Tim K

I plan on going to finals every year. It does not always work out. So for me, the show begins on Thursday morning, this year will either be the Company if they start with International or with Les Stentors if they begin with Open Class, and will end on Saturday with scores and the festivities that go along with it, and as much as possible in between. I may not get to Drumline Battle or SoundSport, but I figure it's a long time between finals and the June cinecast, so I get as much as I can.

I had a similar experience. In 2013 a man was adamant, claiming that I was in his seat at semi's. I could not find my ticket. He was being a jerk, there was a family with young kids in the neighboring seats, and there was an empty seat nearby, so I moved. After intermission I found my ticket, and went to my seat. The same guy was at another seat claiming it was his but this time an usher intervened. He was in the wrong section. The guy spewed off a mouthful, claimed it was DCI's fault, and stormed out. You can meet some of the nicest people at drum corps shows. You can start conversations with total strangers who share your passion, reunite with old friends, or see people you only see once a year and have a great time. And then there are others....we'll leave it at that.

Reminds me of 27th every time.

I thought most WC corps did. Crown does because I believe it was Crown who stayed at the hotel where my friend stayed in 2012.

Even though Cadets are headquartered in Allentown, I think it could be argued that the New Jersey shows are actually their home shows. Allentown feels like home turf for many corps, but if you look at fans and alums who attend Allentown, the three corps that probably had the best representation in the stands would be Crossmen, Cadets, and BAC. Cadets are no longer in Garfield, Crossmen now hail from Texas, and kids in BAC hail from areas other than greater Boston, but alums of the great Northeast corps including many who no longer exist see Allentown as a huge reunion.

Yes and no. Hotels all but guarantee good night and restful sleep. The corps need every ounce of energy for finals week. A person I attended finals with stayed in a hotel with a corps in 2012. He expected it to be like a frat house and expected to get no sleep. Exactly the opposite. You could hear a pin drop in the place, even after finals. The hotel seems to be part of the plan to hear the corps up for finals.

If Boston had a large retention this year, which is my understanding as well, they began the season with a corps that learned last season what it takes to make finals and knows how easy that can slip away. This season many of these same young people are marching with a corps that could place as high as 5th on Saturday, no lower than 7th barring some crazy penalty. Since the jump will most likely be so high, my thought is they will stay with the corps. Some may move for what they believe will be a sure thing, but Crown did not medal in 2014 and Bloo might not medal this year, so a sure thing is not always so sure.

Overall, this season has been great and I think we're in for a memorable finals week, but with the exception of Mandarins potential to make finals or at least end up 13th, and perhaps Bluecoats not catching Crown since early in the season, it has played out as I expected. Boston Crusaders did not surprise me given the work they have done to strengthen the organization and the quality team they assembled. If you take a good look at what they've been doing off field, the success of this year was bound to happen. I think some surprises are yet to happen. I think you could se movement in Indy. I'm thinking Santa Clara could win one of the nights. I'm thinking a Bluecoats might come from behind and surprise Crown. I think there could be movement with Cavies, BAC, and Cadets. I expect Blue Knights in 8th. Blue Stars, Crossmen, and Phantom could also see movement. While I expect Madison to make finals, I don't think Mandarins are finished yet.

I seem to remember Garfield Cadets being one of the first to use the pit and thought there was a George Zingali comment about it being a good place to hide ugly instruments. I know he made a similar comment pre-pit days when he wrote the drill for 27th and didn't know what to do with marching typanies. So perhaps the reason the pit is ok with GH is because if it wasn't his idea, his corps was one of the first to utilize it.

I'll be in that empty Lucas Oil Stadium. I did not get to see Les Stentors this year since they had a different tour this year. Can't miss this corps with so much heart. Personally, I don't think you get the full effect of DCI in Indy if you are not present for the first corps on Thursday, the last corps on Saturday, and every show in between.

I knew you knew that and I was attempting humor too with Heaven coming down Bernstein being an overage member.

I think it's pretty much a given BAC will earn their highest score in the DCI era this Saturday. I'm also thinking the placement will be 5th. I love Cavies show, but BAC has always loved momentum. We saw it last year in semi's, but I think we forget 2012 and that amazing performance. I'd say people will be throwing babies, but since there is a burning pire at the end, moms and dads should refrain from throwing babies.

Don't you think it might be a bit difficult for Cadets to meet Leonard Bernstein considering he died about 25 years ago. Now if Cadets were able to bring down Heaven and Leonard Bernstein appeared to end their show that would be a feat, but would they be disqualified for marching with an overage member?

The importance of the name depends on the corps and the show and it can vary from year to year. Blue Knights at least for me, has very sublime, often crazy show names and themes, yet I'm often intrigued by what they do. Titles often have more than one meaning. "Accused" or "Guilty" might be a better titles and more accurate (though less intriguing) for BAC's show, but with Chris Isaak's song playing such an important role, the history, along with the way "wicked" is used in the Boston area (we think the show is wicked pissah which means great, in other parts of the country wicked pissah would refer to an evil dog who pees on your rose bushes), "Wicked Games" fits perfectly. However, when I think of championship shows I've loved: Cadets and "Angels and Demons" in 2011, Crown and "E=MC2 in 2013, or BD and "Felliniesque" in 2014, no title or story line was needed. Great music and design said it all.

I do not want to continue hijacking the Men from Madison's thread, and while I do feel Cadets were off a bit and overscored, they placed correctly and they did improve and toned things down that needed toning down. Other comments in an appropriate thread. Madison, keep working at it. You're bringing out the inner tribal beast in all of us!

These Bugles do remind me of drum corps. Though I'm flying this year, in the past I have driven from Massachusetts to Indy, and Bugles are very easy to grab while driving.

I love G Bugles, many of my favorite shows used G bugles, but we need to ask which bugles. in the 1970's you began to see improvements in the bugles. As the bugles began to improve, they were easier to keep in tune and the claim at the time was that part of the challenge was marching and keeping the bugles in tune while achieving volume. Are we talking three valve, two valve, one valve and rotator, or just a rotator? Finally cost. For corps who purchase new instruments each year and sell off their current instruments at the end of the season, this may not be a huge burden, but what about the corps that do not and will have to look at replacing their current brass line. A photography comparison might help. I took up photography when film was still used. Digital was a novelty at best. Film and processing were reasonably priced. My skill was better when I had to get that shot without the possibility of computer enhancements. I only went digital because it was easier to use for publications at a school. Would I love to use film again, yes, but between the price of film and processing, it's about $40 a pop. I also would not know if I captured that one time only moment that is possible with digital, and as anyone who takes photos of drum corps knows, digital is much more convenient than the one, possibly two good shot days of film.

While it's not the guard of Crown past, it has improved a great deal since the beginning often season. To say the brass was amazing is redundant. Waiting for scores. I don't expect major upsets, but you never know.

Posted all my thoughts on BK, BAC, Cavies, and Cadets on the Madison thread by mistake. I can see how people wonder why SCV has not scored ahead of Blue Devils. It is the strongest show I have seen from them in years. I can't imagine being spun on those wheels, but everyone loved it.

Sorry, I did not realize I posted comments about DCI East in this thread. Not trying to hijack, I must have hit the wrong topic.

I love the injection of humor in Cavies show, the "My Way" finale, and swagger. I was surprised to hear bits of "Close Encounters." I thought John Williams never granted rights to his music.

Boston Crusaders just finished. Crowd loved it and for good reason. They sell it well. I love that the vocal soloist can hit such high notes and sing above the brass. For those who accused BAC of hype, the hype is justified!

I will not nitpick Cadets show. Crowd loved it, but to me the choir seemed off and much of the show struck me as a mess. There are additions that help and a few deletions that are changes for the better.

We go from in your face of Madison to the sublime of Blue Knights, what impresses me is the drill and how they keep the colors separate but also blend them so well. Great brass moments too.

Madison just finished, now I want to get back to my tribal roots, kill a buffalo for dinner, and join a drumming circle.