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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 5 of Reviews! Stockton, CA (DCI Pacific) Due to traffic getting to and into the stadium (hey, Stockton's a bustling city
of over 250,000 now), I missed the Southern Oregon Crusaders and Esperanza. I came
in halfway through the performance by... IMPULSE (64.90 - 4th place, Division II) VANGUARD CADETS (72.75 - 2nd place, Division II) BLUE DEVILS "B" (65.00 - 3rd place, Division II) MANDARINS (78.15 - 1st place, Division II) BLUE KNIGHTS (75.40 - 4th place, Division I) BLUE DEVILS (85.60 - 1st place, Division I) SANTA CLARA VANGUARD (83.35 - 2nd place, Division I) THE CADETS (83.20 - 3rd place, Division I)
60 brass, 28 percussion (8s, 5q, 5b, 10p), 38 guard.
Performing: "Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra" by Benjamin Britten, "Moondance"
by Van Morrison, "Vide Cor Meum" by Patrick Cassidy, and "Farandole" by Georges Bizet.
Okay, trivia time: what does "Moondance" have in common with the Cadets' other
selections? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. And that, my friends, is the Cadets' problem.
Much like you would think with a pop tune amidst classical selections, this show
just doesn't mesh. All of the individual pieces are excellently arranged and
performed, but there's no "flow" between them at all. Is like the Cadets' staff
got FOUR shows ideas, and just couldn't pick one, so they did a spot of each.
It's this disjointedness that will keep them from being a Championship contender;
the show just lacks the fire and the effectual "punch" that BD and SCV have. As
far as the lying down during "Vide Cor Meum" goes, I don't see why everyone's in
such a furor. I timed it: they aren't even stationary for 45 seconds. The Blue
Knights stood in one spot for longer in their ballad, so why's everyone ragging on
the Cadets for being motionless for half a minute? The highlight of the show is,
by far, Farandole, the new (?) closer. It contains a terrific, lightning fast horn
run, and the best drill out of any of the four movements. Best case scenario: um,
this program design was a mistake from the beginning... best the Cadets can do is
keep it together and keep any the "upstarts" from knocking them out of 4th place at
finals. Worst case scenario: the show stays awkwards, and the Cadets are passed by
one or more of the following: Glassmen, Phantom Regiment, Boston Crusaders, or
Crossmen. I scored them: 82.25 So, if I had been the only judge, the results would have been:
Stockton was great again this year, especially with having the Cadets there.
The crowd seemed asleep until Blue Devils C came on the field. All of a sudden
they woke up and became very vocal for all of the Div 1 Corps, which really
sucked for the Div 2 and 3 Corps. UOP is always a great place for a Drum Corps
show, and they weather was perfect. I missed the first few Corps:Esperanza and Impulse because I was busy with my
Corps, the Southern Oregon Crusaders, so my review starts with SCVC. Vanguard Cadets: The hornline didn't seem as "on" as they did in the Northwest,
but the visual aspect of the Corps was on fire. The battery had yet another
great show, and overall it was a great performance. My favorite part of the
show as always was the opener. I only wished they were going to Buffalo this
year, because they would be shooting for the top again. The Percussion section
would easily win again in Buffalo. Thank you Vanguard Cadets. BDB: Much improvement over last year. Drumline was playing alot of notes with
little clarity and musicality. Hornline was small as always but produced a
pretty good sound. The guard work was very easy but pretty clean. The Corps
marched pretty well as an ensemble and was pretty impressed with their
technique. As an overall performance, the Corps was pretty flat and dull.
Wish the Corps the best of luck in the future and hope that they will return to
a full tour. Mandarins: WOW!!!! This Corps is going to be great in Buffalo. They just
need to clean the drumline and some of the drill and they will easily win.
This Corps is really going for it, the difficulty is up there with all the Div
1 Corps. Cannot wait to see them kill the other Div 2 Corps in the late
season. Thank you Mandarins. Prediction:Div 2 Champs and Semi-Finals. Blue Knights: I've been seeing them since the Boise show and man am I already
tired of this show. I'm wondering what the design staff was thinking after
last year. This Corps had been making the move up to the top 6, and I believe
that this will be lucky to be in the top 10. The drumline is a big rip off of
old school Bridgemen, and they stand still way too much during there drumsolo.
Not clean at all. The color guard is alright, but I really don't know too much
about guard really. The hornline seems okay, but not as good as the last few
years. The drill looks like a bunch of blobs moving around on the field and no
real forms. The show just does nothing for me at all. It is obvious that they
were going for the crowd response which is good, however I wish they wouldn't
do that. I think it is a step in the wrong direction for the Blue Knights. Blue Devils: This Corps is pretty damn clean already for it being the
beginning of July. The drill is more difficult than in years past, and their
guard is pretty damn good. The hornline doesn't have much of a balance
comparitive to the other Corps in the night, and the drumline I was not
impressed with. I like how they brought back "ditty" for the 6-0!!! The 14
bassdrums I DID NOT LIKE AT ALL!!!! It was a visually week moment and it
wasn't even very difficult stuff. The only cool part about it was the last run
they do from top to bottom and then back up top, nice! The drumline plays with
very little musicality, everything is played at like 15 inches, yuck! The show
is very clean as an ensemble, however I think the show doesn't have enough room
to grow to keep them in the number 1 spot. The show is kinda flat and made me
go blah! Santa Clara Vanguard: DAMN!!!!! This Corps is going for it this year. The
design of this show is incredible. From the beginning of the show, the drill
is extremly difficult. The Bb horns sound great. This is probably the best
hornline I've heard from them. The guard is awesome, they just need to clean
it up a little bit. The theme of the watches throughout the show is simply
amazing. The watch in the uniform, the arrows on their uniform and the use of
time is stunning. The guard has some of the hardest colorguard work I have
seen and their ensemble flag phrases, both at the beginning and at the end are
beautiful. The drumline plays with EXTREME musicality and class with nice
clarity. All this Corps needs is some time to clean up the drill and guard,
and they should be right up there in the top! My favorite moment was the
opener when the end snaredrum breaks away from the drumline and marches
inbetween the hornline. I love the "New Era" chant and the bottle dance that
the guard does. The crowd ate that up. Thank you Vanguard for giving me yet
another favorite drum corps show. The Cadets: NICE!!!! The first phrase told me that the Gino has been doing
his job with that hornline! Extememly difficult horn book that is already
played pretty damn well. The guard is the week point of the Corps, but is
still pretty good. The drill during Moondance is yet to be desired, but there
is plenty of visual stuff going on with the hornline to make it more
interesting that '95's swing swing swing. Durning the ballad, I loved how the
hornline was lying down and playing with such a beautiful sound! The closer
drill is great again! The drumline is pretty damn good. Snares and basses are
good as usual, but the tenors are yet to be desired. I didn't like how long
they played the sets, but oh well. The drum book is very well written, just
needs to clean up a little. This show is great, and after it cleans up, it
will be right up in the top. That's all I have for now. I hope I didn't forget anything. Nate Moddison Beverly, MA (DCI Atlantic) Well, after a drive from NYC I was finally at my first show of the season (the
latest first show in years for me). The weather was perfect and the venue typical
for a small contest. I was seated on the seventh row on the 45 yardline. So I
can't comment too much on drill. And despite all of the negative things I say below,
I really did enjoy the contest and all of the corps and I commend all of the
performers for a job well-done. East Coast Jazz: Well, they were a nice start for the show. They are smaller
than the last time I saw them, but in the small venue managed to produce plenty of
sound (21 horns I believe). Their show was good for their level, Latin music such
as the Chick Corea pieces they played are perfect for a D3 corps. And I was glad
to see that the part of the show they ran several times during rehearsal was pulled
off at the performance. However, they need to spend HOURS doing fundamentals! The
feet were everywhere and the technique was inconsistent and it really affected their
sound. With work they should do well at D3 Finals though. Spirit: Thank you Spirit for the only true goosebump moment of the night for me
(the reference to "Let it Be Me" at the end, just right!).I have to admit that I was
a little concerned about the uniform change, but these uniforms look really nice on
the field -- really pop! They are infinitely better sounding than the past few years
and they actually manage to play the really articulated passages without their tongues
hanging out of their bells (which I considered a Spirit trademark to this point).
Drumline is definitely solid and a really nice pit. Guard-- well I am just glad to
see that the guard is actually doing something (which until now they were pretty much
called upon to simply be on the field). The main reason why they are losing to Crown
at this point is the visual performance. They march better than last year, but they
seriously need to address technical issues, but more importantly, INTERVALS!!! At
times there were gaping holes in the formations. Maybe they sound so good becasue
that is what they have worked on. Well, it's time to look as good as you sound. If
they can do that, watch out. Crown: I am glad to see the unique vision that Crown has brought to the field
this year. I really enjoyed their program. They actually sounded pretty solid
(which I rarely say about the Crown hornline). Two things really stood out though.
1) drumline -- outstanding again this year. Exposed a lot and really rising to the
occasion. 2) colorguard -- easily the hardest working guard of the night. So much
to do, so little time. If they can clean up what they are doing, they could very
easily pass XMen and BAC's guard. Marching was much stronger than usual from Crown,
but still nowhere near clean. One final note, rework the end of the ballad, it
really didn't work tonight, and also, are they using practice silks or are those the
actual silks? Crossmen: I liked the show, but it felt a little flat to me tonight (at least
I hope that explains it). the opener was hot, but the show just seemed to drag a
bit after that. Oh yeah, the corps did march a contest the day before in Bristol
and marched in two parades, so that could explain some fatigue. The guard is solid,
but someone really should teach them to dance. Also, is there a rule that guard
must do EVERYTHING with that insipid smile on their faces? the dance sequence when
the guys and girls are dancing in a "seductive" fashion really looses its impact
when they all have a Donny and Marie Show smile on their faces! Beyond that, the
hornline is FANTASTIC!!! And the drum line is better than recent years. The demand
is not that high visually, it will be interesting to see if they can hold their spot.
But, if you have a pulse, you will be tapping your foot to the music and enjoy their
show this year. Boston: They have increased the demand on the hornline, but right now, they just
aren't doing so well. They sounded awful last night. Yes, they were loud, but at
what cost? The ensemble sound really suffered as individuals decided to blow their
guts out. Furthermore, they lack the control required to really sell the Adams
music. His music creates such tension, but BAC just is nor doing it right now.
The drum line is more of presence than last year, but not a top 6 calibre line. And
the guard . . . well, I believe that they only use silks 2 times during the show as
an ensemble. The rest of the time they use weapons. I know a lot of people were
turned off by that, but I submit that anyone who has seen their silks this year would
agree that they should hang o t the weapons as LONG AS POSSIBLE! Yuck!!!! Their
uniforms are hideous and when we get the big impact when they all unveil the big
Orange flags -- well, words can describe just how awful it looks (imagine, a field
covered with red jackets, mustard pants, and big flags that incorporate various
shades of orange) Well, it's like the worst Glassmen colors all together at one time,
yuck! Well, the colors just get worse, so come prepared! I think they can be
passed by Crown if they are not careful. Even at the show in Boston, the Crowd did
not react the way they had the past couple of years. Without the crowd, there
really was no spark to their performance. I was very disappointed. Cadets: I must preface my review by saying that I am a huge Cadets fan. that
being said, this is the worst cadets show I have ever seen. the show is very
confused and even more confusing to watch. I understand the whole intellectual
aspect of the juxtaposition of different genres of music and how each can generate
ge in their own right. But right now, the whole does not equal the sum of its parts.
the hornline was SLOPPY last night -- especially Farandole (I believe Glassmen did
it better in their Bizet show). And why ar ethey playing the extended play version
of Moondance? And why does the corps spend so much time NOT marching? And why do
they have so very few big ensemble drill moves? And even more importantly, why do
they end so many of their moves not by hitting their mark and standing there for all
to see, but instead, hit a mark and then disolve into free flow meandering or body
positioning? They have several cool moments, but the total package is one jumbled
mess! either they couldn't decide what to do, so they tried to do everything or
they wanted to show everyone that they are the Cadets and they can do anything that
any other corps can do, so they try to do a little of everyone's style. One note,
don't lie on the field just for the sake of lying on the field. visually it does
nothing and all it does is add to the time that the corps spends NOT marching.
Finally, the guard was nowhere near as solid and confident as I have come to expect
from the Cadets -- Anyone know why that is? If they are not careful, they might get
caught by one of the pack of solid corps that seem to be having good years from the
second tier (PR, GMen). Even so, there are enough problems with this show's desing
that the best I can see for it is to be in the same position SCV was last year --
comfortably ahead of #5, but not really close to #3. Bluedevils: OK, those who know me are going to be very confused by reading this
review because i normally love the Cadets, but dislike the Bluedevils. Well, as
much as I hate to admit it, I actually enjoyed the devils last night. they were
easily the best last night and quite frankly, I am amazed that the Cadets were as
close as they were. Although parts of the show do sound like every other Bluedevils
show from the last 6 or 7 years (the opening "blat" 2,3,4, "blat""blat" 3,4 and the
constant use of dissonant chords) other parts really had a fresh new quality to them.
The hornline was hands down the strongest of the night, but it was disappointing to
see the soprano soloist completely miss on his squeel when he was the ONLY person
playing -- I've never seen a soloist build to a note and then attempt to play it and
only have the sound of air blowing through his horn result. ok, drumline cool, but
don't really like the bass drum thing. guard, easily the best of the night. So
strong, confident and capable of selling the show. And boy can they dance! I
usually hate that, but it really worked well for them in this show. the only problem
for them right now is that they are sooo much cleaner than the Cadets and yet the
spread really doesn't seem to reflect it. in my opinion, the Cadets, with what I
saw last night, do not deserve to be anywhere near as close to the Bluedevils as
they are. Cavies and SCV are the only threats for BD right now. But we'll see how
things go. Haledon, NJ (GSC) I apologize for the incomplete review, but thunderstorms caused a show delay or
cancellation about 3 minutes into Phoenix's show. I left at that time due to
the weather outlook.....I'm not sure if the show went on, but here is my review
of what I saw. Long Island Sound, Quest Explorers, & Phoenix Kidets were all scheduled to
perform, but I did not get to see any of them (if they were all even there) b/c
I was getting changed from my own exhibition performance. I did see Phoenix
Kidets warm up a little though and it was nice to hear the staff pointing out
things to the young kids....for example, I heard an instructor point out the
marching technique of the Lehigh Valley Knights drumline as they marched to
warm-ups, GSC Division IV is a great place for young kids to get started. Lehigh Valley Knights---22 brass, 6 cg, 7 pit, 4 snares, 4 basses, 2 tenors, 1
cymbal, 1 drum major. I thought the guard uniforms were really nice, black
pants with gray dresses over them. They matched the corps' uniforms well and
looked great. There was some great body work in the brass line during the drum
feature in the second tune. Marching/body movements were dirty at times, but
they are attempting some difficult stuff out there and it's going to be great
soon. The corps finished the show in an arc with the guard standing at
attention, I'm guessing the drill/work isn't finished or at least isn't solid
enough as far as the staff is concerned. I was very impressed with the corps'
inaugural show though. Good job LVK! Raiders---17 brass, 8 cg, 5 pit, 3 snares, 4 basses, 1 tenor, 1 dm. The corps
is taking some chances with a difficult book (especially brass) for a small
corps. Some individual problems throughout, mostly due to the exposure. The
show finish was strong and powerful, the crowd liked it a lot. Unfortunately,
the guard didn't have work for the last 1/3 of the show. They marched drill
but just held on to the flags. 1 guard member didn't know the work during most
of the show, but did the drill...it became distracting at times b/c it broke up
the continuity of the flags. The brass sound overall was very good when
balanced. Spirit of Newark---14 brass, 6 cg, 8 pit, 2 dm, no battery. The first thing I
thought as the corps took the field was, "No marching battery, I hate when this
happens," but I must say the corps did a good job designing a show that worked
well without a battery. They used all members of the corps well, one dm played
a soprano solo in the opener. In the pit, they had drum racks, cymbals,
tympanis, bongos, bass drums, a gong, and a couple snares. This pit drowned at
the hornline in the opener, but was put to excellent use after that. The third
tune was an all-out party, felt like a nightclub. The pit pounded out some
grooves while the guard danced and the hornline set up two vertical lines about
5 yards apart and individual horn players went to the middle of the lines to
dance and party. There wasn't much technical marching, but it was fun. One of
the DM's even had his own dance feature. A little disappointed at the lack of
marching, traditional guard work, etc, but it was fun to watch. Check out the
pit, especially during the 3rd tune....it'll be hard to miss! Phoenix---13 brass (+ dm's at times), 11 cg, 3 pit, 4 snares, 3 basses, 2
tenors, 2 dm. When the corps lined up to start, it looked as if they are
missing bass 2. I'm not sure if that's b/c they are only marching 3 basses and
they had an interval problem or if someone couldn't be in the show for some
reason. They opened up the show big and strong. There was a great output for
the size of the hornline. The corps had a great opening of the show, but was
the DM was instructed to lead the corps off the field after the first tune do
to lightning in the area. It was disappointing for the corps' members as you could see on their faces as
they tried to figure out how to get off the field from the end of the opener,
but the judges/show coordinators made a good call by not taking the chance.
Thunderstorms lasted in the area for a few hours. I didn't stick around for
the rain delay for various reasons, so I'm not sure if the show continued or if
any scores were announced. All in all though, I liked what I saw quite a bit.
Small crowd probably due to the weather, but a crowd that appreciated the
corps' efforts. Seattle, WA (DCI Pacific) My friend and I had premo seats, right on the 50, fairly high up. A good
time was had by all. I don't have the scores, but I'll go in score order. Renegades Sr.-These guys are thoroughly entertaining, and they really get
into their show. some sweet, screaming solos add to it a lot, but they don't
quite over do it, which is nice. they beat NW venture by about 13 points. Northwest Venture Sr.-These guys are gettin a lot better, I know it's their
first year on the field. They were fun to watch, but they didn't sell their
show like Renegades did. but for the first year marching, it was awesome. Alliance-These guys are coming right along. I think their score jumped four
points or so from last night. They're very small, though, and often time the
drumline would overpower the hornline. hopefully that'll get fixed. So. Oregon Crusaders-Another corps that is coming right along. They've
improved a lot from last year. I don't really remember anything from their
show, though, sorry. Vanguard Cadets-I don't really feel either way about their show. They played
it pretty well, they sold it well, but it just didn't do it for me. There
were some nice loud spots, of course, but other than that, pretty average. Seattle Cascades-I of course am biased because I know about ten people who
march with them, but I loved their show. It kept me wanting more and
anticipating. and of course, Adam McFarlin's solo while encircled by the
color guard was awesome (no personal bias there, I swear). These guys have
gone up 5 points in the last two days, and they're beating SCVC every time.
if they keep this up, there's no stopping them. Pacific Crest-I was not that impressed with their show. None of the music
was that great and one of the cymbal players ran into another cymbal player.
I don't think they played it as well as they could have which is too bad. SCV-Man, these guys are awesome. Their opener is killer. I'm not gonna give
away what happens except to say that what the opener is called makes sense.
I loved their show, I don't know what else to say. It's not quite as
technical as last year's, and the drill isn't quite as challenging, but it
is much more fun to watch. They scored 81.something. They're on their way
up. BK-They had a really cool drum solo, but other than that, nothing memorable.
I don't really see these guys goin anywhere, I'm sorry. The show just didn't
do it for me. Hope that was helpful. Of course, half these corps people west of colorado
won't see, but oh well. --Greg Hello All - I wanted to through my $0.02 for the Seattle, Washington, DCI show,
Saturday, June 30. I was accompanied by my father-in-law (Darrell) and nephew
(Derek) who were both first timers. It was indeed almost as fun watching their
reactions to the corps as it was watching the corps. I must say the presence of
the USMC (back at the concessions booths) was quite impressive and seemed to
validate to my guests that drum corps was a "really cool thing." I also
regretted not pressing my brother-in-law (a leatherneck veteran, with a bulldog
tattoo to boot) to come with us! We were seated between the 30 and 35 yard line
at a good height so we saw most of the action... Renegades Sr.-This corps is indeed "fun" to watch. My hat goes off to the sop
soloist who actually started as a Color Guard member and picked up his horn
about halfway through to perform a wailing solo as well as a part in an ensemble
group. I especially liked their rendition of "One More Time, Chick Corea" which
conjured up some old BD memories (1981, 1982). Hey folks, next time play
"Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor" and I'll fax a pizza to your corps hall, I
promise! Northwest Venture Sr.-This corps was quite a bit smaller than the Renegades with
lots of horn problems, mainly due to exposure of individuals. They had some
very nice moments in their show and harkened memories from Madison (Malaguena),
SCV (Evita) and the Muchachos (uniforms, sans flair leg pants, and style).
Venture was appropriately placed about 13 points behind the Renegades. Alliance-OK, at this point, my nephew was pretty much ready for a hot dog (he's
12 and eats most everything that isn't hammered to the floor). Regrettably, I
missed the entire Alliance show while standing the "chow line." My
father-in-law said that they were the best unit so far; My hats off to these
folks and their corps director, Patrick Marks, who is a quality guy as well as
an established author, an actor with 2 Emmies under his belt and a father of
three. Where does he find the time?! So. Oregon Crusaders-This corps is coming along and had a lot of talent
considering their small size. With only 12H/5G/??D, they were easily the
smallest corps of the night. You can tell that the male colorguard member in
the orange shirt probably wrote most of the CG book. His execution level was
pretty amazing and both guys (weapons) were catching 5's and 6's as if they were
in the Cavies - great job, men! Like Venture, these folks had exposure problems
galore (I know, duh?!)... Firebird was probably way too ambitious for 20 horns,
let alone 12. Vanguard Cadets-Wow, these folks have matured, skipping puberty and moving in
to compete with the big boys. I had not seen them since 1997 and they have gone
through an amazing transition. Are you sure this is a feeder corps!? I know
folks have posted earlier that they were below the standard of the 2000 SCVC,
but I was certainly impressed. The only distractions were the small hornline
relative to drums and CG (probably around 36 horns which is approximately 16 too
few) and the lack of ensemble moments in the horn section. I know this corps
can probably blend well together. However, the demanding drill precluded a
really full, ensemble sound! But, heck - It's June and this is a "feeder corps"
(I guess...). So again, I was extremely impressed. Both my father-in-law and nephew were now on the edge of their seats for the
rest of the night! Seattle Cascades-Let it be said, drum corps is now "back in full swing" in the
Northwest. These folks ROCKED the hometown crowd, much to our delight! The pit
percussion of this group was really the highlight - I especially enjoyed them in
the victory concert afterwards. It is also great to see a full-sized corps from
the NW as us old timers remember back when the Seattle Imperials used to march
two contras. I'd heard reports that the Cascades were running at about 108
total members. I'd dare say that they have increased in size since that report
(I was too busy enjoying the show to count members!). Their score had risen an
amazing 5 points in three nights, indicating that they are hot on the heels of
MANDARIN for the Division II title. Apparently, the Div. III crown last year
served to whet their appetites for "loftier titles." Congratulations guys -
I'll continue to pressure my nephew to swell your ranks in future years! Pacific Crest-Holy Cow! Sell some so. cal. real estate and use the money for a
national tour! These guys were hot! Full sized and cookin'! At one point, the
entire CG tossed rifles (triple or quad, simultaneously, no cheating
ripple-effects here) and I did not see a drop! Also had one of the best
mellophone sections of the night - I got chills! If these folks toured and
practiced full-time, they would be a shoo-in for the top 12! I understand the
concept and the draw for membership (I went to summer school 2 of 3 summers when
I was in college and marched only one year, SkyRyders, 1981, back when dinosaurs
[and George Tuthill] roamed the earth)! But it would be fun to load 'em all in
an airplane and head to Buffalo in August! 67 was an accurate score for these
folks! SCV-Like everyone else, the opener caught me quite off-guard. My father-in-law
and nephew (and one lady behind us) got more of a kick watching me startle than
watching the show (sorry SCV, I'm but a mere distraction in the bleachers). The
one guard member is a shoo-in for the Academy Award for "best performance as a
clock pendulum." From that point on, this show was pure entertainment! The
antics during "Fast Pickin'" were hilarious - Also, the hornline gave us the
first full corps, ensemble sound of the night! No splats or clams - just lush,
powerful sound! As mentioned in an earlier review, the New Era chant is
effective for 10 seconds (24 counts) and then fast becomes old. You can tell
this is one of those "gimmicks" that is more fun to perform than to observe!
The only reason I make this comment is so that someone from the staff can see
this and change it, because I sincerely want SCV to take it all this year! It
was great to see the 1999 sliding block drill move back in the book - CG and
marching in general looked like... well, like it was still June! However, let
there be no doubt, this IS a championship-calibre show! BK-This show has amazing potential and is one of the most difficult I've seen BK
attempt! Unfortunately, it was apparent that the corps performed a "tired show"
and must have been "too pooped to poop" from the travel, practice, etc. The
problem with this is that the show (as written) won't sell unless the kids "sell
it" (o.k., sue me... or at least send me flame emails...). The CARTOON backdrop
make sense with the white CG unis with all sorts of whimsical splashes and also
the beautiful but cartoon-like Brenda Vang silks. The horn line is also great
at their "shtick," hopping and dancing, with some of the best "dancers among
horn players" of DCI featured during the "Rhapsody in Blue" segment. However,
the CG book is written and executed more appropriately for a more serious show
like Trittico or Ben Hur! Too much artistry (did I say that?) and not enough
"pie-in-the-face." My assignment for your guard staff is to watch old tapes of
the 1978 27th Lancers (Gaite Parissiene), 1981 SCV (Slava), and 1998 Crown (oh,
about the entire show) to learn a lesson in writing and selling humor! The rest
of this show (concept, drill, horn and drum books) says DCI top-5 all over it! The show finished up with an exhibition from the USMC Silent Drill Team which
was as awesome as ever! Careful with those fixed bayonets, men! God Bless! Clifton, NJ (DCI Atlantic) Got there nice and early and caught the blue devils and cadets clinic..not
bad...not what i expected either. Every other clinic i've been to was full of
questions and answers between the corps and the crowd..but today it was
basically full ensamble rehearsal the whole time..it really wasn't a clinic at
all. The two corps just took the time to clean more. After hte clinic i went
out into the lot where i found BD snares rehearsing some stuff...and lemme tell
you..WOW these guys are smokin!!!and thats an understatement. Extremely clean
for this time of the year..but they were also standing still so that comes into
play..but yeah..they were on fire. Raiders-53.55 Spirit-67.40 Crown-67.15 Crossmen-73.00 Cavaliers-80.45 BD-81.65 BAC-72.95 CADETS-79.70 OVERALL- Here is my review of Clifton; opposing views welcome; this is a democracy. Full crowd, muggy and humid..a brief shower before showtime, then weather
held. Raiders: good effort by a small division III corps. Drill may have been a bit
ambitious for the experience level of this group, but some good instruction was
evident. Spirit: they have some strong moments, and decent talent....musical book could
use more continuity, and guard could do more to enhance visual package, which
seems stronger overall than recent years. Percussion was in decent shape,
especially snares. How the music develops over the season and whether they can
become a highly proficient unit will determine their August fate. Crown: Horn performance was not very strong tonight, and they really need to
work on supporting their sound. Music quite dissonant at times, and seems very
disjunct. Guard uses tires, which may be unusual but just doesn't create
effect for me. I'm not a visual guy, but also the guard uniforms come off
somewhat bland. Percussion has a cymbal feature which is interesting but
continues far too long. Drumline is decent, but a high and dry snare sound did
not help them tonight. My gut feeling on this product is that they will have
to get it quite clean to make the last show in Buffalo, as this is not looking
like a real crowd pleasing program at this point. Crossmen: huge surprise. FINE hornline. Powerful, fine soloists, and an
interesting and entertaining book. The quality of brass sound is the best
they've had in several years. Drumline performs well and the book compliments
the brass. Snares tuned too high making them hard to hear at times. Color
guard really enhances visual book and makes it work. They are going to have a
fun year that should end on an upswing....I thought they were scored too low,
as they performed at a strong level for June. Cavaliers: great visual show, CG, and percussion. However, major concerns
with brass. Definite quality of sound issues in many places, and the book is
very disjunct with too much use of dissonance and fragmented phrases. Major
battery tacet in middle of show. Wonderful pit/keyboard section. Many
articulation difficulties throughout the hornline, especially in the first
third of the show. Sopranos had major support difficulties tonight, and the
hornline also did not have enough dynamic contrast, especially having trouble
generating impact. Visual sells their show, but I just don't see where the
music numbers are coming from, as both the brass book and performance level are
IMO not up to snuff for a contender. No way this was an 80 tonight with the
brass problems evident. Show comes off as "drill with musical accompaniment"
as opposed to vice versa. Blue Devils: very fine. They are obviously very well-prepared, and frankly I
thought they 5 pointed this field tonight. Nobody was close to them in brass
performance and book, as they maintained excellent blend, balance, intonation,
support, and control that was exceptional for June, and are already developing
some fine phrasing/expression. Fine leads/soloists. Last year, a weak (for
them) snare line may have cost them big time in percussion; don't look for that
this year, because they and the whole line are playing very well. Color guard
is fine and well-integrated and does much to sell the visual show/coordination.
The whole corps marched great for June. If they can max out dynamic range and
emotion while getting razor clean (which they will be), they might run the
table this year. Boston: Good drill and guard integration. Music has exciting moments, but the
book doesn't seem quite as accessible; emotion and continuity are not as
strong as last year's show. Stronger percussion line this year, especially
battery. Horn book has some very difficult parts; discernable but not quite
there yet. I will be curious to see where they take this show. Some
alterations and a strong performance level could keep them in the top 5....the
middle of the pack could be quite a battle this year. Cadets: The feet are still in June, but the hornline showed some promise
tonight; they just are not consistent yet, but the book has much demand. They
need some more phrasing and feel, especially the first part of Moondance...the
power will be there, as evidenced at the end of the piece. They also handled
some difficult articulation pretty well tonight. Percussion executed well and
complimented the brass book. Show doesn't pack the GE punch that last year's
did, but if the talented corps can make and handle some changes, they can't be
counted out. I felt they were second tonight, especially in lieu of Cavies
difficulties in brass performance and book........ Here were my scores, with actual in parentheses Regarding the judging: I had no big problem with order of finish (with perhaps
the exception of Cavaliers over Cadets), but I did feel that BD was
significantly stronger than anyone tonight and should have won by a much larger
spread. Right now, their overall performance level is in a different league. Hi out there: I was at Clifton too, so may as well toss in my thoughts as well.
By the way, I have never marched in a corps, nor ever known anyone who marched
in a corps....so this is strictly a view from your average fan, so take that
into consideration if you want to disagree. I have been watching the activity
since 1985, so hopefully that qualifies me enough to give a decent review. RAIDERS: very small corps & it is difficult for a unit so tiny to really "turn
it on." It requires that every single player be in top form & that was not the
case last night. A lot of strange, off tune sounding notes coming off that
field. I guess if even one horn player chokes, then the whole show sounds off.
The drill was somewhat muddy at the beginning, but towards the end I thought
the forms started coming together better. Not sure why at the end the guard
just carried their poles w/the flags folded up, could have used a routine here.
Also, I question the use of music that had been used in the past in a "classic"
show; that is, at times all I could think about was SCV 1987 and what THAT
corps was doing during that musical moment...not sure a small corps (or any
corps really) should put themselves in that position, as they may NEVER measure
up to such greatness. I give Raiders props for their dedication, however, and
I am sure they will improve as time goes on. SPIRIT: this is like a brand new corps out there. The new uniforms, well I
thought that shade of blue looked great and actually worked well on a green
backdrop (the field of course) and added to their visual appeal simply by color
alone. Their opening formation was spead all over the field and quickly evolved
into a company front-like formation for a great opening impact. However, they
used that same exact impact at least two other times throughout the show I
think, so maybe a little variety might be good. I guess the train theme could
have been explored all sorts of ways (conductor uniforms on guard, making
railroad tracks, etc) but I liked the more subtle approach they took.
Sometimes less is better. I thought their brass program was pretty strong, so
perhaps this is what put them in front of Crown. But still not convinced they
belong ahead of them. I did not think their guard show was all that strong &
the guard uniforms did not help. But they very well may be back on track to
glory, if not this year, then VERY soon. CROWN: While I liked Spirit's more subtle approach to their theme, perhaps
Crown is overboard a bit with Industry. I understood the wood with the planks
and all...they even built a structure on the field to start the show!...I get
the rubber part with the tires. But I did not get the steel part...I saw the
big steel things on the sideline but I missed it if somehow that was integrated
in the show (I sat on the other side of the field away from that). All those
props would go over very well at a BOA show. Drillwise, not terribly
spectacular, but I saw more pictures in the drill than from Spirit, so I think
they were ahead in that dept. Guard show was aggressive, moreso than Spirit's I
thought (did not care for the changing of costumes in full view, they tried
hiding behind the tires to do this but I saw the whole thing and focused on it
while they did it). Interesting rolling dance on the tires themselves, but then
they just left them there. Maybe as things come together over the next few
weeks, I might like this show better. It's still Top 12 caliber, I'd say.
*Interesting to see a "cymbal" solo! Don't think I ever saw such an extended
cymbal moment, but it was not all that exciting, so maybe that's why others
don't do this. CROSSMEN: another very good show in terms of crowd appeal...musical selection
is accessible to anyone watching, I think. Guard was great! Their hornline
sounded light years better than the previous corps, Carolina Crown. I don't
know that this show is the showstopper I had read about in other reviews. While
I felt 1997 was certainly one to steal the show, 2001 Crossmen is not quite
there yet in terms of the package. It has potential, though, so that's
important. One moment I did like was the hornline had a move, similar to what
drumlines do with sticks, like a domino effect, where the bells of the horns
moved side to side....they weren't really together last night, but it will look
nice if done perfectly. CAVALIERS: this was another strong show for this corps and they were
visually/drillwise extremely good compared to everyone that went on before
them. They start out similar to the way SCV ended last year, in a diagonal line
with everyone "linked" in some weird pose, then off the top there's a flag toss
over the hornline. It was not perfect but can be a wow move once it is
mistake-free. Guard at one point does an interesting maneuver with the
snares...I think they crawled between the drummer's legs or something while the
snares were playing, then went about tossing their rifles...I'll have to check
that one out again next time. Overall, a championship package is not in place I
don't think. Many, many places call for some visual enhancements to elicit
more overt crowd reaction. I expect they know this & will deliver, as the
bluprint is solidly there & I expect this show will do well. Of all the shows
in Clifton, this one struck me as having the most potential to go the distance
*Did not find their music terribly appealing, however... BLUE DEVILS: they won the show and it was a deserved win. They were very clean
with what they had, and the guard was REALLY good. The whole routine with the
hats, well, the show starts out with a couple of members doing this, then later
more do a hat dance, then even later I think the hats appear again. Eh..could
do without all of that. Drillwise, well I was encouraged by the opening
formation, but did not get any sense of interesting drill pictures or wow-type
moves from them as the show progressed. They have proven that they do not need
these to win shows, but I surely wish they would...if BD's excellent horns and
performance had a Cavaliers like approach to drill, they would truly dominate
and Cadets' threepeat honors would be left in the dust. But as it is, this BD
show might be capable of going the distance, but again, I did not get a sense
the whole package was worthy. I was not compelled to be ripped from my seat
for what they were giving me. I guess I am tough to please! BOSTON: this corps seems to have picked up where they left off as the no.5
corps last year and is attempting to move into the league of the Top 4. Most
apparent is the drumline, which is much stronger than last year and their solo
number was much more aggressive than anything they did last year. Next, the
guard show appears designed to be in league w/BD, CBC, Cavaliers. I thought it
was, actually, with lots of tosses going on and a very aggressive approach
compared to 2000. The opening impact was great, but much of this drill/visual
is from last year's opener, now played with different music. They could've
tried something different, no? Besides that, while the MUSIC was not as
mainstream appealing as last year, it was a choice that someone like Vanguard
might sell well. Boston's hornline, though, might be why Crossmen passed them
by tonight. They seemed somewhat tentative to me & at one point they stop and
play a run of notes that was SO not together at all & was as muddy as can be.
But I do see much potential in this show & they could be a force later on. It
is a package that if done cleanly and perfomed cleanly will be favored by
judges and will beat Crossmen's show in the end by a couple of points. If not
this year, then I will say I at least see that the seeds are planted for what
COULD be a breakout attack at the top slots next season. I am very impressed
with how far this corps that I paid very little attention to has come. CBC: I suppose the juxtaperformance theme means there is no theme, but then
that's the theme. Therfore, several disjointed musical selections makes sense.
Well, I am not exactly sure it works just yet, but what they do play, they are
playing very well. But Moondance seems a better fit for Crossmen's show and
Farandole, well that sounded like Phantom to me! Cadets will have a hard time
winning a title because it's so off the wall that I don't think there can be an
across-the-board agreement that they are a winner. It's really a love it or
hate it type of show. Guard was quite good I thought and SOME drill pictures
were good, but they are REALLY lacking in that department this year I
thought...some of the Cadets' drill impacts I'd expect to see Crown do. For
instance, YPG just kind of ends with hornline a box form, but with Cadets, I
expect them to WIND into that box to elicit a standing ovation. Same with the
ending move...we get what looks like the ending to Stonhenge with the circle
and the horns slowly filling it in...but it does not go anywhere and then we
just kind of conclude. I'd say they need to get some more impact into their
visual drill show & then maybe we can talk about a title. The segue from YPG
into Moondance was QUITE abrupt...almost seems like they need to intro this
vastly different piece a little differently (the other segues in the show were
fine to me). Again on their CD this year, they throw in the Rocky Point
tagline...but I say just do it in the fieldshow! I'm ready to see that big old
zpull again. * I guess with BD, Cav, and CBC we are looking at three likely candidates for
championship shows. But overall I just did not get a clear cut package yet. I
know, it's JUNE 30th so maybe they aren't completely done with what we will see
in Aug (VERY LIKELY!!) so I do look forward to what their final products will
look like. But if these corps ARE pretty much done, then I really hope SCV
comes out of Calif with something because then the title is still very much up
for grabs based on what I saw last night. Bye! My daughter and I attended the Clifton show on Saturday night. Watched the Cadets percussion work on a section of their show, then
went to the clinic. Daughter's complaint: no gals in the field
percussion. The clinic was first given by the Blue Devils, and then by the Cadets.
It gave us a nice chance to see rehearsal techniques in action, and it
also showed my HS soph daughter (bass drum section leader) that even
the corps at that level make mistakes and have to rehearse too.
Daughter's complaint: no gals in the field percussion. This became a
running complaint all night long for her! With both corps, it showed the value of the good Doctor, named "Beat"
as they rehearsed short sections of their shows with and without the
good Doctor "in da house!" :-) Went to dinner after the shows (and sat with some staff from the
Lehigh Valley Knights who I have known from the band world for years -
thanks again, Juan); had a nice plate of cavatelli and broccoli alio
e' olio (garlic and oil) - call it gahvadeel please, not cavatelly -
badda bing! :-) Due to the length of dinner, we missed most of the Raiders show, but
saw the rest. You'll have to get the scores and more detail elsewhere,
as I didn't take notes during the show, and my daughter was trolling
for souvies during retreat, so I barely heard the scores, and had no
way to record them even if I wanted to.
Now for the show: Bayonne Raiders: Garden State Div III corps doing "Pictures at an
Exhibition". Saw the last 1/3 of their show from the track. They appear
much younger than last year, esp the percussion. However, their show is
very well written for them, and once they get the nuts and bolts down
a lot more securely, they should be a corps to watch in the GSC. As
last year, their percussion is very impressive. One nice touch was a
spot where the 3 snares hooked up single-headed tenors and played with
a tenor stick in the left hand and a brush in the right. Very effective
part, well done by the players. Spirit: GREAT show, and a huge step forward from last year. The train
theme really works well for them, including the guy who yelled "All
aboard to Clifton" at the start. The horn line esp has improved
immensely over last year, and the show is extremely enjoyable. Still
some problem areas, of course, but all in all a great step up for
them. Work on the uniformity of feet, uniformity of tempo, intervals,
gakking in the brass, those sorts of technical things. Also need more
support form the trumpets; I hope the staging isn't going to hurt the
balance and blend. Trumpets seemed to be behind the mid-range brass a
lot, a common event, actually, with many corps. They looked as if they
were having the most 'fun' on the field of any corps perfoming. Crown: Very creative show. Very nice sound, and what seemed to me to
be just about the best pit on the field. Those folks can PLAY!!! Some
problems in balance and blend, but like Spirit it might be partially
due to staging of the trumpets behind the rest of the brass at key
spots. Very demanding show all 'round; the guard did a great job with
their 'props' I liked the use of the tires. The rolling around gave a
sort fo free-flow, carefree feel to that spot in their show. Very nice,
IMO. Sill many technical spots to work, as B&B, gakking, and some
percussion flaws (battery) were evident. Also some sets didn't quite
jell at times, and intervals need work, but it WAS stil June
after all. Crossmen: WOW what a hornline! The music is wonderfully written and
performed jsut as well by the horns. Sops especially did a great job,
esp when they were up front and center. I like the huge jazz band set,
with a nice park and blow opportunity. There may actualy be too much
P&B in the show, but with a horn line like that, it didn't bother me.
Guard is, as it was last year, a highlight. The percussion section is
light-years better than last year overall. The snares did tend to get
lost at times, as they have them cranked waaaay up there very tight.
Some sloppy feet and sets that didn't. All in all, a very enjoyable
show. Boston: Classy show, very well played. Another group where the upper
brass, in this case sops, needs better support of their sound, due to
staging considerations, at times. The music is VERY well writen and
played for this time of year. The overal timbre' of the hornline is
very nice. Percussion do a great job, esp the pit. This show can go
very far, though it might not be as difficult as some at the very
top. Cavies: what a well written show. They had the best overal brass
'sound' of the night to me, though there were a few weak spots here
and there, balance-wise. Visually very well thought out show, and the
performers communicated quite well. Percussion were very clean; their
battery was one of the better ones, IMO. Basses esp have a great
show. Blue Devils: VERY clean. Funny, going WAAAY back to the 70's, one of
the things I've always noticed is how well they perform, be it music
or visual. They always do it up right. At one spot, the brass are in
files, with the guard interspersed between doing a dance bit. During
the clinic I wondered how they'd draw attention to the guard doing
their dance move. Well, the bright yellow vests solved THAT problem.
Some minor flaws, of course, but all-in-all a great show. Good use of
hats during the dance; I especially liked the Fosse-esque ensemble
dance move. The all-drummers-on-flat-bass-drums thing is a nice
crowd-pleasing moment. Cadets: VERY nice show with lots of rough performance spots. If they
can clean it up, and juice up a few low spots, boy do they have a shot
at the top spot yet again. Moondance is great; I think they put in the
changes Hoppy mentioned on the YEA! website, as the tenor feature is
out. It's rough, but the basic shape is there. Trumpets in the
articulated spot coming across the field in "Young Peoples.... "
swallow a lot of the phrase; they need to push air through and maybe
use a bit less tongue for that to sing. Some
mnor fighting between pit and battery in 'Farandole'. Trumpets in
general need to support more and project their sound to the stands.
Some of it is staging; like the above corps, they too seem to stage
the trumpets in backfield spots at times, to
the detriment of the ensemble brass sound. snares have a nice sound,
deeper than many, that comes through very nicely. Some very nice bass
drum moments, as well as the usual Cadet tenor spots. I don't think
the tenors-on-drum-sets thing is clicking yet; they need to do more
drumming on the sets, IMO, to make that change work for them. The
parts in that spot seemed kind of sparse to warrent the changeover.
The guard is VERY hardworking; I like the Blast!-ish "rifles" they
spin. Elegant costumes as well. Well, that's it from me as to my opinion of the show. Kind of
surprised the Xmen outscored BAC; I checked the recaps to see how that
happened. Nothing to disagree with there, so I'm glad to see the Xmen
place where they did, at least at that one show. MrBud and I were
chatting at the fence during retreat and kind of looked at each other
when they announced BAC before the Xmen, but not inm disbelief, more
along the lines of "gee that's great". We both liked the Xmen a lot at
Clifton, so we were glad to see that we weren't alone! :-) Souvies: My daughter bought (with dads $ of course) a pair of flannel
jockies that says 'BASS' on the butt from the Crown truck, and a
t-shirt from the Spirit booth; the shirt says 'Spirit' in different
shades of Blue. Very nice crowd, and a well run show by the Cadets. Sat in front of a guy who marched in the Cadets from 64-68, and a
woman who has been a fan since the Holy Name days gong back to WWII.
Neither of them seemed to notice/mind the Bb instruments; they still
loved their Cadets. Not a negative word from either of them about ANY
of the performances. Mike, Garfield 70-72 Sorry all. I didn't get home from Clifton until late Sunday night, and
didn't get my review done until Monday after work. I tried sending it to both
Scorpsboard and the reviews here, but it wasn't posted. I'm trying it this
way now.
Blue Devils Flex Muscles Yet Again in Clifton Win CLIFTON, N.J. - Believe the hype, the Blue Devils are awesome with a capital
"A" this season - unleashing their best corps since possibly the 1994 championship
unit as they dominated a field that included four of last year's top five to win
the Cadets Music in Motion here Saturday night. The Blue Crew already looked to be
in August form as they scored a decisive 81.80 to 80.45 decision over defending
DCI co-champion Cavaliers, with fellow co-champ and the show host Cadets third at
79.70. In the other subplots, the fan friendly Crossmen nipped last year's crowd
favorite Boston Crusaders by just .05 (73.00 to 72.95) - reversing placements from
the night before in Philadelphia - while upstart Spirit also turned the Philadelphia
tide on Carolina Crown by .25 (67.40 to 67.15). These corps could be swapping places
throughout the season as the Crossmen and Crusaders appear headed to battle for a
top six placement at DCI finals, with Spirit and Crown trying to give finals night
a distinctly southern flavor with one or both joining the party. The home state Raiders (1DM-10CG-17B-13P) seemed out of place as they kicked
off the show while being the only Division III competitor of the night - scoring
53.55 in their own scoring category. The "Pictures at an Exhibition" program
appears to be a bit of a reach for this younger and less polished corps right now
- particularly in the brass. But it's hard to get a good read on the smaller corps'
at this early date. The corps experienced considerable individual error in the
first two numbers - "Promenade" and "Gnomus" - with the ensemble appearing tentative
from the initial attack on. That hesitance may have been produced - at least in
part - by the surprise shower that greeted them as they marched to the Clifton
Stadium field. Still, the visual program appears to be nicely written for this
smallish corps, with many of the forms being staged between the 35s on the front
half of the field to aid in projection. After a slow start, the percussion
(3S-1T-4B-5PP) also settled into the comfort zone for the rest of the program. The entire unit actually seemed to perform better in the final half of the show,
possibly because it had been working on that half in its most recent practices. The
solo work between a soprano, baritone and mellophone was particularly well-received
in "Baba Yaga," while the crowd appreciated the big unison drum attacks at the start
of "Great Gate of Kiev." Still, the brass intonation is abrasive right now, making
these familiar melodies a little hard to enjoy. Horn line intonation has to be one
of the priorities for the creative staff as it attempts to get this corps in position
to make a run at the Division III finals. While appropriately staged, individual
marching errors and unfinished guard work also makes the visual program lacking at
present. But it is still early and this show has the potential to be much better
come August in Buffalo. It appears as if the working arrangement with Jacksonville State University has
been very good to Spirit (2DM-28CG-62B-25P), which has put its best product on the
field since its last finals appearance. If memory serves, that came in 1990 -
ironically in Buffalo. Maybe the return to Buffalo, and the eye-catching Spirit
blue uniforms will allow the "South to rise again" - at least to a top 12 spot.
The uniforms aren't quite the old Spirit baby blue - they're actually better with
an eye-catching hint of teal in that look. The guard's gray engineer/mechanics
outfits fit the "Ghost Train" theme, but could use a splash more of color. The theme itself is very well done - particularly from the numerous "train-like"
sounds of the percussion section (8S-3T-5B-9PP). The crowd particularly enjoyed
"The Ride" - being encouraged by the conductor's call "All aboard for Clifton" -
getting on board as the corps forms a train that glides from side one to side two.
The ensemble sound of the unit is much better than recent years at this stage of
the season, even though there is still plenty of individual error visually -
particularly in the feet and the equipment work of the guard. The closing unison
licks brings an emphatic and appropriate conclusion to the opener and drew great
response from the crowd - no doubt happy to see this once proud DCI giant to be
back and so healthy again, right now to a more prominent silver delta on their
chest. The ballad, "At the Station" features good body control by the corps in the
visual shaping, but needs cleaning musically with some obvious phasing difficulty.
The guard certainly could stand to provide better support to sell what could be
some nice musical moments. "The Motive Revolution" picks up the pace again with
a number that goes from getting down and dirty with the melody of "Mack the Knife,"
to "picking up steam" like the train the rest of the way. Listen for the "distant"
backfield train echoes, followed by a multi-meter brass/battery segment, followed
by a clever percussion break, to strains of "Let It Be Me" in the push forward
before a rousing futuristic finish. The familiar "Let It Be Me" tease was similar
to Boston's references to "Conquest" in its recent shows, and drew great response
from the crowd. Spirit is on the right path back to the finals and is deservedly ahead of rival
Carolina Crown in ensemble scores right now (by .50 in visual and .70 in music)
with an easier show. There is no question that there is room to grow in all areas,
particularly in selling this cleverly designed show better. The color guard is also
relatively hidden at present and needs to add more to this show if it hopes to beat
Crown (down by .50 tonight) in the race for finals. One of Crown's (2DM-32CG-58B-27P) staff members summed up the current state of
his corps' "Industry" production best when he told a friend in the audience "we
started the season pretty dirty, but we'll be fine in the end." Much like the
structures they attempt to build with wood, rubber and metal, this show is a "work
in progress" - with the architects apparently working overtime to include all but
the proverbial "kitchen sink" in the design. Unfortunately, it's not there - yet. Still, it connects initially with the more serious look, featuring the corps in
new black pants and shoes, and black plumes for the shakos, in addition to the old
purple jackets. All the "industry" props create the proper backdrop - from the
wooden planks for the brass, to the tires for the guard, to the large pieces of
sheet metal displayed in the front. The brass performers distance themselves from their instruments as they use
their planks to build a "structure" as the show begins to the wooden construction
sounds from the center-staged percussion (8S-4T-5B-10PP) in "Concertino for Four
Percussion." Paul Rennick's percussion is always tight, and this line is no
exception. Unfortunately, the demands placed on the brass take their toll on that
unit as they race from their structure to grab their horns and then quickly expand
a block form as they make their first statement. It sounds tentative and winded
right now, but should improve with better stamina. The percussion and guard are
clearly top 12 caliber, but the brass was the weakest of tonight's D-I competitors
and appropriately finished dead last - .70 from Boston. Brass will be the key to selling the main title from "The Cider House Rules,"
which has the potential to be another classic Crown ballad if it can get some more
clarity and projection from the new B-flat horns. Much has been made of the guard's
use of tires while changing to baby blue costumes at the start of the number, but
they didn't really distract and actually appeared to add a unique flavor to the
opening of the chart while working in the "rubber" aspect of industry. Now what
exactly rubber has to do with "The Cider House Rules" is the question. They don't
use them long though before changing to gorgeous pastel silks. Watch for the guard
to display its skill near the end of the chart with the performers catching the
final flag toss in the joints of their left legs. There is no mystery to the sounds of "Motown Metal" as the percussion sets the
mood with a very metallic cymbal feature. Meanwhile, the guard changes costumes
again - this time to a metallic-looking costume of orange, silver and black. It
all fits, even if the melody is unrecognizable and doesn't project real well now.
Drill-wise, the corps puts a spectator on "visual overload" throughout with
non-stop movement - although forms are hard to read at present because of all the
dirt. While this show is not selling at present - with either the crowd, or the judges
- it has the potential to really blossom over the season and not only land the corps
back in finals, but move up a spot. Right now, however, the corps is in need of a
good, long cleaning camp. If the program doesn't clean up, Crown could be on the
outside looking in on finals' night - particularly with Spirit and the Colts
appearing much improved from a year ago and in serious finals' contention. The Crossmen (2DM-32CG-63B-31P) do indeed have their best corps since at least
1997 - and probably possess their best ensemble sound since the first "Songs for
the Planet Earth" trilogy in 1992 - with their "Late Night Jazz" show. The corps
appears strong in all areas this season - with a big and mature brass sound, the
percussion section which has finally found the Mark Thurston-like groove of
yesteryear, and a talented guard that simply spins throughout. The only thing that
might hold the corps back in its bid at a top six finish might be an overall visual
program that serves the show well, but doesn't really compare with the main
contenders - even Eastern rival Boston. Still, this is a fan favorite this year and
may be a leading candidate for The Spirit of Disney Award. It is very approachable
and the unit projects the theme well. The show opens with the toe-tapping sounds of "Wee Small Hours" into "Harlem
Nocturne," which includes a big opening fanfare. The corps proper helps the crowd
find the groove as members extend their legs and tap to the beat. The first of many
fine soloists also belts out his part. The guard creates the perfect flavor to the
show with its appropriate attire of tight blood red tops and black slacks and jazz
shoes, with appropriate body work. Once the corps picks up the beat, the fun really
begins with screech soloists, tasty tom writing, and silks that spin, and spin, and
spin some more. The drill features a lot of nice, tight block formations - not real
creative, but something that worked for the Devils in some of their past jazz
classics. For anyone who has missed the old Thurston battery groove in recent X-men
lines, it's back this year. Pay close attention to the end of Nocturne where the
unit flashes the cross visual and then rips off the trademark Thurston lick. The
corps strikes the proper pose to end the number. The Crossmen stop at a big band jazz club next for "Flying Home" - replete with
the brass stacked in the "big band" brass formation. The number eventually swings
into a long drum break that not only features engaging writing and playing, but
some dangerous stick visuals fans have to check out. "Guaguanco" takes the show into the Latin Quarter with a nice ballad that
features a stellar soprano soloist and pretty shear silks. But that just sets the
stage for the familiar strains of "Fire Dance," - igniting the corps, particularly
with the guard's "fire" flags. The tune cooks with red hot sounds, fast drill, and
an appropriate mounted high hat parts on the snares. The rousing closer keeps the
fans on the edge of their seats, and then to their feet. This show will do that all
season long!
After an abbreviated intermission, The Cavaliers (2DM-32CG-63B-28P) entered the
field amidst thunder and lightening in the distance. Actually, greater electricity
may have been generated from the crowd as the much-anticipated defending DCI
co-champs came to play a little "Four Corners." While the show may not be what one
expects from the title - with anticipation that it would explore the four corners
of the field with musical stylistic interpretations - it is electric nonetheless.
The "Four Corners" reference visually may actually be for the various formations
that can be made with four corners - with numerous fast paced boxes and diamonds
appearing, and then disappearing just as quickly. Only once did it appear that all
four corners of the field were explored, and that was with soloists at each
corner. The show gets off to a fast start with the color guard - clad in royal blue and
black jump suits - performing a flag toss before the corps proper explodes into the
Phantom Regiment "flying wedge" and crab steps from far left to the middle of the
field. The feet just never stop as the corps quickly goes from one four corner form,
to another - playing unrecognizable music that still possesses a certain Cavalier
feel, despite a less edgy sound because of the switch to B-flat horns. Every section
is strong, although brass projection with the new horns needs to be addressed in
order to reach the similar proficiency of the guard, which took high honors on this
night (16.30 to the Devils' 16.10). While the percussion was also third, it was just
one-tenth behind second-place Cadets and .50 off the Devs. By contrast, the brass
was a more distant third - five-tenths behind the surprising second-place Devils
and .80 behind first-place Cadets. The second movement continues the fast pace, with a beautifully rich low brass
sound accompanied by fantastic guard work that didn't find any saber drops - in
spite of the high-wind conditions. Some interval problems in certain forms -
probably caused by some ragged feet at times - were the only glaring errors, other
than the brass projection issues. The third movement features the much-discussed cymbal ride on the snares - a
sound that is then passed down throughout the battery. The guard accents the
exchange with high flag and rifle tosses. The brass re-enters and the corps
eventually settles into a down and dirty "park and play" segment, which has to be
one of the only times in the show it stops moving for an extended period of time. The fourth movement features the only recognizable movement of the program, with
excerpts of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" emerging while the brass is staged in the
middle of the field in a split "S" form. The guard provides the appropriate Cavalier
color with rich multi green and black silks. Once again, the corps kicks it in until
a rather abrupt ending to the show. Truthfully, the end was the only noticeable
deficiency in the program. It seems to lack a big finish of past Cavalier classics.
As it is, the corps seems to just reach the end of the music and the crowd needs to
be cued by the public address announcer that the show is over before it stands and
applauds. One would think something's in the works to improve that by season's end.
The big finish may just be the ticket to another championship in August. But that's not going to be easy, since the Blue Devils (2DM-40CG-66B-27P)
certainly have the look of a champion right now with their "Awayday Blue" show.
The Devils appear to have no weaknesses, other than a slightly easier show than
the Cavaliers that might just peak too soon - allowing the Cavies, or possibly
Santa Clara Vanguard, to pass them late. But the Blue Crew staff is not new to this
game and it knows just how to tweak this show to get the corps to the winner's
circle again. Tonight's scores found the Devils winning by 1.35 points, but it
appeared like it might be more since this perennial western power seems to be in
a league of its own it least in terms of precision, power and projection. "Awayday Blue" opens like some of the past Devil classics, with the show starting
in the pit before the battery kicks in with a wide open attack and an explosion of
pink color from the guard silks accentuating the opening statement. The Devs have
had great ensemble sounds before, but this might be one of their best - possibly a
case where the B-flat horns take them to the next level because they add perfect
tuning to the big volume. The result is a sound that is big, bold, brassy and
beautiful - one of the tightest ensembles in memory at the end of June. The visual
program flows effortlessly from side to side at a quick tempo in the opener, while
the guard supports perfectly - particularly during its hat and dance routine up
front. The visual program, while not as demanding at the Cavaliers, is certainly
not as easy as many make it out to be. And boy, does this corps march - making
their forms perfectly. Unlike every other corps in the field, there were few
interval problems in the Devil marching program tonight. "Fantasy Variations" just continues the perfection. The chart is full of more
full brass beauty, staged down front so the crowd can actually feel the music. The
big highlight comes in the standstill segment when the nine snare drummers switch
to front- racked basses - giving the field percussion a thunderous 14 bass drum
sound. The percussion (9S-5T-5B-8PP) is one of the strongest units the Devils have
produced in years and should also vie for high honors in Buffalo with a vintage
book that contains plenty of demand and trademark high drumming. The only significant
change – besides improved exposure and accuracy - appears to be the tenors using
snare sticks this year as they join California rival Vanguard in that trend. Other highlights include a moving box drill where marchers replace one another
while the boxes move from side one to two, and the male guard members using female
members to support them as they power their bodies vertically with their legs in
the air. It's all good! Performing in just their third competition of the season, The Boston Crusaders
(2DM-38CG-64B-29P) had the unenviable position of trying to follow the Devils.
Despite the daunting task, they did it well - not lacking on the applause meter in
their own rite during their "Harmonium" program. While Concord was big and blue,
Boston was rousing and red. Last year's DCI darlings also appear to be much more
mature from both a design and performance standpoint. "Harmonium" opens with the corps proper all on the 50 before exploding out into
a big block - interspersed with the big guard all spinning rifles - as the musicians
make their initial impact. While the trademark move is still impressive no matter
how many times one sees it, the brass appeared to be lacking a bit in volume -
possibly because the unit was following the powerful Blue Crew. Despite volume
issues, all sections appear improved from a year ago, even though the show isn't
as fan friendly. "Marimba Spiritual" truly explores the four corners of the field - with the
different sections of the brass forming blocks that move separately from one
another while exchanging the melody. As expected, it all comes together into a
solid block for a big sound up front. That impact is accompanied by a featured
guard member, who struggled tonight with a pair of equipment drops. "The Mission" once again separates the brass, this time in a ballad with one
unit playing beautifully up front, while the other moves around behind and uses
the backfield to echo the main melody. It's a tough number to pull off now from
a timing standpoint, and the Crusaders are experiencing some phasing problems -
but nothing they can't clean up in the coming weeks. The corps is also having
some control issues right now - both from the musical projection and visual foot
and body shaping elements. The chart ends with a big midrange sound as the
marchers compress back to the 50 and explode into their box a second time. That sets the excitement in motion for the "First Circle"/ "Shakata" finale,
which features wild tribal rhythmic moments from the percussion (8S-4T-5B-12PP).
While the break drums mounted on the side of the snares is a nice effect and
captures the essence musically, the section once again lags compared to its rivals
- as evidenced by its last place score in the caption among fellow Division I
competitors. Still, it is improved from a year ago and it leads the corps through
a rousing final number. Visually, the guard's use of wild florescent silks
throughout the program - including brilliant lemon yellow in the closer - prompted
one observer to conclude that they didn't reach much "harmony" with the corps
proper's red and black military uniforms. While Boston possesses great growing potential with a well-integrated show -
particularly since the corps got off to a much later start than its top rivals -
it appears as if the host Cadets (2DM-40CG-61B-28P) are struggling to find a
direction to take their "Juxtaperformance" show - and for good reason. The creative
team purposely chose four very different and unconnected selections and thought
the corps could sell the program with its musical versatility. But it's not - in
spite of some excellent playing - particularly because the visual program may be
the Cadets' weakest since the corps rose to DCI prominence. Like the musical
selection themselves, nothing fits together visually - producing a very un-Cadetlike
show that is neither entertaining or approachable. The "Young Person's Guide to Orchestra" is well-performed by the musical ensemble,
and the guard provides proficient equipment support - particularly from its
comma-shaped weapon tosses. The corps moves from side to side and plays is
technically proficient at performing some pretty music - climaxing in a big block
for the final impact. But while the opener is performed well, the design team has
given it nothing memorable - except for the unique weapons. Then, it gets stranger with "Moondance," as the tenors move to the front sideline
to take their seats behind five trap sets while the corps basically strolls into
its place around the field to set up for the jazzy piece. Once again, the corps
performs it well - the brass reaching the box, the percussion (8S-5T-5B-10PP)
playing a proficient break featuring a nice exchanges between the trap sets and
snares, and the guard providing some groovy dance as the corps cuts loose - but it
doesn't connect with the opener, or the crowd. The piece moves very slowly and the
crowd sits in startled amazement that these are the Cadets -once "known for their
kaleidoscopic, whiplash moves." "Vide Cor Muem" takes body-shaping to a new level, as the brass players take
all kinds of positions - on one knee, on their sides, on their backs - to play
the pretty ballad, that is once again lacking in movement. The sounds are beautiful,
and the guard supports it nicely with beautiful hot pink silks, but the song just
seems to be out on an island, with no cohesion to anything performed previously. Fortunately, the show concludes with a rousing rendition of "Farandole," which
at least picks up the pace and gives the crowd some of the Cadet sound and visual
look that has made the corps famous. But even that has some awkward moments, like
one tenor staying at his trap set and turning around just to watch while the other
four march the closer. It just doesn't make sense. Still, the show climaxes with a
nice rotating box. While you can never count The Cadets out of the championship hunt, it's hard to
see how this show can contend. Even with major rewrites, it still lacks the cohesion
to be a serious threat. This may be a hunch, but one of the middle tier corps -
Boston, Glassmen or Phantom - might threaten the Cadets in the middle of the pack.
The best bet, however, is that the Cadets skill will allow them to replace Santa
Clara as this year's defending co-champ relegated to fourth a year later. While the corps were deservedly well-received on this night, the show
disappointedly ended with a simple drum major's retreat and no victory concert -
or even a unison selection. What has happened to retreat? The price of tickets
keeps rising, but fans keep getting less for their money. Retreat used to be like
the grand finale of a Fourth of July fireworks display - with color everywhere and
a taste of everything you had seen earlier in the night - climaxed by some of your
favorite selection. But now, it's like the rocket that was lit, but didn't fire -
a big dud! For those who would say that they got their money's worth without the need for
anything at retreat, I would argue that Saturday's $25 tickets were as expensive
as concerts by some well-known recording artists, and both the opening act and the
headliner always play an encore. For the relatives who were visiting us from
Nebraska and attending their first drum corps show, it was an abrupt and
disappointing way to end an otherwise fine night. It was too bad they didn't get
the chance to leave the stadium with one final shot of adrenaline from a great
corps performing a standstill concert. Waukesha, WI (DCM) Didn't catch exact scores due to pelting rain and thunder, but Phantom
got a 74 something and I believe Madison had a 70 or 71 something. Started out a hot, but breezy sunny evening. The show start time had
to be moved up to 6:00 due to noise restrictions. They ran the show
like clockwork. The mayor of Waukesha led us in pronouncing the
pledge of allegiance, the program said Pioneer brass was going to play
??? Bandettes are steadily improving, it's heartbreaking that they can't
get more girls to march in this proud unit. Capitol Sound has improved from last week in Rockford. It's a show I
need to see a few times to get familiar with the music, but I like the
show concept. Blue Stars have a decent drumline, but I don't get why the heads on
the snares make the drums so quiet. We want to HEAR the drumline!
It's a pretty deep show that they have, I wonder how the kids get into
it. Intermission -- after only three corps! Phantom is getting better and better. It should be noted that it was
very breezy tonight which wreaked havoc on all the guards. I love the
new flags Phantom is using in the closing section of Festive.
Gorgeous flags throughout. The stadium is quite small and I got to see
Tommy Feagin up close, he is one intense drum major, one of the best! Southwind is also improving to my delight. I was a little concerned
when I saw them in Rockford last week, but the general consensus was
that they had an off night and are on the move. I need to see their
show a few more times to recognize the music more, but they do have
great potential. As soon as Madison started to enter the field, it started to rain,
just a few drops but then whoa, DOWNPOUR!! This was vertical rain!
Of course this prompted the Scouts to put on an exceptional show and
it brought the crowd to its feet at the end of each number. Great
drum break! Credit goes to the guard who made it through, even when
it started to hail in the middle of the show! No lightening, thank
goodness. Host corps Pioneer were on last. Only light rain now. They're are
really pushing hard with a smaller hornline this year. The drumline
has some really nice moments and is coming together nicely. I'm not
that crazy about the guard uniforms, but the guard does some nice
work. Luckily the lightening/thunder waited until the Pioneer was completely
off the field. Then came the real fun weather! Brenda Manske Frazier Bandettes - 35.5. Wow! These are some young kids, I'd be surprised if
any of them were over 16. Their show idea - "Drive" - is kind of cute. It
consists of an entrance ramp, driving lanes, passing lanes, exit ramp - you
get the picture. This group needs to continue learning to march and play
confidently with sound fundamentals. Because the horn line doesn't play with
a lot of power, balance with the percussion, especially the pit, is very
important. At one point a young lady banging on a break drum in the pit
drowned out the 12 person horn line. All in all, a good vehicle for these
young ladies. Congratulations on being the oldest all-girl corps still in
existence. Capital Sound - 54.4. After the small horn sound of the Bandettes, my
first reaction was, "Who turned on the power?" when these kids opened up.
Nice use of African drums in the percission feature after the opener. Since
I saw them a couple of weeks ago, some nice visual touches have been added,
such as horn flashes, and each member of the horn line crossing one leg in
front of the other. It's simple stuff, but it is impressive when everyone
does it together. I also liked what's been designed for their guard. As the
show progressed, the horn line seemed to tire noticeably, with some pretty
ragged tongueing. I was told some drill changes are in store for this corps.
It will be interesting to see how the kids handle it. They could make quite
a statement in Division II/III. Blue Stars - 51.45. Doesn't look like they picked up any horn players since
Sun Prairie a couple of weeks ago. It's not part of their show, but I liked
that they're using the opening fanfare from their '77 show for warmup. My
feeling is that this show would speak to me more if the horn line played with
more dynamic contrast. Everything seemed "mezzo regular." Also, they seemed
to be rythmically muddy. I'm not sure I understand how they got so close to
Cap Sound. Phantom Regiment - 74.10. I love this hornline! Their very wicked soprano
section lick in the opening part of the Bartok was really clean. I didn't
notice any fighting with the pit which was doubling them. Speaking of the pit,
they play very tastefully. I was particulary impressed with their dynamics
in the section after the opener. The brass chorale after the drum solo could
be a great musical moment this season, because it embodies that wonderful,
thick, dark sound that I associate with the great Regiment horn lines. I'm
glad their doing the Festive Overture; I've wanted them to return to this
piece ever since 1974! Lots to build on here, starting with the opening
fanfare. I hope they can work on really building the tension as they crescendo
to the release right before that fine mellophone solo. I have to agree with
those who think the drill is a little weak. The section where the horns stand
for a long time in a huge arc while the color guard goes crazy in the middle
of the filed is straight out of SCV's '71 opener. It is too static for my
taste. But it's early, and I've heard changes are on the horizon. Maybe this
section is on the list. Southwind - 61.8. Had a chance to watch a half hour of M&M cleaning and a
run through during the afternoon, and spoke briefly with some members of their
staff. Real nice folks, and very patient teachers. They open in a diamond made
up of files that moves their right in their opener. It's hard to hold the form
and the files, and it's important because it is so exposed, so judgeable, and,
after all, because it is the opening visual statement of the show. They made
some progress, but there's lots of work to so here. Nice horn charts - Jack
Stamp's Fanfare for a New Era and an arrangement of the Brahms Academic
Overture really connected with me. It got a little muddy after that. I want
to see this show again. Madison Scouts - 70.35. Here's where it got interesting. A squall line had
moved into the area, and some rain started to fall. Just as Madison hit the
opening chord, the heavens opened up and it poured! And I'm not talking about
a shower - this was Great Deluge stuff! A stiff wind blew the rain right into
the faces of the kids. I wondered if they would stop, but they kept right on
coming with even more intensity. The crowd loved it, and they let the corps
know it. The kids seemed to feed off the crowd(what a surprise!). I really
can't comment on their visual performance except to say they seemed to hold
their own on the slick field. The forms remained intact, and I didn't notice
anybody slip. I thought it was a heckuva job to maintain poise and intensity
under very trying circumstances. Pioneer went on last in exhibition. The rain had stopped by then. I thought
the kids did a pretty good job with the show. They are REALLY young; they may
have some of the smallest performers in Division I. If these young kids can
develop the chops to sustain their show from the opening chord to the end, they
should make a good accounting of themselves. Thankfully, retreat was Drum Majors only. Just as third place was being
announced, the rains came again. Those poor DMs got drenched! Rain, rain, go away..Will the Blue Devils Reign ever go away!
Suprises abound tonight as the Eastern tour Stopped in New Jersey tonight.
Music in Motion part II as it was dubbed by YEA..brought out a good crowd and a
great line up for this early season tradition...No fireworks after the show
tonight, probably because they were all on the field What a difference a day makes,as most of the corps had a better performance
tonight then yesterday in Philly......here goes, Raiders, Ya know..I would love to give them a fair review but I can't why??
Because I could barely hear them..too much of that awfull beeping/counting
machine in the background..it ruined their show for me..
They are small, it is early, but they have heart..Pictures at an Exhibition will
do them well in due time..Small guard(8) used flags well..Snares(3) switched
equipment for a nice effect..potential is there...I love division II/III !! Spirit!! Allaboard...Clifton Tonight as this corps is puttng the coal in their
engine and rolling straight towards finals!! Alot more confidence in the Brass
tonight!! and as this is my second viewing,I can apreciate the music more..
Percussion is nice and capable and the feature was hot tonight, Crowd loved it..
at least on the 50 yard line where I was....Guard using the "Tools" takes away
from the level of maturity the Rest of the corps has,and what they are trying to
sell...They are not fun, they are distracting....Great Guard feature in the
opener..Drill was sharper, and Tighter..hence the Sound was brighter....Moved
ahead of Crown..as I expected Clean, Clean, Clean...you guys are going places!!! Carolina Crown...sadly, and Im not alone..I feel this show is
boring, uneventful, and just not there...The first official "Hot dog corps" of
the 2001 season...Why would you have a guard full of talent and not utilize
them?? What is the correct way to catch a 2X4 anyway?? Another poster said the
rifles were lost in the uniform color, and they were right..Had to squint to see
them, and its sad the throws,and the work were good...They have some good
memorable moments, but once again...the guard distracts....The tires have got to
go....too out there, "Firestone suite" as a fan in the satnds next to me
said. another one behind me said The tires are deflating, and so is the show!! Enter the Crossmen...This corps was on Fire tonight!!! This show gets more
appealing everytime I see it..First off,the Brass is loud, full of color and
clarity for June...The arrangements kick ass..and those soloists..better than
the night before!! Percussion is just smoking right now, they have a confidence
that has been missing the past few years.. all the great impacts are staged
well, and the drill is clean...IF they are to stay ahed of boston, they have to
create a little more demand in the drill, and add a few wow moves!!! THe guard
doesnt dance as much as the other corps, and they highlight the show
perfect...Crossmen, you have the power!! Keep it up, you guys are bordering on
awesome...Congratulations Cavaliers...how do I say this. this corps has it all...I would like to know who
wrote this score, and this concept, because it works so well..four corners, four
movements, four sets of silks, 10 awesome minutes...The colorguard enhances this
music so well..it is a joy to just sit back...they music builds tension, and
then the Drill releases it..every section is integrated into the big
picture, each playing off and complimenting the other...Awesome Drill,still a
little dirty, Great Brass (key is irrelevant) Hot percussion..at one point the
rifle line uses the snares to "Enhance" their routine..Awesome!! Staging
through out the show Excellent..I'm sorry but I cant say enough..and again,
second viewing, and I can remember the music it is GREAT!!!!! The Cavaliers are
not going to give up the title without a fight!! And if they win it all..it
will be well deserved!!!! Thank you for coming East!! Blue Devils..To tell you the truth..After seeing The Cavies performance, I
got a little knot in the pit of my stomach..but after the first minute..It was
gone..The Guard, as compared to yesterdays performance was like night and
day (Remember 89 Dutch boy...Stop! Geoff, stay on topic..sorry!) whatever was
missing in the performance was there tenfold tonight...All catches were
perfect..sharp,razor sharp...The ensemble Clarity was back!! big time!! The
dancing had emotion missing last night..The hats are still distracting and
uneffective..but overall, guard was just like they oughta be!! The opening
moment with the purple silks is truly breathtaking. The staging of the Brass in
respect to the impact points is nothing less than perfect...When they play they
never let you know what a strain it is to move the way they do...Brass was hot
tonight too, they have mastered their book, and are now in the clean/add
mode..Unstoppable,Percussion?? well its gotta be one of their best lines
ever...its all there folks, they are pretty much the corps to beat..This show
has it all..it's sad it has to end..and they have lots of room for
improvement, they will not peak early. Boston Crusaders....its hard to believe being on the east coast, but Blue
Devils actually got the crowd more excited than Boston tonight!! People around
me randomly thew out the phrase "didn't they do that last year" I guess I'm not
alone.. The show is not as emotional as last year, they are lacking depth at this
point, Ballad is a cheesy rip off of Last years, and the show seeems to be running
out of gas....Guard is capable, nothing memorable, but the potential is
there...This show will need a healthy dose of excitement if they are to make
the top 8 this year..Still Can't believe the opening minut or so is the same as
last years.....Too much! Cadets..again I say what a difference a day makes...Brass performance, sound,
and quality was light years ahead of yesterday (I'm beginning to wonder if it was
just the awful Franklin Field acoustics) Percussion was pretty good..and the
Drill is coming along..they do have some really nice vintage "cadet" stuff in
the closer..that will wow us come August, heck, it already does now..
The guard needs to do something during the second half of Moondance..The brass
and percussion sell this piece so well, that its a shame the guard is not
utilized to enhance it..Nusically it is a highlight of the night..visually..it
hurts!! While cadets have danced in the past, it has never been for this long, and
you kinda forgive them because when they do pick up equipment, they spin and execute
like nobodys business!!...Please pick something up!!!! it will not hurt you!
Farandole sounded much better tonight, and again the drill in the last minute is
good, bordering on great..It sure would be nice if the Guard helped out with
Rifles instead if squiggles, but they were cleaner tonight!!..It is June, and
I/we Should no better than to count them out... Overall, another reat show...I am tired of the bleacher beasts, the original
occupants of Pangya,and the "folks" that make their pilgramage to this
show...only to be oblivious to whats going on....you know the 90+year olds, with
their k-mart clothes,to much CVS cologne on way too much aqua-net in their
hair! but..I digress... Great job to all. Bridgeport tomorrow Ansonia, CT (DCA) The show started with lots...and lots...and lots of rain. There were a few
moments we thought the show would be cancelled, but the rain (and lightning)
would not stop this great evening of drum corps!! Good crowd tonight, and great
corps. HeatWave: Where did these guys cme from? Best start I can remember from these
boys from down south. This isn't the same ole Cheesburger happy happy joy joy corps
we are used to. They mean buisness, and it shows. The entire show is rough at times,
and needs to be cleaned. It looked as though they have some holes and are still
learning drill. Hornline: From the first note, these guys put out some SOUND! At
times, you could hear individuals and gaps in the ensemble, but when it was time
to play, they blew thier hearts out! Great sop solist and a nice baritone/sop duet
in the closer. Drumline: Maybe the pit was left somewhere in South Carolina, but
there wasn't much too speak of. The battery....good stuff folks! These guys can
groove. They use jam blocks in the show a lot, but it fits well. When the book is
clean, they have a good shot at being a top line. Color Guard: need to be cleaned,
but they are doing a nice job at portraying the look of Miami's nightlife. Great
job folks! Sky: Didn't get a chance to see em. Cabs: WOAH!!!!!!!!!!! As always, the Cabs were rockin and rollin. The soloists
were unreal, and the drumline looked great! They really put out a helluva show! I
was missing the smoke at the trademark company front in the end though ;) . The
show is vintage Cabbies, and they bring the pain fast and furious. I lookf for them
to push top ranks again this year! Bush: Good job guys! The drill needed a lil cleaning, but Bush is on track to
improve upon last year! I was making my way back to the stands during thier show,
but from what I saw....they really cranked one out! Buccs: Candide was amazing. The baritone section sounded lush and dark. The
hornline was very balanced and focused at all dynamic levels. While I wasnt too
impressed with the percussive aspects of the show, they were solid. The Color guard
was very good, and they used the whole field to create a good visual package. The
feet looked very good. I had a good view from the fence during thier show. The show
is a very nice package, and will be a crowd fave by the end of the summer. I was
highly impressed with these guys! I can't wait to see it during championships! Hurricanes: The show is there, but it needs to be cleaned. They can go the
distance, but they have got to clean up the books. This is another corps I didn't
have a good viewing of, so I can't make a fair review. They did put a lot of energy
in the show, and that is the key element to pulling off a great performance!! Tampa Bay!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! a second year junior corps looking
this good!? Congrats to that organization. Legend was great, and we enjoyed seeing
you this far north!! Overall: The scores for the most part were pretty fair. I was dissapointed (as
were several in the crowd) that HW didn't break 60, but I am sure they will be
working hard to get into Sundays show in August. I thought the outcome was fair.
The Cabs and Buccs were equally good in my book, although I would lean toward the
Buccs. It was a good time had by all, and we look forward to the rest of the
season!! Go to Page 5 of Reviews!
2001 Drum Corps International
Show Reviews - As Posted on RAMD!
Page Four of Reviews
If you visit often, hit "Reload" to refresh the reviews on this page!
Go to Page 3 of Reviews!
Friday July 6
36 brass, 33 percussion (10s, 6q, 4c, 5b, 8p), 9 guard.
I liked what I heard and saw. The fun and antics I feel do have a place in Drum
Corps, and they've been sorely missed since VK folded. Impulse performed a South
Seas show, featuring music from "Bali Hai", "Hawaiian Wedding Song", and "Hawaiian
War Chant". The brass line was clean, but the book was fairly easy. The large
percussion line was good, and the drum line feature was the highlight of the show.
36 brass, 34 percussion (10s, 4q, 5c, 5b, 10p), 22 guard.
Another lower division corps with a mammoth percussion line which was their strongest
feature. The brass line was terribly weak and top heavy (only 4 contras). The drum
line was excellent, as clean as Impulse's with a much harder book. There were a lot
of drops in the guard, especially in the opener, "Tempered Steel". They also played
"Partita" by Phillip Sparke, and "The Gift of Love" and "Time to Take Back the
Knights" by Stephen Melillo. Nowhere near as good as the 2000 corps. They had a
decent enough visual program, but their brass line will keep them from repeating as
Division II champions if they are indeed going back to Buffalo.
19 brass, 30 percussion (6s, 4q, 5b, 3c, 12p), 20 guard.
A tiny, tiny hornline. Only 1 contra. The hornline was weak, and had bad attack
and intonation problems, even with an easy program. The percussion was clean, but
didn't have as challenging parts as the previous two corps. The guard was good.
Playing "Dance Movements" by Phillip Sparke, I was amazed they beat out Impulse,
who I thought was much better.
27 brass, 24 percussion (6s, 3q, 5b, 10p), 16 guard.
Completing the inaugural Division II "Phillip Sparke Festival", the Mandarins
played "Music for a Festival", "Variations on an Enigma", "Mountain Song", and
"Partita", all by Phillip Sparke. They were far and away the best corps in
Division II, and I will be stunned if anyone can compete with them this year.
They have a Division I difficulty level in their show, and they perform it very
well. Their Visual program is sensational this year, highlighted by a guard
company front rifle toss, with the corps forming a company front behind them
while the rifles are in the air. From there, the corps speeds into a swirling,
criss-crossing drills that would make the Cadets proud. Give this corps 60 more
kids and they'd make finals, I guarantee it. Simply amazing.
62 brass, 28 percussion (7s, 5q, 4b, 12p), 36 guard.
Performing: "Cartoon" by Paul Hart, "Black Market Juggler" by Joseph Zawinul,
and Hanna/Barbera's "Johnny Quest" theme song. I liked this show a lot more than
I thought I would. Speaking of "goofing off", BK appears to have channeled the
spirit of VK this season! This show reminds me of VK's 92 and 93 shows. There
are several terrific antics in the show, including a horn player chasing a guard
girl through the swirling drill of the rest of the corps. The percussion, guard,
and visual program are all impressive. The Blue Knights will live and die this
year through their brass. As of Friday night, the brass line was terribly weak.
They're fairly clean, but utterly lacking in power. Best case scenario: the
hornline shapes up, and BK finishes in the top 6 again. Worst case scenario: the
hornline doesn't shape up, other corps clean up more and pass them, dropping BK
into a 7-10 spot. I scored them: 74.25
63 brass, 27 percussion (9s, 5q, 5b, 8p), 39 guard.
Performing: "Awayday" by Adam Gorb, and "Fantasy Variations" by Donald Grantham.
Adam Gorb's piece is a tribute to old-time American musicals, and it shows in the
Devils' production. BD is the total package this year. They have the usual:
smokin' brass, world class guard, and a great visual program. They also have
everything else: a great drumline (best they've been since 1996) and a terrific
effect package. They remind me of their 1994 corps, and indeed, I see flashes of
the 94 show in this program. They left me with the question: can anyone beat the
Blue Devils this year? Best case scenario: they stay right on track a blow everyone
else away en route to an 11th championship. Worst case scenario: they peak too
early, and other corps catch or pass them (refer to: 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, and
2000). I scored them: 85.50
64 brass, 32 percussion (9s, 4q, 5c, 5b, 9p), 37 guard.
Performing: "Alarm", "Short Ride in a Fast Machine" by John Adams, "Jug Blues and
Fat Pickin'" by Donald Freund, "Variants on a Medieval Tune" by Norman Dello Joio,
and "New Era Dance" by Alan Jay Kernis. I did not have to wait long for an answer
to my question. SCV was phenomenal, and got seriously jobbed. BD may have been
better, but they sure weren't 2.25 points better. The show starts out with one of
the 5 bass drummers at each corner and one dead center on the 50, with the corps a
big zig-zag from bottom center to mid-upper right on the field. The show starts
with 15-20 seconds of near silent drill, with only the slight tinkling of bells in
the pit. Suddenly, the whole ensemble comes to an immediate halt in a big block
and unleashes a full bore blast into the stands. The guard cuts loose with
white/silver flags with flourescent orange edges. Quite an opening! SCV has a
killer drumline and (in my opinion) a far better visual book and more effective
show than either the Devils or the Cadets. I was immensely impressed with this
show and can't wait to see how well they do this August in Buffalo. They're a
little dirtier than BD right now, which is the only thing I can think of that
caused the scoring gap. They ate it tonight in the Brass and Ensemble Performance
captions. Best case scenario: their hornline and guard clean up enough to hold
their own against the Devils, the drums and visual program should do the rest;
definite Championship contender. Worst case scenario: things never quite gel, and
they don't pass up either the Cavvies or the Devils; I don't see SCV finishing
lower than 3rd at finals. I scored them: 85.25
85.50 Blue Devils (Music GE, Visual Ens., Guard, Brass Perf., Ens. Perf., High Music)
85.20 Santa Clara Vanguard (Visual GE, High GE, Visual Perf., High Visual, Percussion Perf.)
82.25 The Cadets
74.25 Blue Knights
Prediction:10th
Prediction:3rd or 4th. High guard.
Prediction:1st place. High GE, Percussion.
Prediction:2nd. High Brass, and Visual.
SOC Staff 2001
Wednesday July 4
Sunday July 1
Saturday June 30
Well theres really not too much i have to say about this corp. They're a D3
corp and Im just gonna give em credit for coming out and playing before 7 other
top notch D1 corps. Overall the show was decent..obvious cleaning to be
done..but i gotta say good job..i give the smaller corps all the credit in the
world.
BINGO!!!!They beat Crown tonight. Very good show..this was the second time I
saw it..and I liked it the first time..but liked it even more this time. Ghost
Train is great..the opening train effect is tremendous. The drumline was
cleaner tonight than they were in philly, but i dont think the hornline was as
loud..but effect wise..they were great. Obvious cleaning still needs to be
done with the feet and intervals..but that will be worked on..cant wait to see
this corp in august.
The show is there, but it just doesn't make any sense. The industry effect
they're giving off is good...but where in the music does that theme come into
play? It just seems to me that these are two totally different themes. The
drumline is great, and from what i saw in the lot they are pretty young, so
they still have room to grow. Hornline is pretty powerful, better then Spirits
anyway. Guard was good..dont like the unis that much though..blending is a
problem.
LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!!The take over has started. Crossmen beat Boston
tonight, and it was well deserved. I think they beat boston last night too,
but what i think and whats put on paper are two different things. These guys
are smokin baby. Constant crowd pleaser. The Crossmen have the crowd under
their belt. Great hornline, soloists are phenomenal. Drumline is great. Best
line i've seen from the crossmen in a few years. Tenors play crazy notes man!
and the snares have some pretty juiced stuff themselves. Overall drill is
pretty easy, but they perform it well, and its only going to get better. I can
definately see this corp competing in the 5-7 spot come august. LETS GO
CROSSMEN!!!
Tonight these guys were also smokin. The begining of the show was once again
incomplete as the flag routine was messed up. Once thats completed it will be a
beautiful thing. Drumline was very clean tonight. A lot cleaner than last
night anyway. I dig the flashbacks to last year with the head bobbing rock
part. Crowd really gets into that part. Guard is great like usual, and im
sure a lot of stuff is going to be added. If anyone is going to beat BD i
think it will be Cavies. A lot of cleaning is still yet to be done.
This was definately the best corp out there tonight. Very well polished for
this early in the season. Drumline was smokin!!!!!Tenors play more notes than
i've ever seen. Great job out there. Guard was really good tonight, better
than last night again. Visually I enjoyed the package more tonight than i did
last night. Soloists were great..but they were second behind the Crossmen
soloist. I cant see this show getting too much better than it already is. Too
clean for this early in the season. I think they're going to peak too early.
But we cant say that for sure until august.
Very good show. Visually entertaining. I can see them staying in the 5-8
slot...but not any better then that, and the 5 spot may be stretching it.
Drumline is very solid, it can finally back the program up, but horns are
holding the corp back a little bit. Ballad was beautiful tonight. Like every
other corp out there, cleaning needs to be done..and it will be interesting
where this corp places come august.
Cant find it in me to like this show yet. I cant see this show going anywhere
past 3rd this year, music isn't there at all. And the hornline isn't as ballsy
as it has been in the past. Moondance is good..but i dont like how the tenors
just sit on the drumset for a while not playing anything. But like usual i
think good ol' George will make some moves come mid july, and we'll see an end
of the season charge from the Cadets like usual, so im not counting them out at
all.
Very good show. Cant believe tomorrow is only the 1st of july, cant wait to
hear these guys come august. Should be very intersting all the way
through..1-12.. Cant see BD winning it because i think they'll plateu
eventually. Cavies are giving them a run for their money now, and Cavies still
have a lot of cleaning to do. I think we'll see Cavs at the top this year...by
themselves!!!no TIE!!!!
BD 83.5 (81.8)
Cadets: 78.0 (79.7)
Cavaliers: 77.3 (80.45)
Crossmen: 75.0 (73.0)
Boston: 73.8 (72.95)
Spirit: 65.3 (67.45)
Crown: 63.8 (67.15)
Raiders: 46.8 (53.55)
by Mike Ferlazzo
Colts 1985
Troopers 1986 and 2001 Inaugural Parade
Garfield Cadets 1987
Cavaliers and Blue Devils have and Deliver the Goods...These are two shows that
will be reckoned with!! What each one is missing,the other has...If Cavies
want to win, they need to clean,and add a little more emotion..If BD wants to
win..they need some more "wow" moments in the drill,utilizing the guard, and get
rid of those hats!!..
Go to Page 3 of Reviews!
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