July 2, Clifton, NJ

Thanks to John William DeSimon on RAMD for this review!

Hi!  Last night was the Cadets show in Clifton, NJ.  Scores have already 
been posted so I'm not going to bother with that.  FYI: I am a visual 
person, and do not pretend to know anything about music.  

6) Boston - new uni's look nice - definate inprovement. They don't 
look dirty and moth-eaten like those old things.  This is one of the best 
shows they've had in a long time, but they are filthy (as usual for this 
time of year).  Good colorguard.  Corps was phasing bigtime during 
beginning of "First Circle".  I know this song well, & I couldn't tell 
what the hell they were playing.  The show is definately finals-caliber, 
but who knows if they'll pull it off.

5) Spirit of Atlanta - musically sounded good, visually mediocre.  
Colorguard = brutal!

4) Crossmen - from a musical & visual design perspective, this is one of the 
most sophisticated shows they've done.  They're pretty raunchy at the 
moment, though.  Best colorguard they've ever had.  Lots of horn holes.  
Percussion did alot of great visuals.

3) Bluecoats - utterly predictable, but damn good musically.  Drill is 
very bland.  Colorguard uni's are ghastly!  I know I've seen this design 
when I've done costuming research (so maybe they get points for accuracy), 
but it really looks like shit. I found the guard really distracting 
(as usual) from their show.  
They will probably be the cleanest guard Bluecoats have ever 
fielded because they look more talented than usual, but they need to 
revamp their approach to design.  One example:  What was with that stupid 
newspaper section?  If they're going to use them to help portray the women's 
distress over reading war headlines, give each girl a whole paper 
instead of one sheet, please!  You know ... those little details that 
their visual staff is notorious for ignoring.  
Second only to Spirit in ugly flag design, with one exception.

2) Phantom - the black corps uni's with the purple guard costumes look 
GREAT!  The design of the guard costume is a little funky, but not 
offensive.  I thought they told a nice color story.  The picture frame 
effect was cool the first time, but had little to no effect with repeated 
use (especially to frame the guard doing uninteresting body movement).  
They were freakin' loud!  I liked their show, though many around me found 
them mediocre and slotted them for sixth.  I see them more like fourth.  
The drill was acceptable, and they seem to be executing - may need a 
little more demand.  Guard is staged very well, and is the strongest 
they've had in a long time.  Very wonderful musically!

1) Cadets - Everything that people have posted re: the "Swing, Swing, 
Swing" production number is SO true!  It is the best thing that has ever 
been put on the field.  It kind of makes the rest of their show - where 
they're doing conventional drill - look almost silly.  This number should 
definately raise some eyebrows re: what this activity could be if people 
thought about design differently.  Rolling the props off the field during 
the next number was pretty distracting though.  Basically it was a mess, 
and took entirely too long.  They should just move a few of them, and 
leave the rest in place.  Opener is going to be very exciting as well.  
Ballad was a little bland visually, but will be re-worked. "Parade" 
section to the end is very promising, but a little rough right now.  
The ending seemed a bit abrupt, so it seems like there's more to come.  
Now, its no secret that I usually dig their colorguard, but they have 
out-done themselves!  They are going to be phenomenal!  They spin 
7' poles the whole show with flags the size of twin-bed sheets, and 
handle them so masterfully.  Their movement is really superb too.  
I agree with those posting similar comments that this is the best 
Cadet show in, at least, ten years.


John W. DeSimon
Teachers College Press, Columbia University

Seattle Web Factory

Web and Page design ©1995 Seattle Web Factory