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My first post! I have been a lurker for years and although I stay abreast of the activity through DCP I have to admit the time I enjoy the most is when the season is in full swing. I have paid attention to the GH debacle from the onset. Some on here say they had connections to prisons and correctional facilities. I served for 25 years with the Federal Bureau of Prisons in a variety locations and capacities. At one facility I chaired the Discipline Committee for three years. In another capacity I conducted discipline hearings mostly cleaning up other peoples technical and judgment errors. I would have the inmates Central File which contained the Presentence Investigation and the FBI "Rap Sheet". I can't tell you the number of times I had to suspend my feelings and had to just deal with the matter at hand. What I can tell you is that it is no secret that inmates detest the behavior (allegedly)exhibited by GH. I had a situation occur that involved my daughters. I took a day off after the incident to insure they were OK (divorced myself from the process). I returned to work and stood in the dining room the next day at the noon meal. A good percentage of the population indicated their displeasure and said we are "SORRY". An inmate who was the leader of the group the individual was from caught me off to the side and asked "What do you want done to him". Obviously I told him I couldn't condone any reprisal. The inmate had been transferred across the country. There was no Federal Statute covering the incident and State I was in categorized it as a class three misdemeanor. I agreed with the US Attorney and the FBI Case Agent that it was not worth subjecting my daughters to a trial. I had become a liability and at that time I could no longer chair the committee, that was part of my job description. I was transferred to another location. My life and my families life changed completely and not for the better. I guess what I am saying is that GH (alleged actions) ruined so many peoples lives, in so many ways. We will never fully understand their grief and loss. Terry is right "Sociopathic" behavior at the very least!

So I was looking at pictures of IWU's stadium on their website out of curiosity, and guess who made a cameo on the track behind the new stadium...

My favorite movie is Brassed Off! What other movies would most of us drum corps fans probably enjoy? And please don't say "Drum Line" or I may have to ask them to close the thread lol https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115744/

Anyone who attends finals knows very clearly that Dan Potter says vuvuzelas are not allowed in LOS.

I like that they’re quiet. Too much of their business was put in the street in the past.

Some Items of Note: July 13 is the first date when all 23 World Class corps compete on the same day. The others are July 20, July 27, and August 8. Excluding the impact of Pioneer, there are a total of 35 fewer World Class corps performances in 2019 than 2018. The average number of performances per corps in 2018 was 26; in 2019, it is 24. Boston Crusaders decrease the most from 30 to 25 followed by Crossmen (28 to 24), Genesis (24 to 20), and Spirit of Atlanta (27 to 23). Music City increases the most from 21 to 24. The Cadets will appear in the most shows at 29. Seattle Cascades will appear in the fewest shows at 18. Blue Knights is the final 2019 finalist to debut on June 28. Last year’s medalists will compete head-to-head for the first time July 16 in Broken Arrow, OK. The best June indicator of potential placements will be June 29 when all but three corps are in action (Jersey Surf, Oregon Crusaders, Seattle Cascades). For anyone interested in seeing a grid version of the schedule with total show tallies by corps and date, you can access it here.

http://www2.philly.com/philly/news/drum-corps-george-hopkins-sexual-misconduct-allentown-20181116.html?fbclid=IwAR3miF7kR6Tcpl9q87_aMdNoJOcoUyaXL8r-PrcMkcnxpQMJtiZSUOzWUUI

My kid just returned from his looong weekend that started with flying from Southern Cal to NYC, doing the Macy’s Parade, flying back Friday to SCV A-corps auditions in San Jose which concluded Sunday afternoon, then flying home. His report was positive on “...all three parts of the audition.” THREE parts, I asked? “Yes— music, marching & playing...and dance.” His dad: Time for some Pennsylvania Dutch eggnog...

No ... YEA is doing this so they have enough funds and assets to EXIST.

My radio days in NJ, I would actually volunteer to work on Thanksgiving, doing morning news. A couple of stations where I worked, we would get a comp day for working a major holiday... and the holiday-day schedule was always shorter, and lighter. So I'd work 4-5 morning hours, get a full day off down the line, and still make it home in time for Thanksgiving dinner.

great video of the 2018 Boston Crusaders percussion section appearing at the recent PASIC convention - what a great opportunity for the members (if this has been shared already, apologies!):

Maybe, but it's too far away to tell. That could be any random group of people with big yellow chairs.

I also missed the tongue-in-cheek aspect. Thank you for clearing that up. I hope DCI can focus on more important things than "getting ahead of the story". They need to get ahead of the whole situation - in other words, try to prevent abuse, and prevent the types of dysfunctional systems in which abuse becomes prevalent (i.e. one person controls the corps, BOD does not perform oversight, no P&P in place for harassment, poison pill severance packages). For a more apt analogy, what DCI needs to do is "build a wall". Not a physical wall, but a wall of ethical guidelines that stop predators from entering our activity to begin with. The guidelines currently in place are a start, but we need more specifics to close a few key loopholes. For example: - Instead of merely requiring background checks, spell out what must be done when background checks reveal a record of criminal abuse/harassment. Define which offenses are unacceptable, and provide "border security" by banning new hires with such a record. Define "deportation" policy for suspension/dismissal of current corps admin/staff who commit offenses, either with the corps or elsewhere. - Define policy regarding second chances for past offenders who have completed their sentences, regained suspended teaching licenses, had their records expunged, etc. Preferably, that would mean no second chances - do we want deportees re-entering the activity? But if exceptions are to be made, they should only be for "work that Americans won't do", tasks that have no contact with minors. - Define a minimum size for a BOD (three is not big enough), and a limitation on conflicts of interest between BOD members and corps administration related via family or external business ties. (Maybe not an absolute prohibition, but if the entire BOD sits at your kitchen table every morning, you are not doing it right.) One other thing DCI can do is train corps administrators regarding the whistleblower procedure. There is an understandable concern about misuse of that system. What may seem like "responsible reporting/investigation" to one party may seem like a "witch hunt" to another party. Regardless, the corps director cannot use their authority to interfere with the process (even if their complaint is legitimate), as even the perception of "obstruction of justice" is unacceptable.

"...someone referred to the 1990s as "back in the day. " True story: Several years ago, a young woman approached me at a concert and said, " You don't know me, but you taught my father." Oy Vey! A few feet away, grinning like the proverbial Cheshire Cat, stood George De Old (yes, his real name), Garfield mellophone, class of 1970. And he looked, well, old. I felt like Methuselah's uncle. I hasten to point out that he aged out that year and was but a few months younger than me. Still...Holy FM 22-5, Batman!

Or 2008. The Sally Jesse Raphael show,

How old are these guard members they're looking for? I mean, cologuard? Isn't that like a stool sample test for people 40 and over?

There are some amazingly realistic plastic instruments around today, like this one...

A brief review: Vanguard yes please may I have another ill start listening to everyone else tomorrow

And one of the best-looking uniforms in the history of drum corps!!! Always sharp.

I know where you're coming from. I worked as a volunteer in college at Camp Hill State Prison. There were guys who were very straight up with me who said they were there because they did something massively stupid when they were under the influence of some substance. Any young person who tells me that messing with adult substances, legal or illegal to an uncontrolled extent... I tell them that. There were a couple of cats that were legit psychopathic cases, did some pretty heinous stuff and had no real remorse for what they did other than maybe that they were caught. Some individuals are truly off the rails and beyond human and societal norms. They're scary. It's why learned people study them seriously- and from what I know, they haven't found out a whole terrible lot for all their work so far. It's really unfathomable. Not sure what to tell you encouraging, more if I hung out with you I'd buy you an adult beverage and just hang out and talk about something better in the activity.

I think you mean Harvey Weinstein. To the best of my knowledge, the only thing Michael Feinstein has been accused of is making cheesy recordings of Broadway hits!😊

Wes was the Dean of Drum Corps Announcers. Standing on the starting line as he gave your corps' introduction was an uplifting experience. At that moment, he made you believe you were the most important people on the planet. You were what was happening. The confidence boost was palpable. It takes a special individual to achieve that. Wes Hobby was a Drum Corps giant.

during the ballad maybe - the rest of the show will be FAST

The Cadets hit back...good for them!

I'll share my thoughts on this in 2023.