N.E. Brigand Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 (edited) The Facebook page of the Watchmen, who performed in exhibition at Walnut on Sunday, describes the group as a "brass and percussion ensemble". You can watch their show on the DCI Fan Network under the "Spotlight '13 / Viral" tab. They march. They play brass. They have a battery and pit. They don't call themselves a drum corps. Their show was less than seven minutes long. And they include trombones. But what's in a name? And don't lots of corps perform short shows early in the season? And was Boston Crusaders not a drum corps when they used a synthesizer in the 1980s (and got penalized for it)? What do you think: drum corps or not? Edited July 3, 2013 by N.E. Brigand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barifonium Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Officially they're classified as a Soundsport Participant... but it's obvious from their instrumentation that they want to be a drum corps. I consider them a drum corps even if they aren't officially one yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Thunder Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 I keep track of all the junior corps that are active each year, and some, like the Watchmen, combine traditional band instruments with genuine bugles. The Crescent City Cadets of New Orleans and the junior ROTC units in the Chicago area come to mind. They actually call themselves drum and bugle corps, while the Watchmen don't. I guess I would say their instrumentation is 80% drum and bugle corps and 20% marching band, and since they don't officially call themselves a drum and bugle corps yet I wouldn't consider them one right now. If they switched the sousaphone and trombone for bugles they definitely qualify as a corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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