DCI Prelims
Thursday, August 9, 2018
Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, IN
I flew into San Jose on Tuesday so that I can make things round trips instead of 3 one-way trips and avoid security folks thinking I'm some kind of crazy person that only reserves one-way trips. One of my friends was red-flagged because she paid for a one-way ticket in cash, so I'm extra wary. Not that I ever pay in cash, but the one-way thing alerts officials, too.
I stayed at the Wyndham Garden Inn, where it smells really nice in the lobby. The room needs a little cosmetic help (cracks in walls and the sink drained very slowly). Also the bed was hard, but I still slept OK, so no biggie. I had dinner at the hotel restaurant, Island Grill, and it was tasty.
Early in the morning, I took the hotel shuttle back to the airport for my early flight, and I saw a woman in line whom was wearing a SCV Cadets sweatshirt. I got her attention and told them that they won last night, and she said she knew and was on her way to Indianapolis for Finals. Me, too! I didn't try to talk to her after that even though she was on the same plane, because I didn't want to seem like I was stalking her. On my flight, I sat next to a couple but didn't speak to them until they got off of the plane in Phoenix. He asked if Indianapolis is home for me, and I told him that no, I was on my way to a drum corps competition. "Drum corps? I love drum corps!", he said. He asked whom was my favorite and looked at my SCV sweatshirt. I told him SCV and he knew who they were and that they were always near the top. He was not on his way to Indy, though. Oh, well. We had both enjoyed the spiel because the flight attendant was funny. "If you're traveling with children, whyyyyy?"
When my flight arrived at Indy, we had to sit on the tarmac for awhile because there was lightning and the employees all had to go inside until they were cleared to go back outside. Bro and V were in the same predicament on their plane, and we met a few minutes later inside the terminal. We took an Uber to the hotel. Our driver yelled at someone else when we were leaving the airport: "What are YOU doing?!?!" Oh, boy, I thought, we're going to die before we get to Finals. Obviously, we didn't, unless I'm typing this as a spirit who doesn't know she is one.
We arrived at the JW Marriott, and the woman who checked me in walked up to me in line to bring her to her work station, which was, like, 5 feet away. It was kind of weird, but not as weird as her giving me only 2 keys when there were 3 people listed on the reservation. If I already did mobile check in, why do I still have to go through this process at all? When we got on the elevator, two women also got on, and one said, "We're going to try not to do the last time we got in here." I guess I'm in some kind of morbid mood, because I asked, "Did you kill someone?" They smiled. V said, "Awkward." They were very friendly, though, and said that they didn't know they had to put their room key in the elevator slot so they could get access to their floor. Just so you know, they didn't answer my original question, so watch out, World.
After unpacking, we had dinner at Thai Paradise, then went to Jack's Donuts next door for dessert and breakfast for the next couple of days. We're planners like that. I had trouble getting to sleep because I'm still on Pacific Time, but eventually had a few hours of sleep before getting up at 6:30 am for a full day of drum corps. We all agreed to wear our Oreoborus shirts on the same day (I got them for us for Christmas last year), and today was the day!
Bro and I walked to Lucas Oil and we were a little bit early, so we walked over to the SCV souvie trailer and took a picture.
While waiting for the gates to open, a guy told us to have our bags open. I don't know why, because nobody checked them. We stopped at the SCV souvie booth so Bro could buy his V t-shirt, which looks like their Babylon uniform. I bought a stadium bag, which we used the rest of the day for all of the souvenirs we bought. We then went to our seats in Section 242, Row 6, seats 8-10, on the left 30-yard line.
The Star-spangled Banner was performed by a trumpeter named Eric. Great job, Eric! Or Erik. I don't know how he spells his name.
Top 25 corps advance to Semifinals, marked with an *.
HEAT WAVE -- 58.700
Repertoire: "The World Keeps Spinning" -- New World Symphony by A. Dvořák; The Times Are A-Changin by B. Dylan; What A Wonderful World by L. Armstrong; Fanfare for The Common Man by A. Copland; There’s A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow by R. B. Sherman & R. M. Sherman
We saw them rehearsing outside, kinda near the sign that said, "Do not rehearse by ticket booths." The color guard (CG) had big newspapers that Bro wanted to read. They had a big globe that spun around, which makes sense, given the title of their show. Nice trumpet solo on "What A Wonderful World". I couldn't understand the narration because there was too much echo.
RAIDERS -- 60.025
Repertoire: "Beowulf: The Rise of a Legend" -- Beowulf: The Rise of a Legend by J. Kaplan
Nice sound, brass! They have what looks like Jenga blocks, which they move around the field for use in different formations. The drum judge picked up someone's drumstick.
COLT CADETS -- 61.800
Repertoire: "Moderne" -- Un Bel Di by G. Puccini; Symphony No. 7, 2nd Mvmt. by L. van Beethoven; Young and Beautiful by L. Del Rey & R. Nowels; Bad Romance by S. Germanotta (Lady Gaga) and N. Khayat; The Hut of Baba Yaga & The Great Gates of Kiev by M. Mussorgsky
Very nice music, especially the trumpet solo. They used red modified rifles and sabres with red handles. I thought Brandt called the show "Bulgarian", which confused me during "Bad Romance", and I began to question whether or not Lady Gaga was Bulgarian. (I'm pretty sure she's of Italian heritage).
SHADOW -- 62.600
Repertoire: "The Body Celestial" -- Shine by M. Markowski; The Wayfaring Stranger (Traditional) adapted by C. M. Nelson; Aurora Awakes by J. Mackey
I prefer their traditional uniforms. Nice trombone solo. The bass drummers don't have enough to carry, so they also need a pyramid on their backs? Somebody dropped a face of their pyramid on the field. I didn't understand most of the narration except "We are the Body Celestial."
GOLDEN EMPIRE -- 65.100
Welcome to your first time at DCI Finals! Great work on the ballad! I love that "We're Not Gonna Take It".
<Intermission>
We had a little more time, so we went shopping and I went back to the SCV booth to buy a jacket. We also went to the official DCI shopping area and I bought this year's DCI Orange Cone and a program.
JUBAL -- 66.175
Repertoire: "Vincent, the Beauty of Madness"
Nice trumpet solo. It seems like he/she got hit by the flag, but I'm not sure. I like the flags, which had elements of Van Gogh's work; I especially liked the eye from his self-portrait. The show made me want to watch SCV's "Music for a Starry Night". Very nice show! I love the trumpet sustain during "Claire de Lune".
SOUTHWIND - 66.138
Repertoire: "The Guitarist" -- Danzon No. 2 by A. Márquez; A Mis Abuelos by A. Sandoval;
Everything I Can't Have by R. Thicke, J. Gass, & M. Vivanco; Sing to the Moon by L. Mvula & S. Brown
When they use the long strings, their formation looked like a banjo, not really a guitar. He's not actually playing those guitars. I like the Danzon; nice sound in the last piece.
RIVER CITY RHYTHM -- 68.125
Repertoire: "Each Hour Wounds" -- The Hours - Dead Things by P. Glass; Somewhere in Time by J. Barry; Each Hour Wounds by C. Friesleben, B. Hoover, & P. Weber
Tick. Tock. Marimbas were moved to the field, and they played from both sides! The lead CG kept dropping and it made me crazy.
LOUISIANA STARS -- 68.438
Repertoire: "Redemption" -- Temen Oblak (Dark Clouds) (from The Drop That Contained the Sea) by C. Tin; Bridge Over Troubled Water by P. Simon; Piano Etude #13, L'escalier du diable (The Devil's Staircase) by G. Ligeti; Ode to Joy by L. van Beethoven; Hallelujah by L. Cohen
Oh, their flags are on the bottom shelf of the benches! I'm not crazy about this arrangement of "Bridge", but I do like their flags. Bro is critical about body movements because we watched "World of Dance" last night.
GUARDIANS -- 71.200
Repertoire: "Damned" -- Featuring music by K. Lamar, K. West, Kesha, Chance the Rapper, Childish Gambino, Beyoncé, G. Mahler, D. Montoya Jr., D. Bush, & P. Islas
I did not like the singing, and would have liked to have heard the brass more. The singing wasn't loud or coherent, but I was annoyed. The graffiti on the pillars included Pac-Man.
<Intermission>
Bro and I ate lunch and watched the Free Players corps from the dining area. My cheeseburger was a bit burned but at least they were ready for us at intermission. We still had some time to shop, so we went to the Open Class corps area and visited the SCV Cadets booth, where they had their trophy! We looked in the sale bin, and I bought a 50th anniversary tank top for $10.00.
7TH REGIMENT - 71.875
Repertoire: "In A Different Light" -- Finale (from The Abyss) by A. Silvestri; Serenada Schizophrana by D. Elfman; All Love Can Be & A Kaleidoscope of Mathematics (from A Beautiful Mind) by J. Horner
Me: That thing's gonna light up.
Bro: It already did.
Me: What? I missed it!
I really like their flags. The ball glows different colors. I want to see that show again, but that's not going to happen. Very nice sound.
SPARTANS -- 74.4133*
Repertoire: "Da Vinci's Workshop" -- Meet Leonardo: Original Music by K. Poulan, M. McGuire, & M. Moore; The Vitruvian Man: Original Music by K. Poulan, M. McGuire, & M. Moore; The Artist: Mona Lisa: Music by C. Debussy, Arr. by K. Poulan & Matt McGuire; The Workshop: Original Music by M. McGuire & M. Moore; The Flying Machine: Sogno di Volare by C. Tin, Arr. by K. Poulan, M. McGuire, and M. Moore
Their cheer sounds like the raptors from Jurassic Park. Beautiful dynamic contrast on the Claire de Lune. Very nice screens, like the Mona Lisa. BD has made everyone want tall plumes.
V arrived, telling stories of how she wasn't allowed to bring in the coffee she just bought, and other stuff that happened at the gate. They're inconsistent here with their bag check policies.
LEGENDS -- 74.4
Repertoire: "Along Came a Spider" -- HATCH: Rite of Spring by I. Stravinsky; Itsy Bitsy Spider (Traditional); ARACHNID: Symphony No. 8, Mvt. 3 by D. Shostakovich; SPIN: Aha! by I. Heap; Spiderman Theme by P. Webster & R. Harris; WEB: Water Night by E. Whitacre; WIDOW: Metropolis Symphony, Mvt. 1 (Lex) by M. Daugherty
Do they take those mound-like props from the Cavaliers "Men are from Mars" show? Spider-pig! Nice trumpet solo on Itsy Bitsy Spider. Whose kid is that singing? Rite of Spring makes me look forward to the Mandarins show.
GOLD -- 75.775*
I thought they had more rainbows at the end in previous shows. I still like the bras run with the purple/green flags.
BLUE DEVILS B -- 80.10*
Those screens weren't there before. At least they didn't look like that. Their drum sleeves weren't there before either. "A Time For Us" seems like a random piece stuck in with the others, but I get how it fits in the story they're telling. I think it's the style that seems random to me. The solos were way too loud.
SANTA CLARA VANGUARD CADETS -- 81.5*
WOW! Great way to show us why you earned that title, SCVC! I'm so proud to see how far you've come since SCV Family Day.
<Intermission>
PIONEER -- 64.3
Repertoire: "Celtic Dragons" -- The Awakening by R. Stein, D. Campbell, & J. Coleman; Taking Flight (from How To Train Your Dragon) by J. Powell; Dragon Fire & Beneath the Earth and Sky by R. Stein, D. Campbell, & J. Coleman
This is NOT called "Salty Dragons", which is what I thought I heard. The dragon is sparkly! Not-Merida sings, and she conducts! The second drum major conducts the corps when Not-Merida faces the audience. They have dragons on their drums. I like the flags with the dragon eye.
JERSEY SURF -- 69,925
Repertoire: "[mondo mondrian]" -- Music for Pieces of Wood by S. Reich; Cornfield Chase (from Interstellar) by H. Zimmer; Variations on Manuel de Falla's Ritual Fire Dance (from El amor brujo) by A. Yozviak; Etude Op 10 No. 12 in C minor, Revolutionary by F. Chopin; Behind Blue Eyes by P. Townshend; Symphony No. 4 by D. Maslanka
I like the red/white rifle. I also like that color scheme on the drums. I especially like the yellow on the CG uniform.
SEATTLE CASCADES -- 71.963
Repertoire: "What Goes Around" -- Wound Up, Spin Moves, Infinite Echoes & Unraveled by K. Poulan, M. Brusse, A. Brinkley, & K. Shoe; Ave Maria by F. Schubert; What Goes Around... Comes Around by J. Timberlake, T. Mosley, & N. Hills; Around the World by G. de Homem-Christo & T. Bangalter (Daft Punk)
Very pretty ballad with soloist and duets on the stages. I really liked the duets. The tables turn and the CG acted like she was dizzy. Or was she actually dizzy? I don't understand the big blue ribbon at the end, because those aren't circles.
GENESIS -- 75.4*
Repertoire: "RetroVertigo" -- The Day Begins by P. Knight and G. Edge; The Rhythm of the Heat by P. Gabriel; Retrovertigo by T. Dunn; None of Them Knew They Were Robots by T. Spruance; Inside Straight by J. Zorn; Enter Sandman by J. Hetfield, L. Ulrich, & K. Hammett;
Hope by J. Elias; Qué Sera Sera by J. Livingston & R. Evans
I like the sparkly inside part of their pant legs. One of the horn players had their arm in a sling. It was nice to hear an ensemble solo without microphones for a change.
OREGON CRUSADERS -- 77.45*
Repertoire: "REDRUM" -- Dies Irae by H. Berlioz; Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste by B. Bartok; Uninvited by A. Morissette; Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns; Midnight and the Stars and You by H. Woods, J. Campbell & R. Connelly; Symphony for Organ and Orchestra by A. Copland
That was cool. Lots of red long flags symbolizing the river of blood at the end. Nice percussion feature during the Danse Macabre. I really liked the CG soloist's costume: she came out of Room 237 and her costume actually looked like her flesh was coming off. Jack's face is on the flags! They even had a kid come out on a Big Wheel and give the finger to the audience. I don't think that's making it to the DVD.
MUSIC CITY -- 77.863*
Repertoire: "Hell on Wheels: The Final Journey of Casey Jones" -- Crazy Train by O. Osbourne; Hallelujah by L. Cohen; Original Music by R. W. Smith
Did you ever think you'd hear an Ozzy Osbourne song in drum corps? Crazy Train! I love how much fun they have. One of the horn players really kicks up his heels during the segment when the brass and drums go back and forth with each other. Nice trumpet solo during the Cohen.
PACIFIC CREST -- 79.1*
I forgot to cheer for Emmanuel. He is the tall guy with the biggest bass drum, and I met his mom while in line at the gate to Lucas Oil. Maybe I'll remember for Semis. Those are different dresses than the ones we saw in California: they are now silver for the 25th anniversary. Pretty. I still feel like they need to be louder, though. Nice trio during the mambo. I like the red flags that appear to have the point of a star on each of them.
TROOPERS -- 81.3*
I've missed you, Troop! It's been over a month since I've seen them. I've missed all of the ones we'd seen already, but it really was a treat to see them for the California shows. All of the weather vanes were turned. YAY! I don't remember them needing to be manually turned, but I wonder if the remote control wasn't working so they did a work-around. Or I never noticed the people were turning them until now. They've also moved the center pillar backfield, so it's no longer in the way of their group formations. I don't know why anyone needed to tell them that. They've eliminated the last arrow, and they form the "11" at the end of the show. They've also added cream-colored hats, and it looks more like Troopers, even without the traditional uniform. Great improvement, Troop!
MADISON SCOUTS -- 82.7*
Repertoire: "Heart and Soul" -- You Are Variations by S. Reich; Serenada Schizophrana by D. Elfman; Rhyme of Taigu by Z. Long; Shape of My Heart by G. Sumner (aka Sting); Aurora Awakes by J. Mackey; Ainadamar by O. Golijov; 34 Klezma by M. League (Snarky Puppy); End of the Game by Sting; Heart and Soul by H. Carmichael & F. Loesser
Hello, Girlie! Nice mellophone solos. I'm not really sure why they needed a girl to portray the heart or the soul or whatever, but OK. I think they should have done more with the Heart & Soul song, though, like, not just play it at the end on the piano, but reference it throughout the show, so it makes sense as a finishing touch. Great: now I'm arranging the music, too? This activity has done a lot of stuff to my brain.
<Intermission>
V needed to do some shopping, so Bro showed her all of the kinds of jackets she could buy. She bought one from Blue Knights again to add to her collection. We went to the Vanguard Cadets booth and I asked a guy digging through the sale bin to find me my size of Ouroboros shirt, but he had no luck. Turns out he is in the corps this year, so I congratulated him on their win. Then another guy told me he liked my Oreoboros shirt, and I said thanks. Oh! He was wearing a red one! So I got Bro's and V's attention and asked the guy if he would take a picture with me, and he obliged. He also let me take a closer look at his gold medal: He's in SCVC, too. I don't know why I didn't bother to ask his name, but he was nice. Thanks, SCVC Guy!
We missed watching the Old Army Guard because we were eating dinner. I had popcorn and a bitter iced coffee. So nutritious, yes?
COLTS -- 84.125*
Repertoire: "True Believer" -- Loneliness - Motherless Child (Traditional); Not to be Forgotten (Our Final Hour) by P. Metheny; Whimsicality - L'arlesienne Suite No. 2: Farandole by G. Bizet; Land of the Long White Cloud by P. Sparke; Reflection - Endless Night by H. Zimmer; Materialism - Big Shot by B. Joel; Introspection - A Piece of Sky (from Yentl) by M. Legrand and A. & M. Bergman
On a different day, I might have written that I'd like to sleep on one of the many beds on the field. However, I wasn't tired, and anyway, they lifted the beds up and stood them vertically to reveal screens that looked like stained glass. I'm not a fan of the recorded singing (it was really loud), even though it was from "The Lion KIng", but it's a heckuva lot better than narration. Beautiful opening solo. I always like the Colts soloists.
THE ACADEMY -- 84.413*
Their sound is much better. They've now eliminated the whole recitation of the Fibonacci sequence. The show still doesn't captivate me, though.
SPIRIT OF ATLANTA -- 85.175*
Repertoire: "Knock" -- LIT by T. Henson, S. LePage, C. Gober, and C. Aeschliman (Polyphia) & N. Sampson; Freak Flag by C. Harry, E. Francis, & O.G. Spezzano (Here Come the Mummies); Hurt by T. Reznor; Rattletrap by B. Evans; Break on Through (To the Other Side) by J. Morrison, R. Manzarek, J. Densmore, & R. Krieger (The Doors)
I don't really like the color scheme. The gold keys are kinda cheesy: they look like pitchforks but with the tines connected to each other. Those are some high notes, sopranos! They form a keyhole toward the end but it doesn't last very long.
CROSSMEN -- 86.425*
Repertoire: "The In-Between" -- Funeral For A Friend by E. John; Upside Down by A. Markworth; Symphony No. 6 by P. I. Tchaikovsky; Sweetness Follows by M. Stipe, P. Buck, M. Mills, & B. Berry (R.E.M.)
V: Those umbrellas don't look like they work very well.
Me: Because of all of the holes? I think they're parasols.
I like the opening with those parasols and the lavender flags. Time. Time is broken. That's what I got from the props of broken hourglasses. The hourglass turning over and over made me nervous because I was worried that it would hit someone. I didn't like the last CG uniform. I get that they were trying to portray spirits, but let's just say that folks shouldn't wear white masks with eyeholes and white almost-hoods, especially when they're from the South. I know it wasn't their intent, but it distracted me.
MANDARINS -- 86.775*
The tarps are unnecessary. She's back in her white uniform at the end! Yay! They also kneel down so you can better view the heart. Very nice. I really, really, really hope they make it to Finals!
PHANTOM REGIMENT -- 87.15*
Repertoire: "This New World" -- Finale (from Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium) by A. Zigman & A. Desplat; Piano Concerto No. 3 by S. Prokofiev; A Child's Garden of Dreams by D. Maslanka; Picture Studies by A. Schoenberg; New World Symphony by A. Dvorak
I like the New World arrangement. They need more of it, because maybe it would get me more into the show. I was worried about all of the CG members swinging from the rickety monkey bars. I'm trying to understand the honeycomb theme. They did their signature kick, but no Chevron, except on their uniforms, which I didn't realize was there until later during our debrief.
<Intermission>
Last intermission of the night. V got us ice cream. Thanks, V!
BLUE KNIGHTS -- 87.713*
LET'S GO, SEAN!!!!! We yelled that for one of V's students, whom plays the snare for BK. IF they had shirts with purple ont he front and that yellow with the scarab on the back, I would buy it. So would Bro. Why doesn't anyone ask me about these merchandise things? Maybe it's best this way, or I'd buy everything. They could give me a discount for my opinion, though. That would be fair.
BLUE STARS -- 89.025*
Repertoire: "The Once and Future Carpenter" -- We've Only Just Begun by P. Williams & R. Nichols; Skyscrapers by J. A. Carpenter; Precious Metals by T. Newman; (They Long To Be) Close to You by B. Bacharach & H. David; Rainy Days And Mondays by P. Williams & R. Nichols; I Won't Last A Day Without You by P. Williams & R. Nichols
When the guy pulled out his measuring tape from his waist and stretched it up, V and I looked at each other: "That doesn't look right." During "Close To You", they stand close to each other. Pretty, but the song seems kind of random even though it is a Carpenters song. I guess the show is more medley than it is a story. They form a house frame at the end.
THE CADETS -- 91.15*
Repertoire: "The Unity Project" -- Opening Scene by D. Shanefield, T. Aungst, & O. Carmenates; Sensemaya by S. Revueltas; Misterioso by D. Shanefield; Demonic Thesis by J. Psathas; Ara Batur by S. Rós; Ballet Sacra by D. Holsinger
Zebra Cake Band! They have t-shirts with the design on front and that hashtag on the back, and they're quite popular. Social Media is a crazy thing. Whoa, those uniforms are kinda dizzying. I thought they might form a zebra cake when I saw them lay the raspberry-colored sheets over the blocks. Z-Pull!!! V wants to pet the fluffy-looking uniforms. They do look velvety soft. Well, at least the singing is live and not offensive.
BOSTON CRUSADERS -- 92.863*
Repertoire: "S.O.S." -- Salvation is Created by P. Tchesnokov; A Breathless Alleluia by P. Wilby; Marimba Spiritual by M. Miki; Sensemaya – S. Revueltas; Extinguished by R. George, C. McNutt, I. Moyer, & M. Zellers; End Credits (from Cast Away) by A. Silvestri; Amazing Grace by J. Newton
So. Much. Spelling. I like it! My favorite formation, though, is when they play their signature "Conquest", and they form the beats and bar stops. I noticed that when I saw it in the theater on premiere day. Others: SOS, LOST, HELP, FOUND, and BAC WAS HERE. So is that Lord of the Flies pig a leftover from Animal Farm? Their tarp is pretty and makes sense. Wait. Did they all just drown?!? Waves go over them and I never saw a boat. V thinks it's an artistic thing and they were rescued. I have a more morbid interpretation of that ending.
THE CAVALIERS -- 92.688*
Repertoire: "On Madness and Creativity" -- Black Angels by G. Crumb; The Triumph of Time by P. Graham; Bolero by M. Ravel; Rose of Arimathea by H. Zimmer; Orawa By W. Kilar; Vanishing Act by L. Reed; Alicia Discovers Nash's Dark World by J. Horner; Unraveled by M. Martin, M. McIntosh, & A. Miller; Oh What a World by R. Wainwright; Somewhere Over the Rainbow (from the Wizard of Oz) by H. Arlen and E.Y. Harburg
Their bodies are in cages. Tarps make people fall, yo. What are they singing? Who is singing? V played it for us while I typed this and it actually transitions into "Bolero", which is the theme throughout the show, so that's awesome. The design of the tarps is the same design as their last flag. I grinned when I heard the whistle of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", their corps song. Dude made me laugh as he held his "breasts" while running to the front.
CAROLINA CROWN -- 94.263*
Repertoire: "Beast" -- Symphony No.8, 4th movement by A. Bruckner; Build a Pyre by R. Lott (Son Lux); Destination Moon by P. Raphael; Myth Forest by S. Nordhagen; If I Fell by J. Lennon and P. McCartney; Blow It Up, Start Again by J. Newman; Epiphanies (Fanfares and Chorales) by R. Nelson
Those are either dinosaur teeth or claws, I can't decide. Oh, MY, that opening by the drums and then the brass! WOW!!! Eye flags are cool. Eek! The teeth and fangs of that mouth flag! Reptile skin flags are big. Beastly! Bro said someone's drum fell off their carrier.
BLUECOATS -- 95.213*
Repertoire: "Session 44" -- Bird & Bela in B Flat by D. Sebesky; American Concerto by P. Williams; The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines by C. Mingus & J. Mitchell; Saro (Traditional);
Home (from Congo Square) by W. Marsalis; God Bless the Child by B. Holiday & A. Herzog, Jr.
I liked BD's chair show more than this one. I thought the CG got off their chairs when they tipped over. How did they get back up on there so fast? I'm tired of Bloo's use of recorded music during their shows.
BLUE DEVILS -- 95.963*
Well, those maps are new. I really don't like the sparkly uniforms that the corps wears in the latter part of the show. Now I feel like there's too much hair dancing. I guess I'm tired of it, and I worry that they're going to get whiplash.
SANTA CLARA VANGUARD -- 96.8*
They keep rolling off of the cages and it's freaking me out because I think they're falling. I. LOVE. THIS. SHOW. TOO. MUCH. It makes me nervous, but I love it.
Exhibition performance as we waited for scores: CALGARY STAMPEDE
I like their red shoes.
Hello, Al Chez! Didn't know you were sitting over there.
We came back to the hotel and had drinks at the bar. My watermelon margarita was kinda SCV colored, which made me happy. It's nice to be able to speak freely, knowing that everyone around you is an SCV fan. What would happen if someone walked in wearing another corps' shirt? Probably immediate quiet and some looks. I like staying in the same block of hotel rooms as my favorite corps! We can all be drunk and happy together.
Next up: Semifinals
I stayed at the Wyndham Garden Inn, where it smells really nice in the lobby. The room needs a little cosmetic help (cracks in walls and the sink drained very slowly). Also the bed was hard, but I still slept OK, so no biggie. I had dinner at the hotel restaurant, Island Grill, and it was tasty.
Early in the morning, I took the hotel shuttle back to the airport for my early flight, and I saw a woman in line whom was wearing a SCV Cadets sweatshirt. I got her attention and told them that they won last night, and she said she knew and was on her way to Indianapolis for Finals. Me, too! I didn't try to talk to her after that even though she was on the same plane, because I didn't want to seem like I was stalking her. On my flight, I sat next to a couple but didn't speak to them until they got off of the plane in Phoenix. He asked if Indianapolis is home for me, and I told him that no, I was on my way to a drum corps competition. "Drum corps? I love drum corps!", he said. He asked whom was my favorite and looked at my SCV sweatshirt. I told him SCV and he knew who they were and that they were always near the top. He was not on his way to Indy, though. Oh, well. We had both enjoyed the spiel because the flight attendant was funny. "If you're traveling with children, whyyyyy?"
When my flight arrived at Indy, we had to sit on the tarmac for awhile because there was lightning and the employees all had to go inside until they were cleared to go back outside. Bro and V were in the same predicament on their plane, and we met a few minutes later inside the terminal. We took an Uber to the hotel. Our driver yelled at someone else when we were leaving the airport: "What are YOU doing?!?!" Oh, boy, I thought, we're going to die before we get to Finals. Obviously, we didn't, unless I'm typing this as a spirit who doesn't know she is one.
We arrived at the JW Marriott, and the woman who checked me in walked up to me in line to bring her to her work station, which was, like, 5 feet away. It was kind of weird, but not as weird as her giving me only 2 keys when there were 3 people listed on the reservation. If I already did mobile check in, why do I still have to go through this process at all? When we got on the elevator, two women also got on, and one said, "We're going to try not to do the last time we got in here." I guess I'm in some kind of morbid mood, because I asked, "Did you kill someone?" They smiled. V said, "Awkward." They were very friendly, though, and said that they didn't know they had to put their room key in the elevator slot so they could get access to their floor. Just so you know, they didn't answer my original question, so watch out, World.
After unpacking, we had dinner at Thai Paradise, then went to Jack's Donuts next door for dessert and breakfast for the next couple of days. We're planners like that. I had trouble getting to sleep because I'm still on Pacific Time, but eventually had a few hours of sleep before getting up at 6:30 am for a full day of drum corps. We all agreed to wear our Oreoborus shirts on the same day (I got them for us for Christmas last year), and today was the day!
Bro and I walked to Lucas Oil and we were a little bit early, so we walked over to the SCV souvie trailer and took a picture.
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| Bro's shirt is a cookie snake. So is mine, but you can't see it. |
While waiting for the gates to open, a guy told us to have our bags open. I don't know why, because nobody checked them. We stopped at the SCV souvie booth so Bro could buy his V t-shirt, which looks like their Babylon uniform. I bought a stadium bag, which we used the rest of the day for all of the souvenirs we bought. We then went to our seats in Section 242, Row 6, seats 8-10, on the left 30-yard line.
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| It looks different in here somehow, and I'm not talking about the new banner. |
The Star-spangled Banner was performed by a trumpeter named Eric. Great job, Eric! Or Erik. I don't know how he spells his name.
Top 25 corps advance to Semifinals, marked with an *.
HEAT WAVE -- 58.700
Repertoire: "The World Keeps Spinning" -- New World Symphony by A. Dvořák; The Times Are A-Changin by B. Dylan; What A Wonderful World by L. Armstrong; Fanfare for The Common Man by A. Copland; There’s A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow by R. B. Sherman & R. M. Sherman
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| On World News Tonight... |
We saw them rehearsing outside, kinda near the sign that said, "Do not rehearse by ticket booths." The color guard (CG) had big newspapers that Bro wanted to read. They had a big globe that spun around, which makes sense, given the title of their show. Nice trumpet solo on "What A Wonderful World". I couldn't understand the narration because there was too much echo.
RAIDERS -- 60.025
Repertoire: "Beowulf: The Rise of a Legend" -- Beowulf: The Rise of a Legend by J. Kaplan
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| Raiders |
Nice sound, brass! They have what looks like Jenga blocks, which they move around the field for use in different formations. The drum judge picked up someone's drumstick.
COLT CADETS -- 61.800
Repertoire: "Moderne" -- Un Bel Di by G. Puccini; Symphony No. 7, 2nd Mvmt. by L. van Beethoven; Young and Beautiful by L. Del Rey & R. Nowels; Bad Romance by S. Germanotta (Lady Gaga) and N. Khayat; The Hut of Baba Yaga & The Great Gates of Kiev by M. Mussorgsky
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| Flag Toss |
Very nice music, especially the trumpet solo. They used red modified rifles and sabres with red handles. I thought Brandt called the show "Bulgarian", which confused me during "Bad Romance", and I began to question whether or not Lady Gaga was Bulgarian. (I'm pretty sure she's of Italian heritage).
SHADOW -- 62.600
Repertoire: "The Body Celestial" -- Shine by M. Markowski; The Wayfaring Stranger (Traditional) adapted by C. M. Nelson; Aurora Awakes by J. Mackey
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| Pretty drums |
I prefer their traditional uniforms. Nice trombone solo. The bass drummers don't have enough to carry, so they also need a pyramid on their backs? Somebody dropped a face of their pyramid on the field. I didn't understand most of the narration except "We are the Body Celestial."
GOLDEN EMPIRE -- 65.100
Welcome to your first time at DCI Finals! Great work on the ballad! I love that "We're Not Gonna Take It".
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| On the Big Board! |
<Intermission>
We had a little more time, so we went shopping and I went back to the SCV booth to buy a jacket. We also went to the official DCI shopping area and I bought this year's DCI Orange Cone and a program.
JUBAL -- 66.175
Repertoire: "Vincent, the Beauty of Madness"
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| Painting |
Nice trumpet solo. It seems like he/she got hit by the flag, but I'm not sure. I like the flags, which had elements of Van Gogh's work; I especially liked the eye from his self-portrait. The show made me want to watch SCV's "Music for a Starry Night". Very nice show! I love the trumpet sustain during "Claire de Lune".
SOUTHWIND - 66.138
Repertoire: "The Guitarist" -- Danzon No. 2 by A. Márquez; A Mis Abuelos by A. Sandoval;
Everything I Can't Have by R. Thicke, J. Gass, & M. Vivanco; Sing to the Moon by L. Mvula & S. Brown
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| Dance for me, baby |
RIVER CITY RHYTHM -- 68.125
Repertoire: "Each Hour Wounds" -- The Hours - Dead Things by P. Glass; Somewhere in Time by J. Barry; Each Hour Wounds by C. Friesleben, B. Hoover, & P. Weber
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| Playing Both Sides |
Tick. Tock. Marimbas were moved to the field, and they played from both sides! The lead CG kept dropping and it made me crazy.
LOUISIANA STARS -- 68.438
Repertoire: "Redemption" -- Temen Oblak (Dark Clouds) (from The Drop That Contained the Sea) by C. Tin; Bridge Over Troubled Water by P. Simon; Piano Etude #13, L'escalier du diable (The Devil's Staircase) by G. Ligeti; Ode to Joy by L. van Beethoven; Hallelujah by L. Cohen
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| Bridge Over Troubled Water |
Oh, their flags are on the bottom shelf of the benches! I'm not crazy about this arrangement of "Bridge", but I do like their flags. Bro is critical about body movements because we watched "World of Dance" last night.
GUARDIANS -- 71.200
Repertoire: "Damned" -- Featuring music by K. Lamar, K. West, Kesha, Chance the Rapper, Childish Gambino, Beyoncé, G. Mahler, D. Montoya Jr., D. Bush, & P. Islas
I did not like the singing, and would have liked to have heard the brass more. The singing wasn't loud or coherent, but I was annoyed. The graffiti on the pillars included Pac-Man.
<Intermission>
Bro and I ate lunch and watched the Free Players corps from the dining area. My cheeseburger was a bit burned but at least they were ready for us at intermission. We still had some time to shop, so we went to the Open Class corps area and visited the SCV Cadets booth, where they had their trophy! We looked in the sale bin, and I bought a 50th anniversary tank top for $10.00.
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| Congratulations on the back-to-back win, SCVC! |
7TH REGIMENT - 71.875
Repertoire: "In A Different Light" -- Finale (from The Abyss) by A. Silvestri; Serenada Schizophrana by D. Elfman; All Love Can Be & A Kaleidoscope of Mathematics (from A Beautiful Mind) by J. Horner
Me: That thing's gonna light up.
Bro: It already did.
Me: What? I missed it!
I really like their flags. The ball glows different colors. I want to see that show again, but that's not going to happen. Very nice sound.
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| Love These Flags |
SPARTANS -- 74.4133*
Repertoire: "Da Vinci's Workshop" -- Meet Leonardo: Original Music by K. Poulan, M. McGuire, & M. Moore; The Vitruvian Man: Original Music by K. Poulan, M. McGuire, & M. Moore; The Artist: Mona Lisa: Music by C. Debussy, Arr. by K. Poulan & Matt McGuire; The Workshop: Original Music by M. McGuire & M. Moore; The Flying Machine: Sogno di Volare by C. Tin, Arr. by K. Poulan, M. McGuire, and M. Moore
Their cheer sounds like the raptors from Jurassic Park. Beautiful dynamic contrast on the Claire de Lune. Very nice screens, like the Mona Lisa. BD has made everyone want tall plumes.
V arrived, telling stories of how she wasn't allowed to bring in the coffee she just bought, and other stuff that happened at the gate. They're inconsistent here with their bag check policies.
LEGENDS -- 74.4
Repertoire: "Along Came a Spider" -- HATCH: Rite of Spring by I. Stravinsky; Itsy Bitsy Spider (Traditional); ARACHNID: Symphony No. 8, Mvt. 3 by D. Shostakovich; SPIN: Aha! by I. Heap; Spiderman Theme by P. Webster & R. Harris; WEB: Water Night by E. Whitacre; WIDOW: Metropolis Symphony, Mvt. 1 (Lex) by M. Daugherty
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| Black Widow |
Do they take those mound-like props from the Cavaliers "Men are from Mars" show? Spider-pig! Nice trumpet solo on Itsy Bitsy Spider. Whose kid is that singing? Rite of Spring makes me look forward to the Mandarins show.
GOLD -- 75.775*
I thought they had more rainbows at the end in previous shows. I still like the bras run with the purple/green flags.
BLUE DEVILS B -- 80.10*
Those screens weren't there before. At least they didn't look like that. Their drum sleeves weren't there before either. "A Time For Us" seems like a random piece stuck in with the others, but I get how it fits in the story they're telling. I think it's the style that seems random to me. The solos were way too loud.
SANTA CLARA VANGUARD CADETS -- 81.5*
WOW! Great way to show us why you earned that title, SCVC! I'm so proud to see how far you've come since SCV Family Day.
<Intermission>
PIONEER -- 64.3
Repertoire: "Celtic Dragons" -- The Awakening by R. Stein, D. Campbell, & J. Coleman; Taking Flight (from How To Train Your Dragon) by J. Powell; Dragon Fire & Beneath the Earth and Sky by R. Stein, D. Campbell, & J. Coleman
This is NOT called "Salty Dragons", which is what I thought I heard. The dragon is sparkly! Not-Merida sings, and she conducts! The second drum major conducts the corps when Not-Merida faces the audience. They have dragons on their drums. I like the flags with the dragon eye.
JERSEY SURF -- 69,925
Repertoire: "[mondo mondrian]" -- Music for Pieces of Wood by S. Reich; Cornfield Chase (from Interstellar) by H. Zimmer; Variations on Manuel de Falla's Ritual Fire Dance (from El amor brujo) by A. Yozviak; Etude Op 10 No. 12 in C minor, Revolutionary by F. Chopin; Behind Blue Eyes by P. Townshend; Symphony No. 4 by D. Maslanka
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| Primary Colors |
I like the red/white rifle. I also like that color scheme on the drums. I especially like the yellow on the CG uniform.
SEATTLE CASCADES -- 71.963
Repertoire: "What Goes Around" -- Wound Up, Spin Moves, Infinite Echoes & Unraveled by K. Poulan, M. Brusse, A. Brinkley, & K. Shoe; Ave Maria by F. Schubert; What Goes Around... Comes Around by J. Timberlake, T. Mosley, & N. Hills; Around the World by G. de Homem-Christo & T. Bangalter (Daft Punk)
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| Pretty Blues |
Very pretty ballad with soloist and duets on the stages. I really liked the duets. The tables turn and the CG acted like she was dizzy. Or was she actually dizzy? I don't understand the big blue ribbon at the end, because those aren't circles.
GENESIS -- 75.4*
Repertoire: "RetroVertigo" -- The Day Begins by P. Knight and G. Edge; The Rhythm of the Heat by P. Gabriel; Retrovertigo by T. Dunn; None of Them Knew They Were Robots by T. Spruance; Inside Straight by J. Zorn; Enter Sandman by J. Hetfield, L. Ulrich, & K. Hammett;
Hope by J. Elias; Qué Sera Sera by J. Livingston & R. Evans
I like the sparkly inside part of their pant legs. One of the horn players had their arm in a sling. It was nice to hear an ensemble solo without microphones for a change.
OREGON CRUSADERS -- 77.45*
Repertoire: "REDRUM" -- Dies Irae by H. Berlioz; Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste by B. Bartok; Uninvited by A. Morissette; Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns; Midnight and the Stars and You by H. Woods, J. Campbell & R. Connelly; Symphony for Organ and Orchestra by A. Copland
That was cool. Lots of red long flags symbolizing the river of blood at the end. Nice percussion feature during the Danse Macabre. I really liked the CG soloist's costume: she came out of Room 237 and her costume actually looked like her flesh was coming off. Jack's face is on the flags! They even had a kid come out on a Big Wheel and give the finger to the audience. I don't think that's making it to the DVD.
MUSIC CITY -- 77.863*
Repertoire: "Hell on Wheels: The Final Journey of Casey Jones" -- Crazy Train by O. Osbourne; Hallelujah by L. Cohen; Original Music by R. W. Smith
Did you ever think you'd hear an Ozzy Osbourne song in drum corps? Crazy Train! I love how much fun they have. One of the horn players really kicks up his heels during the segment when the brass and drums go back and forth with each other. Nice trumpet solo during the Cohen.
PACIFIC CREST -- 79.1*
I forgot to cheer for Emmanuel. He is the tall guy with the biggest bass drum, and I met his mom while in line at the gate to Lucas Oil. Maybe I'll remember for Semis. Those are different dresses than the ones we saw in California: they are now silver for the 25th anniversary. Pretty. I still feel like they need to be louder, though. Nice trio during the mambo. I like the red flags that appear to have the point of a star on each of them.
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| La La Land |
TROOPERS -- 81.3*
I've missed you, Troop! It's been over a month since I've seen them. I've missed all of the ones we'd seen already, but it really was a treat to see them for the California shows. All of the weather vanes were turned. YAY! I don't remember them needing to be manually turned, but I wonder if the remote control wasn't working so they did a work-around. Or I never noticed the people were turning them until now. They've also moved the center pillar backfield, so it's no longer in the way of their group formations. I don't know why anyone needed to tell them that. They've eliminated the last arrow, and they form the "11" at the end of the show. They've also added cream-colored hats, and it looks more like Troopers, even without the traditional uniform. Great improvement, Troop!
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| White Hats |
MADISON SCOUTS -- 82.7*
Repertoire: "Heart and Soul" -- You Are Variations by S. Reich; Serenada Schizophrana by D. Elfman; Rhyme of Taigu by Z. Long; Shape of My Heart by G. Sumner (aka Sting); Aurora Awakes by J. Mackey; Ainadamar by O. Golijov; 34 Klezma by M. League (Snarky Puppy); End of the Game by Sting; Heart and Soul by H. Carmichael & F. Loesser
Hello, Girlie! Nice mellophone solos. I'm not really sure why they needed a girl to portray the heart or the soul or whatever, but OK. I think they should have done more with the Heart & Soul song, though, like, not just play it at the end on the piano, but reference it throughout the show, so it makes sense as a finishing touch. Great: now I'm arranging the music, too? This activity has done a lot of stuff to my brain.
<Intermission>
V needed to do some shopping, so Bro showed her all of the kinds of jackets she could buy. She bought one from Blue Knights again to add to her collection. We went to the Vanguard Cadets booth and I asked a guy digging through the sale bin to find me my size of Ouroboros shirt, but he had no luck. Turns out he is in the corps this year, so I congratulated him on their win. Then another guy told me he liked my Oreoboros shirt, and I said thanks. Oh! He was wearing a red one! So I got Bro's and V's attention and asked the guy if he would take a picture with me, and he obliged. He also let me take a closer look at his gold medal: He's in SCVC, too. I don't know why I didn't bother to ask his name, but he was nice. Thanks, SCVC Guy!
We missed watching the Old Army Guard because we were eating dinner. I had popcorn and a bitter iced coffee. So nutritious, yes?
COLTS -- 84.125*
Repertoire: "True Believer" -- Loneliness - Motherless Child (Traditional); Not to be Forgotten (Our Final Hour) by P. Metheny; Whimsicality - L'arlesienne Suite No. 2: Farandole by G. Bizet; Land of the Long White Cloud by P. Sparke; Reflection - Endless Night by H. Zimmer; Materialism - Big Shot by B. Joel; Introspection - A Piece of Sky (from Yentl) by M. Legrand and A. & M. Bergman
On a different day, I might have written that I'd like to sleep on one of the many beds on the field. However, I wasn't tired, and anyway, they lifted the beds up and stood them vertically to reveal screens that looked like stained glass. I'm not a fan of the recorded singing (it was really loud), even though it was from "The Lion KIng", but it's a heckuva lot better than narration. Beautiful opening solo. I always like the Colts soloists.
THE ACADEMY -- 84.413*
Their sound is much better. They've now eliminated the whole recitation of the Fibonacci sequence. The show still doesn't captivate me, though.
SPIRIT OF ATLANTA -- 85.175*
Repertoire: "Knock" -- LIT by T. Henson, S. LePage, C. Gober, and C. Aeschliman (Polyphia) & N. Sampson; Freak Flag by C. Harry, E. Francis, & O.G. Spezzano (Here Come the Mummies); Hurt by T. Reznor; Rattletrap by B. Evans; Break on Through (To the Other Side) by J. Morrison, R. Manzarek, J. Densmore, & R. Krieger (The Doors)
I don't really like the color scheme. The gold keys are kinda cheesy: they look like pitchforks but with the tines connected to each other. Those are some high notes, sopranos! They form a keyhole toward the end but it doesn't last very long.
CROSSMEN -- 86.425*
Repertoire: "The In-Between" -- Funeral For A Friend by E. John; Upside Down by A. Markworth; Symphony No. 6 by P. I. Tchaikovsky; Sweetness Follows by M. Stipe, P. Buck, M. Mills, & B. Berry (R.E.M.)
V: Those umbrellas don't look like they work very well.
Me: Because of all of the holes? I think they're parasols.
I like the opening with those parasols and the lavender flags. Time. Time is broken. That's what I got from the props of broken hourglasses. The hourglass turning over and over made me nervous because I was worried that it would hit someone. I didn't like the last CG uniform. I get that they were trying to portray spirits, but let's just say that folks shouldn't wear white masks with eyeholes and white almost-hoods, especially when they're from the South. I know it wasn't their intent, but it distracted me.
MANDARINS -- 86.775*
The tarps are unnecessary. She's back in her white uniform at the end! Yay! They also kneel down so you can better view the heart. Very nice. I really, really, really hope they make it to Finals!
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| HEART |
PHANTOM REGIMENT -- 87.15*
Repertoire: "This New World" -- Finale (from Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium) by A. Zigman & A. Desplat; Piano Concerto No. 3 by S. Prokofiev; A Child's Garden of Dreams by D. Maslanka; Picture Studies by A. Schoenberg; New World Symphony by A. Dvorak
I like the New World arrangement. They need more of it, because maybe it would get me more into the show. I was worried about all of the CG members swinging from the rickety monkey bars. I'm trying to understand the honeycomb theme. They did their signature kick, but no Chevron, except on their uniforms, which I didn't realize was there until later during our debrief.
<Intermission>
Last intermission of the night. V got us ice cream. Thanks, V!
BLUE KNIGHTS -- 87.713*
LET'S GO, SEAN!!!!! We yelled that for one of V's students, whom plays the snare for BK. IF they had shirts with purple ont he front and that yellow with the scarab on the back, I would buy it. So would Bro. Why doesn't anyone ask me about these merchandise things? Maybe it's best this way, or I'd buy everything. They could give me a discount for my opinion, though. That would be fair.
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| Hi, Sean! |
BLUE STARS -- 89.025*
Repertoire: "The Once and Future Carpenter" -- We've Only Just Begun by P. Williams & R. Nichols; Skyscrapers by J. A. Carpenter; Precious Metals by T. Newman; (They Long To Be) Close to You by B. Bacharach & H. David; Rainy Days And Mondays by P. Williams & R. Nichols; I Won't Last A Day Without You by P. Williams & R. Nichols
When the guy pulled out his measuring tape from his waist and stretched it up, V and I looked at each other: "That doesn't look right." During "Close To You", they stand close to each other. Pretty, but the song seems kind of random even though it is a Carpenters song. I guess the show is more medley than it is a story. They form a house frame at the end.
THE CADETS -- 91.15*
Repertoire: "The Unity Project" -- Opening Scene by D. Shanefield, T. Aungst, & O. Carmenates; Sensemaya by S. Revueltas; Misterioso by D. Shanefield; Demonic Thesis by J. Psathas; Ara Batur by S. Rós; Ballet Sacra by D. Holsinger
Zebra Cake Band! They have t-shirts with the design on front and that hashtag on the back, and they're quite popular. Social Media is a crazy thing. Whoa, those uniforms are kinda dizzying. I thought they might form a zebra cake when I saw them lay the raspberry-colored sheets over the blocks. Z-Pull!!! V wants to pet the fluffy-looking uniforms. They do look velvety soft. Well, at least the singing is live and not offensive.
BOSTON CRUSADERS -- 92.863*
Repertoire: "S.O.S." -- Salvation is Created by P. Tchesnokov; A Breathless Alleluia by P. Wilby; Marimba Spiritual by M. Miki; Sensemaya – S. Revueltas; Extinguished by R. George, C. McNutt, I. Moyer, & M. Zellers; End Credits (from Cast Away) by A. Silvestri; Amazing Grace by J. Newton
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| Conquest |
THE CAVALIERS -- 92.688*
Repertoire: "On Madness and Creativity" -- Black Angels by G. Crumb; The Triumph of Time by P. Graham; Bolero by M. Ravel; Rose of Arimathea by H. Zimmer; Orawa By W. Kilar; Vanishing Act by L. Reed; Alicia Discovers Nash's Dark World by J. Horner; Unraveled by M. Martin, M. McIntosh, & A. Miller; Oh What a World by R. Wainwright; Somewhere Over the Rainbow (from the Wizard of Oz) by H. Arlen and E.Y. Harburg
Their bodies are in cages. Tarps make people fall, yo. What are they singing? Who is singing? V played it for us while I typed this and it actually transitions into "Bolero", which is the theme throughout the show, so that's awesome. The design of the tarps is the same design as their last flag. I grinned when I heard the whistle of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", their corps song. Dude made me laugh as he held his "breasts" while running to the front.
CAROLINA CROWN -- 94.263*
Repertoire: "Beast" -- Symphony No.8, 4th movement by A. Bruckner; Build a Pyre by R. Lott (Son Lux); Destination Moon by P. Raphael; Myth Forest by S. Nordhagen; If I Fell by J. Lennon and P. McCartney; Blow It Up, Start Again by J. Newman; Epiphanies (Fanfares and Chorales) by R. Nelson
Those are either dinosaur teeth or claws, I can't decide. Oh, MY, that opening by the drums and then the brass! WOW!!! Eye flags are cool. Eek! The teeth and fangs of that mouth flag! Reptile skin flags are big. Beastly! Bro said someone's drum fell off their carrier.
BLUECOATS -- 95.213*
Repertoire: "Session 44" -- Bird & Bela in B Flat by D. Sebesky; American Concerto by P. Williams; The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines by C. Mingus & J. Mitchell; Saro (Traditional);
Home (from Congo Square) by W. Marsalis; God Bless the Child by B. Holiday & A. Herzog, Jr.
I liked BD's chair show more than this one. I thought the CG got off their chairs when they tipped over. How did they get back up on there so fast? I'm tired of Bloo's use of recorded music during their shows.
BLUE DEVILS -- 95.963*
Well, those maps are new. I really don't like the sparkly uniforms that the corps wears in the latter part of the show. Now I feel like there's too much hair dancing. I guess I'm tired of it, and I worry that they're going to get whiplash.
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| Moonwalk |
SANTA CLARA VANGUARD -- 96.8*
They keep rolling off of the cages and it's freaking me out because I think they're falling. I. LOVE. THIS. SHOW. TOO. MUCH. It makes me nervous, but I love it.
Exhibition performance as we waited for scores: CALGARY STAMPEDE
I like their red shoes.
Hello, Al Chez! Didn't know you were sitting over there.
We came back to the hotel and had drinks at the bar. My watermelon margarita was kinda SCV colored, which made me happy. It's nice to be able to speak freely, knowing that everyone around you is an SCV fan. What would happen if someone walked in wearing another corps' shirt? Probably immediate quiet and some looks. I like staying in the same block of hotel rooms as my favorite corps! We can all be drunk and happy together.
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| Even the Bar is in a Cage! WHOA. |
Next up: Semifinals
