So Cal Drum Corps Weekend Begins

Corps at the Crest -- San Diego

El Camino High School / Herb S Meyer Stadium

Friday, June 28, 2013

Oceanside, CA

It was nice to be able to sleep in my own bed for one night, and after catching up on some of the programs on my DVR, doing some laundry, and packing again, I was off to my parents’ house.  About 8 miles away from my home, I realized that I had left my tickets there.  AUGH!  I was already running late, so that wasted 20 minutes of my time.  Not that it mattered, because I hung out at my parents’ house for a couple of hours anyway before Bro and I drove to Oceanside.  It was nice to be able to hang out with the niece and nephew.  He showed off his fantastic Bejeweled 3 skills to me, and somehow, I got her to sing a little bit of “A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes” with me.

On to Oceanside, where the weather was quite pleasant, and a change from the very hot areas where my parents and I live.  I tried to guess which cars were on their way to the same event.  I was wrong.  We arrived early enough to briefly watch the Impulse and Gold drum lines do their warm-ups, then we entered the stadium and I bought a shirt from Pacific Crest.  I realized the next morning that I had a $10.00 coupon.  DUH.  Maybe I’ll buy that other shirt I was looking at if nobody else in my party wants anything.

Our seats were on the right 40 yard line, top row S, Section C, seats 19-20.  We had a wall behind us, so we would be able to stand if we wanted to do so, and I also had a place to put my stuff behind me and not worry about anyone kicking it.  The seats were painted concrete, and they used labels for the seats, even though there are already some painted numbers there.  Maybe the DCI numbers make it easier for them to sell and know where the seats are located.  Bro was less than impressed with the flimsy yard markers.  

30 Yard Line Marker

The Bishop Grandin High School “Marching Ghosts” played “O Canada” and “The Star-Spangled Banner”.  (They’re from Alberta).  We had our USA flag to salute, but no Canadian flag.  Not that I expect there to be one at a high school in California.   I remember them from when we went to Denver in 2011.  They then played an exhibition performance of their “007 - The Music of James Bond” show.  They did a 007 formation.  Uh-oh, someone fell.  Somebody in our row said, “I forgot what it was like to watch marching band”.  Yeah, we drum corps fans are quite spoiled.

Bishop Grandin Marching Ghosts

On to the competition!

IMPULSE

Repertoire:  “Crystal Celebration” -- An Outdoor Overture by A. Copland; Powerhouse by R. Scott; Dance of the Hours by A. Ponchielli

Why is the pit so fancy with their tux shirts and bow ties?  We cheered for Justin even though we didn’t know whether or not he’s in Impulse this year.  I like this show.  It makes me feel like I’m watching cartoons.  You know, those old WB cartoons with classical music?  Or, maybe I should just refer to “Fantasia”.  Duh.  Nice percussion feature!  The marimba player to the right of the 40 gets really into the music.  I’ll be watching him a lot this weekend.  I like the music, although it does need cleaning.  Fun contra ensemble solo and regular solo during “Dance of the Hours”.  Oh, I get it.  The tuxes are for the orchestra.

CITY SOUND

Repertoire: “A Day in the Life of Puerto Rico” -- Hasta Que Vuelvas Conmigo by G. Marco; Melton Tombe by Grupo Afro Boniqua; Rule Son Dia  by H. Ayala; El Rumor by Viento de Aqua

I look forward every year to see this corps’  drum major’s attire.  This year, she is wearing a flowery sleeveless dress, character shoes and her hair is up with a red flower in it.  She looked like she was afraid to be on the platform in her heels after she did her salute.  Someone in the corps screams at the masked guys.  I kinda like the silver skirts.  I also like the peach-ish larger flags at the beginning.  Cool modified conga drums and good solos.  They’ve got a chant corps section.

GOLD

Repertoire:  “East Meets West” -- Original music by Scott Director

Bro was worried that “original music” meant that it would need to be explained with narration.  Happily, it did not.  The guard has scary painted faces, almost like a Chinese opera.  The corps uniforms are like body armor.  Why are there silver-toned instruments on the field amongst the gold ones? I like that drum opener.  The color guard needs to work on their unison, especially in the flag spins and their throw heights.  They seem awkward with their flag work, although I don’t know if that’s because the long skirt is hindering their movement.  Their weapon work is pretty good.  Nice duet high rifle toss!  Pretty parasols.  

<Intermission>

People don’t know how to walk 40 feet farther to get to the bathrooms with no line.  There’s a huge sign!  Anyway, I shouldn’t complain, because it’s like a secret among those of us whom are literate.  

Mandarins' San Francisco screen

MANDARINS

Their music was much improved today.  They look better with the color guard gals in the same outfit, as opposed to the random stuff they were wearing last week.  The pit members really got into the music during the Interrogation.  

New Color Guard Uniform

PACIFIC CREST

Their lines are straighter than before, but they are still crooked.  They have new flags at the end, which have a heart on them.  The colors in their new color guard uniforms match the wildcat on the field.  Their yellow double flags need to have more oomph in them, or they should be a different color, because when they are coupled with the guard uniforms, it’s a little bit bland.  The music sounds nice.

Kinda Heart

CAROLINA CROWN

That horn line amazes the heck out of me.  So, OK: Love is for Infinity.  Is that what I’m getting from this program?  The bass drums now have the E=mc2 design on the drum heads...even the big rolling ones (on one side).  I finally saw the CG dude play the rolling bass drum at center field.  I also finally saw the people counting and narrating into the microphones.

Crown

Encore

Carolina Crown brass played that circus-y march-y piece, and their corps song, “Carolina In My Mind” (I think).  

They were then joined by the Pacific Crest’s brass to play “Turn the Beat Around”.  That was fun.

Crown and Crest Encore

SCORES

Open Class:

3) 52.10  City Sound

2) 63.50  Impulse

1) 69.85  Gold

World Class:

3) 66.95  Mandarins

2) 69.35  Pacific Crest

1) 80.05  Carolina Crown

Dude that was sitting next to me talked a lot to the guy sitting next to him.  He sounded like he was from my generation due to the music he talked about, like Duran Duran and such.  Every time he talked and said something that he thought was funny, which was often, he snorted.  Bro said it was like a combination snort and chuckle.  He has determined that it was a “snortle”.  This made me giggle for a long time on the way home.  Snortle dude has a kid in Pacific Crest, and I do know what he plays, but I will save his child from embarrassment by leaving out the actual instrument.  :)  Wonder if he’ll be sitting near us on Sunday.  

Next Up:  Corps at the Crest -- Walnut