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The Blue Devils 2025 Official DCI Finals Multicam Thanks BD for this official release Today. Love love love the details..

Ah the old "2 to 5 step to get to the bathroom" followed by entering the field like a BD bass drummer on finals night...

An individual corps obtaining synch rights for their show is easier than DCI getting the synch rights for the entire Top 12 for a DVD or any other AV product. This all because of a “favored nations” clause. I’ll explain. For the sake of easy math, let’s say every Top 12 corps uses 5 compositions in their show. That’s a total of 60 synch rights that DCI has to obtain, vs the 5 that an individual corps would have to obtain. Now, let’s say one composer or rights holder wants $.50 per DVD or stream, and another wants $.45, and another wants $.47, and so on. Let’s say 59 of those 60 rights holders ask for between $.45 and $.60 but there is one rights holder (let’s say the Beatles) and they request $2.00 for that one song that was used. The Favored Nations clause stipulates that ALL rights holders get paid the same, and it’s whatever the highest amount is. So now all 60 of those rights holders will get $2.00 instead of the $.45 they had asked for. So you can see how expensive the licensing for DVDs can get for DCI. It becomes cost prohibitive and in a lot of cases in the past where audio has been blocked out, it wasn’t because DCI couldn’t get the synch license, it’s because the financial demands of a single rights holder would make it financially unworkable. This is also a nightmare because there is often a lot of back and forth negotiation. Imagine DCI working with 60 different rights holders and their lawyers? Pretty sure Dante would agree that’s one entire layer of hell! Now, since each corps only has to negotiate with the five rights holders for the songs they used, you can see it’s technically easier to do since you arent dealing with 60 songs. Negotiations and finances are just easier to work through.

I’d be shocked if BAC fell to 4-5. Their talent level is so high that their captions will likely keep them in the medal mix. BAC could win this year again. It’s not probable based on statistics, but they are certainly capable with the right theme and design.

I loled at the full screen disclaimer at Blue Devils. Some interesting takes in the conjecture. Nothing too wild but there's some spicy in there that'll get comments. I could easily see Spirit be the beneficiary of the open spot in finals made by the absence of the Mandarins. But I wouldn't rule out Pac Crest at all, and it could be a good "fight for finals" year. I could see Cavies beating his projection easily. He admits that they're a wild card, and at the same time, he's not wrong about the 'finding the identity they want' still. I'm not sold on the 'year after a championship [unless you're BD]' thing for putting Boston where he does. Boston just seems too strong as an organization and design team. I don't think Boom was 'lightning in a bottle' in the sense they hit a show design that shot them forward as much as it was a culmination of the previous years working on a style foundation that would win. BD frankly, is a wild card for me. If they come out with another small increment evolution of their style, I could see them perhaps missing medals yet again. But they'll be really really hungry. If they come out with something fresh, they could break the activity again. Bloo and SCV make total sense for the front runners. What's fun this year with Bloo going West we're gonna see a LOT of early head to head at the top. And wonder where exactly Boston fits in that for a good while.

Happy New Year! All Eyes on 2026: Blue Devils Reveal the DCI Summer Tour Schedule The Countdown Begins for the 2026 Blue Devils Summer Tour The energy is already building for the 2026 DCI Tour. You can feel it in this photo. The focus. The confidence. The excitement of a new season that is already starting to take shape. The Blue Devils never truly stop. As soon as finals wrapped up last summer, the staff and performers were already looking ahead. This year feels different in the best way. There is a spark in the room during every meeting and gathering of new and returning performers. New members are hungry to learn. Returning performers are stepping back in with pride and a renewed drive to reach even higher. Blue Devils long time staff member Jaime Holly summed it up perfectly: “I am so pumped for the 2026 Blue Devils. We hit the ground running the day after finals last summer and are all excited to get to work with this years Corps. Blue Devils 2026 is already feeling like it’s going to be a special one.” — Jaime Holly The 2026 season is shaping up to be something truly special. The team is experimenting with fresh ideas, pushing creativity, and putting in the kind of detailed work that will make 2026 very special. Every step is purposeful. Every moment together is filled with pride and anticipation for what is coming. The road to the 2026 season starts now. Get ready for a summer filled with power, artistry, and the kind of unforgettable moments that remind us why we love this activity. The Blue Devils are coming. And they are ready.

Clocking it now….a more well-rounded abstract concept that keeps some classical musical elements running through it but branches out musically in some modern pieces. I expect percussion momentum to continue building off last year in terms of contributing to the overall sound. I’m not going to venture a guess on rankings bc that’s so subjective at this point. But I will say bluntly that Crown will not compete for a medal again until they heighten concept and design. Their focus this year has to be on improving that and inching up all non-brass captions.

Thanks for the info. I bet @Hook'emCavies would say 30 tubas is a good start. 👍😁

We were in a hurry to mow down the Eastern corps 🙂

Hey all, Just wanted to say rest in peace to Pep Manning. Who passed away just recently. A fixture at the blue devils. He marched 1979-80 and was their truck driver for many years after. I did not march BD, but he did teach music/vis, and drive the equipment truck at Arcadia high school all 4 years that I was there. I always thought he was the chillest dude. Rest in peace Pep.

Gino posted a pic of yesterday's brass sectional with a massive hornline. Too many to count but I was able to count 30 tubas. And, I am told there were auditionees from EVERY top 12 corps, without exception. Eat 'em up, Boston.

I'll start. In 2011, I was the high school band director of a high school host site. I was hosting the Blue Knights. They were supposed to arrive around midnight-ish. They did not (not their fault... just life). They arrived around 2 am I think. I had fallen asleep. I suddenly woke up around 5 am or something with a start... I ran out to the front and there they were, trying to get ahold of me for hours... I let them in, mortified. They were so gracious and wonderful, but I robbed those kids of a lot of floor time. So upset. If you were in that corps that year, I profusely apologize! English Folk Suite is still one of my favorite drum corps shows... right next to Firebird the next year!!! Thanks BK!

Missed the company front in my first competition, 1986 Troopers. Just 60 horns lined up with me trailing behind.

being a new fan and saying -- "drum corpse" >.<

I agree. I won’t count the Blue Devils out or minimize the potential of Santa Clara for 2026, but as the season developed in 2024 it was not the Blue Devils that Bloo had to beat, it was Boston Crusaders. In 2025 it was not Blue Devils BAC had to beat, it was Bloo. Though it was clear from early on that 2024 would be Bloo’s year, Bloo did not win in 2024 due to BAC’s weaknesses, and BAC did not win in 2025 due to Bloo’s flaws. Both were formidable opponents and a rivalry has developed, and from what I see a healthy one.

I may have rushed my look back as I had a short break in my middle school substitute schedule but a quick view of where previous winners placed on a following year (excluding BD following themselves) I had 8 times 1 dropped to 2 5 times 1 dropped to 3 3 times 1 dropped to 5 2 times 1 dropped to 4 0 times 1 dropped to 6, 7, or 8 1 time 1 dropped to 9 The time period I looked at was from 1999 thru 2025. Looking back over the past 25 years seems an adequate sampling, to dispel the notion that previous winners will fall to 5th in a following season. There is more likelihood they go to 2nd. The drop to 9th is definitely an aberration. Disregarding that drop, the average is a drop to 3rd. Check my math. It was during a short free period that I looked at Finals scores. Just a funliner exercise.

whoever scores highest wins

That's pretty cool. I wonder how many championships BD won back in the Roman times.

I just pulled up the itinerary for the 2017 Academy. These are all consecutive days. 7/2 - Riverside, CA to Mesa, AZ 351 miles. This was the night of Phantom's accident. Show day 7/3 - Mesa, AZ to Rio Rancho, NM 423 miles. Show day 7/4 - Rio Rancho to Chickasa, OK 547 miles. Rehearsal 7/5 - Chickasa to Columbia, MO 514 miles. Show 7/6 - Columbia to Woodstock, IL 410 miles. Rehearsal 7/7 - Rockford, IL to Minneapolis 345 miles. Show 7/8 show in Minneapolis 2590 miles not counting travel from housing to show sites. That was crazy

Rookie talent really needs to be a thing of the past. I did not enjoy my rookie talent experience either and saw some really depraved stuff as I’m sure many of you have as well. Really hope all corps have axed this weird hazing tradition.

I predict: By 2029, Box5 will be referred to in the past tense.

And most of the Flo issues are greatly exaggerated anyway. Is it perfect? No. But if you’re using one of the dedicated apps, and not a web browser, the experience is usually stable.

Funliner on youtube did a breakdown on how Box5 charges for use of clips. interesting watch.

Enjoying this new tradition. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Spotify, Schmotify. (Is that how you’d spell it?) This past Spring, The New York Times spent a full ten days unreeling the top movies of the 21st century — at the quarter mark — as chosen by actors and directors, first; then by readers. Prompted me to do the same thing for drum corps shows. My list of 25 is in this thread. But then, while acknowledging my seventy-first birthday, I realized that I saw my first drum corps show, on film, in 1971. Could I do the same thing for my drum corps history? Seventy-one at 71? What criteria would I use? The Times writer worried her list of movies: “I struggled to determine how I would rank a movie as one of “the best.” Was it one that left me astonished when I saw it? One that stayed with me long after watching? Or should I choose films that somehow felt important in the history of cinema? And what does “important” mean anyway?” Exactly. But having never been one to shy away from an opinion, or a choice, I knew that my list would simply be the drum corps shows of my life that stay with me, and that I continue to search out, to watch. What is “best” to me, will be completely different from a young person who found, or performed in, drum corps less than a decade ago. So I’m now officially in the online category of “dinosaur.” Which I don’t get. At all. Sure, I love the movie “Birth of a Nation,” but so do I love Santa Clara’s glorious “Babylon.” Same for “West Side Story,” stage and screen and the rather exhausting list of drum corps variations. “Western Side Story,” anyone? The Troopers finalist spot grabbing take. So maybe the reason I’m unreeling this here, now, is to inspire questions and conversations and arguments about what makes something good. Or at least your list of favorites over your drum corps years. Appropriating the Times writer again, “I love the way a big list forces me to question and define my tastes, to consider what I like and don’t and why, to sharpen my critical takes.” But the best part? Prompting memories of my drum corps decades. I remember the very first drum corps I saw live, who I was with, and how the 1973 Des Plaines Vanguard made me feel. I remember the first show that made me cry: the soft ending from “The Tender Land” by Santa Clara in 1984. My first loves: the 1968 Troopers performing at a Denver Broncos halftime via a 16mm film that my high school band director had secured, and wanted us to emulate. And then the 1973 Anaheim Kingsmen at the first live contest I attended — Lexington, Kentucky’s Bluegrass Nationals — and how I was incensed when they didn’t win! Clint Eastwood’s late eighties bio pic of jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker, “Bird” and Crossmen’s early two-thousands “Lake Night Jazz.”Does my pleasure date me, or age me, like a fine wine? Since this pivotal birthday, I have reminisced, all right. So many shows, so many corps, and lists that led to other lists, and then to shorter lists, longer lists, ending with the list that follows: 71@71. Some stats about my process. The initial sweep of my 54 years a fan, garnered 141 shows. (Side note: for the dozen years I led DCI’s PR office at Championships, I would see over 200 shows a season!) Now that I have parsed it down to 71, note that winners dominate the list, with 20. Places 2,3,5, and 7 round out the top five finishes. The list includes 21st place and one Open Class Champion. The early decades lead the list: the oh-my-gosh freshman loves, and then the shows that resonated, once I got my critical feet under me. Discernment got serious, after that. It wasn’t just marching on a football field; for me, drum corps had became a valued art form. I might suggest that the shows from the last four decades that you will see below, are the distillation of what I absolutely look for in ultimate pleasure. As for the corps themselves, there are ten multiple mentions, and 18 singles; including a few one hit wonders! For the earlier years, before shows had titles, I have included a piece of music that, for me, defines the show. The top third are not only rated among the 71, but ranked, as well. Which means after that, any preferential grouping of five can be in flux. The first and last can likely be flipped. Numbers thirty-five and thirty-seven can swap places, for example. All to say, if you and I were together with VHS tapes, DVDs, and streaming, and you said, “Hey David, let’s watch ______,” I’d absolutely want to! Which leads me online, at this moment, to find the 1990 Star of Indiana feast, called Belshazzar! And the 1973 Commodores; they were Popeye, the Sailor Man My first love, via film; 1968 Troopers, at a Denver Broncos Halftime. Still streaming today. 2024 Bluecoats, “Change is Everything” 1986 Blue Devils, Channel One Suite 1975 Santa Clara Vanguard, Fiddler on the Roof 1990 The Cadets, “A Bernstein Celebration” 2019 Santa Clara Vanguard, “Babylon” 1988 Madison Scouts, Malagueña 1996 Phantom Regiment, “Defiant Heart” 1993 Star of Indiana. “The Music of Barber and Bartok” 1974 Anaheim Kingsmen, Firebird Suite 1985 Suncoast Sound, “Florida Suite” 1984 Blue Devils, Bacchanalia 1989 Santa Clara Vanguard, “Phantom of the Opera” 1982 The Cadets, Rocky Point Holiday, Cuban Overture 1980 Bridgemen, Big Noise from Winnetka, and yeah, The War Between the States” 1985 Phantom Regiment, “Symphonie Fantastique” 2008 Phantom Regiment, “Spartacus” 1991 Star of Indiana, “Roman Festivals” 2000 The Cavaliers, “Niagara Falls” 1979 Guardsmen, Fanfare for the New 2019 Blue Knights, “I Remember Everything” 2014 Blue Devils, “Felliniesque” 1979 Spirit of Atlanta, Georgia on My Mind 1995 The Cavaliers, “The Planets” 1984 The Cadets, “West Side Story” 2019 The Cavaliers, “Wrong Side of the Tracks” 1973 Santa Clara Vanguard, Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra 1980 27th Lancers, Danny Boy 2011 Blue Devils, “The Beat My Heart Skipped” 1990 Star of Indiana, “Belshazzar’s Feast” 1983 The Cadets, Bernstein’s Mass 2016 Bluecoats, “Down Side Up” 1976 Blue Devils, Channel One Suite 1985 Santa Clara Vanguard, Festive Overture 1981 Phantom Regiment, “Spartacus” 1992 Madison Scouts, “City of Angels” 1988 Blue Devils, Happy Days are Here Again 2006 Carolina Crown, “in-Trance-It” 1980 Santa Clara Vanguard, Evita 1977 Phantom Regiment, Ninth Symphony (Joy) 2015 Bluecoats, “Kinetic Noise” 2002 The Cavaliers, “Frameworks” 1985 The Cadets, Jeremiah Symphony 1975 Madison Scouts, Slaughter on Tenth Avenue 2019 Blue Devils, “Ghostlight” 2005 Phantom Regiment, “Rhapsody” 1984 Spirit of Atlanta, “Porgy and Bess” 1992 Santa Clara Vanguard, “Fiddler on the Roof” 2001 Glassmen, “IMAGO” 2018 Vanguard Cadets, “Off the Wall” 1976 Madison Scouts, Stars and Stripes Forever 1984 Madison Scouts, Ballet in Brass 1973 Anaheim Kingsmen, Ritual Fire Dance 1979 Troopers, Variations on a Scene 2023 The Cadets, “Atlas Rising” 1983 Santa Clara Vanguard, The Red Pony 2022 Colts, “The Silk Road” 2019 Pacific Crest, “Everglow” 1986 Sky Ryders “Wizard of Oz” 2011 Madison Scouts, “New York Morning” 2001 Crossmen, “Late Night Jazz” 1988 Dutch Boy, “Salute to Sinatra” 2004 Capital Regiment, “Celebration of Life: Mind, Body and Spirit” 1972 Argonne Rebels, Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite 1994 Blue Knights, “Tritico for Brass Band” 1987 Florida Wave, Tito 1973 Commodores, Rainy Days and Mondays 1986 Eclipses, Parisian Suite 1973 Des Plaines Vanguard, Planets 2000 Southwind, Suite for Band 1980 Royal Brigade, NBC Chime’s Festival Bouquets and Brickbats, all welcome. Questions, too. THAT ONE? Really? Did you forget about __________? (Might be on the original list of 141.) P.S. You feel cheated out of one more show, because my list starts with a 16mm film (today’s streaming)? Sure you do. Add this one, then: 1974 Purple Lancers, Divergents (In the culled final 70, there are still a few winners, and a slew of medalists, as well as gems from Charioteers, Genesco Knights, Jersey Surf, Pioneer, Spartans, Marauders, Memphis Blues Brass Band, Oakland Crusaders, and The Academy.) HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASONS TO DRUM CORPS FANS, ALL

I recall the February camp in 1994 in which we had six or seven horns, none of them low brass. How (thankfully!) times have changed.

The Blue Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps is a corps starting up that will be run with the local tour style. Keeping it local keeps the costs down as we want members to pay as little as possible. All member fees will be less than $100. Check out our website for more details! https://bluecadets.org

He is in the hall of fame…search YouTube for his acceptance speech. It’s pretty cool and funny. Well deserved for sure.

Ouch. We'd call that a "Marching and Maneuvering solo."

Both of those years felt like a flip-of-the-coin who would win, both Finals close spreads between 1 & 2. This is exciting for the activity, with neither being the 'dominant' corps running over everyone else, but still being the front runners displaying design style and setting the pace execution-wise. Fun times for fans!

The Boston Crusaders and the Bluecoats are the two "it" corps currently. I could see them holding onto the top two spots with the Blue Devils and Vanguard placing 3rd and 4th.

Guess the Purdue drummer was planning to make some 'boilermakers'? (See it, see it?) "Thank you & don't forget to tip your servers." (I'll see myself out...)

College band (Purdue) did a Canadian trip. On way back, at border, Gendarmerie realized that one of the snare drums weighed much more than the others. Drummer had put many bottles of Canadian whiskey in drum. He wasn’t in band any more after that.

It's funny. I had completely forgotten (until just now), about the mini controversy last Spring about Boston's Concert in the Park repertoire. As had been discussed, it featured essentially encore tunes for the contributors but no show music. However, the event two days later at Salem State College did feature the show music. You guys all know what kind of BAC supporter I have been...for decades. But for the record, after going to the CIP in downtown Boston once many years ago, I have never been since. It is a horrible venue for spectators surrounded by massive sky scrapers, commuter traffic, sirens etc. It does raise between $600,000 - $800,000 in that setting so clearly Inspire management knows what they're doing. It's just not my thing. Speaking for many alumni whom I am in constant contact with, the season seemed to end up just fine. 😀

I dunno why my brain keeps forgetting this is gonna happen this year but every time I see a reminder my brain goes, "EEEEEEEEEE! It's gonna happen!" and I flood with dopamine.

For me it started when we learned what music we’d be playing in Regiment’s Alumni Corps. I’m beyond hyped at the chance to play that stuff in front of an Indy crowd. It’s going to be so much fun.

I feel like if we're being honest, the fact that DCI and most of its member corps continue to exist post-COVID feels like a minor miracle; the fact that we've had 50 years of DCI feels like a substantial miracle. A lot of the problems you mention above are not brand new to 2026, or 2020, or 2010, or even 2000 but DCI and most have still found ways to sustain, one way or another. It's hard to run a business, and my mom who spent a large part of her career in business banking working with businesses both large and small (and even a drum corps for a short time) will tell you that most businesses fail sooner than later; roughly 50% of businesses fail by year 5, with only about 35% of businesses surviving past the 10th year! Corps like Madison Scouts, Cavaliers, SCV and all of the others that have been around over 50 years seems incredible in that regard

Yeah. They’re still in callback camps right now. Winter and spring camps are when we’ll get the “they’re miles ahead of where they were at this point last year and poised to move way up” from….everyone.

instructional staff being on those busses opens up other cans of worms.

Yeah, that was rhetorical on my part. This practice is idiotic no matter the form it take or who is supervising. As if supervision somehow makes it less stupid in the first place. If this kind of practice is a standard at any corps I'm happy to see that corps die.

Ouroboros was fantastic. The ballad was like a dreamscape of sound and visual.

Went to a large holiday gathering with extended family yesterday. One of the people in attendance is a second generation director at large multi-location funeral home. At some point in conversation, someone asked him how the business has evolved since his dad was director. A lot of different points were covered, but he talked about how services today are far more celebratory in nature with multimedia presentations and contemporary music. Took an interesting twist in relation to this topic when he talked about the relatively new practice of recording/streaming services, which really took off during the pandemic. Turns out a big topic in the industry since 2020 is how to legally navigate recording/streaming of services that feature copyrighted music. For decades they had secured blanket licensing that allowed them to play pretty much any songs/artists during services that they conducted. Once they started streaming those services, it quickly came to light that they needed additional licensing to prevent those streams from being taken down. We didn't dive too deep into the topic, but it sounded like they were eventually able to secure licensing to legally livestream of the services, but any recordings that are made available after the fact (online, DVD, etc...) they have to mute/replace copyright protected music to avoid potential legal issues down the road. Sounded very similar to what the marching arts activity is facing, and just underscores the fact that the whole copyright/licensing issue is a much larger mountain to climb.

While on tour, I walked into the women’s locker room to void but there were no urinals. I found it kind of odd & that’s when it hit me. Thankfully I was the only one in the wrong locker room. I was able to exit without anyone seeing me. 👍😬😂

You're a middle school substitute teacher? "Bless your heart." 🙏 Thoughts & prayers. 😄 Salute!

I’m with you on all these. I think Bloo and SCV are likely the pre-season front runners because Bloo seems to have found their stride and going to have a series of impactful runs for the foreseeable future. SCV bc they were surging last season and they’ve got a history of knowing how to win; they were dangerous at end of last season. And BAC is stacked with talent and will be competitive….we just don’t know how much the Keith exit impacts the design team overall. They could be so flush with staff talent that it doesn’t matter, and I’m sure there was a pipeline of concepts bc from what I heard they had Boom in the works for at least a couple seasons prior. For me, those 3 are the most likely top contenders. BD and Crown are rebuilding and need to find new winning formulas. I’m not bullish that’ll happen in one season, but I do think we will start to see new designs and formulas from them this year (who knows if it’ll be successful….but this is the time to experiment). PR and Cavies are wildcards. They could go any which way depending on show design.

Like rookie talent night with a safe word…

Politically, Kansas City as a city is shared between Kansas and Missouri. However, tax dollars for the new stadium come entirely from the state of Kansas. Therefore… As far as the new Nissan stadium, I’ve many times proposed Nashville as a Regional and with the new park that will surround the new stadium, it solves the warm-up area issues that exist for the current stadium. Frankly I think the finals should rotate between Indy and Nashville.

Heard very good things about last weekends SoCal camp. Brass is very returning vet heavy and most of the line has been contracted. A few spots left to fill next month. Looking for that brass line to come out swinging early!

He would be better off getting into fisticuffs with Lucas Oil Stadium parking lot security.