RU FI OOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Day 4: Open Class Finals

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Bro and I got up early enough for breakfast this time. We noticed that they had opened up the other eating area, which had the same food, so we partook from there, and wondered why the other people didn't all go there, too. I felt like telling them that they were missing something. ;) We wanted to make sure that we didn't have too much to do when we got home tonight, since Bro had an early flight, so we packed our bags as much as possible before leaving for Bloomington.

I was determined to park really close to the Marketplace today, and the parking attendant did not disappoint me. So already, I was having a good day.

Our other two days were only spent on World Class competitions, but we decided that we wanted to see Open Class at least once, so there we were to see their Finals event. Unfortunately, we missed seeing Yamato and Memphis Sound. Bro wanted to be able to hear what the judges were saying into their tapes, so we made our way up to the middle of the stands, and sat behind them. They were spread out on about 5 rows of stands, so that they wouldn't disturb each others' talking into their tapes. We were sitting behind one of the Visual judges and a Percussion judge. I didn't hear much, but Bro was able to listen a little bit.

Beatrix

Show: "The City"

This corps is from the Netherlands, and I haven't seen them in quite awhile. They had a nice, full sound. I like that one-handed sabre catch, but there were still a few drops. Oh, and I also like their cadence.

Dutch Boy

Show: "Boxed"
Repertoire: Nannou/Forward Though & Multi-Dimensional (A. Twin/N.Klawitter), Another Life (P. Matheny), Synthesis (N. Klawitter)

Lots of stuff done in boxes, like the CG forming boxes from a few of their bodies, stuff like that.

Their skeleton rifles were white with a pink outline. I like the way the drummers caught the skeleton rifle, then spun them back to the CG. They threw their flags over the drumline, so it's like a whole drumline/CG relationship, I guess.

Raiders

Show: "Deep Blue"

Repertoire: To the Flemish Caps (J. Horner), O Magnum Mysterium, (M. Lauridsen), Storm (M. Hamilton & C. Bell)

Good CG work, and they had good dynamic contrast.

Revolution

Show: "e.le.va.tion"

Repertoire: The Gravel Road (J. N. Howard), Wild Nights (from "Harmonium") (J. Adams), First Contact (J. Goldsmith), Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists & Orchestra (P. Glass)

That's a nice star formation at the end. I like the appearance of the CG jumping through the horn line. I also like seeing the drummers playing while standing on one foot and leaning. Nice balance!

INTERMISSION

I needed to wake up, because I was almost ready to fall over a couple of times in my seat. So I walked around to see if they were selling any concessions on the higher level this morning. Nope. Bummer, because I was getting dehydrated, and was way too tired to go downstairs for water. At one point, I thought of just asking one of the volunteers to give me water from the DCI judges' cooler, but I was too tired to be bold and desperate.

Spokane Thunder

Show: "Antithesis"

I like how the show starts with black flags and ends with white ones. Lots of triangles in this show.

Citations

Show: "The Razor's Edge"

Repertoire: Sweeney Todd (S. Sondheim)

The killing started early today, with the male CG playing Sweeney Todd. GREAT CG work, especially with the weapons. Very nice sabre solo. I like their musical rendition, too. At the end of the show, all of the pit members posed as dead bodies, some laying on their instruments. Very cool. I absolutely loved this show.

From behind the end zone stands, we could hear the chanting of "Rufio! Rufio! RU. FI. OOOOO!" However, the next corps did music that really had nothing to do with the movie "Hook."

Teal Sound

Show: "Voices of the Seasons -- the Music of Rajaton"

Repertoire: Pakkanen, Tasangot, Joulun neiet, Nouse lauluni, Butterfly (Rajaton)

Big corps, big sound. This must be part 2 of last year's show, because they did Rajaton's music last year, too. Or maybe they just have a really good deal with somebody in Rajaton. Their opening formation is of a tree, and they have a wind machine that was used between sections of the show. I like that very full sound with the company front. The drum judge had to pick up somebody's stick.

Oregon Crusaders

Show: "Inner Connections"

Repertoire: Concerto for Piano and Wind Ensemble & Danza de los Duendes (N. Galbraith), Original Arrangements (T. Zimbelman)

They brought a bunch of big red poles onto the field, which really only seemed to be there as a challenging obstacle course for the corps and the judges. The drum judge had to pick up one of the black elastic bands that fell. I like the big red flags that they used. This corps is much smaller than Teal Sound, but the music is very nice.

Jersey Surf

Show: "The Jersey Surf: So Far"

Repertoire: How Far We've Come (D. Cook, P Doucette, R. Thomas, B. Yale), In Your Eyes (P. Gabriel), One Day I'll Fly Away (W. Jennings, J. Sample), Thnks fr th Mmrs (A. Hurley, P. Stumph, J. Trohman, P. Wentz)

I actually expected a bigger sound out of them, but OK. CG did a good job, as always with this corps.

Vanguard Cadets

Show: "Perspectives"

Repertoire: Perspectives (J. Peterson, R. Elfman)

I hadn't seen this show before today, which is unusual for me, since this IS Santa Clara. I did know when the yell was coming, though, because I could tell from the build-up, so I yelled along. Their age-out feathers are red, since their plumes are green and black. The red feather from the snare player's aussie fell, which distracted me a little bit because of its contrast with the green field. I liked hearing some shades of the A-corps music over the years. Ooh, the CG gal did a cartwheel over the cymbal player's back. Cool. Great drum feature, and I love heariing that bass drum cadence as they leave the field.

Blue Devils B

I don't remember the gal with the airport flashlights before...or the talking. "BDB Flight 2008, you are cleared for take-off." Really. Was any of that talking necessary? I don't really like the flag colors. The bass drummer seemed more out of control than the other drummers. Perhaps he needs to be told about "unison craziness."

FINALE

The SCV Cadets Bass Drum Ensemble played the cadence as all of the finalists entered the field. During their set up of their corps on the field, the SCVC snare drummers placed their drums down two at a time, unlike the A corps, whom does it one at a time. Bro thought it was lack of respect. I thought that maybe they just have less time to get situated.

AWARDS

Most Improved Corps: Spokane Thunder

Outstanding Director: Rick Odello of Blue Devils B/C

Leadership Award: Drum Major Blair Bescano of Velvet Knights

Spirit of Disney: Blue Devils B

OPEN CLASS SCORES

International Champion: Beatrix

12) 84.200 Yamato

11) 84.400 Memphis Sound

Best Brass: Vanguard Cadets

10) 84.975 Dutch Boy

9) 86.250 Raiders

Best General Effect: Blue Devils B

8) 88.650 Revolution

7) 91.025 Spokane Thunder

Best Visual: Vanguard Cadets

6) 92.450 Citations (to which Sweeney Todd slit all of the throats of the CG on the field)

5) 92.775 Teal Sound

Best Percussion: Vanguard Cadets

4) 93.025 Oregon Crusaders

3) 96.050 Jersey Surf

Best Color Guard: Citation

2) 96.775 Blue Devils B

1) 96.825 VANGUARD CADETS!!!!!!!

Finally, SCVC beats BDB in a match-up this year, and at FINALS, by 0.050. OMG!!!! I was happy. For the rest of the afternoon, all I could think of was how this could be setting up this evening's competition for another upset. I love how the caption awards were spread out, so it was difficult to calculate whom would be named the winner. I was really happy to see the Citations color guard win, because I concur that they were the best ones out there.

We watched the corps' celebrations, hoping that SCVC would do an encore, but no. Teal Sound absolutely cracked me up with their cheer: "Rufio! Rufio! RU. FI. OOOOOOO!!!! ... BANGARANG!!!!!!!!!!!"

Bangarang, indeed. Congratulations, SCVC! Maybe I should only watch my fave corps once a year everytime, so that they'll win. Just kidding. That would be torture. Oh, and I'm really glad that the corps that had the highest scores in brass and percussion took the gold. Awesome.