DCI 2011: It begins!

DCI 2011 Tour Premiere

Alhambra Renaissance Theater (Fathom Events)

Monday, June 20, 2011

Round Rock, TX (06/19/11)

It's drum corps time!  This year, Drum Corps International has decided to start off its season by pitting all 8 of the top-finishing corps from 2010 during the first weekend of Summer Music Games.  This means that the corps have to step up their games at a quicker pace so that they'd be ready for their rivals.  The scores from the first two shows would not be announced until the second show  would be seen onscreen nationwide in movie theaters.  They did post them on Facebook after the East Coast showings, but that's what I get for looking at FB during intermission.  ;)

For this showing, the corps played in order of placement in 2010, from 1st through 8th, which is the reverse of what usually happens.  The show's commentators were Steve Rondinaro and Dennis DeLucia, as usual, which made me smile.  Michael Cesario was there at the end to talk about his new role as Artistic Director of DCI.  We were told that it was very windy in Round Rock. 

BLUE DEVILS

Repertoire: "The Beat My Heart Skipped" -- A House Is Not A Home, Summer of 77, Walk On By, One Less Bell to Answer, Woman, I Say A Little Prayer, Wives and Lovers, God Give Me Strength by B. Bacharach

We were advised by the visual director to watch the cubes.  How am I supposed to do that when I'm so distracted by the uniforms?  Yes, I've returned to not liking BD's color guard uniforms.  They're too busy, and the corps' uniforms are quite busy as well.  The 5 lines on the jacket signify the 5 lines of a music staff.  There's just too much on there for me.  They build a house with their props.  I would have never envisioned Bacharach's music as a basis for a drum corps show, but OK.  I'm wondering if it will grow on me.  Maybe I'll like the recorded singing someday, but I kinda doubt that.  It's weird to see BD play while it's still light outside.

CAVALIERS

Repertoire: "XtraordinarY" -- Nature Boy by E. Ahbez, Fugue in G Minor by J.S. Bach, Footprints by W. Shorter, Jungle Tango  by Jazz Mandolin Project

Oh, the title, with the X and Y capitalized, represents the XY chromosome of the all-male Cavaliers.  OK, I really like this show.  The green drums look like they're something out of a forest, as do the CG uniforms.  The CG walks on stilts for part of the time.  At one point, some of the tenors are playing their drums UPSIDE DOWN.  You read that right.  One guy is standing normally while the other guy has his legs on the first guy's shoulder, with his head to the ground, playing a drum that has been turned over.  UPSIDE DOWN, I tell you!  The tenors showed the director what they could do, and the staff decided to put it into the show.  It's nice to have creative input!  I love the music, the craziness, everything.  Well, everything except the little bit of recorded singing of Nature Boy.

BLUECOATS

Repertoire: "Brave New World" -- Creep by Radiohead, Harvest: Concerto for Trombone by J. Mackey, Deus Ex Machina by M. Daugherty

Creep!  It's my favorite RockBand song to sing!   OK, one of them.  I really like "Maps", too.   No, there was no actual singing or recorded singing; it was just coooool.  There was a "What The Hell Am I Doing Here" phrase stated over and over, but that was OK with me.  The drums were awesome.  I really like this show, which is about what it's like when you join a drum corps:  you pick up a mellophone, you're a mellophone player.  Something like that.

CAROLINA CROWN

 Repertoire: "Rach Star" -- We Will Rock You by B. May (Queen), Symphonic Dances by S. Rachmaninoff, Iron Man by Black Sabbath, Paint it Black by K. Richards & M. Jagger (Rolling Stones), Bohemian Rhapsody by F. Mercury (Queen), Piano Concerto No. 2 by S. Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto No. 1 by K. Emerson (ELP)

They start with a star formation, and, of course, they have their crown formation in there, too.  Wow, it's windy, and the camera made me dizzy.  I think it fell or something.  The corps has short sleeves now, and the pit members get to wear t-shirts.  That's rock and roll, man!  I like the mix of the music.  Fun show.  I'm torn, though, because the keyboard player figures so prominently in a show that's taking place on the field.

--Intermission--

THE CADETS

Repertoire: "Between Angels and Demons" -- Angels in the Architecture by F. Ticheli, 160 BPM (from Angels and Demons)  by H. Zimmer, Doxology by L. Bourgeois & T. Ken, Amazing Grace by F. Ticheli

I like this show.  It's about, well, Angels.  And Demons.  Half of the corps is wearing the cardinal red uniform, and half is wearing the cream color.  I see that wing formation!  Hopkins stated that they're marching at 176 in some points, but end at 220.  That's fast.  Hopkins also stated that it was too windy for the corps to be wearing their shakos tonight, as it would be dangerous.  Really?  Is that why all of the other corps were wearing their shakos/aussies/helmets?  They all have feathers, Mr. H.  Then he chastised the people that don't hydrate enough while on tour, saying that's their problem.  OK, whatever.  Nice percussion feature in this show, both from the battery and the pit.  The dissonance of the Doxology is interesting, and I'm really glad that the chord finally resolves at the end, because that would make me crazy.

Next, we got to hear from a member of the corps:  Nathan Medina of Bluecoats.  A bunch of people in our audience cheered, because he's from So Cal.  Remember when I met a drum corps mom on the plane last year?  That's Nathan's mom!  So I cheered, too, thinking to myself, "I met your mom!"

PHANTOM REGIMENT
Repertoire: "Juliet" -- East of Eden by L. Holdridge, Requiem by G. Verdi, Requiem by W.A. Mozart, Love Theme from Romeo & Juliet (A Time For Us) by N. Rota, Romeo & Juliet by S. Prokofiev, Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral (from Lohengrin) by R. Wagner


You read that right:  Elsa!  So awesome to hear their theme song in their actual show.  This show focuses on Juliet's experience in the love story, with the corps uniforms donning a Montague crest, showing that they are the Romeos.  The music is really pretty, and the show is beautiful.  I think that somebody might cry on July 3.  I'm just saying.  I really like the purple and gold double flags. I'm really looking forward to seeing this show a lot of times this year.  :)


SANTA CLARA VANGUARD
Repertoire:  "The Devil's Staircase" -- First Essay for Orchestra, Op. 12 by S. Barber, Piano Sonata No. 2 by A. Dorman, Eternal Knot by K. Jenkins, Etudes for Piano, No. 13 (The Devil's Staircase)  by G. Ligeti


Corps director Jeff Fiedler described the show as "You're in hell, and you want to get out."  There is a lot of running around on the field by individual corps members.  The drum major didn't take off his aussie, not that I even saw him salute.  Are they going to keep those on this year?  Or was it a wind thing?  I'm digging this show!  Are you surprised?  It's Vanguard!  Total Vanguard.


BLUE STARS
Repertoire: "REBOURNE" -- Main Titles from The Bourne Identity by J. Powell, Burly Brawl from The Matrix by D. Davis, Bourne Gets Well from The Bourne Identity by J. Powell, Trinity Definitely from The Matrix by D. Davis, Treadstone Assassins from The Bourne Identity by J. Powell, Bullet Time from The Matrix by D. Davis


They have a catwalk in the middle of the field.  DeLucia thinks they should move it back so that the corps has more room to move.  Yeah, it's pretty big.  As usual, they'll have images on the scaffolding later in the season.  There's a ramp to go up to the catwalk, upon which a CG guy threw up his rifle, walked down the ramp, and caught it.  I like the music for the show, but that catwalk is distracting.


Encore:  SCV
They played a piece from the show, as well as "Send In The Clowns", which made me happy.  


Scores:
66.200 Blue Stars
67.500 SCV
69.100 Phregiment
70.150 Bluecoats
70.600 Crown
72.550 BD
72.600 Cadets
74.350 Cavaliers


BD's undefeated streak finally ended on Saturday in Austin.  It was a great run, BD.


I hope that this becomes a tradition.  It was cool to see the top corps at the beginning of the season, so that I can see how they've progressed when we get to Finals Week.