Cadets of Bergen County..78.6 Magic of Orlando.........69.2 Bluecoats................69.0 Crossmen.................68.1 Carolina Crown...........61.4 Kiwanis Kavaliers........57.9 Spirit of Atlanta........56.7 Southwind................51.6 Tarheel Sun..............50.9 Thanks to Jim Lawrence for emailing us these scores!
Well I finally got to see a drum corps show. June shows for the past few years have been getting better. Tonight's was no exception. In a sad note however, Lone Star did not make the show. But that still left 9 really good corps to compete. Funny thing is Tarheel Sun decided to go on last, probably since it is their own show. I don't have much of a problem with this, but it meant following Cadets. Ooooh. The Cojones! Well, on with the review.
Spirit of Atlanta - 7th - 56.7
Not bad. Some weak horns on occasion in the sop line but the midrange line
is strong and clear. Very impressive show from Spirit. I liked the opener,
although it needs some horn work to be really impressive. The drums are
better than I expected although not cranking in your face. Drill is
slightly sloppy here and there but it should be great after a couple of
weeks of cleaning. All in all I liked this show.
Southwind - 8th - 51.6
Ouch. Man they need horn work. The sops are all over the road instead of on
pitch, the midrange is just a bit muddy, but at least the lower brass seems
good. The drums were about the same as Spirit maybe just a slight touch
better, and the drill was about the same as Spirit. The show also did not
impress me as some of their past few have. I was a bit disappointed in
Southwind's showing tonight. Spirit definitely beat them.
Kiwanis Kavaliers - 6th - 57.9
Incredible. The first standing ovation of the night. What an impressive
horn line compared even to last years. And the drums! Wooow! The bass
drum run they have in the middle of drum solo is cranking. And the rest
of the line ain't sloppy either. I really like the horns but they started
drooping there at the end. A quick re-write of that closer to make a better
impact might be in order. Still, they will definitely be making a run at
finals this year. This is a huge jump from the first 2 corps.
Carolina Crown - 5th - 61.4
This show is nowhere as good as last years. The horn line is not bad, and
the execution is great. The drums are snazzy, but not like kavaliers'. And
the drill is fairly sharp. But this years GE is way down from prior years.
Looking over the placement, they will be contending for a spot at finals,
but this year might not be their year. I really want to see this show once
they have it cleaned. Especially since some of the british tunes do work.
I had to give the edge to Crown, but I had them as very close. Kiwanis had
the GE and drums, Crown had slightly better execution. They should have been
about .5 or less apart in my opinion.
Magic of Orlando - 2nd - 69.2
And now for the next level. This is a horn line that can really smoke. Some
impressive hits and some really hot music make this a show to remember. I
like the visual show as well. The parade in really looks like Carnival in
Brazil, or Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Drums are very good, but I still like
Kiwanis drums so far. The drill is vastly improved over Crown and Kavaliers.
This show is very sweet to listen to as well as watch.
Crossmen - 4th - 68.1
As a Crossmen alum I might be called biased, but for those who know me know
I usually am just as hard on Crossmen as anybody else, sometimes harder. But
I have to admit that I LIKE this show. I thought it had beat Magic because of
execution. The drums are smokin' as always, the first ones I felt had beaten
Kavaliers. The horn line is so controlled, with GREAT balance, better balance
than I have ever heard a Crossmen line sound. But they don't have power like
Magic does, and that probably hurts them when it comes down to GE. The drill
has a couple problems but no more than Magic's does, so I figured them about
even there. Still Magic beating them was a real surprise.
Bluecoats - 3rd - 69.0
If Magic beating Crossmen was a surprise then this was heart failure. I am so
glad to see Bluecoats back to doing Jazz like they did a while back. The horn
line has power and great tone, but is a bit biased toward the high end. This
is not really bad since most of the tunes sound just fine, maybe they were
written that way to start. The drum line is tight and they so some really
nice stuff, maybe a couple of smidgens ahead of Crossmen here. GE blew Crossmen
away, way away. This is in your face blues, traditional Bluecoats Style.
Cadets of Bergen County - 1st - 78.6
Gee, what a surprise, Cadets won. This was a real contest... For everything
but 1st. The runs they have the horn line doing are unreal, and they are back
to MARCHING the whole time. This is vintage Cadets with some awesome drill
and drums that are tight. Every caption should have gone here, GE because
you really can't figure out how they get through those runs, or hit the marks
sometimes, or why those drummers almost sound just like 1 guy playing REALLY
loud. It's still not Star's Medea in 93, but this is inspired stuff.
Tarheel Sun - 9th - 50.9
Why, oh WHY did they want to follow Cadets. That's what I was saying as they
marched out. The opener, however, had me saying WOW they are following Cadets
and they aren't dying.. For a Division II corps in only its 2nd year, they are
going to make a run at top-25. The horns are much better than last year, but
they still need some work. Especially at endurance. The show is a mix of
tunes we have heard from Blue Devils, Madison Scouts, and maybe even Bluecoats
in the past. And they pull it off. The drums are a bit mushy, and the drill
is ambitious to say the least. What is so surprising is how well they pull it
off. I felt that they had beaten Southwind, and might be close to Spirit. I
think following Cadets was what really hurt them score-wise. They are going to
be contenders this year for Division II. I am impressed with the HOME TEAM!
And now for the critique of the retreat. They trooped in, heard the scores and then played America/Canada. Not bad, but not the power I expected. You could really tell which corps had hot horn lines, cause they were loud and the others were not. It still sounded pretty good. I think the people running the show thought the corps would play off, but all the corps just left and gave Cadets the field. So Cadets did a standstill. First off this is a great horn line and they proved it at retreat. Beautiful chords that had boatloads of power. But what I really liked was what they did just after the warmup facing away. They started playing the chord warmups and then dropped into the static chord that sounds like no one trying to play the same thing. Then the conductor went and had some fun with us. He would bring sections up loud for a bit and then drop them back down. Sounds boring, but it was neat the WAY he did it. Showmanship. Sell Ice to Eskimos. Then while everyone keeps this up he picks different sections and has them play a tune while everyone else stays on the static. We heard the Darth Vader theme, Jetsons, Mars, and a few others I don't remember. It was fantastic. Then they played a couple of tunes that were not part of the show, and one or two from it. It was a great ending to a fantastic night.
? The 'Original-Every-Night' T-Shirt Guy
Talisman-O- Brian Schriber Crossmen 84-85
| bschribe@vnet.net http://users.vnet.net/bschribe
Flying Death Dealing Vegomatic:
A true ninja armed only with a can opener can kill 50 highly trained heavily
armed opponents in as many seconds.
- The True Ninja Art, Collected Lessons
Since I usually lurk r.a.m.d. and have no desire to join the silliness that goes on there, please don't flame, freak out, or send bomb threats as they will simply be trashed before they are read. Also, if you're looking for criticism of a cruel nature, go ahead and leave. I will not give my personal opinion of how I think the numbers should have turned out, I'll just give you thing s to watch for when(and you better) go see them. I really dug this show and I'm about to tell the world why.
NC has been a Hades on Earth leading up to the first show of the year in our state, but the corps had a relatively cool evening to perform in. Tarheel Sun sponsored the show, and did a decent job of administration for the first time out. Now to the corps in order of finish
TARHEEL SUN had the fortune/misfortune of following Cadets at the end of the show. They made it known early in their show that while they have a whole lot room to grow and improve, they are sure going to do their best to entertain and excite you as a crowd member. This corps has taken tremendous strides forward in terms of design and performance in a years time, improving in all aspects of performance, especially horns and guard. The well chosen program of Latin jazz for a good young hornline and drumline provided the home crowd with a lot of entertaining moments throughout the show. What's going to fun to watch throughout the summer is the improvement this corps will demonstrate as it quite seriously vies for a performance spot on Friday Night. Good job Sun.
SOUTHWIND has picked a universally liked theme for their show. LITTLE KIDS. While there are times when all members of the horns don't contribute equally, it sure is neat idea(yes I said neat, so sue me)for a show. Nilesdance by Holsinger was the most recognizable tune to the highly band populated audience, and Southwind will be able to make some very special moments in that soon, I'm sure.
SPIRIT OF ATLANTA enters competition this year in brand new Uniforms, (explained in an earlier review on sCORPSboard) and really has taken a gutsy approach to the restoration of the Spirit many old and not so old-timers remember. They have taken the classics in Spirit repertoire and brought them back to the field. From Georgia, Old Man River, Amazing Grace, and Let it Be Me, you'll find yourself reminiscing throughout the show, but then you'd miss the pretty doggone good corps in front of you. The arrangements are fresh and new, with just a hint of the old, the kids march fairly well, and it's just plain hard to not have a good time while watching them. No I'm not being real specific about their show, because most of you know the basic intent of these tunes by now, but you will see this corps in Friday night if they continue to grow as performers, fill in some design things, and improve the overall product throughout the year. By the way, those of you who remember and love the gorgeous Spirit color guards of the past will have a flashback when you see these ladies.
KIWANIS KAVALIERS are for sure ready to take the next step towards finalist status. They have a really good drum line that helps power them through an aggressive performance of EVITA. Though you may groan at hearing a corps doing a former retro/ now pop-contemporary show, you'll do nothing but applaud as the corps pulls the style off tastefully and beautifully. The guard in particular has some great moments in "You Must Love Me" and the horns finish strong in "Don't Cry For Me Argentina". An impressive performance tonight by the corps has made me a new fan of this corps. Keep it Up, Kiwanis!
Tonight's show was a rare chance to see five DCI Finalists at one show this early in the season. Boy was it worth the money.
CAROLINA CROWN is continuing it's exploration of British music and has a hornline with a wonderful fundamental sound. If you don't believe they play better when you see it, then go home, flip on the VCR and listen to their ballad "Nimrod" from last year. What a difference a year makes. Very nice! Crown's show seems to be very much a work in progress, with costumes, props, and strong visual climaxes on the way to enhance an already strong musical book for the corps. The Guard is big and GOOD! Some strong sabre and dance work was a highlight for me, especially in their second tune, which I will not dare try to spell. If you get the chance, you need to see these guys now, a month from now, and then at Finals to watch a neat development of show concept throughout the year.
CROSSMEN are really emphasizing their development of the hornline, using lots of exposure for the horns all the way through the show. They have already established themselves as a percussion powerhouse, but I'll tell you this. The strongest performing section of this corps is that butt-kickin' colorguard. They're clean, clean, clean. The visual designers realized in the winter what they have and are featuring this group to the hilt. I still remember the days of the big snuffalumpagus guards, but those are way gone. They spin, they move, and they are sure to win you over when you see them.
BLUECOATS are just plain FANTASTIC! They have a musical and visual maturity, grace, and elegance that few corps ever attain. They have finally taken the next step in terms of show design and content, and are starting a banner year for the corps with there program "Midnight Blue". "Harlem Nocturne" is a fresh new interpretation of the old standard, with a drum solo that establishes the percussion as a "FORCE" to be reckoned with. I found myself grinning from ear to ear, enjoying the new sound, look, and performance of this corps.The middle section "Moon" (from the movie 'Wolf') is an exercise in tonal colors with dark, brooding harmonies and visual development climaxed by a wonderful guard moment over a soaring musical climax. Speaking of guard, there's a reason these boys and girls are one of the best in DCI. They are beautiful, elegant, confident, and can WORK some equipment. The uniforms on the guard were the classiest thing I saw on the field tonight. The show is wonderful, and needs some adjustments here and there, as evidenced by their placement behind Magic tonight, but you can expect the Bluecoats to entertain, excite, and thrill you as they head towards Top 6 with a vengeance this year!
MAGIC! Heaven's to Betsy!! I definitely need to go to Mardi Gras this year if it's half as fun as what Magic puts on the field. They are a feast for the eyes(thanks to the outlandishly clad guard) and the start the show in a "Carnivale" parade. They involve the crowd in singing "Liza Jane" and then hit you over the head with a wall, though a crass wall, of sound. It is impossible to not have fun watching this show. They obviously have some work to do to clean up the show and fix some design things, but regardless of where they finish, you'll be glad you saw them.
CADETS Wow! That's really the best way to describe them. I saw a T-shirt at their souvie booth on the way in with foot steps and music all crowded in on top of each other. It's a great shirt, and it's the best way to describe their opener. Holy-Lots-of-Notes Batman! (sorry couldn't resist) They start the show with a standstill flourish by the horns and the best guard in DCI year after year. You will read countless reviews this year of corps with power and precision, but few combine those elements with a technical mastery of their instrument and equipment as do the Cadets. For the entire length of their show they impress you with their variety of expertise in each aspect of the drum corps activity. They are as close as you can get to "Pure" drum corps. This is a point I would like to emphasize, given the recent ramblings of goobers without a name on r.a.m.d. The Cadets, through Mr. Hopkins and an incredible design and instructional staff, are showing the very highest level capable of the drum corps activity, and I'm truly glad to say that I was there, along with a full house by the way, to see it. Best of Luck, Cadets!
What a killer show! This show serves to prove the point that drum corps is alive, well, entertaining, and educationally beneficial to those who do it, and to the twenty kids from my own band who not only enjoyed it, but asked me questions about each corps, their music and marching, music and marching and general, and ways we can improve. Tell me drum corps isn't alive, well, and thriving in it's current state? Bah! Go see a show!! Have a good time!! And quit griping and go help somebody out!
:)DIV I Blue Devils..............82.8 - Brass, Vis, GE Cavaliers................79.6 - Perc DIV II Mandarins................71.3 - Vis, Perc, GE Pacific Crest............67.9 - Music SC Vanguard Cadets.......59.7 Earthquake...............58.2 West Coast Sound.........50.5 Thanks to Tim Haan for emailing us these scores! Thanks to Sal Olivas on r.a.m.d for these scores!
Just my two cents, from one who has never marched corps but has been a spectator for years (that's no easy job either!)
Cavaliers - The beginning silent sequence was powerful (everyone was dead quiet, mouths hanging open). The arrangement of The Firebird is wonderful until the end, where it seems to putter out a bit. That may be because of it being so early in the season, I don't know. The marching drill was intricate at times and well performed, though there was a point in the middle where they stood in files for a while, which seemed odd. The rifle and flag work was excellent- there was some tossing of rifles from one to another across 20 yards or so which was stunning. I wanted Cavies to win this competition- primarily for the selfish reason that I have never seen them perform live and wanted to hear them again in the victory concert.
Blue Devils - The guard was absolutely beautiful. Their costumes were wonderful- the men in white jackets and black pants, the women in beautiful gowns. Part of the guard used feathered fans for the first half of the show- some nice work there. At one point the men and some of the women waltzed together- everyone enjoyed that. Brass was clear and loud, and the arrangement of the music was effective. I was disappointed by the percussion arrangement- they seemed to be taking a back seat to the brass this year, they didn't seem to have an outstanding feature. It's still early, and this could change.
By the way, weren't they playing One Night in Bangkok at one point, or is it just me?
Some other reviews (shorter)
Mandarins - 1st Div II with 71.3 (high visuals, percussion, g.e.) The corps had beautiful uniforms, Oriental jackets over pants with a loin cloth looking item. The guard had similar uniforms, no jacket. Highlight of the show - a nice long number involving about eight Japanese inspired drums - similar to drums in the opening scene of Rising Sun.
Pacific Crest - 2nd Div II with 67.9 (high music) This corps has improved over the years- I get the impression they're aiming to play with the big boys in Div I in the near future. They were balanced, loud, and precise. The drill needs more difficulty, and the soloists need work, but overall impressive.
Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets - 3rd Div II with 59.7. This corps did music from Evita, the arrangement for which was shaky. The guard uniforms were Ugly - white shirts with tan pants, looked like Burger King uniforms. Soloists did some really nice work, though.
Earthquake - 4th Div II with 58.2. First time in competition, and gave us a great first show. Brass were a little muddled, but the drumline was excellent. Everyone in the stands around me was very impressed with the tightness of the percussion. Good job for a first time!
West Coast Sound - 5th Div II with 50.5. Also first time in competition, and also a good job. Brass needs work on balance, but had some good solo work.
Sound Machine (youth band). Highlight was the percussion feature- good pit work.
Just my two cents. Good luck to all in the coming months!
Christine
Madison Scouts...........75.8 Glassmen.................71.1 Blue Knights.............70.6 Colts....................66.8 Pioneer..................58.8 Blue Stars...............46.5 Americanos...............41.9 Minnesota Brass Sr.......51.6 Govenaires Sr............37.3 Thanks to Arline on r.a.m.d for these scores!
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