DCI has become a total joke. Complain about us dinos all you want, but back then corps fees weren't 2K per year. Why? Well today's instructors (if you want to call them that) are a big reason. They keep proposing rule changes to advance their own creative egos and almost every one of them in some way adds to the cost. From podiums to props to electronics to instrumentation. The kids are just tools for them to advance their minds fantasies. Back in the day we probably weren't as good as today's corps but there were tons more kids involved in the activity. If you want musical performances today's corps are very good, but if you want an activity that has the best interests of youth in mind then yesteryears drum corps was MUCH better.
I work with a guy who was rear-ended in his car three times. Two out of those three were by someone talking on their cell phone. What does that tell you?
Sometimes it depends on what you mean by the word "Anthem". There are Corps Songs and there are Mantras. The two are not always the same, although sometimes they can be. For example, the Cavs corps song is simply called "The Cavaliers" (sung to the melody of the Coast Guard anthem "Semper Peratus"- always prepared, but their mantra is "Over the Rainbow". BAC's corps song is "Giant" but their mantra is "Conquest". Contarily, the Troopers corps song is sung to the melody of "How the West was Won" but is also their mantra, or at least I think it is. Go figure. :smile:/>
This is something that I don't understand and probably never will. According to DCI's own rules, a startup has to spend a minimum of one season in OC before they can even apply for WC. OK, fine, I get that. But if they don't have enough OC corps then where the hell are they going to get more WC corps from, the fairy godmother? By their own logic OC should be at the top of their priority list.
Drum Corps teaches you lessons about life that you can't learn in a classroom. The good, the bad and the ugly. It's one hell of an education, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
I can only speak as a former snare drummer, but watching them today I often wonder how they manage to play out there. They're expected to do everything but stand on their heads. However, it's not relugated solely to percussion. You could probably ask former guard members and brass players and they'll say the same thing. Drill design today is far more demanding than it used to be. With that said, Drum Corps was never intended to be easy.
I would love to hear a hornline with piccolo sops, conventional sops, french horns, mellos, baris, euphs and contras all playing the same chord at the same time. That would be awesome. Hey, I can dream can't I?