BIG show today - should be lots of excitement with Blue Coats beating Crown last night, but Crown beating Blue Devils, so no one is undefeated anymore. Santa Clara beat the Cadets last night as well. So things are finally getting a bit interesting. This will just serve to bring the best out in all the groups.
Bayou City Blues, Houston, TX - SoundSport - Launch - I have never seen this group so that is exciting - no mention of this corps or Horizon - Hmmm wonder what happened - guess we will wait and see. So this is cool to see these small groups. They could be the beginning of something bigger down the road - awesome!! They were awarded a Silver
Horizon, Odessa, TX - Soundsport - No title for their show - They are pretty gosh darn good - 5 guard/ pitt of 4 that sounds like 10/ Good soloists/ 17 horns / 10 in the battery - that is pretty good - Color guard is pretty clean too - They are pretty good - They were awarded a Gold and Best of Show
Guardians, Houston, TX - Open - Radioactive - why do a behind the back catch when most everyone did not do it - - man let it go - I like the opening flags and the addition of the long capes or dresses or whatever you call them. There is a lot of improvement since the first time I saw them - but not as much as I would have expected in terms of form maintenance and color guard work that is still pretty messy - definitely improved but still green Score - 57.95 2nd
Louisiana Stars, Lafayette, LA - Open - Never saw this group before - cool looking costumes and colors - Red hats with red plumes are Bright !!! and we seemed to be stalled - In Suspense - MMMMmmm - also still a bit green around the edges - but .............. Haven't got the feeling of suspense yet - not really anyway- Looks like one of the flag girls killed another one - maybe that was suspense ????? Score - 57.9 3rd
Genesis, Austin, TX- Open - There show is entitled Hell Hath No Furry - I think this group is in 4th place overall in open maybe 3rd. Wondering if they will be making a jump to world soon. I think they are or were out-scoring Pioneer. For some reason I would love to work with Pioneer - I just feel like maybe I could do something to help them - oh well... Roman Blenski if you read this - let me know. Pretty use of the long skirts! Color guard not as clean as I would have expected - drill during drum solo was cool. Flag soloist after vocal - I am broken was very good - They should win the open class today - as they are quite good. Score - 64.95 1st
Pacific Crest, Diamond Bar, CA - World - The Union - Railroad show - I am using the high camera again for this show to see what the overall shows look like - opener was good - Soloist in Fix ou (trumpet) sounds nervous - flags in Fix You did a good job - I do like that at the end of the drum solo the railroad is finished - that is way cool - very nice show - just not the demands that the other corps seem to have. Score - 66.875 19th
Seattle Cascades, Seattle, WA - World- "O" - Their circles have gotten fatter and more colorful than just a metal ring. Those covers on the circles are really effective - Nice showiest not quite as difficult and clean as the others Score - 64.075 20th
Jersey Surf, Camden County, NJ - World - Ebb & Flow - - color guard form moving from end zone was kind of a mess - I do like this show much more - they seem so much more mature - The end of the ballad looked new as does a lot of this in the drum solo -I think that this is a better show than the previous two corps - It looks like there were some changes made - still way too many individual errors in forms - not maintaining distance - blowing through forms - things like that - I hope they continue to improve and grow - Score - 62.70 21st
Intermission featured the playing of the Soundsport Anthem and Drum Line Battle
Mandarin, Sacramento, CA - Forbidden Forrest - and she is off! Running through the forrest in her white costume - 15 yd line there was a horn that was so far back out of the form - I could see it!! so I liked that the girl that runs the whole show left her white uniform on all the way through - taking it off made little sense to me - there was also one form towards the end - it was a file of horns and as it opened up the right side was not pretty - can't keep giving things away- got fight for every point!
Score - 70.875 16th
Spirit of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA - Georgia - Wow - what a good show - really impressed with them tonight - they made a lot of changes and they have really cleaned a lot up - still some individual things - like the circle at the end and some guy on the left front side was so out of the circle it was crazy!!! But I really like Georgia tonight and her beau it was cute and there were strains of the old Spirit horn line . While there is an intermission - I was reflecting back and I have to say that I really liked the show - I do hope they can move up a bit. Score - 68.988 18th
Oregon Crusaders, Portland, OR - Hunted - It really helped that you could hear the vocals so clearly tonight - it set a better tone than previous shows - Forms are a mess - lots of breathing in them - color guard work is not nearly close to being spot on - and those flags make it stand out even more - - now the guy in blue is back running around - Liked the musical transition from when he threw the net over the girl - still don't get it but I liked that - so the guy in the blue coat is getting beaten up - but he is not down at the end - now the girl he threw the net over is change him with a whip- as are others - and the show just ends - bummer - not my favorite and I want to like them I just don't get it - at all
Score - 69.6 17th
The Academy, Tempe, AZ - Drum Corpse Bride - The show seems much better than two nights ago - they have really made changes and improvements! Circle at the beginning of Unchained is still off on the 30 yd line it looks like a bit of a zit on the circle - Beautiful soloist - Wow the hit in Unchained Melody is goose bump worthy!! I see why their score keeps jumping up - The show has really grown on me and is really good ! Score - 75.525 12th
The Colts, Dubuque, IA - Nachtmusik - Liked the guard work paired with the music run - very nice!! Silent Night beautiful as always - the drill sets before Knights in White Satin were way cool and pretty clean - Lose the colored poles - you have six and they make little to no impact - I like this show - it has a lot of individual problems with maintaining forms - things get real sloppy looking at times instead of crip - I hope they continue to work on it - Be good to see them do well!
Score - 72.113 15th
The Troopers, Casper, WY - Heroes - Some issues with all the spinning files or line near the end of the opener - but some other parts in the opener are much cleaner than they had been - I'm still not getting the AIDS thing - but I am watching from a High Camera - but still should not matter - Fix You is just giving me goose bumps - that hit is so beautiful - I hope they continue to improve on the details Score - 73.513 14th
Madison Scouts, Madison WI - Judas- Had to walk the dog and missed a lot of the show - got here for the Garden of Gethsemane - You know they are what they are - and they do what they do best. Loved the flags during the end of the lashes piece - looked really scary and bloody!
Score - 77.075 11th
Crossmen, San Antonio, TX -Continuum - Hmmmm seem to be on fire for their "home show" Somebody went down during the intense drill moves that involved the Cross - But he was quick to get up and back in!!! Not sure I liked the white fabric - but the big flags were really cool and now the prism or rainbow flags are so nice - I loved last year's show so much - but I believe that this show is way better - It is a feast for the eyes! I am not sure how they always have an amazing color guard and they do and have for a very long time. Score - 77.338 10th
Boston Crusaders, Boston, MA - Quixotic - The vocal tract helps a ton - they are having trouble with their sound - Not sure who it is that keeps using these huge props that distorts the drill - and forces them to write really close - very cluttered looking forms - I think they could have told the same story with one windmill instead of what 5 or 7? Again - the vocal tract finally explains what in the heck is going on - so it is better - but I just don't think this is the show that will serve them well this year. Maybe next year - get rid of the huge back drops/props so the drill does not have to be distorted. Even the last picture is distorted by the windmill in the center - they could have done that entire thing with the windmill to the side and still ended the way they do without distorting the picture.
Score - 74.838 13th
Blue Knights, Denver, CO - The Great Event - I think I understood it a little better tonight - the props were turned after Moonlight Sonata and the process had been reversed so that the world went back to the place it was before all the ugliness started. I am glad that I am finally understanding the show - unfortunately it does not hold a candle to last year's show which was magical for sure!
Score - 80.0 8th
Phantom Regiment, Rockford, IL - Voices of Promise - Love that dark sound they create - ballad was really beautiful - love the sound right after the ballad as the lead into the drum break - That rifle soloist keeps moving her hand to the side on the release and she is just barely catching that huge toss - The from Joyuex Noel is sooooooooo beautiful - The trumpet soloist in that is amazing! I think I get the Young Person's Guide now to the end. Very classic Phantom and well played - Nice show!
Score - 80.538 7th
Blue Stars, LaCrosse, WI - Le Reve'- Now that I know this is Cirque - music it makes more sense to me - damn they have got a horn line! They lost the feed - the show has stopped cold - drum line did much better tonight putting the back drops back up! corps circle was way better tonight - Still don't understand parts - but appreciate what they are doing - that color guard may not be sparkling clean - but man their book is filled and overflowing with work. Watching them is exhausting because they work so freaking hard. Score - 79.438 9th
Cavaliers, Rosemont, IL - Propaganda - Holy Shit - these guys are on fire tonight for sure - just transitioning into the nice part - Love Meow Mix - so funny - Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!! They look like they just jumped a level of performance - that was just an amazing show - It had so much fire tonight! Way to go Cavies! Score - 83.188 6th
Santa Clara Vanguard, Santa Clara, CA - Force of Nature - Man that ballad gets me every time - Maybe they did not start as strong as they needed to? This is clearly one of my favorite shows - because I really like their music and I like their music in its original form as well. It is going to be a wild ride Score - 84.375 4th
The Cadets, Allentown, PA - Awakening- My friend Angie was telling me they should be good tonight - She said they have made a lot of changes - They do have a different sound - it is lack of bottom I think - so they got rid of the nude/copper/ whatever color and made them like puppet strings - polite applause - not like after the Cavaliers and even the Vanguard. There just isn't anything in the show that is new - or inventive - or never used - Cadets were the trend setters - they are not really that anymore - or have not been for a couple years. The show is good - it's not bad - the students work hard and do a great job - but there still is nothing really special about the show.
Score - 83.463 5th
Blue Devils, Concord, CA - As Dreams Are Made On - We now have a field cover - I liked the wave - but it seemed to take too long to deal with and was really distracting - Now back to and down to business - Man I love the trombones in the beginning - awesome sound! Great show - though it seemed like they had made some changes that were not quite secure enough yet - it is still an absolutely amazing show. Score - 86.35 3rd
Blue Coats, Canton, OH - Down Side Up - opening corps movement is amazing! Man do they move and can you see it with the white against the green - I am exhausted just watching them - they remind me of a bunch of ever ready bunnies - man - and I just really dig the music - like that jazz - What a show. Score - 87.063 1st
Carolina Crown, Fort Mills, SC - Relentless - You know I think that if they would stop trying to tell a story that is not connected too well - the show would be more enjoyable - because they are really an amazing group and show is pretty amazing too - the problem for me is the story that makes little sense and a reversing stage coach. I really don't get the last gun shot - I guess I need someone to explain it to me but even then I am not sure I would fully get it - But damn do they play and move - that is one heck of a show. Score - 86.788 2nd
14,104 in attendance at the show - that is huge!!!
As I suspected - The Academy jumped up to 12th place passing the Boston Crusaders, who seem to be gaining but by fewer points than those around them. It appears unless something unforeseen happens Crossmen are likely to make the top 12 this year and with some breathing room. Blue Knights are closing in on Phantom, Cavaliers are gaining on 6th and are only a few tenths away from the Cadets who are, like Boston, and gaining but not like those around them. Vanguard past Cadets tonight, not by a wide margin, but I also did not think it was one of Vanguard's better efforts. That leaves with the top 3. Those 3 corps are very close. I am not completely surprised that the Blue Devils lost to Crown tonight. As I mentioned there seemed to be some errors due to changes - and I am wondering if the floor or fabric or whatever that is, is really worth it? Crown plays well and moves well and seem to be a clean machine. That hurt the Devils tonight. Blue Coats, I didn't think, had one of their greatest shows. So this was the first real big show down with all the corps. It is a good indicator of what the next couple weeks will be like. The students will be working harder than ever after tonight trying to get those few extra points. Looks like it could be a nail biter going into Indy! Stay tuned.
I will post some pictures later on another page. Thanks for reading - Cheers!
Bayou City Blues, Houston, TX - SoundSport - Launch - I have never seen this group so that is exciting - no mention of this corps or Horizon - Hmmm wonder what happened - guess we will wait and see. So this is cool to see these small groups. They could be the beginning of something bigger down the road - awesome!! They were awarded a Silver
Horizon, Odessa, TX - Soundsport - No title for their show - They are pretty gosh darn good - 5 guard/ pitt of 4 that sounds like 10/ Good soloists/ 17 horns / 10 in the battery - that is pretty good - Color guard is pretty clean too - They are pretty good - They were awarded a Gold and Best of Show
Guardians, Houston, TX - Open - Radioactive - why do a behind the back catch when most everyone did not do it - - man let it go - I like the opening flags and the addition of the long capes or dresses or whatever you call them. There is a lot of improvement since the first time I saw them - but not as much as I would have expected in terms of form maintenance and color guard work that is still pretty messy - definitely improved but still green Score - 57.95 2nd
Louisiana Stars, Lafayette, LA - Open - Never saw this group before - cool looking costumes and colors - Red hats with red plumes are Bright !!! and we seemed to be stalled - In Suspense - MMMMmmm - also still a bit green around the edges - but .............. Haven't got the feeling of suspense yet - not really anyway- Looks like one of the flag girls killed another one - maybe that was suspense ????? Score - 57.9 3rd
Genesis, Austin, TX- Open - There show is entitled Hell Hath No Furry - I think this group is in 4th place overall in open maybe 3rd. Wondering if they will be making a jump to world soon. I think they are or were out-scoring Pioneer. For some reason I would love to work with Pioneer - I just feel like maybe I could do something to help them - oh well... Roman Blenski if you read this - let me know. Pretty use of the long skirts! Color guard not as clean as I would have expected - drill during drum solo was cool. Flag soloist after vocal - I am broken was very good - They should win the open class today - as they are quite good. Score - 64.95 1st
Pacific Crest, Diamond Bar, CA - World - The Union - Railroad show - I am using the high camera again for this show to see what the overall shows look like - opener was good - Soloist in Fix ou (trumpet) sounds nervous - flags in Fix You did a good job - I do like that at the end of the drum solo the railroad is finished - that is way cool - very nice show - just not the demands that the other corps seem to have. Score - 66.875 19th
Seattle Cascades, Seattle, WA - World- "O" - Their circles have gotten fatter and more colorful than just a metal ring. Those covers on the circles are really effective - Nice showiest not quite as difficult and clean as the others Score - 64.075 20th
Jersey Surf, Camden County, NJ - World - Ebb & Flow - - color guard form moving from end zone was kind of a mess - I do like this show much more - they seem so much more mature - The end of the ballad looked new as does a lot of this in the drum solo -I think that this is a better show than the previous two corps - It looks like there were some changes made - still way too many individual errors in forms - not maintaining distance - blowing through forms - things like that - I hope they continue to improve and grow - Score - 62.70 21st
Intermission featured the playing of the Soundsport Anthem and Drum Line Battle
Mandarin, Sacramento, CA - Forbidden Forrest - and she is off! Running through the forrest in her white costume - 15 yd line there was a horn that was so far back out of the form - I could see it!! so I liked that the girl that runs the whole show left her white uniform on all the way through - taking it off made little sense to me - there was also one form towards the end - it was a file of horns and as it opened up the right side was not pretty - can't keep giving things away- got fight for every point!
Score - 70.875 16th
Spirit of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA - Georgia - Wow - what a good show - really impressed with them tonight - they made a lot of changes and they have really cleaned a lot up - still some individual things - like the circle at the end and some guy on the left front side was so out of the circle it was crazy!!! But I really like Georgia tonight and her beau it was cute and there were strains of the old Spirit horn line . While there is an intermission - I was reflecting back and I have to say that I really liked the show - I do hope they can move up a bit. Score - 68.988 18th
Oregon Crusaders, Portland, OR - Hunted - It really helped that you could hear the vocals so clearly tonight - it set a better tone than previous shows - Forms are a mess - lots of breathing in them - color guard work is not nearly close to being spot on - and those flags make it stand out even more - - now the guy in blue is back running around - Liked the musical transition from when he threw the net over the girl - still don't get it but I liked that - so the guy in the blue coat is getting beaten up - but he is not down at the end - now the girl he threw the net over is change him with a whip- as are others - and the show just ends - bummer - not my favorite and I want to like them I just don't get it - at all
Score - 69.6 17th
The Academy, Tempe, AZ - Drum Corpse Bride - The show seems much better than two nights ago - they have really made changes and improvements! Circle at the beginning of Unchained is still off on the 30 yd line it looks like a bit of a zit on the circle - Beautiful soloist - Wow the hit in Unchained Melody is goose bump worthy!! I see why their score keeps jumping up - The show has really grown on me and is really good ! Score - 75.525 12th
The Colts, Dubuque, IA - Nachtmusik - Liked the guard work paired with the music run - very nice!! Silent Night beautiful as always - the drill sets before Knights in White Satin were way cool and pretty clean - Lose the colored poles - you have six and they make little to no impact - I like this show - it has a lot of individual problems with maintaining forms - things get real sloppy looking at times instead of crip - I hope they continue to work on it - Be good to see them do well!
Score - 72.113 15th
The Troopers, Casper, WY - Heroes - Some issues with all the spinning files or line near the end of the opener - but some other parts in the opener are much cleaner than they had been - I'm still not getting the AIDS thing - but I am watching from a High Camera - but still should not matter - Fix You is just giving me goose bumps - that hit is so beautiful - I hope they continue to improve on the details Score - 73.513 14th
Madison Scouts, Madison WI - Judas- Had to walk the dog and missed a lot of the show - got here for the Garden of Gethsemane - You know they are what they are - and they do what they do best. Loved the flags during the end of the lashes piece - looked really scary and bloody!
Score - 77.075 11th
Crossmen, San Antonio, TX -Continuum - Hmmmm seem to be on fire for their "home show" Somebody went down during the intense drill moves that involved the Cross - But he was quick to get up and back in!!! Not sure I liked the white fabric - but the big flags were really cool and now the prism or rainbow flags are so nice - I loved last year's show so much - but I believe that this show is way better - It is a feast for the eyes! I am not sure how they always have an amazing color guard and they do and have for a very long time. Score - 77.338 10th
Boston Crusaders, Boston, MA - Quixotic - The vocal tract helps a ton - they are having trouble with their sound - Not sure who it is that keeps using these huge props that distorts the drill - and forces them to write really close - very cluttered looking forms - I think they could have told the same story with one windmill instead of what 5 or 7? Again - the vocal tract finally explains what in the heck is going on - so it is better - but I just don't think this is the show that will serve them well this year. Maybe next year - get rid of the huge back drops/props so the drill does not have to be distorted. Even the last picture is distorted by the windmill in the center - they could have done that entire thing with the windmill to the side and still ended the way they do without distorting the picture.
Score - 74.838 13th
Blue Knights, Denver, CO - The Great Event - I think I understood it a little better tonight - the props were turned after Moonlight Sonata and the process had been reversed so that the world went back to the place it was before all the ugliness started. I am glad that I am finally understanding the show - unfortunately it does not hold a candle to last year's show which was magical for sure!
Score - 80.0 8th
Phantom Regiment, Rockford, IL - Voices of Promise - Love that dark sound they create - ballad was really beautiful - love the sound right after the ballad as the lead into the drum break - That rifle soloist keeps moving her hand to the side on the release and she is just barely catching that huge toss - The from Joyuex Noel is sooooooooo beautiful - The trumpet soloist in that is amazing! I think I get the Young Person's Guide now to the end. Very classic Phantom and well played - Nice show!
Score - 80.538 7th
Blue Stars, LaCrosse, WI - Le Reve'- Now that I know this is Cirque - music it makes more sense to me - damn they have got a horn line! They lost the feed - the show has stopped cold - drum line did much better tonight putting the back drops back up! corps circle was way better tonight - Still don't understand parts - but appreciate what they are doing - that color guard may not be sparkling clean - but man their book is filled and overflowing with work. Watching them is exhausting because they work so freaking hard. Score - 79.438 9th
Cavaliers, Rosemont, IL - Propaganda - Holy Shit - these guys are on fire tonight for sure - just transitioning into the nice part - Love Meow Mix - so funny - Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!! They look like they just jumped a level of performance - that was just an amazing show - It had so much fire tonight! Way to go Cavies! Score - 83.188 6th
Santa Clara Vanguard, Santa Clara, CA - Force of Nature - Man that ballad gets me every time - Maybe they did not start as strong as they needed to? This is clearly one of my favorite shows - because I really like their music and I like their music in its original form as well. It is going to be a wild ride Score - 84.375 4th
The Cadets, Allentown, PA - Awakening- My friend Angie was telling me they should be good tonight - She said they have made a lot of changes - They do have a different sound - it is lack of bottom I think - so they got rid of the nude/copper/ whatever color and made them like puppet strings - polite applause - not like after the Cavaliers and even the Vanguard. There just isn't anything in the show that is new - or inventive - or never used - Cadets were the trend setters - they are not really that anymore - or have not been for a couple years. The show is good - it's not bad - the students work hard and do a great job - but there still is nothing really special about the show.
Score - 83.463 5th
Blue Devils, Concord, CA - As Dreams Are Made On - We now have a field cover - I liked the wave - but it seemed to take too long to deal with and was really distracting - Now back to and down to business - Man I love the trombones in the beginning - awesome sound! Great show - though it seemed like they had made some changes that were not quite secure enough yet - it is still an absolutely amazing show. Score - 86.35 3rd
Blue Coats, Canton, OH - Down Side Up - opening corps movement is amazing! Man do they move and can you see it with the white against the green - I am exhausted just watching them - they remind me of a bunch of ever ready bunnies - man - and I just really dig the music - like that jazz - What a show. Score - 87.063 1st
Carolina Crown, Fort Mills, SC - Relentless - You know I think that if they would stop trying to tell a story that is not connected too well - the show would be more enjoyable - because they are really an amazing group and show is pretty amazing too - the problem for me is the story that makes little sense and a reversing stage coach. I really don't get the last gun shot - I guess I need someone to explain it to me but even then I am not sure I would fully get it - But damn do they play and move - that is one heck of a show. Score - 86.788 2nd
14,104 in attendance at the show - that is huge!!!
As I suspected - The Academy jumped up to 12th place passing the Boston Crusaders, who seem to be gaining but by fewer points than those around them. It appears unless something unforeseen happens Crossmen are likely to make the top 12 this year and with some breathing room. Blue Knights are closing in on Phantom, Cavaliers are gaining on 6th and are only a few tenths away from the Cadets who are, like Boston, and gaining but not like those around them. Vanguard past Cadets tonight, not by a wide margin, but I also did not think it was one of Vanguard's better efforts. That leaves with the top 3. Those 3 corps are very close. I am not completely surprised that the Blue Devils lost to Crown tonight. As I mentioned there seemed to be some errors due to changes - and I am wondering if the floor or fabric or whatever that is, is really worth it? Crown plays well and moves well and seem to be a clean machine. That hurt the Devils tonight. Blue Coats, I didn't think, had one of their greatest shows. So this was the first real big show down with all the corps. It is a good indicator of what the next couple weeks will be like. The students will be working harder than ever after tonight trying to get those few extra points. Looks like it could be a nail biter going into Indy! Stay tuned.
I will post some pictures later on another page. Thanks for reading - Cheers!
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