noahsigs Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 I've been mulling over a decision for quite some time... Is it better to attend DCI Finals, or the Eastern Classic? The chance of a rain-out is something to consider. Attending Finals comes with a sort of pageantry to it, a flair that I've heard Allentown doesn't have. I've heard Allentown isn't the best area either, and although there are less corps, Finals comes with the free Soundsport and Drumline Battles+the thrill of the final score. However, it is considerably more manageable financially, and you get to see a lot more corps! Distance isn't a factor. What are your thoughts? Which is the better experience? I'm relatively new to DCI so I'm still a bit confused about all this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueStarsDad Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 This is just my opinion ... but it depends: Allentown is probably a better "pure"drum corps experience. Its an outdoor, older stadium and you'll see more corps. But for my money, I would pick Indy for the experience. First, if you can go a day earlier, you can see all the same corps as Allentown. Second, there is so much more to do in Indy ... it's a great place to spend a weekend (lots of restaurants and bars, Soundsport and Drumline, the DCI 5K run Saturday morning). Third, the pageantry of finals is something to experience ... plus the energy of the crowd is unbelievable at finals. If you do pick Indy, make sure to get low (100's or 200's) ... much higher and the stadium swallows the sound. Bottom line ... try to experience both at some point in your drum corps experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfrontz Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 For Allentown, I have only two words. Funnel cakes. Certainly you want to attend DCI Finals week at some point. If you cannot make that happen financially, or could but have other ways you could also use your money, DCI East is only one week before, so the corps are in late-season form, and the atmosphere there is terrific too. Don't worry about the neighborhood. You've got thousands of drum corps fans around you. There are plenty of tips out there for where to go/what to do; just start a thread closer to the time or search through the archives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Dixon Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Finals. Not even close imo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noahsigs Posted January 17, 2016 Author Share Posted January 17, 2016 With you guys recommending mostly Finals or Semis, where's the current best shot for good tickets? I know there's other threads for that but I can't find much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Dixon Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 With you guys recommending mostly Finals or Semis, where's the current best shot for good tickets? I know there's other threads for that but I can't find much. Hey - for me it depends on the year and my own personal schedule etc... I often go to Indy for Prelims (seating is ample and it is easy (and cheap) to get good seats) and semifinals - So essentially Thursday & Friday. Saturday morning I fly home. Saturday night I watch it live online the past 2 years. You get to see all the corps, and most twice. You get better seating. It costs a lot less. The performance quality tends to be best on Friday night (corps aiming for positioning or a spot in finals) and frankly the hotel rooms are even cheaper. So I get 80% of the fun for about half the price. For Saturday seats/hotel - it gets expensive if you want quality for either (unless you order at finals the prior year and I never can due to my crazy personal/work schedule). I end up going about 2 out of 3 years. Anyway - that's how I do it. You also asked about Allentown. A few things to realize: 1. the stadium is a large high school stadium with a track so you are seated far back from the corps 2. the surrounding area offers little of substance beyond the normal chain restaurant, motel quality lodgings etc - so "nice vacation" it isn't 3. the top corps are split onto 2 nights - so you go twice, which is fine, but in the summer the odds of rain/tstorms one or both nights is pretty high - and if no tstorms the heat can get miserable 4. parking is tough and it is a long and steep walk to your seats (if that is a concern) Positives: 1. it is less expensive 2. only one week before finals, the corps are very good 3. the crowd is great and the experience has a feel of a "reunion" 4. food, for a high school stadium, is good and cheap 5. the park next door (where corps warm up) is a great place to hang out and picnic / tailgate etc. My bottom line, just one person's perspective, is that Allentown is nice - but finals week is much more of an experience and a "vacation" and you have controlled weather conditions. Indy itself offers a few things to do during the day, nice restaurant and hotel options, and is modestly priced as it is a midwestern convention town (this perspective is from a guy living in DC where things cost much more) Hope that helps! George. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sched88 Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Personally, I like Allentown. I've been to finals in 2009 and although the stadium is great, I was disappointed in the sound quality. We were sitting up higher and it was difficult to hear the corps. I have been going to Allentown since 1999 and have always loved it. The sound is great and I like the small-town feel. I never felt unsafe in Allentown. Plus, Carolina Crown usually practices just a short distance away. You can take your lawn chair or blanket and sit right in front of them and get blasted with that wonderful brass sound! Then, walk back to the stadium where the competition is held. We make an afternoon of it. I must say that I'm partial to small town settings so maybe I'm biased. I also want to go back to Indy and sit lower to see if the sound is better, so maybe I would change my mind about it. Allentown is great for the price and the corps are at the top of their game so if you can't make finals, it's definitely the next best thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craiga Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 I agree with this. After going to Allentown nearly 30 years in a row, I went to Indy last year. I spent 4 or 5 times what I ordinarily would spend, but much of that is a result of my driving my motorhome from Maine. Allentown is a 7 hour ride whereas Indy is a two day (each way) trek. Yes, the pageantry of Finals is unmatched and the sound in the stadium was better than I expected. That said, everything in Lucas Oil is god-awful expensive, and the corps warm up quite a ways away from the stadium in Military Park. I have been doing my annual Allentown pilgrimage since the late 80's. I have never felt unsafe. I love to park the rv down by the duck pond on show day and grill burgers, relax, see old friends and watch the corps as they pull up and literally warm up in front of us. Yes, it is an outdoor venue, but I really don't recall dealing with horrible weather other than when it downpoured on the Glassmen a few years back. The show tix haven't gone up much in price in the last decade, and you do get to see every World Class corps over two nights at the top of their game. I like how DCI posts the location of where each corps will be rehearsing, and we love to visit 1 or 2 each day. I recommend this show highly..and one more word: FUNNELCAKES! I have already ordered my tix to Allentown for this year. Can't wait! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Dixon Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Personally, I like Allentown. I've been to finals in 2009 and although the stadium is great, I was disappointed in the sound quality. We were sitting up higher and it was difficult to hear the corps. I have been going to Allentown since 1999 and have always loved it. The sound is great and I like the small-town feel. I never felt unsafe in Allentown. Plus, Carolina Crown usually practices just a short distance away. You can take your lawn chair or blanket and sit right in front of them and get blasted with that wonderful brass sound! Then, walk back to the stadium where the competition is held. We make an afternoon of it. I must say that I'm partial to small town settings so maybe I'm biased. I also want to go back to Indy and sit lower to see if the sound is better, so maybe I would change my mind about it. Allentown is great for the price and the corps are at the top of their game so if you can't make finals, it's definitely the next best thing. Having posted the "opposite" - let me just add, I totally agree with everything you just said here as well. Allentown is quite special and the small town feel is great. Indy sound is bad up high - but visual is great. Sitting in the middle or lower sections - Indy is really nice 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sched88 Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Having posted the "opposite" - let me just add, I totally agree with everything you just said here as well. Allentown is quite special and the small town feel is great. Indy sound is bad up high - but visual is great. Sitting in the middle or lower sections - Indy is really nice I enjoyed Indy too. We stayed at a hotel close to the stadium and walked there. Also, we were close to the Weber Grill Restaurant which was delicious so there are great things in the city. My disappointment was mainly with the sound. I still prefer outdoor venues over domed stadiums even though there is always the threat of bad weather. But in all the years I've gone to see drum corps, I've never missed a show because of weather. With most of the competitions held on fields with turf, it doesn't matter if it rains beforehand or even during. The only time I attended a show that stopped for bad weather was in Allentown the year it poured when the Glassmen played. However, after the storm passed (about 45 minutes), we came back in the stadium and the Glassmen performed their whole show and the competition continued. Like I said before, I am planning on going back (probably in 2017) and will try to get seats in the lower sections to see if the sound is much better. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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