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The Sound Machine Archive Presents Listed are the dates and the show site, the reviews will be filled in, if and when
they are available or submitted. The following reviews are solely the opinion
of the reviewers. If you disagree with any comments, feel free to email the author,
all reviews are signed with an email address. If you want to add your review to
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scores@soundmachine.org Go to Page 4 of Reviews! Cheney, WA (DCI Pacific) Southern Oregon Crusaders is a Very small corps with a lot of guts. Their
Confidence was evident when they played "Sounds from Fantasia" Beethovens 5th.
Sorcerers Apprentice, Firebird Suite. Not really loud loud but not holding back
either. The guard mixed it up pretty well and used brooms for Sorcerer which was
appropriate. Had some good and fast rifle moves for Firebird. Unfortunately I
saw the show from the sidelines so cannot comment on the drill. I am glad though
that staff picked music that the crowd could recognize and appreciate. San Diego Alliance was looking pretty good out there Friday night. I was
surprised that for such a small corps they had a pretty deep sound. They were
playing a spanish themed show with Mask of Zorro, Man of La Mancha, Don Juan
D'Marco, and Love the Magician. I think the visual staff is doing the right thing
and not giving the kids a drill that would be too far above their marching ability
but which still covered the field nicely. It was a an entertaining show. A
little shakey in parts but that is to still be expected this time of year. Seattle Cascades are Div 2 now and you can bet they are hungry for the title to
that one too. A much more mature corps from last year and really neat music. I
never heard of it before but I really didn't consider it boring. Abrams Pursuit,
Helm Tocatta, Armies of the Omnipresent Otserf. (Huh?). Anyway they have a real
good lower sound but the upper horns need more cleaning. The silks (the material
they used) got my vote for the best looking of all the corps. However it is
designed in a way that really exposes mistakes, so they better clean, clean, clean.
Drum line seemed pretty clean but that is really beyond my expertise. Denver Blue Knights went on AFTER SCV so I'm afraid that the crowd response
wasn't there for their performance. (Sorry Marianne). They looked pretty sharp
on the field, but I'm not sure about their choice of music this year. It all kind
of runs into itself with no clear melody (except once in a while) that points
this show to be "Looney Tunes". I don't know, maybe I expected it to be more in
the line with old V.K. but it wasn't near anything like that. They also stay in
tight formation triangles over and over again which gets kind of old after awhile.
The horn line sounded smooth and the drum line sounded pretty tight. The kids may
have been tired after putting on a clinic that afternoon but otherwise they have
lot's of work ahead to really sell this show. SCV. Prepare yourself for something completly different. This is NOT your Adagio
for Strings kind of show. Whoa. It is still a bit dirty in places but, man oh man
it is one intence show. Music from "New Era, Metropolis". I really don't want to
give too much away. There are different "Sketches". Sketch one: "Alarm", (hold on
to your seat). Sketch two: "Rush Hour", Short Ride in a Fast Machine". (Just what
the name implies). Sketch Three: "Assembly Line", Jug Blues and Fat Pickin, (Kind
of a fun tune). Sketch Four: "Skyline Dreams", Varients on a Medieval Tune. (Very
Hard to describe, I've GOT to see this show again to take it all in). Sketch Five:
"Metropolis Finale" New Era dance. (again, something Completely different for SCV).
It moves and moves and moves and at the end all I wanted was more. Every section
is featured at some point without it becoming too Solo based. Decent guard with
moves that really compliment the music. The horn line is good and loud and as always
a great pit and drum line. Very much a "Myron" drill. I cannot wait till finals to
see this show just ONE MORE TIME! Maggie
SCV 70-75' Philadelphia, PA (DCI Atlantic) Alright, I left before the scores were announced but i came home right away and
checked them out on RAMD. I gotta say im really dissapointed at the outcome. Surf-56.2 Spirit-65.5 Crown-65.65 BAC-72.9 BD-81.65 Cadets-78.85 Cavies-79.65 Crossmen-70.65 Overall very good show...sorry if i offended anybody..off to clifton tomorrow
hopefully it'll be just as good..and hopefully the top 3 will show me somethin
too. This is my first time going to a show in June, so I'm not used to seeing
the corps this dirty. I hope my review doesn't come across as too
negative for that reason. I almost didn't write a review, because after
hearing this show, I'm a bit depressed about the switch to B flat horns,
which I now am convinced is a step in the wrong direction. But more on
that in the review... (Oh, and I left right after the last corps performed, so I don't have
any scores. For god's sake, it's too early in the season to worry about
scores!) Jersey Surf -- These kids have a nice big sound, although their drill
was incredibly dirty. They stood still for the last minute or so of the
show. I'm looking forward to seeing this corps in August. JSU Spirit -- The first minute of this show I was thinking "Oh my god,
this is a Top 12 corps this year." By the end of the show, I was
thinking "This is a Top 12 corps if they WORK for the next month."
Spirit has a great horn line this year, and the 'train' theme is very
entertaining throughout. I was very happy to see a guy in Spirit's
guard this year. It seems to reflect a change in philosophy for
Spirit's guard: getting the most skilled people for the spots, rather
than just putting together a bunch of pretty girls to adorn the corps.
Unsurprisingly, this year's guard is much stronger than the last few
years.' Carolina Crown -- Believe it or not, the tires WORK in this show.
Definitely the most interesting and creative use of guard 'equipment.'
Also the most interesting cymbal feature I've ever heard. I was a bit
disappointed to see another corps go with black pants, but nonetheless
the show is very well written from a drill standpoint. Boston Crusaders -- Watch out Top 4. This corps is going places.
Believe what you've read about their guard: they spin and spin (and
catch!). The music isn't as accessible as last year's, but given how
much this corps has grown from June/July to August in the last two
years, I'm expecting great things from them this year. Blue Devils -- People who say BD is marching end-of-July caliber right
now probably have not seen BD at the end of July. I don't always buy
the "BD's drill is easy" line (their drill is often far from easy), but
the opening number is pretty slow and uninteresting, from a drill
standpoint. They'll need to beef it up (as well as the closer) to have
a shot at the championship. Cadets -- Who cares if the selections don't seem to "go together?" Each
one is very effective in its own right. I was expecting not to like
this show, but the brass playing is just too good. Very warm, balanced
sound (the small ensemble for Young Person's Guide is wonderful). But
yes, the show doesn't "flow" well. Cavaliers -- Wow. Yes, they're dirty. But unlike every other corps
tonight, most of the "meat" is already in the show, drill-wise. In
other words, if they simply cleaned up what they have learned already
(with the exception of a couple of spots), they'd have a
championship-caliber show. At the same time, I was deeply saddened to
perceive that, yes, the change to B flat horns has robbed the Cavaliers
of that wonderful, powerful, edgy SOUND that they damn near perfected
last year. Remember those heart-stopping, staccato chords that opened
the Cavs' show last year--the ones that parted hair? Don't expect that
this year. Some might accuse me of judging too early. After all, it's
only June. Except that after the Cavs, there was... Crossmen -- I don't care how simple their drill is, how dirty the
marching is, how low they score, how high they place. These guys have
the SOUND that I fell in love with when I first attended a drum corps
show. It's not just about tone quality, or intonation, or balance -- in
the venue of a football stadium, it's also about PROJECTION. And I am
convinced that the B flat horns do not project as well as the G bugles.
If anyone has the chance to hear Crossmen this year (or Bluecoats, from
what I hear), GO HEAR THEM. You will be experiencing something that
will probably not be possible a couple years from now. So cherish it
while it lasts. For people who dismiss the lament over B flat vs. G bugles, consider the
following: (1) What if you went into a symphonic wind ensemble and
replaced all the B flat clarinets with E flat clarinets (keyed only a
4th above the B flats)? Would there be no appreciable difference in the
sound? (2) Better yet, what do you think would happen if you went to
Kurt Masur & the NY Phil, and told him to replace all the violas with
violins? Most viola parts *would* fall into the violin range, so it
would be possible on PAPER. "After all," you'd say to Mr. Masur,
"violas ARE a bitch to tune." "Change is GOOD, Mr. Masur," you'd say.
What do you think? Do you think you'd still have a head? I am sure scores have been listed( and i am too tired to run out to the
car to get them), so here is my unbiased view on tonights show at Franklin
Field. Can't comment on the food...ate at McD's by the hospital. I
won't make that mistake again. Fran Haring did a great job with the announcing.
Can't comment on the crowd as I was upstairs, 40 yeard line, side 2. well
behaved crowd, no cell phones went off, and best of all, no conspiracies. To be
honest, with all but Cadets and Cavies, it was a first view, and i really
didn't catch a lot of guard things, and upstairs, few pit parts came thru when
the full ensemble played. Btw, there was a thunderstorm that hit the suburbs, but
someone loves drum corps as downtown was dry as dry can be. But, it did break
the heat somewhat. Jersey Surf......Not done with the show yet, as they ended in a
concert set up. Tough Metheny book, made tougher by some staging issues that
will hopefully be resolved as the season goes on.The visual seemed weak, but
it's early and I won't fry them for it. Horns were weak, but the potential is
there. Interesting drum parts, a little over written in spots, but as the horns
get stronger that feeling may dissapear. the groove factor usually present in
metheny shows isn't there yet, but the seeds were planted...a big step up in
demand from last year, time will show where they take it. I definitely want to
see this show again. Spirit....The South has risen! Ghost Train is a perfect vehicle (pun
intended) for this corps. lots of "trainisms" ( including Septa going thru
during their show) help one get the train feeling...including one set where the
corps visually resembles ane engine, and they take off, conductor included.
horns have some power and as stamina gets better, will move some hair. Nice
drum book, well writeen and not over powering....some tasty licks, and bass
drummers will like the bass feature...runs, split stuff and even playing on
rims added in (Empire does that too..must be the new trend).Visually no glaring
error....the guard seemed well staged and and well integrated. Not a lot of eye
popping wow moves, but a nice flowing show. Will hey make finals? Too early to
say, but this is the most I have enjoyed Spirit since 1991's Glory show, and
IMHO, they should have beaten Crown. Crown.........well.....aside from the wood slats/blocks/log drums
in the into and the cymbal/metal stuff in the 3rd tune, I don't get the concept
at all. The guard uses tires at one point, but, i dunno, the signifigance was
lost on me. Again, no eye popping visual moves, but the biggest issue was brass
to percussion balance. Either the horn line hasn't found the power zone yet,
the brass staff hasn't unleashed them yet, or the drum line plays way too
loud.The drum line has several breaks, most played well, tho from my vantage
point, there seemed to be an issue w/several rolls tonight. I haven't seen the
recaps yet, but i hope to God the blend and balance was noted. That is coming
from a drummer. Boston....Musically not as accessible as last year, but still
appealing. Hornline has some chops, and this year they have a drum line to
match. Some nice visual moments that when clean, will definitely get a lot of
cheers. Nice large guard, and most equipment work that I saw was handled well.
One thing I especially liked in the ballad, while one group of brass is playing
a chorale type of thing facing front, a block of brass is playing a totally
different thing facing backfield, getting some really cool effects with the
echo...a little too cool as they seemed to overpower the ensemble facing front.
Traditionalists, have no fear, the Conquest hits are in "Marimba Spiritual",
w/a bari lead in. I don't know if they can duplicate last years success, but it
is a fan friendly show, some moments from last year are back (including the
opening set), and the horses are in the stable. One thing I've learned in 99
and 00, this corps has their greatest growth the 2 weeks before finals.....so,
game on. BD...........wow. Vintage BD wrapped inside modern elements.
Screamers....in your face holy )(&%*^ drum licks........excellent guard...and,
some cool drill moves. Yes, they deservd an 81 in June.Powerful.Well staged.
Aggressive. an old school park and bark w/at least one sop trying to go higher
than the helipad across the street at the hospital. In your face drumming..in
fact so in your face, i missed a great drill move. if they don't peak, they
will be in the hunt....and probably being the one who is chased. Cadets. 2nd viewing, first one at Buffalo. i want to like this
show...but, I don't yet. Many changes are evident, including the removal of
bass/snare and tenor breaks in Moondance, replaced by an upfront throwdown by
basses and snares, w/tenors on the sets. Young person's has improved, but
during the big push, the low brass overpowers the upper registers, who do, in
their defense, have a ton of notes...and at the same time, I don't see what I
hear...the music calls for, as Cesario would say, "whiplash kaleidoscopic
effect", but they aren't there. Way too much scatter/wander drill in
Moondance...they do trhow down, and well, but, it seems a little long. Ballad
impressed me a little more this evening, and the sitting/laying/kneeling by the
brass seemed more defined. farandole on whole leaves me flat....No real impact.
I know it's in there, but hey, Cadets are never done til the day after
finals....so counting them out would be foolish. Cavies......2nd viewing. Cleaner since Buffalo, needing more
GE/impact. Forms more readable, but one big guard booboo during the
over-the-hornline exchange at the beginning. The groove is more defined, and
it is sold well. Hornline still needs to let it crank a little more, and the
drums had some exectution issues, especially the snares in the hi-hat section.
soloists on ladders in the closer came thru much better. All in all, the pieces
are there, now they need to be put into the puzzle. Crossmen.....a team I have been critical of the last few years is
slowly winning me back.Hornline is strong, and reports that the drumline was
horrendous are quite false. very entertaining show...stylistically it reminds
me of Bluecoats 10 years ago...fun, loud and entertaining. great guard as
always, and I don't know who is writing the drum book or teching it, but I
noticed sevral signature Xmen licks...dare I say Thurston licks.....in there.
This show has sleeper potential.....they may not make top 5 live, but they can
make top 8.I look forward to seeing them butt heads w/Bluecoats, who i am told
are slowly morphing into Crossmen 10 years stylistically, next week at Hershey. next review hershey, and see a later post for tips on how to handle the rea for
DCI East. "like taking candy from a baby" said one spectator as the Blue Devils from
Concord Ca came,saw,and Conquered once again in an early season Eastern swing.
With all cylinders running full throttle..BD easily topped the second place(And
awesome) Cavaliers by two points and let it be known that the 2001 DCI title is
coming back to the west coast. The show started promptly at Eight with the Jersey Surf. Although they finished
their show in standstill,The surf was in pretty good shape for this June show.
Musically,they are ahead of last year,and the guard is every bit as good as
last year..They seemed more mature and confident in their show,so far,and can
only get better as the season rolls along...Loved the Metheney music. JSU Spirit..This corps in going places this year..they have got the
classiest,most beautiful uniforms this ide of Concord,and they have a presence
on the field they havent had in years! Audience members were actually oooing as
they came on the field.
Their show is hard,they are very exposed right now,,it starts out with a horn
player yellin "All aboard..(philadelphia) " I wonder if this is new because it
wasn't mentioned in earlier reviews..and they make a locomotive drill patern on
the field..Cute! Cool! Loved it! The music is not well known,but easy to listen
to,and with two or three viewings will be easy to hum...As soon as they can
master this,I;m sure the drill will come together they had some really nice
moments,bur arent executin wee yet,but it IS june and that is GOOD news! Lots
to improve upon here!! The brass was loud,and they were staged well. If they
have one problem(This next sentence is going to be repeated a few times in this
review)It is the Guard..Ugh!! Uniforms are a disaster in my opinion,no
appeal,do ont highlight the guard,and dont add to the show..they actually take
away from that almost perfect Corps uniform...Much too much dance,and not
enough good clean impact!!
Clean this up,and you are on your way! Carolina Crown...disclaimer: I love this corp,I love this guard..I can see alot
of "Winter" faces out there (first flight..etc..) I love that they grew and
became powerful. No matter what they play or do,I will be right there spending
my money to see them: end disclaimer.....What the HELL are they playing, doing
there on that field! Tires? Wood? Mess!! They are a crowd favorite especially
after last years show..yet they choses to alienate them with this..er...Stuff!
Why?? The talent is truly there, the guard can spin, when they get the chance, and
the percussion/brass can play!! Why this?? It doesnt work for me...I did like
the Guard uniforms,and liked when they changed, I think twice...nice
effect..They are executing a little better than JSU that is why they are ahead.
Dont think they will stay there,but hey! what do I know Boston Crusaders...I have a choice here..I havent been flamed in a while, I seem
to be "accepted here"..do I just fall into place, or do I stick to what I feel
...I was raised to be honest,,and truthfull,and to stick to my convictions, so..
Thats what I will choose...
Ya' know..I heard so much about Boston..There is so much hype,I couldnt wait to
see them..well. If I can remember last year, It is just as good as seeing them
live this year!!! They are doing the same drill as last year,same opening
set, same cross throughs,same gaurd stahing..etc, they even have the nerve 2/3
through the show to assemble AGAIN on the fifty and spread out AGAIN like LAST
year!! UGH!! They will NOT be in the top 5 this August 11th, mark my words..
They are not as exciting as last year, nor do they have the goods to deliver as
emotional a performance as last year..the Guard, while they do spin and toss
alot, seem to do the same thing over and over again...They have potential to do
well, but not top 5 Blue Devils...(Sit down everyone, Im gonna shock you at the end of this review)
2001 BD is unbelievable. They are perfroming at another level right now, and
they are not as clean as many have mentioned in previous reviews. I wish I
could describe just how good they actually are..Brass book is
exciting, demanding..it delivers the goods..hungry for old BD style ?? Feast on
"Away day" This drill is by far the best they have ever had..It is
fun, fast, demanding, staged in just that BD way, with a catch..They move their
a$$ess out there..It is full of swirl and curves and pretty pictures and
impacts, and demand..there were oohs and ahhs tonight st the right back corner
box thingie!!(ha ha) and the end of the show is brisk, and full of
impact..Percussion is way better than last year, and they let it be known they
want to win!! subtltey, nuance, GE. and raw agression all are there!! THis show
just doesnt stop, You have all got to see it!!! 2001 Title will be
theirs...there is a slight chance though...they might get caught...why?? you
ask! I hate to say this (I feel I will burn in drum corps hell) but the guard is
going to make or break this show. First off, while the hats work well in the
second segment of their show..They are flat out awful (Sorry) in the opener..they
need to impact, but are playing around, actually taking away from the awesome mood
the Bras and percussion are creating..The yellow is a little distracting also..
too loud for the somber parts of the third segment..and the spinning and clarity
of BD guurds past is jut not there now..If they can alter this, fix this..they
will go undefeated! (ha ha) Cadets...Umm, did I miss something or did April Gilligan,and Scott Chandler
Leave Cadets and BD and go to Cavies (wink,wink)!! just kidding!! Lighten up
This show is in no way a championship show..it doesnt work, the brass is
tentative at best, and the drill lacks punch, uniquity, and cohesiveness (I know
its june, but My review is in June too) Will they add to it? sure! can they
improve? sure! Young persons guide was lacking, why a bunch of little ensembles
in the beginning?? IT doesnt work..it is weak..Moondance..started well, but...
Colorguard (If you are one anymore) Pick something up and spin it
damnit!! Use a flag, rifle, sabre, bedpost, hula-hoop, jumprope, mannequin...ANYTHING...
3 minutes is too long to be dancing around, it doesnt create a mood, it destroys
one!! You can be so much more but instead, designers, you choose to be this?? A
dance troupe! Save it for the indoor scene...Those aquiggly things that replaced
the rifle this year is awful also..adds nothing, they make the line look tentative,
and appear to be sloppy, what are they in the show for?....Flame on!! No title this
year Cadets! Cavaliers...I thought 2000 Cavaliers was the best show they have ever done..I
was wrong...2001 is awesome to say the least!! If anyone can catch BD (and I
havent seen SCV) it will be Cavies!...This was the best guard of the night by
far..using four sets of identical flags with different color schemes, this guard
can spin, and add to a show so well, it looks easy, they had a few problems early
on..but hey..June!!. There is alot of room for improvement technically in the
drill, but this drill keeps coming at you with new variations on the familiar
cavie tricks (BD,Cadets,and Cavies all had unique maneuvers that worked
well) staging is great, drumline cooked, and brass was poerful, loud, and
dynamic..the music, although not easily noticed, was enjpyable, and a second
viewing will help understand and enjoy it more...Total show wise BD and Cavies
are about equal, I though they were going to be a little higher....They could
take it all!!! Great Show! Crossmen..Hey Chuck..Where did you get those awesome soloists?? I could swear if
I close my eyes, I was listening to the boys from Concord past!! ha ha
This Crossmen corps is on fire!! They have it all..great guard, excellent
brass..strong percussion, drill! (yes a drill) and a total show that can and will
knock out some big boys...They can catch Boston..They need to open it up
alittle more, and really sell this show!! Expose the feet a little more, and
bam!! They will do well..Brass arrangements were awesome too!!
There you go..Flame on, agree,disagree...I played no favorites here, discussion
and debate are healthy..lets have some, dont just write these comments off, or
DO, I don't care!!!! On my way to Clifton Tomorow, and then Bridgeport and Bristol, Beverly, and
Hershey!! Have fun all!! I too went to Philly-here's what I saw (first impressions on all the corps for
me this year) Surf: Good drumline and guard. Spirit: A big step forward for them this year. Esp the brass, which I really
enjoyed. This shows should be "top 12", BUT that will depend on the
competition Loved the contras (tubas). Crown: Drill staging needs some work. Guard ahead of the other captions.
Show concept needs more fully developed, but I imagine they will be adding a
lot to this show. I got the feeling they were trying to recreate the success
of StormWorks. Boston: Another big step forward for these guys. Drumline and guard are up
another notch. Loved the ballad. Sorry, drill demand and hornline will keep
them from top 3/4. BD: A great year for BD. Obviously, they are cleaner (right now) than the
other corps. IMO they should work on the first half with guard staging, etc...
and this could be another ring. The best drill I've seen from them ever.
Improved horn sound over last year. Cadets: Okay. I believe they will be unstoppable in about three weeks or so.
(I know a lot of posters here have already written them off). They are not yet
meeting the challenges of this show... but you can see the potential (at least
I can). Brass sound quality the best on the field. Drumline is great, but
last night sufferered from program changes and (injury?) holes. Guard is very
good. I don't see a weak caption and I see them as very tough to defeat come
August. Cavaliers: Way too much of last year's show in this year's version. I was
literally bored. The music did nothing for me. Obviously, the members are
working hard and the vehicle is challenging, I just didn't like it. Guard got
carried away with too many flag exchanges. Xmen: Another corps which has taken a step up in 2001. Brass line much more
powerful and improved. Good solos. Drumline better as well. Guard staging
needs revised, esp at the end of the closer and the mid part of the show. Fun
show. Overall-I think the heat got to the crowd, as it was dead quiet during most of
the performances. I really appreciated the fun music BD, Cadets, Xmen, Spirit,
etc have put on the field this season. Obviously, it's a very stong season and
was the best June show I've ever seen. Got to wonder if BD lead will hold up,
Cadets and Cavaliers have much more to do with the next six weeks. Haven't
seen SCV yet, but top four looks like it should remain the same. Boston is not
in the running, IMO. But I've yet to see BK, Glassmen, Phantom to see if a
"darkhorse" could take it this year. Good to see so many big hornlines!! Jersey Surf - 8th - 56.2. Strengths: a good soprano soloist, good staging
of a proficient color guard and nice choices of music. I've been waiting to
hear "(It's Just) Talk" put on the field. Weaknesses: hornline is moving fast
and it's impacting their playing negatively. But it's early. Drill is not
written for the closer. Crowd was favorably disposed - a lot of parents and
friends. Spirit of JSU - 7th - 65.5. Strengths: intriguing show theme with a variety
of textures and some great impact points. It's a well-conceived, well thought
out program which involves the crowd. Weaknesses: It's dirty. Crowd responded
well to the program, as noted above. If they can clean, they will catch
Crown. Carolina Crown - 6th - 65.65. Strengths: interesting and well-done use of
tires (yes, tires) in the middle number on the rubber industry. Cleaner than
Spirit. Weaknesses: the guard uni's and equipment for the opener are the same
color. I lost the equipment in the uniforms. There are huge pieces of metal
to the right of the pit for little good reason. The music is forgettable, the
visual program unremarkable. Crowd response sluggish. Boston Crusaders - 4th - 72.90. Strengths: geometric visual program and an
athletic, aggressive still all-female guard. They were throwing things the whole
night. Solid drumline. Ballad is nice. A show of modern music that appeals to
the crowd through visuals, numerous references to "Conquest," and simply
projection of attitude. Body sculpting done well. Weaknesses: Brass will keep
them in the middle of the pack. I really, really enjoyed this program, though.
They had fans in the crowd who were not dissapointed. (break) Blue Devils - 1st - 81.65. Strengths: too numerous to mention. An especially
beautiful ballad accentuated by the visuals. Weaknesses: I don't like the striped
guard uniforms. BD's approach to costuming their guard seems to be to make them
all unique. To me this makes it hard for me to see them as a unit from high up.
Although I love BD, this show I did not like. They did not reach me emotionally
from the field. They stayed on the field, I stayed in the stands. Cadets - 3rd - 78.85. Strengths: Moondance, which I love, and which I was
whistling on the way home. I especially like the backfield part (don't change a
thing, George!) and the transition into the ballad from "Hannibal." All captions,
as per usual, are excellent. Weaknesses: This program is uninteresting visually.
In order to make a piece like "Farandole" work, there has to be something extra -
the visuals have to build the piece as much as the music. That is not happening
right now. This show will peak at third place, if that. Cavaliers - 2nd - 79.65. Strengths: The Four Corners theme imbues even the most
innocent drill move with instant meaning. The percussion feature is understatement
which amazes. Who said you had to play five billion decibels to be exciting and
enthralling? The Cavies' backfield playing is second to none. Great allusion to
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow" near the end of the show. The guard have two features
in the show which would have had the crowd screaming had they been perfect. As it
was, there were gasps and dissapointment when it didn't work. Weaknesses: Maybe
brass, plus there's some cleaning. And the end will be rewritten, bet on it. In
case you haven't guesses, they are my pick to win it all, unless Santa Clara has
he show of the universe. Cavies over BD at Semis and Finals. Crossmen - 5th - 70.65. Strengths: EXCITING and appealing musical program.
Excellent colorguard. Brass and especially soloists are picking up the pace. Visual
staging of the colorguard is excellent. Feet seem to be moving better and corps as
a whole seems much more at ease with themselves visually (Go Gary!) Weaknesses:
the visual of the corps proper is once again unremarkable, although executed better
than in previous years. The transition into the conclusion of the show, although
tasty for the baritones, otherwise makes little sense. The home crowd fueled them,
although with the way they're going, they will have a home crowd at Buffalo. They
will place ninth and have the crowd eating out of their hands. My captions: A bit of advice: When you go to DCI East, get there early. Park. Watch the
clinic, if there is one. Then walk up Spruce Street. Cross the U. of Penn campus
to your right, wandering around ivy covered buildings and leafy, shaded pathways.
Come to Walnut Street and turn left. Find a place to eat - for an inexpensive meal
I recommend "The Fresh Grocer" at 40th and Walnut. A bit of everything -
sandwiches, pizza, entrees, etc. Chip Frontz Blue Devils: 81.65 Easy win. MILES ahed of the 'co-champs'. If "Get it right
the first time" isn't BD's motto, it ought to be. In light of the bashing Concords
'easy' drill has taken, I will say that what they do fits their music perfectly. Chicago Cavaliers: 79.65 Most difficlt, and dirtiest drill of the night. Music
must be pleasing the judges, fans were scratching their heads. Will no doubt, be
ready to defend in August. Garfield Cadets: 78.85 "Young Persons Guide" as opener dosen't work. Santa
Clara did it far better in 73 & 74 with the "G" valve/rotor horns. "Moondance"
freeform and the "Farandole" closer are slated for extensive re-writes, and not
soon enough. They also can be expected to be better prepared come August. Boston Crusaders: 72.90 Went from "Fan Friendly" to ""Judge Friendly". Nice
sound in the "G" hornline and a well done drill book but don't have the "sparkle"
of last season. Crossmen: 70.65 Al Chez must have used some of the energy from Letterman for
this "G" horlnine as it was the hit of the show. Great sound in the "G" line
(reconsider the "Bb" change folks). Had the most 'whistleable' program of the
night. Carolina Crown: 66.65 Looked nice on the field but left a lot of folks cold
with the "Industry" program. The "Firestone Recall" segment had fans doing some
head scractching also. Spirit of Atlanta: 65.60 Most improved corps (over 2000) on the field tonight.
New uniform looks too much like Blue Devils. Jersy Surf: 56.20 Program may be over their heads. Very poor drill execution,
and incomplete show. Last years "Carmen" production was far more 'fan friendly'. Overall comments: Still don't like the "Bb's". The corps that use them sound
way too much like brass bands. Boston and Crossmen's horns SOUND like drum corps
pipes. Very expensive contest to attend as seats started at $18.00 and went all
the way to "$50.00 on the 50". Parking was limited and pricey ($10.00...and STILL
the street people got in). Crown Point, IN (DCM) Well I'm not up to much at the moment so I'd love to give you a review of the
show. It was a pretty scary show site, small town, small high school field. There
was a lot of new drum corps fans there cause a lot of people were calling them
bands. Anyways here is what I thought: I was back visiting some friends while Lake Erie Regiment, Glory Cadets and
Americanos were on.....sorry. Troopers(6th 52.65) A lot cleaner than they were in Normal, it was nice to hear
them play Copeland, they are playing the same ballad SCV did in '98. Drumline
didn't sound too bad, overall a decent show....I don't think I could criticize a
Troopers show, too much tradition. Capital Regiment(5th 52.90) This was my first time seeing this corps and i was
impressed. They put out some sound and all sections played well together. From
what I understand this is only there 2nd or 3rd season.....I wouldn't be suprised
to see them in div. 1 in the near future. Southwind(4th 60.65) Great job, I thought they deserved a higher score. The
cleanest Southwind DL I've ever heard, Bass line was playing cool licks, Snare line
sounded tight. Brass line sounded pretty good, i think color gaurd is there weak
spot, but not by much. Overall good show, I like the music, I hope there scores
start going up cause they are definatly improving. Colts(3rd 67.85) I love this show! I hope they keep up the good work cause i
think they have a shot at making 11-10 at finals. I thought they deserved a little
higher score also, I've never heard a Colts brass line that loud before. The color
gaurd was on it and the DL was playing a tough book IMO. I love the drum feature
and the fighting the brass line does, there was shakos all over the field when they
were done, looks like they're having fun. They're drill needs some work but its
early, can't wait to see they're placement at finals. Bluecoats(2nd 71.05) I really love this show, definatly my new favorite Bluecoats
show, classic Bluecoats latin. The DL sounds great playing a though book and pulling
it off. The Brass Line at the beginning of the show sounds great, really knocks you
off your seat and no early contras this time. My favorite part of the show is the
ballad, very mysterious, love the gaurd work and really like the backfield soloist.
The weakest part of the show is definatly the drill, a lot of standing still and that
might be why there so loud. But overall good show can't wait to see them again. Glassmen(1st 74.45) Now i used to march Gmen so most people would say I'm biased,
but i think that just makes me more critical of them. They did a good job keeping
focus considering all the distractions going on......before the show there was a car
accident across the street from where they were warming up and then if that wasn't
enough right when the Drum Major was counting the corps off to start the show a guy
driving around the stadium in his pick up truck yells through his PA "band is for
pussies!" So the entire crowd was laughing while the Gmen started their show. Okay
as usual the Gmen are under contraversy already for their victory in Normal and
after a dissapointing season last year have been picked by lots of fans (especially
in this message board) to finish 8-12......well the Gmen want none of that and with
this show will be back in the top 5 IMO. Very "In you face" show, it was much
cleaner than the Normal show....the DL is back to it's 98-99 form and the gaurd is
better than ever. The brass line has been struggling a bit but sounded much
improved tonight. Very demanding drill, I swear it seems like they are running
during half the show. Great soloist during the ballad, nailed every note. The show
was still a bit dirty but there is nobody IMO marching drill as hard as the Gmen are,
once they get it cleaned look out!! Don't be suprised to see them back in the top
5 and if you don't like it...get used to it because they are a very young corps. Anywasy decent show, Bluecoats and Gmen definatly crowd favorites and my favorite
show so far this year. Congrats to all and i'll be at the Mich. City show next week. Herndon, VA (DCI Atlantic) Well, I made the attempt to send my review last night, but it was too late
when I finally got home, so delayed, but here it goes: Marine Drum and Bugle Corps A pleasant surprise. I hadn't seen them on any schedules, so I didn't know
they would be here. They played an entertaining program of: Festive Overture (Done in a military band style);
Troop Walk (An original percussion feature that featured the -MUCH stronger
than I remembered- percussion section); Ellis Island (A Medley of several
traditional songs, including Shenandoah with a WONDERFUL Baritone Soloist);
--Announcer Break/Half time-- Too Darn Hot from 'Kiss Me Kate'--It was nice to
see the Marines 'relax' a little. Well at least sound wise. They did a good
job of providing a nicely balanced jazz sound; Time to Say Goodbye--It is hard
to hear anyone do this piece after Boston 2000, but they did an ok job;
Stars and Stripes Forever--I hate Sousa, well just on the field, or playing
the non-stop trumpet parts! This arrangement is incredible! Builds nicely,
provides great impact, and ends the show in traditional drum corps fashion! Division III McCullough Royal Knights 'Upside down Rainbow-Colorful Smiles'; While they didn't announce a rep--the
best I could figure was 'Let the Sun Shine In' and 'The Impossible Dream'
from Man of La Mancha. This corps was very small; 1 Snare, 1 Tenor, 5 Basses, 1 Cymbal (I think, I
can't remember), 4 Guard, 1 DM, 8 (that's right 8) Baritones, 2 Soprano, and
1 VERY LOUD Contra The members were as young as 5! I couldn't believe it. The program appears
to be an inner city unit that has a lot of fun with the show. The uniforms
are tuxes san jackets. They performed a lot stronger than 2000. They
reminded me a great deal of the 'dance' bands of some of the larger
universities with their arrangements and performance style. There was a
great deal of insecurity in the music, as there were several abrupt stops
that seemed like members forgot what was next. This was their first show,
so I am sure confidence will get better during the season. Division II Tampa Bay Thunder This corps has grown tremendously since 2000. I was happy to hear Legend of
the One Eyed Sailor on the field. They do a nice job with it and produce a
nice warm sound, but aren't 'wide open' yet. Sound seemed a little
reserved... but that will change with time. Their large drumline of 30 (6
Snares, 4 Tenors, 6 Basses, 3 Cymbals, 11 Pit) sounded great! There were
several good soloists, esp a nice mellophone solo. The Final sound of the
show was great, wide open, and provided a nice conclusion. The closing drill
is also very nice. This corps will make a big impact in Division II this
year, should come just a few spots away from a Finals Spot. I see this
corps building very quickly into an open class corps! GO Thunder! you have
a new fan! Division I Spirit The new uniforms (old design-like) were nice. I still like the uniforms
they had the last few seasons, but a return to the Blue was also nice :) Spirit is definitely building back towards the top 12. There are so many
moments in this show that will be spectacular come August... tonight it was
just too dirty for impact in several places. I am a big fan of Spirit and
of Ghost Train, but some of the moments I couldn't wait to hear didn't
happen or were omitted from the arrangement. That was disappointing. I also
didn't understand the rifle-esque wrenches the guard spun... didn't make
sense, and weren't real effective. Hornline is much stronger since last
season, but hope they can let loose on the jazzy sections more like Old
Spirit did. Their show doesn't have as much difficulty as some of the other
Top 12 contenders, which may cost them a Top 12 spot, but we'll see. This
will definitely be their strongest season since 90/91! Carolina Crown Well I am an alumni, so it is hard to be non-biased, but I can honestly say
this is the best designed and highest potential-based Crown show ever! This
definitely has the potential to top the 95, 96 & 99 shows (my favorite
three) of Crown's history. I haven't been a huge fan of the direction Crown
has taken since my last season in 1996, but this year, the decisions are
right. Wood: Opens with percussion VERY indicative of the 'wood' sound. Brass and
guard are using huge poles and 4X4s to 'build' something very star 93-esqu
(hmm, think Phillip Burton helped create this too? but can't be sure) Very
Very cool and intense. The rest of the piece drives towards its conclusion
with several in-your-face moments built-in (but not performed yet) Rubber: For a piece I wasn't impressed with when seeing the movie version, I
liked it tonight. Very nicely coordinated between visual and musical
impact. The Tires are weird to see, but work well. Michael Shapiro really
is a genius! Metal: My favorite section. I wish they would move the Baritone Soloists up
front so we can hear him. It is just incredible, but barely audible where he
is placed now. The guard changes clothes (and is a great new uni--unlike
what they start out with... no clue why Michael likes powder/sky blue so
dang much). The tuned cymbals and percussive effects are great. This piece
thrusts towards the end with lots of energy and created a huge crowd
response. I will say that overall the weapon line at Crown is incredible and produce
many awe-inspiring moments. They even through in a 80s style rifle feature
center stage (also a playback to the opening of the 99 show) that got
audible gasps from the audience. The Flag line is doing lots of difficult
stuff but was way too dirty for June.. hopefully that will be ironed out
soon. Overall the show was performed ok, but it is more difficult than any other
show on the field tonight (except maybe parts of Cadets), I think they have
the talent to pull it off for a late season surge, but if not, it could be a
disappointing season for Crown. But I really see no reason why they won't
catch Crossmen by August. Tonight, it was a toss-up to Crown or Spirit, so
the results didn't surprise me (except when he announced Crown initially as
a 55.5, which he later corrected). After seeing the recaps, most of the
gaps between Crown and Spirit made perfect sense, but others not at all...
such is judging. Crossmen I was very impressed. The arrangements are wonderful. They have the best
and most soloists I have seen in a drum corps show in the Top 12 for several
seasons. The Sopranos are really strong and project the jazz repertoire
well. Guanganco (I know that is spelled wrong) was very nice. I usually
hate Harlem Nocturne when done any other way that what BD did in 1987, but
this arrangement is really exciting. There is one section where members
sit, kneel and stand and just let loose and have fun. This is great. Lots of
Visual and Musical GE built in. Crossmen will remain a crown favorite, but
I have to wonder if they have the visual difficulty to sustain their
placement from last season. Performance wise yes, but they aren't
unreachable. Cadets OK, I am not a huge fan of Cadets, but when they win me over, THEY REALLY
WIN ME OVER... unfortunately, this isn;t one of those shows. Maybe I am too
much of a traditionalist (I hope I am not), But they seemed to have turned
YPG into a 'string of effects' Some of the cool transitions that made the
'effects' so powerful in SCVs version or the original were taken out or
downplayed. The middle section that features several duets was incredible
though... then when the 3 times together came it just seemed out of place. Moondance... ok, it has been a long time since I have said this about any
corps... but I hated every second of this piece. I had never heard it
before, and was looking forward to all the reviews of it being 'Swing Swing
Swing-like' but was hugely disappointed. After the initial section of the
melody the brass turn backfield and continue playing the piece, while the
tenors do last year's feature in a totally new time and style. It was
extremely annoying as it didn't fit at all... the drums proceeded to do a
feature that still didn't fit. I was getting a headache from hearing the
brass backfield and the drums front doing this piece. It worked in 94 with
WSStory and it worked in 89 with Les Mis, but this definitely didn't. I know
I wasn't the only one who felt this as a majority of the crowd sat on their
hands during this section. Even heard people around me say things like "What
is that supposed to be" or "What sort of effect is that?". Saw on RAMD
changes were to come, I sure hope so. After all the chaos, the corps played
the theme again full corps and ended. ugh Hannibal. WOW this piece is gorgeous, I must echo some other reviewers that
the whole hornline laying down or crouching the entire song is disturbing
and not really effective. Maybe if they started that way (which is
effective with what the guard does) and then got up and moved to build into
the impact, or vice versa and moved into prone position from regular drill
would be nice. It is just distracting from the sheer beauty of this piece.
Definitely a repeat CD moment during next year's off season. Farandole. Definitely the most effective section of the show. I may not be
a fan off adding so many runs for the sake of runs, but this arrangement is
effective musically. I would like to see a little more 'visual impact'
towards the end, especially after all the cool stuff they did to close the
program in 2000, but it is still effective. Is this a championship show? I don't really think so. Is it a Top 3 show?
Not really. With the Way Glassmen, Boston, Phantom and Blue Knights have
started, I really wouldn't be surprised if 1 or 2 of those corps placed
higher. Overall the show was very nice. The stands were low, but that was ok. I wish
the DC area could have several shows during the summer. Can't wait to see
how these corps progress, especially Crown and Spirit. Both are deserving of
Top 12, but who will drop? Only time will tell. Overall I am more excited
about the 2001 season than I was about 2000. Hope that holds true when I see
the other shows! Chris Green Bloomington/Normal, IL (DCI) Ok, here is my first (and probably last review): First, the venue. ISU (biased because I went there) has a great stadium for
DCI. Astroturf field and a sold out stadium (concert side) so probably
around 5000 there. Great crowd, mostly because of the Bands of America
Summer camp kids jumping at every note, but it was a great time. People
however in Normal don't know when to exit/enter the stadium, no security
keeping people out in the middle of a ballad. On to the shows in performing order: G-men (1st 73.5): WOW. What a show they have, and they had the honor of
leading off. The brass sound great to me and drill writing was very good.
Kinda seems to me trying some Cadets/Cavies swirling moves and doing it
nicely. Madison (6th 66.95): Far and away, crowd favorite, of course didn't do
well. :) Came out SMOKING with the first lick of blowing my face of, which
I loved. Some screamin sops again this year, though I think they overdue it
a bit. Great sound, even on the ballad in the middle. Solid percussion,
but I think the visual package holds em back, very dirty yet. Hopefully
will move up. Southwind (7th 59.9): Very surprised at how well this corps did!! They had
a great music book (IMO) and did a nice job with the drill. It seems like a
'safe' drill, but they do it very well, especially for June. Pioneer (8th 50.1): I am sorry, but I am was very disappointed in this
show. Where is has the corps gone?? Are they in financial trouble? They
were very small and had some holes. Weak musically, especially during
movement. Almost had Troopers over them. (not a shot at troopers) Boston (2nd 73.25): WOW I posted on here about a practice I saw and they
were good, and they were even better tonight. Their horn line was smoking
and probably won. They have great drill, especially during the drum solo.
These guys are gonna be in the top 6, my fearless prediction. Colts (5th 67.2) Didn't even recognize the new uni's, they look great. I
knew them and Madison would be tight, wasn't sure who would get it. Lost
going on around me at this point (people coming in and out) so didn't get a
good look. I liked what I heard. Troopers (9th 47.9): You know, I love this corps. They probably work their
butts off at least, if not more than the other kids and they have more fun.
They had a mostly Copland show, and I loved it and had a lot of fun watching
it. Phantom Regiment (3rd 73.0): Ok, I am biased, have some friends in PR, but
they got ripped. Shoulda at least been 2nd, if not won it. Tommy Fegan
(sp) is one of the best Conductors in a long time. Wow, this guy does it
all, cues, tempo, volume. Wow. Give a wink to the BOA kids and they ate it
up. He was more than pumped at the end. Brass sounds AMAZING during
Festive Overture. They added (or so I am told) some very neat visuals
during the drum solo, I really liked it where they go around each other and
such. A lot of boos at retreat, then a standing O for Tommy and the corps. Bluecoats (4th 69.5): These kids can play!! GREAT brass sound, might have
beaten PR. They put some dark, balanced, loud sound out tonight. Their
drill (again IMO) was a little below the music, both design and execution.
Gonna be a great run for them to August. Loved the solo Contra that entered
a half count to early to start the show. :) Great show tonight, loved every second of it. I hope all the kids have a
great season and can't wait till August. Don't bash me too much!! First off I would like to say it was a great show I traveled 3 hours from MI
and it was well worth it, all the corps performed well last night and the
judges did a GOOD job in a very tight show. Gmen(1st) They deserved it. What a great show, very fast paced it seemed
like the show was over in a couple of minutes. Great soloist nailed every
note, amazing drill they were all over the place. It was nice to see the
Gmen finally get credit from the judges for performing one of the more
difficult shows out there(hopefully the fans will follow). It was a little
dirty (by Gmens standards) but once they get it cleaned look out! Scouts(6th) Loud, Flashy, Entertaining, Crowd Favorite.......but marched a
very easy drill book and played an easy book and still managed to make it
dirty as heck. Southwind(7th) Enjoyable show, probably could have performed it a little
better though. Nothing really stood out, they blended well, was impressed
by the DL and enjoyed watching the cym. line. Pioneer (8th) A little dissapointed, they didn't seem like they were having
much fun. They had a couple holes in the tenor line and the snare line,
they had a small brass line and flag line. They had a weak sound but was
probably due to the shortage of members, hope they find some subs and will
patch things up a bit. Boston(2nd) Solid performance for a first show. Should they have
won?.......No. The brass line sounded good, they were loud. The DL as
usual was weak and played an easy book. The color gaurd did a lot of sit
and spin which never impresses me, I don't think they deserved to beat PR or
Gmen's gaurd. Drill was clean.....although I swear they were marching the
same exact drill they did last year. Would like to see them move around a
little more, they moved a lot but it was within a 10 yd. radius. Solid
performance on the field....I have a bone to pick with them though, off the
field they are one of the most un-classy corps I've ever seen. After the
show I was walking back to the buses with a friend that marches Gmen and
when we walked past the Boston buses a member says to my friend "two
words...got lucky" I'm sorry but if you want to be a top 5 corps Boston,
act like one! Colts(5th) I'm impressed, the colts have just made a new fan. This is going
to be the best Colts show ever, boy did they put out some sound. DL sounded
good and the gaurd was decent, the brass line did a fighting scene with
eachother which included shields....very fun. I can't wait to see them back
in the top 12 this year. Troopers(9th) Typical Troopers show, played some American tunes and did
their thing. Gotta love the tradition. PR(3rd) Good show i though they might beat Boston. The DL sounded great
and so did the hornline, I loved their color gaurd one of my favorites of
the night. As usual i would like to see them march a little harder drill
book, it was a slow paced show. It was a hit or miss show, I found myself
at some points really into the show and at other points looking at the
stars. I like the color change from red to black in the unis but I still
wish they'd go back to the all black and the dancing the brass line did has
to go i was not impressed they looked like they were doing the "little
teapot dance". Solid show though and I would have like to have seen them in
front on Boston. Bluecoats(4th) Great show!! Classic Bluecoats. Loved the color gaurd did
some great work in the ballad. The brassline sounded great and i loved the
backfield soloist. The DL sounded tight, played some tough licks. Great
show design, they could move around a little more. One of my favorites of
the night though can't wait to see them again. Well congrats to all the corps, I enjoyed the show and will be back next
year. Just returned from the Normal show and am still in shock. I and a good
friend have been eagerly awaiting this show for weeks, and took with us two
"newbies" to the drum corps arena. They loved it--as we hoped that they
would! Great night and atmosphere in Normal for the show, which was packed on the
concert side of the stadium, due in large part to the Bands of America camp
kids that were present. Weather was great, and we got to Normal in time to
actually brave the lines at Avanti's Restaurant near the stadium--Great
bread and spaghetti, if you ever get the chance! How to approach this review is a difficult decision. I've already seen the
scores posted and a few threads along the disbelief that followed. I will
try to give general impressions of the corps performances in show order, as
well as judging comments. Ok, Here goes...now this is the next night...I was too tired late last night
to complete the task, so to speak: Glassmen--Score: 73.5 Placement: 1st G-men started out the evening, and were quite well-received during their
performance. As usual, the corps is quite sophisticated in its approach to
drum corps, presenting "IMAGO--inspired by the music of Ginestera and
Orbon." As nice as it was to begin the evening with one of the bigger
corps, obviously their starting position affecting the evening's judging,
which I'll get to later. The music--interesting, but rough. While powerful
and full, the music sounded biting and harsh, and didn't have rounder
warmth...that will come. Drill is demanding, and has some cool moves, but
as usual for G-men, has members running at an ungraceful pace. All in all,
a great show, but their placement is entirely out of place. One new twist
to their uniforms are the glass plate triangles in the breast plate of the
uniform. Madison Scouts--Score: 66.5 Placement: 6th Ah, herein lies the eternal debate. Madison is clearly a crowd pleaser and
nothing is different this year. This year's edition is definitely doing
classic Latin Scouts material. The drill and the audience connect are
familiar but interesting with some nice GE twists starting out the season.
The guard seems a little better than last year, but still were pretty rough,
but hey! it's the beginning of the season! I like the greyish latin guard
uniforms and they have a bit of the Scout swagger back! I like to see that!
I thought that, even though the music and the drill were not as demanding as
G-men's, that they sold it better and more cleanly. Musically, they were a
little squirrel-y in the upper register, but overall, a good show. As
usual, everyone was quite disgusted that they were placed so low. I
wouldn't have had them winning, but they, Bluecoats and G-men should have
been battling for 3, 4, 5 in my book. I have a Madison theory that I am not happy to publicize. Yes, I do think
that DCI has given them a bad rap in the past several years and
subsequently, I am beginning to see that it is taking a toll on Madison. 3
or 4 years ago, it didn't seem to matter if everyone felt they were getting
underscored...MS still pumped the excitement and tried to find new energy
and new angles in their show. Now, they don't seem to have the same
excitement that they used to generate...the show seemed ordinary overall, a
good show, but nothing on the edge or so packed with excitement thatI was
out of my seat multiple times. I am sad and hope that I am
overreacting--the season will see. Southwind--Score: 59.9 Placement: 7 A nice show. They play in a controlled fashion and the color guard is
coming along. I think that I liked last year's show better...I need to see
this show again before I comment intelligently on it. As usual, they have
music that makes you sing along, and the ballad is beautiful! They still
utilize a lot of block drill that is tight, so field coverage is not the
widest. They do some nice things with the drill, but overall, the show has
room to grow with a bit of punch to be added over the course of the season.
Accurate placement, maybe a tad low on the score but all of the half of the
scores were low tonight. Pioneer--Score: 50.1 Placement: 8 Pioneer seems to be searching for ways to continue their tradition of Irish
music but still do something new, so we get "Irish in the Civil War"...an
interesting twist. The corps doesn't seem too large this year, and the
guard is wearing a new uniform that is greyish-blue and evokes the image of
a civil war uniform. Musically, I thought that they sounded very good at
the beginning of the show. As the show developed, they show that they have
a lot of lung stamina to build over the course of the summer. They end
with, instead of Danny Boy or some other Irish tune, "America the
Beautiful"...not sure if I like the arrangement or not yet...will need a few
more showings. Again, a tad low score, but placement is correct. Intermission Boston Crusaders--Score: 73.25 Placement: 2 Boy, the air was palpable last night in Normal awaiting this show after
intermission. Everyone knew that it was their first performance of the
season, and after last year's catapulting season, anticipation was high. I
couldn't imagine any start of the show that would top last years, and I was
right. It was a high energy beginning of the show that was quite exciting,
but not quite last year's beginning. That's OK--it is a fantastic show with
a lot of room to grow. I don't like the guard's new uniforms of grey tops
with mustardy "sweatpants" bottoms...I conject thatthey will be gone very
soon in the season. The guard also used only 2 silks--fluorescent orange
and yellow. I bet they have show flags coming in but haven't arrived yet.
But they didn't need silks. This year's edition are a bunching of tossing
fools--don't mean that negatively. They just toss and toss and toss and
toss some more! When it cleans up, it will be quite spectacular...The music
sounds great and they are playing at quite a high level already. What is
immediately obvious is that their entire show concept and performance level
are at a different level than anything we'd seen earlier. Emeril-like, they
took it up a notch! If they clean well, the show concept itself, will keep
them in the 5th place ballpark. Now, I would have placed them in 2nd
tonight, but with a little higher score. But no way would I have placed
them behind G-men. While G-men has a good show, it is not in the same
category as BC's. Period. I will summarize at the end. Colts--Score: 67.2 Placement: 5th Wow. I really like the Colts' Medieval themed show, Chivalry. It works
nicely. They are quite artistic, and they are playing and moving well.
They suffered a little bit from going on right after BC, but still did a
great job. The guard is doing nice work already, but I don't really like
their mustardy/orange bottoms...this color seems to be a trend for which I
haven't acquired an appreciation yet. I like the use of the shields during
the percussion solo by the horns. If they clean and add some oomph, I could
see them passing Madison, but not tonight...yet they did...ok, time to rail
on judging--from 2 points behind Madison to a point ahead roughly, not
unheard of from one night to the next, but I didn't see it tonight. Yet,
don't count these guys out...last year out of top 12 will be an
anomaly...this show could take them back. Troopers--Score: 47.9 Placement: 9th Placement is correct, score is low...ok, damn it, if G-men are 73.5, all the
others were too low relatively is what I've been saying. Yet, Troopers
sound better this year than they did last year at this stage. The show is a
nice tribute to Copland, but the peril is that every drum corps nut of a few
years knows this music quite well--we tend to be more critical of it. The
guard is doing ok, and the show is a nice show, but has a lot of room to
grow. New drum major it seems...he's still learning the Trooper swagger and
style, but he'll get there--it's a tradition. Troopers, puh-lease, add a
sunburst into the show...I kept waiting...Your fans look for it...what will
it hurt? Surprise us with how you do it! Phantom Regiment--Score: 73.0 Placement: 3rd While everyone was anticipating Boston Crusaders the most, I found Phantom
to be the most pleasant surprise! They are clean, the show is
well-designed, the guard is definitely back as an elite guard, the music is
familiar, demanding, and well-played. In my book, they could have been
judged in 1st place or right behind Boston Crusaders, but again, not in any
way, shape, or fashion, behind G-men. I understand that they have been
flipflopping some with G-men in the first week of the season, but I don't
see it, and I have been pretty accurate with judging over the years. The
sound is clean and gorgeous. I do miss that big fat bottom sound that I
have loved Phantom for over the years, but it is a rich sound overall in all
the sections. The sops are quite good this year. The drill is not as
demanding as G-men's or Boston's,but it is still visually appealing, and has
some great difficulty. The color guard was robbed of high place last night.
I love Boston's guard, and they were tossing a storm, but Phantom's guard
was clean as I've seen this early, well-designed and integrated into the
show concept, lots of difficulty and a heck of a lot of tosses themselves.
On top of that, the silks are gorgeous this year. Lots of color that
accentuates the show. I was reminded of PR guards of a few years back that
were among the best in the activity. Kudos, guard. I know that I may be raving, but anyone who knows me knows that I always
have affection for Phantom, but have always been a staunch Cavies fan, and
am not biased towards them or Boston. It was just clear that both PR and BC
were in different leagues than the other corps last night. Bluecoats--Score: 69.5 Placement: 4th. Well, the placementis about right, but the score is low again. In all
honesty, they have a great show and guard that grabs you and holds on. In
many ways, they out-Madisoned Madison in my opinion. Most of my friends
felt that Madison was better, but I liked the Bluecoats show, musicality,
and even their screechers more. The drill is clean for this early and nice,
but the demand is lower. Ok, how would I summarize the show? Here's how I would have ranked them in
categories: PR and BC were clearly the top two--in show design/concept, in
musicality, in cleanliness, in demand, in guard, in performance. Madison,
Bluecoats, and Glassmen were all reasonable 3, 4, 5 shows...lots of room to
improve, and good shows, but not anywhere near the level of the top two.
Glassmen has significantly higher demand both musically and visually, but
the show design visually has demand that is not pretty. Colts were in 6th,
but not by much...could easily pass Madison as the season goes on.
Southwind, Pioneer, and Trooper received harsh scores relatively, but are
placed correctly IMO. Judging? Just a fluke? Just how the corps performed last night? NO WAY.
If I were a judge last night, I would have been embarrassed! I have not
judged corps, but I have judged marching band competitions, and there is
little you could do to convince me that they could justify their placements
and scores. To be perfectly honest, I could see the Colts over Madison, but
no way that Glassmen could be scored ahead of PR or Boston last night. All
of the top 6 corps had puzzled looks on their faces when they left the
stadium, and Glassmen seemed surprised that they were dragging their pit
back out. Definitely not ready for that! Mostly, this is a shame. It was a great night. It was a fantastic show and
Glassmen deserve credit for a great show, but winning actually seemed to
give them negative publicity that they didn't deserve. They knew that they
weren't the best on the field last night, and the crowd really enjoyed their
performance at the top of the show, but the judges' error in placing them
first caused them to get lots of negative reaction when they had done
nothing bad. Now, I know this is long, but here is my revelation...I mentioned that
friends came along who were newbies...they are musically experienced
although they are not familiar with corps. They easily recognized that
G-men weren't tops tonight. My friends took the misjudging in stride, and
still enjoyed the show. However, it occurred to me that it is no wonder that it is difficult to
develop a fan base. New fans come to a show...they have a great time, then
are told by the judges that they have no idea about what is "good" or
"valued". If I were a new fan, while I would enjoy the performances, I
don't know that I would enjoy being told repeatedly that I have no idea of
what is good even if I have a fairly sophisticated musical history or even
an extensive marching history. Would I want to return to an event that ends
with booing regularly because everyone knows that the judging is not
consistent and lacks foundation? Take issue with my stance if you will. I have no problem with Glassmen. I
have followed them since they were dressed in blue and playing jazz and as
laidback cocky as VK drum majors! I have been proud of their development
and I have loved some of their shows in the last few years. I think that I
will really like this year's show. But in no way last night was it even
close to the level of BC or PR. It seems that despite scoring changes this year, demand is still being given
the top dollar no matter the context of that demand. Demand does count
towards a higher score because demand affects execution, general effect,
technique, etc. However, demand can also detract. For a couple of years,
G-men are a good example of this. Visually, they have demand that is not
even pretty when cleaned. Equally, demand should not carry so much weight.
I.e., the demand was pretty high in BC and PR, was much more well-designed,
and the performances were much cleaner both visually and musically. I wish
that DCI Judges would have the cahones to explain publicly some of their
show decisions. All in all, it should be an interesting year!!!! good to see PR back up to
battling for the top 6, good to see that BC will sustain that surge of last
year, good to see Bluecoats and Colts doing well...want to see Madison
overcome the despondency of the last few years, and can't wait to see
Cadets, BD, Cavies, SCV, and BK. Buffalo, here we come...someone just make
sure last night's combination of judges are no where around the event.
Haven't checked the recap, so I can't slam all the judges or pick which ones
were high, but the sum effect was dizzying...I guess a good way to begin the
DCI season! Cheers, Tim Hendrix Columbia, SC (DCI Atlantic) Well guys tonites show in Columbia SC was awesome! Great performances by all.
well here is my review. by the way it was a over flow packed house!!!! me and my gf
had to sit on the upper back wall of the stadium. Scarey but worth the view. besides
it was built into a hill and there was only a 6 foot drop behind us. I thought that
the judging was right on tonight. Scenic City (49.1) Guys im really sorry i arrived late due to heavy traffic and the
fact that i missed the exit completely and lost about 10 minutes in the process.
Again I apologize for missing you guys. I heard good things. Tampa Bay thunder (60.35) Sounds very good for this time of the season. Full hornline
sound. Guard needs lots of work although i did apreciate the effort. JSU Spirit (65.95) VERY GOOD EARLY! wow i was impressed very much with this corps.
Plenty O Volume and at times very good balance. there is this one lead bari that keeps
sticking out though. Drill and music are somewhat simple and this will surely hinder
them in scoring ability in a few weeks. Even so the show was extremely clean for this
time of year. Great job guys keep it up. A lookout for possible top 12 contender. Carolina Crown (64.8) I thought that this score was deserving. Dont get me wrong,
Crown was great but definately needs cleaning. The show theme revolves around the
ideah of the development of industry.Their show however is VERY difficult. New black
pants and plumes are intimidating! I have never seen Crown run all over the field like
that with that good of a drill. It seemes to cause great fatigue at the end of the
show. Guard work is not nearly finished but very interesting concepts. The percussion
is really good but i did notice that the pit percussion had a very obvious phasing
problem durring its feature. What a great sounding brassline. Its only a matter of
time before they mature to new endurances with this drill then the scores go up up up.
The gaurd tosses wooden planks and uses tires in their dancing to incorporate the wood
rubber and steel theme. Top 8 contender. Crossmen (72.1) Fitting score. I just hope that the simplicity of the first half
of the show doesnt hold them back. The show is very clean. What a brass sound! Timing
was excellent. The percussion is really good but i thought lacked the technical
difficulty. Very good interval control. Ofcourse the drill was not very hard to say
the least. I believe that if difficulty is not added, Crown will pass crossmen in in
the scoring battle. All in all i realy liked the show. Great guard.hot solo features!
top 8 contender. Blue Devils (81.0) The Devils are back baby! Very controled and balanced sound as
always. Just on a higher level for this time of year. The drill seemes to be more
dificult this year. Marching was awesome. Very good gaurd. This corp is well on its
way to 1st place at finals. They get very good field coverage with the drill. Cavaliers (79.65) More of the same greatness with the cavies. The Four corners
theme is working well for their drill. I can tell that there is much to be added to
the drill later on. The sound of this corps is extremely mature and balanced. I
thought that by far the Cavies owned the brass caption on this nite. The drill was a
lil sloppy but thats what you get early on with a Cavies drill. What a baritone
section! Gaurd will be very good. Not yet. Cadets (78.60) The brass rocked the house! louder than the devils id say. The
marching is not bad but like any other corps this early needs lots of work. The gaurd
is an ugly mustard color. Decent routines though with the curved sabres. Great
performance just not as clean as the devils or cavies. Well, I just got home from Columbia SC. By far the best show in the Carolinas
for the second straight year. Thanks Chris Buck and all the organizers.
Unfortunately it wasn't free this year like last year, but the 12 bucks was well
worth the price. The venue moved from Irmo HS to Airport HS. This was good and
bad! At Irmo, there was PLENTY of seating, but that darn train was a nuisance.
This year the stadium was much smaller and I was concerned that not everyone would
FIT. The airport being next door was a concern too, but no loud aircraft disrupted
the show like I thought. In fact the ONLY loud plane of the night came right after
the Cadets finished up the evening. What luck! Also the scattered showers stayed
away. My seats were on the 35 to the right of the 50. I was on the VERY TOP row and
sat on the back wall for most of the performance. Great view! Micro Magic - started the evening. They were very entertaining as an exhibition
group. The 12 horns sounded pretty good, even though they were microphoned. Lots
of soloists and even some singing. The crowd enjoyed them. There was some crazy
guy with a cowbell going off and the crowd really dug him alot! The small area drill
reminded me alot of a stage show (e.g. Blast!). Overall a fun appetizer! Scenic City - was the first corps of the night. This year's production incorporated
props! Large white blocks! (looked like sugar cubes) :) In fact I think there were
more blocks than members. The "kids" theme to the show seemed more accessible than
the "whatever it was" theme last year. This corps is 100% better than last year. The
drill works and the music is playable. I enjoyed them much more. There was the usual
foot phasing problems and some sour notes that detracted from the overall product, but
they are young. I thought the ending was not well written. The show just sorta
stopped. I think that is all they should change though. Tampa Bay Thunder - WOW, what a BIG SOUND! They are three times the size they were
last year. This is definately going to be a show to reckon with in August. The
drumline is great, and I know nothing about drums. They have some squealers too.
This show continues the nautical theme from last season. I really enjoyed the music,
and they had many high impact moments. There were some drill problems but they will
be ironed out soon, I'm sure. I remember saying last year that if they got a hornline
that could match the drums, they'd be awesome.....well, they did! THEY ARE GREAT! I
have a new favorite Div. 2 corps! Spirit - Baby Blue is back! Well, the blue really isn't as light as the the old
baby blues, it more resembles the blue on the Soundmachine page. In the daylight from
a distance, the unis resemble Blue Devils. They had a full sized corps. The hornline
sounds great! I really liked this show. I could hear the "Ghost Train" in the music.
Spirit might sneak up on everybody like a ghost train this season. This show is Top
12 quality definitely. They are outperforming Crown in brass and visual so far.
(can't comment on guard and drums due to ignorance, sorry) They have been together
a week longer than Crown and it showed tonight. I'm a Crown alum and I even picked
them above the homestate corps. Carolina Crown - The black pants really makes them look more aggressive. At the
preview last week, I really dug the music. This show is the best one Crown has ever
put out. If they can get the sound out of the hornline that I heard in Ft. Mill last
week out on the field, they'll be a contender. The drill is sloppy, but they've only
had a handfull of complete runthroughs this season. This corps is better than last
season and might be better than 99 if they can clean up the drill and produce quality
music. Right now, I think fatigue is a factor. The guard unis during the closer are
great! This is a unique show, but they need to get it together cause it's gonna be a
VERY TOUGH FIGHT for Top 12 this year. I expect them to make a move by mid July.
This show is a good vehicle for them. Crossmen - This is the best show that Crossmen have put on since 97. Definitely a
crowd pleaser. The soloists are great. I believe this corps is the only Div 1 corps
that played on G Bugles tonight, and I thought they had one of the biggest sounds of
the evening. Maybe it's just coincidence. X-men are in good shape to finish in the
Top 7 this season. This is a very entertaining show. Early season drill problems,
but I don't see that slowing them down. Blue Devils - Holy crap! What can I say? They blew me away tonight. Midseason
form already! It's hard for me to pick out their problems! The only bad thing they
did tonight was the beginning of America/O Canada. OUCH! This is the first year that
I have dug BD's show the very first time I saw it! They won tonight hands down.
Cavies are a close second, but Blue Devils are gonna be tough to handle down the
stretch. Cavaliers - This show isn't as good as last years in my opinion, but it will still
contend for the title. The music might take a few more listening before I can totally
"get it", but I thought the difficulty and execution were great. I like the show
concept, it works well. The drill has minor flaws, but it is typical Cavies stuff!
The guard was freaking awesome. There were some drops tonight, but they were still
the most VISUAL of all the guards! The majority of the crowd was pulling for them,
but I just think they have a little ways to go before they take BD. Cadets - This was probably the most difficult show of the night. The horn book
blew my mind, but that also could be their downfall. This is a good show, but i don't
see it winning a title. There aren't alot of gimmicks in this year's show. The tenor
break was similar to last year's "behind the back" stuff, but nothing NEW! There was
one section of music where the music "overlapped" like a 3/4 on 4/4 section. Watching
one drum major is hard enough, but to watch 2 drum majors beside each other conducting
different patterns....HOW DO THEY DO THAT? call me uncoordinated! I like the
transition from Moondance to Hannibal, but the rest of the show just didn't seem to
fit with the other pieces. The ballad was beautiful though. Cadets have the best
ballads ever, and this year is no different. I saw the guard spinning their bent
rifles, but I thought they looked more like large commas rather than S shaped as
someone previously posted. This show is great, but I think the title is between
Cavies and BD this year. Hopefully not another tie though. I guess the highlight of my evening was PICKING EVERY PLACEMENT CORRECTLY! I'm
getting alot better at that. I even predicted a score of 81.2 for BD, but I was .2
off. BD cranked up the volume for the encore. I loved it! Great show....now off
to Winston Salem and Nightbeat to see the rest of the big corps! Lima, OH (DCM) This will be relatively short. It's late and I am tired. First of all, this show was awesome! I've been going to shows for over 20
years (don't worry I am only 32), and this show was one of the best as far
as regional shows are concerned. I was very pleased with ALL corps
performances tonight! Bandettes - Very small corps, but much improved since the last time I saw
them. These kids manage to pull off a pretty good show with small numbers
and very young participants. Good Job. Glory Cadets - Again small (not as small as Bandettes), but still small.
Once again they surprised me with their show. A little sloppy, but good
design, sound, and GE. Not too bad! Capital - HOLLY COW! The surprise of the evening. I have not been keeping
up with the post apparently on this corps. The last time I saw them, they
were Div. 3. Wow, what a change. This corps has a HUGE sound, very loud.
The show design is very respectable, and it's relatively clean. Again, this
corps is very young, but they manage to pull off one hec of a show. They
are already beginning to knock off some Div. 1 corps. My guess is this
trend will continue. Trust me, you won't believe the sound these kids
generate. Troopers - Good show. Much updated from previous years. Cleaner and more
refined then last year. Still not good enough to keep up the big guys,
which now includes Capital, but still an entertaining show. Southwind - I remember reading some earlier posts that suggested these guys
were not as strong as last year. Also suggested that the brass was weak.
Not any more!!!! This corps surprised me based on the reviews I have read
previously. I spoke to their guard instructor. He said they have been
working with the brass aggresively over the last few weeks, IT SHOWS! The
corps had a very powerful brass line, hot colorguard, and good overall
design. Very entertaining show. Good corps to kick off the big guys. Bluecoats - Watch out! This corps is on the move. Their score has rapidly
improved. Ended up tonight with a 72.????. Well deserved. This corps
really knows how to play. They too are EXTREMELY loud and more refined than
Capital or Southwind. Their drill was much better than the past few years.
It is faster, more energetic, cleaner, mature, etc.... And again, that
classic Bluecoats brass, better than ever! Watch out for these guys, they
are going to knock off a few surprises this year. Corps in jeopardy
include: Madison, Crossmen, Boston????, and even Glassmen. Glassmen - Well, I have to say that this is a corps that I always hope for
the best. I remember them from the early days when they were a small corps
struggling to survive. It is always nice to see one of the small guys make
it to the big time, and these guys have. Unfortunately, my annual wish that
these guys would eventually make it into the upper elite (top 3 or 4) will
most likely not come true again this year. This show is much advanced over
last year. The musical score is more technical, the drill is more complex,
the ensemble is very well balanced, the drill is cleaner than others at this
early stage in the game, and they are also much faster than years past.
However, it's still just not quite enough. I think the show is cool, but
there are some problems. There are too many starts and stops in the the
drill and in the music. This keeps them from competing with the top 4 and
it tends to bore the crowd. I want these guys to do great, but it will
require some rewrites on the music and the drill in order to continue
competing with Phantom and even the Bluecoats if they are not careful. A
little creativity from the staff will do wonders for this corps. By the
way, the drum line kicks ass again this year. The brass is very balanced,
but doesn' have the volume of Bluecoats or Phantom. Overall, an improvement
over last year and a great show to watch. Good job. Phantom - WOW! Earlier posts have underestimated these guys. This brass
line is out of this WORLD! It reminds me of last years Cavaliers with a
twist, a more technical score! I can't say enough about this brass line.
They have it all, volume, balance, and technical difficulty. The stand
still was awesome. The Drill, well, again earlier posts have underestimated
these guys. They have rewritten a significant portion of their drill and it
is pretty darn good. It's not a Cadets, Cavaliers, or Santa Clara drill,
but it is definately in the same league as Blue Devils, Glassmen (almost)
etc.. It will be hard for the Glassmen to continue keeping pace with this
corps. I expect them to begin pulling away, but anythings possible and I am
not writing off the Glassmen or any other corps for that matter. Phantom
could really go places with this show. The good news is that, worst case
they don't make the top 5. Well, that is saying alot for DCI this year.
Because, I am telling you, this Phantom, this show, this year would have
definately beat last years Boston. I think the top 12 could be better than
ever this year! Well, thats it. By the way, they screwed up our seats at the show tonight,
but were very accomodating. They put us in the press box which was perfect
view and perfect sound. Awesome seats! Firstly, my biases: Glassmen Alum; Brass Player
We also arrived too late to view Bandettes (not purposefully, I like the
little corps, too). I'd HATE to see what parking must be like at Lima
Stadium for a football game. Marion Glory Cadets: Capital Regiment: Troopers: Southwind: Bluecoats: Phantom Regiment: Glassmen: Drum Corps in general: Thank you to the people of Lima and to DCM for providing a VERY nice evening
of entertainment close to my home, for less than I spend feeding my kids at
Pizza Hut. Applied Industrial Technologies OK...it's been awhile since I've done one of these, but here goes. I have now
seen 4 June shows with many of the same corps in attendance. I will try to
note progress and impressions after my (many times) fourth viewings of these
programs. Bandettes--Early season Division III corps...there very small brass line does
an admirable job with a fairly demanding book. They achieve a nice balance and
blend in the opening minutes of their production. As the show progresses, we
lose endurance and projection (and struggle with notes). I think the theme (A
highway journey...tunes are "Onramp,"Offramp", etc.) will work for them. Just
not a lot of highs and lows written in yet. The guard is doing some nice body,
equipment combo stuff and handles all three pieces of equipment during the
show. Some very nice sabre stuff. A lot of room for growth. Marion Glory Cadets--OK, these guys definitely get most improved in 1 1/2 weeks
on tour. It's obvious they have a staff that will continue to advance them.
Horns are MUCH improved over last week (and I already thought that from their
first show to Springboro). Visually they are extremely strong individually,
but so many holes must be killing them ensembly. I heard rumblings of the
visual problems being addressed with the addition of some serious staff
members, so watch out by DCM and DCI!! Keep up the fine musical improvements,
drastic reduction in musical ensemble tears tonight. Capital Regiment--Another major, major improvement. Show silks are now in and
wow those Ballad flags are gorgeous. The reviews are true...A major step
forward in quality of programming and a GIANT LEAP in terms of pacing of
effects. The brass line is huge and produces a quality sound, which will only
improve as the young members figure out how to move and play with the same
effectiveness as when they park and bark. The percussion line is strong again,
they obviously have some strong players and instructors. The guard is a major
improvement as well. The book is EXTREMELY well-written and the small guard is
very effectively staged so that you don't notice their small numbers. Next to
Phantom, I think they had the most musical silk book of the evening. The next
giant leap for this corps will be to figure out how to work as one unit. There
are still MAJOR sections of the show where it feels like the percussion and
brass are battling instead of working cohesively. These guys will be a force
to be reckoned with in August. Troopers--I really want to like the Troopers every year, but they never seem to
get it together until the last minute. IT IS GREAT to see them out in the
midwest this early, and it will pay MAJOR dividends in August. The book is
more Copland variations, and is a step forward in terms of arrangements. The
drill is nice, unoffensive and unobstrusive. The guard moves pretty well, but
the work seems pretty dated. The reason Capital Regiment is ahead right now
and will probably stay ahead for the forseeable future is the pacing and
variety of effects they offer. The CR staff understands how to make people
react, and to play off of their surprise at the quality of the corps. When
Troopers play up the on the sentimental crowd favorite card, they'll continue
to improve. People want to see THE TROOPERS, which is hard standard to live up
to decades later and still remain competitive. Southwind--When I first saw Southwind in Jackson, MI, I was pretty
disappointed. Whereas the year before they seemed primed and confident and
ready to move through the DCI ranks (evidenced by a strong 13th place finish),
this year's edition seemed apprehensive and to not believe in their program.
Last night was a big improvement in confidence, especially from the brass line.
They put out some serious sound and seem to have a stronger understanding of
their musical book. It is a nice package, and is growing on me. The highs
need to be higher and the lows lower to sustain our interest, but they seem to
be on the right track. Another corps that has made great strides in a week or
so. Will continue to watch their progress. Phantom Regiment--OMG they were on FIRE tonight. The tempos seemed stepped up
a bit, the drill had some major additions and re-writes (the last minute or so
of the show) to continue to develop what is going to be one of my favorite
programs of the year. The brass line is incredible, technically sound and
powerful. When they re-enter after the interlude of "Festive Overture" no
matter how hard I try to remember that the impact is coming, it is GOOSEBUMP
city!!! They catch you off guard with a strong guard/percussion feature that
you're drawn into and then BAM!!! Impact beyond belief. I have not seen
mention of their incredible guard, which is a shame. This guard easily outspun
the Cadets a week ago in Columbus, and distanced themselves from the
competition tonight with the addition of some GORGEOUS show silks. The
lllloooooooonnnnnnngggggg phrase they spin at the beginning of Festive Overture
brought ooohs and aahhhs from even those percussion guys sitting around me.
Pay attention to what they're doing, it is the best written book I've seen this
year so far. The naysayers that are counting Phantom out this early are gonna
be surprised come August. Bluecoats--A big improvement over last year. The Michael Daugherty based
musical book is a big departure for them, but they are already selling it well.
The brass line is BACK...they haven't sounded this strong in a few years. The
drill is much more challenging, however there are some really, really bad guard
transitions that will need to be addressed soon if they wanna hang with the big
guys. Speaking of the guard, they move so well this year. It's almost like
watching a ballroom dance competition for Latin styles. These kids are selling
these sections unbelievable well. When they pick up equipment...well they've
got some room to grow. They seem a little behind, with less filled in work
than a lot of the other corps in the leaders pack. The ending is now on the
field, and works well for them. Right now, one of my favorite moments comes
when the hornline does a simple staccato foot movement in a blocked triangle
picking up the underlying rhythm of the piece. Their future growth is going to
be dependent upon them continuing to translate the latin feel with moves like
this throughout the corps and not just counting on the guard to bring that mood
and feel across. Nice job, can't wait to see how this grows. Glassmen--Again, strong improvement over last year. The darker musical book is
reflected visually with a black mirrored triangle in the uniform as opposed to
the gold that was there. Also the guard plays a lot of deeper families of
colors against each other to give the darkness an extremely rich look (i.e.
related reds, purple, burnt oranges in opening silk, blacks, silvers, and
coppers in another, and the ending with muted yellows, oranges, and greens that
still has a strong impact against the beige and black of the corps proper).
The drill is a big step forward, probably the most demanding tonight, and
they're pulling it off amazingly well for early season. But the fast motion is
taking a brutal beating on the brass scores, I'd imagine. The sound is darker,
but at this point still coming across blatty and raspy in spots. This will
undoubtedly improve drastically in the next two weeks. Right now, they don't
have the effects built to the level of Phantom where people know when and where
they are supposed to respond. It won't take them long to refine this to be the
case. I would be remiss not to mention a strong and musical percussion book
with some wonderful undulating world rhythm undercurrents throughtout, and the
fine alto/mellophone soloist in the ballad. He has a beautiful sound! It's
gonna be tight at the top this year! This is one of those shows with infinite
growth potential, and will be fun to watch develop this season. The crowd was phenomenal tonight, giving all corps well deserved recognition
both after their shows and as they trooped the stands. Unlike the crowd at
Crew Stadium in Columbus, these people gave it up for the young performers. Brunswick, GA (DCI) Hi everyone, this is my first written review, so no laughing!:)
My seats were Row 21, EXACTLY on the 50 yard line.
This was a great night. Several thousand people. There was an initial
threat of rain, but not a single drop fell. First up, Tampa Bay Thunder: - 60.10 Teal Sound: - 45.35 Spirt: - 65.20 Carolina Crown: - 66.05 Crossmen: - 71.35 Cavaliers: - 78.25 Cadets: - 77.40 Blue Devil: - 78.95 After the scores were announced, the announced said, "Blue Devils, you
are welcome to take the field for an encore!" The Blue Devils seemed
to be confused and were looking around at each other like "Huh?".
They did however, bring their equipment back to the front sideline and
lined up in a semicircle, from about the 40 to the 40 and back to the
first hash mark right in front of the stands. They warmed up...WOW,
that tuning sequence was the loudest thing of the night! Then they
played their entire show in a standstill. It was great! You could tell
they really pumped up the volume for the non-judged encore. Great end
to a wonderful evening. Wow, writing a review was more fun than I thought it would be! What a
treat it was to see so many great corps in such a small venue. Can't
wait to see them again in Murfreesboro, TN. Wow what a great show. The stadium was nice, plenty of free parking, and
Fried Shrimp! The only two things that went wrong, flooding in the bathrooms, and a power
outage, we're not the fault of the show organizers. Both problems were
corrected and the show went on! Personally I didn't care for Spirits show. But if they clean it up so its
readable, I might enjoy it. Carolina Crown got the typical remarks from the audience...tire jokes,
firestone/ford jokes, and bus breakdown jokes. The lumber and tires are
working for the corps though, and they have a really nice show. Saw Terry
Valentine Craig with this group, I thought she was still with Magic, and was
suprised to see her with another corps while Magic is trying to get back on its
feet. Dont want to open a can of worms here, but I hope there isn't any bad
blood. After the lights came back on Crossmen took the field. The delay didn't seem
to hurt them at all! They rock this year! What a great show......great guard
and drum work in the second selection, Fire Dance is still a little too slow,
but its June. By the end of July this corps is gonna rock and roll! Two
thumbs up for great guard uniforms, makes ALL the kids look good. Cavaliers were great. I was high at this show so I got to see the drill. Its
a combination of old great Cavaleir moves, and variations that keep it fresh.
As I stated in my Orlando post, I dont care for the ladders, but its still
June. The guard was on tonight, lots of acrabatics and tricks, still cant help
think "These guard uniforms would look great on Devils" I also love the
"somewhere over the rainbow" hints during the exit. They are in the hunt this
year. Cadets, wow what a different show from up high. Seeing them low in Orlando I
felt there was no way they could grab a DCI gold medal this year, but now I'm
not too sure. Young persons guide was a little more controlled tonight, and it
slid right into a 5 minute version of Moondance that is a musical and visual
treat! There are some flow problems getting in and out of all of the ensamble
and solo acts, but its not a hard fix, moondance ends up fading into a
beautiful Cadet ballad, and right into a rollercoaster ride of Farrandole.
With their rehersal schedule and some re-writes this corps could be knocking on
Devils and cavies door next month! Blue Devils- They are loud, they are clean, they are even entertaining, but I
just dont see this show growing at all. They were almost 2 points lower
tonight than in Orlando..............too many rides on the Teacups kids? Or
too much time in "Its a Small World"? Its a good Blue Devil show, I
personally think its finished. Where Cavies and Cadets have much more growth
in their shows. It was a nice night, not as many bugs as I had been warned about, and everyone
working the show was extremely friendly and organized. Excellent crowd
control, the only people allowed to walk the aisles were the runners for the
scores, and the kid that kept hauling fried shrimp to the judges. THAT SHRIMP
WAS GOOD! Cadets tossed at Retreat, but it seemed a little more "classy" than
in past shows. Thats about it! Have a safe and great summer! Tampa Bay Thunder: The Teal Sound: Spirit: Carolina Crown: -Power Failer- The Crossmen: The Cavaliers: The Cadets: The Blue Devils: Tampa Bay Thunder- Wow, good improvement from last year. The drumline had a few
spots where they were a bit sluggish, and the bass drums kept running into each
other. But over all, I enjoyed it thouroghly. Teal Sound- Who doesnt love this corps? With a solid drumline, and a improving
brass section, they have what it takes to take the Div. III title. The show theme
is "Symphony and Metallica", how better can it get? We shall see. JSU- Big improvement since last year. I love the uniforms, and the show is very
interesting. It has a great moment when the band is silent and the auxillary and
front ensemble start to make train noises. Crossmen- Mediocre corps. I liked the brass, STRONG BRASS! The show just wasnt
pleasing to a percussionists ear. Cadets- Nice corps, but did mostly the same kind of drill last year. Cavaliers- NICE. I loved this show, and the drumline. The snarebreak sure is
something to see. They are clean in late JUNE!!!!! Wow, is all I have to say. Blue Devils- My favorite part was when the snares went to the sidelines and
grabbed bass drums. So they had a 14 man bassline...it was something to see.
Overall, my favorite show of the night. Go to Page 4 of Reviews!
2001 Drum Corps International
Show Reviews - As Posted on RAMD!
Page Three of Reviews
If you visit often, hit "Reload" to refresh the reviews on this page!
Go to Page 2 of Reviews!
Friday June 29
SMIAC 02'
BD-81.65
CAVS-79.65
CADETS-78.95
BAC-72.9
CROSSMEN-70.65
CROWN-65.65
SPIRIT-65.5
SURF-56.2
In my opinion the Crossmen stole the show tonight. They came out on fire, and
obviously I knew they werent gonna score higher then any of the top three..but
I did expect it to be closer. And there is no way that BD cleanly won by two
points over the cavs. I still havent seen the captions and maybe that will
tell the tale..but GE definately goes to the Cavies.
well here goes...
Must say I was kinda dissapointed in what they had to offer tonight. It was
only their second show I think...but they still dont have the last two minutes
or so of drill down..and they did it standstill. Feet were a really big
issue..as I caught quite a few people out of step...This show is really
fast!And its still june...so i'm willing to bet this is why they're still
struggling. But come august if they clean this up watch out.
WOW!!This is definately a corps on the rise. I loved this show..and personally
i think it shoulda beatin Crowns performance. I picked out a few interval
problems throughout...but im not big on M&M..so i'll leave that kinda critique
to everybody else. But what I am big on is Percussion/Battery...and lemme tell
you this line was throwin it down. Very suprising actually. I only caught one
spot that was obviously dirty when the snares are mocking the train noise and
the tempo slows for a bit...just a matter of getting the whole line in sink and
on tempo with the Drum Major...and over time they'll get it. Hopefully this
show can still be improved upon and not have this just be a plateu cuz i really
enjoyed Spirit tonight.
Ok...my first major complaint is that I didn't get the show at all..maybe it
was me. The tires didn't make sense and I just had trouble understanding the
images they were portraying to me. Drumline was pretty good, they had some
slammin parts of their own, and can probably compete with the big boys if it
was given the chance. Overall an interesting show..maybe i'll see it clearer
next time.
Well I read some reviews earlier about BAC and how they lit up the
MidWest...well I gotta say I didn't exactly see them lighting anything up
tonight...but they sure as hell put on a good show. I think this show can keep
them in the top 8..almost undoubtably. The whole show keeps you moving. I
just had one complaint about the ballad...there were quite a few timing
difficulties...and its gonna take a lot of practice to hit that sucker
perfectly. IMO the drumline was better than what I saw of BAC last year. They
are bigger..and just give off a beefier effect. Well i definately see some
good coming out of this show..althoughi i cant see it competing with the top 3.
Well I think this show is really over rated. I enjoyed it..but they didn't
sell it as well as I was expecting. The drill was nothing spectacular..but of
the top 3 they did have the best sound. I really can't say much other than I
can't see it possible that they won by 2 full points over the cavies. The
drumline..is once again throwing some major notes down..the tenors dont stop
playing. Musicality is a problem though..I cant help but notice the 12 inch
stick hights every two beats...and the normal BD syncopated eigth notes. I
love em cuz they're always playing at triple forte hehe..and thats how all
drummers are...but score wise they shoulda been a lot lower.
Well over the last two years I've really began to lose interest in the Cadets.
I just dont like the direction that they're going in. I really didn't like the
show at all...Once again i had no idea what they were trying to sell me. Too
many different Variations..there is no main theme to stick to, and thats a
problem. Now i remember reading earlier on RAMD about the drum break and how
the tenors lined the tenors up in a square and did some kinda break...well i
guess that part got cut...cuz it sure as hell wasn't in there tonight..there
wasn't even a tenor break. For some reason one of the tenor players on the
drumset didn't get up to march after the set section..and it screwed up the
drill..because it looked like there was one tenor marching in the snare
line..while the two or three other ones(not sure on the exact number) were in
their own line. I can especially say that I didn't like the i guess we can
call them rifles..even though what the cadets use arent. As I said before I
dont like the direction this corps is going in...and with this type of
rifles..it sort of reminds me of blast!...and thats not the direction i want to
see drum corps go in..because its too modern. Well hopefully they'll improve
upon a few things..and im sure they'll do the usual cadet week before finals
change of drill or something..but as of now i cant see them winning at finals.
Of the top 3 I enjoyed these guys the most. The way these guys march is
unbelievable..the drill is rediculous...and somehow they still manage to pull
it off..while also pulling off some great sound. Did see a few interval
problems..that will obviously be cleaned..cuz this is still june. Drumline was
tight like usual, I enjoyed the whole break..but was kinda soured by the fact
that a lot of it was the same as last year. The visuals the percusion pulls
off amazes me. Well personally i think these guys will be at the top this
year..because I saw some stuff that they need to work on..where as I couldn't
find too much stuff for BD to clean and fix. Watch out BD..cuz these guys are
comin for ya!
Hands down...these guys were the most entertaining of the night. Great sound
out of the horns..and drill is really good..best i've seen over the last few
years from them. This looks to be like an up year for the crossmen...i
wouldn't be suprised if they pull a boston from last year...i can definately
see these guys suprising some people in august once everything is cleaned. The
drumline will be comin in with some scores come august once they get everything
cleaned cuz they have a hell of a book. Tenors are amazing, they play more
than almost every corp out there..except for the cavies tenor line mabye. And
for the most part they were very clean. I heard a few rims here and there but
hey its only june. Mark my word these guys will be smokin come August. I just
dont see where these low scores are coming from...theres no way that these guys
are 12 pts behind BD...they were just as loud if not louder than BD.
Best overall show - Cavaliers
Best soloists - Crossmen (sorry BD)
Most attitude - Tie (BAC and Crossmen)
Most room for growth - BAC and Jersey Surf
Best crowd response - Crossmen (home show)
Best use of tires - Carolina Crown
Best drums - Blue Devils
Most notes played - Cadets
Most trap sets - Cadets again
Best body sculpting - BAC
Crossmen 1992
Thursday June 28
1992-1994 & 1996 Carolina Crown
1999 Blue Stars Brass Caption Head
2001 Carolina Gold Program Coordinator
Wednesday June 27
Tuesday June 26
Never count this group or that town (AKA Tractor City) out! Through thick
and (lately) thin, they show evidence of good show design and instruction as
well as discipline and professionalism. Having been on the field in my
tender youth (well, youth anyway) as one of too few trying to do too much, I
sympathized with the players. They did appear to be enjoying themselves,
however, and for that I am grateful. Drum Corps can be really tough when the
fun is removed and all that is left is the hardest work you've ever done in
your life.
Add me to the list of admirers! Clearly the kids deserve a bunch of credit
for doing a great number of things right, but kudos MUST be given to staff
for having a vision and the courage to share it and teach it to the kids.
Watch these youngsters, Ohio may have another World-Class Drum Corps of
which to be proud in the near future. As a side bar, my wife, who is not a
Drum Corps veteran, would have awarded Capital Regiment the night's top
honors because, "I could hear what they were trying to say to me, and it was
the most entertaining show of the night.
Viewed the corps once last year, gave them high marks for putting on a good
show with limited personnel, but they must make progress. I didn't like the
horn book at all, and the brass seems to be playing with a "Fear of Failure"
which is preventing any expression of emotion. Maybe as the drill becomes
second nature, the music will sound less like a "player piano" or MIDI
file.
Nice sound! Nice book! Perhaps it was the contrast to the Troopers dry
performance, but the kids were SELLING us the book, Guard was neat (there,
you just got my most insightful guard or drill comment). The is a LOT of
talent on the field from Lexington, KY.
Bravo! The show is well conceived. Very entertaining if a little old
fashioned. Brass needs a lot of work, but who doesn't in June.
Great overall show design! The show seemed more "integrated" to me than in
recent years, although I must disagree with another reviewer about the
ability of this brass line. There is plenty of time left to clean the drill
and the brass book, of course, but the book, mostly "Festive Overture" is
performed badly (even at the standstill victory concert where drill phobia
shouldn't be any factor). I guess you just have to keep reminding yourself
that the damned thing was written for the clarinet. I really suspect the
thing just tempted the show writers to try too much.
My first (and probably only) chance to see Gmen this year. I like the new
uniform treatment (except for guard). Music is pretty cool, I must say it's
a great relief to a booster and alum who was VERY frightened that this was
going to turn out like the regrettable Gershwin show last year. Trust me,
Glassmen fans, this book is way cooler than that. They do, however pin a
tremendous portion of the show to the fluglehorn soloist in the middle
piece. Sure hope he stays healthy all year. He is the best soloist I've been
privileged to hear in many years. There are several really cool spots in the
closer as well: one of the neatest stagings of the drum line backfield I've
ever seen or heard.
Can ANYONE tell me what we're trying to do/say/feel/think with the look of
the color guards? What is all that rolling on the ground? Am I the only one
who doesn't get it? ---SIGH--- Oh Well, maybe I am getting too old for this.
And what about the percussion pit? As with may things in drum corps, this
has been overdone by the average corps. With all due respect to the melodic
percussionists, the arrangers are not writing anywhere NEAR enough rests for
those guys, admittedly the most dedicated and talented players in most
corps. It just wrecks the sound for me. When is some corps going to get the
stones to leave the instruments at the pit for battery players to use
sparingly for effect, and utilize the bodies on the drill field wherever
they can best enhance the show? Last ranting to come now: I'm SICK of free
drill! Running around in circles and every three and four minutes producing
a drill picture is not entertaining! I was at a show last season where the
Troopers gave the crowd it's largest "Drill Thrill" of the night by marching
in a "Company Front" from the left end line to the Fifty, in the warm-up
before the "show" started!!!!! Reintegrate the guard with the horns! make
equipment handling and tosses enhance the music and ADD to the entertainment
value. OK, I've complained enough.
Monday June 25
I was so suprised when they marched out onto the field. Last year they
only had 30 or so members and were pretty boring. This year, WOW, what
a turnaround. They had at least 80, maybe 90 and looked fairly large.
Overall the show was good. It was entertaining throughout and fairly
strong from a brass perspective. The drill was ambitious, especially
towards the end where they still have a lot of work to do. They must
be drawing alot of people who would normally be marching in Magic.
With such an improvement in a single year, I can't wait to see them
next year!
Small. Just like last year. Maybe 30 members. Good effort though. The
best thing was the crooked metal rods that the colorgaurd twirls
during one section.
Ok, they are huge. They were maxed out on members and even had a few
on the sideline as alternates. The baby blue uniforms make them really
stand out. Overall much improved from last year. Much better sound, if
a little top-heavy. My only concern is that the level of music as well
as drill seemed pretty simple. They didn't seem to be taking any
chances by tackling anything more difficult with this group, even
though its a MUCH better group than last year.
I always look forward to Crown's performance, but this year I was a
tad dissapointed. They don't seem to have the pure brass power that
they have had in past years. However, this is by far the most
ambitious show they have ever tried. You can tell that the staff
decided to attempt to push them to the next level this year. The
complexity of the drill and fast paced music needs a lot of work, but
could be a force to be reckoned with by the end of the season if they
can clean it up.
Ok, this is one corp I have seen on several occasions and never really
cared for. The jazzy shows are normally not very well choreographed,
nor is the music very exciting, and I ussually only enjoy them
marginally. This year is a DIFFERENT STORY BABY! They were on fire!!!
I loved this show. This was without a doubt the crowd pleaser of the
night. It made every show up to this point look amateurish. Howls of
delight erupted from the stadium crowd on several occasions during the
show, and they were the first corp to receive a standing ovation.
Firedance was a great closer, and the colorgaurd's flaming red and
yellow flags was the perfect choice! The drill was overall pretty
clean and very complimentary to the show, even if it was a bit
simplistic.
I don't know what to say except "Symphonic work of art". The corp was
excellent. I need to see this show again to get a better feeling for
it. What I can say is that the drill was the most artistic of the
night. Who writes this stuff??? Amazing. The move at the end when the
entire corp is in the center of the field turning in a large box
formation, and the three soloists from each corner of the field come
running double time, encircling the corp as they turn the box and move
into each point(corner) of it just as the corp dramatically arrives at
the diamond angle to move forward with dramatic music....ohhh my
god..that was amazing. I never thought a drill move could give me
chills. This show needs some work, musically and drillwise, but it is
pretty clean already. the colorgaurd is unbelievably good and clean
already. Great show. Four Corners is a great idea artistically, very
dark and intriguing. This show will definitely have a good chance for
the championship in August.
I love the Cadets. They seem to be at every show I go to in this
region and they are always by far the best. However, I have never been
to a show where there were three top tier corps performing either!
This show was very entertaining. However, I really didn't like it as
well as last years show, because I liked the fact that last year the
show was built around a central musical theme. This years theme, is
that there is no theme. It is a compilation of several genres and
doesn't seem to cohere as well as it has in past years. Does this mean
that the corp is not as good as it has been in the past? NO! The corp
is just a good as ever. The drill is just a good as ever. Some of the
music selection is just a little lacking in my opinion. I think this
show has a very good chance of winning the championship for one simple
reason. The music is extremely demanding and the drill, which has a
lot of cleaning yet to be done, in addition to being very well
written, is super fast and difficult to the point of being dangerous.
The beginning of this show and the end are the best parts. Fast,
furious and symphonic. Vintage Cadets style! Overall a great show if
they can just clean it up!
This was my first time seeing the Devils in person, and what a great
show! Let me start by saying this show looks late July clean already.
Obviously more clean and complete than anything of the night. There is
really not much they can do, except change the drill. This is the main
reason I think this show may have trouble winning the championship.
Musically, it is very demanding and the hornline as well as drumline
are very good, but to me, the things they are doing in the drill are
not that difficult when compared to the Cavies and Cadets. For this
reason, coupled with the fact that the Cavies and Cadets are on there
heels RIGHT NOW and still dirty, when their shows are clean, they
should be outscoring this Blue Devils show. I don't mean to take
anything away from the Devs however, this is a really great show. The
hornline is fantastic. Great Sops as ussual! As I said before, the
difficulty and dramatic effect of the drill is my only concern for
them. The percussion seemed to be on top of their game, and the
colorgaurd was in perfect sync and looked beautiful. They will
definitley be in the hunt in August, but watch out for Cavies and
Cadets if they clean up their act!
I was amazed at this corps it is only there second year and there are looking like
the Vanguard Cadets they are very loud for there size and marching was decent but
they had some musical problems and color guard was off in just about everything.
60.10
Very Small and very sloppy.......there marching formations almost never hit and
horns were out of tune color guard was together in places but they need to work on
marching I liked there drum line they had power and sound but once again marching
was bad...also there metallica show did not sound that good there were not riffs in
the show and the last on sounded nothing like Enter Sanman. 45.35
Good show, funny in places, drill is fast, formations just were not popping into
place and brass bloched a few notes. Percussion sounded great snares need work on
stick hight the pit really put color in this show with the train sounds and
everthing. This is a great corps this season with some minor work they could make
the top 5 65.2
About what you would expect from this corps this early in the season. Color guard
was funny but sloppy, Brass sounded good but did not look good, Percussion looked
good but did not sound good they have some work to do before finals (I do not know
how they scored better than spirit) 66.05
Very good show with great visual good sound and great percussion. They have a great
sound with there late night jazz they rocked the stadum and they were the fans favroit
but they just had to many minor mistakes in general effect they could be a contender
during Finals. 71.35
They keep up there tradition of fast movement and power of percussin in this show.
good sound came out of this corps last night. Four corners is a great show wich has
a great brass score backed up by the great drumline they only mistake was peolpe ran
into each other and one sap. almost fell down but cought himself Great show The Could
Win Finals 78.25
I did not like this show. I was upset with there performence of "A young persons
guide" it was nothing like the Vanguards verson but it had a great sound and nice
drill in the opener. Moondance was a good touch to this show complete with a nice
drill. In there last 2 they showed off there drum line but the tenor and snare solos
sounded and looked alot like the one from last year with a powerful drill at the end.
There two biggest problems are there Color guard and there brass botched some notes
great show but it's no We are the Future 77.4
They stunned the crowd in the begining with there cadence "Ditty" no one could find
the beat in it. There show was great Brass had a great sound and percussion did not
stop they were always doing something that sounded great Color guards great visual
is what makes this show look good the only problem I saw in there were minor drill
mistakes NO ONE CAN BEAT THE BLUE DEVILS 78.95
Go to Page 2 of Reviews!
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