allentown? you're passing this up for allentown? HELL YEAH!
So, if you haven't been reading recently, this past weekend I went to the DCI Eastern Classic in Allentown, PA (about an hour from Chester). Mom and Dad got tickets to BOTH nights for me as a Christmas present. The event took place with 11 corps competing on Saturday, and 10 corps competing on Sunday. The deal was Elyse would watch it with me the first night, then Toby the second night (since neither would really want to sit through the whole thing on both nights).
It was just like going to see the Quarterfinals last year at the cinemas with Laura. It's nice to be somewhere where there's more people like you: big drum corps fanatics. However, most of the people at these events either have marched in a corps in the past, or have friends/relatives who do, and they actually go to multiple performances a season (including going across the country). The great thing about the Allentwon event is that it's the first regional of the season, where 20 out of all 22 D-1 corps compete under the same judges. The seeding process begins, where the ranks from one night determine the order of performance for the next regional (since the championships are in Pasadena this year, the corps will gradually cover the whole country, with 1 regional in each time zone).
Both nights were excellent. I of course rooted for the Cadets (although the rest of the top seven were also good). Unfortunately I was sitting in the Crossmen block. The Crossmen used to be the sister corps of the Cadets under the organization YEA!, which is based in Allentown. However, YEA accrued much debt and felt that they should concentrate on the Cadets only, and the Crossmen are now the first and only D-1 corps in Texas. The alumni were pissed, now that they have to travel longer distances to check out their corps. There were also a lot of people who hated the Cadets for their narration. I do have to agree, the narration is a little much. The Cadets show, called "This i Believe" is based on the spirit of Drum Corps, where members will describe how their experience in the corps affects their personal beliefs. One guy was selling t-shirts that read "This I Believe: Shut Up and Play".
It's not that the narration is THAT bad, we just don't want the hornline to stop. They're FUCKING AMAZING (thank god I'm not in it!). Actually, the narration is pretty bad. It's too dominant in the show.
Anyways, here are the rankings:
1) Blue Devils- 86.475
2) Cadets- 85.700
3) Cavaliers- 85.325
4) Bluecoats- 84.750
5) Phantom Regiment- 83.950
6) Santa Clara Vanguard- 83.425
7) Carolina Crown- 83.125
I strongly feel that the Blue Devils have talent in their hornline, but they are too blasty, have no sense of balance or ensemble performance. I even thought their drill wasn't too creative. Whatever, I guess I'll just have to watch the shows again and again online via live webcast.
At the event I got Carlina Crown's CD (love their suspended chord resolution and their "wall of sound", i wish they could bump SCV out of the way), and two Cadets t-shirts. It was such a kickass weekend. I hope, one day, i'll be able to follow the corps across the country and get prime seats for the Championships! It will be expensive, but definitely worth it!
Now I am back to reality, and must continue trying to NOT procrastinate.
>-ttt-< :)
It was just like going to see the Quarterfinals last year at the cinemas with Laura. It's nice to be somewhere where there's more people like you: big drum corps fanatics. However, most of the people at these events either have marched in a corps in the past, or have friends/relatives who do, and they actually go to multiple performances a season (including going across the country). The great thing about the Allentwon event is that it's the first regional of the season, where 20 out of all 22 D-1 corps compete under the same judges. The seeding process begins, where the ranks from one night determine the order of performance for the next regional (since the championships are in Pasadena this year, the corps will gradually cover the whole country, with 1 regional in each time zone).
Both nights were excellent. I of course rooted for the Cadets (although the rest of the top seven were also good). Unfortunately I was sitting in the Crossmen block. The Crossmen used to be the sister corps of the Cadets under the organization YEA!, which is based in Allentown. However, YEA accrued much debt and felt that they should concentrate on the Cadets only, and the Crossmen are now the first and only D-1 corps in Texas. The alumni were pissed, now that they have to travel longer distances to check out their corps. There were also a lot of people who hated the Cadets for their narration. I do have to agree, the narration is a little much. The Cadets show, called "This i Believe" is based on the spirit of Drum Corps, where members will describe how their experience in the corps affects their personal beliefs. One guy was selling t-shirts that read "This I Believe: Shut Up and Play".
It's not that the narration is THAT bad, we just don't want the hornline to stop. They're FUCKING AMAZING (thank god I'm not in it!). Actually, the narration is pretty bad. It's too dominant in the show.
Anyways, here are the rankings:
1) Blue Devils- 86.475
2) Cadets- 85.700
3) Cavaliers- 85.325
4) Bluecoats- 84.750
5) Phantom Regiment- 83.950
6) Santa Clara Vanguard- 83.425
7) Carolina Crown- 83.125
I strongly feel that the Blue Devils have talent in their hornline, but they are too blasty, have no sense of balance or ensemble performance. I even thought their drill wasn't too creative. Whatever, I guess I'll just have to watch the shows again and again online via live webcast.
At the event I got Carlina Crown's CD (love their suspended chord resolution and their "wall of sound", i wish they could bump SCV out of the way), and two Cadets t-shirts. It was such a kickass weekend. I hope, one day, i'll be able to follow the corps across the country and get prime seats for the Championships! It will be expensive, but definitely worth it!
Now I am back to reality, and must continue trying to NOT procrastinate.
>-ttt-< :)