On The Road: K-Zoo, MI ‘07

// June 30th, 2007

(2 votes, average: 4 out of 5)

After taking in the show tonight in Kalamazoo, I have one question to ask. Is anyone going to step-up and beat the Cavaliers this season? I mean the level of their design and performance is so far superior to . . . . What is that you say? The Blue Devils won in Kalamazoo!

I have to admit that I was a part of the early exit crowd after tonight’s show. Having seen and heard all of the contestants perform, I firmly believed that the boys from Rosemont were superior to both the Blue Coats and Devs in both G.E. (music and visual) and visual performance. I was shocked to learn when I checked the scores later that they had fallen short in the eyes of the judges.

Please don’t get me wrong. All of the corps this year are spectacular and though I am FAR from a Cavalier apologist (I have often considered selling my soul to “Mr. Applegate” just so my beloved Madison Scouts could break out of their cycle of mediocrity and once again beat those “Damn Cavaliers”), I couldn’t understand how they did not come away with the highest score at this show.

Again this year, The Cavaliers have fielded an extremely entertaining and crowd oriented show that combines clever arrangements of Billy Joel standards (especially Pressure) with another simple, high velocity and exciting drill design. Per usual, The Cavaliers have a very strong guard that is tastefully staged and provides an excellent interpreter for the corps’ concepts (though the running “straighten the tie with the bell” gag got a bit tiresome). The guard book is extremely well written and when Bruno and company get their body movement to match the skill with which they handle their equipment work, The Cavaliers have an excellent chance of taking the top guard award this year.

The Bluecoats came off the line with the expected power and energy and their Criminal show plays well into their strength as a wide open, aggressive corps. I don’t doubt that the Bluecoats are solidly entrenched in the top 5 again this year with a well rounded corps that has few weaknesses. Perhaps it was my vantage point that made their visual performance appear pedestrian. I also couldn’t quite grasp why a silly little briefcase was continually upstaging a very good color guard or the horn line seemed to be running for what appeared to be only the sake of running.

It must also have been my vantage point that made the opening impact of Blue Devils’ show (a solo set of black wings center stage) actually cause my blood pressure to drop. Yes, I “get it”. I am not so dense as to not be beat over the head with symbolic appointments of black evolving into white and I fully appreciate the concept of a condensed focal point. However, nothing says hot horn line and drum line like a girl dressed in blue lifting a pair of black wings. Perhaps the staff should change the name of the show from “Winged Victory” to “Bruised Victory”. Getting back to the horn and perc lines, WOW can they play and I thought the infusion of the old standard Pegasus was clever. My biggest regret for this show is they get few opportunities to really take center stage with the clumsy guard and battery staging always eating up the focus.

Thoughts on the other corps attending the show in Kalamazoo:

The Kilties: I don’t remember much from their show but I really enjoy and appreciate a corps that keeps alive the roots of our activity. The degree of passion these men and women display in holding true to drum corps history (right down to the American Squad) is commendable and entertaining in its own right.

Memphis Sound: This corps should do well in their division again this year. They appear to be well instructed in all areas of the program. It did appear that they were marching several holes tonight, especially in the guard but when they are full, I’m sure will do quite well.

Colt Cadets: What a fun show. The Colt Cadets and big and not very clean but their staff has put together a highly energetic show that the audience found enjoyable.

Troopers: It was good to see the Troopers fielding a strong corps again after several years of anonymity and a very good corps and show they have. It would be easy to slip into a nostalgia trip with regard to this corps but this corps will not allow such travel. Though they still don the traditional Trooper uniforms and stick to American music, this presentation is anything but stale. The horn line plays crisply and with excellent balance. Look for them to make a push later in the season.

Cascades: It seems that every year the Cascades get stronger and this year is no exception. Each section of the corps contributes well to the performance and it is just a matter of time until this corps breaks through into finals.

The Glassmen: I have to admit that I was confused by Glassmen. This confusion began during their pre-show interaction. I was interested to see how the Afro-Cuban drumming and dancing by a guard dressed as Spanish Gypsies would work into their show concept. When the corps came off the line with Rimsky-Korsakov, I was lost. I thought the show had great design elements and was performed well. However, I found myself looking up the show concept online just so I would have a clue as to what was tying all of that together. I regret that even that did not help much.