The Danpodcast - DCI Southwestern Nerd-In 2019

[gregorydf01]

But we love your enthusiasm, please don't stop or think your being overbearing, no break needed! 

 

I wish I could have attended in San Antonio.  I was able to watch streaming but it's just not the same as having all that sound hit you in person!   I also really enjoyed the Crossmen and Boston, they really know how to put their all into it and it shows.   But for that reason and the level of execution the Bluecoats are my favorites as well (also I am older and love the Beatles!). 

 

Looking forward to the rest of the season and may have to get out to the theater to see the World Championships!

[FloMoParent]

I don't know why Carolina Crown didn't win San Antonio.  It was far and away my favorite.  Their sound dominates the dome, they are the definition of playing to a spot on the back of the upper wall.  Not only did they fill the air, they filled the field.  They used seemingly every inch of turf allowed.  Not only was their sound just amazing, their marching was spectacular! Incredibly fast and super precise. You could use a straight edge on their lines.  Each movement and turn popped into the next one.  Turning and exploding boxes, swift counter march all at an insane speed while every molecule of air is met with perfect notes from every section.  I felt the movement of their entire show throughout each piece and movement.  Their drill complimented the pops and the props added to the performance.  I was so full of "oh wow!" "amazing!" "WOW!" and "did they just do that!" throughout their entire time on the field.  When their performance ended it was like they took everyone in the dome on a journey.  We didn't want it to end, but when it did we were in the performance with them.  It was something amazing to witness.

I liked Bluecoats, but the middle of their performance just drags for me.  It seemed to get lost.  I really like the Beatles, but, to me, their performance Saturday was not that crisp.

SCV was all over the field and had a very energetic show.  Again, to my untrained eye, it seemed like the "story" didn't start until half-way through.  I don't know if it was there was so much going on and I just missed it or what.  Also, the grey in the musicians' uniforms matched the grey in the tarps (which covered most of the turf) and they seemed to get lost at times.  I don't know if that was the effect they were going for, but it made the guard in their bright neon really stand out.

Blue Devils were great, like they always are.  I wasn't blown away, by anything, but they executed like the Blue Devils always do.  I did seem to notice a bit of "park and play" in areas of their show.  I don't know if it was because I was looking for it, or if there wasn't anything else going on to draw my eyes away from it.

To my novice eyes, there is a clear separation between the top four (Bluecoats, Blue Devils, Santa Clara Vangard, and Crown) and the next six.  The top four are really, really good.  Ten through Twelve (Crossmen, Mandarin, and Phantom) are almost interchangeable. However, the first corp that can figure out how to get their lines straight will have an advantage.

Oh, it was good to meet MadisonBandMan1.  Sorry we didn't get to talk more.  Speaking of talking, who are these people that insist on having a conversation about everything not on the field, when there is a performance going on?  And those who are determined to walk around during the performance really irritate me.  Learn some etiquette! 

[LeanderMomma]

I love Crowns show far more than SCV or BD this year, but the judges don’t seem to agree. And I definitely noticed some of the park and bark you referred to in the top groups.

 

I hear you on the people having conversations during the corps performances. It drives me bonkers! I kept turning my head to the people behind me in Denton last Thursday and they would hush for a few minutes and then go right back to full volume chatting. I see this far more often at DCI than I do at BOA. I think the high school band parents have been trained VERY well on performance etiquette whereas DCI has a lot of people who seem clueless as to the fact they need to SHUT UP during a performance.

 

The worst thing for me last week at Denton was a concession vendor below my section screaming ICE CREAM every 5 to 10 seconds. Any time a corps had a semi quiet part of the show, her voice would echo out into the stands. Honestly I wanted to choke her!

[MadisonBandMan1]

Oh it was definitely awesome to meet you FloMoParent! And don't worry, I understand!  To be honest the group that surprised me the most was Phantom Regiment. They were the first group that had a lot of WOW moments for me, and it was even better getting to see my friend marching with them down there. He just so happens to be the 2nd baritone player on the lead part, which I think is AWESOME! I was floored from Cavies on... I loved the guy on stilts and the running man in Boston's show.'

 

 

Crown and Bloo had by far the most crisp sounds of the entire night. You could not only hear but almost literally see right through their sound, and THOSE CHORDS!!! The releases rang through the entire stadium. It was awesome hearing all of the guard catches in the last six shows too. 

 

All in all this was one of the best nights of my life, and the fun continued to the next day when I spent the day on a Jet-ski and boat turning into a lobster. I hurt (a lot) right now, but it was all worth it!

[DrumCorpsGeek]

Crown's show just doesn't make sense.  If someone could give me a clear description of what that show is, you would be a genius.  Really hurts their GE and other parts.

[LeanderMomma]

  On 7/23/2019 at 9:25 PM, DrumCorpsGeek said:

Crown's show just doesn't make sense. If someone could give me a clear description of what that show is, you would be a genius. Really hurts their GE and other parts.

They’re invisible?

[MadisonBandMan1]

Crown's show makes sense to me, but I can't explain it. The video interviews that klesch and saktig have been in have explained a lot of things that go on in the show too.

[FloMoParent]

Their show uses a lot of the Fibonacci sequence aka "The Golden Ratio" the triangle props have it broken out and they form several of the Fibonacci spirals throughout the performance.  In trying to understand the show "Beneath the Surface" I think they are not talking about beneath the surface as being underground, but really what lays beneath what is first observed. Like with music, the connection of notes and harmonies via the golden ratio.  I think this is what they are getting at.  The true beauty of music and mathematics.  Art as Science  Science as Art.

[BandFan95]

I loved Goliath!  Boston Crusaders...second year in a row that I simply loved them. I sprung for good seats for my daughter and I to watch.  We sat next to Carolina Crown's DM's mom.  I don't get Crown's show.  The Blue Coats and Blue Devil's shows are great!  SCVG's show is beautifully executed.