Disclaimer: One man's opinion... Working on my Ph.D. in percussion.

Arkadelphia: Very, Very, Very hot. The ambulance was pretty busy all night taking care of heat exhausted kids.

The stadium was packed and the crowd was VERY enthusiastic! Several standing ovations for corps in middle of their shows.

The air was, needless to say, very thick and humid so projection wasn't very good tonight.

Seattle Cascades: Very good corps! Decent brass sound. Decent percussion and very good pit. Lots of notes in the pit and performed reasonably well; especially for the average age of the performer. I got a chance to see them in the parking lot (pit) and was surprised by how young they were and what they were playing and how well they were playing it. The whole corps is obviously taught well and they should do well at DCI. Good job!!

Troopers: Was a little disappointed in this corps. I think the heat got to them probably more than anyone else. Not much sound and unfortunately the least amount of crowd response the whole night. Everything is just kind of "there." I mean it's the same charts you are used to hearing from the Troopers. I'm all for tradition but...

Colts: Maybe the best Colts corps ever. Good sound from the brass. Solid battery and pit that doesn't hurt (or help necessarily). However the guard is spectacular. I see now why they have been scoring so high. The new uni's are pretty cool also. I hate them from the front BUT because they are split (red/white) they make for some cool visual effects in the drill. End of season prediction - 12th

Glassmen: WOW! Go Glassmen! I think the best Glassmen corps ever! If the snare line isn't the cleanest in div I this year then I want to hear who is! If they can step up the tenor line and do something/anything with the pit (*) then they could/can contend for drums at DCI.

* I have never understood why this corps has had as good of a battery as they have had and the pit is always just "there." Come on guys do something with them!!!

Anyway, good brass sound and good guard. Excellent drill and very well executed. Probably should have been a little closer to Cavies than they were. I said after Cavies performed that if the drum judge had any *^&% then he would put Glassmen over Cavies in drums. Well, he did!!End of season prediction - 5th

Crossmen: Excellent brass sound!! Biggest and most spirited sound of the night. Crowd really loved them. I really didn't expect to say this but drums are really holding this corps back. Don't get me wrong; they are not bad but they aren't pushing the corps - AT ALL. If this corps had the line from 91' they would be top 3. End of season prediction - 6th

Cavaliers: Typical big dark powerful brass sound. Great guard. Percussion, well, look, I know where they've been scoring but tonight at least (twice) they just didn't play. As I said before Glassmen beat them in drums and should have (first time this year). Remember I've seen them only twice but in the two times I've seen them this is just not the Cavies line from the past several years. They won the show and did a stand still so me and my buddy (also a drummer) said "OK, they just had a bad run. NOW they will play!". Well, unfortunately we were wrong. Same problems in the stand still as in the show earlier. The bass line is the strongest of the sections. The snares and tenors just have lots of problems. The pit, while isn't hurting them, just isn't the Cavies pit from a couple of years ago. They have the same great sound (maybe best in DCI - excellent mallet choices guys!) but the book just isn't there. The difficulty level is WAY down from the past couple of years. The show concept is great. Lots of cool things going and being executed really well. It will be interesting to see where they end up at the end of the season - 4th.

Blue Knights: Well, this just isn't their year. All the captions are OK, but it's just not working. The pit was the biggest disappointment of the night. Lots of great instruments (THREE!!! low "E" marimbas) and they did nothing with them. The battery is better than people have been saying but not BK quality. I hope these guys can pull it together. End of season prediction - 14th.

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