Stairs Outta Hell, Into Home

Corps at the Crest

Mt. San Antonio College Hillmer Lodge Stadium

Walnut, CA

Saturday, July 2, 2011

I drove to Mt. SAC after church, and there was no parking left in the regular lot, except for one space that people were saving during their tailgating party, which annoyed everyone who arrived late.  I parked on the street at a meter before I realized that there were a few spaces in what used to be the VIP parking for the show.  Oh, well.  I put as many quarters I had available in the meter, which wasn't labeled for the times/days it was effective.  

When I got to the stadium, I saw a fire truck and an ambulance at one of the gates.  Uh-oh.  I didn't know if it was precautionary due to the heat, or if it was actually needed.  It turns out that someone from City Sound had fainted or whatever on the field, and according to my friends' reports, the gal went down with such a perfect line that many people thought that it was part of the show.  It was intermission, so I waited to get into the stadium while the throngs of people were leaving it.  In the throng, I saw Glenn and said hi.  He had a rifle in his hand (the color guard kind).  He waved to me and walked in the other direction.  Okayyyy....APPARENTLY, he was going back to his car to change his glasses.  So I called Bro to tell him that I had arrived, and I went to his seat and chatted a bit.  Glenn came back while I was still there and showed us a disco ball key chain that he had received from one of the souvie booths.  I told him that he could have used it when he saw "Mamma Mia".  It was getting near the end of intermission, so I went to the VIP courtesy area for the Pacific Crest donors, where I got snacks and some vitamin drink I had never seen before.  As I was leaving the area, I saw someone familiar.  He didn't seem to recognize me, so I didn't say anything.  Then I realized that he might have been Bro's friend, Kenji (he as in SCV during championship year 1999), but I was too shy to say anything.  Yeah, I know.  I DO get shy sometimes.  

I went to my seat, which had my seat neighbor's dishes on it until he moved them.  There were ants on the ground, so I guess they didn't want to put their stuff down there.  The seat to my right was still empty.  My seat was on the left 45-yard line, 21 rows up from the field.  I was pleased to hear the announcer's voice: my favorite West Coast DCI announcer and my drum major from the Tournament of Roses Honor Band, Ryan T was doing his thang.  Yay!  He likes to read stuff from the program after the corps plays.  

MANDARINS

Repertoire: "The Forty Thieves" -- Octobones and Spices, Perfumes, Toxins by PercaDu

I wonder what their real flags will look like, because these are clearly not them: too plain and too solid.  One of the color guard (CG) guys kept dropping his rifle and even almost tripped someone.  Dude, take off your glasses or get new ones!  I was going to hope for scimitars, but maybe they shouldn't risk the lives of the other people on the field if this dude keeps dropping everything.  I like the drum beat for the percussion feature, and they have a nice sound, especially in their ballad.

THE ACADEMY

Repertoire: "(RE)" -- REact: Little Fugue in G Minor by J.S. Bach; REverb: Lux Aurumque by E. Whitacre, Fly by L. Einaudi; REpeat: Lollapalooza by J. Adams

They have new uniforms, all black, more military-looking than before, but with tux tails.  Dude behind me said that they now actually look like an academy.  All I could think of was how fricking hot it must be for them to wear those in their hometown of Tempe, AZ.  They also look kinda scary, in an intimidating way, which is cool.  Awesome sop solo opening into the full corps opening number, which is outstanding.  I so, so love that The Academy focuses on their music more than anything.  Those !!!!! flags are cool.  It's like the flags are saying, "Look!  We have new uniforms!!!"  Very pretty wings used by the CG.  They don't need no stinkin' flag poles!  I wonder, though, if they have a lot of trouble with those in windy conditions.  Those green flags and the last ones they use would do a couple of Diamond Bar HS moms proud if they saw them.  I love those solo high-tosses!  Great show.

PACIFIC CREST

Repertoire:  "Push, Pull, Twist, Turn" -- Lauds (Praise High Day) by R. Nelson, Push by R. Smith, Adagietto (from Symphony No. 5) by G. Mahler, Pianos (from Serenade Schizophrenia) by D. Elfman, AirLink by J. Stamp

Their lines are driving me crazy in their not-straight-iness.  Those purple/pink/orange/yellow flags remind me of Fruit Stripe gum.  I like those huge white and gold flags, although I can't tell if the lead CG was having trouble with displaying hers at the end of her solo, or if the flag is supposed to stay wound around the pole at that point.  I like the hornline bodywork during the percussion feature, and I like the sound coming from the contras as they lead the last piece and go across the field in circle formation.  The dude behind me said that their drum feature was like Blue Devils.

The guy that had the seat next to me finally showed up.

PHREGIMENT

I love those purple and gold flags even more in person than I did in the theater.  Beautiful mello duet to open, which I don't remember from before.  Is this what they added?  Or was it "Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet"?   I can't tell.  Dude on my right and I were rockin' out to the Mozart Requiem.  I like the hearbeat that plays when Juliet meets Romeo.  I also like seeing the Romeo corps dancing with the Juliets.  The contra intro to one of the pieces was awesome.  (I seem to be focusing a lot on the contras tonight).  I don't remember hearing much of the Prokofiev.  Ooh, Juliet is on the drum major stand at the end with Romeo's helmet!  Is she going to die up there, too, like the drum major in 2008?  I had goosebumps at the end of Elsa.  I'm sure they were musical goosebumps, because it was too warm for chilliness.

SCV

Those black flags remind me of Hell on Grand Cayman.  So, the CG play the demons?  Those drums are SICK, man.  I just wish that the horns were loud enough to match them.  I like all of the tension in the last piece, which is the basis of the show.  I could feel it leading to the Vanguard Yell that nobody did near me (I did, but not loudly, since I wasn't sure).  The cymbals' V and the Viper are at the end of the show -- love it.  Oh, I get it!  The guy keeps trying to get out of hell, but every time he gets close to the top of the stairs, the demons bring him back down.  I like this show, and am looking forward to seeing them develop it through the season.

BD

The big bass drum in the pit is sparkly.  Is it the reflection from the stadium lights?  I like to see BD much better in the night time, because their uniforms look much snazzier with the lights bouncing off of them.  I wasn't as annoyed with the CG unis in person as I was in the theater, but my theory is this:  if you put all of the CG together, they form a QR code with all of that black and white.  OMG, those horns!  Remember when a sop soloist didn't need a mic?  They probably need them with that hornline backing them up...but here's an idea:  use your natural dynamics and make the hornline play softer while the soloists play.  Just a suggestion, because the mic sound is kind of distracting.  The house at the end is kind of cool, although I don't like HUGE props on the field.  I also was annoyed by the recorded singing, even if it was Dionne Warwick and Chris Colfer.  I mean, if they were actually there, maybe I'd be happier.  SCV should use those stairs to get out of hell.

As I was looking around the stands, I saw that guy again and deduced that it was definitely Kenji, but did not yell his name as Bro instructed me to.  I told you that I was shy.  

ENCORE:  PACIFIC CREST

They did their show music, as well as their theme, "Ave Maria", which always warms my heart.  :)

Pacific Crest Encore

SCORES:

All-Age Corps

63.85 -- So Cal Dream

Open Class

4) 46.15 -- City Sound

3) 56.35 -- Velvet Knights

2) 65.3 -- Impulse

1) 67.0 -- Gold

World Class

6) 64.35 -- Mandarins

5) 65.6 -- Pacific Crest

4) 71.4 -- The Academy

3) 76.0 -- Phantom Regiment

2) 77.1 -- Santa Clara Vanguard

1) 78.55 -- Blue Devils

We went to the souvie stands and I bought a Juliet tour shirt from the Phregiment booth, and the lady that usually works the SCV booth was in there.  That was weird.  I also bought shorts and a zip pull from SCV.  Bro, Glenn, Glenn's friend Sam and I chatted for awhile with Tim and his friend Nicole.  It was a great night, and I'm glad that my car was still there for me after the show.  :)

Next up:  Western Corps Connection