Bluecoats 2024 -- "Change Is Everything"

[N.E. Brigand]

One thing I like about this show is that it just starts, with no build. Timed fairly well to the live show announcer, too.

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Their scenic designer, Michael Raiford (with whom I've interacted under entirely different circumstances), explains the visual concept in a new video released today. Seems fairly straightforward:

[crowncrawler]

It's such a well designed show. Probably my favorite show of the decade so far.

[N.E. Brigand]

The bit with the noisy flags is very effective, but I would note that Glassmen did much the same thing about halfway through their 2011 show, "My Mortal Beloved."

[N.E. Brigand]

I see that DCI is getting cutesy on Youtube, where they posted a 96 second video titled, "If only this was Bluecoats 2024 at DCI Broken Arrow pres. by OBU Athletic Bands".

[N.E. Brigand]

The sound effects in Bluecoats' preshow remind me of the very creepy climax to the 2018 movie Annihilation with Natalie Portman.

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I find the marching while playing in their closer to be quite effective, and it lasts for a good 29 seconds.

[N.E. Brigand]

I guess change really is everything.

[N.E. Brigand]

DCI noted in a posting yesterday that Bluecoats' 93.025 is the highest ever score at San Antonio, eclipsing the score Blue Devils earned last year.

After checking Drum Corps Xperience and From the Pressbox, it appears to me that DCI's statement may be in error. As far as I can tell, there has been a DCI Southwestern in San Antonio three weeks prior to DCI Finals in most years going back to 1998. I would mention these caveats and exceptions:
--In 1998-2000, half the corps were at San Antonio and half the corps were at a DCI Midwestern event; this is noted below as needed.
--In 2004, the San Antonio competition was a week earlier. On the usual San Antonio date that year, DCI's big event was in Orlando, whose scores I cite below.
--Note that in some years, the event was split into separate morning/afternoon and evening shows (also true of Orlando in 2004).
--In 2010, the corps who would finish 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th at DCI were not at the DCI Southwestern event.

With all that in mind, the 1998 score has held the record until now. Here's the list. Boldface indicates that year's DCI champion.

93.025 -- 2024 Bluecoats -- 1.15 over Blue Devils
93.000 -- 1998 Blue Devils [3rd at DCI Finals] -- 0.2 over Cadets and 1.0 over Vanguard [2nd at DCI Finals]
92.600 -- 2023 Blue Devils -- 1.0 over Boston Crusaders [4th at DCI Finals], 1.65 over Bluecoats [2nd at DCI Finals], and 2.037 over Carolina Crown [3rd at DCI Finals]
92.550 -- 2006 Cavaliers -- 0.55 over Blue Devils [3rd at DCI Finals] and 2.4 over Phantom Regiment [2nd at DCI Finals]
92.450 -- 2002 Cavaliers -- 1.95 over Cadets [3rd at DCI Finals] and 2.1 over Blue Devils [2nd at DCI Finals]
92.375 -- 2008 Blue Devils [2nd at DCI Finals] -- 1.4 over Cavaliers [3rd at DCI Finals], 2.35 over Carolina Crown [4th at DCI Finals], and 2.6 over Phantom Regiment
92.325 -- 2018 Santa Clara Vanguard -- 1.350 over Blue Devils [2nd at DCI Finals]
92.300 -- 2010 Blue Devils -- 4.7 over Vanguard [7th at DCI Finals] and 5.45 over Phantom Regiment [6th at DCI Finals]
92.175 -- 2022 Blue Devils -- 1.475 over Boston Crusaders [2nd(tied) at DCI Finals], 1.75 over Carolina Crown [4th at DCI Finals], and 2.275 over Bluecoats [2nd(tied) at DCI Finals]
92.050 -- 2000 Cadets -- 1.80 over Vanguard [4th at DCI Finals]; meanwhile Blue Devils [3rd at DCI Finals] won with 89.60 in Indianapolis, 0.1 over Cavaliers
91.775 -- 2005 Cavaliers [2nd at DCI Finals] -- 0.625 over Cadets
91.650 -- 2014 Blue Devils -- 0.675 over Cadets [3rd at DCI Finals] and 1.8 over Bluecoats [2nd at DCI Finals]
91.400 -- 2009 Blue Devils -- 1.65 over Cavaliers [4th at DCI Finals], 1.85 over Cadets [3rd at DCI Finals], and 2.25 over Carolina Crown [2nd at DCI Finals]
91.350 -- 2007 Blue Devils -- 0.425 over Cavaliers [3rd at DCI Finals] and 1.1 over Cadets [2nd at DCI Finals]
91.213 -- 2019 Bluecoats [2nd at DCI Finals] -- 0.2 over Blue Devils
91.100 -- 2003 Cavaliers [2nd at DCI Finals] -- 0.6 over Blue Devils
91.050 -- 2011 Cavaliers [3rd at DCI Finals] -- 0.1 over Blue Devils [2nd at DCI Finals] and 0.65 over Cadets
91.000 -- 1999 Blue Devils -- 2.2 over Cavaliers [3rd at DCI Finals]; meanwhile Vanguard won with 90.2 in Toledo, 2.2 over Cadets [4th at DCI Finals]
91.000 -- 2001 Blue Devils [2nd (tied) at DCI Finals] -- 1.25 over Vanguard [4th at DCI Finals] and Cavaliers and 1.55 over Cadets [2nd (tied) at DCI Finals]
90.400 -- 2012 Blue Devils -- 0.85 over Carolina Crown [2nd at DCI Finals]
90.275 -- 2004 Cavaliers -- 0.275 over Blue Devils [2nd at DCI Finals]; n.b. this was Orlando not San Antonio, and was a split day/night event
90.100 -- 2017 Blue Devils -- 0.475 over Vanguard [2nd at DCI Finals]
89.450 -- 2013 Blue Devils [2nd at DCI Finals] -- 0.25 over Carolina Crown
87.650 -- 2015 Cadets [4th at DCI Finals] -- 0.35 over Blue Devils, 1.45 over Carolina Crown [2nd at DCI Finals], and 2.025 over Bluecoats [3rd at DCI Finals]
87.063 -- 2016 Bluecoats -- 0.275 over Carolina Crown [3rd at DCI Finals] and 0.713 over Blue Devils [2nd at DCI Finals]

Notice the scoring reset in 2015, following Blue Devils record high score in DCI Finals the prior year. Also: that 2014 show won but didn't score particularly high at San Antonio.

Also note that the San Antonio winner goes on to win DCI Finals about 60% of the time.

Corrections welcome!

[marimba11]

It really is a very simple concept and there is just so much clarity in that.

[N.E. Brigand]

I watched the show on high cam tonight and wasn't quite sure what I was seeing in the last few minutes. I thought it might be just an error in the feed, that's how subtle it started from that angle.

[N.E. Brigand]

So glad I got to see this in person five days ago, but it must have been just heaven to watch that Finals performance live.

[das88]

Really enjoyed their show!