mbui

The fade away shot by Tennessee to win the game. Wow. I thought about changing my bracket this morning (Thank god I didn't) with Winthrop beating Tennessee. I just had this gut feeling before I went to bed last night that Winthrop was going to give Tennessee a scare. Boy, did they. Good thing it wasn't enough.

The Boston College and Pacific game was GREAT!!!!!!! And, Oklahoma lost! Then again that totally screwed up my Minneapolis bracket. Grr.

QUOTE (euro_euph06 @ Mar 15 2006, 04:40 PM)What can you do so much more in? Why are the possibilities endless only in marching band? Just because there is rules "capping" what a corps can do, there is the same in BOA and definitely UIL. There is a difference between DCI rules and BOA, USSBA, WBC, TOB & UIL rules. DCI prohibits the use of all non-brass instruments. The only thing that marching band circuits prohibit are pre-recorded music. If bands want to stick a bagpipe on the field....no one is there to stop them. In marching band, you can do so much more idea wise, instrumentation wise, prop wise. Where do we see the more extravagant and "out there" shows? In marching band. QUOTE (euro_euph06 @ Mar 15 2006, 04:40 PM)But not even Carmel and Ronald Reagan (and whoever else for that matter) would not scratch the surface of the Top 12 Finals in DCI. They do not have the time corps do. They do not have the work ethic of a corps. They do not have the resources corps have. No high school band has the money to travel almost 3 months around the nation. About work ethic in marching band...yeah, only if you're talking about some random band program. But, when you look at the best of the best...the work ethic is there. If it wasn't, how did they get so successful? The key ingredient to a good anything....work ethic. Resources... I'll provide a few examples. Take a look at the staff of some of the best bands in the country. Carmel HS, IN Richard Saucedo (Head Band Director & Cavaliers Brass Arranger) Michael Gaines (Visual Designer for Carmel HS, Cavaliers & Spirit) Mike McIntosh (Percussion Director & Bluecoats Percussion Arranger) Kennesaw Mountain HS, GA David Starnes (Head Band Director & Spirit Program Coordinator) Richard Saucedo (Brass Arranger for Kennesaw Mtn. HS, Cavaliers, & Spirit) Michael Gaines (Visual Designer for Kennesaw Mtn. HS, Cavaliers & Spirit) Nick Angelis (Percussion Director Stephen F. Austin HS, TX Dean Westman (Former Head Director & SCV Brass Arranger) Jim Casella (Percussion Arranger for SF Austin HS, L.D. Bell HS & Cavaliers. Former SCV Percussion Arranger) Gordon Henderson (Brass Arranger for SF Austin HS and Former SCV Brass Arranger) Jay Bocook (Brass Arranger for SF Austin HS, Lassiter HS, Avon HS & The Cadets) Ralph Hardimon (SF Austin HS Percussion Tech & DCI Percussion Extraordinaire) The resources are there. Some of the best in marching band teach in drum corps. QUOTE (euro_euph06 @ Mar 15 2006, 04:40 PM)DCI is superior to H.S. Marching Band. PERIOD. I have been supporting the drum corps activity for I don't know how many years. I've sponsored members and I've donated to corps. But, it is statements like that really turn me off about the activity. Yes, drum corps as a whole are better than marching bands. But, there are bad corps as well. There is no denying that. Pioneers, Mandarins, Troopers and Kiwanis Kavaliers on the same level as Kennesaw Mountain, Lawrence Central, L.D. Bell, Ronald Reagan, Lassiter, Carmel?? Not even close. Even if they are marching bands, there is a huge difference between said groups. Again, I hate comparing corps to bands and bands to corps. But, there is a clear difference between the lower-level of DCI and the upper-tier of a BOA Grand National Finalist band. With that said..... This will be my final $.02 on this matter. We are going to have to all disagree with one another on this one. It really is to good to hear how other people view about this. I only wish there were more people in this world that would appreciate the marching arts like we do. Happy Marching.

QUOTE (euro_euph06 @ Mar 15 2006, 1:00 PM)Drum corps caught up with the times? I thought they started it. But that could just be me. You can't say that Reagon '03 had better innovative juices than Cavaliers '00 to '05. Same with Cadets '00 and '05. Even Crown '04, Bluecoats '05, Star '93, and the list goes on and on and on. Yes, all of the shows you mentioned were creative. However, I'm not talking about individual shows vs. individual shows. I'm talking about the activity as a whole. In marching band, the possibilities are endless. You can do so much more. In DCI, there are so many more rules in place which put a cap on creative ideas for show designers. Why did we see DCI pass the amplification rule? To add more color to the music. To add another element, the human voice, so corps can have the ability to make their productions, sound, design and etc, more creative. For example, look at all of the new african/latin percussion instruments that have been introduced to drum corps since the rule passed in 2004. Without those instruments, shows such as Blue Devils 2004, Cavaliers 2004, Bluecoats 2004 & 2005 would not be the same. QUOTE (euro_euph06 @ Mar 15 2006, 1:00 PM)BTW--has any high school successfully (on a judging standpoint) put Niagra Falls on the field? What about Phantom of the Opera? Case and Point. Let's spin it the other way.... Has any corps matched the power of Paul Hindemith's "Symphony in Bb" & "Symphonic Metamorphosis" like Spring HS, TX 1993? Has any corps matched the power of "The Wind and the Lion" like Lassiter HS, GA 1998? The Magic of Orlando did the same piece in 2002 and the intensity and raw emotion was not in the league of Lassiter's. My point.....there are good bands and bad bands just like there are good corps and bad corps. Could any band truly compete with Cavaliers 2002? Probably not. But, the best bands at BOA Grand Nationals would be somewhere in the mix o a DCI Final.

QUOTE (Fortisimo @ Mar 15 2006, 10:36 AM)Do you think there is a single band out there that could handle the Cavalier's drill from Spin Cycle? Do think there is a single band who could belt out Phantom of the Opera like SCV? The corps are better. That's all there is to it, and therefore, they get more widespread coverage in a broader audience and therefore have more influence. I can name several shows off the top of my head. Westfield HS, TX 1992 One of the most impressive high school drill designs I've seen. The Cadets used design from this show in their 1993 championship production. I believe Marc Sylvester was the drill designer for both groups. Spring HS, TX 1993 This is the only 140 member band I have ever seen that was so clean and so powerful. Greg Poklacki was the visual designer, and he incorporated drill that we didn't even see in DCI competition until 1995 when he designed the Cavaliers show. Spring's show is respected by so many people in music education. Make no mistake, it was the consensus opinion of those in drum corps, at the time, that this marching band would have made DCI Finals. They would have done so in impressive fashion. P.S.: Alan Iron's wrote an outstanding article on Spring 1993 in the TXBandsPress Blog. Click here to view. Marian Catholic HS, IL 1998 A very powerful and aggressive approach to Ottorino Respighi & Alberto Ginastera's music. The quality of both Marian 1998 and Star of Indiana 1993 are quite comparable, IMO. QUOTE (Fortisimo @ Mar 15 2006, 10:36 AM)The corps are better. That's all there is to it, and therefore, they get more widespread coverage in a broader audience and therefore have more influence. I agree, corps are better. However, only when we're talking about the upper-echelon. I think the reason so many people have such an issue with this, is when you compare marching band to drum corps, everyone has, say, The Cadets or Cavaliers, in their mind. Try to stack the BOA big leagues up against that, of course they're going to lose. But, we're not talking about Carmel HS beating The Cadets, we're talking about them just making Finals. People seem to forget that the discrepency between BOA between place number 1 and 12 is signifincantly different than DCI's 1 and 12.

QUOTE (euro_euph06 @ Mar 14 2006, 07:08 PM)I am not taking it too literally. If Crown was to compete at BOA event, they would blow away everyone. They play so in balance, so in-tune, with so much finesse (as do the other "top" corps) that not a single high school band could touch them. This is where the question gets murkier when you raise the question of which sheets you use. If you're using DCI sheets, the individual guard and percussion scores would be a large enough spread to knock good BOA groups out of Finals. However, BOA's emphasis is on the full ensemble and overall picture. Individual captions aren't rewarded as much numerically. Also, how can a judge fairly judge a drum corps in a marching band competition? No woodwinds = a problem. Nonetheless, I think the "Can a marching band beat a drum corps?" debate is silly. There are so many issues that need to be addressed. And, you're comparing apples and oranges.

QUOTE (Fortisimo @ Mar 14 2006, 12:04 AM)Besides, this isn't the 90's now, is it? While drum corps as of late have caught up with the times, I still feel that marching band is ahead of the game regarding innovation in the marching arts. There are only two shows that have set the bar since the new millennium in drum corps. The 2002 Cavaliers and the 2005 Cadets. About The 2005 Cadets... Yes, that show was different for drum corps. However, it was not the most groundbreaking thing we have seen on the field. We have all seen more innovative and "extreme" shows in marching band. QUOTE (Fortisimo @ Mar 14 2006, 12:04 AM) And was their shows actually viewed as impossibilities? I've seen recordings of most of those and while they are extremely impressive I would never have marked them as being impossible. Read Dan's post. He said it best.

QUOTE (davidpowell @ Mar 13 2006, 11:22 PM)Plymouth Canton of old can't not be mentioned though. Seriously. I agree, David. Some of the things I said about Reagan also applies to Plymouth Canton. (Whcih reminds me...I also mentioned it in an article I wrote last year: http://content.txbands.com/index.php?blog=...=1&pb=1#more40) PCEP produced some monster stuff back in the day, especially the 1998-2001 years. I would not have been shocked if they came away with four Grand National titles during that four year span.

QUOTE (Fortisimo @ Mar 13 2006, 10:52 PM)Hmm, well, I would say that Drum Corps (especially on an individual program level) carry far more clout than a marching band could ever hope to dream of having. They simply have far more exposure, and heck, let's face it, they're better and cooler. I don't think there's anyone who would rather be like a highschool marching band than a drum corp, and because of these facts, the corps will be the primary force in the world of marching arts. I disagree. Bands in the 1990's were on a whole other level than drum corps when it came to innovation in the marching arts. Spring HS (TX), Center Grove HS (IN), Plymouth Canton EP (MI) were all producing shows that we thought were impossible. People wanted to be just like them. As far as exposure....the average person knows more about a marching band than drum corps. Marching band is everywhere. They are in the majority of our public high schools. Believe it or not, there are people who are heavily involved in band that are clueless when it comes to drum corps. I don't know....I find marching band to be just as cool as drum corps. Then again, the whole drum corps is superior to marching band mindset has always been a huge pet-peeve of mine.

Right now, Ronald Reagan is setting the standard for innovation in the marching band activity. The way they incorporate modern and classical music together is bar none. Creative arranging and a creative sound. I love how they are re-inventing their style year in and year out. When you think..."Man, how can they top what they just did??" They do just that. They find ways to do it better the next year. It's one of the reasons why I love, respect and admire that band program so much. Their shows are also designed in-house which is another thing I love. Band directors arrange/compose the music, colorguard director designs the drill and etc.

Yeah, some of you have that haven't experienced Crossmen 2005 really need to buy the DVD or CD. Best non-Finalist show, ever. Should have made Finals over Spirit, IMO.

2005 Bluecoats as well. I'm excited that it's going to be on the big screen next month for the Classic Countdown. Although I watch the show several times a week on DVD, I still can't get enough of it.

The old forum was the one that was old and ugly!!! I like it. Yeah, it's going to take a while to get used to since we're all so use to the old look. But in the long run...it's better for the community. By the way, you can go back to the old design by clicking the "Choose Classic View" located at the top menu bar. So...all is not lost.

QUOTE (Clarinot @ Mar 6 2006, 07:16 PM) except CocaCola doesn't make Vanilla Coke anymore... it was phased out in Fall 2005 Whoa, whoa, whoa... They phased it out??? That drink was GREAT!!!! Man. I'm still waiting for the day that Dr Pepper makes Vanilla DP. I know they have Cherry Vanilla but it just doesn't taste right for me. VDP would be a huge success here in Texas since it's a popular drink at Sonic.

Just wanted to say that Bluecoats 2005 is one badass show. I can't stop listening to it. And the percussion, LOVE the Bluecoats now.

Yeah, there is only one in the Houston City Limits. However, there are 2 other theatres that will be showing the Classic Countdown in the Houston area. The Woodlands Webster Can't wait!

Awesome. http://www.twhsband.com/index.htm

QUOTE (Xenon @ Mar 2 2006, 12:40 PM)Nah, the fact that the drill makes the number 1, then 2, then 3, through 6. And then all the other numbers that may or may not be mentioned in the naration that parts of the drill make throughout the show. Yeah, I mentioned what you are talking about. *Band appearing from behind the backdrops in the opener At the very beginning once the voiceover begins. *The unlucky 13 (opener) - watch in high cam angle *The colorguard countdown at the end of the show. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0 - watch in high-cam angle This is during the clarinet section at the very end. Just like what the band did in the beginning but the countdown is backwards. and etc..

QUOTE (Xenon @ Mar 2 2006, 07:27 AM) You aren't going to mention the all the big block "click that link to find out whats" at the beginning? The black panels? Just making sure I'm understanding correctly.

Ladies and Gentlemen, The "Show of the Month" for March 2006 is now online. Find out which show I highlighted for this month by clicking the link below. TXBands.com "Show of the Month: March 2006" Feedback, suggestions? mbui@txbands.com Thanks for the support guys. --------- Past Shows: December 2005: L.D. Bell HS, TX 2000 - "King of Kings"

About the ballad.... It's a very beautiful piece of music. Very Cirque du Sol

QUOTE (Moose @ Feb 28 2006, 07:39 PM) I may be the only one, but I am very excited about this innovation. It doesn't even matter if you like it or not, you should be glad that this activity is evolving. The Cadets are stretching it in a new direction, and if you don't like it, you can be sure someone else is stretching it the other way. That is what I love about Drum Corps. Agreed. If you know me, you know that I am all for groups taking risks, being different and pushing the envelope. The direction that some corps, Bluecoats, Carolina Crown, The Cadets, have taken over the past couple of years have made me even more excited about drum corps.

2000 Especially the top five shows. Unlike some years where the top two or three shows were great and the others were so-so, the top five from 2000 were all incredible. That was artistry at its finest.

The next show will be featured sometime next week for the month of March. Once again, I apologize for the delay guys. Life has been extremely hectic the past couple of months and I just couldn't find the time to fit this in my schedule. Just a reminder, this feature will be in a monthly format until June. So expect a new show every month until then. Weekly "Show of the Week's" will return once the drum corps season begins in June. Also..... Do YOU have a show in mind? Let me know! Email me at: mbui@txbands.com And, I really appreciate the feedback that I have been getting since the debut in December. It means a lot. Michael ------------ Past shows: L.D. Bell HS 2000

Unfortunately, I had to delete some posts on here. A difference of opinion between two members really got out of hand. It was the most that I have ever had to delete on the TXBands.com Forums since the site opened last June. I hope I don't have to do it again. Keep it nice guys. Thanks.