Second Night in Philly

[Brain in Jar]

Chip and Annette Frontz wrote:

> If anyone's sitting home because they're not in Buffalo (like me) and
> interested in hearing about my take on a four-day-old competition...
>
> Read on. The comments are short.
>
> Jersey Surf - I have not gotten to see them late for several years and
> I'm glad I did. Congrats to them.
>
> Kiwanis Kavaliers - I liked when the rifles did spins while walking
> down the "street" looking at their watches in "On the Town." Cool.
> Guard unis were a minus.
>
> Pioneer - I know they're Irish, but the plaid flags were boring.
> Every smaller corps should play "America the Beautiful" or some other
> patriotic tune to hook in the crowd.
>
> Spirit - Hey. Way to go. Much improved definition in sound. Liked
> the ghost train musical effect near the end of the show. They blew us
> away with the first "big sound" of the night. "Next stop, Buffalo!"
>
> Blue Knights - The Gershwin stuff should have been the whole show.
>
> Crown - There are people that are really into the show design. Not
> me. But they do a good job with the wood and the tires. I just
> didn't enjoy seeing the metal move around the field.
>
> Madison - I liked watching everyone else enjoy them. My favorite part
> was when they marched on - I can relate to eight-to-five. Sorry, but
> they do the same thing every year, and it's not that great. I know
> I'm strange - I'd watch the Glassmen six times before I'd watch them
> again.
>
> SCV - The brass section was on tonight. I heard no fracks in the
> opener. The "New Era" chant is great, but it's probably losing them
> big points. The attention to accent and phrasing in "Short Ride in a
> Fast Machine" should not go unnoticed. This corps is visually a feast
> for the eyes.
>
> BD - I like this corps on CD and on video. Live, it's like watching
> drum corps under glass. They are so cool, so unflappable, that I
> can't relate. They are wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, and I felt a
> strange sense of detachment.
>
> Glassmen - The flugelhorn soloist was perfect. What's not to like
> about this show? Who can't get into loud, in-tune brass, smoking
> percussion, and good marching? They deserve and will take fifth, and
> they are not simply the best of the rest, but they're in that "best"
> category with the rest of the top five.
>
> Crossmen - I love, love, love the show. I hope the ending changes for
> Buffalo, though. It needs more! All soloists were on. The guard
> dropped a few makeable tosses - I always worry about overhype whenever
> Bones shows up. On the other hand, people are really starting to
> recognize him - Bones's appearance is beginning to become like
> Madison's entrance on the field - another great drum corps tradition.
>
> I agree with whoever said not staying for scores is the perfect way to
> end your drum corps night. Who cares who wins?
>
> Chip Frontz
> Crossmen 1992

No way am I disrespecting your opinion here, just some friendly banter.
I agree with most of what you said except for two things. First, I
don't think it is entirely fair to say Madison does the same thing every
year. They really stepped out of character last year and got clobbered
for it by both the fans and judges. And in what way were 95/96, the
Pirate show and JCS "the same thing every year"? That's an earnest
question, btw, not a dig on you. Second, if there is a typical
"Madison-style" show, I'd have to say Crossmen pretty much nailed it
this year. They are out-Madison-ing Madison, both musically (a good
thing, I think) and visually (maybe not such a good thing). So it
sounds a little strange when you say you don't care for Madison, but
love Crossmen. But hey, I can dig it. Life is full of contradictions.
It's like, you can get real tired of Frank Sinatra, but when you hear
someone doing a Sinatra tune (and doing it really well, but just
slightly different) it's kinda cool again. Like I said, no disrespect
here, just my two pesos.

--

Brain in a Jar.

We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.

T.S. Eliot

[Chip and Annette Frontz]

Brain in Jar wrote:

> Chip and Annette Frontz wrote:
>

> (snip)

> > Madison - I liked watching everyone else enjoy them. My favorite
> part
> > was when they marched on - I can relate to eight-to-five. Sorry,
> but
> > they do the same thing every year, and it's not that great. I know
> > I'm strange - I'd watch the Glassmen six times before I'd watch them
>
> > again.

> (snip)

> No way am I disrespecting your opinion here, just some friendly
> banter.
> I agree with most of what you said except for two things. First, I
> don't think it is entirely fair to say Madison does the same thing
> every
> year. They really stepped out of character last year and got
> clobbered
> for it by both the fans and judges. And in what way were 95/96, the
> Pirate show and JCS "the same thing every year"? That's an earnest
> question, btw, not a dig on you.

You're correct. They have tried different show themes. However, the
approach has remained the same within the show themes. Especially the
visual approach. If I remember correctly, look at the drill opening of
1993 and 1999, it's virtually the same thing - different themes, same
approach. Same deal with the musical arranging. Both this year and
last their opener features a very exposed soprano soli section which is
a tick-fest. The drum solo is usually a variation on the same theme and
usually at the very same point in the show. (I haven't seen or heard 99
except for the opening they played on the live broadcast, so that might
be different.) It just feels stale to me, and if they'd do it better,
I'd have far less of a problem with it.

> Second, if there is a typical
> "Madison-style" show, I'd have to say Crossmen pretty much nailed it
> this year. They are out-Madison-ing Madison, both musically (a good
> thing, I think) and visually (maybe not such a good thing). So it
> sounds a little strange when you say you don't care for Madison, but
> love Crossmen. But hey, I can dig it. Life is full of
> contradictions.
> It's like, you can get real tired of Frank Sinatra, but when you hear
> someone doing a Sinatra tune (and doing it really well, but just
> slightly different) it's kinda cool again. Like I said, no disrespect
>
> here, just my two pesos.

I have thought the same thing. I like your Sinatra analogy. Perhaps
another analogy would be if Maynard would come out with his fiftieth
album and rehash his old stuff but not sound as good, but if some new
trumpet guy would out-Maynard Maynard on his second album. (Of course,
Maynard has changed his style significantly over the years.)

If Crossmen would be wearing Madison uniforms this year, I'd love
Madison.

>
>
> --
>
> Brain in a Jar.
>
> We shall not cease from exploration
> And the end of all our exploring
> Will be to arrive where we started
> And know the place for the first time.
>
> T.S. Eliot

Chip

I'm thinking of adding a T.S. Eliot quote to be like you and Nikk. : )
But I like yours better.