Leaderboard

I would prefer each to follow their own unique path, but I know what scores well is what will bleed down.

You go first!

I’d like less pit as currently it’s all pit all the time and they are turned up to 10. It’s fatiguing. There is no space, they never stop which results in a very limited dynamic range. They are overwritten to the point of being noisy filler And yeah, they’re picking up way too much of what should be in the brass, review SCV 2004 vs 2014

Brass Lover echoed my thoughts but to add Likes Blue Devils, fully developed music in their ballad, allowing a song time to breathe, develop and resolve. Funny / sad but they displayed a wider musical vocabulary than most by playing a song SCV, a focused visual program that relied on drill to generate effect. Unlike many others, the visuals mostly had a point and reflected the theme, very little gratuitous posing and box checking Crown, loved your brass in the first part and um Cavies, some good guard moments, nice field integration with the brass at time Bluecoats, marchers sold the show Boston had the most complete, unified package in the top 6, all section were integrated towards the theme. It made sense and was easy to follow, mostly avoided cheese or talking down to the audience. I saw a show, not designers’ egos. Dislikes Originally, I did this corps by corps but it became a long winded rant on the designers poorly utilizing their toys so we’ll just shotgun it as a general statement Over reliance on amps, sound effect patches, and synths to generate music GE at the expensive of composition and playing resulted in incoherent musical books with limited replay value Stale visual programs showed the flaws of the recent movement trends. Visual programs were boring, disconnected and unengaging with too much emphasis on individual, sectional and pod visuals and not enough drill or full ensemble visual moments. Shows looked like they were practiced on 3 fields, integration was forced. Dirt was abundant on finals night Overall, I felt like I was watching designers trying to be cleaver and wasn’t all that entertained. We may have hit the point where there is not enough musical performance to sustain my interest. The marchers need more musical responsibilities otherwise, I might as well watch Mass Games

music that doesnt get cut from media due to sync issues

music that doesn't get cut from media due to sync rights

if he wants to try, go for it. even if he makes the cut, that doesnt mean he has to stay there...who knows, he may go and decide it's not the fit for him.

Hi All Cadence from the UK are competing in the DCA Championships this Summer for the first time and are looking for field technicians (brass, percussion and visual) in all sections to join us for the all or some of the two week tour. We would also like to explore the chance to bring a sound technician on board. Ideally this would be suited to anyone recently aged out or ageing out this Summer from DCI, those who are looking for extra credits on their college course or even if you cant commit to a full DCA season but could give us two weeks in August this year. We will provide a bed in a shared hotel room for the duration of the tour for those who we make agreements with, breakfast/lunch is provided most days. As I am sure you can imagine we are on a tight budget for this tour so there may not be options for payment but we hope the experience will be great for any aspiring staff member or DCA vet. If you feel you would like to get involved with a young Corps first visit to the USA please contact me here: info@cadenceperformingarts.org.uk Paul Riddell Corps Manager

My son is in his third year with a top 12 Corp, but wants to jump next year and audition for one of the top 4. How common is it for members to try this? Part of me wants him to stay with the corp that gave him his first shot, but I also understand he wants to challenge himself to be the best.

The Boston Crusaders 2018 February production camp is in the books and the members continue to impress. The brass and percussion continue to work incredibly hard in between camps so that time together is completely maximized and the focus is on creating musical synergy when all the performers assemble. The weekend started with a special […] View the full article

The Bushwackers are very sad to say goodbye to our friend and alumnus Charlie Dolar. Charlie came to the Bushwackers in the early 1990s and marched in the percussion section with his brother Jim, who was also taken from us too soon. Primarily a bass drummer, Charlie also marched cymbals and snare, was on the […] View the full article

Still finished first in visual.

Before I begin, I have a couple of things to say about PC: (1) I wish I had seen more of their shows from the past; (2) They are a corps in high need of a breakout show so that we can start really talking about them. That being said... Favorite: 2012, Spectrum. Easily some of their best musical moments ever came from this show. Least favorite: 2015, The Catalyst. I liked the ballad, but the ending was an enormous downer. Also, why did the design team think a show about a box was a good idea?

Yea, me, too. SMH and roll my eyes. And I'm sure other do the same with me. No biggie - it's just band.

i like the yearlong threads. i would get the 10-15 crazies on here mixed up when we had 5-6 threads on BD, and 5-6 on Cadets, etc. when the yearlong threads started a few years back, the crazies got herded into one or two spots, and it made it easy to keep track of who to put on ignore. if anything, it has improved my experience on here. lots of great input from good people. when i click on a page for the cadets 2018, for example, and it's 90% people on my ignore list, i don't feel like i'm missing anything at all.

The exact opposite of Seinfeld... a show about nothing.

It was a tossup for me between Don Warren and Sandra Opie. I picked Sandra because of her role as the leader of what, arguably, was DCI's best brass program in the early days of the organization, and a model/template for many brass programs to come. Of course, this has nothing to do with the topic at hand. So I am one reason why the OP might have a point here. LOL.

None of the above. I do not want to see the entire direction of drum corps follow any single previous program idea. Generally speaking, what I would like to see as a "direction" is less use of props and amplification, and more unison drill/guardwork and pure acoustic brass/percussion. That said, my opinions on the top six 2017 programs. Boston was my clear favorite among the 2017 top six programs. Their array of props and featured vocal soloist seemed like tastefully restrained use of props and amps compared to the other corps. At the opposite extreme, I have no desire to cue up video of BD, SCV or Cavaliers.

attention DCi judging conspiracy fans........it's Frans fault

If I had to choose I'd say Boston for continuing. This is pretty tough to answer as each show had parts I liked and those I'd rather not see again. So I'll choose things from each group I want to continue and those I want abandoned. Continued: BD - Entertainment factor, Uniforms, Emotional appeal SCV - Drill, Highly technical colorguard, Visual design in general Crown - Drill, Uniforms, The Opener The Cavaliers - Entertainment factor, Uniforms, Star of Indiana jokes Bloo - Music selection, Crowd appeal Boston - Pretty much everything. Some more meaty programs, but they get a pass since it was their first year with the new crew Abandoned: BD: Rihanna, Difficulty of drill (I didn't think it was easy, but they can handle more), SCV: Uniforms, Giving most of the brass contributions to a group of miced players, Constant percussion breaks Crown: SINGERS, Boards that trip up the members as they march, Percussion tag endings Cavs: Short musical phrases, annoying sound effects Bloo: Uniforms, playing a ballad through mics and speakers, Giant immovable props that shake when the members move on it, Covering one of the best tuba lines in DCI with synth Boston: Like I said they get a pass

I think if you want to get a feel for likes or dislikes moving forward, I thin k there are a few things you might be leaving out to get an assessment. 1st , why top 6 only? Leaving scores out, because any corps could have gone in front of or behind the other easily, there are many corps throughout the placements who can innovate, drive an idea or direction. 2nd Leaving out expense can also drive what a corps chooses to do in a program or not, not that one is better than the other but to like, or dislike something could have everything to do with what a corps is able to do within a program or not. What one loves in a program ( or hate ) could have everything to do with expense ) Sorry to maybe over think the question BUT I know how this works from personal experience and everything we do today doesn't necessarily have to come out of top 6 and money is a huge factor in almost everything done. You can use those top 6 BUT maybe get a broader and more accurate picture, looking throughout..just a thought.

While I certainly believe in change, I think it’s pretty hard to control forums like this (in the way suggested). From my viewpoint there seems to be good balance between long term threads and newer topical threads. There’s probably a better way to do this but if I’m searching for something specific, I usually just google “dcp (insert topic)” and I find multiple entries through the years. Sometimes it answers my question, but I know I’ll enjoy the reading.

What his motivation for wanting to make the switch? I figure the obvious answer is 'a ring', but there's also something to be said about the experience that the top groups provide.

You hear that so often (mostly from a corps trying to retain you), but then ... how realistic is it to expect your corps to actually make any significant improvement? If he's currently top 12 but looking at top 4, then he's probably somewhere in 7-12, and looking at the last three season's scores for those corps, we see no reason to automatically presume that another three years will necessarily build and improve any of them. Sure, it could happen, but more often than not that's a fantasy. Meteoric rises in today's DCI, like Boston experienced last season, are the exception, not the rule. Scouts: 8 > 13 > 12 Crossmen: 12 > 10 > 11 Blue Stars: 11 > 9 > 10 Phantom: 7 > 8 > 9 Blue Knights: 6 > 7 > 8 Cadets: 4 > 6 > 7 PS - I'm not necessarily saying he should definitely seek to move up. It's just that I've heard that argument ad nauseam, and I just don't find it convincing.

Good luck to him on his move, if he decides to move. One question to ask himself though is: Who will next years top four be? Could be a corps other than who was there last year or will be there this year? He should look to see who at or near the top is appealing to him from a production and program standpoint and consider those factors. He may decide that a move to one of the top four will land him with an experience he may not like as much as where he is at. That is of course unless he doesn't like where he is at. And what if his top 12 corps today ends up in 4th? What if the corps he goes to falls below 4th? Going to a top 4 and having a bad experience, to me, is not what I would want. Having the time of my life and being with friends I've made is more important. I'd rather work toward building something and improving. It would be a longer lasting satisfaction.

See, now there's something else helpful about the 990's. They usually are filed by the end of October for the period two years prior. October finances and balance sheets. Some would say that's as bad - or worse - than the Cadets thread. Ha!

Thanks again for the Channel One Suite snare chart!

Sir you must remove this post. Common sense is not allowed in online drum corps discussions

Back on topic ... Cadets enter 2018 off an odd 2017 year characterized by a dearth of veterans and substantial turnover in senior staff. A year ago they were a young corps with a staff that had never worked together. Yet the corps mostly held its own in a 2017 summer in which the competition was particularly good and despite the unforeseen consequences imposed by the license holder on Cadets musical options. The members gave 2017 a strong thumbs up for satisfaction, which has translated into a high percentage of vets returning for another year at Cadets in 2018. Last year's senior staff returns as well, this time unencumbered by the restrictions of the Bernstein family. All told, things are looking a lot brighter this spring than they did a year ago. HH

For 2018, I want all kids to have a safe, and rewarding summer.

My apologies for posting it here, but I figured I might as well post it here. Today I will be at TMEA! WOO! shoot, my name tag will even say Hook'emCavies. So if y'all see me let's talk drum corps. Might even see me at a DCI booth or two. ... GO CAVIES!

I know I posted my massive list, but I have one more thing that I want to see, especially after the lack of them in the last few seasons: I want to see the return of the "True Ending," where corps have a "False Ending" they use until Atlanta-ish and then unveil the actual ending with new drill and music before Finals. I especially missed that from Bluecoats and The Cavaliers this season, but those were always one of my favorite things to look forward to.

SCV for the gold. That's my prediction using the BD algorithm from 2007-present where they went 12112121121. The next in sequence is 2 and every time the number 2 comes up a different corps wins. Although it could be Cavaliers or Boston for gold but I think that's a bit further of a stretch right now. Just a few things from individual corps: BD- I liked the fresh direction of 2017 and would like to see more shows like this from them SCV- the power, precision, and intensity of 2017 with a more entertaining show design Crown- Lots and lots of brass. A lot of notes from brass that make my head spin. Good percussion. A great program design. Cavaliers- better brass, great execution otherwise like 2017 or better yet the 00s Cavaliers. A fun, but not dumb show design. Bluecoats- keep raising the bar being innovative. The past 5 years have been amazing and I want another year where I can say their show is my favorite Boston- Top their 2017 performance. Overhaul in talent with a show design that's just as easy to attach to.

Alright, strap in. We've got 24 corps in World Class and I have a slow day at work so I have 24 opinions to share. Let's go! Blue Devils, you have an odd history with me as of late. I tend to really like your shows after the season. This past season might have been because I was all aboard the Vanguard hype snake train, but this has happened a bit lately. I would love to love your shows from day one. Blue Knights, just keep being weird and keep being you. I've loved everything since NoBeginningNoEnd, so keep doing you! Blue Stars, just keep your sound how it is and I will be super happy. I've also loved your past few "story shows" like Le Reve and Star Crossed, so maybe this is your true niche. Bluecoats, as much as I enjoy this hip new rock vibe you have going, I tend to think of shows like Metropolis and Brave New World when I think of you. I would personally love a return to the dark tech sound you had going, but if not just keep rocking out like you did with these past two shows. Boston Crusaders, I'm so glad you went dark again with Wicked Games, and Animal Farm is one of my all time favorite shows, so I would love to see them come back this year with a dark and gritty show like those. Who knows, maybe they can medal this year (please medal this year!). Carolina Crown, I really dig the bold choice you took last year with the singing and the Akiho. I never thought I would say that No One To kNOW one would work with Crown. I want to see them take this same newness and freshness and maybe combine their darker side of Inferno and Relentless back into it. Unleash the beast! Colts, last year was kinda cool, but I really feel like Dark Side of the Rainbow and ...And A Shot Rings Out were better, so it would be cool to see them return to this genre. Crossmen, I really want to hear them groove harder. Like Unity or Fragile levels of groove. I also like the contemporary vibe they took last season, so maybe mixing the two would make it awesome! Genesis, The Other Side of Now was a cool show, but it just seemed like a generic "First Year in World Class" chow. I'd really like to see them get a stronger sense of identity that I can recognize. Jersey Surf, why did you leave the Bridgemania and Soul Surfin' identity? It worked so well for you! Please go back to that, we need another corps like Bridgemen or Velvet Knights. Madison Scouts, last year was a really bold choice, and I feel like you pulled it off very well, but my Madison thoughts tend to go with A Drum Corps Fan's Dream I and II, so perhaps they could find a way to be new and fresh while also mixing in those Latin tunes. Kinda like Reframed, but grittier if they want. Mandarins, I just want to see them in Finals. Last year was fantastic, and I love the idea for Life Rite After, so seeing them move forward with that would be awesome and could lead to something special. Music City, welcome to World Class. My comment for Genesis kinda serves as a warning to them. Stand out and don't disappear in the crowd. I loved Tribe and this group has me excited. Oregon Crusaders, I like the blend of classical and pop that they had going with Hunted and ENcompass, so continuing that would be cool. I hope to see them rise a bit. Pacific Crest, just keep doing what you're doing. Golden State of Mind was fantastic, and I have a feeling this year will be awesome too. Keep climbing! Phantom Regiment, I like the darker show from last year, but if there is one corps that I think should lose the electronics, it's you. Just let the classical music be your identity and stick with it, I don't think you have to modernize it. Be more Into the Light and Juliet, less Voice of Promise and Phantasm. Pioneer, just keep showing up and doing what you do. I love seeing them still around, and I feel like they improve year after year. Santa Clara Vanguard, I would love to see them keep with the edgy and kinda minimalist music of Ouroboros, but go even further like they did for Inventions for the New Millennium, Pathways, etc. When I think Vanguard, I think of those shows. Seattle Cascades, I also just hope they keep in the same genre. O worked really well and I loved Set Free. Keep it up! Spirit of Atlanta, I fell in love with Crossroads last season. The show overall was great, I loved the music, and it just works. I see great things in their future, just keep at it. Welcome back, Baby Blue! The Academy, I feel like you lost me a bit last year. I loved A Step in Time and Drum Corpse Bride, and I feel like this is your niche, so I would love to fall in love with your show again this year. The Cadets, I really like last year, but it didn't feel like The Cadets. I know the rep for this year, but just please make it feel like I'm watching The Cadets, The Cavaliers, welcome back to greatness. I love this attitude of great shows that don't take themselves too seriously. Please medal this year, I would love to see the return of the Green Machine to greatness. Troopers, I have a challenge for you: Please make me look forward to a Troopers show. I'm not saying they're bad, but I've never really been a Troopers fan except The Road Home and Magnificent 11, and I would really look forward to looking forward to you.

Blue Devils Bluecoats Boston Crusaders Blue Knights Blue Stars Mandarins Colts Legends Music City

Ditto on "...all of them..." but most often: Blue Devils Mandarins Music City Crossmen (for that french horn solo)

Yes, there is a lot more. I'll attempt to be brief. Everyone noticed the staff migration to Boston, and the corps' improvement. While the staff is being paid appropriately (as any recruiter will tell you) it takes more than merely money to get/keep an A-list staff. There needs to be organizational stability, a good work culture, and the chance to grow. Before the success of 2017 could happen, Boston needed to create the right environment by getting clear about their mission, making some leadership changes, and increasing what was beneficial in their culture. The G7/TOC movement shook up DCI. It was conceivable that DCI might dissolve if the G7 broke away. In response to that risk, the leadership at Boston examined who the organization was, and what it was about. The leadership believed that musical and artistic education, with a focus on the pursuit of excellence, provided unique and important benefits to young people. BITD, the corps was smaller and had a higher percentage of kids from the local region... as Colin McNutt explained in his recent interview, it was his chance to pursue his musical ambitions. To return to providing such benefits to the local region, Boston formed a larger organization, Inspire Ars & Music (IAM) that would consist of far more than the drum corps. Programs such as the Hyde Park Youth Percussion Ensemble (HYPE) and the Great East Music Festivals (GEMF) benefit over 20,000 young people ranging from kids who've never even touched a musical instrument previously, to kids who are intermediate/advanced and looking to improve. In short, IAM expands the reach of the organization and raises visibility to the kinds of benefits many of us experienced in drum corps. This has translated into revenue streams, volunteers, and fundraising opportunities. After years of changes and adjustments, the leadership at BAC has settled into a successful combination of people. There is deep competence, deep love for the activity, a bedrock of trust toward the leadership from alumni/friends, and a solid commitment to giving the current MMs an awesome marching experience. Many of these changes were in place before the 2016 season. It was the reason the homers were so hyped. Most everything was going well, behind the scenes. Debt was being retired. Great ideas (some learned at DCI board consortiums) were being implemented successfully. The board was being expanded, which lessened director fatigue and opened new avenues to bring in expertise and raise money. A management consulting firm (I believe donated by a board member) was brought in to evaluate how the organization functioned, and provided detailed feedback and advice (kind of like a judge's critique!). Things were starting to click in a big way: board members served on internal committees and raised money, the executive board focused on the org's direction, designers designed, admin staff killed it, instructors taught, and volunteers were worth their weight in plutonium. On the field, the corps was not as competitive as expected. Because the organization was functioning so well, the leadership was able to quickly evaluate what was needed (design and staff changes), and take swift action. It was clear to prospective staff and designers that the organization was headed in the right direction. In addition to money, they saw stability, commitment, sustainability, freedom, and the chance to take on new challenges. More money and a better staff were "symptoms" of a deeper (good) condition at Boston. Talk to any of the current staff at BAC. You will hear the same things. They are happy and energized to be there. They love working with the other staff members. They want to stay on. The summer was great. The kids worked hard and had a blast. They feel very much like family, instead of like an expense. They are allowed to do what they do best, without interference. It's the same kinds of things workers say in the business world... a great work experience is just as important as money. This was not always the environment at Boston. It took years of work, behind the scenes, to create a culture that would attract great staff and marching talent. More than ever previously, Boston's leadership is trusted and sound. The management of finances is stable and improving. IAM has a mission that can survive independent of DCI (or the G7). People have clear responsibilities and are enabled to deliver results. Getting those things happening was no easy task. Once they did happen, the increase of money and staff improvements seemed incidental. Top level staff and designers were not going to migrate to Boston for money alone. They were also responding to much deeper things that the organization could provide.