this helped me appreciate the show soooo much more. incredible responsibilities and LOTS of cool moments that deserve attention!! it reminded me that it’s so tough when you’re performing a show that isn’t a crowd pleaser. kudos to these kids because you have to dig SOOO deep and know that what you’re doing is intrinsically cool & worth doing so well regardless of GE / audience pay-off
as a casual dci enjoyer, it’s nice to watch along to your videos and have stuff pointed out i never would’ve noticed. i saw this live and while i didn’t dislike it, it wasn’t memorable to me. so it’s cool to have a new lens to watch it through via your breakdowns
@@MUCKLEECH Ah I guess my snare player is showing, I don't think I've ever gotten straight what a hand to hand actually is. To be fair I think there might be a lot of definitions floating around. What struck me in this video if I remember was "pressure changes", I would not expect a non-drummer to know that term let alone recognize it played.
Favorite Blue Devils show in years. BD is at their best when they are more intense. The capes make them look individually larger, fitting the theme of individuality. Reminds me a bit of 1994 in tone which imo is the goat.
@@Aznminator lol a show is more than individual moments (bd had amazing moments that didn’t combine well to make a champion show). i just listed parts i liked vis design not up to bd standards (way too clumped and didn’t take up much of the field until the ballad because the props were in the way), musical transitions mid, personally didn’t like most of the video game music, show theme overall felt silly to me (why do a modern take on romanticism when it’s difficult to flesh out concepts like that in 12 minutes? oh well they tried), horse props did nothing except to store equipment and the cabinet props were kinda out there
@@Aznminator ehh i also shouldn’t have said “opener” when one could reasonably call the first 3 parts of the show the opener. i shoulda specified that i liked part 1 a lot (the intro) since i DID NOT FW parts 2 and 3. mb yall
This guy would be a great and fair judge. He's really knowledgeable about so many facets of a show from its conceptual design, visual interpretation (guard and overall), musical depth to include brass, percussion, and audio. I gain a different perspective and appreciation than my own, which I really enjoy. Thank you.
I definitely agree this was their best out of the past few years. I've always appreciated the difficulty and talent that BD puts on but this is the first out of their recent shows ive really enjoyed personally. the theming was great, fantastic musical selections, and it did a good job of combining that with the modern era of the Blue Devils. awesome video
Gotta say, I really enjoy your commentary. Lots of reaction videos are just like "nice!" or something. This sounds like i'm listening to a judge tape. Great stuff.
For a show based on Romanticism, it lacked a lot of emotional resonance which is a hallmark of BD's shows. They send shivers down your spine and give you goosebumps multiple times during a performance. I didn't get that this season. Even the ballad fell flat.
My exact thoughts, it felt like they were just playing cool music to get audience engagement, but in return they got a lack of emotional appeal to the show. They played everything good but I think the musical selections just didn’t portray what they wanted it to be
This show was also my favorite of these last 3 years. The darker tone really suits my tastes, and the show theme really meshes well with the Blue Devils strong ability to shift between feels and moods. Probably my second favorite of this year overall, I'm excited to see what they learn and how they advance next year!
After 2023 I was really looking forward to this years product. I LOVED Cut Outs and was hoping they'd have another great show. This show was good but a lot of it just kind of gets lost in the mix. I love the capes as an effect but the black on black pants makes a lot of the great visual things they're doing get lost in there. There was also the staging design aspect that they got themselves into with congesting the field with really thick and dimensionally big props whereas the 2 above them either had no props or props that didn't congest the stage as much. All puns intended, they boxed themselves in. Really talented corps as always and we all know Devs tend to not lose 2 seasons in a row (last losing streak was 04-06) so I hope they bring another very entertaining show like they have the last 2.
I love the subtle leitmotif from the Diablo music scattered in the later portion of the show. As a child of the 60s and 70s something about the ballad realllllly resonated with my soul. First BD ballad to do that in a decade or more..
The problem with the capes is BD has the cleanest feet and leg shape in the activity, and when you take away that for a chunk of the show it wont get rewarded.
Dunno if you read my comment elswhere, but you did a much better job here of explaining details of what you are looking for in the performance and what makes for a high scoring show. Keep it up, thank you.
My only issue, and I’ll admit, old school DCI fan for a long time, there are no drill moves in this entire show. You comment on curves etc… in the Boston review. However, there is nothing drill related in this show. Blob amorphous to blob. It’s just, in the day, the fact that you could make all of these individuals make forms, dissolve, hit another form, while playing their hearts out, was powerful. Yes, I am a cavaliers fan from back in the Planets era, but this show did nothing for me as a fan that spent money to see the Blue Devils. And, yes, Coats floored me the entire year. Amazing.
I think 3rd place was fine for them, maybe 2nd but BAC was amazing too. But this a pretty fun show to watch and listen to without having to compare to anyone else. I like it in much the same way as I really liked their 2016 show the last time they lost to Bloo. Their "down" years often seem to coincide with them writing really dense, challenging programs that are harder to clean but look and sound pretty cool.
I like the capes, and there are really amazing, beautiful , difficult things happening here. But the overall visual design feels cramped and cluttered to me. It needed more space. Like someone else mentioned, I also wish they had used the cabinets to hide the equipment changes. The guard is phenomenal, and the music selection is just ridiculously good.
When i see my devils in Capes all I can think of is Prof. Snape saying "READY YOUR WANDS!!!" not to mention this show was giving me 2013 re:Rite of Springs Vibes
Hmmm...if they could finally get the crowd to give a shit about them, they might do better. I realize most of what they do is perfect. It's really hard to find anything wrong. I mean the guard is on another level. I just think that it's just to hard to get emotionally involved with any show I've ever seen from them and I think that's what's missing. Just my opinion.
Everett, as the one-half of Statler and Waldorf (i.e., the two old geezers from the Muppet Show), I have to respectfully disagree with you; I quite liked "The Cut-Outs" better than "The Romantics". My wife and I actually saw this show live in Atlanta at DCI Southeast, and let me preface this by saying that this was the first time I've seen BD's live since I marched in the early 1980's; while we loved the capes and the general effect it had on their visuals, but my wife DETESTED the cabinet on the 30-35 yard line that opened in the front for the guard to get their equipment (it just happened to be where we were seated, so we literally saw everything there), she just felt it somewhat took away from the mystery of either wardrobe changes and guard equipment changes that we've gotten used to in the modern-day DCI. Me being brass man to my heart, BD's hornline certainly didn't disappoint, and neither did their guard and percussion. For us, it was simply a matter of taste. One last thing: I distinctly remember from your analysis of last year's championship run which completed the three-peat, you said that BD would probably put together a concept show that would keep them near the top but wouldn't necessarily win, but you would be glad if someone else won the next year. Your analysis was spot-on accurate, and I appreciate that you can be "mostly" unbiased about your home corps. Teach well in Cambodia, and keep up the great work in your reviews! Love ya' Man!
Did anyone notice the 3rd bass drum towards the end, did he go to the wrong dot? I could be wrong but looks like the 2nd bass was trying to cover for him before the last set :)
When I saw this live in Texas, what really annnoyed me was the open flag boxes. It just looked like something that shouldn’t be there but it was done on purpose. It just seemed really weird to me. That’s usually hidden 🤷🏻♂️
Always a fan of BD but not always a fan of BD shows, this is my favorite and most memorable BD show in years. Love these "reaction" videos so please keep them coming.
Imo this was the best guard of the season, but the show design is just flat compared to Bloo, Boston and Phantom. At this point it’s just time for BD to stop rehashing the same basic visual and show framing concept over and over again-the crowd simply isn’t engaged.
Good commentary…BDs hornline to me has always been the best part of BD. This year, however, had some good brass moments but in BD style, there was not enough to draw the audience in close for the 10 minutes they needed to for GE, hence the GE caption was less. I’ve watched this show live and on Flo and it still leaves me scratching my head for what they were trying to accomplish. I don’t need to keep trying to connect to this show in a year or two and go “A-HA”, we need to connect to this show in the moment then BD will get the gold back. I’m old enough to remember the visual caption changes from 92/93 to 94 when they finally brought their first championship in the 90’s and from then on, brass and visual are their main staples, along with a highly ranked guard and percussion filling in the rest of why they have the most golds. I put this show in fourth this year even though I loved some of the brass arrangements throughout. Other corps were just better
BD deserved to be in top 3 for all the performance categories (brass, percussion, guard, visual execution) but their drill was just awful. If drill were scored on it's own I would have them in like 8th or 9th place for drill. The drill had a few nice moments, but for the most part it was muddled, muddy, too compressed to be readable, too reliant on amorphous blobs that scatter to a rotating block and then the next amorphous blob. They escaped disaster by showcasing their usual stellar individual movement skills, but moving well as an ensemble wasn't enough to conceal just a really poorly conceived overall visual design. Just my opinion, YMMV
I want to express that I can't form my opinion on the reactions from the other POV due to the presence of several commentators with significant CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. Unfortunately, despite their exceptional repertoire and performance, they have not received a single award in any captions. It's so disheartening 😧! The BD has been unfairly treated in terms of their brass analysis and even the scoring of their skilled color guard. It's evident that since the beginning of this year's session, DCI's goal has been to end the Devils' legacy at any cost. Given the circumstances, what more could we have hoped for? I want to extend my utmost respect and admiration to the Blue Devils' students, players, and performers for maintaining their pride, support, and enthusiasm while showcasing their best skills and performances. I don't intend to undermine the fans of the winner who claim to have the cleanest brass or any other accolades, but in this video we watched revealed the weakness of their argument. The Blue Devils' repertoire, General Effect, and music are truly exceptional. Detractors may argue that their shows are repetitive, but not everyone can perceive their musical skills in the same way. As a fan of DCI, it's disheartening to witness what I consider to be a fraudulent moment in the realm of musical sports during the summer music games, where the judges' competence is put to the test. This unfortunate occurrence took place in the US, specifically at Lucas Oil Stadium.
No. The bluecoats absolutely deserved to win this year. I think BD could have won brass and I'd give them a close second in visual and guard, but overall nobody could've taken down Bloo this year.
@numarasia Dude the only person talking down on any corps is you. In your own words you called the bluecoats win "fraudulent." I never once talked down on anyone and actually wrote about how I thought that BD should have been contention for Brass, which is crediting them more than the judges did! Is reading comprehension hard for you?
@@mattyteerifles2863 1st thing 1st, if my reading comprehension doesn't meet your mind why then I have my promising career in your country. While a person like you we believe has no idea about your own world. You claim to champion the growth and development of BD players and performers, yet your actions speak volumes about your true intentions. The façade of support you project is nothing but a thin veil covering up the reality of your self-serving motives. Real strength and confidence come from uplifting others, not from tearing them down or undermining their efforts. Those of us dedicated to our craft know that the journey is filled with challenges, and it's the support of a genuine community that empowers us to rise above them. Your band’s pride in being part of this so-called "fraudulent" environment is a blatant contradiction to the very essence of what artistry and performance should represent. It's about authenticity, integrity, and a shared journey toward excellence. While you may revel in your conflicts of interest and convoluted justifications, the true performers will continue to thrive and shine, unapologetically embracing their potential and supporting one another. Our path is clear, and we won't be swayed by those clinging to deceit. It's a testament to the strength of character that we hold dearly and will protect fiercely.
@numarasia Ok if you can't see your blatant hypocrisy then I'm done trying to talk to you. Every corps works hard and puts on an incredible performance every summer. You can disagree with judges. I certainly have many times. But calling a corps win fraudulent is blatantly disrespecting their work. And certainly puts them down so much more than whatever you claim I said. And for the record, I LOVED BDs show this year. Saw it twice in person and went to one of their rehearsals. They didn't win, but that's not the point of this art form. Get over yourself.
I would love to find out who had the inspiration to use the Diablo III openign music... I know that composer and I can promise you when I first met him in person at Blizzcon 2013 the year after Diablo III launched he would *never* have imagined that work being used by Blue Devils of al marching groups!
So....now I've watched finals 4 times - and I believe that BD was a solid second in Brass (their execution was 1st, but I don't think their book was as hard as Bluecoats, and their book was much harder than what Carolina put out this year), a toss-up between 2-3 in Visual, I thought they should have had 2nd in GE. But Drums and Color Guard I thought they were completely awesome. The execution of the drum line was unreal. Maybe JUST a bit behind Santa Clara - but the book and how it complemented the show was simply off the chain and 4th place is simply not right. Maybe Color Guard not quite as good as 2023 (which should have had the highest color guard score of all time, MAYBE next to 2014), but they were close. I'm glad Bluecoats won - I do think they deserved it. But BD should have been about a 98.3 or so, IMO - at least in this finals performance.
💙😈💙😈💙 THANKS AGAIN FOR AWESOME BREAKDOWN, YOU ARE MY FAV DCI REVIEW. I MISS YOU GUYS BEING TOGETHER... 🔶️🔷️ I watched BD live throughout the summer in multiple cities and states. My first shock was how much the crowd did not want to clap. It was almost like an email/text went out informing everyone not to clap too much. It was very noticeable during Champs week 😢😢😢 🔶️🔷️ Personally this was my least favorite show from the last five years. It was boring and just seemed repetitive. It felt like the arrangements were to short n forced together. Very random n inorganic!! Time just didn't fit.. 🔶️🔷️ Most of my friends and I was expecting a love story with this title. I know that's literal but it's the first thing you think about when you hear to word romantics. I think a love concept would have been more rcvd... 🔶️🔷️ BD designers are masters of creating effect and I felt like Bloo n Boston caught them by surprise. 🔶️🔷️I did not see the bd staff or kids stressing or worrying about being third mid-season. 🔶️🔷️ Its a champion mindset to stay calm, stay focused n just continue being who you are improving ur craft. 🔷️🔶️ I think this year was good for dci to see something different. A new champion always boost engagement. 🔶️🔷️ From what I heard the bd staff knew they would get third overall after texas...
Agree with @RatSlayerGaming. I dont love the capes because it takes away one of the things BD does best. CLEAN lower body interpretation and technique. Capes are much harder to control and harder to reward. Its always a play to your strengths game, this show didnt do that AS well because it tried something different. Back Half of the show was better for losing the capes. Brass staging also made timing really challenging this year - get credit if you do it well. Otherwise it falls. Guard wasnt as clean as I am used to seeing in the closer - mostly facings and initiation. The final unison was great. Still a corps of outstanding performers and outstanding performances. I hope BD comes back with some lessons learned with this show on how to return to their classic embrace the best skills of the performers. Always nails with the soloists movements, but the ensemble moments can be a bit stronger metronomically and visually.
Nah, this show placed correctly. Good show as always by BD, but the capes muddied the visuals, and why did the drill feel so cramped? Too much scatter drill, maybe the props were too big. The whole show felt very meh.
Magnificent! Besides being beautifully executed, this show hit me emotionally. BC and Boston's shows were cold and robotic, soulless, not human. Seems to be the trend of where we see society going - losing the beauty of individuality, depth, and character. Politics indeed are alive and well even in DCI.
Completely unbiased, totally didn’t match this corps this year, but you should review the Zephyrus 2024 SoundSport Show. Big sound for a smaller corps.
@@mattyteerifles2863 You know, I was thinking they didn’t have them when I was young, but I’m wrong. I had a flashback of the Madison Scouts throwing them into the stratosphere . Lol. So, yeah, just my senility at play there.
Two aspects of this show that are part of the design just aren't my cup of tea: The capes and the drill. I get why but I find the capes dirty the visual and the incomplete forms transitioning to something else drive me nuts. Music is fun. Last year's product to me was more enjoyable end-to-end even if I needed to watch a 5 minute video from BD to understand what the show was about. Drumline was playing some insane things this show.
Good… but there was a clear delineation between the New Innovators Bluecoats/Boston Crusaders (places 1 and 2),Phantom Regiment (who should have placed 3rd)and the New Old School Blue Devils (3rd). Very Good Blue Devils did so well with an 8th or 9th Place show. Giant Kleenex boxes as props really muddied things. “This should have won? back in 2020-2021, but this repetitive boring approach is finally losing favor!
I really don't understand this ADHD brand of drum corps. Only the ballad was a complete thought. Last year's show felt better put together, with complete, albeit shorter thoughts, except for the ballad. But this year, the waltz into the trombone blatz into the horn runs into the "latin" number. I think that not finishing ideas is what led to the crowd's lack of enthusiasm. It feels like they are checking boxes for the judges and audience be damned.
Hi Everett... I am one of the hosts on the Marching Arts Network. My comments on BD this year in a nutshell... I was not a fan of the capes... I thought looked cool but they hid the feet and added a layer of unnecessary visual fuzziness (not quite dirt). They made it uneccesarily difficult on themselves. Could have gone with capes like in the Ghostlight show and made the same effect. I thought the drill was too compact for about three quarters of the show. Led to blobs instead of clean, readable forms. BUT, I also said that this Blue Devils corps was as good if not better than the corps of the last three seasons, and that ANY other year, this show wins walking away. Its just that Bluecoats and Boston both just got significantly better whereas BD stayed at the same level. And finally, BD in third... perhaps this is the stimulous for BD to look at design change as the shows have all been out of the same playbook since pretty much 2019. BD won so much because the BD designers had figured out the winning formula and simply kept going back to that well..... The winning formula has now changed though, so if BD wants title number 22 they are gonna HAVE to come out of their comfort zone a bit.
Bro definitely gonna get engagement with this thumbnail
this helped me appreciate the show soooo much more. incredible responsibilities and LOTS of cool moments that deserve attention!! it reminded me that it’s so tough when you’re performing a show that isn’t a crowd pleaser. kudos to these kids because you have to dig SOOO deep and know that what you’re doing is intrinsically cool & worth doing so well regardless of GE / audience pay-off
Does making 3rd really not pay off?
@@michaelshaffield642 not when you’re the blue devils
as a casual dci enjoyer, it’s nice to watch along to your videos and have stuff pointed out i never would’ve noticed. i saw this live and while i didn’t dislike it, it wasn’t memorable to me. so it’s cool to have a new lens to watch it through via your breakdowns
That thumbnail is so good for engagement baiting
The way he talks about drumming I would never guess he's a trumpet player.
Everything is a "hand to hand" to him, so as a drummer I have to disagree with you.
@@MUCKLEECH Ah I guess my snare player is showing, I don't think I've ever gotten straight what a hand to hand actually is. To be fair I think there might be a lot of definitions floating around. What struck me in this video if I remember was "pressure changes", I would not expect a non-drummer to know that term let alone recognize it played.
nah
Bro thinks he's on the team
@@UbuntuBanksie me, or him?
Favorite Blue Devils show in years. BD is at their best when they are more intense. The capes make them look individually larger, fitting the theme of individuality. Reminds me a bit of 1994 in tone which imo is the goat.
I love the capes, too…they really add.
But the downside is that they muddy the visual aspect of the drill
I really appreciate blue devils not doing a copy and paste of 2022 and 2023
BD was great as usual, but I think they placed about right.
bro is ragebaiting
(fire music in part 1, goated ballad, fire closer that got watered down a bit, fire uniforms, meh bd show overall)
@@ryebreadtastesfunnythis whole thing is contradictory how u gon say every aspect of the show is “Fire” then call it Mid
@@Aznminator lol a show is more than individual moments (bd had amazing moments that didn’t combine well to make a champion show). i just listed parts i liked
vis design not up to bd standards (way too clumped and didn’t take up much of the field until the ballad because the props were in the way), musical transitions mid, personally didn’t like most of the video game music, show theme overall felt silly to me (why do a modern take on romanticism when it’s difficult to flesh out concepts like that in 12 minutes? oh well they tried), horse props did nothing except to store equipment and the cabinet props were kinda out there
@@Aznminator ehh i also shouldn’t have said “opener” when one could reasonably call the first 3 parts of the show the opener. i shoulda specified that i liked part 1 a lot (the intro) since i DID NOT FW parts 2 and 3. mb yall
@@ryebreadtastesfunny I do agree the props could’ve been more simple to give off the “Romantic” vibe
This guy would be a great and fair judge. He's really knowledgeable about so many facets of a show from its conceptual design, visual interpretation (guard and overall), musical depth to include brass, percussion, and audio. I gain a different perspective and appreciation than my own, which I really enjoy. Thank you.
The rage bait thumbnail is actually pretty funny😂 well done I enjoyed the reaction
I definitely agree this was their best out of the past few years. I've always appreciated the difficulty and talent that BD puts on but this is the first out of their recent shows ive really enjoyed personally. the theming was great, fantastic musical selections, and it did a good job of combining that with the modern era of the Blue Devils. awesome video
Gotta say, I really enjoy your commentary. Lots of reaction videos are just like "nice!" or something. This sounds like i'm listening to a judge tape. Great stuff.
It’s absolutely beautiful. I couldn’t hear the errors you pointed out, but you’ve got ears for it.❤
For a show based on Romanticism, it lacked a lot of emotional resonance which is a hallmark of BD's shows. They send shivers down your spine and give you goosebumps multiple times during a performance. I didn't get that this season. Even the ballad fell flat.
My exact thoughts, it felt like they were just playing cool music to get audience engagement, but in return they got a lack of emotional appeal to the show. They played everything good but I think the musical selections just didn’t portray what they wanted it to be
This show was also my favorite of these last 3 years. The darker tone really suits my tastes, and the show theme really meshes well with the Blue Devils strong ability to shift between feels and moods. Probably my second favorite of this year overall, I'm excited to see what they learn and how they advance next year!
After 2023 I was really looking forward to this years product. I LOVED Cut Outs and was hoping they'd have another great show. This show was good but a lot of it just kind of gets lost in the mix. I love the capes as an effect but the black on black pants makes a lot of the great visual things they're doing get lost in there. There was also the staging design aspect that they got themselves into with congesting the field with really thick and dimensionally big props whereas the 2 above them either had no props or props that didn't congest the stage as much. All puns intended, they boxed themselves in. Really talented corps as always and we all know Devs tend to not lose 2 seasons in a row (last losing streak was 04-06) so I hope they bring another very entertaining show like they have the last 2.
I love the subtle leitmotif from the Diablo music scattered in the later portion of the show. As a child of the 60s and 70s something about the ballad realllllly resonated with my soul. First BD ballad to do that in a decade or more..
Love a powerful and dark show. Just like 2016.
I absolutely loved this show, I loved the ballad, the merry go round part and the visuals in general
One of my favorite things about this show is the theme of individuality throughout the corp
My favorite blue devils show since 2014, sue me
Honestly this is my favorite BD show since 2014
The problem with the capes is BD has the cleanest feet and leg shape in the activity, and when you take away that for a chunk of the show it wont get rewarded.
Dunno if you read my comment elswhere, but you did a much better job here of explaining details of what you are looking for in the performance and what makes for a high scoring show. Keep it up, thank you.
I actually loved this show. Preferred it to that last couple of shows. I loved 2016 as well
I feel like this show is currently misunderstood and one of those shows people will come to really like a couple years from now.
My only issue, and I’ll admit, old school DCI fan for a long time, there are no drill moves in this entire show. You comment on curves etc… in the Boston review. However, there is nothing drill related in this show. Blob amorphous to blob. It’s just, in the day, the fact that you could make all of these individuals make forms, dissolve, hit another form, while playing their hearts out, was powerful. Yes, I am a cavaliers fan from back in the Planets era, but this show did nothing for me as a fan that spent money to see the Blue Devils. And, yes, Coats floored me the entire year. Amazing.
I think 3rd place was fine for them, maybe 2nd but BAC was amazing too. But this a pretty fun show to watch and listen to without having to compare to anyone else. I like it in much the same way as I really liked their 2016 show the last time they lost to Bloo. Their "down" years often seem to coincide with them writing really dense, challenging programs that are harder to clean but look and sound pretty cool.
this guy is a top tier Blue Devils Glazer
Did original get taken down?
I like the capes, and there are really amazing, beautiful , difficult things happening here. But the overall visual design feels cramped and cluttered to me. It needed more space. Like someone else mentioned, I also wish they had used the cabinets to hide the equipment changes. The guard is phenomenal, and the music selection is just ridiculously good.
Loved Blue Coats show, but this as always was incredible show
When i see my devils in Capes all I can think of is Prof. Snape saying "READY YOUR WANDS!!!" not to mention this show was giving me 2013 re:Rite of Springs Vibes
Hmmm...if they could finally get the crowd to give a shit about them, they might do better. I realize most of what they do is perfect. It's really hard to find anything wrong. I mean the guard is on another level. I just think that it's just to hard to get emotionally involved with any show I've ever seen from them and I think that's what's missing. Just my opinion.
Everett, as the one-half of Statler and Waldorf (i.e., the two old geezers from the Muppet Show), I have to respectfully disagree with you; I quite liked "The Cut-Outs" better than "The Romantics". My wife and I actually saw this show live in Atlanta at DCI Southeast, and let me preface this by saying that this was the first time I've seen BD's live since I marched in the early 1980's; while we loved the capes and the general effect it had on their visuals, but my wife DETESTED the cabinet on the 30-35 yard line that opened in the front for the guard to get their equipment (it just happened to be where we were seated, so we literally saw everything there), she just felt it somewhat took away from the mystery of either wardrobe changes and guard equipment changes that we've gotten used to in the modern-day DCI. Me being brass man to my heart, BD's hornline certainly didn't disappoint, and neither did their guard and percussion. For us, it was simply a matter of taste.
One last thing: I distinctly remember from your analysis of last year's championship run which completed the three-peat, you said that BD would probably put together a concept show that would keep them near the top but wouldn't necessarily win, but you would be glad if someone else won the next year. Your analysis was spot-on accurate, and I appreciate that you can be "mostly" unbiased about your home corps. Teach well in Cambodia, and keep up the great work in your reviews! Love ya' Man!
Appreciate it!
Bro really likes saying “hand to hand” when commenting on drums 😂
The hand to hands be hand to handing bro
@@funlinerproductions7071 You gotta start using terms like “velocity” and “fluidity” more too 😎
@@drumcorpslotyea
Did anyone notice the 3rd bass drum towards the end, did he go to the wrong dot?
I could be wrong but looks like the 2nd bass was trying to cover for him before the last set :)
It did look odd, but I went back and watched some older performances and he went to the same spot every time.
@@user-qj9tj5kv9fI got you, interesting!
Oh boy I sure do love shitty clickbait thumbnails!
BD....great sound, great music as always.
But a convoluted, muddy drill that rarely holds its forms & scatters them like cockroaches.
very subtle and non controversial thumbnail ❤
When I saw this live in Texas, what really annnoyed me was the open flag boxes. It just looked like something that shouldn’t be there but it was done on purpose. It just seemed really weird to me. That’s usually hidden 🤷🏻♂️
Always a fan of BD but not always a fan of BD shows, this is my favorite and most memorable BD show in years.
Love these "reaction" videos so please keep them coming.
Imo this was the best guard of the season, but the show design is just flat compared to Bloo, Boston and Phantom. At this point it’s just time for BD to stop rehashing the same basic visual and show framing concept over and over again-the crowd simply isn’t engaged.
AGREED. They are going to change uniforms and copy, copy, copy until they find another "style" and milk for 5 years until they lose.
Oooh…those middle horns!
Good commentary…BDs hornline to me has always been the best part of BD. This year, however, had some good brass moments but in BD style, there was not enough to draw the audience in close for the 10 minutes they needed to for GE, hence the GE caption was less. I’ve watched this show live and on Flo and it still leaves me scratching my head for what they were trying to accomplish. I don’t need to keep trying to connect to this show in a year or two and go “A-HA”, we need to connect to this show in the moment then BD will get the gold back. I’m old enough to remember the visual caption changes from 92/93 to 94 when they finally brought their first championship in the 90’s and from then on, brass and visual are their main staples, along with a highly ranked guard and percussion filling in the rest of why they have the most golds.
I put this show in fourth this year even though I loved some of the brass arrangements throughout. Other corps were just better
BD deserved to be in top 3 for all the performance categories (brass, percussion, guard, visual execution) but their drill was just awful. If drill were scored on it's own I would have them in like 8th or 9th place for drill. The drill had a few nice moments, but for the most part it was muddled, muddy, too compressed to be readable, too reliant on amorphous blobs that scatter to a rotating block and then the next amorphous blob. They escaped disaster by showcasing their usual stellar individual movement skills, but moving well as an ensemble wasn't enough to conceal just a really poorly conceived overall visual design. Just my opinion, YMMV
Love the flags
did anyone else see the guy sleeping with white shirt and brown hat 8:22
Musically I really liked this dark version of the Devils. I don't think that the props did them any favors.
This sounds like a 2015 UIL show.
I’m an anual BD hater, but that ballad had me sobbing 😹
I want to express that I can't form my opinion on the reactions from the other POV due to the presence of several commentators with significant CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. Unfortunately, despite their exceptional repertoire and performance, they have not received a single award in any captions. It's so disheartening 😧! The BD has been unfairly treated in terms of their brass analysis and even the scoring of their skilled color guard. It's evident that since the beginning of this year's session, DCI's goal has been to end the Devils' legacy at any cost. Given the circumstances, what more could we have hoped for? I want to extend my utmost respect and admiration to the Blue Devils' students, players, and performers for maintaining their pride, support, and enthusiasm while showcasing their best skills and performances.
I don't intend to undermine the fans of the winner who claim to have the cleanest brass or any other accolades, but in this video we watched revealed the weakness of their argument.
The Blue Devils' repertoire, General Effect, and music are truly exceptional. Detractors may argue that their shows are repetitive, but not everyone can perceive their musical skills in the same way. As a fan of DCI, it's disheartening to witness what I consider to be a fraudulent moment in the realm of musical sports during the summer music games, where the judges' competence is put to the test. This unfortunate occurrence took place in the US, specifically at Lucas Oil Stadium.
No. The bluecoats absolutely deserved to win this year. I think BD could have won brass and I'd give them a close second in visual and guard, but overall nobody could've taken down Bloo this year.
@@mattyteerifles2863 why should i take to down ur band? The video and my texts are already telling the truth, but if only u could read them well.
@numarasia Dude the only person talking down on any corps is you. In your own words you called the bluecoats win "fraudulent." I never once talked down on anyone and actually wrote about how I thought that BD should have been contention for Brass, which is crediting them more than the judges did! Is reading comprehension hard for you?
@@mattyteerifles2863 1st thing 1st, if my reading comprehension doesn't meet your mind why then I have my promising career in your country. While a person like you we believe has no idea about your own world.
You claim to champion the growth and development of BD players and performers, yet your actions speak volumes about your true intentions. The façade of support you project is nothing but a thin veil covering up the reality of your self-serving motives.
Real strength and confidence come from uplifting others, not from tearing them down or undermining their efforts. Those of us dedicated to our craft know that the journey is filled with challenges, and it's the support of a genuine community that empowers us to rise above them. Your band’s pride in being part of this so-called "fraudulent" environment is a blatant contradiction to the very essence of what artistry and performance should represent.
It's about authenticity, integrity, and a shared journey toward excellence. While you may revel in your conflicts of interest and convoluted justifications, the true performers will continue to thrive and shine, unapologetically embracing their potential and supporting one another. Our path is clear, and we won't be swayed by those clinging to deceit. It's a testament to the strength of character that we hold dearly and will protect fiercely.
@numarasia Ok if you can't see your blatant hypocrisy then I'm done trying to talk to you. Every corps works hard and puts on an incredible performance every summer. You can disagree with judges. I certainly have many times. But calling a corps win fraudulent is blatantly disrespecting their work. And certainly puts them down so much more than whatever you claim I said.
And for the record, I LOVED BDs show this year. Saw it twice in person and went to one of their rehearsals. They didn't win, but that's not the point of this art form. Get over yourself.
I would love to find out who had the inspiration to use the Diablo III openign music... I know that composer and I can promise you when I first met him in person at Blizzcon 2013 the year after Diablo III launched he would *never* have imagined that work being used by Blue Devils of al marching groups!
So....now I've watched finals 4 times - and I believe that BD was a solid second in Brass (their execution was 1st, but I don't think their book was as hard as Bluecoats, and their book was much harder than what Carolina put out this year), a toss-up between 2-3 in Visual, I thought they should have had 2nd in GE. But Drums and Color Guard I thought they were completely awesome. The execution of the drum line was unreal. Maybe JUST a bit behind Santa Clara - but the book and how it complemented the show was simply off the chain and 4th place is simply not right. Maybe Color Guard not quite as good as 2023 (which should have had the highest color guard score of all time, MAYBE next to 2014), but they were close. I'm glad Bluecoats won - I do think they deserved it. But BD should have been about a 98.3 or so, IMO - at least in this finals performance.
It’s my favorite of the twelve. Thanks for this!
I love that they have trombones now…nothing sounds like them.
I wanted Bluecoats to win but this show is SO good and I have no idea how it didn't win lmao (I also really liked boston's show but)
💙😈💙😈💙 THANKS AGAIN FOR AWESOME BREAKDOWN, YOU ARE MY FAV DCI REVIEW. I MISS YOU GUYS BEING TOGETHER...
🔶️🔷️ I watched BD live throughout the summer in multiple cities and states. My first shock was how much the crowd did not want to clap. It was almost like an email/text went out informing everyone not to clap too much. It was very noticeable during Champs week 😢😢😢
🔶️🔷️ Personally this was my least favorite show from the last five years. It was boring and just seemed repetitive. It felt like the arrangements were to short n forced together. Very random n inorganic!!
Time just didn't fit..
🔶️🔷️ Most of my friends and I was expecting a love story with this title. I know that's literal but it's the first thing you think about when you hear to word romantics. I think a love concept would have been more rcvd...
🔶️🔷️ BD designers are masters of creating effect and I felt like Bloo n Boston caught them by surprise.
🔶️🔷️I did not see the bd staff or kids stressing or worrying about being third mid-season.
🔶️🔷️ Its a champion mindset to stay calm, stay focused n just continue being who you are improving ur craft.
🔷️🔶️ I think this year was good for dci to see something different. A new champion always boost engagement.
🔶️🔷️ From what I heard the bd staff knew they would get third overall after texas...
Putting "This should have won!" in the thumbnail is just crazy though... you don't needa be doing all that lol
Agree with @RatSlayerGaming.
I dont love the capes because it takes away one of the things BD does best. CLEAN lower body interpretation and technique. Capes are much harder to control and harder to reward. Its always a play to your strengths game, this show didnt do that AS well because it tried something different. Back Half of the show was better for losing the capes. Brass staging also made timing really challenging this year - get credit if you do it well. Otherwise it falls. Guard wasnt as clean as I am used to seeing in the closer - mostly facings and initiation. The final unison was great. Still a corps of outstanding performers and outstanding performances.
I hope BD comes back with some lessons learned with this show on how to return to their classic embrace the best skills of the performers. Always nails with the soloists movements, but the ensemble moments can be a bit stronger metronomically and visually.
Bandos seething at this thumbnail
Nah, this show placed correctly. Good show as always by BD, but the capes muddied the visuals, and why did the drill feel so cramped? Too much scatter drill, maybe the props were too big. The whole show felt very meh.
Not better than the Coats-I’m sorry. It was a good performance. The judges got it right
Magnificent! Besides being beautifully executed, this show hit me emotionally. BC and Boston's shows were cold and robotic, soulless, not human. Seems to be the trend of where we see society going - losing the beauty of individuality, depth, and character. Politics indeed are alive and well even in DCI.
The devils have a flugel and trombone duet, who would have thunk it
love the rage bait thumbnail
Completely unbiased, totally didn’t match this corps this year, but you should review the Zephyrus 2024 SoundSport Show. Big sound for a smaller corps.
Santa Clara Vanguard 2018 reaction please 🙏
He got me.
Ahhh…very romantic and smokey
I love that they have rifles now
What corps doesn't have rifles??
@@mattyteerifles2863 You know, I was thinking they didn’t have them when I was young, but I’m wrong. I had a flashback of the Madison Scouts throwing them into the stratosphere . Lol. So, yeah, just my senility at play there.
Yeah!!
Two aspects of this show that are part of the design just aren't my cup of tea: The capes and the drill. I get why but I find the capes dirty the visual and the incomplete forms transitioning to something else drive me nuts. Music is fun. Last year's product to me was more enjoyable end-to-end even if I needed to watch a 5 minute video from BD to understand what the show was about.
Drumline was playing some insane things this show.
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Nice solo
Should react to the Buccs 2024 dci all age show Lol 🤭
Love it! Lol
Oh wow
Good… but there was a clear delineation between the New Innovators Bluecoats/Boston Crusaders (places 1 and 2),Phantom Regiment (who should have placed 3rd)and the New Old School Blue Devils (3rd).
Very Good Blue Devils did so well with an 8th or 9th Place show.
Giant Kleenex boxes as props really muddied things.
“This should have won? back in 2020-2021, but this repetitive boring approach is finally losing favor!
That clickbait comment...that's no way to get new followers. 🤣
Ooooh
Good review. Phantom was better and shoulda placed above BD just like UCLA will over USC this year.
Slander
Blue devils design team probably gets together and just says “lets make a completely unwatchable show” and then they just do that every single year
Yus
I really don't understand this ADHD brand of drum corps. Only the ballad was a complete thought. Last year's show felt better put together, with complete, albeit shorter thoughts, except for the ballad. But this year, the waltz into the trombone blatz into the horn runs into the "latin" number. I think that not finishing ideas is what led to the crowd's lack of enthusiasm. It feels like they are checking boxes for the judges and audience be damned.
Alignment and spacing - fix it!
Safe travels!
Hi Everett... I am one of the hosts on the Marching Arts Network. My comments on BD this year in a nutshell...
I was not a fan of the capes... I thought looked cool but they hid the feet and added a layer of unnecessary visual fuzziness (not quite dirt). They made it uneccesarily difficult on themselves. Could have gone with capes like in the Ghostlight show and made the same effect.
I thought the drill was too compact for about three quarters of the show. Led to blobs instead of clean, readable forms.
BUT, I also said that this Blue Devils corps was as good if not better than the corps of the last three seasons, and that ANY other year, this show wins walking away. Its just that Bluecoats and Boston both just got significantly better whereas BD stayed at the same level.
And finally, BD in third... perhaps this is the stimulous for BD to look at design change as the shows have all been out of the same playbook since pretty much 2019. BD won so much because the BD designers had figured out the winning formula and simply kept going back to that well..... The winning formula has now changed though, so if BD wants title number 22 they are gonna HAVE to come out of their comfort zone a bit.
Whee
The Show is too Dark abd and the uniforms appear to be a broadway show., Their Good, but lack Anything new.
That’s what I played before you were a twinkle in your dad’s eye. Lol mellophone
Great horn line but the drill just doesn't take enough risks, no? Am I out of line with that? Just no difficult drill moments at all.
The glaze is crazy
did bro even watch the video…
@@funlinerproductions7071 it was a joke😭😭😭
@@funlinerproductions7071 I love you bro huge fan 😁
@@funlinerproductions7071 are staying with the blue knights next year?
2024 was not BD at their finest. Should have been 4th or 5th.
2024 BD should’ve been 4th.
😂
Respectfully, I’m glad they didn’t win
the POO DEVILS👎👎👎👎
you should react to the crossmen for there 50th