Big Sound!

Corps at the Crest 

Saturday, June 29, 2019

Rose Bowl

Pasadena, CA

Bro, V, Dodie, and Glenn met up at my house to carpool to Pasadena for the show.  But first, look at what Dodie made for me!!!

Buffy!!!

We went to our usual lot, but there was a HUGE tent at the regular entrance, because they built a Lunar Dome to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11's Moon Landing.  I am now distracted because I want to go to this thing and I'm scoping out tickets.  

Our car was in a place that we would easily find, so that's a good thing.  After giving Dodie a hard time at my house about not having a clear bag again, they weren't even checking bags at the gate.  The tables and trash cans were there, though, so I wonder if they checked them later on.  We shopped a little bit, and I found the same guy at the Genesis booth.  I told him that I really enjoyed their show the previous night, and we talked about them being able to do some fun stuff with their free time when they go up to San Francisco. I wanted to buy something, but I have a lot of shirts, so I bought socks with their phoenix logo on them.  We got stuff to eat, and I needed a drink, so I got in line and found Tim.  The line was too long for me, and I found water at a shorter line, so we met Tim later after he got his food and quickly ate his dinner.

Our seats were on the right 35-45 yard line, section 19, row 49, seats 1-6.  When we sat down, a Velvet Knights alumnus talked to us a for a little bit, and he knew one of the parents of a kid that goes to Bro's kid's school.  Dodie asked me if any of the shows would make her cry like SCV's Scheherazade 2014 show.  I didn't want to say.

The Star-Spangled Banner was sung by the same person as last night, Kim Lovett.  She must have some kind of contract with DCI or PC or something, because she's the same person as last year.

VESSEL

I saw the color guard person wearing the mask this time, but every time I looked their way, they dropped their rifle, so I stopped watching them.  The CG uniform with the loop on the chest reminds me of Bluecoats' "Downside Up" uniform.

Vessel Drums

INCOGNITO

I like the primary colors on the CG uniforms after they shed their gray smocks.  The guy behind us noticed that the guy playing the tuba also plays the snare.  Multi-talent!

Incognito Color Guard and Drum Major

I know what the guy behind us noticed because he talked to his companion for much of the show, which irritated Dodie and me.  At least he was talking about drum corps.  I wish that he would have talked softer, though.  He anticipated the big horn hits by saying, "Big Sound!" right before it would happen.

IMPULSE

I never found Impulse's score from the night before.  Weird.  So if you don't bring your own equipment, you don't get a score?  They have their equipment now, and props that look like Tetirs blocks.  When I saw their drums, I thought that they were still borrowing, but this time from Blue Knights because of the dots, but Bro pointed out to me that the drum heads did not have the dots that are on BK's.  So now my theory is that the dots on their drums represent the dot on an exclamation point.  Great drum work!

Impulse Drums

Tetris Pieces and Horns

WATCHMEN

Ohhhh...those blue ponchos are big sheets representing the Nile!  I didn't notice the pyramid flags the day before. I do not like their new logo: it looks like lady parts.

Nile

I Whip My Hair Back & Forth

Pyramids

One of the guys hawking water was about to shout out, but realized the corps was playing quietly, and shout-whispered "water!", before cracking himself up. We silently giggled with him.  He was so cute!

GOLDEN EMPIRE

I like the horn runs up and down the scale.  Nice grass throughout.  Seriously, I want one of those feather flags.

GE Squat

GOLD

Looks kind of plain without their road tarp.  Still no chicken.  The guard carries the flag and the briefcase at the same time, so it's not just the horn players.  

Flag in one hand, briefcase in the other

Horn in one hand, briefcase in the other

<Intermission>

Guy coming into our row asked if we were at the Vista show, and I said, yeah, I recognized his hat.  Bro said he was the one who had to leave before SCV because his daughter is in the Blue Knights and he went to see her.  I hoped that he could see SCV tonight.  He ended up in the seat next to me, so we chatted between corps about why we enjoy drum corps.

GENESIS

The screens on their ladders are color on one side (nature), and black and white on the other side (city). Well, at least the rifle didn't fall on the ground behind her this time.  The kitchen sink actually appears earlier in the show than I thought, and the other front ensemble guy is banging on the side of a tuba with his hands.  Nice dynamics.

Colorful Screens

Black & White Screens

That's what I call a Wall of Sound!

TROOPERS

Such a pretty show.  No tarps today.  Bro said that they (DCI) would need permission to put them down on natural grass. Troop really doesn't need them for their show, but I guess they want to show boundaries with them.

Troopers Soloist on the right

ACADEMY

I've missed you, Academy!  It's been, like, 6 days!  I don't remember all of that action on the 50-yard line at the beginning of the show.  I also don't remember that dissonant chord in "London Bridge", but I really like it.  It's loud when a wooden rifle falls down on a metal bridge.  When I remembered what Academy would be playing as they took the field, I thought, "If Dodie cries at all at a show today, it will be this one, during 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'."  I was totally right.  I love the way they play that piece.

Building bridges with our arms

MANDARINS

They had some issues getting their towers through the tunnel, and needed to tilt them.  I cannot get enough of those rifles!!!  During the last piece, they are holding their sabers with their necks.  It's a good thing those blades aren't sharp.  That one dude spun the gal around while she was upside down, with her ankles hooked at his neck.  It reminded me of the more daredevil-like routines during pairs ice skating. They all stay in character from the time they enter the field, to the drum major salute, to the very end. I love this show!  Bro wondered how many people were being killed in the show.  I think it's the same guy being killed every which way to make sure he's dead, I guess.

Don't Mess With This Drum Major

Rifles & Flags

What are those?  Thorny whips?

PACIFIC CREST

Hey, I hear that "Zemeckis Cube" glimmer before the "Ready Player One" piece!  Great solos, especially the trombone.  It looks better later at night when there's not so much light in the sky to diffuse the glow.  However, the sky was gorgeous while they were on the field, and it added to the effect.  The cymbal players are on the ramp at the end.

Blue Flags

Sky Over PC

Iridescent Flags

BLUE KNIGHTS

Go, Alaina!!!!  That's my seat neighbor's daughter, and she plays the mellophone for the corps.  She was also in my favorite Academy show, "Drum Corpse Bride".  Beautiful trumpet solo at the end.  I wonder if the props have any effect on the sound when they're in the middle of them, like acoustic shells. I like seeing the reflection of the flags in them.

Alaina is in there somewhere

Pretty blue / white flags

CAVALIERS

Someone behind me:  "Is that a boy band?"

Does she mean, like, NKOTB?  

Those boys can play!  Love the catch of the flag behind the back.  

Another person behind me during trumpet solo: "Get it, get it, get it!"  He got it.

Catch Behind Back

Love those Cavies Horns!

Horn Face-off

BLUE DEVILS

I love the crowd reaction when the tuba players come out of the doors.  It does look impressive.  That high note at the end was not there before.  Are the shoes mic'd for the shoe dance?  That was loud today.

Horn Players on Ladders

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD

Mikey's high note is back!  Those drums, man.  Wow.  Clean, clean, clean!

SCV Drums

SCV Cymbals

One person rises up

Encore

Pacific Crest:

• Show music -- the piece with the cool solos
• Ave Maria

Scores

Open Class:

6) 40.85 -- Incognito

5) 43.60 -- Impulse

4) 46.95 -- Watchmen

3) 49.75 -- Vessel

2) 52.65 -- Golden Empire

1) 55.70 -- Gold

World Class:

9) 58.15 -- Genesis

8) 61.85 -- Pacific Crest

7) 63.25 -- Troopers

6) 67.20 -- Academy

5) 71.85 -- Mandarins

4) 72.90 -- Blue Knights

3) 75.85 -- Cavaliers

2) 78.15 -- Blue Devils

1) 78.55 -- Santa Clara Vanguard

I asked my friends what they thought of this year's show.  Tim wasn't crazy like last year, but was impressed by the clever use of props in BD's show.  They all liked the Mandarins show, although V isn't crazy about cheering about someone being murdered.  Bro said that ever since "Spartacus", Disney pulled out of their sponsorship because of the non-family-friendly theme.  Are you entertained?!?  (Sorry, I just saw Russell Crowe on TV the other day, so I have "Gladiator" in my brain).

It took us a while to get out of the parking lot because one of the staff was trying to get a group of cars out first due to them having school kids inside.  Whatevs.  You could just let us all go and they'll still get home at the same time.  

Next up:  Western Corps Connection