Thanks to Christina Mavroudis on r.a.m.d for this review! Good morning, Here is a review of the Stockton show I wrote up for DCW. I'll be posting additional comments including the fun we had at our Cybercorps party later. (FYI: This article won't be appearing in DCW due to a misunderstanding with writing assignments.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BLUE DEVILS WIN FIRST DRUM CORPS WEST CHAMPIONSHIP Stockton, CA - On July 13, 1996, the eighteenth Moonlight Classic, this year designated the Drum Corps West Championship, was won by the still undefeated Blue Devils. Attended by 6,000 plus, and run by S.O.M.E. (Sponsors Of Musical Enrichment) - the same folks who handle the DCI Individual and Ensemble competition, the show was the first to separate Division II and III participants, won by Blue Devils B and Mandarins respectively. Coming off a stunning upset in music to Vanguard the previous night, Concord Blue Devils came back with a vengeance and an 89.1 to take all captions except percussion. This high score for mid-July would normally seem incredible, especially given all the newly introduced music and drill changes, but the corps is visually and audibly clean, a testament to their staff and member talent. Virtually overnight, new portions of the opener and closer were redesigned and even in just two weeks, the show has metamorphosized into a more sophisticated production. Jackets have been added to the guard uniforms which now resemble zoot suits. Except for two pit set-ups, the sidelined metal blocks which were part of a snare/tenor feature have been eliminated as well most elements of "Mission Impossible", replaced by Wayne Downey originals and a reprise of the "Tess" theme. The blocks, still on opposite sides and wielded by 'sledge-hammer' toting pit members, give a cleaner presentation and corrected phasing problems experienced in the first couple of shows. The guard, skilled equipment handlers, is playfully integrated into the show. In the opener, guard members mirror horns and a few even infiltrate the pit pretending to play timpani. One member climbs a ladder and at the climatic opener finish, is "shot" off the top step into a mosh-like guard grouping. Their body movements throughout the show reflect the theme-atic 'gangster underworld'. During the energetic "Desi" production, couples 'punch-out' their partners prior to tango-ing to strains of "Brazil," mime rifles for their real life use, and flee to the back sidelines at the end when a police siren sounds from the front in the huge blast ending. Since the beginning of the season, their closer has changed virtually every show. Now one new section may have clinched back their brass domination, demonstrating musicality and restraint in an otherwise hard-corps repertoire. Constant change in their book should stifle any talk of peaking too early. The first place trophy, donated by the Stockton Commodores Alumni, boasted a horn used by the 1967 Skyliners. [Also after BD finished their show, a contingent of supporters held a banner for the corps to see as they marched past. It read BD: 1-800-KICKASS. Nothing like a motivater to get you back in gear and it obviously worked.] If there was any doubt, Santa Clara Vanguard is back bringing an element of rival competition not seen here in the West for many years. With an 86.6 and a High Percussion caption, the corps may have only moved up a tenth of a point, but have the makings of a top contender with room to grow. Horn ripples have been added to the pre-show salute, blending with the constant water theme visuals of waves and ebbs. The touch of white from shoes, plume, and shoulder section not only become ocean 'foam' but are an exposure which add rather than hinder their marching form. This is especially evident during the powerful finale when they engage in a rarely seen high step company front. The guard now sport long evening gloves and a stylish hair design augmenting already gorgeous costumes. Graceful in dance and motion, these ladies execute deft equipment handling and are fully integrated into the show from the opening waves to circular riptide drills. Morphing even more than the Blue Devils, Velvet Knights wrapped up the division with a 68.5. Down a few tenths from the previous night, it may have been due to the unfamiliarity of equipment work in the expanding guard. Their enthusiastic drum major wears a Star Trek: The Next Generation command uniform and creates rowdy feedback with his Vulcan (and pelvic) salute. Is the corps ready? was responded with Klingonese (unless that was the famous "The Day the Earth Stood Still" line: Klatu Veratu Nektu). The opener is a 30 count silent drill - are we in a space void? - into explosive bars of Magical Mystery Tour. The silver clothed guard wield beautifully designed Saturn flags of peach and seafoam green. As the corps moves into familiar 2001 notes, a spaceman slowly walks out to center field and engages in body building moves to the delight of female fans. An intense sour note has our machoman clawing his ears until the overture generates sections of Lost in Space and finally Jetson. The latter is introduced by an audience participatory vocal launch (Five! Four! Three!..) and feature fire-colored flags. A small combo rocks out at the appropriate spot until....streaking in from the upper right...a can of Comet cleanser breaks up the dirt. [Read this as a pun!] After an endless weightless section accompanied by the pit section, our intrepid corps tethers out into a space walk and meet the indigenous life form. Gone is the long-masked spook now replaced by a purple jellyfish. The guard splits into three factions: long poles, yellow/black stripped zone flags, and the orange Klingon swords to engage in mock battle. This night there were serious handling problems with the curved rifle-like equipment. During "Ilea's Theme", the guard dons pearlized wings, our spaceman brings out the World (a blow-up beach ball), and the horns are featured in this ballad. The finale - a medley of science fact/fiction - include Right Stuff, Airforce Theme, Star Wars (complete with the Darth Vader Bottle Dance) and even everybody's favorite E.T. Concord Blue Devils 'B' 85.7 All captions in Division II. The division II trophy, like it's Division I counterpart, included a horn used in the first DCI championships. Their ballad, a Tower of Power tune "You Can't Fall Up", was easily the most beautiful piece of the evening - melodic and emotional. Two sop soloist clearly belong in A corps and have the physical intensity to show it. During a drum feature in the second tune, tenors used what appear to be the metal blocks from the A corps. The finale Paso Doble featured the mature guard in incredible flag work. Their score tops many open corps and this resurgence in the BD organization - they're about to add a wind symphony - could indicate a desire to grow a more fertile homebase. If this season is any indication - the next bumper crop kicking up to the A corps is perfect pickings. Winners of Division III, Sacramento Mandarins took all captions except percussion with a score of 84.7. Let's talk numbers - they have six pit, ten battery, eight guard, and a mere thirteen horns. With the addition of a new drum major, this tiny corps of 38 puts out an extremely entertaining show with little distraction by way of sub -talent. From musician and guard, to instructors and design staff, they're all extremely proficient in their craft. Their show is based on a 9/8 meter, beginning and ending with Taiko drums. The horns have a more laid back intensity yet power forth with tonal purity. Second in Division II with a 75.8, Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets have come a long way. Soloists who were struggling with some of the material hit their pieces both nights, and the guard had no visible drops. During "Dance of the Comedians", the large face masks have been replaced by creative antics. Snares dance a jig, the guard actually somersaults, and the pit have fun with audio toys. The dying duck call is especially memorable. The closer from the silent film "Alexander Nefsky" featured massive gold and burgandy flags on the front and back lines; a change from just the back field use. In third with a close score of 75.3 (just .5 off SCVC) Pacific Crest captured high percussion. Though they only had five guard - the ladies were vastly improved over the last shows two weeks prior. Even the five cymbals who seemed to be struggling the night before seemed confident in drill and book. In the opener, a lone woman struggles with her feelings, longing for her love (sop soloist) in the poignant story of Jeckyll & Hyde. By the 3rd piece, the guard - now wearing red vests - sides with darkness in this good-vs-evil tale. During the climactic battle featuring a tenors/snare head-to-head, the audience began pulling into the show. A tempo increase and wild drill finale had the audience on their feet somewhat reminiscent of their spellbinding performance last year. Though they place last with a 54.9 - the Edmonton Strutters were certainly not last in the hearts of the audience. Music to "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" by Andrew Lloyd Weber was energetic, and most importantly, entertaining. They were what I like to call "young and fun." They dressed in black suits with metallic green vests and a black Indiana Jones hats wrapped with metallic purple bands. Their female DM wore - what else - a coat of many colors. The guard wore black body suits and reversible skirts except the lone male who wore a blue vest. Bass drums wore a happy and sad face. Drums wore hot color panels. The multi-color theme carried throughout the design in flags and even the huge coat unraveled at the end. The musical is an updated version of the biblical Joseph. With that in mind, the highlight of the show was the emergence of Pharaoh, the King of Egypt. And what better 'king' to play the part than Elvis! Yes, the gyrating hipster himself dances, donates his scarf to a stunned fan, and finally conducts the corps. In exhibition were the Blue Devils C corps, always favorites who had the crowd clapping along to 'Grand Ol Flag.' They also had an opening gate move familiar to of the 80s BD closer drill. However, nothing beat the crowd response to the little tikes recreating last years 'Caribe.' Also all the way from Taiwan, the Taipei Municipal Chien Kuo Senior High School Marching Band. These all male juniors from a school enrollment of 10,000 are the reigning 1996 Republic of China National Champions and originally started as a drum corps in 1966. What endeared them to the audience was their repertoire of drum corps favorites; "Make His Praise Glorious" and "Malaga" among them. Also appearing were four youth bands in a Summer Bands International competition. First place and all captions went to the current SBI champion Argonauts (Salem, OR). In successive order were Sound Machine (Upland, CA), Spirit of Sunnyvale (CA), and Spirit of Santa Fe Springs (CA). At retreat, DCW representative Jeff Collins announced two recipients of $1,000 college scholarships: Blue Devil member Jerry Ridgeway who will be attending Arizona State and Vanguard member Colby Springer who will attend Notre Dame University. One note: when Jerry was introduced, he didn't come to the front to accept the scholarship right away and Jeff mumbled, "Well, he may not want it, but I bet his parents do!" While most corps now begin their final tour, BDB and Pacific Crest performed their last shows in Stockton. Both corps did an emotional last gig for their staff and lucky fans; BDB getting an extra show in an unexpected victory concert prior to their older counterparts. When informed that this was their last show, many spectators expressed shock, then sadness for BDB. All felt they would have had a genuine run for the Division II DCI title. Though the corps won't continue this season, many members have offers from other corps, and will be filling spots to continue on to Orlando. --------------------------------------------------- I'll be reviewing Pacific Procession and the Northwest later this week.
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