All-Age, All Good ~ Rochester to host…Lotsa Corps

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“Oh, God, your sea is so great and my boat is so small.” ~ A mariner’s prayer

[July 28 update: Today, Excelsior informed DCA they won't make it to Rochester, according to PR Director Tom Peashey. DCA now expects 25 competitive corps Labor Day weekend, 12 Open Class, 13 Class A. Also, Dick Pronti has extended the I&E/Minicorps deadlines to August 20. The news alters this column, posted before. Cozy] 

Sailing is a humbling experience, much as is drum corps, where the correct tack is always a shifting breeze away. Mother Nature has Her own manner of altering the horizon. Reality has hit some new DCAssociates corps. On track for a record number of entries for the DCA Championships at Paetec Park, Rochester, NY, the possible 28 have now been reduced to 26, currently. In a short time, midstream, mid-summer, DCA officials President Gil Silva, VP Larry Hershman, PR Director Tom Peashey et al. have received the sad news that Cincinnati Tradition and Derby City Knights have backed out, partly as neither feel comfortable about fielding 35, the minimum number. The 2006 record of 26 competitive corps entries would remain the high water mark in DCA history, possibly tied this year. The upside is that 26 corps for Labor Day weekend is still reflective of a superbly healthy circuit.

DCA had begun the season with the absence of both the venerable Skyliners and Sunrisers, a first for DCA in terms of both being out in the same season. The addition of new blood softened the blow, but new competitors need patience. 2008 is just not the time for Derby City or Tradition it would appear. Both have busily performed exhibitions, DCK in places like DCA South Milwaukee and Racine, WI, and Tradition at DCInternational contests in Dublin and Fairfield, OH, and Richmond, KY. The Knights will perform at the DCA South Regional in Hendersonville, TN, Aug. 2. Louisville’s DCK and Excelsior are both expected to enter DCA’s Individuals & Ensembles/Minicorps competition. DCK Director Matt Basey e-mailed that Derby City planned to enter minicorps.

When Tom Peashey informed me in two rapid e-mails about the loss of Traditon and Derby City Knights, my neck torqued torticollis in duplicate as I thought, “Say what?!” Just a wheel horse on the DCA team, my whiffletree was braked as I was harnessed to the keyboard to report on the latest. Optimistic, yet hedging a bit, I had titled the last “All-Age, All Good” “27 or 28 corps….” Now, Rachacha will host 26, hopefully, it appears.

Four-peat? Who snatches 10th? Who nabs Class A?

Moving on, the DCA Championships at Paetec Park will be one of the finest in DCA’s history. The Reading Buccaneers are shooting for a “four-peat.” The battle for the tenth spot, to make Finals, will be possibly the most intense in the activity. While DCA has expanded from three to four the number of Class A corps (35-65 corps proper) members who can qualify for Finals, the quality of Class A continues to increase exponentially, promising a horn wrestling, percussion popping, guard saber fight in Class A.

Fran Haring, nom de micro “AloHaring,” will emcee Prelims and Finals as always. Tom Peashey will announce the “Alumni Spectacular” with its nine outstanding units, including Caballeros, Park City Pride, Scout House, Mighty St. Joe's and Bridgemen. Ace Holleran, bubbly, knowledgeable DCA Bridgeport, CT, emcee, will once again report Finals for DCWorld, www.drumcorpsworld.com .  Tom Peashey will announce Minicorps for Pronti and Haring.

Dick Eschenmann, business manager, will double again as the DCA Championships contest director with the leadership of officers Gil Silva, Larry Hershman, Red Corso, Glen Johnson, Dan Rippon and Tom Peashey. Allen Buell, David Bruni, many other of the host Empire Statesmen, the Rochester committee and much of the community have worked exceptionally to host yet another fine Championships.

Publishers John Donovan and Steve Vickers will be there with their staffs of writers, online analysts and photographers to report for DCPlanet and DCWorld, respectively – www.drumcorpsplanet.com , www.drumcorpsworld.com . Thanks to one and all of the DCA volunteers who assist year after year.

Book the free I&E/Minicorps party in ‘Rachacha’!

Dick Pronti and Barb Haring run the best free show in all of corpsdom, officially known as DCA I&E/Minicorps. Last year’s record of 176 entries, not including 18 minicorps, could fall by the sidelines. Star United will be defending their Donna Ernst Memorial Trophy in Minicorps. Be there at I&E/Minicorps! Barb Haring is a welcome sight at events this summer with her Hawaiian attired husband! Tickets for all the other events, Prelims, Finals and “The Alumni Spectacular,” can be had, www.dcacorps.org. The Minicorps champ will perform at Finals.

As of July 25, Pronti has the following minicorps entered:

  • Star United
  • Golden Eagles
  • Thunderbirds
  • Minn. Brass
  • Ghost Riders
  • Mass Brass
  • Capital Brass
  • Outlaws
  • Amoskeay Sound
  • Music City Legend

August 11 is the deadline for all entries for I&E/Minicorps. While it is normal for many to procrastinate…Get those applications in now! Pronti and Barb Haring fully expect to exceed the record of last year, 176, not counting the record 18 minicorps entries, but one only has until August 11, www.dcacorps.org .

DCA, with the Brigadiers hosting, will present the first ever Class A regular season contest prior to the Championships. Buy your tickets for Waterloo, NY, Aug. 2, to see Class A and Open Class corps. Check www.dcacorps.org for the remaining schedule, such as Chambersburg, PA; Lawrence, MA; Houston, TX; South Milwaukee, WI; Racine, WI; Henderson, TN; Kingston, NY; Scranton, PA; St. Peter, MN; Douglasville, GA; Alpharetta, GA; South St. Paul, MN; Reading, PA; and more.

Congrats to WDCHoF inductees

Congratulations to Bob Cardaneo, DCA chief brass judge, for his selection as the 2008 World Drum Corps Hall of Fame President’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the first by new President Bob Glovna. Cardaneo played French horn with the Garfield Cadets and instructed there. Glovna, Park City Pride soprano, was elected as the Hall of Fame president in September 2007 when George Bull stepped aside.

The WDCHoF inductees at the Rochester ceremony in the DCA headquarters Crown Plaza Hotel Labor Day weekend will be Steve Cooley, the first member of Steel City Ambassadors to make it I’ve been told by Steve “Hairbear” Masters, Larry Darch, Thom Hannum, Art Hlywa, Harold “Robby” Robinson, Sr., and Neal Smith.

Cardaneo and his wife, Catherine, also run Cruise One, a travel agency that books the popular WDCHoF winter cruises. For the Hall of Fame January 2009 Carnival trip, call 800-519-0050.

All of DCA’s fan$ are “Famers”!

Posted by on Monday, July 28th, 2008. Filed under DCA ... All-Age, All-Good!.