Go to Page 8 of Reviews!
Go to Page 6 of Reviews!

Friday July 21

Dallas, TX (DCI) Thanks to the Lake Highlands group that again put on one great show and to God for giving us a bit of a breeze to make it not so blazingly hot and humid!! 10. Legend of Texas -- 47.00 I was impressed with the enthusiasm with this group. They did very well and didn't try to do too much "big corps" stuff. Keep it up and *maybe* in a couple years you will have some more members to work with and to do some "big corps" stuff. 9. Allegiance Elite -- 50.75 I didn't know that video games had so much music, but then again I'm not into video games much these days. Not bad though, just needs more time and attention. 8. Tarheel Sun -- 57.85 Good overall show, even doing "Channel One" that has been done so much in recent years. Very good job taking some license with one of the main sections of it, but that's what jazz is: a very refined art of "borrowing" and taking license. 7. Troopers -- 67.25 Very good show playing essentially some of the same tunes as they have played for years, without *sounding* like they've played them for years. They really did have a lot of fund with the show and that is one of the most important things, isn't it?! 6. Southwind -- 77.85 This was the first show that really grabbed me and pulled me in. And how!! I don't remember the last time that I heard so appealing a rendition of a Holst suite and the "Legends of the Fall" and Liszt pieces were very well done also. Crown better keep up the good work, otherwise they better be wearing their asbestos underwear, as they might get burned from behind. They used to be from Alabama, right? Guess they found a really good pool of talent and Lexington! Keep it up! 5. Car. Crown -- 79.50 Excellent show! A minute or two into it, I began to think that "The Mask of Zorro" was an "mask" to hide a lot of other spanish drum corps faves under, but they avoided that and put a very nice rendition of some very good music on the field. Really nice rifle work and very nice horns! 4. Phantom Regiment -- 82.95 Here's another show that I DESPERATELY wanted to like. Being an alumnist, I REALLY wanted the Regiment to pull something off like in '93 that was "Regiment", but pulled the crowd in. Many other reviews have been so positive, that I could contribute this to the heat, or other factors. But I was a little bit disappointed. But hey, there's still 3 more weeks and they are making progress point-wise. 3. Blue Knights -- 84.65 This show like many Blue Knights shows in the past has all the technical elements present, but lacks the emotion to reach out, grab me and pull me into the show. I wanted to like them, but I just couldn't get into it. Best of luck though, as there is definitely some talent there to pull it off. 2. SC Vanguard -- 86.65 Really nice show! VERY Santa Clara. Constant motion. This show will again bring SCV to the forefront where they belong. "The Age of Reverence" theme fits very well. Watch and listen for the really big chord at the end of the Barber "Adagio for Strings". Awesome! 1. Cadets -- 89.85 Wow!!! Wow!!! This is one whale of a show! It's got everything you ever wanted in a drum corps show... and more! There are still some marching things to attend to in rehearsal, and one or two music things in the opener that were just on the brink of coming apart. So it's a real credit to the kids that they pulled it back together with not much lost. I also can't see that they were 3+ points better than Santa Clara. If they're knocking at 90 now, where do they go in 3 weeks time? Bryan and Kim Dickerson I would like to say that this is my first review. I have been a corps fan for 14 years and marched in 88 and 89 Sky Ryders. Most of my comments relate to brass playing..... 10. Legend of Texas - I appreciate it anytime 11 brass players perform on a field in front of thousands of people. Overall, nice job. The sound of the corps is not bad and they did a pretty good job of not blowing past thier best sounds... 9. Allegiance Elite - this is the third year I have seen this corps and they really seem to perform at about the same level each time. They had some ensemble issues ---people sticking out of the ensemble. I would have liked to hear them back off just a bit and concentrate on playing within the context of the ensemble. Overall entertaining show. 8. Tarheel Sun - this corps has stepped up a level from last year. The hornline sounds pretty good when they are standing, but during a few of the more difficult moves they seemed to lose some control. I like the opener - I seem to remember the Glassmen playing this in 90...pretty catchy tune. Low brass had some problems in Channel One ...but overall I see this corps improving and being a semi finalist in the next few years... 7. Troopers - I am happy to see numbers on the field with them. A few years ago it looked pretty bleak, but it looked like they had around 40 brass and 9 contras! This show is designed pretty well for them and it is entertaining. I can't remember in the past few years hearing anything with a latin flavor from the Troopers, but we do this year. The guard had some problems at the end of the show...seemed like enough work for three tunes in one. Overall, glad to see the this corps on the rise. 6. Southwind - A corps with a bright future. Great look, great sound. I appreciate the fact that the drill is not so hard that the corps can not sound as good as they are. Smart writing...the Holst arrangement took some getting used to but it was refreshing to hear. They were the first corps of the night to really fill up the stadium with sound and it was appreciated. The ballad was nice and though there was a little roughness to a few entrances, they pulled this off.... 5. Crown - I don't think i have ever seen Crown march as well as they did tonight. Very defined marching style (looks like the cadets). Neat arranging....brass seems to have trouble getting the sound to the stands. I would like to hear a little stronger bottom sound (with good sounds) to help out the high brass. The Crown guard is very good this year and is very fun to watch. Drumline sounded great and seemed to sound as clean as the rest of the top 5 in the show. Hats off to the crown designers for giving us a nice product to enjoy. 4. Phantom Regiment - they play loud. My students who were sitting with me asked me why they have so many baritones sticking out of the ensemble. I really had no answer for them. Drumline is good, guard is good. The problem---the others corps are just executing a little better. The crowd, at least in the section I was in, didn't react to Regiment like they used to....just sort of courteous applause throught the show. I enjoyed the mallet work with Regiment, though with the tiny stadium they use in Dallas (as if there are not any bigger ones) has no track or space from sideline to stands, so much of the pit sound is lost. PR seemed to have some front to back timing issues in the show...about three times if I remember correctly. 3. Blue Knights - BK is having a good year. I had been reading that they were really close to SCV in score, but tonight there was a definate spread. BK has some rather fast paced drill...it just seems not to make sense sometimes. There are a few times where you can hear "feet" in the sound, especially mellophones. Opening guard statement was wonderfully effective and well recieved. Drumline was great as usual. Hornline when they stood still had a nice full sound, thought I would have liked to hear a little more contra. I don't think that BK is going to catch SCV this season... 2. SCV - SCV went on after Cadets tonight and did a great job. The SCV horn line is very good again this year, and the guard seems to be better than last years edition. Wonderful visual interpretation of some rather obscure music. Stained glass works well on the field, but I am not sure how the crowd felt about the down ending, except that the stadium was dead quiet for a few seconds, and I appreciated that. Very neat snare solos , but when the line gets back together there seems to be a lack of tightness from side to side. Another good year for SCV, though it is going to be tough for them to maintain in the top 3 with as good as I hear that Cavies and BD are. 1. Cadets - What a wonderful show. Gave us that "warm fuzzy" feeling inside. I have been dissapointed in the cadets design the past few years, but this years is very well done. Hornline is by far the best they have had since 95 and honestly I don't think the b flat horns make enough of a difference to complain about. Intonation with the cadets is better than it has been and the bari line has a darker sound. I noticed that they were not using Euphs on the field , but it is not audible. The Cadets guard was truly amazing and the crowd let them know it. Ten snares. Amazing. Not something I thought we would ever see again in drum corps. This show and SCV's makes me really happy that I will be in San Antonio in the Dome on Sunday. GFRask Greetings Drum Corps fans! I would just like to add my 2 cents worth to the review posted! This is my first read of all the corps that played tonight. I will be at the Houston show tomorrow night and the Cincinnati show on July 30 before Finals. Legend of Texas and Allegiance Elite - Missed both shows because of traffic. I'll be seeing both of them in Houston for sure! Tarheel Sun - 57.85 Great overall "band" show. Since I've seen them in their first year in 1997, each show has seemed like a "glorified marching band" show. Nice job with Channel One Suite, although since Blue Devils have already done this many times, it's pretty hard to come up with original ways to present it. Troopers - 67.25 Being a former alumnus from the Troopers (Pit '92 with those God Awful Stages for those of you who have seen the show!), it's great to see the Troopers coming back strong! Sticking with the patriotic theme always helps "America's Corps"!! Loved the end of the opener or the 2nd piece with the fight scene. Added a very nice visual touch to it. And closing with Stars and Stripes forever always warms my heart. Loved seeing the signature Circle Burst in the closer. Good job overall! Southwind - 77.85 I loved their rendition of Holst First Suite in E flat... I played that piece in a junior high region concert and fell in love with it... was very impressed with the overall package... having that Madison Scouts financial support really helps! Carolina Crown - 79.50 SMOKING DRUM LINE! of course, having the University of North Texas connection really helps... really liked the Zorro theme. Horn line seemed to be a little "thin" in some parts... can definitely tell where the strength of the corps lies (drum line and pit).... Phantom Regiment - 82.95 First things first.. HATE the new uniforms (tan/beige top with the red sash)... doesn't give the corps the same visual "pizzazz" and "attitude" for the corps... I think this is affecting there GE scores... they also seemed a little "flat" emotionally.. loved the Brian Mason writing of the percussion section... very "tight" drum line... just seems to be missing that "punch" like in '96 and '93. Still have a lot to clean visually but the potential is there... Blue Knights - 84.65 Loved the new uniforms!!! Gives the corps more of an attitude, although I'm wondering if the switch to black pants and black shoes was to cover marching inconsistencies of years past?? Being a BK alumnus (Pit '93), I will miss the "white dot pattern" that has defined the corps for the last 10 + years... drum line was SMOKING... once again, Ralph Hardimon has done a wonderful job of arranging the percussion score... always liked the pastels and colors that were used on the guard flags... horn line sounds great!.. loved all of the movement in the LONG opener!! This is the year that Blue Knights will make the top 6 (possibly as high as 4th with more additions to the visual package).. will really be pulling for my Knights at Finals to finally break the "Blue Ninth" stigma!!! Santa Clara Vanguard - 86.65 Another classic Vanguard show!!! Loved the flowing drill again!! This show definitely has championship potential if all of the visual stuff could be cleaned!!! It's also hard to replace a veteran drum line with a bunch of age-outs from last year (I heard 5 of the 7 snares last year aged out, a brand new cymbal line, and 2 rookies in the pit?!!) The drum line is just not as tight as last year's line, but the potential is there... lots of visual ensemble problems... hope they'll be able to clean everything in 3 weeks!! Cadets - 89.85 What can I say?? I can't say what goes on in the third selection because I don't want to ruin the surprise for those of you who haven't seen the show, but I can say this.... I've never seen anything like it before!!! Let's call the 2000 Cadets the "Corps with Attitude" because this year's show reflects that!! Once again, the tenor line is AWESOME and CLEAN!! Actually, the whole line was tight!! And the pit was their usual clean, tight self!! Loved the color guard work throughout the show.. every section had "attitude" sometime during the show and it definitely will be a huge boost to General Effect come Finals week!! At the expense of not seeing Cavaliers and Blue Devils yet, this show is a definite championship show. Like the previous review, I'm hoping the Cadets aren't close to peaking yet... this is one of the earliest times that I can remember the drill and visual package being relatively clean!! Normally the drill is so hard that they don't get it clean until Finals week, but they are definitely way ahead of schedule this year! The 3-point spread is definitely evident right now, but, once SCV has refined and cleaned their show, that spread will quickly disappear!! I'll post another review after the Houston show! 3 weeks till Finals!!! Joe Del Rosario '92 - Troopers Pit '93 - Blue Knights Pit '97-'99 -- Pit instructor - Cincinnati Glory

Des Plaines, IL (DCI) Tonight's weather was perfect for a Drum Corps show, and the show lived up to the weather, with the exception of a ridiculously long break of 30 minutes after only 3 corps. First up was Lake Erie Regiment. This small corps seem to have an "out-there" show that is over the heads of its performers. Drill is difficult to read in many places and appears to be to hard for the marching skills of the members. There were many phasings, out of step and out of formation errors this evening. The horn book is also a step ahead of the corps' capabilities. I wonder when smaller corps, particularly division II and III corps staffs will ever get the fact that they can't pull off the same complex, musically unfamiliar, non-lyrical works that a full sized, powerful division I corps and and still connect with the audience? Apart from a pretty good ending minute or so, this staff obviously doesn't get it. Capitol Sound After seeing them first in Oswego, this corps has certainly improved. The newsies show is a good vehicle for them, and the kids seem to enjoy performing it. Color guard has improved drastically, as has the marching performance level of the corps proper. A nice show for an obviously young division II corps. Kiwanis Kavaliers It seems that this corps gets a little younger, smaller and slips a little further every year. That is a sad thing to see. I remember being very impressed with their West Side Story show a few years back and Evita wasn't bad either. This year, the show is well designed (Miss Siagon) & the color guard is strong. The hornline is small, weak, and very, very top-heavy. Perhaps they are planning on filling more holes. The colors fo the guard were excellent. It's a fun show to watch, but I think they will struggle to maintain top 21 status. Spirit of Atlanta After all the negative things I heard about Spirit on-line, I was pleasantly surprised to see them as strong as they are. To me this show is a definite step up in design and entertainment than the past few years. I didn't enjoy loud, sloppy and cheesy elements of their past few shows. This year's show is very enjoyable, although the closer is not nearly as pleasing as the rest of the show. Color Guard outfits must have changed recently, as they weren't too bad, and the guard itself is a definite step in the right direction. Choices with color guard flag silks were excellent and to me hit the "New South" approach right on the dot. Looks to me like Spirit will be battling with Pioneer for 15th this year. Crossmen Yes!!! Crossmen definitely took a step in the right direction this year, returning more to their roots. The corps uniform is improved too, with the addition of some red, although I still think the look is too dark for them. The guard uniforms are just plain awful -- by far the worst of the night. mismatched, half exposed shades of pink, red and purple? Just horrible & it makes them look cheap. Musically, this show is great. The pieces are drum corps standards, but the arrangements are fresh (even Birdland is unique). The horn line is improved over last year, but still sounds thin as compared to 97 or to the early nineties. Their sound has definitely been "cadet-ized" in that it is thinner, less rich and supported, and bright. Still, their brass lines is solid & enjoyable. Drum Line is still missing that old Crossmen groove (YEA seems to have squashed that the past few years), but is no slouch either. They will be pushing for a top 7 or 8 spot, although I see them really battling Madison for 9th at this point. Visually, they are weak -- with the huge exception of the guard, of course. The color guard is wonderful. I'd like a little more ensemble flag (they are always so awesome with that) and a little less dancing, though. Boston Crusaders Wow!!! Has this corps matured, or what? This is my favorite show of the year so far, from a design and music book standpoint. (Only not having seen Crown, SCV, Blue Knights, Troopers so far). The staff should be thanked a million times over. They pulled off a very sophisticated, modern, difficult show & still made it extremely fan friendly. "Red" is the theme. And they have some passionate, latin music. The drill is first rate, and I agree it is reminiscent of some of Crown's mid 90-s wonderful drills. The opening move is wonderful, with the collapsing and opposing lines meeting at the 50 and then rotating into a giant block. Color schemes for the guard silks were first rate, too. Musically, they seemed just as strong as crossmen from a volume perspective, so they may be focusing on that right now. They are not at a top 6 level yet with volume, however. One thing this corps can do is MARCH. They marched circles around Crossmen tonight. Technique & body carriage were top 6 caliber tonight, in a very tall, thick grass field. Boston will be challenging Phantom for that 7th spot I think. Will be a very interesting August. Blue Devils Just what I'd expect from a BD show. Great guard (phenomenal rifle line), wonderfully designed show, too. Also, more velocity than many past BD shows. Musically, the show is good, not great. The show has intensity, and at times strong emotion, just not consistent emotion throughout the show yet. Some cleaning still needs to be done visually, but visual package is again a BD strength. The horn line rocks as always, althought the Bb horns have definitely taken a notch out of BD's volume, much to my chagrin. I agree the new horns create a warmer sound with better intonation. I just don't like it as much. The power chords are dominated by middle voices in both Cadets's and BD's lines. The upper voice just disappears at high volume, full ensemble moments. Drum Book is great again this year as well. This just doesn't feel like a championship show from BD. Course, this is also first viewing, and Drum Corps shows from the late 90s on usually take 3-4 viewings to be fully appreciated & enjoyed. Cavaliers I will be the first to say I wasn't a big fan of this show a month ago, but it is definitely growing on me. The horn line is the most powerful Cavies have had since possibly 1993. With BD's switch to Bb's, the Cavies line was almost on the same volume level as BD. And the full spectrum of pitch levels at loud volume (with that brilliant G-key soprano sound at the top of chords) was very appreciated after listening to BD. I know some people prefer the new Bb sound, but I hope most corps stick with G. The variety of the 2 might be nice to keep around at the top corps level. Cavies show is growing into a very strong threat to stake claim to a ring. The re-writes at the end have added mucho excitement to the show. They also had their fair share of visual mistakes all around tonight. Don't know how caption scoring went tonight, but Cavies seem to have more room left to grow with their show that BD does. Going to Indianapolis tomorrow -- should be a great show. Dream4Believer I just got back. It was a great night for Drum Corps in Chicago. The weather was in the 60's and at the intermission I put on my sweatshirt. I was seated a little low for my taste but on the 45. I like to be up high so imagine my surprise to hear the pit playing (loudly) during the shows! Who Knew?! I'm mostly a hornline, guard, drill person so sorry perc people. I'll only comment on the div I corps. Spirit of Atlanta. You can sleep through their show. Needless to say they're a lot better than they were a few years ago. They're out there trying and you've got to respect that. The Crossmen.. Guard, Guard and MORE GAURD!!! They have the most amazing guard I've ever seen! They are incredibly together! Their book is written so you can't take your eyes off of them. And the key to it all: they sell it! They are constantly smiling and sucking you in with facial expressions. They're incredible! Fast and furious just as it should be. I have no idea what kind of drill they had since I was so enthralled with the Color Guard. I like their music but I like the '87 version of Birdland more. Honestly though, I can't say enough about their guard! I have achieved permanent Goosebumps! Boston Crusaders. They weren't as entertaining as the Crossmen, but their drill was cleaner (not clean mind you) and more complex. They had more GE. Nothing Zingalliesque mined you. More on the traditional side, which makes the old people, go nuts (sorry old people!). Lines intersecting and high stepping...stuff like that. I enjoyed their music and they were louder than The Crossmen. But they had an attitude that turned me off. I don't know what it is, but there's something there. The hornline seemed very thin and top heavy. There are some killer rips in the Mello's. A little longer and they'll have them. Blue Devils were up next. I'm sorry but the B flat horns are AWESOME! You can so tell the difference and there is not one decibel lost. It's a warmer sound all the way across. You could even hear it in their warm up when they're playing to the backfield. The Blue Devils have finally learned how to march! At the beginning the horn line does these amazing turns while they're playing louder and softer. They go to the backfield, then back to front then back then front… It adds dynamic contrast to the music as well as a Butt Load of GE. The Color Guard still has the two-sided flags. If you've not seen it it's an amazing effect! We're going to see a lot of that in the future. The flags match their uniforms which are also two sided. During the show they turn around for effect. All in all the guard was tight. Lots of Rifle and Saber work right up front. I'm sure that's where they beat the Cavies tonight, but won't be sure until we see the recap. The hornline makes the most amazing sound. There were times I couldn't believe I was hearing what I was hearing. There were so many over tones during the beginning of the Adagio I actually lost my breath!! There was some phasing going on though, several times during the show. I'm sure they'll have it fixed soon. One of the highlights of the show was the two guys in the pit playing the Marimba. It was one of the most amazing things I've seen in the pit. It was a steady tempo increase until the hornline came in. I know it doesn't sound like much but wait until you see it. They just kept going faster and faster! It was perfect and amazing. The crowd went nuts! I've never been a Blue Devils fan and they've never had me going crazy like that. They were fantastic and the crowd loved them. Pleasantly surprised I was. The Cavaliers. It was their home show so they went last. This is the third time I've seen them this year. I like this show a LOT! I think the music is awesome. I have it stuck in my head (drilled is more like it). The Color Guard is now wearing Russian Sailor type hats. They have new Flags that add to the Niagara Falls theme (I can't remember if they had those in Rockford or not) and have started shedding their Brown tops during the show. The navy and white stripes are not flattering. They were a little off tonight. Nothing too dramatic, mostly angles and being together. The hornline makes amazing sound. They really know how to peal paint! The percussion line is fantastic. There are some Rocking parts in this show. My ears are still ringing! They've rewritten the closing drill and the effect is much improved. Had the crowd on their feet. Love that Green Machine! They performed the encore since it was their home show. They didn't use a full horn arch like we're use to seeing. They put the horn line on the right in a half arch, in two rows. Front row from left to right had Mello's and Sops. Back row had Contras, then mixed Euphoniums and Baritones. Then on the left they had the Marching Percussion and center/right was the pit. I don't think I liked it. I prefer the surround sound of the brass. I'm not complaining though. I thoroughly enjoyed the face peel. All in all a great night. I drove home in silence. I Love Drum Corps!! Looking forward to Murfreesboro and Finals in Virginia. It's going to be one heck of a show! Thanks Dennis Schultz I just got back from Des Plaines. It was a great show on a cool night. The jets flying into O'hare added so much to the show. Kiawanis Kavaliers were pretty cool. Their drum line is way ahead of their horns and gaurd this year. Someone has taken great care with the tuning and sound of the drums, but they don't really play a feature in the show. The weaker horn line never gets a break during the show, and they are just beat by the end of it. And clean the war paint off of those pit members so their mothers can see their faces for crying out loud. Spirit of Atlanta was the best looking corps on the field tonight. Everything they did spoke volumes about their class and dedication. They have a really rough sounding hornline, however. I noticed lots of timing problems, attack problems in the horn sections, and tempo problems whenever the drumline cut out for a few beats. It seemed like the horns were really laboring to keep time, and the whole show about dies on the field when that happens. Their show is full of color and it was great to see them looking so sharp. The crossmen were on fire tonight. I was confused by the scoring that had Boston beating them, but most of the people around me seemed to think boston had beaten them. The Crossmen were the only corps to play the exposed parts of their drumbook cleanly. The drums sounded great, and their show is just a whole lot of fun. The hornline had some problems with a pretty ambitious book, but they performed the hell out of the show. Their creative staff did a good job leaving little spaces in the horn book so the drums could do some cool exposed licks backfield. By contrast, the Boston Crusaders did not give their drumline any exposure. They have a deep, mature, loud brass section that is the strength of their corps, and they pretty much covered up the drums the whole time. They must have written the drum book for the field perc. judge because they basically stayed on the back half of the field and I didn't hear a note they played. Furthermore, the snares were far too wet sounding and not well in tune. Boston has a good drill, and good visual generally this year, but tonight alot of things just didn't work. I was a little disappointed in their performance. The Blue Devils were on next. I was ready to hate them after last years show which I thought was not very creative. They seriously blew me away. I had no idea. Their horn and pit writing is fabulous-- perhaps the best arangement I've ever heard. It's a work of art. Bravo! I'm not a Blue Devils fan, but their show has emotional direction and works well as a package. I was so impressed with the arrangement that I've decided to buy pay the exorbidant price for the CD's this year. The drums had a rough show tonight. They had basic attack problems. The first thing they played was a wreck. It seemed like every other lick just was just a little out. Maybe they had jet lag. Also, I found the gaurd uniforms distracting. The Cavies have a pretty neat show, too. Their drum book is full of notes. Not everything was spot on tonight, but they have an huge amount of material to clean. I didn't like the show overall as much as the devils, but their color gaurd is great. They have a wonderful color scheme. And their pit writing is very classy. I didn't think the middle tune went well with the show. Maybe I need to see it a few more times. It seemed like they were trying to be just a little too loud. The dev's show this year is not like that at all, which was suprising. If the Dev's can clean up the drum book, they'll win it all. No, I haven't seen the cadets, but I don't care. It seemed to me that alot of the clearity problems in the drum lines of all the shows could be remedied by doing a little less ambitious marching. The modern drumlines are asked to play very difficult things while running circles around each other. Even if it were played exactly together, for the audiences perception, it still does not seem quite correct or clear. I wish they would just let the drums march together at close intervals so that clearity and quality could always be maintained. Thanks, Pete

Thursday July 20

Stillwater, MN #2 (DCI) What a difference a full night of vertical sleep on a gym floor makes, eh? All corps had much better performances tonight than last night. Conditions were perfect - clear skies, cool temp, but a bit warmer than yesterday, and very few mosquitos! A great night for a show. Since the line up was basically the same as yesterday, I'll limit my comments in tonights review. Chops, Inc. - Exhibition - They had a pretty rough show tonight, but who cares? They entertain and have fun. That's what it's all about. Minnesota Brass - Exhibition - They had a much better performance tonight. The soloists were on, the marching was better, and they just nailed the show better tonight. Blue Stars - 62.25 - They are much improved over my last viewing in LaCrosse. Despite only having 20 something horns they are really putting out some sound, and most of the time it's a good sound. The double tounging sequence at the beginning of the show is coming through clear now. Snare tuning seems to have changed just a bit, but it still sounds too low to me. O Fortuna seemed a bit rough tonight, but overall, the show was performed and executed very well. I would expect them to make Quarterfinals again this year. Pioneer - 70.3 - Very nice job tonight. All sections were tighter tonight, and they performed well. Very deserving of the 70 mark. Bluecoats - 78.9 - I'm not sure why their score did not go up more over last night. They really performed much better and had a cleaner show tonight. thanks for the encore performance on Autumn Leaves in the parking lot! Boston Crusaders - 82.65 - Boston was on fire tonight. Their show is so well designed, and they nailed the performance tonight. Why is it that BAC's staff is so obniouxious every year? I'd really like to take a couple of rolls of duct tape to their mouths before their show. They are really distracting - and lacking in class. Also, BAC - why don't you take whatever chip you had on your should tonight and ditch it?! For some reason, BAC's DM's did not salute the audience as they paraded the stands in retreat. Every other DM did. Also their drum line did not line up with the rest of the corps - They marched in a block behind all of the other corps. Same goes for exiting the field. The rest of the corps marched off in a line - the drum line straggled and marched in their block. When they got to the area where they had to exit the stadium and where there were a lot of spectators walking around, they just charged on through - not slowing down, not asking anyone to move, not having anyone around to clear a path - nothing. They were not with the rest of the corps. The crowd did a good job of waiting while corps were exiting the stadium. Their drum line was so far away from the rest of the corps, that the crowd started moving to exit too - then came the drum line. Chill out guys! You really pissed off a lot of people tonight! VERY LITTLE CLASS tonight BAC. Madison Scouts - 80.95 - Madison had a great show tonight. I can't figure out why their score was not much higher than last night - or how BAC beat them for that matter. I was sitting a few rows higher tonight, so I could see the drill a little bit better. The new ending to the show is much better, and is really exciting. They changed the drill move, so it's not just a duplication of the earlier rotating blocks within blocks move. Great job tonight guys! Glassmen - 84.05 - Solid performance of the show again tonight. After another viewing, I still cannot get excited by the show. The writing just leaves so much to be desired. Ok - I give up. What's the deal with the staff emember blowing a whistle and waving around a british flag? I just don't get it. Neither could anyone sitting around me. Great job tonight by all corps! Thanks for another terrific show. I can't wait for Allentown now. Tim Kviz Thanks to the great review on the Stillwater shows. I just wanted to add a couple additional opinions. Blue Stars: MY old corps - the horn line has improved 100% since La Crosse. Keep up the good work. I don't like the dark plumes though. Please switch them back to red. A very nice show for a small corps. Pioneer: Wow! What a great show! Thanks for remembering what drum corps is supposed to be about and giving the fans a very entertaining show. The guard was great, the hornline played very nicely, the drumline was very good and the front line was really nice. A great show - loved the sop arpeggio/octive lick near the end - no one plays high in drum corps anymore - fun to hear it once in awhile. Bluecoats: Another fun show. Reminded me kind of a Blue Devils-like show back when BD still played jazz. Very sophisticated. Great hornline - super loud opening statement - loudest statement of the night. Great guard - tons of nice rifle/sabre and flag work. Smokin' drumline - DANG! Please keep up the good work Bluecoats and get back up where you belong. Of the two big corps from OHIO last night, you were definately the crowd favorite. Madison: The corps people payed money to sit on crappy little 20' high bleachers to see. A great show - very entertaining as usual for Madison. The guard has improved a lot since I saw them last at La Crosse - they're really selling the cossak dancing stuff and the rifles were on tonight. There are a lot of nice drill effects happening. Drumline had a good show. Hornline overall is good, but there are spots where individuals stick out or sections are a bit ragged. The book is very demanding and inconsistancies really stick out. Horn line is going to have to be near perfect to prevent Boston and Blue Coats from passing them. Glassmen: Wow! what a nice show. I'm glad they came out and did some more accessible music after last season's strange, obscure stuff. The guard is very nice, although the wigs are really gross - can they wash those things or anything? They look really dirty and mangy. The drumline lives up to all expectations, but here's the thing: THE HORN BOOK IS BORING!!!!!!! Here they have this perfectly accessible, entertaining Gershwin music that is perfect for drum corps, yet the horn book renders it into this big, massive, deep, dark flowing snooze fest. You have a great low horn sound - we're happy for you - how about using some soprano voice and laying off the wall of dark velvet that is your low voice dominated horn line!!! The whole show I was just waiting for the sops to take the melody and sing out above the rest of the corps, but it was all just bari and euph sound. Too much of a very good thing still equals boring. Have the girls march in their own hair and rewrite the horn book and you'll have a SHOW! That's all folks! Reed Sorry my review is so late, but I have been very busy with work the past few days. For those who haven't seen these corps yet this summer I hope it sheds some light your way. Chops Inc: This corps looks better than they did last month, but they are still struggling with tempo and musicality. It is nice to see a new corps take the field, but they were really out of place at the DCI show. There are some very creative moments, but they are struggling with the music so much that it takes away from the effect. The crowd really seemed to enjoy the "Simpson's" theme. I could see the framework, but it needs to be cleaned up. Chops is a very laid back corps that seems to have a bright future. I know they want their meat, but hey, some potatoes could help. Music first! Govies: They also looked better than last month and the crowd really loves the dancing tambourine player. I was very impressed with the color guard. The equipment work was good, but what really shines is the facial expressions and the connection they make with the crowd. I wish every guard did that! This alone carries the corps to a much higher level. The drumline struggled at times and most of the arrangements could use some work, but the corps looked respectable most of the time. "Girl form Ipanema" is a great idea and I have been humming it aloud the past few days. But remember, music that is fun to play isn't always fun to listen to when it falls apart. Minnesota Brass: The corps is continuing to clean their Chicago show. It is fun to watch them play because they are so good at executing and they create great effects. They are just as good as last year and should compete fairly well when they head out east. The pit was full and the best I have ever seen from MBI and the arrangements were amazing. MBI remind me a lot of the Madison Scouts. Lots of loud stuff and to create dynamic effects, they drop out instruments, not volume. A fun ride for everyone! Seattle Cascades: I haven't seen them for years and it was great to see them back on the field and back in Minnesota. Thanks for coming! A very exciting show to watch because it wasn't a senior corps. The energy and drive were there and the execution was good through out the corps. It makes a difference when the groups are playing every day. The Holsinger music wasn't recognizable for the majority of the crowd, but I enjoyed it. Blue Stars: Another year of highly technical music and show design. The corps attacks Carmina Burana with energy and determination and most of the time meet the challenge. This show will be cooking in August. I really loved the different uniform look with the dark blue plume. The corps looked really good and I was glad to see that they are building on what they achieved last summer. Every summer I wonder what they could do if they didn't attempt to do too much. But then of course they wouldn't be the Blue Stars would they? Pioneer: We love to watch this corps because they always perform. When they take the field, it is theirs. I was very happy to see a much larger horn line than last year. This corps deserves a full set of horns. Once again the guard looks very classy with their dark emerald uniforms and the drumline is hot, hot, hot. Pioneer has improved a lot since last month and they have momentum to do even more with the show. They will be in the top 21 again because they perform and they have a great musical show. Bluecoats: What a brassline. The past three years they have had amazing brasslines. The corps has no weakness in any section for that matter. I think they could be running some higher numbers if they staged the drill differently. The front tarp thing has cool effects for hiding the guard equipment and for hiding the performers at times, but at the same time it cuts performers in half when they are down front performing. The first quarter of the show has a lot of guard work that is done upfront and parts of it are hard to see because of the tarp things. The I love to listen to the corps play and yell BLLOOO! Boston: OH MY GOD! This was my first viewing and I thought that there was no way they would improve over last summer and I figured the Bluecoats would beat them, little did I know that I would be seeing my favorite show of the summer and that they would had Madison the hat. Movement II: Passion/Time to Say Goodbye is the best musical moment I have heard all summer and the first goosebumps I have had this year. Wow! Sensitivity and dynamics and wonderful everything. I can't wait to get my CD's so I can play this over and over. The second night they just hit it and the crowd felt it. Red is amazing and the use of color is awesome. Great guard work and great effect. I felt like the corps knows what they are supposed to do all the time and they do it. Could Boston be in the top 8? Not a doubt in my mind. Madison: Always the crowd favorite here in Minnesota. The Cossack theme is neat and the show is very Russian from the guard uni's to the music. I felt that they did a good job presenting the show, but the guard uniforms looked like a high school band and took away from the effect. The drumline seems solid and I think they are being scored a little to low, but the show and the music is very repetitive in nature. The drill is very demanding in parts and reminds me of the Cavaliers. I think the most musical thing they play is their warm-up when they are on the field. Glassmen: GREAT hornline, FANTASTIC color guard. The guard is on the par with the BlueDevils and the Cadets. I loved the visual when they lift the male and the female and they get pulled apart. The guard uniforms are fantastic because the allow the performers to be someone else, and they grab that character in a strangle hold and pull you right in with them. I love the Gershwin and although it doesn't grab the crowd, they do recognize it. Its like seeing a Picasso, you know it when you see it. The hornline plays wonderful dynamics and the drumline executes on a superior level. They will stay in the top 5 in August. I am not sure how they can keep moving up in the future though. Stillwater is a wonderful show and it saddnes me to know that there will only be one show next summer. Thanks for reading, Shane Walters

Wednesday July 19

Stillwater, MN #1 (DCI) Overall it turned out to be a great night for a drum corps show. No rain, gentle breeze, and cool temperatures. I actually had to wear jeans and a jacket. The stadium where the show is, and has been held since before dirt was named, is still just as terrible as ever. I really wish they would hold the show in a stadium where you can actually see what is going on on the field. I was sitting on the 45 year line on side 2 in the first row, so my view of forms was limited; however, I did get to see the field visual pretty good, as well as really hear the corps. Governaires and Brass were both on in exhibition, and both corps performed well. The audience really enjoyed both shows. The big guy in the Govie pit had the crowd in stitches when he started dacing around with the tambourine during the middle number, and the soloists from Brass had the crowd rocking (despite a couple of rough spots on some of the high licks). Seattle Cascades - 57.45 (my score - 57.8) This was my first viewing of them in several years. I like uniforms. I won't say "new" uniforms, because they might have had them for years for all I know, not having seen them in a while. Overall, they had a pretty good performance for a Div II/III corps. Their percussion section was pretty strong, but tended to overpower the hornline at times. Their Holsinger musical selections were OK, but they would not have been my first picks for a Holsinger show. I am very familiar with the works they performed, as I have recordings of the original works, and I played several of them. The opener and the closer really need a large and powerful hornline to sell these rather obsure works. The crowd had a hard time getting into the show. Pioneer - 68.25 (my score - 69.0) The guard has changed their uniforms, and they look much better than what they were wearing earlier in the summer. Pioneer continues to improve and really has a fairly well balanced program. No section of the corps is significantly stronger or weaker than the other sections. They are gradually imrpoving the show, but if they could spend a few days of hard core cleaning and run throughs, they could really clean up a lot and shoot up in score. They are selling the show well, and the crowd was responsive - they just need to clean it up a bit. They seem well on their way to maintaining a spot in semi-finals. Bluecoats - 78.65 (my score - 78.3) This is a very different kind of Bluecoast show - not the typical big band/swing, toe tapping jazzy kind of show. It's a bit more modern, and hte music is not quite as recognizable or humable. Still, it works. They are performing very well, adn really selling the program. They have a fantastic drum line, and the horn line is strong as well. Visual seems to be a bit of a problem for them. They have some problems with their feet, body carriage, and form cleanliness. If they clean up the visual program, they could be topping BAC. Boston - 80.4 (my score - 80.6) What a show! Fantastic design, and performed very well. They carry the entire latin theme very well through the changing styles of music. The singing during the ballad is once again excellent; however, I'd much rather hear their horn line playing the piece instead. The guard is excellent, and the drill is very reminiscinet of Crowns first few years in finals - a Kevin Ford drill perhaps??? They once again only provide a tease of Conquest. Overall, I'd say their drum line is the weakest section of the corps. Great show, and I would say definitely a finalist again this year. Glassmen - 83.2 (my score - 83.7) Glassmen perfrom well, and all sections of the corps are once again very strong. Their drum line is playing some notes, and the horn line is hauling some tail at several points. At the end of the show, the horn line is spread from end zone to end zone, and they play together with good balance. I have read several people say that their show lacks excitement, and I have to say that I agree. It seems to me to be more a problem with the arrangements than the corps performance. The members are performing - it's just what they ahve to perform is not as climactic as it could be. It almost sounds like the arrangers were doing everything possible to not sound like 82 Garfield or 85 Spirit, despite playing the same piece, and in the process lost a lot of excitement and potential. It's too bad too, because the piece they selected is really good. It's too bad the design staff could not deliver a better product to the members, because they are really fantastic top to bottom performance wise. Madison Scouts - 80.6 (my score (81.9) Madison had a good show tonight. They have really improved dramatically since I saw them last on June 30. the most noticable improvement has been the drum line. They sounded so much cleaner than they did last time I saw them. The horn line is really starting to crank it up a knotch and play with some serious power, but the sopranos still sounds a bit tight and strained. The guard is really the weakest point to their show. On some of the rifle tosses, the guys arms are flailing in the air trying to find and catch the rifle, and many without much sucess or precision. Their marching is really cleaning up. You can see very clean forms (i.e., rotating lines and blocks), as well as intervals throughout most of the show. The opening of the show continues to present some timing and minor phasing problems, due to how spread out they are across the field. If they could clean up the opening, open up the sopranno sound, and get the rifle line to catch what they throw a bit more often, they would be breathing down Glassmen's necks. Great show tonight, and I am looking forward to tomorrow nights show as well. Some great stuff out there this summer! Tim Kviz

Tulsa, OK (DCI) "Tulsa's Festival of Sound" Wed July 19, 2000 45.7 Allegience Elite, Calgary, Canada Bless their widdle hearts, it was still at least 100 degress on the field at 7:30. 57.9 Tarheel Sun, Cary, NC This corp gets my vote for most entertaining show. RIght before the drum major salute they stripped off their black uniforms jackets to show their bright yellow jackets. The CG was very enthusiastic, always smiling, yelling, having fun. They were fun to watch because they were having a blast. If one of them caught a killer toss you would know it when you heard them yell "OH YEAH!". Their jazz show had a very nice full sound. At the end there was a long mellophone solo, then to bring down the house, the corp ended up pumping it out on their knees. This had the crowd exploding from their seats. 62.0 Troopers, Casper, WY Known as "America's Corps", I wasn't surprised to see their rep full of patriotic tunes. I groaned when I saw it, but the arrangements were pretty nice, especially Bernstein's "America". Judy pointed out how she loved how they "teased" you with "Stars and Stripes Forever", by starting into it, pulling back, diving back in. Evidently everyone else loved it to. When they finally broke loose and came at the crowd in formation, well, the crowd went wild. Always good to see the traditional Trooper trademarks, such as the horn line splayed every- which-way on the ground after a big hit, like some kind of wild west massacre. Their uniforms that match the 11th Ohio Cavalry of late 1800's is always cool to see. The studly DM looked like he had trouble walking. Frank thought a corncob was somehow involved, but I think he just had some kind of Marshall Dillon thang goin' on. 75.95 Southwind, Lexington, KY Hmmm. Great mellophone line. Good drum feature. Great company front before finale. uhhh... 80.5 Carolina Crown, Fort Mill, SC Very good CG. 1/2 male 1/2 female. Costumes looked straight out of Blue Devil's "Spanish Heart", along with the Spanish "Mask of Zorro" music. The CG sold the show for me. 85.25 Santa Clara Vanguard, Santa Clara, CA Okay, here is where I will wax poetic. They had this incredible visual/musical GE effect that blew me away. (Sorry I don't know if during on of the Bartok arrangements or Barber's "Agnus Dei (Adagio for Strings)". The CG is spread out from left end-zone to 50 over the entire back side of the field. While the horns/perc are getting things musically intense the CG over a minute or two end up tossing all of their equipment _yards_ through the air off the field. Totally chaotic right? But then you see they are "free" of their "earthly trappings and encumbrances". As the music builds in a gigantic chord, the CG "floats" up front. Just when you think this majestic chord you hear should end, it keeps going, and going. Then you realize they aren't going to stop, so the crowd goes wild as the CG "floats" back field. The chord is _still_ nailing you to your seat unless you are standing up in awe as most of the crowd was. I think my interpretation is on the right track as the show was called "The Age of Reverence", starting out with Barber's "Prayers of Kierkegaard, Prayer No. 4". 88.5 Cadets, Bergenfield, NJ My first time to see Cadets live. After watching their 480+ step/per/minute drill of interleaving lines, curves, shapes I found myself in an altered state of consciousness with my jaw wide open. They had a real fun show on top of their usual razzle-dazzle-you-with- precision-and-mellophones-to-die-for. Each section of the corp had a tiny feature, one after the other, where they gratuitously showed off but in a funny way. After each section did their tricks, they'd kick their legs up for the next section to do their thing. The horns all bunched up real close and played one of their famous 128th-notes riffs, then each player reached over and fingered the next guy's horn while blowing their own. These guys are huh-way too cool. No awards for High Brass, etc. Have they stopped doing that with the new scoring system this year? John C. King

Tuesday July 18

Lawrence, KS (DCM) Here is the long awaited review from Mission Drums in Lawerence, KS. Once again another successful Mission Drums. This is my fourth year attending and it only gets better every year. The move to Lawerence, KS has been the best thing for this show, the stadium is great for the activity. I'm a trumpet player by heart so I don't have much expertise in other areas. I was located on the 50 yd line 13 rows so I had excellent seats for music as well as visual. On to the review. Bandettes- 41.65 (8th place) This was my first time ever seeing this corps and I was impressed with what these girls could do. Musical for their number of horns they played nicely, and had decent drill. Delta Brigade- 44.35 (7th place) Once again first time ever seeing Delta. First of all I'm so glad to see them back on the field after last year's incident. With some more horns and percussion this corps could kick some butt on the Division 3 circuit. The 11 horns put out some good sound and I was really impressed. I look for Delta Brigade to return to their prominence in Division 3 within the next year or two. Americanos- 59.85 (6th place) First time again seeing Americanos. The music really didn't do anything for me. I didn't relate to well to the music, there were licks that I was familar with but it didn't seem to me that the crowd got into the music. Drill was pretty decent. Blue Stars- 61.00 (5th place) Overall this corps has its act together and I think when it comes down to the time they will make a good run for Top 3 or 4 in Division 3. It's hard to say without seeing any other high caliber Div 3 corps this season. I think the 1.15 difference between them and 'Canos was a little too small. Recaps aren't avaiable yet so I don't know how things were scored. I personally loved the music and the crowd did as well. They had some nice drill movements, and a great sound. Spirit of Atlanta- 67.95 (4th place) I was glad to see that Spirit was able to come out to the Midwest this season, along with Bluecoats and Crown because they are the few Div. 1 corps I hadn't seen. Going on after Bluecoats and before Madison can really effect a corps I think but Spirit stayed on track. They have some intonation problems here and there as well as being able to pick certain players out of the context, I love screaming sopranos but at times it seemed a little harsh. Carolina Crown- 77.10 (3rd place) Obvious crowd disappointment when this score and placements were announced and quite frankly I agreed with the crowd. Crown was on tonight in my opinion and the 2.1 difference in score does them no justice. I love the music, and the drill they have an overall package that is awesome. I can see Crown placing maybe 7th or 8th this season. They've got a show that can give anyone other corps a run for it's money. Bluecoats- 79.30 (2nd place) I had them alot closer in scoring with Crown then the judges. They present a fantastic show musical and visually. Their drill is diffucult, and they've got alot of minor cleaning things that will help them catipulate in points. It was great to hear a giant big band sound from the field tonight. Madison Scouts- 80.10 (1st place) I have to say the Kansas City area is a Madison Scouts town. This is the second time I've seen the Scouts this year, I saw them last week at Alton and they've improved alot musically since then. They are alot of note runs that were cleaner last night than a week ago but they still have some work. Visually, they had the hardest drill last night, and they might have one of the hardest drill books in DCI this year. The diamond spins got the crowd to their feet as well as the block forward march to the diagnoal turns. Scouts will have a run for their money though this season with Phantom, Bluecoats, Crown, and Blue Knights. I haven't seen the Knights yet this season so I'm not to sure on that one. Madison Scouts Victory Concert An excellent performance that got the crowd to it's feet. You'll Never Walk Alone was great as always except for the solo part, I don't fully agree with a Baritone or Euphonium playing the solo unless they are going to belt it out. You couldn't hear it at all and I was only 13 rows up. I'm not sure how that solo is seleceted but they might want to rethink it. MacArthur's Park was on fire tonight, the soloists were 'En Fuego', I'm guessing they hit some notes previously unobtained because my good friend on brass staff with the Scouts shot into the air at the end of the song. I have to saw it was quite awesome to have T.R. conduct the corps a meer two feet from me, he stood in front of my sister the entire time. Well that's my opinion on the Lawerence, KS show last night. Only two problems that I saw last night, first I wish they would have moved the BBQ stand somewhere else with the wind blowing how it was last night the last few corps performed in a smokey haze. My other complaint was the girls fast pitch softball game that was being played next to the field as the Div 2/3 corps performed. Comments always welcomed. Chad Pfister University of Missouri-Columbia Marching Mizzou- Trumpet Drill Leader First off, my apologies for getting this review off much later than intended, and to the members of the Bandettes and Delta Brigade. Due to a navigational disagreement with my brother and fiance, we were a little late and I missed those two corps.......but here are some reviews of the corps I DID see..... BLUE STARS: Very good job tonight; they have come a long way since when I first saw them in Menasha last month; I think they still have one of the better Div II/III drumlines, but I was impressed by the brass performance tonight. Very powerfull. Marching was pretty good for this time of the season. Feet were in time with some strong sets. Looks like Lacrosse could have another contending show this season. AMERICANOS: When I first heard the Bizet in Menasha, I was hardly impressed, but a ton of improvement. Brass line had a lot of balls tonight and the percussion line was on the ball. Only problems I had were the feet......sloppy. Forms were pretty good, but feet were all over the place at times in the show; and hey, it happens every once in a while. Everytime I hear those melodies, it remin me of SCV 1990, one of my all-time favorites. Overall, a good job tonight. CAROLINA CROWN: After reading the rave reviews and feeling the hype as Crown entered the field, I was feeling the intensity. Musically, a great show. My sister-in-law, as well as the bando girls in the back of us, and myself included were awestruck at Crown's guard. Totally awesome, The guys and gals spinning rifles and flags get my kudos; definitely the best guard of the night. While I loved the Zorro show, and this is Crown's best brassline ever, and the percussion was smoking, I was a little dissapointed with the visual program. A lot of forms were very unreadable, and feet were not good at all. I'm hoping that this was an off night for them because I've always liked Crown and this show is put together really well. If they can get the feet and forms down these last few weeks of the season, this could be a top-8 corps this year. It felt like Crown was taking a lot of steps to get the crowd on its feet tonight; there were a lot of cool sets, and I like how the drill integrates the guard with the brass and percussion. Very fun show. BLUECOATS: This goup gets my nomination for comeback corps of the year. Vintage 'Coats brass line (REALLY LOUD AND IN TUNE!!!!) and a killer percussion line almost equvillent to 1998. I know I may be a little biased because I have a good friend in the corps, but I was very impressed. You can tell this group is starting to have fun again after last year's job. I love the music, as it was well performed. The visual program was much cleaner than Crown's and that may have been what put them over Crown. All in all, a very entertaining show, and extremely well-performed. Canton is back!!!! My complaint about the show, get rid of that freakin' screen on the front sideline. There were some moments where different sections were hiding and popping out from behind it, but Bluecoats made their point with the performance on the field, I really don't think they need any props on the field to enhance it. SPIRIT OF ATLANTA: I bumped into Matt Smith, my seat partner from 1998 with Scouts and current brass/visual staff with Spirit. I told him I thought the corps did a good job and he was happy with how they did tonight, as well as he should be. This group's average age is around 16, with only eight vets in the hornline. For some "kids", they play pretty well,and the visual program is tons better than I thought it would be. Drumline was a little off, and there were times I felt this uncomfortabel strain that te brass and percussion were going to be off. I thought Spirit was scored WAY LOW tonight. Don't get me wrong, there are still many improvements to be made with Spirit in order to get them back on track, but I think they're going in the right direction. The only bug I have is with the music. Not really fan-accessible coming from a crowd favorite. Give them another year or two and they'll be contending for top 12. MADISON SCOUTS: I know, I know I'm a little biased, but all I've got to say is WOW!!!! I got a chance to see them in Menasha in June, and I was impressed even then. Visually, this is the most demanding show Madison's ever done, even more so than 1994. All four corners of the field are touched at some point. The rotating circle of death got the fans on their feet both times, and the circle in the closer is much different than the one in the opener. I liked the singing in the closer, and the guard toss in the opener over the big diagonal was pretty cool, considering the flags were caught. All in all, a whole lot of fun. I don't care what the judges think (like I ever DID) but Madison's drum line is awesome; always have been, always will be. The brass line plays a lot of the hard stuff really well, with the mellophones and baritones being the strong parts of the section. Of course, there are some issues I have with my boys. The guard has a lot of catching up to do, though they've improved considerably since I first saw them. The soprano line had a run in the opener which was a little muddy, and it felt like they may have lost some steam in the closer. The visual program was better than a lot of people on RAMD made it out to be, and since I last saw them in Menasha. Once again, the hands down favorite. Pretty good night for drum corps. Not too hot, but I wanted to strangle the guy opearting the grill in my part of the stadium for meat scented smoke got in our eyes throughout most of the evening. Bugs weren't really a problem, and I like Haskell Stadium for a drum corps facility. It puts the field right up in your face and you can really see everything going on; there really wasn't a bad seat in the house. I just remember all of the potholes in the field marching there for three years. Andy Smith Railmen 94-94 Madison Scouts 96,98-99

Monday July 17

Albuquerque, NM (DCI) Never had the chance to wirte down my thoughts from the Albuqurque show the other day, but it was great to see a corps show here finally!. I've been following closely in recent years, but have always had some hefty travels to endure. Still looking forward to more this season, but good to see some action here in NM. Great day for drum corps if I do say so. Unfortunately, I missed Allegiance Elite, and most of Tarheel sun since I was checking out the parking lot scene, but did manage to catch some nice moments from Sun. Troopers One of my alltime fav's!!!! Still dirty as heck, but who cares? The troopers just have this mystique about them that only they can have, and it's great to see them growing so much this year! The drumline isn't very good, but it's cool to see them with a full sized line. Even though it was a bit on the cheesy side, the Americana show was still a crowd pleaser. Besides, it's Troopers! Only they can get away with doing a show like this! Phantom AKA...27th Lancers 2000. :) Just kidding...I'm not sold on the new uni's at all. They were so cool looking in the old black, I have no idea why they switched. If anything, I would have rather seen them go to the all-white instead....but, I'm sure they had their reasons. Despite the fact they don't really "look" like PR, they still had a very good show! I've really been looking forward to the Stravinsky thing as both "Rite of Spring" and "Petrouchka" are two of my favorites. It doesn't quite gel in terms of pacing...I'm not sure why. It just seems a bit chopped up. Then again, it's pretty gutsy trying to put together a show with repertoire like this. Crowd was digging them despite some pretty dirty sections. I have NO idea how they won drums. Some neat things going on (tricks/gimmicks), but nowhere near the depth and sophistication level of SCV. The tom thing is a neat idea, but doesn't really do anything to help the music....it seems like they could have just as easily kept the players on their normal instruments, and gotten the same effect. Still, I'm amazed that they didn't score higher in Music GE in comparison to BK. They have put together some incredible literature, and managed to take the audience along with them for the ride. I'm not knocking BK because I thought they were awesome as well, but it's great to see PR tackling Stravinsky (not easy stuff!), and actually making it work for the most part. Blue Knights Yes!!! These guys are making a serious run for top-5 this year! Even though I don't think I can remember a single melody from their show, it's a total package and "experience" to witness. I dig the new uniforms. Even though they look like sort of a Blue Devil wannabe corps, it's a big improvement on those "dot uniforms" they used to have. They're doing all kinds of body work which is pretty neat. There are times when they look a little out of their league in doing this stuff, but I must hand it to their design team for putting together one well-coordinated package. Brass sounds better than ever, but still has a lot of work to do. I caught them doing some sort of strange step-off, sort of like they cock their legs before they march. Looks a little unnatural, but I guess if they can clean that up it might look neat. I just don't understand the purpose behind it. Guard has some very cool looking flags. Drum line is smokin, but has a bit of a "chop fest" attitude to their playing. Still, I can see why they have been doing so well so far - they can PLAY! I can only hope the corps can keep it up through the next few weeks because it would be great to see this type of artistry receiving more reward. I'm surprised they scored as close to SCV since their show moves much slower throughout. SCV These guys have some cleaning up to do, but mark my words -- they'll be in the hunt for the ring this year! The show is masterfully crafted, and though I felt it was lacking a little in impact here and there, I don't think there's been anything as sophisticated as this since "you know who" in 93...yet this show is totally "user friendly". The recurring drill sets at the beginning and end of the show are a nice subtle touch of class that is pure SCV...a good balance to all the running they do during the Bartok? sections (which is pretty amazing I must say!). Despite the recaps, SCV's drum line is very good, and is playing more notes than anyone I saw. It's just not as flashy (or dare I say "gimmicky") than some of the others. Maybe that's why they aren't getting the credit, but it was pretty clear they have the most musical/meaty book ratio, and some sweet playing to top it off! If judges could see through the "flash" of other groups, I think SCV would score better. Adagio for Strings (aka adagio for bugles) is amazing...my ears are still ringing. The last tune of their show (Stained Glass??) is very intriguing (as is the rest of their show), and the color guard is much improved on last year. It's strange they aren't getting as much credit for that. I can't believe they've been losing to BK. No offense, these guys and girls are bad a$% though! If you couldn't tell, I like to check out the recaps on DCI's website. I'm following the season closely, and am looking forward to seeing how these groups progress as well as all the others I haven't seen yet. I'm really looking forward to seeing BD and Cavies, as I've heard great things! Best of luck to all groups this season! LJ Diehard fan and musicianTim Kviz This is a little late but I thought some of you might be interested in some additional reviews from DATR and from Albuquerque. DENVER- I'm sure glad I made a last minute trip to Denver to see DATR. I have had the pleasure of attending this show 4 of the past 5 years. On a sad note, it was frequently announced that this was the last DATR to be held at the old Mile High Stadium. They will have to relocate the show for next year, because the new stadium will not be built yet. The place was packed once again with an enthusiastic audience in anticipation of many first head to head meetings between the corps. Denver always seems to have appreciative fans. Every corps was meet with enthusiastic applause throughout and at the end of their shows. I also had the pleasure of sitting around some great fans who made the night even more special. Some were former corps members, volunteers, a former judge and a couple of novices to the activity. What was great to see was an older gentleman who had many positive cooments about all the corps competing and got into every show as they were performing. This is in stark contrat to many older members of the activity who complain about todays shows. I got first glimpse of this last year when I sat in front of some older gentlemen in Madison. They complained about every show except Madison and Southwind. Anyways this was a nice surprise! The only negative was some local high school kids. A nice group of people were watching the drum line of Impulse warm up. After they're finished there's a group of kids who walk by me and make some sarcastic remarks about Impulse. Kind of makes you wonder where their priorities are. I don't see them marching out there and giving it their all. ALBUQUERQUE- Good show and fantastic weather. There were a lot of bandos there who really got into most of the shows. New Mexico isn't really a hot bed for corps activity, but it was good for this city and its fans to get more exposure to it. Drum corps won some new fans tonight. It was easier to read forms tonight due to the astroturf field. Most of stands were pretty full and the audience once again was really appreciative for all the performances. Seattle Cascades (Denver only)- Unfortunately I was coming into the stadium and missed their show. New uniforms again I think. I heard nice sounds though coming from them. Impulse (Denver only)- This was a treat for everyone. They added a lot more comedy since the So. Cal shows. This was their last performance for the year and were treated to a solid applause from the crowd. A lot of individual and ensemble mistakes, but it didn't take away from the show. Dousing a fake DCI judge was great! I think for a moment everyone thought they actually did. Maybe they should try it next year. That will definitely rise the people to their feet! Allegiance Elite (Denver and Albq)- They keep getting smaller every year. They had some nice sounds and hits. Music was hard to understand and that hurt them G.E. wise. They kept me interested both nights. Compliments go out to the lone tenor player who showed some nice technique and had a solid solo. Tar Heel Sun (Denver and Albq)- Surprise, guess who's back in yellow! In Denver they marched in their black/gray/ blue unis. In Albq., when the announcer asked if their corps was ready, off came the black tops and underneath were their old yellow tops sans the giant sun in the middle. Replacing that sun, was a bright red sash, in place of where the blue one was. It just looks better and feels like Sun. To try and play Channel One Suite, when it basically is a signature song for another group takes gumption and I will give them credit for that. They do mix up the order we're use to and at times feels like their own arrangement. A lot of dirty playing and marching. The end is terrific where the guard gets wild and the horns kneel and play as loud as they can. Troopers (Denver and Albq)- This show has improved a lot since So. Cal. After first viewing them, I thought they didn't have a chance to reach Top 21 status. I think they will make it after all. Still a lot of holes. It takes away the effect at times. One contra had his arm in a sling, but was still marching away minus his instrument. Percussion sounds very muggy. Guard is improved, but I've seen some high schools with more challenging work. Brass can have that Trooper edge at times, but kudos go to soloist who did a nice job on the National Anthem part in Albq. What they lack in performance technique, they make up in emotion. I always get goosebumps, when the Troopers enter the field. So much tradition and the music conveys that. Nice job! Colts (Denver only)- The rain brought out the emotion tonight. A nice cool rain came mid-way through their show, but they kept on going! I've read all the not to good comments about this show, but I was pleasantly surprised. Nice loud souds, a little edgy and you can pick some individual mistakes, but very solid nonetheless. Visuals, although dirty, kept me interested. Granted, nothing innovative or to write home about, but it looks good. Didn't notice too much from the guard. Was paying more attention to the music. The ending is the Stormworks section Valley View H.S. from Cali. played as their opener. Lots of room to improve, but they are not out of it yet. Unfortunately, everyone else is improving, and it will be hard pressed to get into Finals, especially if Crown and Bluecoats are what looks like the current 11-12 slot area groups. Boston Crusaders (Denver only)- A solid performance tonight led to many ovations througout their program in Denver. It's been awhile since Boston has been to DATR and folks were curious and had a lot of expectations from their last year's finish. They didn't disappoint. Bolero is beautiful with a spread out block forming to lines that were pretty damn straight and merge at the 50. This quickly leads into a block form and then arc. I definitely enjoyed this version of Bolero more than Madison's a couple years back. They have a nice sound, although not as loud as PR, BK, SCV, and Cavs. Their music though is played well and is quite difficult. Their guard has improved and in the opener is integrated well in their visuals. They drill is dificult, but there are still shades of that less complex drill they had last year. The ballad is great, but as the members who are kneeling get up as they finish the last chord, their voices crack a little. This will probably be addressed though. This leads to a dramatic impact of bright pink/red flags that is quite stunning. The closer is a more sophiticated version of last year's. The Conquest teaser, lead to a loud ovation and ended with a solid wall of sound. This show is impressive, and will be an exciting one to watch in Maryland. Phantom Regiment (Denver and Albq)- They sold this show tonight and they won the crowd over! Man, what a great performance from them in Denver! Just as exciting in Albq. I personally like the new unis. Tommy is one bad ass conductor. I think I watched him in Denver just as much as the corps. He really brings a lot of emotion to the field and conveys it to his corps. At the end of the closer he was pumped up by a solid opening. To me, the opener drags a little and takes them awhile to let the audience get into their show. Petrouchka reminds of Spirt's show in '88. Transfigured Night is just awesome. The young lady soloist brings a warmth and expression to the piece like no other soloist I've heard from this year. There's a part in the piece where the corps belts it out and the sound is so orginal and innovative. Shades of Phantom past similar to the sounds from the '81 and '82 corps. Rite of Spring is handled with a strong aggressive feeling. Many parts of Spring got good ovations in both Denver and Albq. The snares have a part where the center snare starts off the note and each individual on both sides of him dominoes the effect to the end snares. Very cool visual and sound effect. As Spring concludes the corps is in block form and then collapses the form on the front right sideline, parks and makes that last loud statement and poses a la '91. Crowd ate it up as did I. That same exprssion Tommy had at finals last year in the end was conveyed tonight. He knew his corps rocked and I congratulate Phantom on the two great performances I saw. People say they won't catch Glass or BK, but don't say never. This show has legs and has room to grow. If I had to say something constructively, it is the visual still needs to pick it up a notch. Otherwise, I look forward to Phantom's finished product in August. Blue Knights (Denver and Albq.)- What started off as a strong season is starting to get a little serious for BK. I am a big fan of their shows and am happy about the expectations for this season. But, the national tour has started and there are some concerns. I was fortunate enough to attend their practice on Monday. One of their instructors stated the same thing I had in my mind after watching their DATR performance. This is not a good start for them as they enter their second tour. He told the members that and something to the effect of making every minute of practice count. Denver was a bad performance. The first loud hit, someone started too early. That is unexcuseable for mid-July. Totally started too soon and everyone around me cringed. Percussion was off and many visual mistakes. Albuquerque was much better and they really got the fans on their side early. They definitely had the loudest and spontaneous response from the fans in Albq. Nevertheless, this show is fantastic and well designed. Very innovative and refreshing. The melodies are easy to get a grasp on, even though some of the melodic lines are layered at points. This show is fast both musically and visually. Guard is good, especially with that opening statement. Bright giant flag statement leads into a giant triangle pointed down covering most of the field. A lot of body sculpting again, but it is done very well. Percussion is solid, but there are timing issues. I think that is what is leading to scores below SCV and PR. This show has the goods, now can they improve it to make top 6 in August? It might take that long, in terms of fast paced, challenging program they have this year. It's up to their heart and desire. Personally I would rather see this show on DVD than Phantom's or Madison's at this point. SCV (Denver-Albq.)- What is missing in this program? I can't pinpoint it. Someone said they rocked the house in Denver, I don't think so. They had the least crowd response throughout their show in Denver out of the Top 5 competing. PR and BK also had better responses in Albq. This is a good show though, but it feels and looks like a less innovative '98 and '99 program. Music is solid, but they are getting beat by BK regularly so far. Adagio does rule though. Guard is very good, but really doesn't stick out. I can't remember much of the guard work, except for some solid catches. Percussion also doesn't stick out, even though they have a longer break in the opener. I wa sitting next to some SCV parents and their son told them Denver was a bad show. Albq. was way better and I enjoyed their performance more on Monday. Right now they can go either way. This show is packed with promise and content, but it can also be caught by G-Men, BK and others. I'm cheering for this group and I'm sure we won't be disappointed come August. Caviliers (Denver Only)- Blew my mind! This show has the goods. Horns are very strong and loud. Still some individual issues, but very entertainging. I listened to Niagra Falls by a wind ensemble, so it was easier for me to expect and know the melodies. Everything is done with style and Cavalier tradition. Marching forms were clear to read and include that kaleidoscopic effect. Percussion was fun to watch. Good fancy stick work throughout. The end had the fans in Denver roaring. At least my section was pretty much yelling that last 30 seconds. You just have to see it to believe. They have the G.E. on their sides, now they just have to imrove the performance aspect. BD has the performance, but definitely not the G.E. compared to Cavies. Haven't seen Cadets, so won't comment. On an interesting note, look back at '92 and '95. The Cavies weren't completely dominating or winning all their shows, but they were solid, strong and talented. That pretty much characterizes this group. As Finals approached, they were able to improve greatly. sell their show and win DCI. Last year they almost did it. This year they have an even better program to work with. I can't wait to see this show again! Victory Concerts- I've had the pleasure to see BD, SCV and Cavs do victory concerts this year. BD has great music this year. They still are they best at this business, but I have to agree with the horn issue. I've sat many a time front center for their concerts and my whole body could feel their power. This year, I didn't feel that. But, I love the sound of their new brass and am a proponent of the new change. Cavies were cool in all areas, but didn't give as many goosebumps, until Somewhere Over the Rainbow. SCV was the loudest of the three. My whole body shook at points. Completly awesome, but their percussion was the weakest of the three. Clowns though is still a tear jerker. Souvies- I bought merchandise from most of the groups. I can always find something I like from every group. CAVS and SCV had the nicest folks. Easy to talk to and told me to enjoy tonight's performance. BD didn't really engage too much, but were hospitable. BK sucked, and I feel bad because I'm on the donation level of patron for this corps. This happened to me in both Cali and Denver. Never a nice word to say to me. Oh well, I'm still going to buy merchandise, just some friendly criticism. Colts, were very helpful. Boston was cool, but busy when I was there. Troopers, the guy was nice and told me to enjoy the show. Impulse was cool as well. Phantom, I had a very young boy help me. Didn't quite know how to flash that smile and show that positive feeling, but he's young so I'll give him a break. break. Overall thank you souvie volunteers for helping out your corps and I'm sorry if I forgot anyone. Thoughts- This is my last show til Championships and I can't wait. This is an exciting year and I have yet to be diappointed by any corps at all, including DIV II/III. I wish all the performers and staff the best and safe journey to Maryland. Those attending shows, please post your comments, I know I enjoy reading them. HopiSMDS

Sunday July 16

Evansville, IN (DCI) First of all, let me say that the Drums on the Ohio had perfect weather..hardly any wind, and nice temperatures. A great night for great drum corps. Reviews: 6th: Spirit of Atlanta (69.50) Although I didn't like the music too much, I thought that this corps had a good show. The horn line played ok, but some of the marching was kinda sloppy. The guard seems to be a little uncomfortable with their work...especially with weapons. The drum line and pit were very solid though out the show, but the horn line seemed a little reserved. The guard wasn't bad, but they seemed a little unfamiliar with some of the technique in some areas. As for some of the guard outfits...Not my pick for most flattering uni's...as I thing allot of the audience would have agreed. All in all...not a bad show 5th: Southwind (73.70) Coming from Lexington, I might be a little biased, but I thought that Southwind had a great show. The guard seemed confident, and the hornline rocked. Musicality in general was very high though out the entire show. The guard had 2 minor drops, but all in all was very good. I thought that the drumline was good...high potential for the rest of the season. Lots of high impact areas that caught lots of attention. I think that this corps have had huge strides of improvement, and I see them in finals, if not this year, next year for sure. 4th: Bluecoats (77.6) Although I am not in love with this show, I do like it. As always, VERY loud horn line. The horn line seemed a little overpowering at times...not really blending, just playing loud. I loved the screens they used to hide the corps and guard though out the show. Very creative. I thought that the drumline was pretty average, and the pit had lots of energy...they really got into the music. Very cool to watch. I thought that the gap between them and Southwind would have been closer, but the Bluecoat show was good. The guard was good, and allot of the work was together. Overall, a good show. 3rd: Carolina Crown (79.40) I thought the win over Bluecoats was well deserved after the loss in Jacksonville. Crown seemed really focused and determined that the same situation wouldn't repeat in Indiana. First of all, I loved the music. The horn line had improved lots from last year, and the guard...WOW. This was the first guard of the evening to really grab your attention and pull off an almost flawless routine (of course this was also the first guard to have guys, but I am not biased :-) It seemed that everything was going well for Crown. Some marching mistakes, but who doesn't have them. The ballad was especially wonderful, and the musicality was at an all time high though out the show. Drumline was solid, pit had lots of runs and notes, and the hornline was really good...not as loud as Bluecoats, but a more controlled and focused sound....Nice blend. Crown was the first corps to have a semi-standing ovation. 2nd: Glassmen (83.20) I would have to agree with some people when I say that this music will have to grow on me. Very good musicality. All sections played well, giving Glassmen their own kinda sound. The show was really clean, hardly any marching mistakes.There is some feeling of Glassmen '99, where the hornline forms a triangle (?) and there is a solo guard girl with sabre. The guard was very good...lots of solid tosses. Wigs were funny...glad none of them fell off. The Drumline was terrific, as well as the Pit...Lots of runs and notes here too. Very high contender in the top 5 (maybe 4) Standing ovation here, as well. 1st: Cadets (87.4) All I can say is WOW. Not because I have been a cadet fan since I ever saw my first DCI show, or that I know several people in the Cadets, but for the fact that this corps was remarkable. They definitely earned their score tonight. It got to the point that you didn't know what to look at....The Guard rocked (of course), the horns were just awesome and drumline kicked ass. Everything from the clocks to the 'i can do better than you can' section was terrific. It was cool how the guard started out in kinda a neutral gray colors (I think symbolizing innocence maybe), and them changing to more of a 'teen age look' showing the trip though age and adolescence. The guard was awesome, especially the part when one guy threw a 8? while some one jumped over his shoulders. Of course the ketch was right on. Musicality was near perfect thought the show. The only minor thing that I noticed ( and this is purely my opinion), is that the ballad seemed to drag a little bit. That quickly was followed by the I can do better than you can section, starting with the snare soloist, going into guard, going into the part when the hornline fingers the next persons valves. That is where the audience completely lost it. Lost of excitement. The tenor solo, where they play some licks behind their back was mind boggling. Just the shear talent of that group was wonderful to watch. The end drill isn't as fast as years before, but it was still captivating. The drumline was terrific...10 clean snares to prove it, not to mention great tenors and basses. I saw the Cavies back in Lexington, and even though that was a while back, I think that the Cadets need to keep going because there are LOTS of corps at their heels this year. Cavies have a wonderful show, as I am sure Blue Devils, Santa Clara, Blue Knights and Glassmen. This should definitely be one of the best finals ever. Cadets Victory Concert.. Same as Jacksonville...Cadillac of the Skies, followed by some other LOUD ASS tune. Then, the fun section of the show was performed. Lots of people stayed for that part. Tenors were amazing again...along with the horn line. Very Nice Michael

Go to Page 8 of Reviews!
Go to Page 6 of Reviews!