DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS
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S. Brunswick, NJ - July 2000 From: Ron Clark (ronclark*nac.net) S. Brunswick DCA Review - June 17, 2000 Finally, the wait is over! On a beautiful June evening, DCA inaugerated the millenium's first contest in the tri-state area in the new "Kraft Stadium." Four corps appeared before a small but enthusiastic audience, just enough for those in need of their early season fix. The comments below represent my reactions as a spectator to the corps, hopefully supplying those interested but unable to attend the show. SKYLINERS - 4th Place - 56.2. Yes, people, Sky is back! The corps looked healthy with good numbers in all sections.. The 26 person horn line, which carried a few blanks for people not prepared for this show, was supported by an almost full-sized drum line (5 snares, 2 tenors and 5 bass) plus a 16 person guard. The strongest section seemed to be the drum line. Their presence dominated throughout the first half of the show, which at times caused balance problems, something expected at the first show and can be easily remedied. The line looked very young in age but definitely not in talent. Sky's biggest surprise was their visual performance. Their show was not only complete, but is also was performed on a respectable level. This is very un-Sky, especially at the first contest. Sure, the demand may not be as great as the other corps, but they definitely have a show this is attainable. The horn line has grown in maturity over last year's product and has plenty of room to grow even more. The mellophones were appreciated in "42nd St." especially. Once again the job description of the horn staff included playing the show as John Arietano and Ken Green performed solo work from the pit. The endurance for the horn line to play the whole show is not there yet. The guard has the bodies. Now, a lot of work has to be added in order to determine how much that section can support the program. The uniforms of the corps? Some people are going to be disappointed. A compromise from the original design was necessary due to finances, I understand. On the positive side, once the players are in the carry or playing position, the plain chest are becomes moot. Sky is definitely not an "A" corps this year. They have a very realistic potential of making finals on Labor Day week end, depending on how their work ethic. BUSHWACKERS - 3rd Place - 57.9 (1.0 penalty) Bush has had a history of painful winters that caused them in the past to come out late in the season and introducing their package each year carrying many blanks. So, it was surprising to hear they would make this early show. First impressions are so important, and Bush achieves this is a positive manner. The corps has a rich look (both financially - even though they may not be - and aesthetically) by both the corps and the guard. The corps is wearing a Belleville Black Knights-type chrome helmet, the third headwear change for them in this past decade. The all-black uniform has a purple cross piece that is very tasteful. The guard also has striking costume that will bring the attention to them at the appropriate moments. The horn line was a small 21, carrying a number of blanks. (The show might be written for 30.) But could they play! They exactly how much volume to give to create the most pleasing blend. The "Dark Side - Star Wars" package has the unique construction that audiences expect from the corps. It is the type that allows a listener to discover something more about it with each hearing. Expect this horn line to beat lines twice their size this year. The drum line was large, possibly reflecting a growing program, 7 snares, 2 tenors, 5 bass and 4 cymbals (the only corps to use them on the field tonight). How questionable their playing ability is, I cannot say. This will be the section that determines the corps' finishings in all shows. The guard was a large 26, but their contribution could not be determined by how incomplete their show was. As always, they have a lot of talent. The biggest problem area was visual performance. Not only was it obvious they were not ready to perform this show, but they also demonstrated a significant lack of technique. This is so uncharacteristic of Bush who always in the past displayed a highly professional style. That has to impact upon the effect captions. So, does this mean to count Bush out as they were almost beaten by Sky? I don't think so. The horn line is ahead of last year's and has a more balanced sound. The guard has the seasoned people. The visual program is behind but the easiest to fix. And the drum line will not be trying to recruit throughout the season. That means Bush has recovered from their nadir of the past two seasons. HURRICANES - 2nd Place - 63.0. Any storm warnings that are happening in CT are good ones. A healthy corps made the field with 38 horns and still having a few blanks. The drum line was also an almost-full 6 snares, 2 tenors and 4 bass. Hurricanes is another corps that exemplifies the DCA philosophy towards entertaining the audience. Their package of "Far and Away" was so pleasing and so suitable to the new Hurc approach the packaging. (I guess it did help sway my opinion that the 1999 show was my favorite.) The most surprising positive of the Hurcs was the horn line. It was the first time I (although maybe not others) could say they sounded pretty. The new former Sun/Bush staff is moving the corps in a direction that will create its own identity and also create a new draw of members. The guard is obviously very talented but many of the effects have not been incorporated yet into the show. The Hurc package involves telling a story, so it is not just a case of teaching guard people dance routines and equipment work. Their roles are actually composed over time. That makes the anticipation exciting. But tonight it hampered the effects. If we can consider the DCA finalists a two-tier structure, Hurricanes can be considered caught in no-man's land. They have successfully pulled away from the lower tier; now they have to see if they have the ability to venture into that sacrosanct upper tier. It will be interesting. CABALLEROS - 1st - 66.2 The first time I heard the Cabs, I could only say, "Well, I liked 'Beautiful Maria'." Then, catching a drill practice a week ago, I said "Oh, so that's why that is arranged that way!" Now, having seen the Cabs for the third time and the first time in a contest, I can say I am finding more things that I like. (Yes, I am a pretty strong critic towards the Cabs; maybe for defensive reasons). The Cabs are more than ready! Their show displayed a consistency that no other corps had. Their 48 horns gave the audience more power than any corps, but they did it with a knowledge of how to maintain in pitch. The Cabs give the audience the excitement though their Latin music that create advocates for senior corps. It is not only the genre, but the structure of the package. There is the build of tension to a climatic high, followed by an appropriate release of that tension in the succeeding phrase, which then sets up the next impact. Also, what made those climaxes even more enhanced was the support of another talented guard. They did color through staging better than anyone tonight. So look for good things from those 14 flags. Is that the whole guard? Oh, let's not forget about the 6 sabres and 10 rifles. A guard bigger than some "A" corps! The won-me-over-tonight number was "Hernando's Hide-away. It is more than just a contrast to the powerful opener. There are many cute aspects to this number that will only enhance the value of the others. The soloists? You always expect the Cabs' soloists to be on a certain level. This year, you will be wrong. They are even better. The drum line of 6 snare, 2 tenors and 4 bass represent a growth in that section's program. But for the Cabs to be a contender, the drum line has to more than good. Everyone will be watching to see how they stick up against DCA's best. An aside: Give credit to the demise of the final segregated section in the corps: the drum line's bass line includes two females. Go, girls! An over-view comment: four corps and all four shows start with the playing backfield. So, the first show of the season is a pleasant memory. If anyone has any reactions to my comments, feel free to respond, either publicly or privately. Ron From: Jeffrey Dutton (jadutton*ct1.nai.net) Well, since no one else will offer themselves up to the flamers, I will! BTW…I am a brass and drum line follower so color guards don't get any mention. It takes a LOT to get my mind off the music and onto the visual. Sorry. Generations 2000 24 brass, 7 percussion (immobile In the pit), 9 color guard - I have really mixed feelings about Generations 2000. On one hand, they are better at this point in the season then EVER before. They must have had a pretty good winter. I would even go as far as saying they are better than ever, period. The down side is they still have some very weak moments in the show. The fact that the beginning and end sound good only highlights the weakness in the middle of the show. The ballad is theoretically good but poor in execution and most of all intonation. There was a soprano solo in the same piece that was terrible because of all the cracked notes. I have major problems with the percussion section. It seemed that most of the show they were not with the brass. I did notice the pit is literally underneath the DM. The only way they can see him is to look straight up. Not good. Get the guys out in the open where they can see the DM and that may solve the problem. Brass seemed to do well following the DM. Overall not to shabby. Bushwackers 20 brass, 12 battery percussion, 6 pit percussion, 25 color guard - Sorry dudes and dudettes but I don't like the Darkside. I don't care for DCI style music, that's why I attend DCA shows. I will give it to Bush, the show is VERY technically demanding in every regard. The book is TOUGH. But, when you have no melody it is always tough. Tough to play, tough to judge, tough for fans to sit through. The drill is also very demanding. Maybe the whole thing is too demanding for 20 horns. I don't know and time will tell. I couldn't decide which was weaker, the drum line or the horn line. The level of difficulty is so high on both sides. One thing I noticed was that the drum line spent about half the show marching into each other. New members? It could have been a major contributor to them being pretty lousy. Oh, I love the new uniforms! I did come to one conclusion in the stands…If I were to pick up a mello and join Bush….I would quit. Honestly, if Bush is looking to fill holes it is too difficult a program to cram in a couple of months while holding down a job. Sorry. Overall it is not my cup of tea but it will be one hell of a show when it comes together. Skyliners 27 brass, 12 battery percussion, 5 pit percussion, 13 color guard - Holy s***. Sky is BACK. Very strong performance from a horn line of its size. Very entertaining program. Although it is not the most technically demanding show on the field. A very fan friendly program that got some big applause. Needs polish but other than that not much to say. Hurricanes 38 (?) brass, 12 battery percussion, 10 pit percussion, 19 color guard - BIAS ALERT!!! - They are gods. They are the rulers of the earth. The best show of the new millennium. I worship the sod they march on. Seriously, the show is a technical feast. The past couple of seasons the Hurcs have managed to blend good, fan friendly music with technical difficulty. I love it. Overall…I think they should be awarded the championship NOW! Caballeros 49 brass, 14 battery percussion, 12 pit percussion, 34 color guard - Not much to say other than nice show and awesome soloists. The only thing that stands out in my mind was a wreck. A smallish bari player got trampled by a tallish contra player on about the right 20 yard line 2/3 the way through the show. It looked bad so I hope everyone is ok. Overall…good show, nice job and congratulations. Now for a critique of DCA. I am pretty upset with how things are going. I don't know about anyone else but I sell DCA shows. I tell my neighbors, friends, co-workers, etc., about upcoming shows and try to get them to go. When the schedule came out with Generations, Chieftans, Skyliners, Sunrisers, Hurricanes, Bushwackers, Buccaneers, and Caballeros I went freakin' ballistic. What a line-up. I told EVERYONE. Then the unthinkable. Chieftans went junior. Ok. Still a good line-up. Then Sunrisers dropped off the bill. Aw s***. When Sunrisers dropped out I stopped selling the show to those outside of my closest friends and family. If Waterbury had reserved seats it would be a different story. I would have had tickets ordered way in advance to get decent seats. If I paid $20 to $25 to see 8 corps and only 5 show I would be pissed. If my family, friends, and co-workers spent the money for nothing I would be livid. I typically spread the word to a core group of about 12-15 people for Waterbury and I arrange for about 10-15 to go to West Haven. If I can work that hard to sell DCA and get asses in the stands why can't corps commit and uphold that commitment? I will tell you, it is a hard sell to get first timers to go to a show. They all say, "Why would I want to go to a band show"? It is also hard to get repeat show goers if their first experience sucks. Someone in a position of authority help me, and those like me, to sell a good product for you. God knows I never see a TV or newspaper ad when a show is in town. People like me, spreading the word by mouth, are all you have. Work with us. Only put those that can commit on the bill. I would rather see corps' added to the bill than removed. Who the hell would want to have to apologize to that many friends and associates for dragging them to a crappy show? Not much of an incentive to sell for DCA. And not a single word was uttered about the Bucs absence. Why didn't they show? Nothing official for the folks in the stands. We were just left to wonder. BTW...this is no isolated occurrence. Corps' in the past have gone inactive for the season after the schedule has come out. Next issue for the soap box. Staff members shouting at the corps from the top of the stands. I got to Waterbury early, got choice seats at the top near the 50. From Generations on each corps staff came up and yelled something from RIGHT behind me. What the f***. Do you want me to enjoy your show? Then shut the hell up. I don't care where the drum line screwed up. Don't care if the flags aren't together. So don't shout it to the staff member next to you while the corps is playing. All I want is to have a good time enjoying one of my favorite activities. What good does standing at the top of the stands and shouting "Bring it home" do for anyone? Nothing. Your folks are already putting out for the fans, don't take away from that. And if I don't see a mistake in the flags why point it out? That's it. If you have any response please feel free to send it to me personally. I spend more than half the week on the road and I wouldn't want to miss any comments should the drop off the server. Jeff From: The Blue Max (njnurse*usamailbox.com) Bushwackers: Not too bad, but to be honest I didn't pay much attention. I was busy finding a place to stand since they were sold out and I had to sneak in. *grin* Hurricanes: Well received by the crowd, naturally. In need of work with drill and guard. But remember, the summer is still young. Grenadiers: Great musical performance. The drill wasn't bad for such a small corps. (good job, DD) They could have made it to 2nd place if they had no guard. Like last year, their guard really dragged them down. I was extremely disappointed and embarrassed for them. But the uniforms are nice, even though I liked last year's better. Buccaneers: What was with those blue blocks? They were an eyesore and distracting from the show. They weren't even used much. The hornline played beautifully. But I must admit, by the middle of the show I was, and the spectators around me were, becoming quite bored. The drumline, which is my absolute favorite part of this corps, was outstanding as always. However, with this piece of music it did not give them any opportunity to do anything decent. Clearly the drumline is the Bucs' strongest section so they should choose pieces that concentrate on it and let them show off as much as possible. That would practically guarantee them 1st place every time. The guard, I noticed, is considerably larger this year, but in need of much more practice. Their performances were choppy and too mechanical. It almost looked like they were clueless. The drill was decent because it looked alot like Duane's drill from last year...or a bad attempt to duplicate it. I noticed that the Bucs didn't seem as proud to be "The Bucs" as they seemed last year. They didn't march with the same style, pride, or confidence. It's all in the body language. But hey, it is just my personal opinion. The Caballeros: They came out with both barrels this year! Man, what a strong hornline. I enjoyed their choice in music. Even though it was their signature Latin music it was energetic and didn't sound like the same old stuff. The drumline was on top of their game. The colorguard flowed like a well-oiled machine and the weapons were strong, although they need to work a little on timing. All in all, everyone looked like they were having fun, and that makes my heart smile. The Cabs entered, performed, and exited with the grace, style, and confidence that IS the Caballero Family. Karen Cadets of St. Mary's (NJ) 1973-76 The Blue Max (NJ) 1976-79 ----------------------------------------------------------- Got questions? Get answers over the phone at Keen.com. Up to 100 minutes free! http://www.keen.com From: Jazzcorps (jazzcorps*aol.com) I was at the Reading, Pa. DCA show last night..what do you say we review it,
huh?
OK....here it be
Skyliners-
Like the new uniforms, remind me of Phantom Regiment. The show was a nice
medley of jazz standards, with a NYC theme, of course. Drumline had some nice
moments, especially the snare line. Hornline had nice presence overall, but as
far musicality they weren't too happening. But they will get that in order. For
July, they were fine, and they have a very entertaining show.
Hurricanes-
Wasn't too crazy about their musical selection. I think they have played
MUCH better music in the past years. Overall, these guys were disappointing.
They seemed clean, but I fell asleep to really get into detail. I expected a
lot more. The only thing I really enjoyed was their color guard.
Bushwackers-
Very very dark sound, and look. I think they had just finished their
show. They started off alright, but as the program went on, they seemed to get
less confident as a corps. I won't go into grave detail though. They had the
hardest show out of the 5 competing corps that night in my opinion. When they
get their show down and get it clean, they could definitely be a dark horse to
other corps, cause this program is difficult for a senior corps.
Caballeros-
Oh yeah!! Good stuff man...Great sound, great grooves..all of the
above. They have some cool horn visuals in their too. Drumline is MILES from
last years line. And overall, they were on last night. Maybe I am biased, cause
I live in northern NJ, but I thought they were definitely the best corps of the
evening. They totally contrasted from the other corps that performed with their
dark spanish sound.
Buccaneers-
Drumline is incredible! Clean as balls, no question. Great playing,
writing, you name it. They portrayed the Planets fairly good overall, but I
didn't like what they did with Jupiter, especially using it as the opener.
Intertwining Mars and their drum solo was really cool though. They had some
great moments, but they lacked the enthusiasm that the Cabs had. Their show is
harder, but it's flat in my opinion. But they'll definitely be top 3 this year.
Thanks
From: Flash (slyone*bigfoot.com) Although the weather was threatening most of the days (it dumped on the corps late in their rehearsal time) it turned out to be a beautiful night for drum corps. Over cast skies, comfortable temperature, and a tolerable humidity compared to earlier in the day. This would make it perfect to hear the corps since they didn’t have to worry about cutting through the moisture in the air. First I would like to thank DCA and the Reading Buccaneers for their hospitality and warm welcome I received at the show. I felt right at home and was allowed to view the performances from the Press box at about the 45-yard line. The entire show was a very pleasant change from the unrecognizable, esoteric programs I had to sit through at DCM Championships (with a few exceptions). Many of you have heard the ‘entertainment’ difference between DCA and DCI/DCM and if you have never attended a DCA contest, you are missing out on a real treat. The stands were packed, including the additional bleachers wheeled out onto the track at the endzones. All the corps performed readable and understandable programs, allowing the viewer to ENJOY the product without having to figure out what they were trying to do. I felt entertained and satisfied, rather then ‘exhausted’ like I fell when watching most of the Junior Division I programs out there this year. I will definitely plan on attending a mid-season DCA show again next year!! The Yankee rebels began the evening. A wonderfully presented nostalgic drum corps performance, with traditional squad drill and strong horn sound. It was a great way to start the evening, and confirmed my previous assumption that the horn sound was going to be clear and crisp tonight. (The member counts in this review may not be totally accurate. I did the best I could, so treat them more as ballpark figures, rather then literal hard numbers. I took some pictures that can be found at http://anokaflash.tripod.com/reading/ Feel free to use them as you see fit, all I request is proper credit) Skyliners are BACK!! (29 horns, 16 Guard, 5 snares, 5 bass, 2 tenors, ? Pit) Don’t let the horn numbers fool you. This corps had no problem sending a strong horn sound up to the box. I was very pleased with the small, but clean snare line. Their traditional Skyliner program of New York themed music was presented very well. Complete with a ‘Traffic Jam’, and their trademark New York, New York re-entry, this corps is back and will only continue to improve as the season progresses (4th , 69.0) The Connecticut Hurricanes (37 Horns, 6 snares, 3 tenors, 5 bass, 10 pit, 22 guard) performed an Irish Themed program, playing music mostly (or possible entirely) from ‘Far and Away’. The product was very reminiscent of the Pioneers’ ‘Irish in your Face’ package from a couple years ago. Although I am not a fan of ‘singing’ on the field, the hornlines’ harmonization of Greensleeves was done beautifully. (3rd, 73.2) The Bushwackers (25 horn, 5 snares, 4 bass, 2 tenors, 5 cymbals, 6 pit. 23 guard) are a little small this year, but had at least 10+ horn holes in the drill. Look for them to fill these spots as the season progresses. Their selections of Star Wars battle music was my sons favorite program of the evening. The horn line had no problem projection their book up to the box, and once they fill out the corps, I see them moving up a few spots from the midseason prognostications. (5th, 66.3) The Reading Buccaneers (38 Horns, 7 snares, 6 Bass, 4 tenors, 4 cymbals, 35 guard) are performing one of my favorite Drum Corps programs, Holsts’ Planets. A clean well-presented product was performed for this time of year. Even those who don’t care for classical programs would have enjoyed the quality of this presentation. A smooth flowing drill, and strong drumline allows Reading to keep pace with the elite of DCA. I observed their rehearsal the night before, and after witnessing their discipline and strong rehearsal etiquette, I have no doubt this corps will be crispy clean come Syracuse (2nd, 78.7) The Hawthorne Caballeros (52 horns, 7 snares, 5 bass, 3 tenors, 12 pit, 30 guard) put out the strongest horn sound of the evening. Coming off the line with Malaguenua the corps, with the help of DM Jimmy Russo, had the crowd in the palm of their hands. For those who have not seen Hawthorne, they can best be described as the ‘Madison’ of Senior Corps. LaFiesta was clean and powerful, and the traditional full corps wheel preceding the ‘Rumps’ had the crowd going wild. I just wish the Cabs were going to Buffalo. (1st, 79.7) The final performing corps was the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps along with their Silent Drill team. From a guy who had a 10-hour drive ahead of him, I could have done without this 1-hour presentation. Don’t get me wrong, it was clean, fun, and of a high quality, but it cost me being able to see a REAL retreat, DCA Style. It is not necessary for me to comment on scores, or caption results, but I will say that I agreed with the placements this evening. If it is an adjudicator’s job to correctly ‘rank’ corps on any given night, they succeeded this evening. Until Buffalo . . . . Kurt (Flash) Schiebel, <slyone*bigfoot.com> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy. From: haring (haring*prodigy.net) The Haring family "Northern Tour" (Baltimore, MD to Clifton, NJ) is over.....some thoughts on the Clifton DCA show: Exhibition corps: All of them were a treat! The West Sayville Golden Eagles (senior parade corps) played the National Anthem and several other tunes to warm up the crowd. Nice sound! Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights Alumni: their killer soprano line once again knocked me out, and the rest of the corps wasn't too shabby either! It was great to see an old friend, Jim "Nuclear" Powers, in Sac's drumline. Phoenix: excellent DCI Div. 3 corps....full, controlled brass sound, solid percussion, and an easy-to-follow "Lion King" show. The kids looked like they were having fun out there. NY Skyliners Alumni: appeared in full uniform instead of the red golf shirts/black pants they have been wearing...rocked the house as usual...strong brass, outstanding percussion. Nice to see George "Sidemouth" Richardson back in action for some of the soprano solo work! Hawthorne Caballeros Alumni: a big-time explosion of sound and color. Featured a special guest soloist appearance from former Hawthorne Muchacho great Jeff Kievitt. (Cabs Alumni and the Caballeros competition corps finished out the evening with a combined performance of "Flamenco Cha-Cha"... my ears are still ringing!) Competition corps: NY Skyliners: high-energy, totally recognizable show, big sound for the number of horns they have, and an underrated, very strong percussion section. Sky, clearly, is back! Bushwackers: quite an improvement from the National Dream show a couple of weeks ago...their "Dark Side" show made more sense to me this time.... and the uniforms look great under the lights. Connecticut Hurricanes: didn't get a chance to see their whole show, unfortunately.. but they got a nice standing ovation at the end of their "Celtic Pride" program. I've gotta catch their whole gig this coming weekend at the show in Cumberland, MD! Empire Statesmen: the first time I've seen them this year, and I can't wait to see them again.....a thoroughly entertaining, well-conceived treatment of "Phantom of the Opera"...needs more cleaning, of course, but wow....Empire was "on" at the Clifton show. A must-see for any fan who (perish the thought! LOL) buys a ticket to be ENTERTAINED! Reading Buccaneers: I was told they were missing some horns, but the ones who were there were getting the job done....seemed to tire a bit near the end of their demanding "The Planets" program, but, hey, there's still a lot of time left to build more "staying power." A flat-out excellent percussion section and an improved color guard. Hawthorne Caballeros: pure power drum corps, and absolutely another must-see this season! The featured "Three Sopranos" soloists were smokin'... and showed a sense of humor with their three-man "mini-wheel" while the rest of the corps was doing the trademark pinwheel move during the "Espana Cani" closer. It was a terrific night in Clifton... a lot of fun, and GREAT weather. The only downside for me: a PA system that was on its last legs....extremely weak volume. Oh, well...stuff happens! Fran Haring From: Picman6500 (picman6500*aol.com) Since noone has really given a review of this show I feel compelled to. The weather was absolutely perfect for a drum corps show! 6th Bushwackers, 67.2 No Penalty Bush came out of the gates strong, looked clean and put out a good show. This was a much better performance than Lakewood NJ. Lots of heart!! There were some Phasing problems, but recovered nicely. 5th Skyliners 70.0 no penalties Always a favorite of mine. First of all I am glad to see them competing! There has been a vast improvement from the National Dream show. I Stopped by there practice site at the Dream. They were working hard and the practice is showing. NY Sky was clean at times. They were a bit on the dry side, they seemed a bit tired. But all in all improving!! Keep it comming!! 4th Hurricanes 76.1 The Hurcs came out looking very sharp, their opener is definitly different. The music is really decent, however they seemed to lack power throught the show. I felt that the show was flat. The impacts were weak and The only thing that stands out is the cymbal player, who in my opion is over doing his part and distracting. Yes we know the cymbals are heavy and yes we know you have to strain and lean back to play them. But there has to be a limit. Love the color and visual stuff! 3rd Buccaneers 80.5 no penalty This night was not the Bucs night. Right from the gun everything seemed to go wrong. This was by far the worst performace I have seen from Reading in years. There were several dropped rifles which are usualy deadly on tagret! I am pretty sure a horn player or 2 was knocked down. This corps is usually at the top of the game. Saturday, I am sure was a disappointment to them as well as the fans. Their KILLER DRUM line was on! They are always on!! Visually this corps is exciting. The second number is the only number that looked right on target. The rest all had some problems. Reading will be back with a vengance! COUNT ON IT! 2nd Cabballeros 81.2 no penalties This show is all out drum corps. The power that exudes from this corps is hard to describe. The horn Line is outtta sight!!! The drum line is hot!!!, the guard was definilty on target. The Cabs rifle line is a sight to behold, some of the things they do are astounding and right on the money. A REAL contender for the DCA championship. Definitly the crowd favorite! 1st Empire Statesmen 82.3 no penalties One of the all time great theatrical shows. Phantom, A tragedy that will rip your heart out. A well performed show, very visual, music that will make you cry! The impacts are much improved, The whole show is improved since I last saw it. This presentation of Phantom is in my opinion better than the SCV's Phantom show in the 90's is it good enough to win DCA..time will tell. Overall this show was a real showdown between 3 killer corps. This was a drum corps fans dream come true. The Fans won this show. I do have some issues with the judging as evidenced by the Toms River/ Clifton NJ/ controversy. Some of the scoring was to me a bit errrrrr,. strange. There is no way some of the scores reflected what was put on the field. The American Legion Championships in Scranton Pa, will be one of the Best shows this year. I believe for the first time this season Syracuse will be there as well as the 3 corps that were here tonight, possibly setting up one the most interesting DCA chamionships in years. SAFE TRAVELS TO ALL! From: Bob Peterson (pete*netsync.net) Here is another of my "For what it's worth" Reviews. This was supposed to be an "Eastern Regional" show. Without Bucs, Cabs, or Hurcs, it seemed like just another great Westen New York/PA show(which is quite alright). I was at the Warren, Pa. DCA show a few weeks ago so I will also be stating how I think the corps that were in both shows have improved(or not). The competition started with the Night Sorm and I am happy to report that they were much better than they were in Warren. I still think this is way too tough of a show for this size corps, but you can tell they haven't given up on it and are working very, very hard. They marched 19 horns, 6 percussion, 2 pit and no guard. 7th place 50.5. Next up were the Kingston Grenadiers. I like this corps. They do a very good job with Chuck Mangione music. The corps looks good and sounds good and the crowd loved them. They marched 33 horns, 15 percussion, 12 in the guard, 4 in the honor guard and a pit of 8. 5th place 78.0. Bushwackers came in from New Jersey and did a pretty good job. Following scores throughout the season as I do led me to think this was going to be a pretty empty show. It isn't by a long shot. At times during the show they had the best "sound" of the night--a tribute to their brass arranger. The problem is that they are a bit short in brass numbers and some of the low spots of the show are really low. They marched 29 horns, 16 percussion, 8 in the pit, and 22 in the guard. 6th place 74.6. Minnesota Brass came the Eastern Regional and "WOWED"the fans in the stands. They do wail! I saw them at Madison last year and think they were a bit better last year. With some cleaning in the next couple of weeks they should do very well again in Syracuse for the DCA finals. They marched 49 horns, 16 percussion, 8 in the pit, and 19 in the guard. Third place 83.8. Empire Statesmen from Rochester just can't seem to put a dent in the spread between them and Syracuse. Their show was a bit cleaner than it was in Warren but that's to be expected by this time in the season. They just haven't found the spark to give them a chance to catch up. "Masquerade" lulled me a bit tonight. A lot of talent in this corps though, so they still have a chance to pull it off. They marched 54 horns, 14 perc., 9 in the pit, 20 in the guard. Second place 86.4. The 2000 senior behemoth known as the Syracuse Brigadiers rolled through their show next. They really lite-up a lot of faces of "old timers" that I saw responding to their show. They also were a bit better than when I saw them in Warren but again, that should be expected. Being big is one thing, but playing music that the audience at senior shows really can identify and like is a great assett too. They are the ones to catch--if you can. They marched 63 horns, 19 perc., 9 in the pit, 29 in the guard and 4 in the honor guard. First place 89.2. This was the Rochester Crusaders show and they competed last. The reason I am comparing corps with what they did in Warren a few weeks ago is because of this corps. They easily have made the greatest improvement of all the corps. I was pleasantly surprised and happy for them. As I've stated before--seeing them as they were about three years ago I thought they would be folded by now. As the scores were being announced I thought they would get at least an 80--maybe 81. They didn't on this night but they will soon. I don't think they can crack the top three or four corps come finals but they could lead the rest of the pack. I don't know a damn thing about guards but I think theirs fits their show the best and does a very good job performance wise. Fourth place 79.5. In exhibition again was "Mighty St. Joe's" Alumni Corps. I keep waiting for these guys(and girls) to disappoint me and they refuse to do it. The corps looks good, sounds good, and the people love them. The horn line sounds great anchored by a great Mellophone section and the solo work of the great Dave Martin. They marched 62 horns, 22 percussion, 15 guard and 7 in the honor guard. The weather was great. The stadium is great. Thanks for another drum corps evening in my life. RE Peterson. From: Workingonit00 (workingonit00*aol.com) The following is my review of the Scranton DCA show last night. I was surprised at the quality of most of the corps and was a little disapointed at the placements. 1st Place Brigs Have to agree here. They are the best senior I have yet to see. All sections were very strong. I was especially into the percussion line, they were amazing. The hornline holds their own with some amazing playing. The guard is good, probably Syracuses best yet. They are still dirty for this time of year though. Should be interesting to see who wins the best guard trophy at DCA. Clean will take it. 2nd Place Empire Great hornline. Thats about it. Should have been behind Cabs. The percussion is OK, not great like past years. The guard is BAD. They had 3 guns on the field, why bother, they couldnt do one thing together. Most people are tiree of the theme show... time to move on. Overall, the corps should end up 3rd at DCA. 3rd Cabs WOW.... Loved them. The hornline blew me back in my seat. If they keep cleaning, high horns at DCA. The drums are weak. Probably their downfall now. the guard was big and OK...had some good moments. They should be 2nd at DCA if they get what they deserve. 4th Bucs The Planets is an awesome field show. I wasnt to fond of their interpretation. Felt they scored a bit to high, kinda got a gift. They are solid in all sections, but none of them blew me away. The guard is huge... I was expecting them to be wonderful but they had many breakdowns and are very dirty. Time to water before DCA, they will get killed if they still look like that. 5th Hurcs Danny boy theme kinda nice. Smaller than I expected and not to powerful. I was surprised at the placement, I excpected them to be 6th or 7th. Guard had some nice moments, one of the best of the night. Should end up 7th at DCA. 6th Crusaders Very surprised by them, especially after last year. The hornline was very strong and played well. The percussion was clean and good too. I really enjoyed the guard, they were clean and performed well. They will be in the running for that Guard trophy if they go out and have a good show...watch out for them. This is the corps I expected to see 4th or close to Bucs. I think they got shafted cause they went on early. They should be 5th or 6th at DCA if the judges allow it. 7th Bush Kinda dark show.... Overall pretty good... only saw 1/2 of the show.... Keep working and they should be happy at DCA. To all corps... keep cleaning and having fun. DCA should be a blast. Its almost over guys. Good luck. From: http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&q=author:kenweaver69%40my-deja.com+ (kenweaver69*my-deja.com) I just wanted to post a few words about each corps. If you have a problem with my opinions, flame away. First of all, it was a beautiful evening for a show and the venue was great. The crowd was pretty large and was very receptive. Westshoremen - thanks for being there. It is great to see you back out. Please keep plugging away. Skyliners - Oops. You keep falling apart in the same place. What is up with that? Not too bad otherwise, but I think you got a gift. Reading - Nice show, great drumline. I expected to see more from you, but I am pleased, none the less. Brigadiers - Are you kidding me? That was 65 dirty horns. I expected alot more from an undefeated corps. The show is nice, but you guys should be crushing and get rid of those stupid props, too big and useless. Crusaders - very nice!!! Great to see you doing so well and keep it up. Bushwackers - You guys got robbed tonight. I think this was the best that I have seen you and you should have beaten Sky tonight. I am not sure what the judges are watching, but you did not fall apart in the middle of your show. Thanks again. Hawthorne Alumni - great as always. You guys are so exciting and full of energy. Please keep entertaining us for many years to come. Thanks again to Toms River for a great show. See you next year. Ken Weaver - not speaking for anyone except for myself... Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy. From: Vince Lamb (vince_lamb*yahoo.com) Here's the second article DCWorld printed under the by-line of "Vince
Lamb and Whitney Densmore". Read my comments at the top of the Class A
review for my take on this.
As usual, my candid comments are in parentheses. Enjoy!
Cabs move up on Empire while Brigadiers continue unbeaten season
(DCW used this almost verbatim for their headline--almost unheard of!)
September 2, 2000 -- Syracuse, NY... Twenty-two-hundred energized
fans, at least 500 more than attended last year's prelims, were treated
to a solidly entertaining afternoon of senior corps in P&C Stadium,
home of the Sky Chiefs of the AAA International League. Among the
larger audience this year were many first-time participants and
spectators, nearly all of who have become enthusiastic fans of senior
corps. Quite a few of them returned home and promptly posted on RAMD
how much they enjoyed a show where all the corps' programmers cared
what the audience thought, the performers had serious fun trying to win
over the audience, and the audience clapped and sang along, giving
standing ovations to everyone. Oh, yeah, there were judges there, too,
but the corps and the audience seemed to forget all about them!
(I was really tempted to write "Hey, you! Junior corps fan! Read this
review. You don't know what you're missing!" :-)
(Either just before or after Heat Wave, Eric Senzig came up and
yelled "Vince Lamb, where the Hell are you?" I heard that and thought
at first that Steve Burstall had shown up! :-)
Heat Wave moved up from Class A this year with their "Postcards from
Florida" show. The "postcards" were on the field, as four brightly
painted backdrops saying "Greetings from" "Florida" "Everglades"
and "Miami". While a lively arrangement of "Here Comes the Sun" and a
sultry setting of "Fever" entertained the crowd with fun guard work,
the corps turned the humor dial up all the way (and over the top)
during Jimmy Buffet's "Cheeseburgers and Drumsticks in the Pool of
Paradise". First, the corps sang the recipe for "Cheeseburgers in
Paradise", getting the audience to sing and clap along. Second, the
tenors traded in their drums for a set of tuned coolers followed by the
snares, who wore barbeque aprons and carried portable charcoal grills.
(The version printed in DCW said they were Igloo coolers. Probably,
but I claim no responsibility for this. :-7 Still, it was a great
DC moment!)
Third, a "fat chick" came out wearing a coconut bra and a grass skirt
and danced a hula. Thankfully, one of the guard members unmasked "her"
as a contra player who had performed a quick change behind one of
the "postcards". The audience howled in amusement at all these
antics. After a tasteful mellophone quartet and a lovely soprano solo
during "Reach", the audience clapped along to an energetic finale
of "Oye", giving the corps a scattered standing ovation.
(Fun show! It would be even more amusing to see Chops, Inc., at the
same show with Heat Wave. BTW, at finals, Heat Wave was a little more
ragged at the start but more wild at the end).
Here are some of my notes about Skyliners at prelims: "Wonderful
showmanship", "great screamer duet", "blew faces off", "toe-tapping
park and blow", "adrenaline rush", "out of tune and no one cares", "fun
show", and "Standing O!" If "Sky2K on Broadway" were a real Broadway
show, those comments would be all that would ever appear from my
review, so I won't write any more--except for this: "Sky is back!"
(I had too many notes to transcribe into the review, so I decided to
save space with the highlights--rave, rave, rave! :-) BTW, Siglow was
3 rows behind me at Prelims and I asked him, since he was a Sky alum,
what he thought. He said "Close your eyes and you can tell it's Sky.
Open your eyes and you don't know who they are. I don't know whose
uniforms they are." Then he pointed at the honor guard and said "Now,
*those* are the uniforms!")
Everything about Bushwackers "Music from the Dark Side" show was
dark, the music, the uniforms, the flags--even the tone quality of the
brass. Although the somber and sometimes sinister program of music
from the "Star Wars" movies wasn't every fan's cup of tea, the audience
could enjoy the performance itself. The brass played with good
intonation, impressive dynamics, and dramatic, understated
showmanship. The percussion played with authority. The guard spun and
tossed cleanly and energetically. Everyone marched sharply and kept
all forms very readable, if not white-glove clean. Their marching was
enough to keep them ahead of Skyliners and even with Grenadiers and
Crusaders in Total Visual and ahead of all these corps and Minnesota
Brass in Field Visual. While Bushwackers didn't succeed in connecting
with everyone in the stands, they did earn a scattered standing ovation.
(Bush *strongly* reminded me of PR--sound, marching style, and even the
style of their arrangement. Whitney remarked that the show wasn't
paced very well. In his finals review, Eric noted pretty much the same
thing. It was technically very good, but hard to follow).
Chuck Mangione's music seems to have been compatable with drum corps
for more than a quarter century, having been played on the field twenty-
four out of the past twenty-eight years.
(Thank you, CorpsReps.com, for the statistics I needed to make this
comment!)
Grenadiers' "Feels So Good" show continued this mutually beneficial
association all the way from the warmup of "Bellavia" to the conclusion
of the show. The fanfare from "El Gato Triste" was probably arranged
and performed more energetically than it ever had been by a corps on
the field. The corps played a very upbeat version of "Land of Make
Believe". Grenadiers even introduced a Mangione tune to the
field, "B'bye" from "Children of Sanchez", which received a warm
welcome from the crowd. Even their version of "Enchano", a warhorse of
the drum corps repertoire, stood up extremely well. Duane DeWire's
engaging drill was up to the standards of the music, especially
during "Enchano", with a contracing arc, a very imaginative transition
into the drum solo, and very effective staging leading into the
finale. The complete package of music and drill earned the Grenadiers
a raucous standing ovation before the last note ended.
(I misspelled Duane's first name in the original. I corrected it here
and DCW caught the error and corrected it before it was printed. It
would have been a shame to have complimented his drill and screwed up
his name! BTW, the heat got to the guard. At the end of the show,
several of them looked like they were about to faint! This was when
Eric Senzig described how the heat got to BCB, an observation which I
mentioned in the Class A review.)
Heat Wave's score of 74.2 was announced after Grenadiers'
performance. With Kilties absent, Heat Wave was guaranteed to perform
in exhibition before the first finalist. See you tomorrow night, Heat
Wave! Looking forward to watching the Mad Plaid next year!
(DCWorld cut out the part about Kilties. Heh. DCWorld reporters
aren't supposed to have a favorite corps. :->
Minnesota Brass set their 51 brass and 20 guard in a file on the 50,
hiding how much bigger they were than all the corps who came before
until the show started and the file morphed into a giant "S" and the
corps launched into "Make Me Smile". That the corps did, as my notes
for this song were "rockin'!" and "really exciting". "Saturday in the
Park" got the entire upper deck clapping along as the corps used its
numbers to cover the field effectively. "I've Been Searching So Long"
featured some very pretty dancing and flagwork that worked together to
elicit a generous round of applause. The brass transition into "Free"
was ragged, which was probably why this section has had difficulty
connecting with the audience during the season. The corps recovered
when the percussion took over, delivering a performance that earned
them a tie for third in percussion. The transition out of the drum
solo came as a surprise, as the gate into a company front was followed
into a backfield move instead of a push. My notes said "What the Hell
was that?" The corps reprised "Make Me Smile" and blew the stands down
for a roaring standing ovation. Their fans from the Land of 10,000
Lakes could be heard over the Easterners--as I wrote in my notes "Who
says Minnesotans are shy?"
(MBI was much more together at finals, and "Free" finally connected
with the audience. Oh, and those uniforms are really spectacular under
the lights!)
Pat Haring announced the scores of Skyliners, 83.3, and Bushwackers,
82.7. Bush will be the first corps in competition tomorrow. Sky is
indeed back.
(I guess it was Pat Haring!)
Rochester Crusaders show featured another musician whose music has a
long association with drum corps, Stan Kenton. They played "Send in
the Clowns" facing the audience as much to warm up the fans as to warm
up the corps. The tactic worked, as the first impact of "Artistry in
Rhythm" garnered a wild response from the crowd. "Time for a Change"
highlighted the corps' musicality with pretty playing in the pit and
nice balance in the brass playing backfield behind two soloists. The
tune concluded with a clever visual joke, as the guard formed a clock
and moved the hands from Noon to 3 P.M. A raging drum solo led
into "Los Suerto de los Tontos", which showcased the Crusaders'
outstanding guard. Last year, the guard relied more on sex appeal;
this year, it relied on its equipment handling. After a slightly
disorganized transition into a block against the sidelines, the corps
blew down the stands, earning a wild standing ovation.
(I actually think I got everything I wanted to write in this paragraph!)
Program Coordinator Al DeSantis
(This is an embarrassing misattribution. It was Carl Boos who told me
the following, not Al. Sorry!)
prided the Connecticut Hurricanes as being the best coordinated and
conceived "total package" in DCA. In fact, his show is so well thought
out that I could easily get bogged down in detail. I'll just summarize
it with the last comment from my notes--"Outstanding package!"--and go
on about the performance. The opener highlighted both the best and the
worst of the brass line. The horns play very dramatically and have
real impact--when they're loud, they're LOUD! At low volumes, though,
the blend became ragged, but the playing was still emotional. The
guard was outstanding, as shown by their effective work with lace
handkerchefs and execution of dancing appropriate to the field. The
marching was very tight, especially during the silent drill
during "Fantasia on the Dargason". The percussion feature was very
appealing--nice interplay among the high bass drums. Another standing
ovation!
(When Whitney and I ate dinner at Holiday Inn, where the Hurricanes
were staying, several Hurcs asked me to write a kind review. Well, I
wrote an *honest* one and it was still good to Hurcs!)
No scores were announced for Grenadiers and Minnesota Brass.
Instead, representatives from both corps were asked to come to the
tabulator's table. Hmm.
(What was up with this? Had the corps just forgotten to pick up their
tapes? I never found out.)
The atmosphere changed as soon as Empire Statesmen entered the
field. Everyone knew that one of the contenders for the title was
about to perform. They were right. Everything racheted up one notch
with Empire--volume, showmanship, musicianship, execution, and
especially the excitement.
(Nearly all of the above passage was missing from the printed version.
If you read the review and it didn't make sense, now you know!)
The result was that I could sum up the show in one word--GOOSEBUMPS!
(Which I wrote in BIG letters in my notes--and I had them, too!)
This show did the best job of including stagecraft on the field,
including props and special effects, as best exemplified by the
treadmill-powered boat with fog produced by dry ice, costuming, acting,
and dance. The timing of the show was perfect, especially the brass
putting on the Phantom masks and turning around just as the gun
sounded. I really can't write enough about the show. Instead I'll
conclude by noting that the show earned two standing ovations!
(Finals performance had one minor tear, but it was still a great show.
Also at finals, Whitney and I yelled for Gadget. He didn't hear it.
Well, Kevin, here it is again: "Go, go, Gadget Euphonium!" :-)
Grenadiers and Minnesota Brass finally had their scores announced--
85.6 and 90.7.
Other reviewers have raved about the "Mars" segment of
Buccaneers "The Planets" show and I'll rave about it, too! Buccaneers'
strengths, percussion, guard, and marching ability, were featured to
their fullest and their weakness, their brass, was presented in its
best possible light. Their drum line was particularly impressive.
They had a presence that could be felt from the back sideline all the
way up to the top of the stands. Even the feather falling into the
face of the center snare didn't faze her or the rest of the snare line.
(The center snare was RAMDer Patsy VanKirk. Great job, Patsy!)
The rest of the show was great, but my reactions to "Mars" summed it
all up: "A real gas! Great program!" Of course, another standing
ovation!
(Buccs reminded both Whitney and me of SCV.)
Scores for Rochester Crusaders and Hurricanes were announced--88.7
and 89.8 respectively. Hurricanes came into this show gunning for
Minnesota Brass. They're in a position to knock them off.
(But MBI turned on the gas at finals and pulled away. Next year!)
If any corps has a personality, it's the Caballeros, who swaggered
onto the field to their distinctive street beat and got a great
response just for being announced. Speaking of swaggering, Jim Russo's
antics were a treat to watch while Frank Ponzo wailed away backfield at
the start of the show. The entertainment continued as a pair tangoed
away to "Fernando's Hideaway" and the snares played with their bare
hands. The showmanship peaked at the start of "La Fiesta" with "The
Three Sopranos" at the top of their form doing their best to outplay
each other. The brass playing earned top brass at prelims. I have
three more comments from my notes for this tune and "Sweet Maria of my
Soul": "great guard", "impressive drumline", and "sheer
volume". "Espana Cani" drew out one more comment--"Ole!"
(Enough said! :-)
Empire Statesmen's score announced on schedule--94.4.
My partner in running the Drum Corps World Fan Poll, Whitney
Densmore, had one comment after seeing Brigadiers--that everyone who
missed the old, in-your-face, jazz-playing Blue Devils should see and
hear Brigadiers. Whitney marched in the unbeaten 1982 Blue Devils, so
she should know. The comparison was no accident, as Wayne Downey and
Scott Johnson arranged the music for the Syracuse corps. The
similarity extends only to sound and style; the repetoire this year had
little to do with Blue Devils. In fact, Wayne Downey was having fun
doing other corps' standards--"Ballet in Brass" and "Slaughter on 10th
Avenue" from 1974 Madison Scouts, "Harlem Nocturne" from many corps,
but especially the 1978 Bridgemen, and "Artistry in Rhythm", which most
closely resembled Anaheim Kingsmen's 1974 arrangement. Enough about
style and design. The performance, while not the absolute best the
corps was capable of, was seamless. The comments I made about the show
were "bump and grind park and blow", "dancing up a storm", "effortless
guard work". At the end, the hometown crowd lept to its feet to
applaud the defending champions.
(The finals performance was the best the corps was capable of. It was
impressive!)
Buccaneers' score was announced at the end of the show--93.3. A
bunch of the more competitively minded people stuck around for
Caballeros score--94.4--wow, after chasing Empire all season, they
caught up--and finally Brigadiers--97.0--which is greeted with some
disbelief. At this point, everyone left the stadium to eat dinner
before a fun evening at I&E, including me.
("Us", since the byline included both me and Whitney.)
At I&E, Brigadiers' DM Trevor Stoyer passed on this human interest
note. One of his corps' tenor players was married the day of prelims.
Another was his best man. Consequently, there were only three tenors
marching prelims. Both of them will be back in time for Sunday's
finals. Congratulations and best wishes to the bride and groom from
Drum Corps World!
(I hope you had as much fun reading this as I had writing it. This was
my favorite show to cover this year and I am planning on being at DCA
next year!)
Vince (and Whitney :-)
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
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