Do You Hear the People Sing?

DCI Semifinals

Friday, August 9, 2013

Lucas Oil Stadium

Indianapolis, IN

I am going to preface this post with a disclaimer:  I have had a very full glass of cabernet sauvignon.  So, um, if there is any profanity, I apologize in advance.  

While I was finishing up the recap of Prelims on Friday morning, Bro and V picked up breakfast some Starbucks, then after they visited Tilt for a few minutes and I posted to the blog, we ordered food from Spice Box, a food truck that was with a bunch of other ones on Georgia Street.  The guy serving us was really nice, and used to live in Tempe, so he talked to V and Bro for a bit.  The food was tasty, and I recommend it to those who like food with lots of flavor.

V and I talked about the Troopers, and how she liked the uniform in the Sunburst.  I thought that she said "unicorn", and didn't know how I missed seeing a unicorn in their show.  Much giggling ensued.

Then it was Semifinals time.

The Star-Spangled Banner was again sung by the same lady as yesterday, Kristen Litzenberg (or a name that sounded a lot like that).  She did a beautiful job again today.

Kristen L

Our seats were on the left 35 yard line, Section 141, Row 19, seats 12-15.  We were a lot closer to the field, which made me stare at the baby DCI Orange Cone a lot more.  I follow the cone on twitter.  Yes, I follow an inanimate object on twitter.  Don't judge me.   I took these pictures at intermission.

Baby Cone -- SO CUTE!

Daddy Cone

Corps with the top 12 scores, marked with a *, move on to Finals.

Dan Potter was announcing at the beginning of the show, and Brandt Crocker took over after the long intermission.

MUSIC CITY - 72.75

Nice solos and duets!  I like that low contra note.  OK, I think my ears might bleed later.  There is a big sound already, and my ears are already feeling it.

SPARTANS -- 72.85

Why can't some of these spectators include the "T" when they pronounce the name of this corps?  Their ballad is really nice.  I forgot to watch for the chain breaking in the screens.

GENESIS -- 74.65

They have mirrors on the stock of their rifles.  Oh, those flags have the Wicked Witch's profile on them!  I really like how they mashed all of those Wizard of Oz melodies together.

Hobos

JERSEY SURF -- 75.4

it's like watching some of "Drumline", but wackier!  The marimba players high-five each other with thunder sticks during the show.  Sopranos!  Kickin' it!  There's a disco ball on that drum rack.  OMG, Drum Judge!  Keep up!  You're already getting run over, and we're still in the first block of corps!  He was already almost getting hit by the Genesis drum line.

Drum Rack with Disco Ball

THE ACADEMY -- 78.2

Welcome to the Acadeh -- ME!  "This guy's not looking at his girlfriend, he's like, 'Lola'!  You'll see her on Facebook later."  Great brass work.  The big bass drum in the pit is like a disco ball with the squares on the mirror, especially when it gets hit.  

See the Reflections in the Bass Drums?

BLUE DEVILS B -- 77.95

The middle vertical line at the backfield was stuck for a minute until a color guard gal fixed it.  Great horn sound!  Why is the SCVC Color Guard already waiting on the side line?

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD CADETS -- 77.7

I want to use my laser eyes to bore a hole through the heads of the guys seated in front of us, because they kept talking during the show.  Shut the f*&$ up during SCVC, already!  Or leave.  Wonderful job, SCVC!  I just noticed that when they throw those red/white splashy flags in the air, it looks like blood is spilling.  Great music.  So, this is the second corps to play "Night on Bald Mountain" today.  There will be another.  The woman in front of us said to her friend, "This is a popular song."  Somebody's shoe came off.

OREGON CRUSADERS -- 81.05

V is still on the Journey to Understanding this show.  It still doesn't need the singing, especially when it's off key.  Somebody dropped her rifle, and it almost tripped up one of the contra players.  "House of the Rising Sun" is still the best piece out of the whole thing.

Steeplechase

<Intermission>

MANDARINS -- 79.75

Oh, there's the 3!  Still didn't see the 6, because the high camera view wasn't focused on that formation during that moment.  I just noticed today that the dragon eats the person that is sitting atop another person's shoulders.  People in back of us think that the narrator was George Takei.   Their sound got messed up a little bit, so we couldn't hear the set up of the paper dragon in the suitcase.  See?  This is why you shouldn't rely on narration. Aside from that, the Mandarins did a great job this year.

COLTS -- 82.45

They are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year.  I like that last purple/orange flag with the graphic that looks like their old uniform.  People shouldn't drop their rifles at Semis.  But they do.  Sigh.

Old Uniform on New Flags

PACIFIC CREST -- 82.3

Aw, that's the last time I get to see that show.  Sadness.  Great job, PC!

The Heart Fills

TROOPERS -- 86.15

I only counted four "11" formations.  I was hoping I'd see 11 of them.  That Sunburst gets its due respect, I tell ya..and so does that unicorn uniform.  Fantastic sound, Troop!

Vintage Troop

CROSSMEN -- 84.85

Ooh, they ROCKED that fun. piece!  "Our tun, let us go!  Our turn, start the show!"  Those dove flags look evil because of their red eyes.

BLUE STARS -- 86.2*

There is a little DCI Field Judge voodoo doll hanging from the drum kit.  Eek!  Too many rifle drops at the beginning of the show.  But the high saber tosses are awesome...even while the guard guys are lying down when they throw them up in the air.  I'm pretty sure that they tossed their flags using their shoulders at one point, because I don't think they were using their hands.

SPIRIT -- 86.4*

I don't remember the black sparkly jackets and hats, or the "Sssshhh.." or the orange dresses at the end.  I must have been really sleepy during the show at Prelims.  I do like the silent drill, though.

Belly Up to the Bar

BOSTON CRUSADERS -- 90.25*

No powder today.  They were penalized for it last night.  I like the body movements by the horns when they're in pairs.  During this part, the drummers are posing in the right side of the backfield.  Great color guard work!  They have laundry baskets to pick up the discarded gray clothing after the show.

We Will RISE! 

BLUE KNIGHTS -- 89.35*

According to Bro, we should follow the big blue ball because that's where the ation is supposed to be.  However, when V and I remembered to look at the ball, it was in the end zone and nothing else was happening over there.  

My View

<Intermission>

I purchased last year's DVDs and CD, and the 3rd DVD was free, so I got the Legacy DVD from 1989.

Dan Potter interviewed a kid on the field, who was granted a wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  His wish was to go to DCI Semis and Finals to see the Cavaliers.  Dan asked if he wanted to sit in a suite, or on the field level.  The kid chose the field level.  Smart kid.  Then tears happened in my eyes.  V:  "They're trying to make me cry."  

CAVALIERS -- 91.25*

Ooh, that piccolo trumpet solo was very well done.  They form a triangle like their Secret Society symbol toward the end of the show.  They tricked me with that last flag change again.  I think that there might actually be more to the end of this show, because it seems to end abruptly at this point.  Is it wrong that I prefer the gray color guard uniform before they change it to the green?

Initiation

MADISON SCOUTS -- 90.5*

So who does the announcing for them?  They start old school, with "On the starting line...."  There were a LOT of Scouts alumni sitting in front of us.  There was much crying.  The guys in front of us sang along with "You'll Never Walk Alone", and they had their arms around each other.  I didn't care that they were blocking my view because it was very touching.  I can't believe that I didn't notice yesterday that the dead soldiers are being carried to the front of the field during this song.  I guess that I was busy yesterday, looking at all of the alumni singing their corps song.  I saw the guy running on the drums this time, and finally understood what Glenn had texted to me the day before.  I told the guys in front of us that they made me cry.  The younger guy said that he was looking forward to seeing SCV's show.

My View

PHANTOM REGIMENT -- 93.05*

I think that this is Brandt's favorite corps to announce.  V asked if the color guard girls were wearing extensions in their hair, or maybe wigs.  I think so, since they all kind of look the same that way.  Unless their hairists, and only allow girls with long hair to join the color guard.  The formation of the book opening up is really cool.  The dark purple (or maybe it's blue) outfit is my favorite color guard outfit this year, but I'm not crazy about the outfit that they change into later on in the show.  Phregiment + Shostakovich = Peanut Butter + Jelly.  Mickey wins!  

Dragon?

BLUECOATS -- 93.05*

Yup, you read that right.  Another tie. but with 2 different corps.  I saw the extra (white) balloons behind the bleachers, coming out of the storage drawer.  V had been wondering where they came from in yesterday's show.  Those faces on the American flags in the bleachers:  whose are they?  Great guard work, including when they spin rifles/sabres on top of the bleachers and then do a perfect toss/catch.  

Bloo on Bended Knee

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD -- 96.5*

As soon as they took the field, there was so much screaming that my ears were ringing.  We took pictures with the sign that the people seated behind us had made, and everyone made sure that we knew when to yell "VANGUARD!"  I was crying by the end of the first minute of the show.  I think that the corps felt us all supporting them (how could they not?  We were LOUD), and kicked it up a notch.  Awesome crowd response to just about everything possible, and we stood a few times during the show.  The "Bring Him Home" solo was brilliant, and the flags during "Do You Hear the People Sing" were incredibly effective.  By the end of the show, I was a hot drum corps mess of tears.

The Elusive Big Ass Flag

CADETS -- 96.85*

I still don't get it.  I like the effect of the shiny bendy poles.  People around us were talking after the push because they thought that the show was over.  Oops.

Box Tops

CAROLINA CROWN -- 98.25*

WOW.  I heard a word last night that describes Crown's horn line to a T:  "Crisp".  Exactamundo!  Lots of standing ovations for Crown today.  I watched the singers because V told me to look for their hand and head movements.  V tried to imagine George Takei saying the narration because she thought she might like it better that way.  I offered that he would say, "I was born a poor black scientist."  I am insane.  BTW, that method didn't work for V.  She still doesn't like the narration.

Little Einsteins

BLUE DEVILS -- 97.6*

Bro did a quick calculation of the poles, and said that there were, indeed, 100 of them, which could represent the 100 candles on the Rite of Spring birthday cake. There is a faint howl that can be heard while the show is setting up, so perhaps this explains the wolves on the bass drum heads.  I don't know.  Wow with that screaming soprano duo holding that high note!  The last soloist didn't use the microphone while nobody else was playing.  Bravo!  He did use it again when everybody else came in, because they were really loud and there's no way we'd be able to hear him.  Bro doesn't like himself again because he liked the show today.  That's how I felt today, too.  What is it about this show that makes me not like it one day, then really like it the next?  So weird.  

Bass Drum Wolves

Scholarship awards were announced, followed by the Hall of Fame inductees.  I like hearing Dan Potter talk about seeing Steve Rondinaro for the first time when he turned to some program about some activity called Drum Corps International.  Then the Volunteers of the Year were announced.  It was really sweet to see Blue Devils B's volunteer, Frank Molina, cry as he accepted his award.  

I told Bro that The Academy was going to be selling their red chairs as a fundraiser, and asked if he'd buy one.  He asked what he'd do with the red chair.  I replied, "Sit on it, Potsie."  That's me, a "Happy Days" fan for life.  

The Colts alumni played as the Age-Outs took the field.  They played "Summertime" and "76 Trombones".  There were a couple of Boston Crusaders walking around with canes like they were old men.  I wonder if they were given those to use or if they did that all on their own.  

We went to the Omni to check out the after-party, but we weren't interested in staying, so we went to the bar at the hotel and had our complimentary drinks for being a member of Priority Rewards.  I had a big glass of Douglass Hill Cabernet Sauvignon with some Angus Steak Sliders.  Bro told me to keep the pickle slice on top of the slider so that I could live a little.  OK, then.  I thought I'd been living plenty this week, but followed his lead anyway.  It didn't make me feel any more adventurous than I already feel on a daily basis.  Thanks for trying, Bro.

Here are my companions right before the SCV show.   The people behind us had a banner, and Jeff Fiedler (SCV's Director), came over to say hello before SCV performed.  I loved being there with fellow fans.  So that's the image I leave you with today.

Good night, everyone!

Next up: FINALS