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Post by srv1084 on Apr 21, 2023 19:16:41 GMT -6
This Bono impression narration in Pulse is legitimately bad. Love Pulse most years… not this show so much. This is what makes me scratch my head. As a WORLD CLASS ensemble, what is so innovative about this show that has it ranked above Rhythm X, RCC, or Broken City? What are the World Class effects? Are their beats just that much more impressive than any other groups'? (Legitimate questions here as a non-percussionist) Honestly, you kind of just touched upon one of the reasons why I started falling out of love with this activity the past several years. Not specifically Pulse, but the general approach to the activity by so many groups (but fine, maybe they, along with a few others, are one of the reasons why...). Some have brought that artistry and fresh approach to the activity (Broken City), but their brand is then diluted over time as they also begin sticking to a formula and influencing other groups to do the same. I find myself having trouble gathering a complete thought on the matter, but I'll try... The short answer is that some groups know how to play the game so well that their programs become formulaic, predictable, and, in my opinion, a bit milquetoast when it comes to theme. The risk taking and innovation doesn't come in the full package, it comes in the beats. If you write a seemingly impossible book and it's executed with clarity, that's enough of a risk payoff. Rarely, a group will come along that may not be the best playing ensemble, but their show is written in a way that transcends the activity from its mere "drums in a gym" roots (I see you, Avon 2022... I see you). For a lot of people the difficulty in content on its own is enough to fully enjoy the show, and the artistry from a thematic perspective can take a backseat. That's why drummers love the lot so much. Sometimes they just want to see and hear some insane beats, and that's why Pulse has such a huge following in the lot year after year. Lots of people couldn't care less about themes or music choices, as long as the snareline is playing a solo for 16 measures filled with inverted cheeses, book reports and insanely fast singles, and the bassline is playing hand-to-hands at 220bpm. It's impressive, but it's such a... I don't know... mathematical (?) way to enjoy the activity (it makes sense in my head, I swear). I've thought so much about this over the years for the very reason you mentioned. Why am I having such a hard time seeing certain groups like Pulse continuing to push the boundaries of upper box 5 while others are coming to Dayton with such fresh perspectives and not achieving as high? What's so innovative about their shows? I had to start thinking of it from a sum of the parts perspective. Everything they do is insanely deliberate. Their shows are always one complete thought in every sense. They walk the line perfectly between continuity/cohesion and variety, but the variety doesn't come from different musical styles, it comes in the form of time signatures/key changes, metric modulation (peep the snare solo's flam-flams transitioning into swissies somehow being played with INSANE clarity that most other groups could never achieve), range of dynamics/timbres along with depth of their front ensemble writing (watch how many mallet changes the keyboards make throughout the show, how the timpani writing provides both a rhythmic and tonal foundation for the marimbas during permutation passages, how the metals provide so much color, how they play as a true ensemble while the mallets rhythmically mirror what the snares play as opposed to just backing off and letting them have a solo, etc.). The actual composition and construction of their shows is insanely good, even if I find myself having a hard time enjoying it as I tend to connect with shows on a more emotional or personal level (hence why groups like Infinity both this year and last year have resonated with me). Ayala's 2017 show encapsulates my feelings about this activity perfectly. It's worth the seven minutes of your life, I promise. Alright, I'll go ahead and step off that soapbox that nobody asked me to get on
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Post by philodemus on Apr 21, 2023 19:37:08 GMT -6
Apparently, I can't work the quote feature. Just wanted to say I dug Ayala '17 as well.
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Post by cinnamonpromenade on Apr 21, 2023 19:49:54 GMT -6
Such a wide swing from bottom to top in Independent A. Wow. And if the first couple SA groups thus far had competed in Independent A, I think they would've scored somewhere between 4th and 2nd......
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Post by cinnamonpromenade on Apr 21, 2023 19:52:08 GMT -6
Warren Central is the FIFTH asylum show I've seen in the last week!!! And the second to use "Crazy" by Gnarles Barkley!!!!! EVERYONE PLEASE STOP!!!!!!!!!!!
(This school is really excellent btw)
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Post by srv1084 on Apr 21, 2023 20:17:43 GMT -6
So excited for Everett. Back in finals after an 18 year absence. Let's go, Crimson Tide!
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Post by srv1084 on Apr 21, 2023 20:36:19 GMT -6
Oak Grove, you have no business making me choke up over a show about freaking recess. You jerks...
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Post by srv1084 on Apr 21, 2023 20:58:18 GMT -6
I thought we retired Hide & Seek after Edge Independent killed it last year, but I suppose hearing it one last time is more than acceptable given that's the first time (I think?) we've ever seen someone perform it with a live vocoder. Well done, Longmont!
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Post by cinnamonpromenade on Apr 21, 2023 21:01:52 GMT -6
I thought we retired Hide & Seek after Edge Independent killed it last year, but I suppose hearing it one last time is more than acceptable given that's the first time (I think?) we've ever seen someone perform it with a live vocoder. Well done, Longmont! I was just about to say: singing and Hide and Seek don't often bode well for marching arts groups... Yet Longmont did both so well!
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Post by srv1084 on Apr 21, 2023 21:05:29 GMT -6
In today's edition of Design Room Discussions...
"Yo, what are you thinking for a show theme this year?" "Let's play the Blues, but make it Egyptian, fam." "Serious?" "Dead serious." "Bet."
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Post by srv1084 on Apr 21, 2023 21:17:11 GMT -6
I like how the ensemble had their own announcement clearly calling themselves "Vandebilt" and the announcer still said "Vanderbilt" a second time.
Somewhere out there Chuck is shaking his head in disapproval.
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Post by philodemus on Apr 21, 2023 21:21:55 GMT -6
In today's edition of Design Room Discussions... "Yo, what are you thinking for a show theme this year?" "Let's play the Blues, but make it Egyptian, fam." "Serious?" " Dead serious." "Bet." And it was great! Full on belly laughs from me, in the 'you've surprised and delighted me' kinda way.
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Post by cybrunette on Apr 21, 2023 21:28:30 GMT -6
Hopefully that tech issue doesn't slam them too hard !
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Post by srv1084 on Apr 21, 2023 21:31:49 GMT -6
Hopefully that tech issue doesn't slam them too hard ! Top two both having tech issues. Yikes. Fingers crossed neither impacts the results.
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Post by Subito Fortissimo on Apr 21, 2023 22:19:12 GMT -6
I like how the ensemble had their own announcement clearly calling themselves "Vandebilt" and the announcer still said "Vanderbilt" a second time. Somewhere out there Chuck is shaking his head in disapproval. I guess I should make an addition to my signature.
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Post by cybrunette on Apr 21, 2023 22:23:24 GMT -6
Concert & A final scores are all posted on the 3rd page of this thread!
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Post by Subito Fortissimo on Apr 21, 2023 22:31:10 GMT -6
Really interesting numbers in PSA. A lot of disagreement between judges in the same captions.
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Post by srv1084 on Apr 21, 2023 23:04:51 GMT -6
Really interesting numbers in PSA. A lot of disagreement between judges in the same captions. Yep. Seems like prelims music judges really disagreed on Pi Percussion, too. Probably one of the biggest differences in points I think I've ever seen.
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Post by marimba11 on Apr 22, 2023 9:28:45 GMT -6
Wait it’s 11:30 right? Is PSO a few groups behind?
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Post by cybrunette on Apr 22, 2023 9:41:34 GMT -6
Wait it’s 11:30 right? Is PSO a few groups behind? Yeah only around 15 min I believe.. Same with winds. Bunch of unfortunate tech issues & small delays this morning. There was 1 wind group that spent about 8 min working on their equipment Edit: Guess they really did cut that break out to steer back on track
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Post by cinnamonpromenade on Apr 22, 2023 9:54:37 GMT -6
I appreciate the voiceover with the Australian accent in Matrix Open's show.
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Post by cinnamonpromenade on Apr 22, 2023 10:20:44 GMT -6
Crossroads Percussion is the first group of the day to make me audibly go "wow...." Kudos to Iowa for not only getting an Open Class group into finals but for doing so with such an existential, inspired show!
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Post by philodemus on Apr 22, 2023 10:26:58 GMT -6
Top half of PSO was collectively wonderful. Watched Zionsville with those crazy listening environments and thought, "Wow, and they're not leading?" Then I watched the rest of the class and said, "Ooooohhh..." The level is crazy high in that class.
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Post by philodemus on Apr 22, 2023 10:44:46 GMT -6
I wonder if the entire impetus behind Paradigm's show design was...
"Guys, I just really want to put some latte art on some bass drums heads."
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Post by cinnamonpromenade on Apr 22, 2023 11:05:53 GMT -6
I wonder if the entire impetus behind Paradigm's show design was... "Guys, I just really want to put some latte art on some bass drums heads." LOL It's been a minute since I legitimately laughed multiple times during a show. A brilliant level of dumbassery throughout ☠️☠️☠️ Sooooo good!!!
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Post by cybrunette on Apr 22, 2023 11:38:25 GMT -6
Wish I had srv1084 's knowledge & ears to be able to tell the intricate differences between semis & finals performances !
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Post by srv1084 on Apr 22, 2023 11:53:41 GMT -6
Wish I had srv1084 's knowledge & ears to be able to tell the intricate differences between semis & finals performances ! I'm still wrong 90% of the time. Your guess is as good as mine. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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Post by srv1084 on Apr 22, 2023 12:03:24 GMT -6
Finally caught up with all of PSO. Union and Clover's shows are so mature for Open class and really stand out from the others for me. Union's front ensemble has a ton of depth (as they should with 20+ members) and their visual program is phenomenal. I have a hard time seeing them losing visual. Clover's show has some tremendous pacing and they do a fantastic job thematically without beating you over the head with it. I know the scores indicate otherwise, but I felt Union and Clover were much closer while separating themselves from the pack.
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Post by cybrunette on Apr 22, 2023 12:38:47 GMT -6
I'm kind of rooting for Brownsburg although I know Clover is a hard beat
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Post by cybrunette on Apr 22, 2023 12:47:55 GMT -6
Is it just me or does WGI need to broaden their musical selection they play during down time? Unless they need to license that music too since they're streaming
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Post by cybrunette on Apr 22, 2023 13:25:56 GMT -6
Used this to open up the next page, but I will say it was nice to see a very competitive top 4!
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