STUCK - 2022 Edition
What can't you forget from the year that was?
We asked a few writers to talk about the productions that stuck with them the most from 2022 and why they can’t stop thinking about them. Here’s what they had to say!
Aaron Blackley - “Of War and Peace” - Blue Stars
The show that stuck with me most from the 2022 calendar year was Blue Stars' production, "Of War & Peace.” While it wasn’t my favorite show of the year (or even my favorite drum corps show from this season), for me, it represents pushing the boundaries in an ever-evolving activity in a year where a lot of corps seemed to be playing it “safe” due to the break in competition following the COVID-19 pandemic. “Of War & Peace” is an easy show to write off because of specific design issues. However, this show shines in the color guard work (as we’ve come to expect from the Blue Stars) and my personal highlight, the brass.
The sheer amount of flexibility with stylistic variety and diversified demand that the Blue Stars hornline gave us this year is nothing like what I’ve seen on a football field. The first section that blew me away was during Rimsky-Korsakov’s Variations for Oboe and Military Band, when the corps performed one of the most unique double-tonguing features in drum corps history. Instead of being loud and intense with the ensemble clumped up to keep time better, the ensemble was spread from 10 to 10 with a regal and tastefully restrained sound that one could mistake for a concert band brass section.
The brass seamlessly transitions between that more symphonic sound and the typical in-your-face drum corps sound throughout the show. This is most notable in the ballad, where they start with a small ensemble playing “No One Else” from the 2012 musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet before shifting into Michael Giacchino’s “Confrontation on Eadu” from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, with a glorious slow build as the hornline makes their way upfield. Immediately, it shifts into the closer as the drumline joins in at the peak of the build, giving us a closer that any drum corps fan could get behind. It picks up starting with a euphonium and trumpet duet leading into a curved and ever-morphing company front, which eventually explodes into the kind of flashy drill that works perfectly with the energetic music that has made Blue Stars one of my favorite drum corps ever since the second half of the 2010s.
Hattie Bartlett - “A Song For This New World” - M&G Johnson Winter Guard
I’m ilikeguard on the internet, so it should come as no surprise that my favorite show of the 2022 calendar year is a winter guard show. Shoutout to my home team, Ionic Winter Guard, for yet another historic season, making semifinals in their first appearance at WGI World Championships! While I loved “Laced In Secret” (How can I not be enthralled with any production Zachary Barber has worked on?), my favorite show of the year was a high school program. This March, I volunteered with WGI at the Austin Regional. I could name many shows I loved that graced the floor at Glenn High School; the one I found the most special of all was Moe and Gene Johnson HS, which rocketed from humble, young beginnings to a 6th-place finish in Scholastic Open Finals at Worlds this year.
“A Song For This New World” features the music of the Off-Broadway production Songs For A New World. The musical itself is a collection of loosely-connected, abstract stories, and MGJ’s program makes no explicit statements; there’s an overarching sense of a demand for freedom derived from the world map design on the floor, the multi-tiered pole props that suggest prison bars, and the complex, painful yet determined expressions the performers convey. The backing track cries out, “I’m a king of the world / please set me free.”
The performers wield nautical gear and reach out, physically and emotionally, in all directions, begging the audience for their undivided attention. The show's climax covers a blue-and-white floor with sunset-toned flags in a breathtaking use of color. Without making any direct societal demands of the audience, it moves them emotionally in a way that many more tongue-in-cheek programs aim to; it’s beautiful, it means something, and it impacted me in a way that I can’t say any other production did this calendar year.
Josh Hines - Avon Marching Black and Gold - “Bloodlines”
The last few years have been a tumultuous time for many groups, and this was the first year with a semblance of normality. Unfortunately, normality includes director changes, and Avon (IN) was heading into their first year in a while without Jay Webb at the helm. Fortunately, their group didn't miss a beat with a terrific show that again landed them a medal at the Bands of America Grand Nationals. Not only that, but the show felt like it tapped right into their 'Golden Era' of sequential Grand National Championship shows.
The show 'Bloodlines' resonated with me because of just how engaging the show is from start to finish. Right from the start, you focus on the guard in red on the 50 while the band surrounds the field, also shrouded in red cloth. As the piano strokes draw the members inwards, we hear a glorious musical intro as the band wastes no time in showcasing every aspect of the entire ensemble throughout the show. The wind players execute blistering runs, dynamic shaping, phrasing, etc., all while marching at an incredible clip or doing full-body movement. The percussion had features that perpetually drove the energy, with clarity never in doubt. As for the guard, they pulled out all the stops with synchronous flag work, dance choreography that never felt forced, and rifle tosses for days! All of this with minimalistic prop usage. No large stages or backdrops. There were only small red sheer pieces of fabric on each wind player they used for excellent effect, and then just red strips that only came out at the very end to cover each yard line. This instantly became one of my favorite Avon shows in several years.
'Bloodlines' was a show that felt like a tribute to its past—acknowledging where this program has come from and what made them such a power in the marching world. This entire ensemble remains on a solid foundation and will continue to create shows that scream, "yeah, that's Avon." Somehow, just when you think this group can't outdo themselves, they keep finding a way. And when a group continually excites you, you know they are doing something right.
Marching Arts By The Numbers - “The Playbook” - Avon Indoor Percussion
Perhaps we’re showing a little bit of favoritism by mentioning two shows from the same program in this article, but like Josh, I must also mention a production by Avon. Their 2022 indoor percussion show “The Playbook” was a unique yet incredibly accessible sports-themed program centered around the storyline of a boxer training for a big match. The ensemble also masterfully incorporated an arrangement of “The Ecstasy of Gold” by Ennio Morricone from "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.” The best moment was an incredible snare feature showcasing the six members playing a difficult passage with their right hands while rhythmically punching hanging reflex bags with their left. It deservedly received a great reaction from the crowd on finals night.
However, my favorite part of this show was what the ensemble accomplished with it. After winning the Scholastic World class at the WGI Indianapolis Regional and Indiana Percussion Association State Finals, Avon went into World Championships as strong medalist contenders. In their way was the dynasty of Chino Hills, who came into the season as Scholastic World champions in six of the previous eight seasons. After a two-point gap separated the two ensembles in prelims, Avon cut the spread to a mere .025 in semifinals, a virtual toss-up. Backed by an electric and nearly flawless finals night run that placed three out of four captions, Avon came away victorious by nearly a point with a 98.6.
Matthew Carstensen - “The Call of the Grove” - Blue Springs Golden Regiment
I have a complicated relationship with Blue Springs (MO). Since they burst onto the scene in the early 2010s, they’ve put out quite a few shows that have resonated with me significantly. The one that’s easiest to pinpoint is their 2018 production “From a Different Angle.” They’ve also had a few years where, for one reason or another, the concept, music, or visuals just didn’t connect with me in quite the same way. That was not this year.
Blue Springs’ 2022 show is nuanced, intelligent, and full of every little aspect that pulls you in and blows you away. From the utter isolation of the flute solo to the full and lush low brass, the orchestration and arrangements for this ensemble reached new heights, masterfully combining the music of Debussy with Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” a heartbreaking ballad. When combined with a concept that would hit home with people going back hundreds of years to the pre-industrialization of the world, the design staff and performers tapped into universal experiences, providing avenues of connection and allowing the audience to share this moment, this expression, and this invitation to all that know “The Call of the Grove.”
Aaron Blackley is one of the original contributors for General Effect Media. Despite being young and fresh out of college, he has a vast knowledge and passion for the marching arts and has worked alongside the likes of HornRank as a ranker and moderator as well as the TxBands.com liveblog team since summer 2021. He can be found on Twitter as @GEMAaronB.
Hattie Bartlett is an experienced marching arts content creator making her writing debut with GEM. As a former member of the color guard, she has traveled across the country covering events with WGI and Box5, as well as informally commentating via HornRank. Hattie is currently on staff at the University of Missouri as a field photographer and communications intern. She can be found on Twitter, Instagram, and Tiktok as @ilikeguard.
Marching Arts by the Numbers is a current staff writer and stats guru for General Effect Media. He has been involved in the marching arts activity for nearly two decades in a variety of roles. Marching Arts by the Numbers is his newest project with the vision of being the primary source of statistical information for the marching arts community. You can follow more of his work at @band_scores on Twitter.
Matthew Carstensen is currently GEM’s Managing Editor. He has been involved in the Pageantry Arts for over a decade, as a performer at the highest level, an instructor, and a fan. You can find him on Twitter at @SatNightLites. He currently lives in Florida with his partner and their two dogs.