I Shall Make the Corps Disappear!

DCI Prelims

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Lucas Oil Stadium

Indianapolis, IN

Bro and V arrived early in the morning, and I was still wide awake, so we all talked a bit before finally going to sleep.  When we woke up, V started off the day by using shampoo in place of body wash in the shower.  We heard her giggling, and Bro went to check on her.  Her incessant giggling was halfway due to her own folly, and halfway her remembrance of me doing something very similar before.  We stopped off at the Starbucks in the hotel, and ate on our way to Lucas Oil.  First, though, we needed to stop and take a picture with this sculpture in front of the Convention Center, thanks to a couple of people that were walking by.  

Silliness

It's good that Bro was with us, because I was still turned all around and we would have taken the long way there.  Outside the stadium, we saw a lady with one of the SCV Scheherazade pillows on a hand truck.  We wanted to see if it was styrofoam, and wanted to touch it, but we refrained.

We had to wait at will call for awhile, because Bro had obtained today's ticket through the Madison Scouts, and the tickets had just been delivered to the box office.  They were supposed to be sent via regular mail, but it's actually good that didn't happen due to Bro's move back to CA and all the confusion with the different addresses.  While we were waiting, we met a gal named Shannon whom had friends in a couple of corps.  She was really nice, and I liked her cool asymmetrical hair style.

V went back to the hotel to do some work, and Bro and I entered our August home, AKA Lucas Oil Stadium.  I bought a program, took the DCI audience survey, and then we saw the SCV booth.  OMG, they had the pillows there, arranged for people to take a photo op.  You know that we couldn't pass that one up, right?  We're going to do this every day that we're there.

Sher her a Zade

Thumbs Up, Bro!

Bro got to our seats just in time for the announcements to begin.  I made it just in time for the Star-Spangled Banner, which was sung quite well by a baritone named Raphael something or other.  

Scores were announced in blocks during intermissions.  Top 25 corps are marked with an * and move on to Semifinals.

PATRIA -- 46.375
Repertoire: "Todos es Posible"
From what I could hear, they performed "Treasure" by Bruno Mars, "It's My Life" by Bon Jovi, "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio, and a couple of other selections that I couldn't figure out.

That devil guy in a hoodie looks like Relampago from the Madison Scouts' 2009 show.   Also, his tail drags on the ground. The show seemed really long, but they didn't get a penalty, so I guess it wasn't.  What we learned from this show:  rock and roll is bad, women are bad (The devil told him, "You should try them"), being in a gang is bad, and if you don't listen to Jesus, you act like nobody ever told you the right thing to do.  One of the gangsters knocked over DCI Orange Cone and I gasped.  The corps changed to white under a big black cloth when the guy turned good.  The guy had a lot of costume changes as he went through the different phases in his life.  I liked to watch the little xylophone guy.  He looked like he was 8 years old.  Bro at the end of the show: "That's not a happy chord." 

BLUE SAINTS -- 51.250
Repertoire: "Summon the Gods" -- Flight of the Pegasus by D. Shaffer; Fate of the Gods by S. Reineke

The drum major waved during the salute and said, "Yes, we are!"  DM George is awesome and he knows it.  At one point, he broke a bored girl out of jail by pulling the bars off of the frame, and throwing it like he was Zeus himself.  They used no amplification.  Yay!  

Hero Drum Major George

RACINE SCOUTS -- 55.600
Repertoire: "87" -- Eine Kleine Nachtmusik by W.A. Mozart; Four Score and Seven by V. Schoen; Once Upon A Time from "All-American" by C. Strouse ; 7/8 by C. "Kyteman" Benders ; Crown Imperial March by W. Walton

Their show is about the history of their corps.  I had watched the guy on the drum kit during the DCI Performers Showcase yesterday.  Nice saber solo with the one-handed catch.

Tom on Drum Kit

The visual field judge is very animated and very entertaining to watch.  He uses a headset instead of a handheld microphone for his judging tape, so his hands are free to emote.  Bro said that now the corps will need a videotape of the critique instead of just an audiotape.

LES STENTORS -- 57.425
Repertoire: "Magical Illusion" -- Now You See Me, Now You Don't from "Now You See Me" by B. Tyler

Sher: I like that (CG) gal's hat.
Bro: The hat makes the outfit.
Sher:  The lesson of the day: Always Accessorize.

Cool diamond on card flags.  The cute little sorcerer's apprentice used the big wand and made the girl disappear from the box.  They had shiny gold frames that they spun. They used a big black magic cloth to change underneath.  We decided that since they're French Canadian, the cloth is called something fancy, like "Le Cloth".

Pick a Card, Any Card

COASTAL SURGE -- 60.625
Repertoire: "A Southern Saga: Scenes from Charles Towne Harbor" -- Spangled Heavens by D. Grantham; Gone by S. McAllister; Final Battle from "We Were Soldiers"  by N. Glennie-Smith; Symphony # 1 by C Theofanidis

This corps is new to us.  They started in 2013.  The feathers on their hats are kind of like fuzzy shower caps when their backs are to the stands.  Nice sound!  Bro likes how they didn't narrate very much.  I would wear that CG dress to Dapper Days at Disneyland.

Coastal Surge

We miss normal shows like this one.  "Normal" is the new rarity.

COLTS CADETS -- 63.150
Repertoire: "Crazed" -- Goin' Out Of My Head by Little Anthony & The Imperials; Overture (From "Dancer in the Dark")  by Bjork; Equus by Eric Whitacre; Crazy by G. Barkley; LoveCrazed by T. White & B. Zeglis

The CG captain/soloist was really good.  She couldn't find her matching heart piece.  Then she changed and had a heart on her shirt, which she ripped off and went crazy due to no heart, leading to her being put in a straitjacket.  That was the end of the show, and I felt like it should have a "to be continued" card or something, but it is called "Crazed".  She even kept in character and stayed crazy until they were in the tunnel.  I like the mashup of the songs at the end.  

RAIDERS -- 66.250
Repertoire: "Seasons of the Earth" -- October by E. Whitacre; Month of the Cold Moon by R. Barrett; Into the Joy of Spring by J. Swearingen; Kingfishers Catch Fire by J. Mackey 

I'm disappointed that they didn't use the big purple flags more, because that was my favorite one from their show.  Go, drums!

MUSIC CITY -- 71.575
Repertoire: "Go West!" -- Billy the Kid by A. Copland; The Red Pony by A. Copland; The Grand Canyon Suite all by F. Grofe

Wagon wheels.  Beautiful warm-up, but Bro wanted them to turn toward us at the end.  Gorgeous music.  Last year after Finals, the corps had announced that they would be disbanding due to financial concerns.  I'm really glad that they turned all of that around and were able to field a corps again this year, because I really like them.

Their drum heads are Western Dirty

<Intermission>
Mission accomplished:  I got my baby DCI Orange Cone!  I've been waiting to get one all summer, and I've been jealous of the people who posted pictures with him. I bought a DCI pen, too.  Why is it that when I looked for a pen last month at a drum corps event, nobody had one for sale, and today, I found a whole bunch of them at different kiosks?  I also picked up my Madison lanyard and a sticker.  The guy laughed at me as I described the sticker that I chose by using hand movements to indicate the shape.  He asked me to do it again just for his own amusement.  So I obliged.  Then I met up with Bro and we bought Chicken Caesar salads for lunch.

LEGENDS -- 71.000
Repertoire: "La Cathedrale" -- The Sunken Cathedral by C. Debussy; Stained Glass by D. Gillingham; Lux Arumque by E. Whitacre; Gloria, Mvt. 3 (Vivace e ritmico) by J. Rutter

Aw, memories of 15 years ago, SCV performing "Stained Glass".  OK, 14 years ago (2000).  We've been doing this for a long time!  This was a good show, especially the music.  Pretty flags with stained glass design and a gold patina.

Bro was asleep and doesn't remember these

GOLD -- 71.250
The CG now starts off the show wearing white long coats.  I don't remember that death drop dance move.  Good guard work, especially my favorite part with the flag ensemble.  Very nice unison.

7TH REGIMENT -- 72.35*
Repertoire: "Nev7sky: Alexander's Legacy" -- Alexander Nevsky by S. Prokofiev

They played trash cans in their pit, yet I didn't see Tom Float anywhere nearby to approve the Trash Can Trio-ness. I need to do some research on Alexander Nevsky, so that I know what this story is about.  The music was very well done.  Pretty cross flags with cross formation.

Crusader Flags

SPARTANS -- 74.425*
Repertoire: "Olympus" -- Olympus Intro by J. Boulduc, M. McGuire, and M. Moore; Symphony for Brass and Percussion, Mvt. II by A. Reed;  You Are So Beautiful by D. Wilson, B. Fisher & B. Preston; Symphony #2 Mvt. III & There Will Be Rest by F. Ticheli

They had panels of some of the Greek gods, and we tried to figure out their Roman equivalents.  Beautiful duet of "You Are So Beautiful to Me", although they didn't really need the amps.  There was a lot to see in the show, with the different props of symbols for each god.  

Zeus

GENESIS -- 75.175*
Repertoire: "Art of Darkness" -- Strength of 1000 Men by T. Bergersen; United We Stand, Divided We Fall by T. Bergersen; Lux Aeterna (from "Requiem for a Dream") by C. Mansell; Mad World by R. Orazbal; Original Music by E. Gobbel

Another one of those joyful romps through darkness with ninjas.  I like the shredded-looking flags.  Bro did not like the synthesized stuff.

VANGUARD CADETS -- 79.300*
Lines, people!  Straighten them, please!  Bass drum heads look like the yellow wood of the Frost's poem.  The orange and yellow flags at the end against the green corps uniforms make it look kinda like the forest is on fire.  The music was nice, though, especially the duet.  Bro didn't like it due to the narration.

SCVC Drums: Two Roads Diverged In A Yellow Wood

BLUE DEVILS B -- 80.700*
Bro thinks the corps could be in 18th without even seeing the other corps.  (He was right, BTW.  He's scary).  The color guard was excellent.  Ooh, the lamps' lights turn on, to draw the focus.  Neato.  I like those guard uniforms because they don't clash.

BDB Bass Drums 

<Intermission>
I bought my 2013 Finals DVDs.  I dared Bro to talk to DCI President Dan Acheson about one of his ideas when we saw him in the hallway, but he didn't.  Seriously, I would have paid Bro money if he had done it.  Bro took a couple of pics with me with Baby Cone.

PIONEER -- 68.000
Repertoire: "Joy!" -- A Mighty Fortress by M. Luther; We Gather Together by ; Saints Hallelujah by ; Irish Tune from County Derry by P. Grainger; Gary Owen March (Traditional)

Now THAT'S a joyful sound!  I love that Irish Jig music.  They get better every year.  V needs one of their hand flags for her office.

Hand Over the Flag

CASCADES -- 72.250
Repertoire: "Turn" -- Summertime by G. Gershwin; Firebird by I. Stravinsky; Turn! Turn! Turn! by P. Seeger; Carol of the Bells by M. Leontovych and P.J. Wilhousky; DIes Irae (Composer uncertain); The Rite of Spring by I. Stravinsky; Simple Gifts by J. Brackett

Why do they still have their green plumes?  Thank you for not narrating!  Another actually joyful show, ending with "Simple Gifts".  Oh, those are leaves!  This is the first of 4 or 5 times that we'll hear that piece today.  

Cascades Winter

JERSEY SURF -- 75.550*
Repertoire: "Pay It Forward" -- A Fantasia on Appalachian Spring by A. Copland; I Think It's Going to Rain Today by R. Newman; Lean on Me by B. Withers

She should give a plume to the drum judge at the end.  "Simple Gifts" already, again!  Why didn't they just use the plumes that were in their own gauntlets?

I've decided to give a standing ovation for all World Class corps that don't use narration.  

MANDARINS -- 77.750*
The pictures on the screens are covered at the beginning now.  Now they uncover them at the end, after the guy talks about leaders.  V said there was way too much talking.  

PACIFIC CREST -- 79.375*
Yay!  I finally got to see the drum major with strings, and saw the other DM cut them later with big scissors that seemed a little dull and didn't cut through right away.  Now they dance the can-can:  I got my wish!  Great job, PC!

PC Assisted Salute

OREGON CRUSADERS -- 81.050*
Repertoire: "Nevermore" -- Mind Heist from "Inception" Soundtrack by H. Zimmer;  Huapango by J.P. Moncayo; The Hymn of Axcion by V. Teng; Nocturne (Homage to John Field), Op.33 by S. Barber; The Alabados Song by P. Bissell

V wondered if there would be teleportation, since there was more than one door on the field.  The narration is too loud.  Yes, all narration is too loud to us, because we'd rather it was silent, but this was really loud and it drowned out some stuff.  Bro is not happy about the violinist.  She played well, but this instrument does not belong on the drum corps field.  They had a couple of formations shaped like birds.  Those raven eyes are creepy.

Nevermore

THE ACADEMY -- 81.875*
Uh-oh, tarps were bunching up.  We had seen the flag with the face on it at their souvenir booth and correctly guessed that it was doing the segment with the mirrors.  The DM spins a rifle during the Hungarian Rhapsody, AKA the Bugs Bunny music.  Seriously, I looked it up on YouTube, and the top comment was "Bugs Bunny has great taste in music."  The crowd really enjoyed the marimbas.  Bro had never seen so many non-staff people standing for that moment before.  What a fun show.

DM with Rifle Mid-throw

<Intermission>
We got dinner.  V and I shared tasty chicken tenders.  She also bought popcorn, which was really salty and yummy, and I kept eating it because I was sitting in the middle and had all of the snacks readily available to me.

The "Big, Loud & Live 11 Broadcast" began, but I didn't hear anything being announced like they usually do.  

SPIRIT OF ATLANTA -- 82.300*
Repertoire: "Magnolia" -- Down to the River to Play (Traditional) ; Promised Land (from "Porgy and Bess") by G. Gershwin ; Willow Weep for Me by A. Ronell ; I Need Thee Every Hour by A. S. Hawks & R. Lowry

Cute dresses.  I would wear one if it was in my color, even with the really high slit.  I would wear those little shorts with it like they do, though.  V:  "Bodies are bodies."
Bro:  "They really like that tree."  Sher:  "They must be arborists."
Good sound, especially the trumpet ensemble and soloists.  Someone's magnolia fell out of her hair.

Magnoliaaaaa!

COLTS -- 84.725*
Repertoire: "Dark Side of the Rainbow" -- Breath (from "Dark Side of the Moon" {DSOTM}) by Pink Floyd; On The Run (DSOTM) by Pink Floyd; Time (DSOTM) by Pink Floyd; Powerhouse by R. Scott; Great Gig in the Sky (DSOTM) by Pink Floyd; Everything In Its Right Place (DSOTM)  by Pink Floyd; Brain Damage (DSOTM) by Pink Floyd; Eclipse (DSOTM) by Pink Floyd 

I imagined this show with a really cool concept:  telling the story of The Wizard of Oz by using Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon as its score.  However, they didn't tell it the way I envisioned.  It was actually told by the scarecrow after Dorothy left Oz.  The scarecrow narrated throughout the show, and that bugged the heck out of us, partly because due to the echo, I couldn't understand what he was saying, and partly because it considerably drowned out the corps.  I really just wanted to hear the music. But I did hear the ticking of the clock during "Time", which was synthesized.  They couldn't use drums for that?  And then at one point, someone was humming and oohing into a microphone.  Without lyrics.  Yeah, they have all of these instruments on the field that could have done that for her just fine, thank you.  The scarecrow dude only had little hints of scarecrow at the beginning, but he was full scarecrow at the end.  

TROOPERS -- 84.600*
Repertoire: "A People's House" -- A People's House by R.W. Smith ; The Ramparts by C. Williams; A Distant Image by P. & s. Rennck; Lincoln by R. W. Smith; Shenandoah by F. Skinner ; America The Beautiful by S. A. Ward

The narration during the pre-show had me worried that I'd have to hear a lot of talking, but that was it.  Points off for introducing yourselves and not letting Brandt Crocker do it for you.  Come on, Troop.  They formed a penny with Lincoln's silhouette, and then formed an outline of Lincoln's face with banners.  The CG gal raised a stovepipe hat at the end.  I like the Shenandoah/America the Beautiful mash up.  I also like the drill during the marimba solo, leading up to the formation of the penny.  I think it's, like, the law that the Troopers DM has to have a beard.  Bro said that they did have a female DM at one point.  I don't remember a bearded lady, but I could be wrong.

CROSSMEN -- 86.25*
I summoned Bones out of the vomitory tunnel thingy.  Bro said that they need to do more of that ending throughout the whole show.  The music was great, especially Colts.

MADISON SCOUTS -- 88.425*
Repertoire: "Time Trip - The Music of Stan Kenton and Don Ellis" -- Fanfare for the New by H. Montenegro; Fugue (from "Passacaglia & Fugue") by J.S. Bach, arr. by A. Ferguson; Concerto to End All Concertos by S. Kenton; Bulgarian Bulge by D. Ellis; Star Children by D. Ellis; Open Wide by D. Ellis; Niner Two - D. Ellis; Final Analysis by D. Ellis

At the start of the show, the dude in front of the clock uses his arms as the clock hands. The guard kicked butt.  They changed costumes, including their pants.  That trio of trumpets didn't use microphones.  Oh, yes.  The guy with the trumpet solo at the end, the really high show-offy solo, had this face like "Whut?" when he was done.  Fun show.  Very Madison.

Time

BLUE STARS -- 89.375*
Repertoire: "Where the Heart Is" -- The Chairman Dances by J. Adams; Homeward Bound by P. Simon; Home by D. Pearson and G. Holden; To Build A Home by The Cinematic Orchestra; Original Music by R. Saucedo, I. Grom, and J. Mapes

Time to move!  The singing-to-playing transition is a little too short.  I would not have chosen that color scheme for my bedroom.  Great guard work: they know how to catch and throw really well, like they throw the rifle over the couch as it's being moved, then walk under the couch and catch the rifle on the other side.  Yeah, there's furniture all over the place. And blueprints.  It's really cool.  I like the mello/trumpet duet.

Color Guard in Bubble Wrap.  Wrap is later used as a flag.

BOSTON CRUSADERS -- 89.125*
Repertoire: "Animal Farm" -- Old MacDonald Had a Farm (Traditional); The Battle on the Ice (from Alexander Nevsky) by S. Prokofiev; Oh My Darling, Clementine by H. S. Thompson adapted by P. Montrose; Polyuska Polye (O Field, My Field) & Symphony No 4 in D Minor by L. Knipper; Symphony No 11, Mvmt. 2 by D. Shostakovich; Concert Romanesq, Mvmt, 4 by G. Liget; Concert for Violin and Orchestra by S. Barber; Conquest by A. Newman; Original Music by R. George

V is already scared as they enter the field.  None of us has actually read the book, but the animals are scary to me because of the masks that the CG wears.  According to a previous broadcast, the masks were actually formed to the individual faces so that they are comfortable, and they are based on that person's personality, so they can really get into their animal roles.  Their masks turn into scary bright pink masks at the end.  Cool windmills.  The music was done well.

<Intermission>
Short one due to the theater broadcast.

PHANTOM REGIMENT -- 91.025*
Repertoire: "Swan Lake" -- Swan Lake by P. I. Tchaikovsky; La Peri by P. Dukas; Dracula by P. Feeney; King Kong by J. N. Howard; Flightplan by J. Horner

Ballet on the field:  so fitting for Phregiment.  I like that double swan formation.  The visual judge was just casually walking in front of the swan couple at the end.  Dude, MOVE!  You're kind of in our line of VISION.  You know, that thing you're judging.  ACK.

Flags w Phregiment Chevron

BLUE KNIGHTS -- 91.650*
There's a big digital clock on the field under the seance table now.  The pictures made V almost cry.  They use all of the screens now, including a drum corps picture.  The last photo of a guy in BK uniform is of the guy standing right next to it.  Neato!  It would be cool if it was a different person every night.

Lucky Guy

THE CAVALIERS -- 93.600*
Repertoire: "Immortal" -- Chamber Symphony Opus 110 by D. Shostakovich; La Danse Macabre by C. Saint-Saëns; When I am Laid in Earth by H. Purcell; A Walk on the Water by S. Melillo

Vampires!  In true Cavaliers style, the CG jumps over corps members at the beginning of the show.  He's dancing with a skeleton.  The CG spins big q-tip bone-like things.  The marimba hijinks they do while in the pentagon formation are very cool.  That dude got into his coffin at the end.

Cavaliers Bass Drums

CAROLINA CROWN -- 94.750*
Repertoire: "Out Of This World" -- Space Oddity by D. Bowie; Interstellar Suite by A. Bhatia; Shadow Behind The Iron Sun by E. Glennie; There’s No Place Like Home by M. Giacchino; Major Tom by P. Schilling & D. Lodge (lyrics); Perihelion by P. Sparke; Vitae Aeternum by P. Lovatt-Cooper

I like their color scheme.  The brass was spot on.  I thought we couldn't hear sound in space, so what is this about?  I am not crazy about the trampoline.  I also am not crazy about people just doing whatever on the field that's nuts and thinking that counts as General Effect.  I have simple taste, I guess.

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD -- 95.45*
They actually tune instead of doing a pre-show: yay!  The set now includes a big huge palace behind the backfield DM.  I really like the new ending, with the corps disappearing under the huge Le Cloth.  Beautiful.  (SCV won drums tonight, deservedly so).

SCV w Ali Baba

BLUECOATS -- 95.80*
Repertoire: "Tilt" -- Uffe's Woodshop by T. Braxton; The Hymn of Axciom by V. Teng;
Platinum Rows by T. Braxton; to wALK Or ruN in wEst harlem by A. Akiho

Now there's just way too much orange in this show.  I wish that their Vs were white so I could see them against the uniform.  I don't get why people stand for the electronic sound thing that they do, even though it does sound cool.  I like how they tilt uniformly at the same angle.  The show wouldn't work if they didn't.   I like when the CG holds on to the snare players as they tilt forward.

THE CADETS -- 96.925*
Repertoire: "Promise: An American Portrait" -- The Promise of Living (from "The Tender Land"); Lincoln Portrait; Music for the Theater Mvts. 1, 2 & 4; Grover's Corner (from "Our Town") & Appalachian Spring
All by A. Copland

That stage is too damn big and high.  It's taller than the pit members in front of it.  The people sitting at the front of the audience can't possibly see anything but the pit, so I wonder if they enjoy not seeing the corps proper at all.  How many costumes does that guy have?  He's like Diana Ross.  So much talent wasted.  The dude spends most of the time changing clothes when he is a good speaker.  Not that I wanted him to speak.  The CG was not showy, but they were very clean.  The music is beautifully played.  They had huge tarps on the ground which had people's faces on them, but they really did nothing for us.  I did like the banner of the US Capitol.  V feels like they're getting points for being patriotic, but then the Troopers would get into Finals every year, and they don't.  It's a very clean show that does nothing for me, and the narration makes me crazy.

Cadets with Blue Cumberbund and Huge Stage

BLUE DEVILS -- 98.55*
They now have long flags that look like white film strips at the end, which are cool when they move them in a circle.  Yeah, I really like this show.  The girl in back of us REALLY likes this show, as she was quite demonstrative with her volume and her absolute love for the tambourines.  "When those girls take those tambourines out, I just lose it!" The throwing of the rifles is more impressive in a smaller stadium, but it's fun nonetheless.

We walked home and had a little nightcap and snack at the High Velocity bar.  It's nice to go go the bar next door to the hotel and not deal with creepy people, like at our Hotel With The Drum Corps Show Across The Street.  I had a peach margarita, which was tasty, but not as tasty as Bro's Blackberry Jack:  Jack Daniels, blackberry puree and cranberry juice.

BD Snares

I get really excited about Finals week, but then I get kind of sad because it's the end of another season.  So I'm trying to enjoy it and not think about that and just think about the new DVD/CD I have to tide me over to next year.

Next up:  Semifinals