Iplaytimpani

Cell phones on a stand is very common these days even in the most professional rehearsals and performances. For one, many use them as a tuner. Even in my time with the national tour of Lion King, as soon as a number was through, phones came out. In a show. Granted it was in a pit where couldn't be seen by the audience, but it still was just part of playing that show as long as many of them had been. I honestly feel if you can play your stuff and its not a distraction, then it's whatever. For years people would read a book in a rehearsal with a long tacet, the older generation needs to adapt that phones are a part of our culture especially with a smartphone. And the younger generation needs to do a better job of not being obnoxious about it. Theres a middle ground.

For everyone bursting in and saying things to the sentiment of "gays in drum corps. Of course. There's no reason to even have the discussion" please READ the thread. It's not even truly about there being gay people in drum corps. But more, how it's handled in drum corps, how it got to this terrific level and how it appears the activity is ahead of sports and maybe even society.

Just to reiterate, my intention with this topic wasn't about the current vibe of gays in drum corps. I know for a fact it's cool, and that pretty much any current marching member doesn't care. They have better things to worry about. But the intention of the tread was to discuss more about DCI being ahead of the sports curve on a subject where usually I feel they are very far behind. This is our major leagues in our activity. It's the equivalent for us as an nfl or NBA. And in our top groups, it's a non factor. Nobody even discusses it as there's nothing to discuss. The world of sports will blow up when someone comes out. It's a positive in my opinion about the DCI culture

Accepting your fellow teammate and not caring about heir sexual orientation. If you do your job and you're a member of the team, it doesn't matter.

I figured that this topic would derail a little, so I want to try and reel it in a little. Is DCI ahead of professional sports in this matter? To take it a step further, does anyone think this issue since it is a hot bed issue right now could be used to help DCI be brought into the forefront of concersation?

I agree DCI isn't broke and I'm not trying to fix anything. For an activity that I often feel is archaic compared to the world especially of sports, I feel it's one area the activity is ahead of most sports.

But that's just it. They are using the same showers. And it's not a big deal. It's not even necessarily anyone's business. Do you have to fill out a survey before using a locker room at a gym?

I don't post as much as I used to, but I was reading an article on ESPN earlier today and it made me think of my drum corps experience. The article can be read here Basically, it talks about a lot of the different aspects of homosexuality in professional sports and it's gaining prominence. It's widely thought that a player or possibly small group, may come out in the near future. I started to think back to my time in DCI. As a straight male, not once did I think twice or care about who else was in the shower or anything like that. It just wasn't an issue. Is DCI ahead of the curve for once? Is it just part of the culture and come with the territory of visual arts? Nobody seems to care what your sexual orientation is in the activity, as long as you're doing your job. Hopefully this doesn't spiral out of control as a topic as I know it could, but really curious to see what others think and if for once maybe DCI is ahead instead of 10 years behind.

Very awesome.

Maybe they should talk to NBC who just launched their new network...

Blue stars posted today that they really are getting new uniforms.

It's like Beetlejuice. We've said his name too many times. He's gonna appear.

In before eminent close. Howdy's back.

My favorite preshow is the one Glassmen 08 had but DCI wouldn't let them use at the time as it transitioned recorded music to live corps. Still the joke to this day wondering when it's going in.

Did troop have a year in review DVD or anything like that? I have one for Glassmen from that year and after all the rehearsal clips and video year booking they had the finals run through.