bandman

Tonight I got to see three corps perform, followed by a rainstorm, and four corps do stand still performances. Here are my opinions as to what I saw.

Crossman – I loved the show, and I think it could be cleaned very much by the time they get to finals. They are currently ranked 14th, they placed out of the top 12 at DCI Southwest, but I could see them sneaking in to the top 12 in the bottom spot at finals. The horns and overall ensemble of this group tonight were as good or better than the Glassman. I liked the visual and the GE for the Crossman! Personally I had them over the Glassman tonight.

Seattle Cascades – I was disappointed in the Cascades because last season I thought they had a pretty good foundation to make a move this season. I won’t call them bad, but they were not good. There is no way they make finals, and they should make it their goal to score an 80 by the end of the season.

Glassman – I enjoyed them, but they F. horn section in this corps is awful! In virtually every exposed section they killed the horn line. The visuals for this corps were nice, but depending on the visuals to save a musical organization is like asking a tail to wag the dog – it just doesn’t work. If they want to be in finals they had better get to work. The worst thing for me is that I’m a Glassman fan. I really can’t see them being a finalist in DCI this year.

Then came the rain. My wife called me and told me that on the computer radar it looked pretty bad, but after 30 minutes the final 4 corps came out and did stand still performances. I like stand still because I like the music. I was seated on the 8th row on the 50-yard line! I heard it, and I felt it – Sweeeeeeeeet!

Spirit – I don’t call them JSU because they are still just spirit to me! I really liked the music! Great ensemble and fine stylistically. Granted they were standing still, but they really enjoyed playing for us tonight, and it showed in the performance. This show is one that will be easy to clean musically, and they can play 100% of the show. A comment you will understand in a minute. Tonight I would have had them musically over SCV, again, something that you will understand in a minute.

SCV – I love the Vanguard second only to Phantom Regiment! I will go to the ends of the earth to defend this corps, but as a musician I’ll be totally honest. This show is so hard that I don’t know how they can clean it musically. You can take the finest musicians in America and ask them to play this show and it would still not be clean. They currently hold a slight lead over several corps in brass, and I can see that going away in a week or so. The others can clean where SCV is just asking so much of these fine musicians.

I hate to say it, but even though the show was hard as heck, it still did nothing for me. I know Allan Dekko who is the assistant director. He is a brilliant person and if he has anything to do with it the visual and GE scores will come up. I would have loved to have seen them march the show. I congratulate the SCV staff for the amazing improvement over last season, but they have just asked too much of this corps via the difficulty of the show for them to be a contender at finals.

Blue Devils – Once again, I wonder if this show is too difficult for them to perfect? It is a brilliant show, performed by brilliant musicians. They were wonderful on the opening number, and wonderful again at the end, but the middle of the show needs a lot of improvement, and the show is so hard that I just don’t see it getting good enough to not only win, but perhaps they will fall to 4th or 5th by finals.

Madison Scouts – As an old drum corps nut I love Madison. I love the way that it is obvious that they have a bond that most corps will never understand (all jokes aside, so don’t even make them). I loved the music in the show, but to be honest I didn’t find it performed as an amazing level.

Madison has a great tradition, but I fear that this week we will see them fall like a rock. Top 12 this season??? Wow! If they make it to finals it won’t be because they were great, it will be because others were not great either. I see them in 12th, or perhaps missing finals all together.

In closing, I came up with an idea that would be revolutionary in DCI. We allow the guards to perform without the corps in winterguard, so why don’t we have a sit down concert competition for the ensemble? I want them to be judged just like any other concert band competition – Tone, Intonation, Balance, Blend, Musical Effect, Interpretation. Let’s judge them as a musical organization off the field, strictly on how well they play music without the marching involved. I bet the overall standings may change more than most people would think. Just something to think about from a guy who loves the music much more than the marching.