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As a 58 year old traditionalist, I will and do miss the vintage red & black BAC uniforms with white trim...shakos, plumes, and all the rest. Having said that, the activity has now entered an era of thematic costumes for each year's show. While we can blame WGI, pop culture, or whatever else, it is what it is. The activity, which has ALWAYS been in a state of change, continues to evolve. From my perspective, I am just thrilled that this activity has endured this long and the more I think about it, the more I conclude that it is our ability to change with the times which has allowed us to thrive. In my town, there are vacant buildings where the Catholic church, the Boy Scout camp, and even the Grange Hall used to be. We, on the other hand, still get to enjoy this activity and based on the last few years at shows, the activity seems actually quite healthy. Speaking specifically about BAC, I have watched several runthroughs of the show. It would be absolutely impossible for their members to perform this program with tradition uniforms, shakos, plumes etc. And for the record, these modern costumes (yes, I said it) cost a FRACTION of what the old school unis cost, so a yearly change is not a financial burden. Being around Boston last night, I can tell you that drum corps kids are STILL drum corps kids, and after nearly 40 years of being around this activity, I find great comfort in that. Although their generation may well include a lot of self-entitled, lazy, snowflakes, NONE of those kids are in drum corps. These kids are every bit as tough and hardworking as the kids who marched 20, 30 and 50 years ago. Whether they are marching for Boston, Cadets, Crown, Blue Stars or anyone else, they have my complete respect.

yeah, if only every corps could look like an actual drum corps

All I can say is ... free at last, free at last, thank goodness The Cadets and The Cadets2 are finally free at last and the millstone has finally been taken off their necks! Nothing but great things ahead and plesse don't peak too soon. We support you, we are proud of you, we love you and we are there for you. There is nothing like being a "CADET!" "For Holy Name Shall Always Be!"

Inspectors on site at IBEW hall in Dorchester as it is reported that BAC ripped the roof off at Spring Fling!!

I LOOOOOOOOVED inferno, especially at the end of the season. I wish that show would've won.

Boston Crusaders Sr Corps performing Fri Nite with the 2018 Crusaders, Jrs in front. Later in the evening, the 2018 Crusaders. Jrs performed for Boston Crusaders Sr's, and the large extended family audience at this annual " Spring Fling" fundraiser and Crusaders Hall of Fame Inductee Ceremony The Senior Corps & Junior Corps locked arms and sang the Corps song " Giant " together. Good food/Good crowd/ good conversation/ Good shows/ made for a good night all around. Boston Crusaders Jrs were given a great enthusiastic send off by its alums and fans in what is likely to become a very memorable season of entertainment and competition.

Only for the fans, not the judges. The past ten years (2008-2017), on Finals night... The DCI Champion has finished 1st in Brass 3 times (30%) The DCI Champion has finished 1st in Musical Ensemble/Analysis 5 times (50%) The DCI Champion has finished 1st in Percussion 4 times (40%) The past ten years (2008-2017), on Finals night... The DCI Champion has finished 1st in Visual Performance 7 times (70%) The DCI Champion has finished 1st in Visual Ensemble/Analysis 7 times (70%) The DCI Champion has finished 1st in Color Guard 6 times (60%) The Blue Devils are 0.4 points away from having won three championships in a row, and they've won exactly 1 musical sub-caption at Finals in the past three seasons (they've taken 8 of 9 visual sub-captions). At this point in DCI's evolution, uniform design matters more than ever.

I knew a guy who got cut from the Jolly Jesters. After that, he was nobody's fool.

I just watched their concert video, and holy smokes. Wow. This is definitely the best I've ever heard from them at this stage. Would be so exciting if they jumped up into the top 3 or top 4.

After seeing their surge of success and improvement last season, I knew the challenge would be to keep and build upon the momentum with another great show this year. BAC has definitely risen to the occasion and from what I can tell so far, will deliver another exciting season this summer. Wow!

Nailed it.

You saw it here first. Sorry, I'll level off. Didn't mean to hammer it home. Was just horsing around. I'll try to be more constructive.

Yeah, the Androgynous Cowboy Stripper with a maternity bib and Capt'n Crunch epaulets look is no more. Could I get an Amen!!

I wore the uniform and shako..PROPS to you for knowing it is a shako and not a hat....it's a bit overrated...and BITD was made out of materials far better suited for winter months...and with the body movement used these days...just would not be possible with the traditional style uni...but I do on some level see the disappointment as well....we have moved into a new area of costuming...I'll assume by your screen-name you are referring to Boston...even last season...Boston was NOT anything close to their traditional red & black uni's...not EVEN close...it was a HUGE adjustment for me as a alum to take in ...but I've since embraced it...

BDB setting up. They totally look like a world class corp. it’s so windy now.

Huge crowd came out for Cavaliers preview show in Michigan. Biggest comment was probably horline related, but guard and percussion were given oooh's and aaaaa's. This show has legs to go far and entertain

Nicely done 2018 Troopers! Have a great Season.

Predictions Bd wins Cadets beat Boston Blue Stars beat Phantom Crossmen fight Phantom for 10th New 12th place corps Jersey Surf makes semis

I just have to say this. For those who have heard a preview of BD music book and still dont understand it, something is clearly wrong with your hearing and brain. Because OH MY!!!! its insane. I listen to it yesterday morning and lastnight and today again, IT TAKES YOU INTO ANOTHER WORLD. Like looking at Bd in the past meeting the future, It's like I literally see the show without even literally seeing the show just by listening. Its gonna be a fantastic show I love love love. Ita truly amazing! This book have everything in it, intensity, drama, emotional, soft, rich and lush and just thick and thin. Phrases, chop and bop lol YES I like it, Musicality throughout, it takes you moment by moment, from moment into moment, its gonna probably be the show to beat again.. I know SCV is on the verge yes with a monster show but BD genius design team is really unstoppable. The music makes me so excited I can't wait to see it on the field its just too good. Something classic something new something in between. I dont know how they mannage to do that. But oh my gosh it just so tasty good.

i cant believe tekk learned how to use gifs before i did

actually, it's the summer of NO George...........

no snowflakes in dci? you heard it here first, folks. people are awesome.

Well. Now that someone has leaked that Crossmen clip, that's cheating. Now nobody can make predictions. It's like insider trading. If I wanted to break my own rules, I'd revise my 10th place prediction with a darkhorse for 8th, to a 10th place prediction and no higher. The first 4mins failed to hold my attention much. I saw a clip of Academy and same thing. Keep the clips coming so I can see how wrong my predictions are way ahead of time. Btw I hate peeking. Or opening presents early. EDIT: I peeked again and heard BC show in one of the other threads. I was wrong. They're not a fluke. They sound fantastic. 70% chance they stay 6th, 10% 5th and 20% 7th. Sorry Blue Stars :(

I gotta say, this is a pretty solid design, and I haven't been a Crossmen fan the past year or two; I feel like their shows get lost in the memory of the season once all is said and done since Markworth came aboard --- not bad at all, just not too memorable either. Incredible horns and percussion, but I've doubted the average casual fan remembers them much after seeing 12 corps on Finals night. This seems to have a lot of potential, though. That moment leading up to the first hit in the closer, with the countermarch and then a rotating block in the middle...that is a really well-designed moment. The phrases after that --- I'm going to call them the Crown moments, since they're fairly reminiscent of the 32nd note trade offs in "Walking With Heroes" section of e=mc2 --- are pretty fantastic as well...not as clean as their standstill videos they posted, obviously, but if they can get it to sound like that on the move, that's a standing ovation section of material. The slow-build opener and all the work with the black umbrellas, followed by the lengthy (and tasty) drum break with the full ensemble umbrella work as well (and a few sneaky Dies Irae quotes!!) is really intriguing, and certainly more unique than a lot that they've brought to the table in the past few years. I'll also note that the guard work is very front-and-center, bold, and just makes sense in terms of staging, taking advantage of visual and musical opportunities, etc. Overall, I'm pretty impressed with this first read on Crossmen, and I look forward to seeing it develop over the season.

Wow. Just wow. It was great to see the 2018 DCI Champions in pre-season training. Just some general thoughts so I don’t share things I’m not supposed to. 1... I just kept smiling. The show checks all the boxes for me. 2...the cymbal line gives me life. 3...I am not a drummer. At all. But the battery moves very well. Sound very clean (to me). Exudes power and energy. 4...staging. I want to see this in uniform. With show flags. And all the other bells and whistles. July 7th can’t get here soon enough. Even without all that, I bought what the show announcement was selling All the programmed moments make so much sense and just flow within the music rather than feeling like a forced staging for the sake of just having the moment 5...the power behind the horn line is freightening. The delicate moments pull you in. And as a low brass player, I was enthralled by the Mello line. Didn’t see that coming. Hahahahaha. And The ballad ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ There are a whole bunch more fun and exciting and surprising and unexpected things happening in this show But I don’t feel it’s my place to share the details If you get a chance, go see them!!!!! I held my breath the last 3 minutes of the show Thanks to the corps and the volunteers and all involved for their hospitality and warm welcomes If this is the direction the corps keep moving, the future will be golden for many years to come I did buy a ticket for BD Family Day tomorrow night. So it will be nice to see BD since they aren’t coming up the PNW way this year.

If true, then why does DCI need Music Majors then, when its Drama/ Dance/ Art Majors that'll maximize the most points for scores/ placements ? And how many universities offer 4 year degrees, post graduate degrees in non music.... " Color Guard ", anyway ?. it is sort of odd what the Universities value, and what DCI modern day scoring on the judging sheets tends to reward. But... I'm only along for the ride, and nobody asked any of us what the DCI Judging system tends to reward these days now.... haha!

Oh, it could have, but you'd have had to start wearing green in 2001.

My thoughts exactly.

Hush now. Chut Maintenant svp.

" Send in the Clowns..... Don't bother, they're here "

They're so...uniform.

Sweet!!!!

I remember our first show in Bloomington, ID when the crowd was going bonkers before we even finished the opener, I was sitting there thinking what the heck were they even going crazy about. It didn't hit me until San Antonio how special that show was. Sorry to the OP for going off-topic.

I predict we will hear one or more of the following after the season premier show: 1) The judges always just put the corps in the same order as last year' results at the beginning of the year. Just wait. 2) The judges just hate XXX corps! 3) I can't believe that score (too high or too low) 4) Theater was empty | packed | full of annoying high schoolers 5) The sound was too low. 6) D### Rondo and Delucia are getting old. (add on your own)

Getting major Leather/Pride vibes from this.... LOL. Love the all black though.

LOL. Thanks. I've been going to drum corps shows with my son since 2013, and he was in marching band in high school and college, so I've got to be up on my terminology. Here's the thing -- in high school band, he played drum set his freshman year, quads his sophomore year, then his band nixed the drumline, and he played marimba junior and senior years. So, only one year wearing a shako in high school. His college band wears baseball caps. So, six years of marching band, only one year with a shako! He's done indoor for five years, so he's very familiar with the indoor uniform. :)

As long as they spell your name correctly.

you might be my favorite DCPer :)

wait... are you saying that quixotic presented the same level opportunities for the members to succeed musically and visually that awakening did? and that the staff were of equal level? it sounds like you're saying that the talent from the members of each respective show were equal but that the talent didn't apply itself as much to quixotic as to awakening. because if that's what you're saying BOY do i have some news for you. and as for a gif to go with my misunderstanding/inability to comprehend what i think you might be saying... EDIT: btw my final preseason predictions will be up sometime saturday night (wish i could wait til like thursday morning to get all the info i can, but i'll be travelling from sunday til friday morning - won't be able to see the season opener because of it... ) packed with explanations for each slot. and for my mike greeneberg tease: coming up, i'll tell you why the back half of the finalists will be even more of a toss-up than the front half...

Here is one...

Actually visual and design greatly impacts both scores

I had like 8 beers. I can't even work with myself.