I mean that i won't be able to see this years fabulous show anymore. our competition schedules are completely opposite. however, cameron and his entourage (i hope) will come visit me at the holmen compeitition!
and college..well..like i told adam i will NEVER come back! haha ;)
im in the mood to talk..please someone talk to me on aim!
QUOTE(I Sing Lower @ Jan 28 2007, 08:09 PM) 378139
wow.
what a fun competition that was.
I would love to thank our AMAZING hosts, for everything they did for us. you girls are amazing.
Adam, Im just going to repeat what nick said. you are a very fun person.( and what a great commentary )
Aliyah, my lovely wife. I danced as though you were right there the whole time. I love you and I hope you are better very soon!
hahah oh yes, that kid DID dance as though you were right there. i think lauren and i giggled the entire time. hes so hot.
i love GCS
and..guess who won't be seeing them anymore? moi.
You know what I just realized...when athena wasn't in rehersals this week because she was sick I kept thinking about how weird it would be to have to pretend your partner wasn't there during an actual performance. And then Aliyah falls and breaks her wrist and like 4 people have to pretend she's there when she wasn't haha. How ironic!! Anyways, Aliyah sacrificed her wrist for show choir...that's hardcore.
what a fun competition that was.
I would love to thank our AMAZING hosts, for everything they did for us. you girls are amazing.
Adam, Im just going to repeat what nick said. you are a very fun person.( and what a great commentary )
Aliyah, my lovely wife. I danced as though you were right there the whole time. I love you and I hope you are better very soon!
How did you break your arm? (maybe I missed it in the LONG posts)
Actually it was my wrist. But I slipped on the stage as I was going around the risers for th closer. There may be a better expaination on the pic on facebook. I've commented on it.
Well you two certainly know how to make a kid feel special.
First off, Sauk's competition was really great. I honestly had no clue to who all would make finals (besides La Crosse Central, Onalaska, and Mundelein). I just felt that most of the groups were at the same level, that being "just good" (except one, but we will go into that a bit later).
Every group who competed in finals had a better show than in the day round. Not one group didn't improve. That's something to be really excited about.
Neenah- I have now seen your show 3 weeks in a row... every week it gets better and better! Keep up the great work.
New London- Very impressive for a small group.
La Crosse Logan- I was a bit surprised not to hear the groups name called for finals. I find that your songs just tend to go on and on way past the point when they need to end. "All Night Long" is pretty much the strongest song in the show. The female soloist has a beautiful voice, props to her on the award.
North Saint Paul- It's a fun show, but a lot of things need to be cleaned up vocally and choreography wise before you can place higher at competitions. I really liked "Slap That Bass" with the white ropes, but it was so messy. It was a neat concept. The flow of the show is really jumpy, not much you can do about that. Vocals in "Let's Dance" really need to be worked on. Remember... you are representing all of America show choirs when you travel to FAME London. Congrats on making finals.
Mayville- I didn't really understand how every song fit into the show theme watching it in day round, but seeing it again in the night made me understand better. Your vocals were VERY powerful and took me by surprise. I didn't really like "Shed A Little Light" in the day round , but you sold it to me at night (the soloist was also awesome at night). I really liked the way you sang "The Impossible Dream", very cool. "He Lives In You" was really awesome. It reminded me of Davenport North's in 2003 (without the 6 second on stage costume change), which was pretty cool. All the soloists were great in it (the mics were way too loud though). My least favorite song was "Oh the Thinks You Can Think" mostly because I didn't like the arrangement. I loved "It's Possible", I'm a true sucker for puppets (I promise I'm not creepy, haha!) but behind the clothe, it is really hard to hear the vocals. I don't know what the solution for that would be, so... yeah. Like I said before, I had no clue who was going to make finals for sure, I didn't know if you would make it, but I wasn't surprised to hear your name called. You all did a fabulous job yesterday. This is my 2nd favorite Mayville show now! I can't wait to see you again at Logan.
Waconia- I'm not a big fan of the "Let Me Entertain You", but you perform the song very well. The "Who Loves You" arrangement is quite possibly the best one I have heard yet, but make sure the vocals and dancing match the awesomeness of what you are singing. The ballad was just bland in the day, but at night it was really beautiful. I really enjoyed it. "Fun" was... well fun. A lot of the dancing can be cleaned up, and more diction is needed to get all the words out. Everyone played their character awesome, but I didn't understand how the person in the army costume fit in. I think the Ricky Martin Medley makes your show just kind of flat-line. Keep the power and energy up! I think the key to your competition success lies in the closer... if that song is awesome, then you guys will place well everywhere. It was great seeing you guys again, the last time I saw you live was Kennedy 2005.
Mundelein- "Hung Up" reminded me a lot of "Dust In The Wind" from last year. The choreography was VERY crisp and there was a lot of "umph" in it. The emotion portrayed to the audience is "Fierce" and "aggressive", if that's what you are going for, great job! The vocals were very tight and the blend sounded great. "I've Got You Under My Skin" was a great song, but I felt you guys took the soft sound too far. It was very hard to hear, and that's not because you guys don't produce sound or have diction... we know you do from the opener! Sing it just a bit louder. The sax solo was really nice. "If I Tell You" wasn't "on" for me in the day round, but at night it was gorgeous. My problem with the show was the last two songs "Pop" and "Wedding Day" (two great songs, I tried getting my old group to do "Pop" before their "Wedding Day", but alas, I lost.) I felt that the singing just died in these two songs. The end of "Pop" I couldn't really hear anything the choir was singing. When "Wedding Day" got started, I got really excited... but the solo is about 75% of the song and when the choir does get their two seconds of singing, we couldn't hear them. You sang so amazing in the opener... where did those vocals go? I really didn't enjoy the arrangement to "Wedding Day", but I know others that would maybe prefer it. The costumes were great at the end... fit the song perfectly. You guys were a pleasure to watch. I'm glad you ventured to Sauk. Question- Did any of the judges freak out about hearing the word "Sluttly" in your show?
Onalaska- From day to night you improved a lot (I know you were missing some girls in the day from a dance competition). I still don't understand how 57 singers/dancers on stage amounts to a sound that doesn't match the numbers. The girls sound was so very weak (day and night). The choreography was really clean at points and their was a few cool moments in your show. I'm not a big fan of the free style dancing thing going on at the beginning of the 4th song. Your band is amazing. They do a wonderful job of pumping up the non-singing parts and backing down while you all are trying to project. Congrats on your finish. A lot of people had been saying that you guys were having a REALLY tough time, you proved that they were full of crap.
Sauk Prairie- I'll be frank... after seeing your show at Onalaska I was left confused and really didn't like the show much. I thought you guys had a real lack of diction at Onalaska that really hurt portraying the message to the crowd. I also don't think that the characters were in their rolls enough to make the audience understand what was happening. After seeing your show two more times, I can safely say that I am a fan. The vocals were completely different than the performance at Onalaska. I understood what you were saying and there were some really awesome spots ("GLORRRRRYYYYYY!") The characters really put all their acting abilities into each roll making it easy for me to understand what was going on. The show is LONG, but it is peppered with some really neat sounding songs. (I need to buy the soundtrack to Pippin now) The girl jester is one of my favorite performers in the show, and only by hearing Pippin's voice when he sang "And oh the men go....." (then scolded by his father and told to sit down.) That kid has some pipes on him. The beautiful swede "Kristen Chenoweth" is an amazing performer as well. There was also this girl in the choir named Alyssa Maier, she is FOXY and Sauk-uh-licious! I really enjoyed the show.
La Crosse Central- I can't begin to describe the performances that were given yesterday, because there would be not enough room to write down how amazing it was. GCS has something every group out there doesn't... and I can't quite put my finger on it. Whatever it is... it's amazing, and keep doing it. To start off, "Caravan" is just so innovative. I love watching one certain "servant" carry the soloist's throne at the beginning to see a perfect confident attitude (Mr. Cameron Arndt for those who know him). The song is great, the choreography fits perfectly, and the vocals are to die for. I feel as if I'm in Egypt while watching it. Superb! One of my favorite openers of 2007! "Sunny Side Of The Street"... when I found out you were doing this song, I thought "LAME!" But wow, you guys have sold me on it. It's just so elegant and big bandish, the dancing is lovely and the vocals to boot. The sun is uber cool, I love the "ahhs" when it lights up. The ballad "The Light In The Piazza" is so artistic and exquisite. No offense to NSP's best male soloist, but I thought for sure that Nick Seiler was going to snag the BMS award. His "eased" sound and attention to detail to every note really spoke to everyone who was listening. Wonderful job! The emotion and feeling that every person on stage puts into this song is magical; "magical" may sound corny, but it's the only good word to describe it. Not one person sticks out for a negative reason (not just in the ballad, anywhere in the show.) The phrasing is wonderful, the dynamics awesome, and the blend is heavenly. The sound is MATURE!!! Not weak, puny, and whiny sounds that come from the nasal passage way. Tall, rich, and round sounds that come from proper singing and the right teaching (Mr. Esser is the best). All in all, the ballad is phenomenal. It's an odd song for a ballad some might think, but GCS proved the genius of Mr. Esser's choice. The soloists on "Steppin' Out With My Baby" are fantastic. "Everybody Step" is really cool and it builds the foundation for what is about to happen... right from the very short opening notes of "America The Beautiful", the excitement starts. "Down At The Five And Dime" will probably end up being my favorite closer of 2007, and quite possibly my favorite song of the year. The fun that the performers have in this song is absolutely contagious. It's one of those songs that makes you want to leap out of your chair and start dancing. The choreography in this is some of Weaver's best. The dance breaks are sheer brilliance (and boy does the band wail!) Some of the things done are just so funky and fun. The big picture of the jazz band for the background is awesome. The costumes fit perfectly, and the attitudes and vibes that every performer gives off to the audience is dead on. This must be such a hard song to sing with all the movement, but GCS nails every note and word. The "soda" props at the end is the icing on the cake.
People... GCS was untouchable at Sauk Prairie. They essentially won the competition from the first time they performed at 11:15 in the day. (they also went first in finals) They could have gone on stage not showered for years and in potato sacks and still won the competition. That's not saying that every group was awful and the caliber of groups was low, because that's frankly not true, it's saying how amazing GCS really is. Mr. Mike Esser put together one hell of a show, a show where there is never a dull moment. I know it's my favorite GCS show ever... and I think it will be a show not forgotten about over the next few years. Like I said at the beginning, GCS has something special that I have never seen in a group before. Something about the level of integrity in their performance. Some readers now are probably rolling their eyes and thinking what a crock all what I have just said is. Well... good for you. But, I wouldn't be so passionate about something that wasn't fantastic.
GCS has it all.
P.S. Aliyah Richling is my hero. She broke her wrist in GCS's morning show, and still came out to perform parts in the finals show. She's a show choir trooper!
P.S.S. Someone mentioned before about the nicest parents being from GCS... it's quite true (and Eisenhower parents too!)
I'll stop gushing now.
Adam,
you are absolutely amazing. There are few people that are as passionate as you are and everything you said is very appreciated. I think it is safe to say that our choir loves you and loves having you around! I hope you can make to some of our othr comps. You are coming to Omaha right? Hope to see you soon.
Sauk Prairie- You guys were great! I couldn't believe how much you were drawing me into your story. From where I was sitting, nobody ever had a dull moment... you certainly used every moment to make the show amazing. The vocals were great and I too really enjoyed the acting of the jester. I must also say that this is one of the best comps I've been to despite everything that happened to me. It was very well run and everyone was so nice and supportive. A special thanks to our hosts for making our "surprise" birthday celebration work. Doc really enjoyed it! Oh and Alyssa, We love you! I hope to see you again this year.
Onalaska- I have to say that you guys really surprised me. I had heard that the show wasn't as polished as usual, but you proved that you know what you are doing up on stage. It is fantastic that that La Crosse Area groups did very well! Based on what I heard , I must agree with Adam because the girls vocals were a little weak when you sang by yourself. But I heard you were missing some girls for the day show. That is the show I saw.But as I said before, you did a wnderful job and I hope I get to see you again this season! Good Luck with the rest of your season!
To all other groups- I wasn't able to see any other groups but I have heard some great things! Congrats to all groups that made finals! Good luck to everyone with their seasons!
P.S. Nick, I appreciate the award! But I did miss being your partner in the opener! (cam you too!)
Question- Did any of the judges freak out about hearing the word "Slutty" in your show?
Haha, that would be ME saying it. As far as I know judges didn't mention it -- we probably would have taken it out for the finals performance if it had really bothered any of them, because we do try to change things when we can. We did have someone (I think it might have been someone's pastor) complain about it after our winter concert, though.
Well you two certainly know how to make a kid feel special.
First off, Sauk's competition was really great. I honestly had no clue to who all would make finals (besides La Crosse Central, Onalaska, and Mundelein). I just felt that most of the groups were at the same level, that being "just good" (except one, but we will go into that a bit later).
Every group who competed in finals had a better show than in the day round. Not one group didn't improve. That's something to be really excited about.
Neenah- I have now seen your show 3 weeks in a row... every week it gets better and better! Keep up the great work.
New London- Very impressive for a small group.
La Crosse Logan- I was a bit surprised not to hear the groups name called for finals. I find that your songs just tend to go on and on way past the point when they need to end. "All Night Long" is pretty much the strongest song in the show. The female soloist has a beautiful voice, props to her on the award.
North Saint Paul- It's a fun show, but a lot of things need to be cleaned up vocally and choreography wise before you can place higher at competitions. I really liked "Slap That Bass" with the white ropes, but it was so messy. It was a neat concept. The flow of the show is really jumpy, not much you can do about that. Vocals in "Let's Dance" really need to be worked on. Remember... you are representing all of America show choirs when you travel to FAME London. Congrats on making finals.
Mayville- I didn't really understand how every song fit into the show theme watching it in day round, but seeing it again in the night made me understand better. Your vocals were VERY powerful and took me by surprise. I didn't really like "Shed A Little Light" in the day round , but you sold it to me at night (the soloist was also awesome at night). I really liked the way you sang "The Impossible Dream", very cool. "He Lives In You" was really awesome. It reminded me of Davenport North's in 2003 (without the 6 second on stage costume change), which was pretty cool. All the soloists were great in it (the mics were way too loud though). My least favorite song was "Oh the Thinks You Can Think" mostly because I didn't like the arrangement. I loved "It's Possible", I'm a true sucker for puppets (I promise I'm not creepy, haha!) but behind the clothe, it is really hard to hear the vocals. I don't know what the solution for that would be, so... yeah. Like I said before, I had no clue who was going to make finals for sure, I didn't know if you would make it, but I wasn't surprised to hear your name called. You all did a fabulous job yesterday. This is my 2nd favorite Mayville show now!
Waconia- I'm not a big fan of the "Let Me Entertain You", but you perform the song very well. The "Who Loves You" arrangement is quite possibly the best one I have heard yet, but make sure the vocals and dancing match the awesomeness of what you are singing. The ballad was just bland in the day, but at night it was really beautiful. I really enjoyed it. "Fun" was... well fun. A lot of the dancing can be cleaned up, and more diction is needed to get all the words out. Everyone played their character awesome, but I didn't understand how the person in the army costume fit in. I think the Ricky Martin Medley makes your show just kind of flat-line. Keep the power and energy up! I think the key to your competition success lies in the closer... if that song is awesome, then you guys will place well everywhere. It was great seeing you guys again, the last time I saw you live was Kennedy 2005.
Mundelein- "Hung Up" reminded me a lot of "Dust In The Wind" from last year. The choreography was VERY crisp and there was a lot of "umph" in it. The emotion portrayed to the audience is "Fierce" and "aggressive", if that's what you are going for, great job! The vocals were very tight and the blend sounded great. "I've Got You Under My Skin" was a great song, but I felt you guys took the soft sound too far. It was very hard to hear, and that's not because you guys don't produce sound or have diction... we know you do from the opener! Sing it just a bit louder. The sax solo was really nice. "If I Tell You" wasn't "on" for me in the day round, but at night it was gorgeous. My problem with the show was the last two songs "Pop" and "Wedding Day" (two great songs, I tried getting my old group to do "Pop" before their "Wedding Day", but alas, I lost.) I felt that the singing just died in these two songs. The end of "Pop" I couldn't really hear anything the choir was singing. When "Wedding Day" got started, I got really excited... but the solo is about 75% of the song and when the choir does get their two seconds of singing, we couldn't hear them. You sang so amazing in the opener... where did those vocals go? I really didn't enjoy the arrangement to "Wedding Day", but I know others that would maybe prefer it. The costumes were great at the end... fit the song perfectly. You guys were a pleasure to watch. I'm glad you ventured to Sauk. Question- Did any of the judges freak out about hearing the word "Sluttly" in your show?
Onalaska- From day to night you improved a lot (I know you were missing some girls in the day from a dance competition). I still don't understand how 57 singers/dancers on stage amounts to a sound that doesn't match the numbers. The girls sound was so very weak (day and night). The choreography was really clean at points and their was a few cool moments in your show. I'm not a big fan of the free style dancing thing going on at the beginning of the 4th song. Your band is amazing. They do a wonderful job of pumping up the non-singing parts and backing down while you all are trying to project. Congrats on your finish. A lot of people had been saying that you guys were having a REALLY tough time, you proved that they were full of crap.
Sauk Prairie- I'll be frank... after seeing your show at Onalaska I was left confused and really didn't like the show much. I thought you guys had a real lack of diction at Onalaska that really hurt portraying the message to the crowd. I also don't think that the characters were in their rolls enough to make the audience understand what was happening. After seeing your show two more times, I can safely say that I am a fan. The vocals were completely different than the performance at Onalaska. I understood what you were saying and there were some really awesome spots ("GLORRRRRYYYYYY!") The characters really put all their acting abilities into each roll making it easy for me to understand what was going on. The show is LONG, but it is peppered with some really neat sounding songs. (I need to buy the soundtrack to Pippin now) The girl jester is one of my favorite performers in the show, and only by hearing Pippin's voice when he sang "And oh the men go....." (then scolded by his father and told to sit down.) That kid has some pipes on him. The beautiful swede "Kristen Chenoweth" is an amazing performer as well. There was also this girl in the choir named Alyssa Maier, she is FOXY and Sauk-uh-licious! I really enjoyed the show.
La Crosse Central- I can't begin to describe the performances that were given yesterday, because there would be not enough room to write down how amazing it was. GCS has something every group out there doesn't... and I can't quite put my finger on it. Whatever it is... it's amazing, and keep doing it. To start off, "Caravan" is just so innovative. I love watching one certain "servant" carry the soloist's throne at the beginning to see a perfect confident attitude (Mr. Cameron Arndt for those who know him). The song is great, the choreography fits perfectly, and the vocals are to die for. I feel as if I'm in Egypt while watching it. Superb! One of my favorite openers of 2007! "Sunny Side Of The Street"... when I found out you were doing this song, I thought "LAME!" But wow, you guys have sold me on it. It's just so elegant and big bandish, the dancing is lovely and the vocals to boot. The sun is uber cool, I love the "ahhs" when it lights up. The ballad "The Light In The Piazza" is so artistic and exquisite. No offense to NSP's best male soloist, but I thought for sure that Nick Seiler was going to snag the BMS award. His "eased" sound and attention to detail to every note really spoke to everyone who was listening. Wonderful job! The emotion and feeling that every person on stage puts into this song is magical; "magical" may sound corny, but it's the only good word to describe it. Not one person sticks out for a negative reason (not just in the ballad, anywhere in the show.) The phrasing is wonderful, the dynamics awesome, and the blend is heavenly. The sound is MATURE!!! Not weak, puny, and whiny sounds that come from the nasal passage way. Tall, rich, and round sounds that come from proper singing and the right teaching (Mr. Esser is the best). All in all, the ballad is phenomenal. It's an odd song for a ballad some might think, but GCS proved the genius of Mr. Esser's choice. The soloists on "Steppin' Out With My Baby" are fantastic. "Everybody Step" is really cool and it builds the foundation for what is about to happen... right from the very short opening notes of "America The Beautiful", the excitement starts. "Down At The Five And Dime" will probably end up being my favorite closer of 2007, and quite possibly my favorite song of the year. The fun that the performers have in this song is absolutely contagious. It's one of those songs that makes you want to leap out of your chair and start dancing. The choreography in this is some of Weaver's best. The dance breaks are sheer brilliance (and boy does the band wail!) Some of the things done are just so funky and fun. The big picture of the jazz band for the background is awesome. The costumes fit perfectly, and the attitudes and vibes that every performer gives off to the audience is dead on. This must be such a hard song to sing with all the movement, but GCS nails every note and word. The "soda" props at the end is the icing on the cake.
People... GCS was untouchable at Sauk Prairie. They essentially won the competition from the first time they performed at 11:15 in the day. (they also went first in finals) They could have gone on stage not showered for years and in potato sacks and still won the competition. That's not saying that every group was awful and the caliber of groups was low, because that's frankly not true, it's saying how amazing GCS really is. Mr. Mike Esser put together one hell of a show, a show where there is never a dull moment. I know it's my favorite GCS show ever... and I think it will be a show not forgotten about over the next few years. Like I said at the beginning, GCS has something special that I have never seen in a group before. Something about the level of integrity in their performance. Some readers now are probably rolling their eyes and thinking what a crock all what I have just said is. Well... good for you. But, I wouldn't be so passionate about something that wasn't fantastic.
GCS has it all.
P.S. Aliyah Richling is my hero. She broke her arm in GCS's morning show, and still came out to perform parts in the finals show. She's a show choir trooper!
P.S.S. Someone mentioned before about the nicest parents being from GCS... it's quite true (and Eisenhower parents too!)
I'll stop gushing now.
I officially love you Adam Peters (in that non-commitment type of way ) People, this kid is a great person and he's obviously very passionate about what he loves. Thank you for all your support and all of this great feedback. I'm really glad that I've met you and become friends with you because what you just wrote made me realize how much of a good person you are. I'm not just referring to the extensive feedback you've given to us, but every other group as well. Thank you Adam, and I will see you at Omaha (hopefully sooner).
QUOTE(Miss_Buddaha @ Jan 28 2007, 11:40 AM) 377874
and yes..i do have about 4 new crushes...i wont say names ((matt from st.paul, nick and cameron, and lets just say "jorge" is a nice looking fella ;) ))
QUOTE(GCS_Baritenor07 @ Jan 28 2007, 01:56 PM) 377933
Adam Peters...you are one of the most hilarious kids I've ever met
Well you two certainly know how to make a kid feel special.
First off, Sauk's competition was really great. I honestly had no clue to who all would make finals (besides La Crosse Central, Onalaska, and Mundelein). I just felt that most of the groups were at the same level, that being "just good" (except one, but we will go into that a bit later).
Every group who competed in finals had a better show than in the day round. Not one group didn't improve. That's something to be really excited about.
Neenah- I have now seen your show 3 weeks in a row... every week it gets better and better! Keep up the great work.
New London- Very impressive for a small group.
La Crosse Logan- I was a bit surprised not to hear the groups name called for finals. I find that your songs just tend to go on and on way past the point when they need to end. "All Night Long" is pretty much the strongest song in the show. The female soloist has a beautiful voice, props to her on the award.
North Saint Paul- It's a fun show, but a lot of things need to be cleaned up vocally and choreography wise before you can place higher at competitions. I really liked "Slap That Bass" with the white ropes, but it was so messy. It was a neat concept. The flow of the show is really jumpy, not much you can do about that. Vocals in "Let's Dance" really need to be worked on. Remember... you are representing all of America show choirs when you travel to FAME London. Congrats on making finals.
Mayville- I didn't really understand how every song fit into the show theme watching it in day round, but seeing it again in the night made me understand better. Your vocals were VERY powerful and took me by surprise. I didn't really like "Shed A Little Light" in the day round , but you sold it to me at night (the soloist was also awesome at night). I really liked the way you sang "The Impossible Dream", very cool. "He Lives In You" was really awesome. It reminded me of Davenport North's in 2003 (without the 6 second on stage costume change), which was pretty cool. All the soloists were great in it (the mics were way too loud though). My least favorite song was "Oh the Thinks You Can Think" mostly because I didn't like the arrangement. I loved "It's Possible", I'm a true sucker for puppets (I promise I'm not creepy, haha!) but behind the clothe, it is really hard to hear the vocals. I don't know what the solution for that would be, so... yeah. Like I said before, I had no clue who was going to make finals for sure, I didn't know if you would make it, but I wasn't surprised to hear your name called. You all did a fabulous job yesterday. This is my 2nd favorite Mayville show now! I can't wait to see you again at Logan.
Waconia- I'm not a big fan of the "Let Me Entertain You", but you perform the song very well. The "Who Loves You" arrangement is quite possibly the best one I have heard yet, but make sure the vocals and dancing match the awesomeness of what you are singing. The ballad was just bland in the day, but at night it was really beautiful. I really enjoyed it. "Fun" was... well fun. A lot of the dancing can be cleaned up, and more diction is needed to get all the words out. Everyone played their character awesome, but I didn't understand how the person in the army costume fit in. I think the Ricky Martin Medley makes your show just kind of flat-line. Keep the power and energy up! I think the key to your competition success lies in the closer... if that song is awesome, then you guys will place well everywhere. It was great seeing you guys again, the last time I saw you live was Kennedy 2005.
Mundelein- "Hung Up" reminded me a lot of "Dust In The Wind" from last year. The choreography was VERY crisp and there was a lot of "umph" in it. The emotion portrayed to the audience is "Fierce" and "aggressive", if that's what you are going for, great job! The vocals were very tight and the blend sounded great. "I've Got You Under My Skin" was a great song, but I felt you guys took the soft sound too far. It was very hard to hear, and that's not because you guys don't produce sound or have diction... we know you do from the opener! Sing it just a bit louder. The sax solo was really nice. "If I Tell You" wasn't "on" for me in the day round, but at night it was gorgeous. My problem with the show was the last two songs "Pop" and "Wedding Day" (two great songs, I tried getting my old group to do "Pop" before their "Wedding Day", but alas, I lost.) I felt that the singing just died in these two songs. The end of "Pop" I couldn't really hear anything the choir was singing. When "Wedding Day" got started, I got really excited... but the solo is about 75% of the song and when the choir does get their two seconds of singing, we couldn't hear them. You sang so amazing in the opener... where did those vocals go? I really didn't enjoy the arrangement to "Wedding Day", but I know others that would maybe prefer it. The costumes were great at the end... fit the song perfectly. You guys were a pleasure to watch. I'm glad you ventured to Sauk. Question- Did any of the judges freak out about hearing the word "Sluttly" in your show?
Onalaska- From day to night you improved a lot (I know you were missing some girls in the day from a dance competition). I still don't understand how 57 singers/dancers on stage amounts to a sound that doesn't match the numbers. The girls sound was so very weak (day and night). The choreography was really clean at points and their was a few cool moments in your show. I'm not a big fan of the free style dancing thing going on at the beginning of the 4th song. Your band is amazing. They do a wonderful job of pumping up the non-singing parts and backing down while you all are trying to project. Congrats on your finish. A lot of people had been saying that you guys were having a REALLY tough time, you proved that they were full of crap.
Sauk Prairie- I'll be frank... after seeing your show at Onalaska I was left confused and really didn't like the show much. I thought you guys had a real lack of diction at Onalaska that really hurt portraying the message to the crowd. I also don't think that the characters were in their rolls enough to make the audience understand what was happening. After seeing your show two more times, I can safely say that I am a fan. The vocals were completely different than the performance at Onalaska. I understood what you were saying and there were some really awesome spots ("GLORRRRRYYYYYY!") The characters really put all their acting abilities into each roll making it easy for me to understand what was going on. The show is LONG, but it is peppered with some really neat sounding songs. (I need to buy the soundtrack to Pippin now) The girl jester is one of my favorite performers in the show, and only by hearing Pippin's voice when he sang "And oh the men go....." (then scolded by his father and told to sit down.) That kid has some pipes on him. The beautiful swede "Kristen Chenoweth" is an amazing performer as well. There was also this girl in the choir named Alyssa Maier, she is FOXY and Sauk-uh-licious! I really enjoyed the show.
La Crosse Central- I can't begin to describe the performances that were given yesterday, because there would be not enough room to write down how amazing it was. GCS has something every group out there doesn't... and I can't quite put my finger on it. Whatever it is... it's amazing, and keep doing it. To start off, "Caravan" is just so innovative. I love watching one certain "servant" carry the soloist's throne at the beginning to see a perfect confident attitude (Mr. Cameron Arndt for those who know him). The song is great, the choreography fits perfectly, and the vocals are to die for. I feel as if I'm in Egypt while watching it. Superb! One of my favorite openers of 2007! "Sunny Side Of The Street"... when I found out you were doing this song, I thought "LAME!" But wow, you guys have sold me on it. It's just so elegant and big bandish, the dancing is lovely and the vocals to boot. The sun is uber cool, I love the "ahhs" when it lights up. The ballad "The Light In The Piazza" is so artistic and exquisite. No offense to NSP's best male soloist, but I thought for sure that Nick Seiler was going to snag the BMS award. His "eased" sound and attention to detail to every note really spoke to everyone who was listening. Wonderful job! The emotion and feeling that every person on stage puts into this song is magical; "magical" may sound corny, but it's the only good word to describe it. Not one person sticks out for a negative reason (not just in the ballad, anywhere in the show.) The phrasing is wonderful, the dynamics awesome, and the blend is heavenly. The sound is MATURE!!! Not weak, puny, and whiny sounds that come from the nasal passage way. Tall, rich, and round sounds that come from proper singing and the right teaching (Mr. Esser is the best). All in all, the ballad is phenomenal. It's an odd song for a ballad some might think, but GCS proved the genius of Mr. Esser's choice. The soloists on "Steppin' Out With My Baby" are fantastic. "Everybody Step" is really cool and it builds the foundation for what is about to happen... right from the very short opening notes of "America The Beautiful", the excitement starts. "Down At The Five And Dime" will probably end up being my favorite closer of 2007, and quite possibly my favorite song of the year. The fun that the performers have in this song is absolutely contagious. It's one of those songs that makes you want to leap out of your chair and start dancing. The choreography in this is some of Weaver's best. The dance breaks are sheer brilliance (and boy does the band wail!) Some of the things done are just so funky and fun. The big picture of the jazz band for the background is awesome. The costumes fit perfectly, and the attitudes and vibes that every performer gives off to the audience is dead on. This must be such a hard song to sing with all the movement, but GCS nails every note and word. The "soda" props at the end is the icing on the cake.
People... GCS was untouchable at Sauk Prairie. They essentially won the competition from the first time they performed at 11:15 in the day. (they also went first in finals) They could have gone on stage not showered for years and in potato sacks and still won the competition. That's not saying that every group was awful and the caliber of groups was low, because that's frankly not true, it's saying how amazing GCS really is. Mr. Mike Esser put together one hell of a show, a show where there is never a dull moment. I know it's my favorite GCS show ever... and I think it will be a show not forgotten about over the next few years. Like I said at the beginning, GCS has something special that I have never seen in a group before. Something about the level of integrity in their performance. Some readers now are probably rolling their eyes and thinking what a crock all what I have just said is. Well... good for you. But, I wouldn't be so passionate about something that wasn't fantastic.
GCS has it all.
P.S. Aliyah Richling is my hero. She broke her wrist in GCS's morning show, and still came out to perform parts in the finals show. She's a show choir trooper!
P.S.S. Someone mentioned before about the nicest parents being from GCS... it's quite true (and Eisenhower parents too!)
QUOTE(dodgerammINwaconia @ Jan 28 2007, 05:50 PM) 378030
Yaaaa, I am from Waconia and i was so exited that we got forth at Sauk Prairie after not even making finals at Johnston's Invitational in Johnston, Iowa. It was fun time in Sauk Prairie and our hosts were awesome........ By the way Sauk Prairie I am goin to be your host at our home competition Star Power.
Dodge
I thought that you guys were AMAZING....i was so into your show and it was sooo much fun to watch...I don't know who else was at Johnston but if you guys didn't make finals...WOW!!! You guys were great.
I also really liked Mayville...the Suessical stuff was great....that was my favorite part of the whole show followed very closely by the opener.
Everyone else did amazing as well...Good Job to EVERYONE!!!
Yaaaa, I am from Waconia and i was so exited that we got forth at Sauk Prairie after not even making finals at Johnston's Invitational in Johnston, Iowa. It was fun time in Sauk Prairie and our hosts were awesome........ By the way Sauk Prairie I am goin to be your host at our home competition Star Power.
Wow what a competition yesterday!!! Everything ran so smoothly, and our hosts were amazing! I was so happy we got to be a part of finals last night with the other amazing groups that were there. Some comments on what I saw.
GCS- Perfect! I really don't know how to put into words how amazing you were. Everyone in the group is so professional, and your able to bring meaning and life to ever song you do. After watching your show in the afternoon I had caravan stuck in my head the rest of the day! Oh and I think your parents might be the nicest show choir parents I've ever meet!
Mundelein- Your Opener was AWESOME!!!! one of my favorite openers of the year. I liked how agressive you were..lol..it made it really fun to watch. Your choreography was very clean, and extremely fun to watch. I hope you do well the rest of the season.
Waconia- Your finals performance was completely on point. Of all the groups I saw in finals you definitely had the most energy! Congrats on an excellent performance.
Sauk Prairie- Your show completely grew on me by the end of the night. The first time I watched it I wasn't really sure what I thought of it, but after your finals performance I really liked it. Your character and energy really brought the show to life, and the vocals as usual were amazing. Can't wait to compete against you next weekend at New London.
Once again congrats to everyone on an excellent day yesterday! Oh and if anyone saw Mayville please comment! lol..thanks
Do you live inside my head or something?
haha... I've been typing my thoughts for the last 2 hours, and we think alike.
I will have my thoughts and feelings posted by tonight.
Wow what a competition yesterday!!! Everything ran so smoothly, and our hosts were amazing! I was so happy we got to be a part of finals last night with the other amazing groups that were there. Some comments on what I saw.
GCS- Perfect! I really don't know how to put into words how amazing you were. Everyone in the group is so professional, and your able to bring meaning and life to ever song you do. After watching your show in the afternoon I had caravan stuck in my head the rest of the day! Oh and I think your parents might be the nicest show choir parents I've ever meet!
Mundelein- Your Opener was AWESOME!!!! one of my favorite openers of the year. I liked how agressive you were..lol..it made it really fun to watch. Your choreography was very clean, and extremely fun to watch. I hope you do well the rest of the season.
Waconia- Your finals performance was completely on point. Of all the groups I saw in finals you definitely had the most energy! Congrats on an excellent performance.
Sauk Prairie- Your show completely grew on me by the end of the night. The first time I watched it I wasn't really sure what I thought of it, but after your finals performance I really liked it. Your character and energy really brought the show to life, and the vocals as usual were amazing. Can't wait to compete against you next weekend at New London.
Once again congrats to everyone on an excellent day yesterday! Oh and if anyone saw Mayville please comment! lol..thanks
I loved mayville! Your opener was amazing, the soloist was incredible! Your show was so fun to watch, and i can't wait to see you at Logan again! I wish you were coming to holmen so i could host you guys, haha.
Wow what a competition yesterday!!! Everything ran so smoothly, and our hosts were amazing! I was so happy we got to be a part of finals last night with the other amazing groups that were there. Some comments on what I saw.
GCS- Perfect! I really don't know how to put into words how amazing you were. Everyone in the group is so professional, and your able to bring meaning and life to ever song you do. After watching your show in the afternoon I had caravan stuck in my head the rest of the day! Oh and I think your parents might be the nicest show choir parents I've ever meet!
Mundelein- Your Opener was AWESOME!!!! one of my favorite openers of the year. I liked how agressive you were..lol..it made it really fun to watch. Your choreography was very clean, and extremely fun to watch. I hope you do well the rest of the season.
Waconia- Your finals performance was completely on point. Of all the groups I saw in finals you definitely had the most energy! Congrats on an excellent performance.
Sauk Prairie- Your show completely grew on me by the end of the night. The first time I watched it I wasn't really sure what I thought of it, but after your finals performance I really liked it. Your character and energy really brought the show to life, and the vocals as usual were amazing. Can't wait to compete against you next weekend at New London.
Once again congrats to everyone on an excellent day yesterday! Oh and if anyone saw Mayville please comment! lol..thanks
Sauk Prairie Executive Session Invitational 2007
