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Sunday July 5

Moorpark, CA (DCI Pacific) I have to say that it was with great pleasure to have enjoyed a night of drum corp - seems like it has been forever! I have to say that I am sorry for most of the drum corp community that will not get a chance to see Pacific Crest on the field - they have grown to be a corp of stature -- and I only hope some day that all of the drum corp family gets a chance to enjoy this fine corp. Although they did win tonight, I want to commend the Mandarins on a vey fine production - I say productuon because the annoucer went on and on about the meaning of thier show, sadly the crowd was loud and could not hear all of it. The show itself is FANTASTIC - I can only imagine the strenght it will have by finals - looks like another strong year for them at the present. As for the SCV and BD - well, once SCV cleans itself up to catch up with the BRASS and PERCUSSION ability -- watch out -- what a drill and what a sound --- some really wailing going on there - the guard is beyond belief - another power house heading to Orlando! BD - I found myself lost in the music - at times to ME it sounded quite muddled - never really grab me - drill was really clean with out a doubt -- a Blue Devil drill clean as ever. I noticed that James Gulke the DM wears his Championship rings over his gloves -- How nice to see that kind of pride directing the corp - not to mention seeing him back on podium. I did see Jack Bevins at the show -- he was out on the field when Pacific Crest was on - thought of VK came to mind and the the GREAT LOSS - if only perhaps Jack stayed with them -- then again with VK it is a lot IF'S. I look foreward to going to DCM finals next week!!! DRUM CORP is GREAT!!!! Scott Miller in So. Ca.

Cliffton, NJ (DCI Atlantic) Boy, I thought I was fanatical! Getting earlier than usual, I hoped to knock off a review of the Clifton show for these interested parties, only to find out there were already five postings. Don't you people go to bed at night? Anyway, the only thing I can promise you is that my will be longer, so be forewarned. Remember, though, these represent my reactions. You are also allowed to have yours. SUNRISERS - This is my third viewing of their Russian show this year. Generally speaking, I was impressed with the improvement of the entire organization. The guard seemed to have improved the most and demonstrated a comfort in their performance, especially in the dance, on sabre and on rifle. The drum line dominated in the balance (a contradiction in terms, intentionally) possibly due to their growing confidence and influence of Bob Beadie (sic? - that means I am not sure of the spelling, not that he is unstable). Hopefully, they will not become such a dominant section that they impact negatively on the over-all musicality. "Festive Overture" still has the segregated stage right guard feature that does not seem to complement the counter-flowing horn line with the drum line on stage left. The horn line had a very pleasing blend that is the trademark of a Rich Guillium product, which was not the case when I saw them in Bridgeport. Most of their unreasonable step-size was eliminated or mastered except for one evident back-up into their wheel-arounds (affectionately referred to as dosie-do's). "Russian Sailor's Dance" has a nice musical run in it, possibly a YEA requirement, but it does reflect the virtuosity of the players. The transition to rifles had a questionable placement in the musical phrasing, but the guard was impressive once again as they were previously on sabre and in their dance. Sun is rising. US MARINES - With 49 horns ( 1 black - an AWOL?), 7 snares, 4 tenors, 4 bass 1 pit and 1 female, this is a corps that everyone should see once. Maybe that will be enough. There were a number of negatives is their productions were there, although they still had an entertainment value. The opener, "American Overture", was representative of the problem I had with the entire show. It was played mechanically. The phrases lacked shaping and the subtleties of dynamics were not persued. The Truman Crawford (the King Midas of the Chicago Royalaires and the last survivor of the Civil War) arrangements had a very block-like construction that took away from the sensitivities that were intended in the original scores. Visually, I had some problem with their individual marching and the designs. Design-wise, they often relied upon sectional blocks of a "C" curvilinear to initiate and evolution or develop to it. After a while, this became redundant. Individual technique did not involve a toe tip. The foot almost was flat-footed as it met the ground. This coincides with their posture demands, but it conflicts with my years of drum corps conditioning. The technique was consistent throughout the corps, so the degree of training was evident. By the second number, "En Sueno", I was aware that they remained within the thirty yard lines. Backfield playing without a conductor was impressive. This number exhibited some of their strong soloists, as did the next number, "Colors of the Wind." This number also had a pretty bari soli with the mellowness enhanced by playing it to the zero yard line. Of course, the final number was "Stars and Stripes." NORTHERN LIGHTS - Those far west drum corps people better get with it. Don't knock these youth bands. They may be the future! All the way from the state of Washington, this 96 wind, 15 percussion, 9 pit band was a welcome addition to this show. Sure, there was some heavy reliance on yard markers and some follow-the leader drills, but they did a legitimate show that displayed a creativity that surpassed some drum corps. And I should mention the guard was quite supportive, right from their opening dance statement. With a band this big, it might be hard to coordinate all of the elements so that there are not problems. An example was a number of rotating and expanding boxes that required impossible step sizes. The biggest problem I had was with the staging of the reeds. A band is not a drum corps and they should not try to sound like them. Often the reeds' staging was subordinated by the brass, thereby never getting the textures unique to a band. The saxes usually double brass parts, either mellophones, baritones or tubas, but they were not staged with their common parts. I was surprised they used no piccolo flutes to help cut through. They were a pleasant surprise, but let's get to the show. JERSEY SURF - 34 horns, 5 snare, 3 tenors, 6 bass, 6 cymbals, 18 guard. The recycled Kirshner/Muchachos "Pictures of Spain" lacked the brightness of the original. This may be due to different scoring or the lack of the strong leads of yesteryear. The rest of the show involved a combination of Chick Corea/ Sandoval charts called "Spanish Fantasy." The percussion line's tone seemed deeper than the norm which helps the ensemble sound. The six bass drums are an asset as they are tastefully scored. The guard's transitions and evolutions through the corps was a plus, especially in their second number. This positive effect is magnified by the always dramatic selection of colors and designs in the equipment, guard uniform and corps uniforms. The sopranos suffered some serious straining as the show evolved, especially the upper voices. This may be resolved as they become more seasoned. It is quite commendable what this corps can accomplish with only week end commitments. It worked years ago, and Surf is proving it still can. Sixth - 50.5 LES ETOILES - 27 horns, 7 multi, 6 bass, 13 guard. It was relieving to find the rumor of the corps' demise was greatly exaggerated. It is obvious they had a significant turn-out and not completely successful recruiting efforts. The music was from "The Rock" and "Dante's Peak." The melody line was often lost due to the weakness of the seven sopranos. If they had to punch out a note or two, they were able to. Other than that, they lacked the projection. The percussion line was used in a creative manner. I believe the multi-drums had two different tenor voices, three of one set and four of the other. These were then replaced for the latter part of the show with seven snares. It was an interesting way to utilize the thirteen drummers, having two large section, rather than three average at the most. After a while, the basses became too apparent in the on-going ensemble sound. The soft ending was a pleasant change. Seventh - 57.0. BOSTON CRUSADERS - At first I was up-lifted when I heard Boston was going to play an entire show I could recognize - "Seahawk", Captain of Castille" and "Conquest." Then, I was disappointed when I saw the performance problems the corps had. Finally, the roller coaster took an up-swing when a member explained to me their season was just starting (not having toured like the others). He was confident that they will be where they have to be when they have to be there. 51 horns, 7 snares, 4 tenors, 5 bass, 5 cymbals. "Seahawk" is nicely written visually in that rarely does it ask a member to extend himself to make the dot. This should allow the concentration to be placed more-so on the playing. What I cannot fathom is why corps corps has so many posture problems and elbow variations. Even if they are just starting tour, they should have mastered these basic requirements during the winter. "Captain of Castille" had a mellow bari feature. Conquest still works, but repeating the same melody line does get tiring after a while. The sopranos in their staccato attacks were more evident than in the opener. Not feeling their contribution previously could have been the scoring of the lack of strong players. I don't know. The guard also was a question mark. The performance level is on the lower end of the spectrum. Sometimes, the rifles do the typical WGI split-the-section-into-three-parts-and have them do different work so the audience can't tell if they are together. The design evolution for "Conquest" had an element of the traditional in it also. Two separate fronts meet on the fifty, then alternate people split into two fronts moving towards the zero. These change into two diamonds, then into a front, then into a large floating block. Simple but effective. Boston will stabilize their fan with this show. They know how to get ready. Sixth - 59.6. SPIRIT OF ATLANTA - 55 horns, 7 snares, 5 tenors, 5 bass, 4 cymbals. This is one serious drum corps. The opening statement of "My Friend" first swing it and then plaster the audience with sound. Time and again the mellophones kept cutting through with their power. This was followed by Way Down Upon the Swanee River". The guard wore attractive burgundy suits (hardly uniforms) but I rarely got involved in their contribution. It wasn't because of their staging. Obviously, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord", is intended to be a pretty ballad, but this is one of Spirit's weaknesses: they do not do "pretty." The dynamics have to come down more. The beginning of "Sweet Georgia Brown" was a pleasant listen-by-the numbers construction musically: a contra intro, then a trade-off the the baris, then the mellos. Each section was in a separate module to facilitate location of sound. The first park and blow was quite emotional but the second was less impressive. This may be when they had the sopranos staged behind the drum line or they were getting tired. The endurance was not there for the corps in the "Swanee" reprise, except for the mellophones who were just getting warmed up. Yes, Spirit is back and they are healthy. Can they keep improving??? Fourth - 65. KIWANIS KAVALIERS - 41 horns, 6 snares, 3 tenors, 5 bass. Three new horns waited on the sidelines, then two more joined them, finally all went in. This was a logical and inoffensive why to get new people into the show. "American in Paris" - The all black-uniformed corps looked small. The three section guard was staged nicely and didn't compete against each other for the focus. The sabres and rifles interacted nicely in the standard "AP" choreography, but the flag line may have been too subordinated. I would conclude Lenny Quasecci (sic) may not be coordinating this show. It is so less dramatic than last year's "Evita". The mustard skirts and purple blouses must have been purchased at a close-out sale. Some of the transitions for equipment switches were too protracted. Maybe I was tired watching. Maybe I am tired writing. Maybe they were tired. I thought Boston would beat them. Fifth -60.2. MAGIC - Lotta horns, 8 snares, 4 tenors, 5 bass, 9 pit, 24 guard. What is predictable about Magic is that they are unpredictable. Ergo: "Muddy Waters Blues" a la "God Bless the Child", "St Louis Woman', "Willow Weep for Me' and "House of the Rising Sun." Right off, Magic won the volume award of the night. They established that within their first thirty seconds. The guard is always pushing the envelop in outlandishness and they are continuing that this season. They are in variations of a garish red costume, but each person wears one that complies with her comfort level. I believe their second number had a nice musical syntax: a contra intro, then mello melody, then bari/sop statement/answer, then bari/mello statement answer. Even I could follow that. Their weakness might be design. The box is over-used, as are clusters and free forms. By the time they got to their percussion feature, I was uninterested in the corps ' evolution. "House" had superior staging of the contras so that the bottom permeated throughout the piece with good mellophone contribution. Possibly, the sopranos got tired here. And the ending: well, it just did...somehow or someway. Third - 70.7. CROSSMEN - 51 horns, 5 snares, 7 tenors 4 bass, 4 cymbals, 35 guard. This is the best prepared I ever saw the Crossmen. I guess YEA has really helped them. This was the largest guard of the night and they more than carried their responsibilities. The torquise tops contrast nicely with the corps uniform (which I am wondering if they are ready for a design change). Their dance section was well written and performed. The drum line had a unique set up of two different (I believe) set of voices in the tenors. Also, the drum line in support of the horns is split up in a very unique way, which also includes the bass drums splitting. The contra section was the most impressive one of the evening. They could be heard in the next county. Often they were staged on the back hash and they cut through with no problem. "First Circle" started with two circles, then another circle, then a sphere (which is like a circle filled in). After a while I got it! The guard used arced poles (which is part of a circle, get it?). Ability to control them may preclude them from ever doing a unison move. Crossmen are reaching that next level, but we may be talking about the infra-structure. Second - 75.0. CADETS - 54 horns (7 not in the first set?), 8 snares, 4 tenors, 5 bass, 30 guard. The most striking thing about their show for me was their utilization of the guard and their selection of colors. The guard is in scarlet uniforms and use a sage green flag to start the show, then maybe a yellow, then blue, then green, then scarlet with a sage green stripe. It is not only the colors, but how the colors are introduced. They have mastered the art of switches. Some things are back visually. The growing, rotating box for one. There is also the usual musical sequential entrances in a number with the corresponding initiation of the movement for that section. The drum line offers a simple but effective back-to-the-audience backdrop when they are tacit during the chorale. The music? It was OK. First - 82.7. BONUS - If you ever get a chance, experience getting your face blown off by the one hundred-plus combined Crossmen/Cadets hornlines why they play Lay Your Boogy Down." The requirement is that you have to be within twenty feet of them. It is worth the price of a ticket. Ron Clark It was a wonderful day for drum corps in clifton today. The area around the stadium was full of people for the anual Clifton Picnic and fireworks. The stadium was full to about the 10's.. I was seated on the 43 yard line, 26 rows up. Also, I didn't take any notes so if I get anything mixed up, I'm sorry. No harm intended. First the exhibitions... #1 Sunrisers A very entertaining show of classic russian drum corps pieces although there is certiainly plenty of cleaning to do. The sound is there and the drill is there but neither are clean. Many points where brass players are sticking out and where the percussion line aren't quite together. #2 Marines D&BC What can you say about these guys, they march a perfect show every time and I still can't figure out how they play for half and hour. #3 Northern Lights Summer Band Not a drum corps but still a good show. Very enjoyable version of First Circle. Now onto the competing corps... #1 Jersey Surf. 50.5 8th place A strong Div II show and very enjoyable. Still several sloppy parts and the finally needs a good deal of work but this is to be expected. Look for these guys to be in the thick of things come the Div II finals. #2 Les Etoiles 57.0 7th place I have to admit, parts of this lost me. The show is obviously not finished but the parts that are still need a lot of work. Also, the program listed them as marching 42 brass but I only counted 25 on the field. Also, at no point was there a full battery on the field (snare, tenor, bass). The first half of the show they marched 7 tenors and 7 basses and the 2nd half of the show they marched 7 snares and 7 basses. I didn't quite understand what that was trying to accomplish. #3 Spirit of Atlanta 65.0 4th place Spirt really does have a strong 'Spirit' type show going. the music is upbeat and wonderful and the new uniforms are very nice. This was the first corps that really managed to grab the crowd. They have a wonderful sound and produced the 2nd most sound (with magic with the most). Look for them to be close to the top 12. Another good step forward as this corps makes its come back. #4 Boston Crusaders 59.6 6th place Boston seems to have a much stronger corps from last year but is still lacking the power to get them over the hump. They're musical program was strong and myself and my friends expected them be placed over Kiwanis. The music really does suit them keeping in the Boston motif of late. Last movement was sloppy and there was still some guard work missing. I thought there score was low. #5 Kiwanis Kavaliers 60.2 5th place I really was disapointed with this show after was Kiwanis put on the field last year. the guard was very very incomplete and the music was sloppy. I was very surprised that they placed as high as they did at this point, although improvement is a guarantee... #6 Magic of Orlando 70.7 3rd place Wow, what a horn line. I was shocked with the quality of magic's sound and the quantitiy. They definity put out the most wound of the night. Percussion line was solid as well. Soloist were excellent... I personally loved the mutted sopranos. Really made a great effect. My second favoite show of the night and I expected them to be much closer to the crossmen. #7 Crossmen 75.0 2nd place My first reaction after this show was that it was flat. It didn't have the same punch that last year had. The Crossmen at Clifton last year seems to have more emotion in it than the Crossmen that performed today. If they can find that spark they'll have a chance of staying in the top 6, but with the success of the cavaliers and glassmen in the midwest, I think they'll have to fight to get there. #8 Cadets of Bergen County 82.7 1st place There's nothing that can ever be put into words to describe a Cadets show... Its great at the moment but damnit I wish I could remember the music...But still I loved this show. Both musically and visually much cleaner than at this point last year. If they don't win it this year than they never will again... Enough said.. WOW! The show finished off with a joint Cadets/Crossmen finale including several nice classical pieces and an In Your Face Jazz piece that the corps screamed. Great fun for everybody. All in all, a great show as always.. can't wait to see the corps later in the year at Giants Stadium and Allentown. Michael Del Corso I just returned from the Clifton, NJ show, sponsored by the Cadets. All in all, a very good show. First in exhibition were the Sunrisers. For a smallish corps, these guys put out a big sound. Their show is extremely challenging: Russian music. I haven't been to many Senior shows lately, but this seems among the more difficult repetoires I can remember; this book would be challenging for a DCI corps with the luxury of much more rehearsal time. The choice of guard outfits was, shall we say, unfortunate. Next were the USMC D&B Corps. I saw these guys last year and was not impressed. Either I had a terrible vantage point back then, I was temporarily insane, or these guys have improved tremendously. They did a good job without the benefit of color guard, performing both patriotic standards as well as more contemporaty charts. Very enjoyable and well received. Next were the Northern Lights Youth Band. This was scary. Woodwinds all over the place, amplification, and a cast of thousands (well, a slight exaggeration.) In other words, a look into a nightmarish future. These guys sounded good; I saw them from field level so I don't know what their drill was like. They did First Circle as their entire show. Let the competition begin.....I'd seen Jersey Surf last week and commented that they seemed to have a show that was beyond their abilities. It's early, but it still seems that way. They've proven similar comments wrong in the past; hopefully they'll hose/clean stuff as the season progresses to prove me wrong again. This was my first exposure to Les Etoiles this season. It was good to see them given the rumors I'd read about on RAMD regarding their demise. They're smaller than last year; I didn't count, but I'd guess about 25 horns. The music wasn't especially memorable, but the corps did an OK job with it. No percussion gimmick this year, though. I'd like to see this group pick up more horns as the season progresses, otherwise, they'll have trouble matching last year's finish. Spirit of Atlanta fared well tonight. I love this show from a musical standpoint, but they don't do a whole lot visually. The guard uses crosses as props during one of their numbers; not to be blasphemous, but I thought it made the field look like a cemetery. There's a lot of upside potential with this show, most of it visual. Boston was next. Disclaimer: I don't usually like the Crusaders. Their Metheny show of a couple years ago was an exception, but everyone ELSE hated that one :-) Still, this show was entertaining. The corps is doing a good job of selling this show, which is more than many groups can say this early in the season. I don't know if this show is top 12 material, and since I haven't seen most of the competition yet it would be unfair to even guess. It has the potential to be good, though. Kiwanis' theme this year is An American In Paris. It's a very entertaining show which probably should have scored a few points higher. Again, a difficult show that, once cleaned, will be very nice musically. Magic really impressed me, once again. This is, I think, the most difficult musical book I've heard from this corps. Quite a few juicy spots. I didn't see the same degree of difficulty in the visual show. Crossmen once again wowed the crowd. This show is starting to grow on me. I still think it's somewhat repetitious, but the Xmen are doing well with it. They'll have a difficult time living up to last year's show, which was (to borrow an overused adjective) electric. Cadets rounded out the show. This is another show which is growing on me, but I really dislike the slow beginning. The corps showed significant improvement over last week and I can't wait to see them later in the season. This is my last show until the Meadowlands about a month from now. It'll be interesting to see how corps mature over that period. Mike Furey I always enjoy checking out show reviews that others write, so I figured I'd throw my two cents in. I must mention that I'm no drum corp person--never marched in the activity or anything lke that--so my views come strictly as a happy fan sitting in the stands. First, let me mention that I was going to bring my nephew to the show, but he couldn't make it at the last minute. So what to do with the extra ticket already purchased? Well, after being mocked by several of my friends ("You're actually going to see marching bands, you LOSER?"), i knew they were a lost cause. My mother whined, "I can't sit outside in the sun!" So, I went alone, had a GREAT time, and I'm still shaking my head that no one I knew would take a free ticket to see some of the best in DCI (time for new friends?) Anyway, Clifton was great again this year, weather perfect, my seats nice and high near the press box, and the stadium appeared near capacity. Here's the show: Exhibition-- Three units played in exhibition. The US Marine DB Corps of course had no color guard, but they played very well. Just when you thought they were done, they put on a second show. The crowd seemed to particularly like their 'Stars & Stripes Forever," all the patriotic folks around me were waving their little American flags and feeling all warm and fuzzy. Sunrisers--they started early so I missed their show. I could hear them as I walked in and they were playing some Russian themed music that SCV did in the 80's. Nothern Lights--surprised to see what looked like a big high school band at a drum corps show. Is DCI trying to hint at something (here come the flutes and saxophones!) JERSEY SURF--50.5 Their show seemed a bit sloppy, but the program says this unit only plays on weekends so I guess they did okay. They played some Latin jazz numbers that could be really rocking after a few more weeks of practice. LES ETOILES--57.0 This was the first group to show off what seems to be the theme of 1998--bright neon flags. They looked really tiny, but they worked really hard to sell their show of some movie music i never heard. The Clifton crowd would not be taken in--even during the obvious GE moments, the crowd sat on their hands. Seemed a bit mean to me, as they were out their trying like everone else. The show ended a bit abruptly and didn't seem finished. Snickered a bit at the color guard uniforms--sleeveless shirts and those tiger print pants guys used to wear to the gym aroun 1990. BOSTON--59.6 This was a decent show for this group, but of course still needs work. They managed to draw an audible gasp from the crowd when they formed a company front and banged out some loud tight notes. The end number was the most interesting and ended with a quick little run into a triangle. KIWANIS--60.2 "American in Paris" was familiar and more enjoyable to me than last year's sappy "Evita." Oddly, I don't recall any big drum breaks at all during the show, but I could be wrong. I suppose there's a theme in there somewhere (guard member strolling along with a suitcase), but it's not fully there yet. There was a park & blow moment w/some guard members clapping, looking for audience participation, but Clifton did not ant to give it up for them either. Perhaps 4th of July is a tough show for a CANADIAN corps. SPIRIT OF ATLANTA--65 The crowd seemed to enjoy this one a lot. Their brass was loud and quite entertaining. I was amused that the program described the color guard as "young southern beauties." (not very PC). But, oh they were! The show started with these beauties slinking out from behind the horn members--there was something really sexy about it! They middle of the show features an intersting visual of wooden crosses held up by the young beauties, and the show ended with a quick drill and more great jazz. This group is certainly back in a big way. MAGIC OF ORLANDO--70.7 They lined up in the end zone and marched out in the shape of a big "M." It's too bad no one could see it, as the stadium wasn't really high enough to get the full effect. Their color guard costumes reminded me of bordello prostitutes, red and gaudy looking, some with black fish net? Interesting. i wasn't particularly excited about their total visual program, but their horn line was spectacular. LOUD and crisp with lots of notes. At the beginning, they played an extraordinary sudden crescendo that blew a breeze into the audience! I never heard anything like that. Awesome, awesome brass performers that will KILL by the time Finals week arrives. CROSSMEN--75.0 Another well performed show by these guys, but not really the phenomenon of last year just yet. The color guard absolutely dominates here, with tosses so numerous and high in the air that you have to respect the fact that they don't play it safe. I liked last year's show a lot, but at Clifton I didn't ever think Top 6, so I'd say they still aare in the hunt. CADETS OF BERGEN COUNTY--82.7 They repainted the field lines for their entrance (such gracious hosts!), but no one does drill like they do so i suppose they need it. They marched out really S L O W and looked a lot like the marine band from earlier. And my did their uniforms look crisp and clean! Program is "Stonehenge," and I half expected them to cart out a replica of the monument (they built a whole town in 1995, after all), but the Cadets are not or the gimmicks this year. Everything was well played and visually stunning. The music wasn't half as psychotic as last year, but it was fast and demanding as usual. Drumline was the best of the night. Color guard was furious again, but I didn't care for the blood-red uniforms (looked like DRESSES on the guys). They ended with that tight block again with the brass running like maniacs, but it didn't seem nearly as visually clear or musically perky as last year. The block pulls out into a giant "X" and the guard tosses their rifles right into the clouds and catches on the final note. Boy, this show could be something in August (although it seemed to overall lack some energy and spark today, so I wasn't suprised their score slipped a bit). These are my humble views. I'd like to add that I picked up last year's Blue Devils/Cadet CD and it's a fantastic recording. It's in my car for when I'm driving around with my drum corp-bashing friends--I'LL MAKE FANS OUT OF THEM YET! Jason Petteway

Michigan City, IN (DCM) Once again, another glorious night (mid- to hi- 70s) for drum corps and this time the venue is Michigan City, Indiana. And let me tell you, the site of the show, Ames Field, is one of the nicest stadiums I’ve ever seen for its size. The natural turf was in fantastic condition and cut low. Outside of the big college and professional stadiums, this is the best I’ve ever seen for a drum corps show. Attendance was pretty strong with stands full between the 20s. I sat 18 rows up at about the 35 yard line. As I mentioned in a previous post I thought this show would be very telling in that it would be the first time that Madison has gone up against the best in the Midwest (Cavies and Glassmen) after spending their early season out in California. I’ll save any conclusions for the end of this review. Bandettes - This all-girl Canadian corps has made tremendous improvements in the two weeks since I saw them in Waukesha with the visual and marching advances exceeding the gains in music. They did a decent job with the percussion feature and there’s a nice mellophone solo in the subsequent number. The guard is still sitting out quite a bit in the middle of the show. All in all, these young women are improving and really seem to be enjoying themselves out on the field. Keep up the good work. Cincinnati Glory - My first time seeing this unit and they were quite enjoyable. Music includes “Ben Hur” as well as a piece from “Sinbad”(??). The tempo either drags or speeds up at times, probably due to a lack of familiarity with the music. That should improve as the summer rolls on. The guard seems to have some talent, but the big visual effect consists of these six or seven pyramid structures which I hope are still under construction. We may be talking about them like we did with the Glassmen’s ladders last year. The drum line is loud and at times, especially during the closer, they take over destroying any balance they may have had with the horns. In light of the off-season and early season problems organizational problems, Glory has rebounded nicely with a show that when it is completed and cleaned should be quite entertaining. The Coachmen, Grand Rapids, MI - Presenting “The Civil War To Come” this very small unit (10 brass/8 perc/4 CG/1DM) had a nice balanced sound. At one point they used chains which had an interesting impact on the show: I guess representing the chains of oppression. The closer, “America,” was the highlight of the show. Really wish this group was about two to three times bigger, but they are what they are, and did a nice job this evening. Capital Sound, Madison, WI - Presenting "Big Band" jazz numbers from the first half of this century, Capital Sound reminded me very much of a Sr. Corps. Producing a mature sound, they had some fun symmetrical drill moments bringing back memories of drum corps in the 60s and 70s. And being from Madison, they have obviously been influenced by the Scouts, especially with all the movement in the battery during the percussion feature. Overall, this was a fun and very entertaining show. Madison Scouts - This was my first time with Madison this year, and boy do I want to spend more time with them. Wow, what a show!! The opener brings huge sound from the horns, especially the sops, a drill highlighted by the signature fleur des lis (sp?), the guard dressed in the same unis as the rest of the corps, and 12 snares. Subsequently, the CG changes outfits and at one point nine tenors appear. This show is typical Madison, but there’s a touch of elegance this year which I really find appealing. Now don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of testosterone, but the overall musical presentation, IMO, is much more balanced and nuanced. And with the guard dressed in white, it softens the hard edges, especially when compared to the swashbuckling nature of last year’s show. The only problem I saw with Madison is the inconsistent use of the guard (which seemed to have a lot of drops this evening): at times they are so well integrated into the show you barely know they are there (during opener when they are dressed in the same unis as the rest of the corps) and thus they don’t seem to be adding anything. At other times they seem so separated from the rest of the corps you either forget about them and/or they’re a distraction from what’s going on elsewhere with the corps. Overall, the guard and the use of the guard is fantastic, but IMO their use is inconsistent ( it will be interesting to see the visual GE and ensemble caption scores). This problem aside, Madison has a great show this year which I enjoyed thoroughly. Glassmen, Toledo, OH - This is the third time I’ve seen them and I still enjoy this show “Dreams of Gold” quite a bit. This evening there seemed to be a lot of problems with spacing, but the guard had a good night, and the percussion was again on fire. While this performance wasn’t necessarily flat, the corps lacked that spark when I saw them in Toledo and Waukesha. If they expect to win next week at DCM championships, a clean and emotional show will be needed. Cavaliers - This show has really come together nicely since I saw them a month ago in Toledo where they played the last 3-4 minutes standing in a block formation. The visual program is quite strong IMO with really effective use of the CG and the flag designs. The closer, “Machine,” is a powerhouse featuring a variety of cymbals being played by a portion of the guard and a fast-paced drill. It’s very impressive and effective. Thoughts and observations: - I was in full agreement with the placements, but somewhat surprised that the Cavaliers were as close to Madison as they were. Can’t wait to dissect the recaps. - DCM Championships next week are completely up in the air. While it looks like a battle between Cavies and Madison, don’t count out PR or the Glassmen. - Based on what I saw at this show and last week on the East Coast in Elkton, I think Cadets of Bergen County are about 2-3 points better than Madison and thus are about even with BD and SCV at this point in the season. The folks at Michigan City High School should be very proud of a great show at a great location. Next Stop: DCM Championships in DeKalb, IL at the Northern Illinois University’s Huskie Stadium. Michael Pleasants Overland H.S. Marching Scots - Aurora, CO Percussion (Bells-'80; Tenor-'81; Snare-'83) Drum Major - '82 OK, I've gotten some sleep and I've gone to my class, so now it's time to give my review of the Michigan City show... the scores have already been posted, so I'll skip that. Stadium Report: Ames Field in Michigan City is far and away the best stadium I've been in yet this summer... the natural grass turf looks like a putting green, it's so short and smooth. The stadium has very high, sloping stands and no track, putting the crowd practically down the horns' throats. Sold out show tonight. Several thousand in attendance. Congratulations to the show promoters for getting the word out. Hot Dog Report: 9 out of 10. Yum Yum. Anyways, the corps. Bandettes (7th Place, 23.7) The ladies from Ontario are coming along nicely. A couple of horns have been added, and it shows in their sound output. The corps has a bigger presence on the field that they didn't have a couple of weeks ago. The percussion section (4 bass drums) continues to retool their show and the difficulty level is steadily rising. And congratulations to the soloists! Your emotion and intensity was much appreciated. Coachmen (6th Place, 38.5) The Coachmen are really starting to make some noise. For such a small hornline, they project like they have twice their number on the field. The Coachmen have added an extra colorguard member, bringing their number to 4. The added member really helps out the show -- they look like an ensemble now instead of an afterthought. Congratulations to the Coachmen to a fine 1998 season. Cincinnati Glory (5th Place, 48.6) PVC PIPES!!!! When they bring out their pyramid/jungle gym conraptions, you'll immediately think it's the Glassmen's Cadet Corps :) but it's not. Cincinnati Glory has added PVC pipe pyramids to their show and the visual effect is much improved. So is the hornline! Wow, for a Division III corps, this ensemble can pack a punch. The visual show has added a lot of bells and whistles in the last few days that brings up the excitement level a couple of notches. The retooled show and the ever-present drumline helps bring the entire corps to a new level.... Watch out Phantom Legion, Glory may have your number now. Capital Sound (4th Place, 56.6) Impressive is definetly a word one would use when describing Capitol Sound this year. They are looking more and more like an Open Class corps with every viewing. The big ballsy jazz sound coming from the hornline is intense and exciting, but the real treat of the show comes with the Drum Solo. The drums are rotating, spinning, marching in and around one another, and GROOVING. Loud ovations to their drumline this year. And the visual program is a hoot with the ladies dancing with mannequins in tuxedos. I hereby christen this part of the show "the mannequin tango." I like it. :) Glassmen (3rd Place, 77.1) Well, I was seated directly in the center of the Official Glassmen Parent and Relative Section, so I had no choice but to love them or I would have been badly injured. :D Luckily, the Glassmen are so impressive this year that I didn't need to be forced to like them. This corps from Toledo has made great strides in the last couple of years and look seriously ready to challenge the upper echelon of corps. They are playing the music of Alexander Borodin, a composer whose music I'm not too familiar with, but the show is still accessible and entertaining for the fans. The brassline holds its own against the other midwest corps, but it's the drumline that's propelling this corps into the stratosphere. I can see now why you've won all those percussion captions! I was a little alarmed that the Glassmen were scored 2 points lower than the Scouts and Cavaliers -- I had it at around a point. The only thing seperating them from the other corps is their drill and visual program, which seems just a touch simpler than the others. But I'm not putting it down, the show is still leaps and bounds more difficult than anything the Glassmen have attempted before. Some retooling and cleaning this week could put this corps in contention for DCM Finals in DeKalb. At any rate, congratulations to the Glassmen for a stellar season so far. Cavaliers (2nd Place, 79.6) What a wonderful show the Cavies have put together for their 50th Anniversary. This production takes all of the fun stuff from previous Cavie seasons and shoves them all in one show. The drill is vintage Cavies -- rotating and morphing geometric shapes galore, plus the whiplash dragon towards the end of the show. The brassline and percussion section, as well as the colorguard, were very impressive for this stage in the summer. They're projecting superbly and are technically clean, with only the occasional bump or squeak. The closer, "Machine", is the real gem in this show. It's a hard, driving, percussive piece in which half of the colorguard dons cymbals and castanets and bangs them appropriately at points in the show -- it packs a punch that was unparalleled this evening. Madison edged the Cavaliers with the sheer power and excitement in their show, but I think the Cavies can take the Scouts down the stretch as they clean their show. I'm thinking Cavaliers, Top 3. What a way to spend your 50th Anniversary. Madison Scouts (1st Place 79.6) Boy, where do I start? The Scouts are an absolute thrill for the umpteenth year in a row -- just sheer power and excitement yet again. What suprised me about them this year was their enthralling, imagintative drill. At one point in the show, the soprano section, in a circle, "rolls" along the rest of the hornline. (Kind of like a beach ball rolling along the waves) That's the best I can describe it. It's really cool. And the rest of their drill rivals the Cavies in complexity. I'll be interested in the visual and GE scores they gain as their show progresses. The brassline is the usual -- strong enough to peel the paint off the stands. Their victory concert tonight was a treat -- my ears still hurt. The crowd leapt to their feet at the close of the show to give the Scouts a well-deserved ovation. Cool moment: The Scouts, after watching the Glassmen and Cavies, loudly applauded and cheered for both corps as they trooped by the end zone. I thought that was pretty cool. We missed you last month, Madison: welcome back. In review, I thought all three of the open class corps were absolutely thrilling tonight. The Cavies and Madison are going to have a heck of a tussle on their hands come Finals night in DeKalb, and the Glassmen can make it a three-corps party with a solid effort this week. And Division III is starting to heat up now too, with Phantom Legion and Cincinnati Glory neck and neck down the stretch. All you going to Dekalb are going to see a good show. Some other thoughts: for all of you who have to shush loud band kids during a show, I thought I should tell you that I had to ask a 70 year old woman behind me to stop loudly telling her brother about family problems and be quiet. :) I guess it takes all types at a drum corps show. OK, my next show is Port Huron on the 17th. My first time seeing the Cadets -- I'm so pumped! And if any of you see a 20-ish kid wearing the only black Michigan State Hat you'll ever see. (black with a white block S -- I'm in mourning because our football team is inert) Do come and say hi to me and tell me what you think of my reviews -- I can take it. I think. :) Jeremiah Peterson Drum Corps Fan I recently attended the Michigan City, Indiana show on July 5th. Let me start by saying that this is one beautiful stadium. If you are even close to Michigan City, you must attend the next show on July 18th. The great thing about it, in addition to it being a beautiful stadium, is that there is no track which puts the field right up next to the stands. Because of this, it was the loudest show I've been to in the last 22 years! Now for the review, The first 4 corps were Bandettes, Coachmen, Cincinnati Glory, and Capital Sound. They each did a good job, however, Cincinnati Glory was the surprise for me. They have put together a decent corps. With a few more members this corps will rock in the future. Enough about the small corps, lets talk about the biggies. The Glassmen were first to perform. This was the first I had seen them since earlier this June at Toledo. I was very impressed then and even more impressed now. I stated then that their drum line kicked butt, and I believe that more now than ever. They won drums hands down and for you non-believers I checked DCI scores on the net to verify that. Their drumline is playing the most difficult, sophisticated show I've seen this year and doing it better than anyone. Their hornline is solid, but will need some work to compete with the Madison Scouts of the world. The color guard was great too, but their outfits sucked compared to last years and they were just kinda their. Nothing outstanding. Toledo has the talent this year to place very high, unfortunately, the show design is their best ever but still not good enough to compete with BD and Cadets. They will lose only because their Music and Visual GE scores will pull them down. A little more experience with their design team and maybe some recruitment and this corps will be placing in the top 3 soon. Overall, this is a show you have got to see. I was very impressed and you will be too. I remeber the Glassmen from the days of the baby blue uniforms and the chrome helmets. I'm here to tell you they have come along way. My prediction is top 6 this year! The Cavaliers were next. Unlike the Glassmen show, this show design is one of the best and the corps biggest strength. The best show out of the Cavies design team since the Planets show. The show is very difficult and will need lots of practice to perfect. They have improved 10 fold since the Toledo show in June when they didn't have the drill to the closer complete. By the way, wait till you see this closer. The music is great and the drill is absolutely unbelievable! I really, really enjoyed this show. The horn line sounds great, not quite up to Madisons level, but very good. The drumline will need to work very hard. There were a couple of occasions where they were a little sloppy, especially compared to the Glassmen. The drumline was better than Madisons though. The colorguard is outstanding. Dressed in all black pants and T-shirts, they are damn good. Hard to describe, just go see them. Overall, its great to see these guys put out a show that they have always been capable of but held back by their design team. You will enjoy seeing this show. They were beat by Madison tonight by 2tenths only. Madisons horn line and GE really carries them. Now that I think of it, I lied. Madison went on first of the big three. The Scouts are great! This horn line really rocks and is the best by far that I've heard all season. There show is designed very well and is very excited. Just a few seconds into the show and the hornline blast you out of your seat letting you know that they have arrived and are the very best! The jazz is layed on thick and you just can't help but smile the entire show. They rock the entire show never letting up to loosen those lips they just keep going on and on and on. You have to wonder where they get the energy to pack all of that powerful jazz into one show. There drumline is a little sloppy and placed third tonight behind the Glassmen and the Cavaliers. A little work and they too will be awesome. The color guard starts the show in full uniforms just like the hornline and the drumline. This is a cool look after so many years. They later undress into more colorful outfits that really stand out and let you know they are on the field. They did a great job as you would expect, but I don't believe they were as entertaining as the Cavies guard. You decide. Overall, an absolutely unbelievable show. This is there best in a very long time. They will blow you out of your seat and make you feel like you got a good deal on the ticket price. I drove 3 hours to this show and if Madison was the only corps I saw, it would have been enough. These guys rock. They won tonight beating the Cavies by 2 tenths. This was a great show, and based on the shows I've been too this year I can honestly say this is one of the strongest drum corps years I have ever experienced. The corps are really outstanding this year. You have to get out and see them to believe the strength. See ya, Dwight Closson

Saturday July 4

Racine, WI (DCM) Racine's 1998 version of "The 4th of July" celebration was one to remember. The morning was filled with the sights and sounds of Wisconsin's largest 4th of July Parade. The parade competition was won by Bayou City Blues Drum and Bugle Corps from Houston Texas. Congratulations Bayou City! The show that evening was sponsored by the Racine Kilties. The stadium was jammed past its capacity, with hundreds of people sitting in the grass in front of the bleachers, and hundreds more watching from the hill outside the stadium. Probably had something to do with the fact that the price of admission was only $5/family. Here are a few of my thoughts. In order of appearance: Aalborg Garden Band - Aalborg Denmark. - exhibition This 65 piece youth marching band hails from Racine's sister city in Denmark. The band was outfitted in red, white, and blue uniforms, with all of the girls wearing blue mini-skirts, and white knee high lace up boots. Very cool. The band started its performance by marching completely around the field in parade formation playing John Phillip Sousa songs. They then set up a concert formation on the 50 yard line and played 3 more numbers. The battery consisted of 4 snares (on slings), 4 straight tenors (also on slings), and one bass drum. The battery played in the style of late 50's - early 60's drum corps lines. Again, very cool! The highlight of their performance was when their color guard came forward and did a "can-can" style kick line. The crowd ate it up. Bayou City Blues - Houston Texas - exhibition Bayou City is always a crowd favorite where ever they perform and they were again at the Kilt show. They are bigger this year with about 30 horns and a full battery featuring 6 snares 3 quads and 5 bass. They performed a full field show this year, with 13 sets just in the opener! Their powerful hornline and exciting soprano soloists had the crowd on their feet throughout the performance. The contras endeared themselves to the Wisconsin crowd by removing their hats during the contra feature, and sporting Green Bay Packer bandanas. If you missed them at this show, they will be back for the Kiltie Klassic Alumni show on August 8th at State Fair Park in Milwaukee! Racine Scouts - 31.4 I thought that this score was way too low. The Chrome Domes are much improved this year, playing an entertaining show titled "Western Chrome". Every section of the corps is improved over last year! One highlight of the show is when one of the snare drummers picks up a soprano and along with another lead, does a screach solo that always gets a large ovation. Their horn line sounded a little tired toward the end of the show, probably because they marched 3 parades before the show. Their corps director (Paul Chaffee) told me they played 61 times during the parades. That should build their chops for championships in DeKalb. I think the Scouts have a legitimate chance of gaining DCM membership for the first time in their history. Memorial Lancers - St. Louis, MO - 39.0 These folks suprised everyone last year, and did not disappoint this year. They continue to be one of the most popular drum corps at the 4th of July Kiltie show. Their music is always very accessible, and the crowd really appreciates this. Their closer of St. Louis Blues is again my favorite. Their guard has new uniforms this year. Very classy blue full length pant suits. Their drum line is their strength (they beat Capitol Sound in performance percussion by 0.4). The runs in the bass drum line were flawless all night, and their 2 quads are superb. They marched their full drill for the first time tonight, and with a little cleaning, I look for them to do some damage next week in DeKalb. Capitol Sound - Madison, WI - 57.9 This corps has arrived! They are large, and they are entertaining. Their show continues to be pull people from their seats. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see them (I was warming my chops up with the Kilties). Judging from the large roars coming from the crowd throughout their performance, they must have wowed the crowd. Madison Scouts - 78.9 I last saw Madison at their first show in Sun Prarie. Tonight I viewed them from the old finish line while waiting to take the field. I must say that even from the side, the improvement was evident. They have added all kinds of bells and whistles since then. The crowd was going nuts throughout the performance. Racine crowds tend to like the more traditional approach to show programming since half the town marched in one of the 9 corps that existed in Racine in the 60's and 70's. Madison delivered for this crowd which in my opinion speaks volumes for their show. Can't wait to see them again in DeKalb. It looks like it will be between them and Cavies for this years title. Kilties - 57.7 Madison is a tough act to follow, but I think we pulled it off. The obviously biased crowd gave us 3 full standing ovations (which gives me goose-bumps every time). The home crowd sure can make you forget about all of the long hours and all of the sweat that goes into producing a show. Thank you Racine for such a wonderful reception. After the grand finale, the Racine 4th fest fireworks began. Most of the Kilties and Bayou City folks stuck around for the fireworks and a few beers. Always fun partying with Bayou City! All in all, it was a great day to be in Racine! John Caspers Kilties Sr.

Oswego, NY (DCA) Before I get into this too far, I think you should know that I am just a Drum Corps fan who thinks you might be interested in some of my observations from the Oswego DCA show. I am not a judge and haven't marched since '72. However, I did see and hear some good and bad things at the show and thought you might be interested. Though a gymnasium is hardly an ideal venue to assess a Corps' current progress towards the championships, it was good enough to make some general observations. So here it goes... It was a soggy 4th of July in Oswego NY that forced the show to be performed as a standstill in the High School gym. I give great credit to the organizers for implementing this back-up plan as I had dragged my mother-in-law all the way from Ottawa, Canada for her first Drum Corps experience. It would have been a shame had the show been cancelled completely. I estimate that the show attracted about 300 paying customers, which was great considering the lousy weather. Well done ladies and gents!! The show opened with an exhibiton by SPECTRUM from Corning/Oswego NY. Spectrum is a DIV III Corps marching 9 Brass, 7 Battery, 6 Pit and 8 Guard. (NOTE: Any numbers quoted are what I could count on the gym floor and not neccessarliy what any particular Corps might be marching on the field.) It wasn't until Spectrum was halfway throught their show that I decided to take notes for this review so I didnt get the details of their repretoire. (I know...next time don't be so cheap and buy a program!!) They did look great in their white and blue blouses and black pants with the guard dressed in a what looked like (to me) a European peasant woman's outfit. The Corps played with obvious enthusiasm and concentration, working hard throughout their performance. For their size, I thought that Spectrum sounded great and were a pleasure to watch. The only comment I would make is that the guard needs to tighten it up a little but I am sure that will come as the season progresses. Keep up the great work Spectrum!! The DCA portion of the show opened with the GRENADIERS from Kingston, ON, Canada marching 32 Brass, 16 Battery, 7 Pit and 16 Guard. They performed the "Prisoner of the Ring" featuring "Conquistador", "The Woman", "Amigo", "The Dance of the Demons", and "Conflict & Finale." (I borrowed a program...grin) The Grenadiers looked great in their black and white with blue and pink trim uniforms and the guard in purple spandex with blue lace wrap-arounds. The Grenadiers sounded nice and tight throughout their show though the gym (I think) made the bass drums sound a little overpowering and muddy. Special mention has to go to the Pit's concert bass drum player who was an absolute pleasure to watch throughout the show. Ya gotta appreciate a guy who obvoiusly enjoys what he's doing!! Overall it was a great clean performance! Finally, I could parade (yuck!) for miles to the Grenadiers' street beat and their Drum Major is very cool! I look forward to seeing them again!! Good luck! Next up were the Rochester CRUSADERS. They marched 25 Brass, 9 Battery (no quints), 6 Pit and 11 Guard. They featured a "Maynard in Motion" show that included "Piagiacci", "Carnival", and a "MacArthur Park" melody. The Brass lead/soloist soprano can wail in a very Maynardesque fashion but seemed to be the only feature presented in their show with the rest of the horns only providing a back-drop to his performance. I noticed a couple of ensemble problems and the five man bass drum line were a little too loud and not as clean as they need to be. (Again, it might have been the gym.) Though the venue made it very difficult for the Guard to really move properly, there is some definite room for improvement with this section. I am a big Maynard Ferguson fan so I really enjoyed this show. I think a little fine tuning will result in a very impressive presentation at future competitions. The Syracuse BRIGADIERS were next up marching (yikes!!) 63 Brass, 19 Battery, 9 Pit and 25 Guard. Though the Corps chose to not have the Guard perform, they looked great in their jet-black with silver trim outfits as they stood along the left side of the gym. The Brigadiers also marched a 4 person color party resplendant in what I have to assume were old style Brigadier cream colored with red trim uniforms. The color party took up station on the very right, forward side of the gym and were an instant crowd pleaser as they entered. I have seen a lot of comments in this newsgroup on bringing back national flag color (note the spelling) parties to Drum Corps competitions. If the crowd reaction to and applause for this color party were any indication, I think that the Drum Corps governing bodies might want to take another look at bringing them back. I also would like to commend the Brigadiers for their color party as I thought that it was very appropriate to field them on this Independance Day celebration. Anyway, I digress! The Brigs featured "Just One of Those Things", "Night & Day" and "What is This Thing Called Love?" An extremely tight drum solo started out this performance followed by an impressive sound of all 63 brass just wailing! The Brigadiers let it rip, big time, throughout the show. All I could do was sit back and enjoy!! I'm still getting goose bumps. Great performance Brigadiers...can't wait to see you on the field for competition. The last Senior Corps to perform were the EMPIRE STATESMEN from Rochester NY. They had 60+ Brass, 24 Battery, 10 Pit and 13+ Guard (Some of the Guard were on the sideline due to space limitations {Go figure!!}). They presented their rendition of West Side Story which included "Maria", "The Rumble" and "Somewhere". The Statesmen turned it down just a touch to reveal wonderful passages from all sections that were truly audible within the confines of the gym. Instead of just playing at the standstill, they played to the rear and side of the gym which helped provide the musical ambiance required for their show. During a nifty drum solo where half the snares shed their drums and picked up 4 quints to play an 8 person quint feature, the brass moved to the sides of the gym. The drum solo was so cool that nearly I missed the horn line quick change where they doffed their bright white tunics to return to center floor in T-shirts that equally divided the horn line into the red gang and yellow gang for the Rumble. Outstanding! Who said you can't do drill with 100 plus people in a gym?? The Statesmen were smooth and controlled throughout their show but still provided wild impacts where necessary. They were HOT!! Finally, the thing I enjoyed about their show the most was the fact that they looked like they were having a blast out there!! I thought it was great to see them enjoying what they do best and that helped me and the rest of the audience get into it as well!! VERY cool show Statesmen!! Congrats! Finally, after a VERY hard couple of acts to follow, the PATRIOTS of Rochester NY took the floor. The Patriots have moved into DIV II this year with about 30 Brass, (They have some room for anyone interested!! Best tour fees on the circuit!), They have brought back an 11 person marching Battery this year, and are fielding a 30 person Guard and 10+ in the Pit. The Patriots are featuring Phillp Glass with "Pieces of Glass" and selections from the Cirque du Soleil. Though the Brass line is a little small right now, they are truly accomplished musicians and can deliver throughout the show! And so they did on Saturday evening. Their musical program is as beautiful as it is difficult and they pull it off VERY effectively. The Patriots Guard is outstanding - 'nough said! I think the Patriots will be a force to deal with throughout the summer and are a contender as finalists in August! Best of luck Patriots...from your #1 fan! Overall, what could have been a literal washout due to bad weather turned out to be an extremely enjoyable evening for everyone. Again I have to thank the organizers for reacting to a bad situation and pulling it off very well!! Whoever owns the gym we were in might want to thank you as well beacuse I'm sure the Corps moved the walls out about 6 feet all around! (Musical renovations???) I f I had to rank the DCA Corps for this show it would be: Empire Statesmen Syracuse Brigadiers Kingston Gernadiers Rochester Crusaders Did anyone get any scores?? (sheeesh...minor details!!) John Fournier

Friday July 3

Riverside, CA (DCI Pacific) In Brass and Percussion...at the Riverside show. I only saw these two and the Mandarins...so here is a limited review - Mandarins...were beaten by Pacific Crest (whom I did not see) by about 4 points, winning one caption (neither brass or percussion). A very visual, entertaining, rather sloppy show. It will no doubt get much cleaner and I thinks it's a winner. Great mello soloist and just one contra player but he sounds great and he does the job. I didn't write down the scores, but they recieved a 69-something, whereas Pacific Crest recieve a 73-something. 1) BD - 82.1 GE, Visual 2) SCV - 80.2 (?) Brass (!), Percussion Vanguard - WOW! Unbelievable sights and sounds from this corps this year. Show design, repertoire, and concept is clearly superior to BD. They take obscure Copland music which nobody has ever heard and do a great job of selling it. Great arrangements for both the horn- and drumline are dramatic, played wonderfully and never let the audience lose interest. And yes, this year SCV outjazzes BD for a great surprise mid-show! Like last year, musicians are heavily used to accentuate the visual show. Some may be annoyed by dancing drummers and twirling horns, but it really really works! So much so that for much of the show I didn't really notice the guard, which I think is the show's weak spot, at least for now. They looked great and if they can bring the performance level up a few notches, I think this show will be unbeatable. Three standing ovations for SCV tonight, and quite a few boos when the placement was announced. This show is truly awesome, and I think even better than last year. Blue Devils - It's the guys in the color guard who capture the eye here, and without them this show would really not have much visual appeal at all. The hornline, as you can guess, is awesome. The drumline is certainly compenent, but lacked the thrilling moments, or maybe it was the great arrangements, of SCV. While the rifle line ("Tony") was very well dressed, the ladies ("Juliet") looked like they were wearing nightgowns. BD marched a clean drill, but nowhere near as difficult or interesting as SCV. It was a nice change of pace to here BD play Tchaikovsky. I did actually hear a few bad notes, which almost never happens with BD. They recieved nowhere near the ovation given to SCV. A great night in Southern California for Drum Corps! PS....SCV "Through the Years" CD is awesome...highlights from every year 1967-1968 and COMPLETE shows 1987-1993...two CDs for just $25. 1987 is worth $25 alone! Don A. Davis

Thursday July 2

Kingston, NY (DCI Atlantic) This was my first DCI show of the year. This is how i saw it:(im partial to the guard aspect of it, sorry) Les Etoiles: didnt see them Spirit: The guard was sloppy, and incomplete. Boston: guard also incomplete, but what they had was very good. great uniforms Crown: Awesome. The guard was great!! and big too, i think i counted something like 34. the uniform changes were cute. They should have placed higher if you ask me. The whole corps was very entertaining to watch. Magic: Boring. The guard was dressed in 40's get-ups, they didnt look half bad either. I couldnt get passed how they didn't spin for most of the show. When they add the rest of the work, im sure it will be like every other magic show, but until then, i have to say that they were boring. Blue Coats: Wonderful!! They had me on my feet. The whole show was just great. The guard was very expressive and spun well together.They also had a few costume changes, all of which were very pretty. I though they should have placed higher as well. Crossmen: disappointed. I have heard and read so much about them that i was ready to see a great show. They were ok. Not as exciting as last summer. The horn line didnt seem as loud either. The guard was by far one of the best in the show, and also very clean, but this show lacks the energy that last summers show had. Its still early, maybe i just have to see it again. Cadets: WOW! what a differance from the preview.The last time i saw them was at the preview, and they didnt have a good show. They were outstanding tonight. The drill was simply amazing. The guard was much better, some unusual breaks, but still very good. I thought the costume was a little odd? Maybe it isnt done, we can only hope. my fav corps of the night: Blue Coats my fave guard: Carolina Crown my fave guard uniform: Boston my fave horn line: Cadets my fave drum line: Crossmen PrideBoy97

Wednesday July 1

Dayton, OH (DCM) G'men -- Rumbling bass drums, sharp side-stepping battery, brass ever-improving, and rifles and sabres nailing it precisely! Need to improve drill forms and spacing. Watch and listen to the mello soloist! PR -- Superb baris, 67 horns (14 contras), now have BD#5. Improvement not as noticeable as G'men. CG was phenomenal. Sway drill better, but needs roughness worked out. Percussion did best job I've seen done by PR this season. Pioneer -- Love the mid-voices! Mallets were a highlight. Crowd loved the drum feature. Brass has seasoned early. P. Legion -- Full sound. Accidents on field due to changed drill. Glory -- Brass needed to improve and did! Marion -- Now know their drill; playing reflects it. Bandettes -- Traveling in old school bus and gutting it out for fans. Respect these ladies! Cozy Baker, DCW staff It was a beautiful night in Dayton for a drum corps show. Temperatures about 75 at start time and only got cooler as the night went on. Not a cloud in the sky. For those who complain about empty seats at a drum corps show should come to Dayton for a few shows. This 5,400 seat venue was nearly full. I'd estimate well over 4,000 people at the show. I'm sorry, but I missed the first two corps. Phantom Legion What an amazing corps! I think that they are playing extremely difficult music, and doing it well. Their drill needs a little work, but the music is outstanding. The horns especially, had the maturity of the bigger boys. Cincinnati Glory The closest thing to a hometown corps had a big crowd response, and they were on for the beginning and the end. The middle suffered a little, but they were much improved over the last time I saw them two weeks ago. Glassmen - WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!!!!! The Gmen blew me away. With a little work on visual, the glassmen could actually contend for the DCI Title. I loved their show, but my favorite musical moment from them was in their victory concert. They played a dissonant chord from very quiet to extremely loud. Then, once I though they couldn't play any louder, they resolved the dissonant chord to a straight chord, and I practically wet my pants! It was unbelievable! Never have I heard anyone play that loud, and good. Guess those Cadets staff are working hard on them. Pioneer They have improved leaps and bounds from the last time I saw them. Their music seems much better, and their drill has improved as well. They seemed to have less fun, though, and didn't have the crowd as into it as before. Phantom Regiment They showed the intensity, passion, and power that we've come to expect from Phantom. For about the first four minutes. They seemed to run out of emotional steam, though, and the show went flat from their. I don't know why. It was obvious that their staff wasn't too thrilled, though. As I was leaving, they were having a late night practice. Overall, the show was great. A fun time, and I had awesome seats. I can't wait until August 2nd, for the show at Centerville. Blue Devils, Cadets, Glassmen, Blue Knights, Spirit of Atlanta, and a bunch of other talented corps. This is probably one of the best shows all year, and I'll have a review for ya' Adm Shaggy

Altoona, PA (DCI Atlantic) Here's some quick thoughts from Magic up 'cause it's late: Magic: Cool blues show, NICE hornline, skimpy guard outfits, snares & tenors had some really DIRTY passages and features. I have no idea how the snares can even hear themselves play (on those muddy-sounding heads). The horns just cover up everything they're trying to do. I bet a lot of notes would clean up if they could just hear themselves. I just saw lots of sticks drumming, but no sound. Entertaining overall. Crown: Wow, I was surprised they beat Magic, just for the sake of entertainment. The music is all Alfred Reed, a little difficult to get the crowd into, but they had some GREAT moments. The guard looks good for this time of the season, and the drumline is playing some notes. Look for this show to mature a lot as the season progresses. Crossmen: Awesome opener. Third Wind COOKS. Drumline is so technically correct it is scary. The notes are there and they deliver. They were down to 5 snares tonight because one had a bad knee. Look for 6 in the future. They also marched 4 basses. I wish Brandon (2nd bass) the best of luck on a quick recovery. He had to fly home for surgery and might miss a lot of the season. No word yet on filling the hole or keeping it open for him to come back... The ending came unexpectedly, I hope they make it more in-your-face like last year. Cadets: Wow, all I have to say is tenor feature, tenor feature, tenor feature!!! Blew me away. Incredible guard as usual. Horns playing the normal Cadet-style stuff and do it extremely well. Look for some fast running in the drill. Snares play some tight passages down low. Um, tenor feature. There you have it! Can't wait until Hershey... Good night, --Craig Wrights Crossmen '95 Golden Lancers '93 Div. II/III 1. Tarheel Sun - 65.2 As I stated in my previous review, this corps really has a lot to offer the audience. The Kenton show was even more exciting in Altoona than the previous night in Cleveland. With such a large brass and percussion section, and a quality, and full, guard, Tarheel Sun is definitely looking to place in the top 3 in Div. II -- with a possible shot for the title. 2. Patriots - 59.0 This was the first time I had ever seen the Patriots of Rochester, NY. They are marching roughly 35 brass, 25 percussion, and have a good sized guard (maybe 28). Their guard, in particular, was very impressive, but I thought the percussion line did a nice job, too. The brass seemed a bit weak, but to add to this was the fact that I didn't recognize much of the music: "Music of the Theater," the music of Phillip Glass and Cirque du Soleil. The guard was dressed in a sort of pirate uniform, but I couldn't figure how this tied in with the show theme. Maybe someone can enlighten me on this. Overall, it's not a bad show, just a little hard to follow. Div. I 1. Cadets - 81.5 Well, what can one say that hasn't already been said, except that the Cadets are AWESOME! No, the show isn't exactly ground-breaking innovation, and yes, it's much like their show last year. But I really liked last year's show, and I think the music is better this year. My philosophy is this: if it works, then stay the course. The Cadets show this year is pure, solid drum corps, with beautiful melodies, intricate guard work, great percussion writing, and a super visual package that doesn't necessarily innovate, but certainly entertains your pants off. The show is entitled "Stonehenge" with the music coming from the Brittish brass band work "Stonehenge" by Jan Vanderoost, and the middle chorale, also a Vanderoost work, called "Cantaberry Chorale." It's no secret why the Cadets keep getting the big standing ovations from show to show: they perform well, and the show package is great. No themes to try and understand, no props, no gimmicks, just 100% pure drum corps. They may have a better horn line this year as the sounds I was hearing from them were simply glorious, and their percussion section is very tight for this time of the season. It's definitely a top 3 show, and my guess is that it will place top 2, but I'm hearing good things from the Cavies and the corps out west, so it sounds as if finals could be a real shoot-out. By the way, after the Cadets played a couple of their show tunes during the stand still concert, they then pushed in even closer to the stands and played Boogie Down (very loudly I might add). I got a pretty decent tape recording of the Cadets doing their stand still concert after the show (just a few 30 second clips). If you would like a copy, email me and I will email you the .wav file (or system 7/8 file for Mac users). 2. Crossmen - 74.1 Boy can this corps perform. Their show tonight was much more impressive than the other night in Cleveland. I know the brass isn't as loud as they could be, but that would do an injustice to the music of Pat Metheny, whose style is very laid back and mellow. The Crossmen have this style down to a T. Can a percussion line be more stylistically correct? WOW! This is the kind of show in which one only needs to sit back, pretend your drinking your favorite, ice-cold, frosty beverage, and just chill to the new-age sounds of Metheny. It's a great experience as long as you're not like most fans who expect to have their hair parted. Actually, I like to have my hair parted occassionaly, but not with every corps. This is a dangerous show! If the Crossmen clean this, they could be looking at top 6 again, but there is still much to be cleaned. With corps such as the Glassmen and Blue Knights doing so well, it will be tougher this year for the Crossmen to repeat last year's feat. If they clean, however, they are more than capable--in my opinion. 3. Carolina Crown - 69.1 I enjoyed "Russian Christmas Music" much more tonight than in Cleveland, but there is still a feeling that more power is needed for this monumental work. In all fairness to Crown, "Russian Christmas Music" present s a difficult challenge on the field because of the long thematic and transitional material in the original score. For those who know the work well, it is a tough sell when the material is spliced as much as it needs to be in order to allow for two other production numbers. If Crown had dedicated the entire show to this work alone, they then might be able to bring forth the powerful effect and emotion of this great work. However, I am really starting to dig the "Armenian Dances" segment of the show. The visuals are fantastic and the corps really moves. They somehow beat Orlando here tonight, but I think Orlando will beat them more in the near future until this show cleans...then I think Crown will really flourish. 4. Magic of Orlando - 67.2 I was all pumped up to see this show after having loved their show the previous two years. The opening was nice, and then they hit you with some serious sound, or so you think, until the drum major turns to the audience and asks if they want more. They say yes, of course, and the corps gives it...lot's of it! From that point on though, I found the show kind of boring, although at times the horn line is magnificent. They really do sound like BD sometimes, and then other times they sound like...well, not like BD. There are some incredible soprano licks in the show that will definitely impress you, and if their visual thing can be cleaned, then who knows, maybe this show will start to kick by mid-season. Do they have the percussion to help them move up? I think this is a big question for Magic. Overall, though, not a bad show. 5. Kiwanis Kavaliers - 58.9 Ok, they're playing "An American in Paris," so why is it that I can't follow this show? The whole thing seems to be one big blob of scatter drill, meaningless visuals, and chaos (I was ready to leave and go have a smoke until they finished). There is really nothing I can remember from the entire show. It's interesting that there has been this great debate on RAMD about drum corps playing more familiar music (which I'm all for). But I don't know if it's the kind of music you play, so much as how you sell it to the audience. I would bet that less than 2% of the people in attendance at this show even knew "Stonehenge," the work the Cadets performed. Yet, the Cadets sell it in a big way. Not many people knew "To Tame The Perilous Skies" or even "In The Spring: At The Time When Kings Go Off To War," yet these ended up being classic drum corps shows. Here we have a corps doing a very recognizable work. Lots of people know "An American in Paris." The melodies are humable and beautiful, yet here is a show that does nothing for the audience. The visual has a lot to do with this, but it is funny how a major work like this can't be sold to the audience. Shame on their staff. 6. Les Etoiles - 52.1 Talk about shame...boy did the Les 'Etoiles staff sell these kids short. If you can get into this show, you're a better person than I. The music is from the movie "The Rock," yet I did not recognize much of it, as most of it consisted of effects writing--not uncommon for movie soundtracks--and the visual program did nothing to grab my attention. Maybe I just don't understand the French-Canadien field-music art form, but this show went way over my head. The corps is much smaller than they indicate in the program. I counted maybe 24 brass, a very small percussion line, but they did have a good sized guard. Who would want to march this show after seeing it? It's no wonder they are smaller this year. Here's a little hint for the staff of Les 'Etoiles: when your show is finished and the audience is not standing, and the applause you DO hear is for the next corps about to enter the field...THAT'S BAD! Jonathan Willis

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