Pastimes with a PellaPusher: Prop Evolution

DCI West

Saturday, June 22, 2019

Stanford Stadium

Palo Alto, CA

We woke up earlier than we thought we would, considering that we had arrived after midnight the night before and unpacked before we went to sleep. Since we were up, we decided that we had time to go to Hobee's, my favorite place for breakfast in the area, then we would have a late lunch before going to Palo Alto. When we got to the car, I saw broken glass on the ground on the right side of the car, and said, "RYAN!" He wondered what the heck, and saw that our car had been broken into, presumably so that the thief/thieves could get into the insulated bag that I had left there overnight. In only contained snacks, but they had obviously rifled through it because the clear bag I had inside was halfway pulled out of it. Bro went to the hotel desk to report it while I called the police. The number that I found for the police department said that they were closed, so I hung up and dialed 911. By that time, Bro had found out from the hotel clerk that multiple cars had been hit, and the hotel already reported the crime to the sheriff's department, and there should be a yellow contact card on the windshield. I hung up the phone, but not quickly enough, I guess, because shortly afterward, I received a call from "restricted number". Being familiar with government calls, I answered (I usually don't answer unknown numbers), and it was 911 checking up on me. I told her that we were OK as Bro was simultaneously on the phone with the sheriff's department. While waiting for the sheriff to arrive, Bro called his auto insurance company, and we walked to Starbucks on the corner. It's a good thing that he walked back to the hotel ahead of me, because the deputies had just arrived. They asked me if I had left my bag the way that we saw it this morning, and I said no, the suspects reached in and pulled up the bag. This was part of their investigation as it determined if the charge would be vandalism or attempted theft. We thanked the deputies and Bro took off some of the shards from the window so that they wouldn't fly out and into our faces while we took the freeway to the repair shop. While he was cleaning up, we saw a few guys looking at the damage done to one of the other cars. They said that three cars at their company had been hit last week, and it happened elsewhere, too.

I don't think I should sit there

I sat in the back seat because there was glass all over my seat, and Bro felt like an Uber driver as I talked to him from behind, and I was also on the phone trying to win a radio contest because I knew the answer to the trivia question. The phone just rang and rang and I hung up before they ever took a call for the winner, because we had arrived at the shop. They said that it would take about an hour and a half, so we sat down outside on a planter and finally ate our breakfast from Starbucks.

Thanks for helping us, Unique!

I also hunted down some stuff for my new Wizards Unite game, and Bro warned me to watch where the heck I was walking so that I wouldn't get killed by wandering into traffic. By the time the car was done, we were ready for lunch, and went back to the pub by the hotel, Duke of Edinburgh. Bro and I shared an order of Fish and Chips because he loves theirs. They were as tasty as he said they would be, and we also enjoyed the samosas. Of course, we also had some beer because we clearly needed some after the whole ordeal, and we still had a couple of hours remaining before going to the show. There was a large party in the restaurant that sang "Happy Birthday" and somehow made it a mash-up with Jingle Bells. They were also wearing reindeer antlers. I guess they celebrate a half-Christmas? But they still had a couple of days to go until that point.

Cheers to a new window

My portion of Fish and Chips

Samosas

Our drive to Palo Alto was brief, and we had more time than we thought we would. I bought a green machine pin from the Cavaliers booth. The DCI mini-Marketplace also had gear for the Cadets, which was weird to me, because they weren't even at the show. There wasn't anything there for the B/C corps present. I didn't like that.

Our seats were the same as last year's, Section 214, Row DD, seats 2-3. We love these seats because they are at the top of the section, and we can stand. Also, Bro had nobody in front of him because he was at the top of the stairs. Sound familiar? The "keetle corn" guy wasn't there, so I settled for kettle corn.

Pre-show:

Freelancers Alumni Corps

Alisal: there was a tiny little person spinning her flag and everyone in our section commented on the cuteness overload.

She's so little that they have to give her a different flag

The Star-Spangled Banner was again played by yesterday's tuba player, Adrian Alcazar...or was that "Alcazaz", because that's what Brandt told us. Twice. Maybe it was "Alcatraz", I don't know anymore.

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD CADETS

The color guard uniforms are here! I like the color scheme. The folks in the row in front of us tried to yell out for the person they knew, but it happened just as Brandt announced the corps, so nobody could hear them. They laughed and tried again later. I told them it was just practice the first time. I like that space sound the horns make in the last piece, which was still performed at a standstill, or marching in place, whatever.

That looks uncomfortable

Now they're platforms

Now they're chairs!

BLUE DEVILS B

I like that the first piece piece feels like it's in Morse Code due to the rhythms. "Hello" is a main portion of the show, and it's nicely done. I do not know how I missed it the day before, as it is THE ballad, not even just a piece of the ballad. Maybe I was busy looking at the visuals. Bro said before the show that he doesn't know why people use balls in their shows, because it didn't work out well for our beloved Apaches due to the unpredictability of balls bouncing. Sure enough, somebody dropped their gold ball, and left it on the field. Why didn't they just kick it to the sidelines? It's a BALL, for goodness' sake! They need to get those judges back onto the field, so they can deal with the dropped stuff.

Dots and Dashes

Morse Code Flags
I wonder what they say?

Poor Lonely Gold Ball

BLUE DEVILS C

The CG girls got the BD Hairpiece thing going on, with their big 1960s style ponytails. "Hooray for Hollywood" was better yesterday; they had intonation issues today. Something was dragging from one of the tenor's drums, but they eventually took it off. Or it fell off and nobody was there to pick it up. I don't know.

California Republic Flags and Beach Drums

TROOPERS

Very nicely done. I really like the ballad. They need to straighten up the lines, though.

Troopers

More Troop

ACADEMY

OK, "Bridge Over Troubled Water" brought a tear to my eye, it was so beautiful. Pretty sure it wasn't whatever pungent aroma in the stadium that was not agreeing with me. I think they need to do more with those flags that look like water, like bring them all under the bridge.

Trombones on Bridge

Bridging Gaps

Little Bridges and Big Bridge

MANDARINS

Rifles did much better today. I really like the closing music. CG uniforms look like bare skin with tattoos. The wagons come together and the drum major climbs on top of them to conduct, and then I think that's the same DM that fights the evil(?) character from the other DM podium. We're still trying to figure out this show. I checked the website, and the character is actually an intruder who is interrupting the corps' celebration of taking over a new location. So either the corps is evil and taking over land like our Founding Fathers and the intruder is a Native American just happening on their ceremony...or something else. Ah, art.

Celebrating their new location

Corps and Guard Dance Feature

Fight with Intruder

CAVALIERS

The brass threw it down tonight! Wow. I prefer seeing this show from up higher because of how much they move around. So someone stabs someone with a rifle at the end. Who died? The good guy or the bad guy? I love that the different sections get their turns in the spotlight, and I especially like the marimba feature.

Cavaliers Diamond

Love this Flag, Mid-Air

Cavaliers Circle

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD

I noticed the flags and rifles this time: great job, CG! I keep worrying that the towers are going to fall amidst all of the shaking that happens because everyone is really getting into the show. Damn, that note just seems to get higher and higher, like he goes up at least 3 octaves during the trumpet feature. We saw more drill tonight, with everyone laying in a circle on the ground. Don't mind me, just head banging to SCV over here!

Some Assembly Required

Tower with Brass

Trumpet Soloist
Yes, she's playing with one hand

Sssshhhh....SCV is Sleeping

BLUE DEVILS

I like this show with all of its stage references. I also like how they bow, like old-school theatre. When are they going to turn on the ghostlight? That would help me understand a little bit more. Bro said the beginning of BD's show is the end of the play "Oedipus Rex", and the rest of show is what happens after the play ends, like the stage itself comes to life. Interesting. The percussion feature with the shoe dance is fun. That little boy in Blue Devils C is going to become that guy on the stage at the end of this show, getting a solo when he joins the A corps. Mark my words.

And now I shall show you the evolution of the BD screens. I think I need to make all of the ones I have into an animation or something.