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Percussion Independent Open

    United Percussion (NJ) (1st- 87.70) gave a dominating performance, not
only winning all captions, but even the subcaptions.  During the off-season,
United merged with former rival Aftermath, and the new ensemble came out
smoking hot and established themselves as one of the frontrunners for the
PIO Gold Medal.  "X-treme" is challenging, cutting-edge, played x-cellently,
and has an incredible (and judging by audience reaction, popular) effect
where up to three drummers are suspended on harnesses, which spin them
upside down and rightside up again as they are playing.

    Making their WGI debut one to remember, Tates Creek Indoor (KY)
(2nd-83.9raised quite a few eyebrows during their performance.  "Melt" is
an intense show that gives the performers plenty of opportunity to show off,
including a tenor feature that got the crowd clapping even before it was done.
As the show progressed, sounds of trickling water escalated into a raging river
of sound, just as the snow gently melting off a mountaintop eventually flows
into whitewater rapids.

    Elements (OH) (3rd- 82.9), PIA champions in 2005 and PIO finalists last
year, are looking to move up the open class food chain with their program,
"STAND!".  During the show, members of the line tell us what things they
stand for.  While we don't know all they stand for yet (as the show isn't
finished), WGI fans will agree the show of fast-paced, rock oriented music
does stand for entertainment, energy, and as one drummer stated, "groovy" as
well.

    In the second season of existence, West Athens (IN) (4th- 76.9) has come
out with a bigger and better line in 2007.  "Time To The Edge" utilizes the
faint ticking of a clock as a thematic motif, quickly escalating into
dissonant and aggressive music, played on a floor with a bright orange clock
face that is cracked, seeming to teeter on the edge of a black abyss.

    Level Seven (OH) (5th- 71.5) brought a taste of eastern mysticism to the
arena with their production, "Xen".  Images and sounds associated with the
orient, such as the low sound of monks humming (thanks to modern
electronics), and tai-chi exercises were used to develop the theme of the
show.

     The third PIO line from the Buckeye State, Optima (6th- 68.6), took us
through a hectic workday with "Evolution of a Day".  Starting with an alarm
clock waking a startled sleeper at 7am (the battery were hands on a clock),
the line looked at the chaos, hustle, and bustle of a modern weekday.