anyone else have fan network and will be logged in tomorrow? I'll try to give updates--I usually do on my facebook anyway

I will be, hey, why not share our thoughts live? Could be fun. Do little blog-esque type thing.

Exactly! We can just continue here!

Yes do that since I won't be able to be on fan network myself this season.

VERY excited about tonight. My thoughts on the lineup, taking into consideration it is a 5 person panel, percussion being the only caption judged.

6/18 Indianapolis, IN

Judges:

GE VISUAL: M. CZAPINSKI
MUSIC ANA: A. COOK
GE MUSIC: J. HARPER
MUSIC PERC: J. WEBB
VISUAL ANA: M. KELLY

Step off Times:

8:35 - Carolina Crown
8:18 - Cadets
7:44 - Phantom Regiment
7:27 - Cavaliers
7:10 - Troopers


Carolina Crown - Based off of their early season performance, and the captions being judged, I think their strengths will be in GE Music and Visual Analysis. Weakness, percussion.

The Cadets - Based off of their webcasts and other videos, strengths will be in Music Analysis and a HUGE advantage in percussion. GE Visual is a draw to me between the two.

Phantom Regiment - Advantages in Visual GE and Visual Analysis, weakness's in Music GE and Percussion.

Cavaliers - Advantages compared to Phantom in all categories, no real weakness's.

Troopers - Have nothing to go off of.

Prediction:

1) The Cadets - 74.2, I think percussion being the one judged caption will have them over the top.
2) Carolina Crown - 73.9, I think that even though their drums are drastically improved over last year, The Cadets monster drumline will be pretty far ahead, and Cavaliers have a very solid line that I think could be over Crown.
3) Cavaliers - 69.5, Their show design and music performance compared to last year is MILES ahead, brass is not even comparable.
4) Phantom Regiment - 68.9, Visual scores should keep them from dropping too low, going off of souly the arrangements in videos, Music Effect and Analysis could suffer.
5) Troopers - 61.5, hearing they are building off of last year with a strong brass section and increased show difficulty. Lack of corps in their competitive field will make it hard for a comparison.

Looking forward to the webcast tonight!

nice analysis--certainly could see that happening!

Interested to see whether Crown beats Cadets though. Would like to see them start strong again this season!

Like I said, considering that percussion takes up 20% of the score in that caption alone, and some in Music Analysis and Music GE, they'd have to be VERY strong in all other captions, which they are. But so are The Cadets at this moment. It wouldn't surprise me to see either on top, and by a good margin either way.

Well looks like we might have to wait to find out! Friggin rain already has it delayed an hour and the forecast isn't good

Looks like all the bad stuff is about done rain wise.

815 start time no intermission

Saweet.

Which I had the extra money and could afford it.

Here we go kids, national anthem.

Keep logging in on the wrong account.

Troopers - "A Peoples House"

Slow opener into a lucious brass hit, guard in all yellow with yellow flags.

Next movement seems like there is conflict, brass has typical early season intonation and attack issues, nothing huge. Drill is obviously biggest problem, ambitious design with lots of dirt. Guard staging seems really cramped midway through this part. GREAT writing for the drums from the Rennicks, drums are solid, guard as well. Brass great.

Next movement, REALLY cool drill into a straight vertical line on the 50 into this section, cool effects with the facing, but dirty. Corps is left field in a scatter form. Guard on all rifles, seemingly dark music. Guard uses individual pieces of a tapestry to make a picture, drill continues to be the weak spot, not horrible, but not bad. Guard moves to flags and sabres, more ambitious drill. Show to me at this point lacks direction and I'm not entirely sure at all what is going on thematically, they sound and look great though. Leading into:

Drum feature, drums blazing with some PHENOMENAL Rennick writing, snare feature crisp, bass feature has all the notes, tenors solid, drill lacks velocity to match the drums. Small Battle Hymn hint from last year, guard staging not great to me. Crowd loved the end of that.

Guard uniform change from yellow into red and black into the closer, doesn't stand out too well against the corps proper to me. Guard building into "America the Beautiful", guard on American flag-esque flags like last year. Company front! BIG SOUND! Crowd LOVES it! Not a fan of the brass staging, contras overbalancing, guard very solid. Bringing it home! VERY unclear last set.

Strong points:

Percussion/Brass/Music GE/Guard

Weaknesses:

Visual Analysis/Visual GE/Visual Proficiency

Personal Score - 60.9

It seems like they are trying to copy last years formula, just not as solid. A tad dissapointed. Strong corps though, more demand than last year and performing stronger for the early season than last year, show just not as memorable to me.

America's corps started off the first competition of the year. Typical Troopers show. Brass seemed weak to me Percussion fairly solid visual mix between some really dirty moments to some nice impacts. Overall first show and you can tell.

Cavaliers - "Immortal"

Eerie pit and brass into the show, guard laying down with brass surrounding them. Marimbas extend onto the field. Guard with no show flags it seems yet. Brass HUGELY improved from last year WOW! Strong guard! Pit BLAZING!

Mellophone feature to start the next movement, followed by sopranos. Visually stronger in design than last year. Great guard! Guard takes one of the hornline members, perhaps to suck their blood? Music turns very playful, perhaps playing with their food to be? Intonation not as strong as night run a few nights ago, strong visual so far.

Danse Macabre next, Marimba's are moving onto the field for the drum feature! Some really eerie sounds coming out of the pit, some strings excerpts from Saint Saen's Danse Macabre. Marimbas are being played with two on each, moving AND PLAYING! WOW! Fast runs! Really playful sounds from the brass. Marimbas into a circle and they're running and playing and jumping WOW! Fast drill. Still no show flags, solid green. Brass jam out to Danse Macabre. WOW That was FUN! Very fast paced drill to finish this movement! Crowd loved it!

"When I am Laid in Earth" theme from the baris to start the ballad, Solo bari with the theme again with some grooves coming form the pit. HUGE hit in the ballad, beautiful! Lots of metallic from the pit, goosebumps!

"A Walk on the Water" starts very mechanical and slower paced, then into some really quick drill with only the pit playing, guard doing some very clean work, into a HUGE hit to kick off the finale, REALLY fast runs from the front ensemble, brass BOOKING IT! Brass is getting really tired. Great show!


Strengths:

Percussion/Guard/All Visual

Brass/Music Analysis

Personal Score - 67.9

Show design is MILES ahead of last year in all captions, brass had some intonation issues that weren't there a few nights ago.

I agree with your much better review mostly other than brass. Not a strength currently in my opinion

I'm not saying Cavaliers are perfect but man are they so much better than start of last year! And percussion. ..WOW! guard, right on for the most part. Can take this vampire show a long way. Really excited to see where they take it!