30 April 2007

Some Brigs reviews so far...

So here are some reviews off of www.drumcorpsplanet.com about our show this weekend in Rochester...

Brigadiers.....nice fake out with showing only 20 brass and then openingthe curtain, after introduction, to show the rest of the corps'. Nice move. Great, Great show. IMO the BRIGS are way ahead of their normal learning curve. If their drill matches their show they're going to be a force to deal with. Did I mention the Bari solo....? Does she play sweet or what....? WOW!!!!!!....and.....did I say WOW!!!!

Brigs were on next. Large pit in front of the stage was largely unheard, again just an acoustic thing. I think I counted 37 brass. Oh My God "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" was the lushest, most full (great grammar eh?) sound of the evening. Beautiful balance. The young lady baritone soloist in this piece was exceptional, as was her partner in the duet portion. I heard they expect and are writing for more brass members for summer competition. Large and clean percussion section. They seemed totally in control and confident. My buddies, who are sort of DCIish...thought they had a great show for this summer and can't wait to see them on the field so the visuals can help interpret the music. I would love this corps to play "Shenandoah" for a warm up or corps song.

Syracuse Brigadiers - I am on record saying that I did not like their 2004-2006 productions. I am also on record as saying that 2001 is one of my all time favorite drum corps shows ever. This show has the potential to be one of that latter for me. A "Greatest hits" mix if you will of classic brigs stuff that boarders on amazing. "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" is just as beautiful now as it was then, Guenevere (I believe that's who that was) was absolutely amazing, easily top 3 all time DCA bari/euph soloist. I'm a huge fan of Spanish Fantasy and unfortunately I have to say this.... I miss Roland. While the trumpets you have playing the solos and fills are doing a good job they do not project as well as some of the soloists in the past. I'm not saying it sounds bad, but it just doesn't have that UMPH that the previous version did. Everyone can't march with every corps so you play what you've got and you did a nice job. Definitely a top 5 show at this point, great work!

22 April 2007

Junior Ring and Brigs camp...

So this weekend was an incredibly busy one. I had two things going on basically at the same time.

Junior Ring was fun as always. Bridget came out to be my date since she's one of my good friends and it gave her an excuse to get all dressed up haha. Obviously Yulia couldn't have come because she is still at BCT. But anyway the ball was kinda lame so we ditched out of there with a bunch of other people and headed for the Band Co condo. It was a good time there. We played a bunch of games of pool until we were too tired to stand lol. But we couldn't go to sleep because I had to take her to the airport really early.

So I left for Brigs camp right after I dropped her off at the airport. It was a really long drive this time...I needed to stop and sleep for a bit because I was falling alseep driving, which isn't usually a good thing lol. I was a couple minutes late but whatever. We learned the drill for the entire opener, both As Time Goes By and Spanish Fantasy. It's not too terrible but it's pretty challenging remember that shit after a long night of drinking and no sleep lol. So Saturday night I ended up just sleeping in my Army sleeping bag because I was too tired to worry about the air mattress. I must of fell asleep right as I layed down because I didn't answer Bridget's texts even though we were in the middle of a convo, oops haha. Oh well she's done that to me when I've been on my computer texting her so now we're almost even. BUT, next weekend is our first live performance in front of an audience. So we'll unveil most of our program which is everything from the opener to the drum break in the closer.

I'm hoping to get another letter or even better, a phone call, from Yulia this week. It's been about a week so she should have the letters I sent with some answers to the questions I asked about what the deal is with her, so when I know I'll let you all know.

Other than that, it's the same shit just a different day. School sucks, I'm usually bored, and I never get enough sleep hahaha.

19 April 2007

Wow, been a long time...

So yeah it has definately been a long time since I've updated this thing. A lot has happened but I can guarantee you that I don't remember most of it.

Well Yulia is still at Basic Training. She hurt herself there so she might be sent home or recycled, hopefully neither. I've gotten two letters from her so far but I'm sure I'll get another one this weekend sometime. As bad as this sounds I hope she doesn't call on the weekend because it's Junior Ring plus I have to be out in Syracuse for drum corps. If she does call hopefully it's during a break or something so I'll be able to talk to her. I missed her first phone call and I feel really bad about that, so I hope I don't miss this one. I do miss her though and I can't wait to see her in June for her graduation :-)

Drum corps is going well so far. We have most of the show memorized music wise so far. It's the closer that I'm not very sure on. I think we are learning the Pre-opener/opener drill this weekend. It's not bad drill so it should be fun to see how it all fits. Of course the tubas are mostly in the back attached to the drumline lol. Next weekend is our first show, granted its a standstill performance but it's a show nonetheless. I still need to buy my gloves for the season as well as that stupid cap that the contras wear :-(, I'd rather just wear a normal shako.

School is just as shitty as it has ever been. The only good thing that we have going for us is that the weather is finally starting to turn nice. Today it was absolutely beautiful out, I was almost hot walking around haha.


Umm so yeah there was a bunch of shit that happened but being that it's been so long I don't remember.