Sunday, July 10, 2016

Drums Along the Rockies (Denver) July 9th 2016

Columbians, Golden Empire, Gold, Cascades, Oregon Crusaders, Troopers, Cavaliers, Vanguard, Devils, and BK

The show is starting late as it is supposed to be nearly a sell out and security is apparently very tight.
I have never seen the first 3 ever - first view of Crusaders and maybe Cascades.  Everyone else I have seen at least once.

Columbians -Pasco, WA - Open Class- Clash is  the title of the show - I think most of the Open Corps are a lot better than they used to be - Sure they are not like the World - but the shows are entertaining and pretty well done.  I am really excited to watch the Open Class Corps.  There music featured Hey Jude, Fire and Rain, and Let the Sunshine In.  It also featured a lot of brightly colored flags that appeared to be tie-dye like - and of course lots of peace signs.  Oh and they had a VW Bus. Can't get much more 60's than that!!!  A nice show from a very old corps that has been re-birthded.  I guess I was right about this corps - they won with a score of 57.10

Golden Empire - Bakersfield, CA - Open Class - Title of the show is - Music Matters - Sadly - I had major computer issues with buffering and blurry picture -  I guess that it was good my computer trouble happened during this show because they were 3rd with a 54.00

Gold - San Diego, CA (Oceanside) - Open Class - Title of the show is - Day of the Dead - Cool color guard uni's - Corps uni's pretty cool too - Nice opening - small group - but good sound - Color guard looks like many could be from the same place - their technique is very similar - they really are pretty good with release and catch technique - and some have catch faces :-).  Not a bad show - they have platforms on the field but didn't really use them - Finalist every year since 2012 - not too shabby as they are only a few years old.    in 2nd place 54.30

Cascades- Seattle, WA - World Class - Show is entitled O - Corps sounds half way good - color guard is really struggling - timing of things seems way off - Maybe lots of new work?  It is a shame because it is really mucking up the show.  I like the orange circles - also like the guard uni's as they are nice contrast - big blue flags on curved poles really nice - playing Orawa now?  An SCV favorite of mine! - The poor girl stuck in the circle through the end of the show - man she had to just keep doing the same things over and over - I like the show - gotta a little long in the middle - drum solo into finale picked up - Let's go guard - clean that up!!!  Cascades were 7th with a 63.45

Summit Wealth Group - I think they will help you prepare your will so you can leave the Blue Knights your money :-) Never heard that advertised at a competition before!!!!!

Oregon Crusaders - Portland, OR - World Class - Show is entitled - Hunted - The corps looks like trees - Nice voices in the beginning - They were very innovative last year - I thought - I liked the multi- colored flags - but they were zebra striped and the corps is wearing birch bark?  The color guard costumes are cool - but I don't get the connection - The corps was doing some cool and kind of funny hunting movement earlier - are we hunting people?  the girl with the whip?  The guy it looked like they killed and now he is alive - wait - The corps is playing that hunted song that Phantom Regiment played years ago - Yep still don't get it - the guy that was killed and then had a net thrown over him.  There percussion drum heads have forests on them.  And the whole girl and guy fight thing reminded me of a high school band show I saw on YouTube - but that was called Caged. I hope they work out their difficulties -   Crusaders were 6th with a 63.45

The intermission music was ... what?????? ....... Glad I walked the dog!  I listened to Blue Coats show - Mood Swings - from 2003 I think.   The field used to be Invesco Field - Now it is Sports Authority - they are bankrupt so will the name change yet again?  

Casper Troopers - Casper, WY - World Class - Heroes - Let's see what it looks like tonight!  Goose bump opening! Love - Fix You - just one big goose bump - ending form needs work! I get most of the show - not a fan of the Yellow Ribbon (the fabric not the concept) It does not look that great and it is a mess to get off the field.  I also don't get the entire Aids thing.  It feels like they don't know what they are trying to say in that number - The firemen part is really good and really clever with the ladders -  I hope they get their issues worked out :-)  I like them - I like the look and I like the concept.    Troopers were 5th with a 67.45

Cavalier - Rosemont, IL - World Class - Propaganda - LOVE this show -  Whew - I like the changes from the last time I saw it - but the ending did not seem quite as chaotic as I remember it.  Still the show has a lot to offer for our time - from the singing part to the end it is pretty intense.   Cavaliers were 3rd with a 76.00

Vanguard - Santa Clara, CA - World Class - What a cool opening - love the bird chirping too :-) Force of Nature is the show title - Oh man just love that opening - Guessing that was a weather - rain - storm - cool lightening bolt rifles - The tree and leaf thing so cool - Loved winter - What a beautiful show - I love the color guard equipment and how it works with the show.    Vanguard 2nd with a 77.25

Blue Devils - Concord, CA - World Class - Looking for Tanner  - As Dreams are Made On - That trombone thing is crazy good - how cool was the saber toss behind the back drops - WOW!!!!  WOW!!!!!!  Now I understand the score - I had tears in my eyes by the end of the ballad - They have more work to do - there were clear errors - but ..... they are a forced to be reckoned with this year!!!
The Devils won with an 80.80

Blue Knights - Denver, CO - World Class - The Main Event - So now there are more colors and more costumes and lots of color - I really thing not being able to clearly hear the audio makes understanding the show from home difficult - I have to say - they sure do sparkle - Loved watching the drum line during the encore - The audio didn't play at the end f their show - it did during the encore and the end of the show made sense :-)  Can't Take My Eyes Off of You - was fun, even the color guard had a choreographed dance.    BK finished 4th with a 71.55

Again - I can't say enough about the students that are in these groups.  Honestly they are all really entertaining and when you look at what they are doing - quite amazing - Kudos to all who competed tonight.  Onward and upward!


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