It was so cool to see a competition in Nebraska and see a bunch of new groups! Shoutout to the Lincoln East mom that I talked to during finals. Here are a few of my thoughts about all the groups I saw today:
Norfolk - The two main Hercules characters were really good, but I thought the whole choir could produce more volume, especially the guys. The second number was a really fun mashup, especially the ending pose. Vocal quality trailed off a bit in the back half of the show before it came back at the end of the closer. Choreo is very dependent on timing and that needs to be cleaned a little. Super fun show!
Northeast - Look at your horn section! I was very impressed with some of the staging that went on during the show. The guys had this ridiculous tone and blend that was just right for the show. Great ballad pick to turn the show. Would’ve preferred if the closer was not a medley (really enjoyed the first part) but it was still a great set!
Pius - The opener and closer were the highlights of your set. The choreography was so interesting - I’m sad they didn’t say who the choreographer was. The ballad soloist sounded breathy, perhaps consider resting him beforehand. The guys second costumes almost reminded me of Army uniforms? Also shoutout to the saxophone soloist, you were awesome.
DMC - The vocal integrity in this set was really good. Ballad chords were on point. I really enjoyed the tension in the opener. Signed, Sealed, Delivered was a nice touch in the closer medley. Thought the ladders could’ve been used a bit more. Diction was good most of the time but slipped a little in the girls number.
Johnston - There were moments where I just sat back and soaked in the vocals. Choreography was fantastic, there’s something so satisfying about everybody hitting the same angle at the same time. Band was really tight too, especially during the Shipping Up To Boston part. Managing the backdrop was good too, although I thought I saw it move a couple times during songs during prelims. It was better in finals!
Southwest - I thought I was in for a showsical when I heard the Wicked theme. While that wasn’t the case, I still thought it was a very good show. The band was able to raise the energy in a very special way. The show toed the line nicely in between story and not. The arrangement of Separate Ways was really cool, but I thought the energy peaked there instead of at the end of the closer in prelims. It was much better in finals!
Express - I really enjoyed the first half the set. The women had a really solid sound in the opener. The dance breaks were vintage Ben Eklund. The ballad struck a chord with me - I cried in the first half, and selfishly, I wish it wasn’t a medley. It felt like the energy dipped a little in the guys number but the closer has the potential to bring the house down wherever you go!
Elegance - I’m a sucker for camp shows, shows with the Phineas and Ferb theme song, and especially shows with both. I really enjoyed the ballad arrangement. There’s a lot of footwork in the choreo and y’all did a great job staying on top of that. Timing could’ve been tighter but I still loved it!
I'm not going to beg for someone to drop the lineup but let's just say I am getting rather impatient for it. If anybody has it and would like to share, it would be much appreciated!
UNL Midwest Cup 2023
