords whose purpose was not comprehendable. I listened to it during the victory concert performance and verified my initial reaction. This, the final section of the show involves a percussion feature in which the corps takes off their (Miss Saigon?) jackets to expose the gangs' "colors", yellow on one side and red on the other. These variations are designed into the movement ideas. First, by alternating the players (Ah, a warm memory of the Skyriders). That was effective. But then they top this by splitting apart by maybe eight steps and counter flowing, creating a shutter effect of color. As my friend Clark Williams would say, "Neat!" Why is Empire thriving while others seem to qualify for the "endangered species" list? Maybe because they do not do drum corps. They do have have bingo. That sure helps. They do have Vince Bruno. He is the Bill Gates of senior corps. He is a shorter Bill Cook. He is a younger Don Warren. But they never did drum corps. When they first came out, they looked more like a band. They were proud of the members with their bald heads and flaunted it by going sans shakos. They bounced; they swung, they smiled. They refused to be that anal retentive macho image that so many of us find alluring in drum corps. They even had the audacity to bring a tank onto the field to represent their version of "Americana." They tried to introduce satire before the drum corps public was able to imbibe anything that wasn't a one syllable word. And not only that, they actually liked doing it. For a long time, I didn't believe it. I thought it was affectation. Now I believe too. So, if you don't like them, just deal with it. Why? Because you have to when they are first with a 76.7. DISCLAIMER # 2 - Too many negative comments? Maybe so. I seem to be most critical with those I have ties with or with those I have friends in. Maybe I'll get the hang of this by the next show. RON CLARK Just a quick recap of last nights show. First and foremost I would like to thank the Barnum Festival sponsors who put on the show. It was great. I have not seen a show like that in a long time. Air force officers jumping out of planes and landing onto the field, the Marine Corps Silent Drill Team, need I say more? The music that was provided during the interludes between scores, waiting for the show to start, etc.. was an excellent idea. The various piped in music through a loud speaker (motown, 50's, 70'2) had everyone and i do mean everyone from 2 to 92 taping their feet and the majority dancing in the isles and yes, even in the restrooms!!!!!! 1.Empire Statesmen 76.8 Oh my god!!!!!! They just rock. Everyone in this corp is rockin. The horn line will blow your face off and slap it and stick it to the wall. 2.Cabelleros 72.4 I feel a little disapointed at this point. With all of the hype of puting entertainment back into drum corp, did the cabs really feel it necessary to play the entire 1996 madison scouts show using the same props, dancing, etc...? That's why they sell video tapes. With all that talent, the Cabs went there, and I hope it pays off for them in some form. This was the talk of the stands as people turned their heads to see who was coming on next. Been there, seen that. Still an entertaining show. 3.Buccaneers-69.9 This corp is huge and entertaining. Lots of great thing going on in PA. I'd keep an eye on them. 4.sunrisers- 67.2 Going back to the old style of drum corp has helped them out. Great show and I am sure they will be a force to be reckoned with. 5. Hurricanes-66.0 "We don't care bout no stinkin scores" this corp was on the money tonight and has put out it's best product in recent memory. With Bob Fenley joining the other two drum majors on the field, who could ask for anything more. A total jazz show that has you screaming from the word go. Barque Samba grabs you right from the start with that jazzy New York Voices feel and a drill that has has got to be the work of world renown drill designer Kevin Olivera. Did I mention the new uniforms? White trousers, green Bluecoats style jacket, Bluecoats style mini shoulder cape and lightning bolt insignia on the front of the jacket. Black vintage Hurricane hat. Better yet, Connecticut!!!!! 6. Bushwackers-59.8 18 horns and can still get the job done. The music of Jekyl and Hyde makes you want to love this corp. Visual program is outstanding as well. Mr. Walter L. Edwards II, Esq.

Friday June 26

Tulare, CA (DCI Pacific) WEST COAST SOUND - Not a bad little drum corps. The show, "Stan Kenton's Adventures in Time", sounds a lot like the '91 Devils show, but without BD's hornline.The drumline right now is very overpowering, but by far the strongest part of the corps, and will hopefully be a good building point for the corps in the future. As far as I know, this is their first year on the field, and they could be doing a lot worse, all things considered. I'm hoping they'll be something to watch in the coming years, and if they keep progressing, I'm sure they'll be a force to be contended with in division II/III in the near future. PACIFIC CREST - This is what West Coast Sound could become in a few years. They're still a very young corps, but wow! What an improvement since last year! The Show, based on "Hamlet", has a lot of real cool moments, and all sections of the corps are really doing well. I think they could give Mandarins a run at the title in a very short time. BDB - A very strong corps this year, and it seems like they're getting better and better. The drumline is playing A LOT of beats, and doing a pretty good job with them, too. (Maybe I'm a little biased because a few of the kids in the line are former students of mine). The hornline seems to be a little on the weak side, surprisingly enough. This may have more to do with the drumline then them, though.The show has a "Wizard of Oz" theme to it, and has some cool musical moments where elements of "the Wiz" and the "Wizard of Oz" are blended together.The guard was the strongest, and most visual of the three corps, and does a lot for the whole package. The downside? There are musical moments that are a little hard to read, and at some point the show feels like it drags a bit. Maybe too much material? Madison Scouts - As usual, Madison is putting out a fun package - particularly with "Hall of the Mountain King" Visually, there's still a lot of work to do, and they guard has a lot of work to do as well. I think a lot of people are hoping that they guard will go with a different uniform , because they really hard to see at times when they're intergrated with the rest of the corps. The big question, did they deserve the high brass and high drum title that night? In brass, I don't think so. Devils were cleaner, louder, and more in tune then Madison - at least where I was at. Other people may disagree with me, but I really belive that Devils had the best hornline last night. Percussion...well, I don't know. Madison's pit seems a lot stronger than Blue Devils right now, but I'm sure Jeff has lot of stuff to plug in still. I though BD's line was little cleaner, but I thought at times Madison has a few more beats and were a little more musical. Devils drumilne often comes off somewhat mechanically this time of year, but I'm sure they'll fix that shortly. They've got the hands, the staff, and the brauns, so it'll be interesting to see what they come up with. BD - I hate to say it, but the show doesn't do a lot for me right now. I like it better than I did in Concord, but I think it's pretty obvious that it's still a work in progress. The concept - "Juliet meets Tony" - "West Side Story meets Romeo and Juliet" is cool int theory, but I don't know if they're really playing up on ity enough right now.Is it a winner? Hard to say. It's not a strong as the last to years, but the season is still young... Well, that's my opinion, America? What's yours? I hope I haven't pissed anyone off... dan

LaPorte, IN (DCM) LaPorte IN has a very nice stadium for drum corps. Kiwanis Field has a very even grass playing field, and a tiny track puts the stands very close to the action. I'm happy to report that the attendance at this show was MUCH better than at Grand Rapids -- easily 2,500 instead of 250. There were still some empty seats available from the 25 yard lines on, but overall it was a well attended event. I'm told that this is the first time in 6 years they haven't sold out the concert side. Announcer Report: 7 out of 10 -- very enthusiastic, but got a bit on the corny side at times. Mosquito Report: Suprisingly, not too bad, considering the area and temperatures for the evening. The bugs seemed to be more interested in the stadium lights than us. The show was very heavily attended by Phantom Phans -- lots of former members, parents and relatives, and fans from the Rockford area were present. The Phantom Regiment souvie trailer was doing some serious business with the HS population in attendance, due to a clinic the Regiment put on for them. I was very lucky to see a lot of the corps two nights in a row -- once in Grand Rapids and again in LaPorte. I had a good time being able to take these shows in back-to-back and I caught a lot of stuff I wouldn't have noticed otherwise. Anyhow, onto the show, IN ORDER PERFORMED: Bandettes (19.9, 9th Place) The gals from Sault Ste. Marie Ontario had a rough show tonight. The soloist seemed to carry much better in the stadium in GR. I did take note of the percussion "line" (4 bass drums) tonight. The instructors have some very innovative and challenging things going on during their drum solo -- it's impressive what such a small number of people can do to make a drum solo interesting. Another valiant effort from the Bandettes. Phantom Legion (46.9, 7th Place) Wow! this corps has improved greatly since I saw them two weeks ago. Their percussion line is really cooking for being so small, and the colorguard uses every color flag in the book -- and uses them well. In some respects, the Legion's show is more exciting than their larger cousins. "A Symphonic Spectrum" is well arranged and uses imaginative drill, and is easily accessible to the audience. The Phantom Phans were busy cheering with every rifle toss, drum lick, and brass run and enjoying themselves. An impressive show from Phantom Legion tonight -- I think their score should have been a bit higher. Cincinnati Glory (45.8, 7th Place) This was really a toss-up between CG and Legion tonight. Both give gutsy, exciting performances. I like the opening number even better since I've heard it again -- that brass line is really doing some impressive music for their small numbers. The colorguard has some neat moments, playing with tambourines at one point, and there's a really sweet flag solo at the end of the ballad. Way to go, Glory! Good luck in the rest of your season. Capitol Sound (47.6, 5th Place) Now here's a corps that knows how to ENTERTAIN. The show has a fun "night on the town" feeling to it, and the jazzy arrangements really play to the strength of the brassline. DRUM SOLO!!! Wow! This immediately made me think of Madison's 95 solos. They're passing, spinning, rotating and all that good stuff. This got the first mid-show spontaneous ovation. I'd never seen Capitol Sound before tonight, but I'll be sure to look for them on future lineups. Go watch and enjoy this corps! INTERMISSION Kiwanis Kavaliers (54.9, 4th Place) They were MUCH improved over last night in Grand Rapids, and the crowd really enjoyed their performance. "An American in Paris" really fits well with this corps. I was a little suprised that their score wasn't higher. Nearly every section saw some improvement over last night. The brassline was crisper, the drumline tighter, and the colorguard was almost perfect tonight with their rifle and saber tosses. They're still having some brass intonation problems, but the show is progressing nicely. We're looking at a solid semi-final effort from KK so far this year -- whether or not they make finals depends upon how well they progress down the stretch. Blue Knights (71.6, 1st Place) Do you baseball and softball players know that feeling you get when you hit the sweet spot and the ball just explodes off the bat?? That's what the Blue Knights did in LaPorte. I must say, the crowd was thoroughly unprepared for the emotional and exciting performance from BK tonight, and it caught them by storm. This show is developing into a humdinger. The visual elements of the show still aren't very clean yet, but they're doing some very difficult stuff marching and playing-wise. The Shostakovich wasn't as strong as it was in Grand Rapids. The Contrabasses that start the show sounded kinda tentative tonight, but it could be chalked up to just nerves. Once the corps started their show, though, they cooked nicely. An awesome visual effect is given to the piece by the brilliant flags that just draw your attention when they're waving around. "Oh my goodness sakes" (Cesario quote), the Tchaikovsky was on FIRE. BK melds an exciting melodic tune with drill that would do the Cadets proud and a visual package that has something in the air at practically every beat in the tune. The song ends with a Z-pull of sorts that resolves to a chevron and got the crowd roaring to its feet. Then comes the "butterfly ballad", far and away my favorite moment of the night. The colorguard dons big butterfly wings (like in SCV and Glassmen 93, but prettier somehow) and one of them is hoisted by the percussion line as the brassline plays the sweetest melody... it looks like the butterfly is flying and the entire crowd goes "aaaah". I'm serious. :) Beethoven's 9th puts a wonderful cap to a show that already is impressive. It's pure drum corps throughout the last tune, with quickly evolving drill, exciting tosses, and a big finish that got this proPhantom crowd roaring to its feet to congratulate the Blue Knights on a job well done. Pioneer (56.5, 3rd Place) Pioneer had the inenvious task of having to follow up BK tonight, but they were well up to the job. I don't know why their scores are so LOW. They should be scoring well into the 60's in my book. Oh well. "Irish In Your Face" continues to improve with every showing. Pioneer really looks as if they're enjoying themselves this year, and it shows in their performance. The kevlar/mylar percussion mix is still a treat to listen too, and the visual package is steadily coming into its own. One thing though: the colorguard ladies don't spin any rifles or twirl any flags for the last couple of minutes or so. Is your show not done yet? Let's get to it Pioneer, it's almost July. Phantom Regiment (70.9) It's been a couple of weeks since I last saw Phantom, and already they've made exponential progress technically. Their brassline was clearly superior to BK tonight, and the visual package is very crisp and clean. "Music from the Eternal City" fits Phantom well, it's a shame they're not scoring so hot yet. Technically, they blew the field away with their precision. Emotionally, they feel kinda flat. This would be my single criticism of Phantom. They're like watching a well-oiled machine. Every spinning flag is perfectly in place, the brassline is loud and ringing, and the drumline is playing nicely together. But they feel, to me, kind of like robots. The emotion that oozed from them in 1996 is simply not present as of yet. For the corps that plays with trademark "passion and power" the power is there, but the passion hasn't made an appearance yet. But worry not, Phantom Phans, its only June yet and the Regiment is the king of late season surges. You'll be just fine. :) Overall, it was a very nice show here in LaPorte, and I plan on attending again next year. I'll see you all there next year, I hope. One final note: as I was leaving the stadium, I was happy to see a lot of the same HS kids that were buying Phantom merchandise before the show lining up to get BK stuff. Very cool. Congratulations to all the corps tonight. Jeremiah Peterson, Drum Corps Fan

Lynchburg, VA (DCI Atlantic) Hello. My name's Mike, I marched in a couple DCI corps in the early 80's. I am no longer involved in the activity, but I lurk in RAMD during the Summer and enjoy reading the reviews people post from shows they attend. I attended the Lynchburg, VA show last night, so I figured I might as well give back to the group. Scores have already been posted, so I'll just jump in with the comments. I'm glad I made the 3 hour drive to Liberty University to see this show. The day's heat index was about 108 or so, but around dusk the temperature fell quite a bit and the night was not bad at all for a show. This was a first year show, but you would have never known it. It was one of the best run I have been to, and it would be great to see this show back again next year. Williams Stadium has decent enough, though not perfect, acoustics for a corps show, but it is REALLY nice to be in a relatively high stadium this early in the season to get a read on drills. Also, the request was made early on in a polite way that people not enter and exit their seats during corps performances. The staff enforced this in a friendly way from what I saw and this was much appreciated by the people in aisle seats. The setting was pretty nice too. The University is nestled among a number of high hills/mountains, hence the name of the show "Seven Hills Summer Music Games". One other nice touch was the ticketing procedure. In front of the parking lot was a large grassy area where tables representing each section of the stands stood behind a large map of the stadium seating that was easy to read. Pick your section, and go up to the table to buy your seat. Sounds like a trivial thing, but it really made finding an optimum seat easy. VOLUNTEERS: Percussion seemed good for their small size. This was the only small corps of the night, the remainder of the corps having 112 or so +. Uniforms make them look like a mini Spirit of Atlanta somewhat. TARHEEL SUN: They are starting to look like a "real" drum corps. Nice crisp bright yellow jackets with the gold and orange sun on the front. Percussion sounded tight a number of times throughout the show and were the strongest section of the corps. The colorguard has taken a big step forward this year with a classy look in black and different colored fabrics hanging from the back of their waists, and they also move more maturely than last year. The brass has a lot of cleaning to do, but their fundamental technique sounds quite a bit better and less blatty than last year. They have a soprano screamer or two also who pulled the audience in. Overall yet another big step forward for Tarheel Sun this season. SPIRIT OF ATLANTA: Brass, percussion and guard all look and sound top-13 quality. Building on their step forward last year, another leap forward in quality. The only thing that will hold them back is a lack of clarity in the drill. I'm not sure if it is the drill writing or the performance, because so often a dirty drill makes perfect sense once it is cleaned, and things pop out in August that were unreadable before. This drill needs serious cleaning. The horn line sounds huge during the fresh sounding arrangement of "My Friend", and Suwanee River is engergetic and toe-tapping while remaining challenging at the same time. Precious Lord sounds lush, and would you believe the arrangement of SGB that closes the show actually sounds fresh and original? I was extremely entertained by Spirit, and the crowd reacted loudly to horn and percussion effects frequently during the show. It was exciting to watch SOA because the crowd was not reacting loudly out of nostalgia; they were reacting to the great musical performance on the field! The only thing that might keep them behind the top 13 corps is a lack of clarity in the drill. CAROLINA CROWN: This corps was the nicest surprise of the night. I had read a couple reviews saying their show was kind of listless and boring. Although their overall performance was not quite up to par with Magic, Bluecoats and Crossmen, in my very humble opinion Crown had the second best designed show of the night, behind Cadets and just ahead of Bluecoats. Percussion is already a "machine" of sorts and I found my ears often going in their direction. Watch for the opening, intriguing drill move that had me asking "Why is there so little drill being written like this in drum corps these days?" Armenian Dances was a highlight last night; the corps sounded confident and energetic starting from the first punchy, loud staccato notes to the frenzied, exciting guard work towards the end. This contest was packed with excellent colorguards, and Crown's, using dozens of colors and excellent weapon work coordinated extremely well with the musical phrases, held their own against the other excellent guards. Shows like this and Cadets, in which the designers really understand the musical phrasing in brass and percussion and enhance or contrast them with musical visual writing, are what keep me interested in drum corps still year after year. Magic Of Orlando: I have one comment: it really warmed my heart to see Magic's continually improving colorguard outfitted in tight red spandex and red sports bras on the campus of Jerry Falwell's Liberty University . C'mon people, lighten up. Doesn't anybody remember the Bridgemen's colorguard? Much more overtly sexual than Magic's guard has ever been. Drum Corps will survive Magic's tongue in cheek saloon girl look, although I think it would stand a better chance of suriviving if we got a little Bridgemen or VK irreverance back in the mix. Besides, at least last night, Magic's colorguard did some nice, fast paced flag work throughout the show with those rich red,pink, orange, yellow and whatever other color flags they were using. It's nice to see Magic's colorguard approaching the level of some of those numerous talented winter guards they have throughout the state of FL. Ok, I have another comment. This was the second earliest I have ever been able to hear the Blue Devils hornline . Ok, it wasn't through the whole show, but 3 or 4 times I closed my eyes and Magic's hornline sounded right on par with the BD crew. Wow. The opening is fairly loud, but about 45 seconds into the show they really kick in and blow the stands down. Now, on the other hand, this was another corps where lack of clarity and contrast in the first half of the drill seemed to hold them back. There are quite a few nice moments in the last half of the show, with angular and block forms providing a balance to more curvilinear forms, but most of the first half of the drill seemed like a series of amorphous blobs. Again, like with Spirit, this might just be an early season cleanliness thing. Oh, and as much as I liked Magic last night, I have to be honest: Magic got the most tepid crowd response of the eight corps. The horns and colorguard are too enjoyable for this show not to be a crowd favorite, and I noticed in other reviews the crowd really goes for this show, so I must say I suspect last night's lukewarm crowd reaction had something to do with the combination of skintight red spandex and the birthplace of the moral majority . And I am kidding about it, because overall it was a very good, appreciative crowd. BLUECOATS: The corps opened in a large field-wide block that made them look as big as their sound. The Winter section kicks the show off, and while short, the drill does some nice things along with some beautiful sounds coming out of the pit. The Spring section has some nice percussion playing and the colorguard looking like 32 or so pastel easter eggs. The big surprise was Summertime. This was probably the piece I was least looking forward to hearing this year, simply because it has been done so often. Well, the 'coats create a sultry mood with the guard, and mix quite a bit of voice work in with the instrumentation. I am not a big fan of singing in drum corps, but I think this is by far the most effective use of voice in drum corps I've heard, simply because the voices sound full and not tinny, and most interestingly because of the transitions between voice and instrumentation. The staff really did a great job of arranging this piece to sound fresh. Autumn Leaves? What can you say? Very exciting, although I think they will be adding quite a few more impact points in this closer. Already, the fluid, challenging flag work mixing the colors of red and deep brown alone makes the closer work well. Bluecoats have had a couple better drills in the past, but this one doesnt have the problems of some of the other corps at the contest. It's adequate and let's the music shine, and has some nice moments, especially towards the beginning of the show. Bluecoasts marched off to a huge crowd response. CROSSMEN: Hmmmm. I hate to do this. For the last 18 years the Crossmen have been my sentimental favorite corps. There was so much talent out on that field last night, and the members have picked up performance wise from where they left off at the end of last season. You can just feel how tough and hard working they are as performers. Each section is great, and my eyes and ears were darting back and forth from section to section watching and listening to the high performance levels of the members. We were treated to an 11 minute colorguard show with soaring phenominal weapons work and fluid musical flag work. We got an 11 minute solid brass show, highlighted by the new, real, ending to Third Wind that wasn't used in the 1991 show. You can almost hear Lyle Mays' voice as the sopranos soar. Awesome. And we got a percussion line that is an execution machine, just totally fun to kick back and watch. However, as much as I want to see my sentimental favorite corps in the thick of the title hunt, they seem to be missing that quality this year of having all the sections integrated seamlessly like they did last year. Maybe this is intentional in the design for some reason. I am just a fan who hasn't marched for 17 years, so I can only tell you how I reacted to the show. I loved it as individual performances, but I found very few times during the show that I got those goosebumps I got 20 or 30 times during the Cadets show when the visual was coordinated perfectly with the musical. Again, like with so many corps last night, lack of clarity in the drill seemed to be the main culprit in keeping those goosebump moments to a minimum. And again, that could be due to it being June rather than the design. To be honest, last year early in the season I thought Crossmen were a little dull compared to other corps, but by Orlando their's was my favorite show. Who knows? I can't imagine them being any lower than 7th or 8th though. The individual performers in the corps are just doing their jobs too well for that. On a humorous note, as the Crossmen were exiting, the announcer said, "If you would like to join a DCI corps this Summer, the Crossmen have two positions available, a soprano spot and a contrabass spot. If you are interested, please report to the Bluecoats souvenir stand." CADETS OF BERGEN COUNTY: Last up and definitely worth the wait. I think that all the people who were seeing this show in small stadiums during the last week and said this is the "same old, same old" Cadets need to see this higher up like we luckily were able to in Williams Stadium last night. This is my favorite Cadets show since 1987. The show starts out with the corps in 4 curvilinear "s" forms extending out from a center. A powerful, eerie mood is set immediately by the musicians on the left and builds with strangely appealing dissonance until it is handed over to a small ensemble on the right. The effect is chilling, and only one of dozens of almost perfect transitions that keep the audience involved from start to finish. There was such a blaze of action during the 11 minutes that I am just going to list what is in my memory from the show and hope that I keep it in the right order. The two toned red uniforms of the guard work set a visual mood that was exciting, dark, aggressive and mysterious just like the music. There were two ballad like moments in the show that were performed with so much emotion and execution at the same time that you almost felt like you were flying. Sounds corny, but any drum corps fan knows how special a moment like that is. There was one moment, at the end of the third section I think, where the music and visual just kept building - the guard was framing the field on the back and right sidelines and doing fast, odd-metered, sequential but simple flag work with green/blue (?) flags I think, while the hornline was in a fast paced drill with squads flying all over and around eachother. If I remeber right, then the colorguard came forward, the musicians' drill resolved into a relatively simple form, but everytime you thought the music was finished it kept extending and building tension until the end. When the section finally stopped, a number of people in the audience leapt to their feet spontaneously and cheered loudly. I can't say enough about how much I appreciate when a show's musical and visual programs match this well. It is truly what makes drum corps unique. The Cadets received the loudest crowd reaction of the evening, with Spirit and Bluecoats being up there in crowd response as well. Well, back to lurk mode, but like I said, I appreciate reading the reviews of corps from other areas of the country, and figured I'd give something back. Enjoy the rest of the season. Mike

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