2005 SCORES and REVIEWS

AUGUST 12 - DCI SEMIFINALS - FOXBORO, MA

Top 12 to Finals

98.125 - The Cadets
97.375 - The Cavaliers
96.075 - Phantom Regiment
94.550 - Blue Devils
92.600 - Bluecoats
92.600 - Madison Scouts
91.125 - Carolina Crown
89.750 - Boston Crusaders
88.050 - Santa Clara Vanguard
87.875 - Blue Knights
87.775 - Glassmen
85.750 - Spirit from JSU
84.075 - Colts
84.050 - Crossmen
81.400 - Capital Regiment
80.950 - Southwind
78.100 - Mandarins
78.100 - Seattle Cascades

"More west coast, nice. Many comments about how big they looked.
Even more about how big they sound for their size. I agree, although I saw them in California a few times and was not surprised. I enjoyed their show, especially the music. There have been several years recently where I have questioned the Mandarins choice of music, thinking that a top corps has done it before. "On the Waterfront" comes to mind. But they perform their version of it very well, just like "Spartacus" this year. Pretty hard to top "Spartacus" from Regiment, but they don’t try to top it – they do it their way. Nice mello parts." -- playloud, via Drum Corps Planet

"Mandarin were fun as they always are. Again, A show worthy of middle of the pack, but nothing memorable or exciting enough to "break out" of that pack. The music was pleasant enough, the drill was pretty enough, but there was really nothing memorable 'cept the opening fanfare." -- GMichael1230, via Drum Corps Planet

"Another corps that wowed me early season but left me wanting more
at the end of the year. The music book upon repeated listenings proved to me to be inconsistent. At times beautiful (the opening Spartacus statements) but at other times, choppy. I think the low GE music scores were deserved -- there were too many parts of the show that didn’t go anywhere coherently (and it’s not that I don’t like Rachmoninov – he’s my favorite composer). The horn line also did not seem to improve during the season at the rate of the corps that they started off competing against earlier in the year. On the flip side, the corps marched pretty darned well, and the color guard gave a very solid performance on Thursday." -- TexasPRfan, via Drum Corps Planet

AUGUST 11 - DCI QUARTERFINALS - FOXBORO, MA

Top 17 to Semifinals

98.050 - The Cadets
96.500 - The Cavaliers
95.275 - Phantom Regiment
94.225 - Blue Devils
95.525 - Madison Scouts
92.400 - Bluecoats
89.425 - Boston Crusaders
89.350 - Carolina Crown
87.675 - Santa Clara Vanguard
87.400 - Blue Knights
87.125 - Glassmen
85.625 - Spirit from JSU
83.125 - Crossmen
82.975 - Colts
79.925 - Capital Regiment
79.525 - Southwind
78.550 - Mandarins
78.550 - Seattle Cascades
77.250 - Pacific Crest
76.200 - Esperanza
75.975 - The Magic
71.675 - Troopers
71.525 - Pioneer
68.600 - Kiwanis Kavaliers

"GREAT uniforms......interesting show. A bit "angry" for a show with a "love" theme, though, IMO." -- Fran Haring, telecast review via Drum Corps Planet

"Larger than I ever remember them. I like the uniforms but they tend to muddle feet and forms. Equally solid in all captions and they continue to improve each year. First third of the show seemed safe and timid with lots of intonation issue in the hornline. The performance got considerably stronger and more confidant as the show progressed." -- MagidAlto99, telecast review via Drum Corps Planet

"Biggest little corps in DCI." -- JohnWeldy, telecast review via Drum Corps Planet

"I love Adagio....with TAKO" -- BlueCollarDrumCorps, telecast review via Drum Corps Planet

"Lot's of fans in theater." -- Snapettes Mom, telecast review via Drum Corps Planet

"There were a lot of high school colorguard girls in our theater. Right off the bat, they were impressed with the first corps they saw...and it was the Mandarins. Way to silence the audience and get our attention in a hurry! (THANK YOU)" -- PeeWee, telecast review via Drum Corps Planet

"Much improved over our last viewing in San Jose. Feet were a lot better as was guard timing, This corps is definitely getting a more mature brass sound. I know they added Clint Matsen to the brass staff. After watching him work at Renegades, I'm not surprised he's having a positive effect on Mandarins, too. Percussion continues on a path started about three years ago. Still some room for improvement. Can they eventually get a third California corps in finals again someday? I think they have the best chance right now. They've had a winning program in lower divisions, something that gives them the edge over Esperanza and Pacific Crest among second-tier Division I corps." -- CrunchyTenor, telecast review via Drum Corps Planet

"Loves me, Loves me Not. I never got the "theme" in their musical choices. Good percussion and horns though. Fairly loud for being smaller in size. Overall I thought they need a better visual package to go with their sound." -- cwboldt, via Drum Corps Planet

"Welcome to primetime. Now 'more'." -- mobrien via Drum Corps Planet

"Was vocally ecstatic that Mandarins made it into semis!!! Great job Ray Mar and everyone associated with that group" -- Marc66, telecast review via Drum Corps Planet

AUGUST 7 - MUSIC IS COOL - EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ

96.850 - The Cadets
96.050 - The Cavaliers
94.600 - Blue Devils
85.000 - Crossmen
83.900 - Colts
81.350 - Capital Regiment
78.900 - Pacific Crest
78.650 - Mandarins
73.600 - Pioneer

"I called this Mandarins shot at Indy (no offense to anyone with that organization)... but I really felt after seeing their show there was no way they'd continue to hang up in the top 17 with their percussion, or even their brass. Too much dirt and the demand is hurting them. Visually, they're great... but no match for Capital, Southwind, or Seattle, etc. I would expect this decline to level out soon, but too late with Finals right around the bend." -- IMcomguy, via Drum Corps Planet

"I can say I liked the show a lot. Pretty loud show, very safe drill and at times very slow tempos. However, I think they did get some people standing. Excellent ending I might add." -- YouGoNow, via Bluedevils.org

AUGUST 5 - DCI EASTERN CLASSIC - ALLENTOWN, PA

95.350 - The Cavaliers
92.500 - Blue Devils
91.400 - Bluecoats
87.750 - Boston Crusaders
87.000 - Blue Knights
85.900 - Glassmen
85.250 - Spirit from JSU
80.025 - Capital Regiment
79.275 - Mandarins
76.650 - Pacific Crest
73.200 - Pioneer
69.925 - Kiwanis Kavaliers

"I had seen them 2 years ago when they first started touring in open class. They were always impressive as a division 3 corps, but it takes time to do the same thing on the division 1 level. But with this corps history that won't take long at all. I don't recall alot about the show except that it didnt catch me as much as PC did. The show was "Loves Me...Loves Me Not". Drill seemed a lil rough in some spots, but nicely written. And their hornline as always can play very well. The corps is still a bit smaller than others, but with a growth in the hornline they could certainly be contenders for finals in a couple years." -- Jeremy White, via SoundMachine

"Strains of Spartacus in their show of "loves me, loves me not" Solid as usual, great guard, and a nice drill." -- Gmichael1230, via Drum Corps Planet

"They had me from the beginning. Beautiful opening solo, and once the supporting mellos split from unison to the minor second, I had chills. The theme is very apparent throughout, except for the middle "jazzy" section...seeing the Mandarins rocking out (but not on taiko drums) was certainly different. I've seen this show referred to as a best-of-Phantom deal, and I'd agree to some extent. The Spartacus beginning and the reprise at the end certainly felt very Phantom-esque. Performance-wise, they had probably more intonation issues than Pac Crest, and some ensemble tearing, but I felt they placed in the right spot. Overall, they're a tier down from C ap Reg, but they'll probably be right on the cusp for semis, either just making or missing" -- smj02 via Drum Corps Planet

"The last time I saw them was when they had that great percussion feature. They hooked me right away. They seem a bit smaller this year but are a very intense group. Horns, drums and guard were all performing with a lot of passion with drums appearing to be the strong point once again. I thought the spread with Crest should have been more. The Paganini piece was my favorite tonight. As noted with Pioneer, I got the impression that this was a young group. They remind me so much of Avant Garde from my time. I have a feeling that they will overtake Capital Regiment in Foxboro. Drum major was the best of the night. He is top notch and could easily be with one of the big boys. Phantom would be a good fit for his talent." -- dckid via Blue Devils.org

AUGUST 4 - MUSIC IN MOTION - WEST CHESTER, PA

96.500 - The Cadets
91.200 - Bluecoats
86.450 - Blue Knights
83.750 - Crossmen
79.650 - Mandarins

"Agressive drum line and proud corps. These kids alway impress. It was my first read on this show, so I need to learn the music better, but they are solid contender for semis." -- jonnyboy, via Drum Corps Planet

"They've come along way from a small division III corps......they have some decent performance in all segments, but there were some major problems in brass in terms of quality, expecially articulation....drumline was ok, but staged too deep far too often........show went downhill musically from an emotional standpoint...." -- Bob984, via Drum Corps Planet

"Really good departure from the samurai theme- saw the flowers and was just waiting to hear make our garden grow! Really nice show over all. Brass had some trouble with intonation and had some phasing in the second and third numbers. Seemed fatigued by the end....had one spot towards the end though where I felt they had a major impact, but never really attained that level again. like the soft exit at the end of the show brings it full circle. should be a semis contender yet i sense that they may be starting to plateau and peak now....give it a push!" -- Surfman034, via Drum Corps Planet

JULY 30 - DCI MIDWESTERN - INDIANAPOLIS, IN

86.250 - Santa Clara Vanguard
85.900 - Blue Knights
85.050 - Glassmen
84.150 - Spirit from JSU
82.550 - Colts
81.425 - Crossmen
79.000 - Southwind
77.925 - Mandarins
77.675 - Seattle Cascades
77.200 - Capital Regiment
76.025 - The Magic
74.800 - Esperanza
73.100 - Troopers
71.050 - Pioneer
68.200 - Kiwanis Kavaliers

"Smaller corps, but sure wouldn’t know it if you had your eyes closed! These kids really had some energy, and I thought they outplayed (volume, intensity) Seattle. I look forward to hearing what this corps offers in the next year or two." -- MST, via SoundMachine

"Boy, Mandarins, still stuck in scoring neutral for two weeks now! That must be frustrating as hell for them, when they were scoring two weeks ago as if they could challenge Spirit for spot #12. Guess I can't blame it on jet or bus lag any more, after they've been in the middle of the country for over a week."  -- ResumeHut, via SoundMachine

"Big disappointment!!! Loved the opening and the closer. The rest was not that good. Very ineffective today. Prety good guard performnce today. Spacing was just awfulin spots, not what I would expect from the Mandarins." -- Tony L., via Drum Corps Planet

JULY 28 - MASTERS OF SOUND - KENNESAW, GA

86.500 - Carolina Crown
84.350 - Spirit from JSU
80.950 - Crossmen
80.800 - Colts
76.850 - Mandarins
71.850 - Troopers
68.600 - Kiwanis Kavaliers

JULY 26 - TROJAN SUMMER MUSIC GAMES - TROY, AL

92.050 - The Cavaliers
90.850 - Blue Devils
86.800 - Carolina Crown
83.100 - Spirit from JSU
80.200 - Colts
75.150 - Mandarins
70.950 - Troopers
66.500 - Kiwanis Kavaliers

"Okay, I’ll resist the urge to call them Phantom Regiment Lite. All kidding aside, this corps is doing some of the right things to put them in a position to make DCI Finals in the future. I looked forward to seeing this show in particular, because they were playing Prelude To Battle from Spartacus as their opener. It was the first time I saw Spartacus performed on the field since we did it in 1982. However, no comparison will be made in this review. Prelude was done quite nicely and fit with what the corps was trying to do. The music selection overall was well done. The Rachmaninov tunes were well done, too. The drill execution was pretty good, but could still use some cleanup. The guard was solid, as were the horns and drums. They need some tweaking there. I really liked how they ended the show with a reprise of Prelude. Nicely done! My placement - 7th. Actual placement 6th – 75.10" -- Jd83 via Drum Corps Planet

JULY 25 - RED STICK THUNDER - BATON ROUGE, LA

90.450 - Blue Devils
86.350 - Carolina Crown
84.350 - Blue Knights
82.050 - Spirit from JSU
80.400 - Colts
75.100 - Mandarins
74.100 - The Magic
71.300 - Esperanza
70.100 - Troopers
65.900 - Kiwanis Kavaliers

JULY 23 - DCI SOUTHWEST - SAN ANTONIO, TX

83.900 - Santa Clara Vanguard
83.750 - Blue Knights
82.950 - Glassmen
82.550 - Spirit from JSU
80.250 - Crossmen
79.675 - Colts
76.950 - Mandarins
75.675 - Seattle Cascades
75.075 - Southwind
74.475 - Capital Regiment
72.950 - The Magic
72.275 - Esperanza
69.825 - Troopers
65.250 - Kiwanis Kavaliers

"When I saw that these guys were close to a finalist slot I was shocked. Let me tell you, they may not make fianls this year but they made a giant impression on me. Once again I can say this was another fine performance. This hornline even being smaller than the others around them packed a serious punch and with a great sound in doing it. Percussion and gaurd are much improved from previous years. Well done, i look forward to seeing them again in the future." -- wesleyrp, via Sound Machine

"What a nice show from Mandarins! Clearly their best show every. I thought based on what I saw in San Jose this corps had a great shot at the 14-15th range at DCI. Dependign on how Pacific Crest shows out in Boston, they still have a great shot at 15th. I don't see them catching anyone above them, though. This is a very nicely designed show, performed with lots of power and energy from the corps. What's keeping them from threatening for finals? While I love some sections of the music books, in some others the arrangements are either too choppy, or are too complex for the kids to achieve and project to the stands at this point. Also, while I'm no percussion expert, they clearly aren't as clean as those around them in overall placement. It's great to hear Adagio from Spartacus on the field, and they do the piece justice. Mandarins are an aggessive, hard working group, and it will be interesting to see how much they can clean what is already their best show ever by the time we get to Boston." -- TexasPRfan, via Drum Corps Planet

"DM needs the Samurai helmet back. Ok, they seem to be getting away from their asian roots a tad. I thought this show was about love, maybe? But my friend said it was about flowers. I don't really know. Didn't really get it. I just think that the uniforms + the flowers = confused spectator. I was so expecting the corps to go ninja on everyone, but they went all flowery. I still liked it, just not what I expected."  -- SCVsopAaron, via Drum Corps Planet

"I really didn't get into this show very much.. it just seemed very stagnant to me and didn't progress very far. I definitely understood all of the flower concepts and hearts all over the field.. but the music didn't seem to project very much with this corps and I honestly was left with a bland taste after they had finished. Their closer seemed to need the most work out of the show.. just dirty and a bit of muck. Maybe cleanliness will help the story sell itself?" -- CloudFuel, via Drum Corps Planet

"The success of “Loves Me ... Loves Me Not ...”, with the corps’ largest horn line ever, has allowed Mandarins to knock on the door of some prestigious competitors. The opening “Adagio” captures some of the gentle angst associated with being in love, a flower floating through the drill with its petal yet intact referencing the title. Flower petals are seen on the silks throughout the show, turning increasingly brazen and bright. The theme of love isn’t presented in a literal sense, but one is aware of it throughout as hints sneak in here and there, the show ending with one’s beloved being offered a flower of their own." -- Michael Boo, via DCI.org

JULY 17 - WEST COAST SHOWDOWN - SACRAMENTO, CA
77.900 - Mandarins
77.400 - Pacific Crest

"Bunch of ex-members and people I played with in college sat next to me during this one, great to see them again. Not a perfect night by any means. Couple of dropped rifles/sabres and the brass a few jumpy high notes during some quick moves. Their music this year just makes you love this show, with an opening solo that melts you away (blech, starting to sound sappy). The drums were very very strong tonight, not much dirt to speak of. Way to go Zarco on fine tuning that line. Brass is well balanced and hits you in the face when they want to. Glad to see thay cleaned up the guard section where they use the long staffs, much more in unison. Just simply a great show from a corps that doesn't disappoint. Look for them to make semi's for sure. Smallest corps in finals history? Keep watching." -- Guizeppe, via Drum Corps Planet

"What a great show! From the opening solo (always consistent, great tone and presence!) to the end - the audience is engaged. Their musical book is very demanding, exp. percussion. I heard part of the judge's tape, and he was very complimentary - and noting the degree of difficulty of the drill and visual moves with what they are playing. He said it's not consistent yet, but keep cleaning, and wow! Look for them to continue to improve - they'll be breaking 80 very soon." -- Drummom, via bluedevils.org

JULY 16 - CALIFORNIA STATE OPEN - SUNNYVALE, CA
76.900 - Mandarins
76.750 - Pacific Crest

JULY 9 - CORPS AT THE CREST - WALNUT, CA

79.650 - Santa Clara Vanguard
73.300 - Mandarins
72.350 - Pacific Crest
69.550 - Esperanza

"Mandarins-YES! A friggin big corps!! Great guard, drums that are good and a good hornline (8 contras-did you get that?!-8 contras!!). Could they make a run for the 12th spot? Yeah, if they start to clean the show and do some revisions to the end of the show. I really enjoyed watching them perform." -- Socalcontra, via bluedevils.org

"Much as I hate to admit it, the mandarins have a much more complex show than PC this year. I liked both corps, but the mandarins do so much more movement both in the music and the drill that they have a lot of room for improvement while PC seems cleaner but with less room to grow." -- PCSopChick, via bluedevils.org

"Still the coolest uniforms in town (Impulse a close 2nd). The soloist for the opener was the best thing I have heard in a long time. Great phrasing, range and control to a very exposed piece. This performer stuck in my head for much of the show. However, like Esperanza the (amplified) pit volume was too high." -- Dansize, via Drum Corps Planet

"I hope they (Mandarins folks) don’t get offended by this comparison, because I make it out of respect. But I compare Mandarins to a pit bull. Small in stature, heavy in mass, and can kick your ### if you look at ‘em wrong (or, think, OH, WHAT A CUTE LITTLE CORPS!….RIP!!!!!!!!!!). I have such vast respect for this corps that dates WAY back to my days in VK and when their color guard guru was their drum major (Greg Mar!). He was such a great DM back then, and Mandarins NEVER EVER EVER looked down on themselves for what they lacked in numbers. Their long history in DCI as well as their numerous world titles is a testament to their tenacity and longevity. This year, presenting as my buddy Marc refers to it as “Phantom Regiments Greatest Hits” is a show that is access ible, exciting, and well designed for the most part. They have such power behind that horn line. VERY exciting. VERY VERY exciting. During “Nuevo Tango” they really get a chance to “unleash” and I just love it. FUN FUN FUN!! Their opener, “Adagio” from Spartacus, is beautiful with great guard support, and it brings back memories of 1982 Phantom when I first started listening to corps. I absolutely wore out my record listening to Phantom. I LOVE SPARTACUS. The music, that is. (Cue rim shot!) Some visual dirt that I’m sure they’re aware of, I miss the crazy mellophones from a few years back, and there are some drill construction issues at times. A little disjointed and a few “hanh?” moments from me, but I’m a drill guy, so I can get a little picky at times. I remember from years past that Mandarins were known for doing just whacked wicked drill for their closing 30 seconds, obviously influenced by Zingali and Brubaker (titans of visual past!). This year—ehhh..not so much. They DO do a cool move where the corps gets into a company front and recaps the “Adagio” them, and the drum line does a rotating circle drill across the field behind the front, and the guard does a little “sunburst” on side one to highlight that circle. REALLY cool…sorta dirty…but REALLY COOL!!

WRAP UP—I don’t have much to say, but I think that Mandarins staff members read DCP because they love to email me and ask me for “clarifications”. They’re so cool!! Good luck Mandarins this year. I would do back flips and holler for joy if you made finals, so if you want to see a fat ### do the above, GET INTO FINALS!!!" -- Ryan H. Turner, via Drum Corps Planet

"Gee, I love this show. Of course, it could also be called, "Phantom Regiment's Greatest Hits," since is music that PR has also played, but not like this. From the opening trumpet solo, with the guard using large daisies, to the last notes, this show is just romantic splendor. Largest hornline ever for Mandarins, along with strong percussion (no, they don't need the taiko drums) and a wonderful guard make this a show worth, not only semi's, but also the Top-12. Good Luck!!!" -- Marc66 via Drum Corps Planet

" They have a realistic chance of knocking out Crossmen, BK, Colts, and maybe even Spirit (if they make finals this year, they can thank Clint Gillespie and that slammin' drumline). The judges (rightfully) love to reward less-than-full corps who give 110%". -- LuvsPAisTe via Drum Corps Planet

"In Mandarins show, the company front at the end (with the reprise of the Adagio theme) is a flower. The guard's sunburst is the flower blooming, then as they run out of the form one by one, they are the petals being picked off (tying back to the "Loves me, loves me not..." theme). They have a great show, and I'm excited for their success so far this season." -- SopInCali, via Drum Corps Planet

"their[Mandarins] shows always make me want to grab a horn, or drum, or flag and drive up to Sac and try out (even though I don't know how to play a horn, drums, or flag). They just amaze me with what they do despite their numbers, that amazing sound, and a show design that's always targetting the audience just as much as the judges." -- element43, via Drum Corps Planet

"'I'm lookin at Mandarins score... WOW! keep up the good work guys! --malletphreak, via Drum Corps Planet

"The Mandarins continue to rock" -- DCI HasBeen, via Drum Corps Planet

"Mandarins are the biggest and best they've ever been!" -- PeeWee, via Drum Corps Planet

"I really like Mandarin's show this year and the corps is on fire!" -- bd5times, via Drum Corps Planet

JULY 8 - ESPERANZA EXPERIENCE - SAN DIEGO, CA

79.500 - Santa Clara Vanguard
72.450 - Mandarins
72.250 - Pacific Crest
69.150 - Esperanza

"Not quite as big this year as I've been led to believe, but no matter. Each year I look forward to the Mandarins' show, each year I am not disappointed. The Mandarins put out some of the most enjoyable shows on such a regular basis; kudos to their veteran staff. The corps has a nice big sound and gets a lot of power from their 70 musicians. The drumline powers the corps with a wicked battery. The show is written with some significant difficulty, both musically and visually, and the corps really sells the show. They even have a jazz jam session in the middle of the show! The Mandarins! The closer was their Achilles heel, performance wise. A lot of brass muck and visual dirt. The books written for this corps have Finals-caliber difficulty. Can the Mandarins clean and clean to reach Finals-caliber performance? We shall see. Even if they miss Finals, look for the Mandarins to have their highest finish ever. I'd say they are a lock for semifinals and probably Top 15.”  -- PhantomPhan, via Sound Machine

JULY 2 - PACIFIC PROCESSION - SAN JOSE, CA

80.600 - Phantom Regiment
77.750 - Santa Clara Vanguard
71.100 - Mandarins - Jolesch Photo Link
69.600 - Pacific Crest
68.750 - Seattle Cascades
67.600 - Esperanza

"I saw Mandarins in San Jose and they have about 100 members, with just under 50 brass. Although that still doesn't seem like a very large number, it is their largest to-date and they put out an awesome sound, and look great too." -- ddoy42, via Drum Corps Planet

"From the stands it looks like they have their largest hornline to date, 44 or 45. Definitely the largest sound they've had and its by far one of the best shows they've put on the field IMO. You really can't go wrong with Rachmaninov and Khataturian. Still not a huge fan of their beetle costumes, but the uni's are definitely original." -- CaptnContra, via Drum Corps Planet

"Wow. Lots of GE, great music, and a powerful hornline. While their 2005 show really doesn't have any asian influence, which is strange to see (a non character year for them - must be a trend in DCI this year). I have to say I really miss their unique drum feature style this year. However, I really liked it. Lots of passion & intensity in their "Loves me, Loves me Not" show. Color guard gave a solid performance, as did the drum line. The horn line is the eye catcher for this corps though. 7 contras is probably a record high for them (someone Friday said they have 8, but there were only 7 on the field tonight), and across the board, the horn line was easily the deepest, darkest & most powerful they've ever, ever had. Still lots of room to grow this show as well, with some not so good tone quality & edge coming out of the hornline in places, for example. I could see this corps challenging for for about that 14th or 15th spot this year -- they are that good."  -- TexasPRfan via Drum Corps Planet

"I've always enjoyed what this corp can do, simply because of the size. This was tied as my second favorite show this evening, and I thought they had a great package from all three sections. Colorguard definitely outperforms the corp proper from a performance standpoint. Mandarins, I am extremely impressed with the level of intensity you display, and I couldn't get enough of the interaction within the colorguard. This hornline you have produced was another treat this evening! WOW! Both sections (colorguard and hornline) do a great job of SHOWING what this show is about, but I think some members checked out this evening. Demanding drill for this corp, but members need to understand some interval techniques and I think this show will definitely be right up there. A classy co rp, and this was displayed on the field. I'm a huge fan of "Adagio from Spartacus" and I thought you did this piece at a decent level this evening. There are some musical concerns I have with your dynamics and how they change significantly, yet some members of both the hornline, percussion and colorguard seem to be on their own path! This piece should be treated very delicate in some of its love stages. Solid colorguard performance (and I think I saw some familiar faces from Winterguards) but thats what I expect from Mandarins! I'm glad to see risks were taken. This is a pretty clean show (clean meaning, the concept), and this is one I definitely want to see again! I can't wait to see the improvements the ensemble makes." -- ScadesBari via Drum Corps Planet

JULY 1 - MOONLIGHT CLASSIC - STOCKTON, CA

79.550 - Phantom Regiment
77.150 - Santa Clara Vanguard
69.850 - Mandarins - Jolesch Photo Link
69.750 - Seattle Cascades
69.400 - Pacific Crest
66.200 - Esperanza

"Hey look, the Mandarins have 8 contras and a full drum line! That right there should tell you they mean business. The opening solo melts you away, and then just as you've cooled off they turn and hit with the biggest sound they have ever had. Here's the bad. From a fan's perspective, the drill is nowhere near as difficult as it has been throughout the last few years. That being said, the drill is being marched pretty well for this time of year, and there is no drop-off of sound when the corps really gets moving. The guard looked to me to have an off night as there were several rifle drops, however no drops during the form where they juggle two rifles simultaneously. I agree with previous reviewers that the guard unis blend in with the corps, but all that does is help punctuate the excellent colors from the various flags. The drum line is smokin right now, very strong, with a section of the show that combines both the drum line and color guard features, which we all know the Mandarins like to do. Brass is outstanding with the power to size ration leaving you wondering how they do that. The music is very well played and leaves you tapping your toe the entire time, even if it feels like somewhat a departure from their Asian-feel. I love the closer (Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances); it just makes you want to stand a cheer. Keep it up guys, I want to see this on the deuce!" -- Guizeppe, via Drum Corps Planet

"Had a FABULOUS evening in Stockton. Your show was excellent. I was dazzled!!! Looking forward to seeing you again at Natomas High." -- Dave, via GuestBook

"Hey were on fire tonight! A great many drill changes, much tighter playing. Better ensemble tonight all through the show. Their show was a big hit with the audience. Percussion took 3rd tonight. The percussion have a great drill move in the closer, where they are in a circle moving sideways down the field while rotating the circle. WOW. Great show tonight." -- Drummom, via BlueDevils.org

"WOW! Mandarins are packing a punch with this show! I loved their show and their horn line. I was blown away! They have a small horn line and are tight, well balanced, and LOUD! I mean LOUD! I couldn't believe how much sound these guys/gals were putting out. Very exciting show that should do very well for them." -- bd5times via Drum Corps Planet
 

JUNE 26 - WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA

75.500 - Santa Clara Vanguard
67.750 - Mandarins
67.700 - Pacific Crest
62.900 - Esperanza

"This is the third year in a row that I have liked their show, and it has to do with their increase in size/volume. I enjoy hearing the Spartacus music anytime, and the hornline did a nice job. A little loss of tone quality when they push the volume, but they should smooth that out with practice." -- playloud, via Drum Corps Planet

"The Mandarins just really kicked it tonight ... They've got a high impact show that really gets the crowd going (and it's nice to hear the adagio from "Spartacus" again without anyone making snide remarks about the '82 Regiment.) They still need to clean the drum line quite a bit, but they're hot." -- DCIHasBeen, via Drum Corps Planet

"I had heard from a couple of people that the Mandarins had a really boring show this year, which made me pretty sad because I love the Mandarins, they always have me hooked for the entire show. Well after seeing the show at Westlake, I don't know what the #### show those other people saw but #### this was an awesome show!" -- Element43, via Drum Corps Planet

"By all accounts, my favorite show so far this year. Horns are strong (48 sounds like 70) and powerful, yet tender in the right moments. Percussion...yes, I love the Taiko drums, but they are not appropriate for this show, and guard is really strong. Oh, and the drum major...simply AWESOME. Show is titled, "Loves Me...Loves Me Not," and is wonderful. Music is from Spartacus (haven't heard since Phantom), plus pieces from Astor Piazola and Rachmaninov. This show is pure romance. I really love the beginning with the guard and their sunflowers (as if to pull a petal to say, he loves me...he loves me not) while a lone sop plays the intro....wonderful!!!" -- Marc66, via Drum Corps Planet

"Good drum corps. Clean as snot, but with such a limited visual vocabulary it's no surprise. Brass has a very bright sound. Lots of edge and bite. One of my friends asked if they were playing on chrome horns. Not my kind of sound at all, and intonation is not real good, but they do play well together. Attacks, releases, crescendo/decrescendo. Very consistent, but sometimes mechanical. They beat PC on Sunday, but I don't see that happening again." -- Otto Reyer, via Drum Corps Planet

"Seemed like they had a good show. They're not full sized, something like 48 horns or so. The players seem mature, but the small size hurts them when compared to full sized corps." -- hsreed, via Drum Corps Planet

JUNE 25 - WESTERN CORPS CONNECTION - RIVERSIDE, CA

74.450 - Santa Clara Vanguard
66.250 - Pacific Crest
65.950 - Mandarins
61.550 - Esperanza

"More energy, more members, more everything from them this year! Very pleasantly surprised." -- PeeWee, via Drum Corps Planet

"Actually had Mandrins above PC tonight. They had a good command of the field but while missing the drums from the past few years this years corps has a good solid hornline that filled the stadium with sound. Uniforms are still one of my favorites although on a side note I wish guard was in a brighter version of the corps proper…you tended to lose the guard within the corps and miss a lot of good work. Marching was acceptable for this time of year and good form. Drums had some great parts and features throughout the show." -- blueoriginal, via Drum Corps Planet

"Mandarins were pretty strong tonight!" -- cfrey71, via Drum Corps Planet

"Mandarins were... well just kinda "meh". Their show is nowhere NEAR as exciting as 03 and 04. I was really kinda bored through the whole thing until the closer, now THAT was schweet. I miss the taiko drums, they need to bring them back. I was also kinda lost as to what the show meant. The guard works with some sunflowers, I THINK they’re supposed to mean something, but they didn’t go too well with the show, I thought. The double rifles are back again this year, but they are nowhere near as effective as last year’s and were really more of a distraction than anything else. The rifles also seem to get lost on the field because the color seems to blend in with the color palette--- if they were white they’d be MUCH more effective, because the guard really does have some nice work in there. The hornline was quite loud for their size. They are much bigger this year than in years past and don’t have that nasty overblown sound you always hear from them. Their volume was actually close to if not more than PC, which was definitely a pleasant surprise. The drumline is, as always, great and very entertaining. Again though nothing about the arranging/the music in general really grabbed my attention. The show definitely has some potential to be a killer, but I don’t see this as finalist caliber show right now. I think they could definitely be in semi’s again with this show, but it will take some major cleaning and possibly some reworking if they want to guarantee a spot Friday." -- PCOP_trumpet04, via Drum Corps Planet

JUNE 24 - SOUTHERN CA CLASSIC - LONG BEACH, CA

72.700 - Santa Clara Vanguard
65.400 - Pacific Crest
63.700 - Mandarins
61.350 - Esperanza

"I have been a Mandarins fan for years. When you went Division I, your show was awesome! Last years was even better!! I saw your show in Long Beach last week and it was a good show. Keep up the good work and thanks for years of excellent entertainment!!" -- Jerry Clark, via GuestBook

"MANDARINS--BEST Mandarin corps to date?? Potential is there. BIGGEST that's for sure. That's cool. I love the unique look of their uniform, and guard costuming was pretty original and unique to each member, but at least not a glaring distraction. Everything is fairly solid with the corps. But it was an early in the year thing and they have lots to clean which is sort of obvious to anyone with a modicum of experience in the activity--so me saying it was a waste of time. I think Mandarins will definitely make it to semi finals again. Good music out there. Recognizable. I like to see them again when I'm not feeling so grumpy." -- Ryan Turner via Drum Corps Planet

JUNE 19 - KALIEDOSCOPE KLASSIC - MODESTO, CA

69.600 - Santa Clara Vanguard
60.950 - Mandarins - Jolesch Photos here

"Absolutely the biggest corps I've ever seen them field. Still not near full
A corps size, but definitely an improvement. They are also using amps this
year, though if you didn't see them you wouldn't know they are there (just
like they should be). Extraordinary solo to open the show. The brass is
very strong this year and seems to have power to burn unlike any Mandarins
of old. That being said, they only have 6 contras and I would really like
to see them with at least 8 if not 10 by finals week. The guard is
outstanding as usual with great uniforms and some impressive rifle work
(juggling two at the same time). The drumline is also improved over
previous years, though the tenors need to play a lot louder. Musically this
was one of the best of the night, really drawing the crowd in with strong
chords and intriguing drill. A huge step forward this year. With some
cleaning this will be a very strong year for these guys and gals, and I
wouldn't be surprised to see them jump up from last year's placing to the
top 15. Great looking program with tremendous power. Well done!" -- Guizeppe, via Drum Corps Planet

See more photographs here and here.

JUNE 18 - PRECISION WEST - CONCORD, CA

76.150 - Blue Devils
71.050 - Santa Clara Vanguard
60.400 - Mandarins

"Saw your show in Concord...WOW great job!" -- Richard Lam, via GuestBook

"Mandarin's show wasn't very Mandarin-like, and I'm not saying it's bad.
They're playing some Rachmaninov and Piazzola (hope I got that spelling
right) pieces which is a different direction from their past. I thought
their sound was great for a smaller hornline and I advise any of you
looking for an up and coming corps try out for them or Arizona Academy.
They really cover the field which leaves a lot of exposure for any horn
player that will stick out. I was impressed with their drumline which has a
pretty tough book that they handled very well." -- Richard G., via Drum Corps Planet

"Next were the Mandarins: Now I have to tell you that for a long time I just never appreciated the Mandarins' show, but tonight was the night that changed. I was truly excited about what I saw and heard them do. Good execution with percussion, brass and drill. Exciting. They kicked butt! Good show!" -- BD70-75, via bluedevils.org

"Mandarins - show's title is "Loves Me, Loves Me Not." They open with the Adagio from Spartacus - and the sound is full and lush, very nicely balanced. Beautiful soprano solo. Percussion was excellent, and I've never heard the brass sound this good this early from this group. Look for them in the quarterfinals, because they will be there. The guard is doing their 2 rifle toss and spin again - quite impressive! They had some slight tempo tears tonight, but otherwise a good solid performance. I scored them 67.6 - actual score was 60.60 (3rd)." -- Drummom, via bluedevils.org

"This is not a bad start at all for the Mandarins out of the gate either." -- Jon Wagoner, via bluedevils.org