Stroudsburg, PA - June 1999
Waterbury, CT - July 1999
Clifton, NJ - July 1999
Reading, PA - July 1999
Syracuse, NY - August 1999
Colorguard - August 1999

1.  Caballeros      67.3
2.  Hurricanes      61.1
3.  Bushwackers  59.5
4.  Skyliners         51.1
5.  Chieftains       44.8

First on - Skyliners -
I must admit  - a slight tear in my eye when they came onto the field.
Welcome back Sky -

Skyliners - 24 horns, 14 drums, 12 CG
Did what I would call somewhat of a Skyliner Music theme. Horn line was not
as clean as it probably will be later on, however, some nice moments. Horn
line needs more blending - drill was not written to separate individual
players, but too many times (because of the lack of blending)  a baritone or
mellophone would overpower the rest of the section. They'll be ok.
Drum line - I was really impressed - some fuzziness in snares - but for you
drum corps fans - these guys were playing...I actually thought I saw
flamacues, drags, and others in the repertoire. Although there was some
phasing happening a lot. At times, it seemed the drum line was a whole 1-2
beats off from the horn line.

Hurricanes  - 30 horns, 16 drums, 24-30 in guard...
Nice show although not completed. Though horn line was still feeling their
power out. The show was anoth retrospective of the past music  - The Old
West - with Mag 7 and Hang Em High done quite differently than in the past.
Carol O'Brien's score was nice. Drum Line still fuzzy but you can see they
will be a force to reckon with as season goes on. The guard is what I
thought brought them into second. Very well choreographed.....

Bushwackers - 34 horns, 12 drums, guard (150 I think)
Did a revisit to Sondheim. I thought was a nice show  - probably near the
cleanest horn line of the night. Drum line held them back - snare line -
come on ! Only 3 of you....should be cleaner than that even in June. Guard -
usual decent job.

Caballeros- 54 horns, 24 drums, 35-40 guard
A huge corps. The show was better than I thought it would be - The Mask of
Zorro - I couldn't find any real fault with the horn line except perhaps
some blending... Power was the best of the night however, a ways to go -
once the horn line gets those outdoor lips in shape. Overall a good show -
guard lacked a bit of precision especially in the silks. That'll have to be
there later on....

Cheiftains - 17 horns, 16 drums, 6 guard
I felt bad for this corps having to follow the Cabs. Cheiftains have a nice
show - Fiddler on the Roof - however I don't know if it was because of the
time of night, or long rehearsals to get ready for this - their first
show....the horn line simply ran out of gas. There were nice moments -
Sabbath Prayer, To Life, If I were a Rich Man, and the Bottle Dance.....It
looks as if there were a lot of holes in the horn line. I counted only 2
baritone players. Hard to support this show without low brass. Drum line -
very dirty - did not enhance Fiddler at all. I don't know if it was because
it was dirty or it was the book. This is by far the biggest drum line
they've put out - time to work on some serious clean up.

Larry

From: Jeffrey Dutton (jadutton*ct1.nai.net)
Subject: Re: DCA Waterbury
Newsgroups: rec.arts.marching.drumcorps
Date: 1999/07/19

FreshMarli wrote:
> 
> Anyone have a review or comments?!?!?!?!


I'll give it a go.

Skyliners:

I was impressed with the Skyliners on several fronts.  First, they got
an awful lot of mileage out of a little horn line.  They sounded really
good for their numbers.  Second, they played music that is arranged very
well, both technically and for the smaller corps size.  This is
something a lot of small corps have been unable to do.  Third, I missed
them last year and it is really good to see that they still have that
Skyliners sound and flavor.  I think they will do well with continued
work on what they have.

Generations:

Wow.  I don't know if it was the heat or what, but the first third of
the show was a mess.  I don't think two people attacked notes at the
same time.  Very disjointed and somewhat painful to listen to.  Then the
final piece (One More Time?) and the soloists blew me away and the corps
came together.  The final piece was so much better than the beginning. 
Maybe the beginning is too aggressive for the lines abilities?  I don't
know.

Bushwackers:

Nice music, nice drill, nice everything.  The drums didn't seem to be up
to what in my mind is Bushwacker standards.  Overall, one of my
favorites for technical challenges and damn hard music.  

Sunrisers:

Nice show overall.  The drum line kicked some ass in the solo.  Very
nice.  My biggest problem of the show was with Sunrisers.  Here it
is...Sunrisers have one of the finest color guards in DCA.  And I mean
they are damn good at what they are doing.  But, why are they dressed in
those appalling uniforms?  Does someone think they actually look good? 
I am personally opposed to any part of a drum corps being made to look
bad.  And those uniforms make them look bad.  I would hope that this is
changed soon.

Hurricanes:

I am very biased on this one.  THEY RULE!  The horn line kicks butt (Go
mellophones!).  The drum line kicks butt (especially the bass
line...they are incredible).  The color guard was awesome.  Best show in
DCA!  YEEEE HAAAA!  They won!

Well that's all I have.

Jeff

I had the pleasure/misfortune (only cause of the heat!) of catching the DCA
double header this weekend - here are some thoughts.....

Hurcs - nice show - much better than last year - great guard - nice total
package - horns need to play a little better - but not too bad - drums - ok I
guess - congrats on the WIN in Waterbury! I think you might have been better in
the heat of Sunday!

Bush - I thought better on Sunday than Sat - again, go figure with the heat?!? 
Horns did a great job - the unison licks are really coming together nicely!
Guard is also very good - a little dirty - - DRUMS - COME ON NOW - you ARE the
Bushwackers - the standard setting drum line of DCA - please get better! NICE
SHOW OVERALL - much improved over last year as well - and earlier too!  KEEP IT
UP!

Sun - WHAT AN IMPROVEMENT - rumors of your demise are greatly exaggerated! VERY
NICE PACKAGE! GUARD IS AWESOME(whats up with the uniforms though?!?  and the DM
uni - yikes!) Anyway, the Drums Rock - Horns getting better by the minute - but
they gotta march & play TOGETHER! The only horn line to have people bumping
into one another! Speaking of marching - the drill is VERY hard to read due to
holes in the horn line - maybe too much for you handle?!?. IF you guys beef up
the numbers and get the brass to march & play a little better - you will do
some damage! Keep pluggin' away! A very nice program - one of the better
packages!

Brigs - HUGE - LOUD - ENTERTAINING - Congrats on the WIN! ......but I was not
as "amazed" as everyone said I would be?  I like Channel One - very early BD -
but could do without HArlem Nocturn and even more so, hated MERCY x 3 - and
that big aircraft carrier of a prop - TOO MUCH - better things can be done with
your money - now that I have trashed the corps - heres whats good -GREAT BIG
HORNS SOUND  & Nice GUARD - visual package is nice too!  Drums - OK i guess -
just kinda there!  great solo sops - pit needs to chill a little on the OVER
selling of the program - kinda distracting! I think that Brigs will do very
well come Allentown and will see the top 3 again - 
but not the top 2!

Cabs - nice product - the show fits well with the Kings of Latin image! You
guys even manage to work in the rumps tastefully - bravo!  JIMMY RUSSO IS THE
HARDEST WORKING MAN IN SOWBIZ! The horns & Guard are very strong - drill is a
little cluttered at times - but the use of the props works well! The drums have
to be better if the Cabs wanna play with the top 3 - Empire, Bucs & Brigs - Sun
& Hurcs have better lines! Get to work!  Knowing the Cabs, they will be in the
hunt come Labor Day - and they ALWAYS perform well on Finals night!

So - I hope no one was offended by my honest commentary - i tried to put in
good and bad!   I think that BUSH , SUN and HURCS will make the battle for the
6 - 10 spots VERY interesting - maybe more so than the fight for the top spot  
- which the READING BUCS could take, but they will have to fight pretty hard to
take it from EMPIRE
 - let the battles continue.......

Ah, a DCA show not 3/4 hours away......good corps, cool friends, cold beer and
Al's...............what could be better????


             To the review, scores were already posted.

Chieftains............very young corps...and it showed. Much better show
selections with Fiddler than last year's choice. Drumline was ok, some ex
problems, but i feel some of them may be that due to design. Guard was simple
but effective, and they did a good job on the Bottle Dance. Brass was weak, but
I know they rehearsed hard in the heat, so they may have left some on the
practice dirt(no rain in PA so we have no grass).  Some very dumb individual
marching errors, but it's Still July, so who knows.

Sky..........Ah, welcome back my friends to the corps that refused to end. What
a drumline...quality of sound, tight...a few rims in the tenor line, but that
line was worth it alone. Brass sounded like there was more than there really
was....altho one of the screamers tried to be superman a few times and cracked.
The guard was small, but nice...i didn't catch any drops. Marching was ok, a
few errors or forms that were crunched, but ya know what...I didnt care. They
are back and god Bless em....I would have given a standing O even if they
chowed. Dr Quinn try to have just a little more fun ok?


Bush......A pleasant surprise...excellent brass section....very rich, full
sounding. Got a little tired at the end, but still, a line that could hang
w/the big boys. Great Guard.......being a drummer I couldnt tell a drop spin
from a Peggy spin, but I saw them! A definite highlight. The drumline was ok,
but could use some work,....again another situation where errors could be due
to design.


Hurcs............YeeHaw!!! A fun show, and go bassline go!!!! Expected more out
of Hang em High, but there may be a tag in the works...ended awfully quick.
Brass tired late which also didn't help. Nice drumline, and the gaurd added
nicely to the package.


Cabs...........OLE! the Mask Of Russo is alive and well. I had heard that their
drumline was really bad, but they threwdown tonite. Dougie you make a cute
captain.......now bob your head! Hornline was nice altho there was a little
overplayibg by a few individuals....Sop line seemed like they were tired, and
the opener soloist seemed to lose a bit(freeball was that you...where's PV?).
Alittle side to side phasing also hurt. Winona rocked as always, and the DCA
drum major of all time, Mr Russo looked back in form....and glad we had him.
Guard was well staged, young, but very nice......and Kay you have to wait to
Allentown Miss chaperone.


Bucs.............the winners and rightly so. This drumline, when they are on,
is among DCA's all time best...musical book, pit who flies all over the boards,
just so so scary....if all cylinders click, look out. brass was rich esp in the
low voices.....sops were a bit weak but I hear rumors that spots are being
filled which will help. Corps marches well, and covers a lot of ground. Guard
is still holding them back a bit, but wasn't as bad as I was told. If they fix
the few weaknesses they have, PA's first DCA champ could be the last one of the
millenium. Gut, be a little more cocky before the gun OK? ian, get your right
hand up, and Dent, more head bob in " Russian Rocks". Drum major Chris Garrett
learned to conduct and stay up for the whole show...that boy is costing me
money.


To the Bucs organization, a well run show, even if the start was delyaed...but
hey, It's DCA, the shows never run on time.


jeff

WONDERFUL evening for drum corps...thank Heaven the predicted rain never
arrived!!  Well, well, well...DCA never fails to amaze me...positively AND
negatively!  Just a few thoughts on what I saw:

Kilties:  Thanks for coming
out this far!!	Was the crowd response a clear indication on how we all were
thinking?  Wonderful show...not appreciated by the judges.  Don't change,
Kilts!!

Sunrisers:  Was it just me, or did the show seem a bit flat?  Guard,
keep working it!!!  Horns and perc, let me see that energy that I've seen
before.  Don't let this ruin your season...use it!

Bushwackers:  Every time
I see you, I'm (pleasently) surprised by what you do with so little.  Things
are looking and sounding MUCH cleaner!!! Keep up the hard work, and you won't
be disappointed at finals!!

Kingston:	WOW!  What a difference a week makes!
 Somebody told you to get on fire, and you did!  Hornline, WONDERFUL!!!  I
STILL think DCA politics will hold you down for this year, but you are
staging a LOUD protest.  WONDERFUL job!

Rochester: I thought you guys maxed
your placement a bit back...I was wrong.  I saw fire in your eyes that I
haven't seen all year from you guys.  DOn't listen to the ramblings of those
on here that say you don't belong this high...If you perform like that (and
better), you do!

Connecticut: I know it seems as if you are pre-destined for
that #5 slot, and people aren't giving you any respect for it.	I LOVE your
show...keep up the hard work, and maybe you'll overtake someone nearer the
top!

Cabs:  (trying to be unbiased)  Once again, a wonderful show...crowd
loved it!!  PErc is STILL holding you down, but the brass is trying to keep
you guys up!  make sure you don't lapse in your work, or else someone below
is gonna make a run at you.

Bucs:  Again, just an outstanding show,
musically.  Guard-wise...what the HELL was that?!?  Percussion, once again,
you prove that you are an unstoppable force...Brass, you did the same
(DESPITE the close brass score).  You even won some of the hostile crowd
over.  Keep working...you'll get there, Bucs!

Empire:	Not sure why you lost
GE this night (except for that home-field advantage...).  You sold your show
well!!	Up and down the line, you were GREAT.  I'd STILL be worried about
Bucs, though, so keep up the hard practicing!

Syracuse:  Honestly, I thought
your Madison show was better.  Horns seemed a bit flat (even some of your
members said this afterwards) and perc seemed lost at times.  Marching was
almost impeccable, good job!  Home-field gave you a bit here, so don't get
too comfy with the spread...both Empire and  Bucs are just waiting to jump!
Overall impressions:  
#1  I HATE props!!  I could have done without the neon
lights and flashes.  Let the score be based on the PERFORMANCE, not the money
you spend
#2  In answer to a post last week, I was pleased to see that the
Bucs did NOT play all whole notes (as was evidenced by their first place
demand/exposure sub-title) and did not just stand around.  
#3 Two penaltys
in the show...someone's getting a bit strict...
#4 *NEWS FLASH*  Bucs drum
major did not attend the show for personal reasons (hope all is well,
Chris!!).  Second drum major fills the top spot.  Second drum major takes
Best DM for the show.  *CHUCKLE*  SOMEONE in DCA has a weird sense of
irony...
#5 This show added to the excitement of finals!  6-10 just got
shaken up...and the top 5 got FIRED up.  Get to allentown...you won't be
disappointed!
#6 I'd LOVE to hear other thoughts/reviews...so would the corps
(I bet)...let's show them on here how much we liked the show!!!


Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Share what you know. Learn what you don't.

Having seen all DCA Open color guards, with the exception of Minnesota Brass
and a brief backside viewing of the Kilties, this is my overview of DCA guards,
along with a prediction of what SHOULD happen this weekend, and what probably
WILL happen........

CHIEFTAINS --- Very cute, but just way too young and way too small to be
competitive with the bigger guards.

GRENADIERS -- Again, a very young guard.  Book seems very unmusical and
basically, the kids just lack technique.

CRUSADERS -- There is some talent here, but for the most part the show seems
out of reach of the performers.  Transitions seem distracting at times and
overall the book is another one that could use some musicality.

HURRICANES -- I have read on this newsgroup in past weeks about their DCI book
and how wonderful their work is.  Having marched in some of the best color
guards in the world, both in DCI and WGI, I have to say that fast does not
equal DCI caliber.  While the color guard is the highlight of the show, and is
MUCH better than past Hurricane guards I have seen, they are by NO MEANS above
those upper echelon guards in DCA.  The work is sporadic, with WAY too much
down time in the show.  The "dark" section towards the middle of the program
just doesn't work.  In the three viewings I have seen them this season, there
were always some timing problems.  The last section of the show, the flag line
never even comes in front of the back hash.  The weapons need some cleaning, as
well as the major flag statements, in order to be at the top this weekend.

EMPIRE -- By all means, the biggest disappointment of the season.  The two-time
defending color guard champion was a large letdown.  I just have a hard time
understanding why, after recognizing some familiar faces in the guard from such
powerhouses as Bishop Kearney and Patriots, HOW could you field a guard without
a weapon line, much less with a dirty flag line.  At one point during the show,
during "At the Ballet,"  they were swinging those pink flags so spastically
that I was sure they were just wet and that they were trying to dry them off. 
While several of the girls dance extremely well, as a whole, their dance
moments are not enough to take away from their lack of equipment. Their
transitions are the among the worst in all of DCA.  At several points during
they show, they just run in a herd to the front or the back to change equipment
or don the sparkly vests, only to run back to the center for an ensemble
moment.  I do not foresee them making it a three-peat.

BRIGADIERS -- Very entertaining and very good.  The sabre line is wonderful and
at most times, the flag line is incredibly clean.  The rifle line was the
source of most of the breaks that I witnessed during the two performances I
saw.  I have to question whether the prop in the backfield is really worth the
effort, but that doesn't effect the guard.  There is a small down time where
the guard is at the prop in the backfield and the one solo dancer in the front
really doesn't hold my interest, but again, this is a small issue.  The talent
is there, the technique is there, and with a solid show, they can take it.

BUSHWACKERS -- With the most colorful uniforms in DCA this year, I continue to
be impressed with them everytime I have seen them.  One of the best, if not THE
best rifle line in DCA, and a very effective silent section toward the middle
of the program.  While the guard looks young, they perform with confidence. 
The book seems very musical and not out of reach of the performers.  I have a
problem with the transition from the dance portion at the beginning of the
show, as well as the middle, but these are small in comparison to the overall
package.  They are one of the cleanest guards in the circuit.  If the judges
can overcome the corps placement, they just may be the unexpected champion of
the weekend.

CABALLEROS -- There's a whole lot of red out on that field.  I really like the
uniforms, tho I liked them a little better on Emerald this past winter and on
Cadets in 98.  This color guard has some real talent in it, unfortunately, it
isn't utilized effectively.  There are simply just TOO MANY weapons on the
field.  The amount of people that were put on weapon has really hurt the
excellence of this guard.  If they had a smaller line, it would be much cleaner
and much more accurate technically.  They have some effective moments, tho not
near enough.  The show really sags in the mid-portion.  The swing flags in the
middle are beautiful, tho they overpower the dance feature that is going on in
the front.  When all of the guard is on the field, the accuracy really suffers.
 They are good, but not in contention for the title this year.

BUCCANEERS -- This color guard has been consistently slammed on this newsgroup
throughout the season as the weak link in the drum corps.  However, after a
mid-season staff change, without a doubt they have GREATLY improved. 
Unfortunately, the incoming staff had to work with what was already out there,
which was a very weak book and staging.  Having brought this guard past where
anyone predicted they would be at this time, hopefully this staff can really
push them forward next year.

SUNRISERS -- As I know it has been discussed NUMEROUS times, both on the
newsgroups and in the stands at the shows I have attended, I just simply can't
get past the uniforms.  They are not flattering on any one individual on the
field. They also seem to have problems interfering with the equipment during
the show.  Again, this is another color guard that everyone has raved about as
one of the best, even compared to DCI, yet I was just not impressed.  They seem
to go out of their way to imitate the Cadets, yet fall short, as any imitation
does.  The work is interesting at times, and the silent rifle feature, while
well performed, did not seem to me to pack the punch that the same idea did for
the Bushwackers.  Obviously the guard is chock full of talent, with familiar
faces from Just Class, but it seems that they could be showcased better.


With all of that said.....I'm sure I will hear from many of you who disagree,
but that's what opinions are all about........

The following is what SHOULD happen on Labor day:

1. Brigadiers
2. Bushwackers
3. Hurricanes
4. Sunrisers 
5. Empire
6. Caballeros
7. Buccaneers
8. Crusaders
9. Grenadiers
10. Kilties
11. Chieftains

(I can't place Minnesota, as I haven't seen them, tho I would imagine they will
probably be top 4.)

The following is probably what WILL happen, due to corps placements, and
politics:

1. Brigadiers
2. Empire
3. Bushwackers
4. Sunrisers
5. Caballeros
6. Hurricanes
7. Crusaders
8. Buccaneers
9. Grenadiers
10. Kilties
11. Chieftains