Leaderboard

Are you looking at the uniform or the drawing of the male itself.? Does sleeveless make it not fitting for a 16 year old ( not that there are many 16 year old's in WC corps)...Maybe tank tops should be banned then. Kudos for Troopers for trying to give themselves a fresh , contemporary and maybe more functional look. IF , it doesn't work Kudos is still deserved imo.

Kennesaw Mountain has had some suerb show designs the past few years, wouldn't say just "some" high school band director. Indoor experience is pretty valuable too IMO, they're pretty cutting edge with that kind of stuff. You could at least wait and see, but if you wanna make judgments before seeing the show I guess that's up to you.

It's so important that folks like this receive the due recognition of their peers, and this is a particularly worthy class of inductees. My shako is off to all.

So, Troopers breaking from traditional uniform? If so, good for them! I love the 11th Cavalry uniform. But perhaps it's time to have different look. One thing that's great about change is that you can always change again if you want to. Nothing has to be forever. Go Troop. Step out of the comfort zone and rock the DCI world!

This is a worthy point. And it gives me an idea for a thread: "Uniforms through the years: Sketches vs. Reality"

I am sorry about your loss. With all the debate on here about what is right or wrong, we can all agree that Cancer sucks. I hope that you and your family are as well as can be in this trying time.

oh yeah because "some HS band" guy must suck lol lol lol

Just got back from the 17th annual Maryland Drum and Bugle Corps Hall of Fame induction banquet held at Columbus Gardens in the Baltimore area. The 2016 inductees: Joe Carter Bob Castor John Fink Bob Gaff John Gaff (posthumous) Rose Shockey Augie Voelker Congratulations to the new members of the Hall. A well-deserved honor for all of them!!!

I thought for sure you were going to say piston-rotor G bugles.

Two Wyoming kids this year, I am told. One a music major trumpet at Casper College and another trumpet from Cheyenne Central.

What makes sleeveless "more functional", except maybe for heat-dispersal? Isn't one main reason most uniforms are long-sleeve (other than military tradition, cold-weather needs, etc.) to avoid the visual variety of varying skin tones on 150 different pair of arms? Jersey Surf also had skin-tight separate long sleeve pieces as part of their uniform last year, to wear under their short-sleeve top, but chose not to use them (they did NOT look very good, IMO, so glad they abandoned them). I don't think it's a question of age for the sleeves - more a question of the marchers' musculature (or lack of it) that leads to a good sleeveless look.

they usually do

So why can't there be one organization governing what the activity does for three "conferences"....World, Open and All Age? All age can still do the weekend thing, as can most Open corps in DCI. Let those smaller junior corps do a small tour at the end of the season leading up to DCI Championships. With one organization, I think, you can still keep the interest up for the "junior" corps members to go into an all age corps after they age out.

I don't think there is anybody marching from Casper. Or Wyoming for that matter.

Still did not like them . Sorry. New Uniforms lack the tradition and Class generated by the Troopers for years. The drawing is bad and they MIGHT look better in person , BUT<<<< on a 16 yr old student from Casper Wy , They might look totally ridiculous. YOUTH ACTIVITY remember .

Yeah, she was well rounded! (and I'm not talking about her spandex shorts! ) Always had fun with her....those guard ladies (and some gentlemen) went places together which was always cool....

but so expressive.

Jersey Surf 2016: "Ebb & Flow" Featuring music by Reznor, Debussy, Trenet, & Cirque. https://twitter.com/jerseysurf/status/712259944523939841

That is correct. 1975 through 1983 (might have been 82?) Legacy was remixed from the stereo recordings of either Ken Kobold or Larry Rock/Jim Unrath. Larry & Jim took over in 1982. With some minor processing differences, the audio on the CDs and the Legacy DVDs is exactly the same. The hours Cory Coken put in syncing that audio were ridiculous. Perc is so right about the Blu-ray audio. I was screening the approval discs for the 2015 Blu-rays yesterday and thinking, "Wow. Why would anyone buy a DVD after hearing this?" The video difference tends to hit people more obviously, but the DTS-HD Master Audio sounds just like the digital masters. Much warmer than the Dolby Digital. It has significantly more bandwidth.

Well I am not going to say anything about the music but they will be doing something differently in the brass section and it sounds awesome! The drumline is really aggressive. REALLY AGRESSIVE!

Nahhh! Hostels for me.

Not sure that's the case, either. We announcers... and I've worked the DCI formats as well as the DCA formats through the years... talk when we're cued to talk. It's not up to an announcer to 1) read a staff member's or corps' mind as to when a cue is coming or when it's supposed to be given, or 2) factor in things such as the delay between when an announcer talks and it's actually heard over the PA system, especially in larger stadiums whose PA systems sometimes have a significant audio lag. That is up to corps' staffs. Sometimes I think corps try to get a bit cute... for lack of a better term... with trying to jam the start of their judged show up against the announcement. In my radio days, it was called "hitting the post" when talking over the instrumental part of a recording before the vocal. And if you're going to try and attempt such a tight fit, sometimes it can lead to timing problems. We are all capable of making mistakes. Lord knows I've made more than my fair share on the microphone. But as you can probably figure out, I'll come on here and defend an announcer nearly every time.

If that design is going to be the actual uniform, those poor members are going to look like they are auditioning for the part of the cowboy in a Village People tribute band or a role in a Magic Mike film.

23rd place Spirit playing everyone on the field back in 1977. https://youtu.be/O-xun9iikME

My first thought was The Village People!

I wonder what Granny Smith is going to think about the new Trooper costumes/ I hope her heart is strong enough...

Don't forget, this was the Color Guard uniform in 2013, and people on DCP were flipping out. And then, once we saw them in context, we all realized that they looked great.

Some of the commentary is interesting and for some hypocritical, knowing the history of the corps they support. I'm sure before the decision on the uniforms was made there was a discussion on the controversy that would occur as a result. Yet the decision was made to move in this direction. Troopers can continue to be a corps that everyone likes in which every summer people hope they make top 12. How many predictions put them in the final placement at best? Or, they can shake things up and get noticed beyond prior limitations. Sometimes a change gets you noticed far beyond what you expected. Congratulations to the Troopers for shaking things up.

Hey, what she did before we met is none of my business!!! LOL!!! Seriously.... Crossmen 1980-81... 'Shore '82... Bucs '84-87... then Cabs Alumni (and a couple of years with Reilly Raiders, 2013-14) from 2010 on, I believe.

No, you're correct, and that's the point. Or, perhaps more clearly stated, they shouldn't be mutually exclusive. But as plenty of other Troopers threads on these boards will attest, modern minds have a wide array of ideas of what "western tradition" actually means. To some, it is stuffy and ancient; to others, it is idealized and quaint; to still others, it is romantic; etc. Yet that's the identity the Troopers chose for themselves nearly 60 years ago. So it's a profound challenge to avoid alienation from a strong identity while appealing to modern sensibilities. Other corps are have broader programming canvas upon which to work, because their name, history, look, etc. don't evoke such specific ideas as do the Troopers. Bluecoats can turn on a dime, doing electronica one year and classical the next. Troopers work with a smaller canvas, and pushing the boundaries is a challenging task. But you're right: There should be a way forward even for Troop, and there should be a way to keep their heritage engaged with the 21st Century. They seem to be very aware of that, and the 2016 program seems to be good evidence of it.

Can't wait.

For those late to the discussion: If the show is new territory for a corps that will mark its 59th year in 2016, so is the look. The Troopers will bring out a new uniform, featuring a cream-colored jacket evoking a 19th-Century figure, topped by a white Stetson..."We wanted it to feel human, accessible. We were looking for the human quality of it, with clear nods to history, " Raiford said. Besides, he said, "Good guys wear white hats."

I find this whole argument silly. The corps admin will do what the corps admin will do. Fred Morris is a smart man.

Crossmen show will be "Continuum" featuring original music from Andrew Markworth https://twitter.com/Crossmen/status/711607874405814272/photo/1

They may have a better pic they want to use, or they may want to post in on their website instead, who knows? I'm sure it will be viewable for all the world soon enough. To suggest this is some kind of failure of nerve is just silly.

It's not a matter of confidence. They've designed the uniform. They're going to wear it. On the field. In public. In front of judges. Of course they're confident.

I'm strangely curious as to whether or not this show concept meets Channel3's/Brutus' approval.

That last line, "good guys wear white hats." Holy crap imexcited to see them this year.

Oooohhhhh boy I'm giddy. This is going to be awesome. Now I'll go hide in a hole to wait out the BITD firestorm that's coming over the new uniforms. But in all seriousness, I hope we get a picture soon! Edit: "...a cream-colored jacket evoking a 19th-Century figure, topped by a white Stetson." The only person I can think of is Teddy Roosevelt. I personally feel that would be a look that could suit the Troopers very well.

Here's the official corps announcement. More details, more explanation about the visual concept, and: White hats. Sounds like it's going to be an emotional powerhouse. Troopers are working very hard to keep their DNA connected to programming that is relevant to a modern membership and audience. The kids choosing which corps to join were born in the Internet Age. Very excited to see what Troop does with this material.

it's all good. Look, doing admin for a band circuit, I see people trying to create that utopia situation on a dime......then ##### when they don't get the scores. you cant have one without the other

not nearly like it used to be

Back to the main topic.... DCA is, at best, on life support. It's plainly obvious. And DCA exists today as a very minor player in the world of the Marching Arts. I am no longer affiliated with MBI. But if I were, I would advise the organization to abandon DCA because DCA no longer offers sufficient opportunities to perform relative to the effort it takes to sustain a competitive All-Age corps. MBI has arguably the best organization to sustain a competitive drum corps that DCA has ever seen. Their bank account is bigger than all of the Open Class AND Class A DCA corps combined. But all of that effort is spent on just 8 shows a year. To me, that's not a great return on investment. Minnesota Brass has the funds to transform itself into a DCI Open Class corps. That would give them the performance opportunities that DCA currently lacks. I have no idea whether they have ever thought of that possibility, but it's clear that something must change in the very near future. I am NOT arguing for the abandonment of All-Age drum corps. In fact I truly believe age restrictions are an artificial barrier to the entire activity. In my ideal world there would be one circuit that administers the marching arts. But it is a circuit that is not based upon ageism. It is, instead, a circuit that has various divisions which allow for every possible expression of the weird world of the marching arts. From kids to adults. From scrappy neighborhood groups to sophisticated non-profits. From experimental dance-oriented arts to Traditional Color Guard. DCA ain't it. But neither is DCI. Nor is it WGI. It's time to think bigger.

Looking forward to watching those 11 people still out perform the competition this summer. Do it up Devils 2016!!!

I know what their show is and it's going to be EPIC!!! Best BD show by far!!!! I wanna share what I know so bad but I was sworn to secrecy! (I don't actually know anything about BD's show.)

Show title: "Box 6" Putting enormous pressure on the judges to create a box for one corps and one corps only.

'Pandora's Box.'