Cavaliers................90.4 Madison Scouts...........90.4 Magic of Orlando.........85.3 Glassmen.................84.3 Carolina Crown...........80.4 Academie Musicale........78.7 Pioneer..................72.2 Spartans.................64.6 Patriots.................62.2 Pride of Soka (Japan)....56.6 Best Drum Major - Cavaliers High Horns - Madison Scouts High Drums - Madison Scouts Thanks to Babylove for emailing us these scores! Thanks to Andrew Do for emailing us these scores! Thanks to Greg J. Hipius for emailing us these scores!
Well, my usual disclaimer... the following is only my opinion as a fan, and is not intended to reflect any experience I may have in adjudication or the like, so please take it in that light only.
The show was once again held in Rome Free Academy stadium, and again was the positively best organized, publicized and smoothly running show I go to. Many kudos, once again, to the fantastic Drums Along the Mohawk staff. I always have a great time going to the show because the stands are always absolutely packed, since the locals traditionally come to the show, in addition to the usual flock of drum corps fans. It's always so much fun to listen to all of the people that get so little exposure to drum corps enjoying the activity, often for the first time. And everyone, veteran or new fan alike, got one fantastic show tonight.
10th (56.6) - Pride of Soka (Tokyo, Japan) - This was Pride's first performance in North America, and they were wonderful. Definitely a treat, their show was entitled At the Castle Gate and included pieces painting a picture of places in Great Britain. The corps had a fantastic versitality, and were visually a treat to watch. Complex, impressive patterns dominated this show, and visual performance was undoubtedly their most strong point. They had a true sense of humor, too, utilizing kazoos and other toys during a lighter portion of the program. Sadly, it was very easy to diagnose the biggest problem in the corps: horn intonation and technique. Whereas very technically proficient, the hornline became unbalanced in spots, and a problem with warbly, wavy tones (hearing the steps through the long notes) was evident throughout. On the whole, however, they were a joy to watch, and I do hope they make it a habit of touring the states in the future.
9th (62.2) - Patriots (Rochester, NY) - My first observation was a sacrifice of marching percussion for an expanded pit. But what an effect! (Warning... biased opinion... a high school friend of mine and outstanding keyboardist, Tom Norton, performed with them this evening). Performing the show Medieval Visions, including music from Dragonheart and First Knight, the corps painted a wonderful picture tonight. A well balanced horn sound was highlighted and punctuated at every point by some beautifully orchestrated and composed pit accompaniments. The visual aspect was a little sloppy in spots, but impacted very well, especially the unique opening and numerous percussion pieces spread throughout the field. Glad to see Patriots continuing to build... definitely Division III finalist caliber this year.
8th (64.4) - Spartans (Nashua, NH) - I find myself with again the same feeling about Spartans as last season. FANTASTIC horn line with powerful sound, nice visuals, good percussion work, but the show put me to sleep (figuratively). Three Revelations, a collection of works by Alfred Reed, left me somehow flat again, as the Roman show did last season. Having said that, though, what a performance was cranked out! Some a very technically proficient, albeit sometimes unbalanced and out of tune, performing stretched the talents of these kids. Hands down finalist contention for Division II this year.
7h (72.2) - Pioneer (Milwaukee, WI) - WOW!!! For a few years now, I have had to admit that, while always impressed with the performance level of Pioneer, I found their shows slow moving and dull. BUT NO MORE!!! Definitely the best Pioneer I have ever seen, their performance level was top notch Division I, and this book cooks! Riverdance left the Rome crowd very pleased by a corps with the talent to make finals and (IMHO for the first time ever) the vehicle to take them there. My only quandary: a full ten points behind the last year's finalists pack?!? I honestly would have had them above Academie Musicale, let alone much closer than the 6.5 point difference they had. But no doubt there is something I am not seeing, since this is the gap Pioneer has been at all season... I truly hope that since I LOVED this corps for the first time finally this season, they can find whatever that thing is and fix it. WONDERFUL work, PIONEER... good luck!
6th (78.7) - Academie Musicale (Sherbrooke, Quebec) - Okay, the book this year was entitled Metamorphosis: A Choreographic Suite in Four Acts, but don't let that fool ya... I recognized it as actually a collection of recycled tunes (not that I'm against that, though). Nice, entertaining, very restrained and technically proficient, well balanced, but totally one hundred percent anticlimactic. The closer, Redemption (alias Andrew Lloyd Webber's Pie Jesu), was beautiful and flowing, a nice piece, but it ended. And that was it. The audience didn't know whether to keep clapping or not, since it felt like there had to be something more. The show, very simply, lacked closure, that little period at the end that says "we're done; ain't we cool?" Don't get me wrong, it's not because it was a quiet ending... they've done those with excellent closure before (i.e. Empire of the Sun a few seasons back). I'm sure they'll solve it within the next two weeks, though. I did have them way down with Patriots and Spartans, but add a little closure, and I would've bought this score.
5th (80.4) - Carolina Crown (Charlotte, NC) - Whoa! Before tonight, I've been watching the scores and wondering what happened, since it was starting to look like they might just miss finals in this, a very competitive year for spots 6 - 12. But what a great show! Definitely the same caliber as the last two seasons I've loved so much. Their show, Postcards from Britan was much like the Pride of Soka program with some repeated songs (and a few repeated staff names... coincidence? you decide...), but a lot more effect. Same uniquely theatric work as they're building a reputation for. I even had them within a point of Glassmen, but the judges' 4 point gap didn't agree. With the fierce competition in the midranks this year, they'll really need to pump up that score to stay in the finals (my most recent projections have them in 13th). But a very entertaining show to watch.
4th (84.3) Glassmen (Toledo, OH) - Welcome back Glassmen! My projections have a finals slot absolutely reserved for this fantastic comeback performance somewhere around 9th or 10th, if they don't peak early. Strong, powerful hornline and creative drum solo reminiscent of the 1996 season. Audience loved the usual wonderful body work and expression, in corps proper, as well as the guard. Very impressive.
3rd (85.3) Magic of Orlando (Orlando, FL) - Hey!!! It's a substitute VK! What a fun show... audience pleasing and playing to the crowd from start to finish. I was whistlin' Lil Liza Jane all the way home. A fantastic show that could hit as high as 8th this season, with a real push in finals. An audience favorite tonight.
1st (90.4) Cavaliers and Madison Scouts (TIE) - Hot shows from both... and this time, I agree with the tie. I loved the Cavaliers silent drill opening. Some old geezer behind me talked through it saying "That's not drum corps! Pick up your horns!" I would've hit him, but I realized he is very old and very stupid and will probably die of old age on the car ride back from the show, so what's the use. Madison was entertaining as always, with a fine book and a great performance of it. The dead guard member at the end of the show had me in stitches. Cavies' Firebird Suite was my favorite of the night, and I can see either of them (with a lot of nonstop work) making a run at the title. Good luck to all!
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