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30 lucky young members are representing the Bluecoats and DCI in Hong Kong! https://www.yahoo.com/news/los-angeles-rams-cheerleaders-bluecoats-drum-bugle-corps-150000757.html

Medea is a cruel mistress.

Sure....Use as the closer. Play it as we normally hear it... but after those three long chords before the last traditionally loud section, PLAY that part, but add a riving battery part similar to the Canon reprise in 03 Regiment (because my GOD did that work!)...on "well maybe next..." do NOT play it soft...give us a loud extended chord and a fast, driuving ending with small quotes from past shows...89, 87, something like that. Don't give me quiet contemplation...RIP MY FACE OFF!

Someone else posted the video in another thread, but here is a great taste. Just have your volume @ 10 with bass at max.

This was mentioned in the Bluecoats thread, but thought it deserved its own thread. The performing group will include brass and percussion members that include some 2016 age outs and some of the 2017 section leaders. A few of the Coats administration, instructors, and media specialist will also make the trip. The parade organizers are picking up the entire cost for the Bluecoats! This is quite an honor for the Bluecoats, Canton, and DCI! http://bluecoats.com/2017/01/bluecoats-to-hong-kong-in-early-2017/

The trip is being funded by the parade organizers/sponsors. There is no cost to the Bluecoats.

He was a really good player last season too (with a different corps).

1993 BD, Don Ellis Portrait. I know Crown has won 4 of the last 6 Ott's, and the majority of us slurp all over their horn line and rightfully so (Crown is amazing!!!) but that 1993 BD horn line, my goodness.

I'd like to see some Rutter on the field again (checks corpsreps -- Legend and Pioneer only corps to use recently) . And Magnificat worked very, very well.

While I'm not that big into rehashed shows, I would love to see anyone do this again.

One of my favorite Colts shows. (and one of the first drum corps shows I took my kid to see. She was just 4 at the time). Crossmen were based in Delaware that season and they had their home show in Newark, DE. Thought the Colts were underscored at that show and all season in fact.

In fact not only did I post the pic, I created the 2017 Colts thread. Posters beware!

Cadets played it in 13, and they came 3rd

I DID in 1991...but to the original Canon....

No sense of humor.

This may have been said before but I just wasn't around to see it, but I noticed a funny similarity yesterday. When Star used Medea in 93 they got the bronze. When Crown did it this year they also got the bronze. Maybe Medeas Vengeance this whole time was 3rd place....

Well hello theref ps. being able to embed videos with a start time is AWESOME pps. Wow they were good that year. So easy to forget.

We are still in the market for at least one more as well, and I really feel we have been lucky to find the ones we have. Good luck in your search Brad!

And I raise you the shot of the contra player after the 2008 show ended. Just soaking in the crowd's response.

You know what completes that, even though the show's over? 1) The solo guard girl laughing and crying at the same time from the emotion at the end. 2) Her fist pump. 3) The fierce hug she gets from the other girl. WE understand those....but try to explain to a non-corps person? Good luck.

The thing about 2003 show was that the program was designed to put emphasis on music over drill - but they happened to have a decently good drill that fit in with the music just about perfectly at the right times. The impact sets were great. And the mm's did a heck of a job performing the show. What the show had was a continuous theme - the Canon in D - and when they finished the Bartok and went into the reprise with the Canon, along with that impact set right there, was one of the most magical moments I have ever seen in a drum corps show. And then the way they closed it out - first the beauty of the Canon being played at fff, tubular bells ringing the angels down from Heaven itself, the backwards pass-throughs, the colorguard in their black suits and yellow flags spinning away in tandem and congregating on the right side of the field to get out of the way of the brass - and then the suspense and potential energy when the front ensemble went back to the Bartok for those 4 bars, then it just kept building and building until the final hit - and I think those of us who have seen the show (and it only takes one viewing) to remember the final set - tremendous (in fact I can still visualize the entire show, music and drill, from the beginning of the reprise until the end) - and that suspense, it wasn't just in the closer, it was all through the Bartok, too, not to mention the Adams. It was a really aesthetically pleasing blend of beauty (Canon & the ballad), mystery (Adams), and suspense (Bartok, closer). This show was one of the best musical programs ever written for a marching ensemble. They also hit the nail on the head with 2008, but I have a soft spot in my heart for 2003. 2016 was not even close. Neither was the Triumphant Journey show they did 3-4 years ago. I would have to rank 2003 just 3rd behind 1996 and 2008 as their best programs ever. 1989 and Faust would round out the top 5, with Into the Light a close 6th, only because the brass was lacking that season. Percussion was incredible. Closer:

Came across this Rose Parade clip from the stands this evening. What do you do when a float ahead of you breaks down during a parade? Why rock the crowd of course! The musical staff in the stands trying to get the attention of several corps members (I'm assuming one or more their drum majors) following Uptown Funk is pretty entertaining. But they finally get their attention to face the grandstand and give folks a nice taste of drum corps head on. Must have been pretty awesome, especially for those not familiar with the activity.

I hadn't heard of Constant Lambert until Regiment's 2015 show. Then this randomly showed up on youtube today. It's pretty fun.

today's moment of drum corps ZEN Star of Indiana 1990- "Belshazzar's Feast" == how does this relate to Cadets? Almost the entire staff were ex Cadets folks. I've always wondered what Cadets would have done in 88/89/90/91/92/93 if those Star folks were still Cadets staff/designers? Cadets won 1990 - this show however was AMAZING Particularly - the last ACT -- a show I'd love CROWN to revisit at some stage... Particularly with their current brass staff and new drill guy ;-0

The Cadets + Bernstein's Mass could be magical. Hoping it's so!

NEVER rely on the major networks (NBC, ABC) if you want to actually get to see and hear the bands/corps. The best coverage was provided by the Hallmark network where the announcers actually shut up and let you listen. Great job SCV...also a shout out to the Grove City High School Band (Ohio)!

I think they just need something new that still feels like Madison Scouts. If I recall they hadn't touched a lot of the source music in 2015 they used but it still felt like something they had to have done before because it fit them so well. That show is rocketing up my most played shows as of the last year or two, as is 2012. I hope they bounce back. DCI is just better with a fantastic Madison Scouts.

Week 31 Update: Holy cow it's been a while. Figured I should give one more update just before the new year! I'll go ahead and scrap all the progress stuff and just talk about what I've been up to. Since my last post, I marched a full season with my college marching band on the baritone. I held up pretty well as a matter of fact. My goal was to not be the weakest link and in my opinion, I was probably one of the stronger ones! Learned a lot of music during the season, learned a lot about marching thanks to my section leader having just come back from a season with the Colts. I'd even call myself a baritone player at this point. I also just wrapped up my first semester of college in music education. Let me warn any of you reed players that want to learn brass for DCI: DON'T NEGLECT PRACTICE ON YOUR PRIMARY INSTRUMENT. For every minute you spend on brass, you need to spend a minute and then some on your primary. I learned this the hard way because my sax playing has stagnated and I'm having a lot of problems because I've been so focused on DCI. That being said, it's nothing I can't handle. This is not to discourage anyone from doing it because I definitely recommend this experience, but make sure you hold yourself accountable. Now, onto the drum corps stuff. I have attended 3 camps so far, all in succession. I went to the Houston Crossmen camp, the December Guardians camp, and the Crossmen callback camp. Results: Crossmen - Callback, technically. They give everyone a callback, so I wouldn't really count this one. They do however separate into red and black team, black team being the better team, and I was put on black team. Guardians - I received a contract at the first camp. I definitely don't feel safe though. I can tell Guardians expect a lot from their brass players and I will definitely be working to keep that spot! Crossmen Callback - I was called back a second time to attend the January camp. This is good because at this camp, they did cut many people. That being said, they also handed out a lot of contracts so I'm still fighting. I'll be attending the Guardians January camp in a couple of weeks and the Crossmen January camp the week after that. My hope is to get contracted by Crossmen, but even then it would be a tough decision because I really enjoy the staff and atmosphere at Guardians. And not to mention, the Kanye show is HYPE. Regardless, I will be marching this summer, which is SUPER exciting. To you fellow woodwind players, let my experience be your inspiration. YOU CAN DO IT. Pick up that horn, hit up the practice room, and go check out your local corps. One valuable thing I came to realize during this process is that drum corps is about ensemble sound. You don't have to be some Euphonium virtuoso to make a drum corps. You have to know what you're doing, blend to an ensemble, and work your butt off. Update next Thursday!