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Rookie Talent Night...

So recently Madison Scouts have went back to their roots and are creating shows that bring back bits of previous years. Last year Phantom brought back Romeo and Juliet and this year bringing back Nessun Dorma. Is Phantom trying to create the success that Madison has had?

ME GUSTA

no this

Well color this West-Coaster excited! The more top world class drum corps we can get out here the better! It wasn't too long ago that the only Div.1 corps we had to look forward to at every California show was BD and Vanguard. Now with a few Eastern corps visiting every year and the rise of the Western groups (BK, Mandarins, Troop, Pac Crest, Academy), we are being treated to shows with 7 to 8 world class corps with multiple headliners. Can't wait till Stockton!!!

a degree in music education does not make one a good teacher. trust me, I've seen plenty

Maybe we should wait a little longer before we start creating topics about Madison's success. I personally felt their 2011 program was actually a step back from their 2010 show.

Just guessing, but CA probably -has the largest debt of any state and many countries. -the highest incarceration rate of any state and many countries. -gives the most tax payer funded services to illegal immigrants/citizens of any state and the countries the illegals came from.

Hey everyone, Not sure if DCP is really the place to put this kinda thing right now, but I figured I'd give it a shot. My name is Maria Brandone and I'm from Boise, Idaho. Yes, I go to Boise State, and yes, I march on the blue field. (Don't hold it against me!) hah,:) I recently marched the 2011 season in the Front Ensemble at Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps. I am planning on marching until I age out which will be the 2014 season. With camps and auditions right around the corner, I have started a little business to help pay for things such as flights out of Idaho (Which, actually can become very expensive!), camps, audition books and even tuition. Upon returning home from this summer, I found tons of hemp and beads, and began to make bracelets. My stores name is called "InfinityCords" and you can visit it at http://www.etsy.com/shop/InfinityCords?ref=si_shop This store lets me sell my bracelets to many people all over the country. The money I make goes right into my own account which i've been using just for drum corps. To me, this is a lot more fun then just asking random people for money to help pay for summer tuition. Plus, you don't have to be bugged about donating a ton of money, when a bracelet costs just about 5-7 dollars. If you guys have a second, please check out my store! Also, I have been making custom bracelets, such as ones that say "BAC", "HLD", "SPLOOIE", and "BONES" !(: I'd be more than willing to make a bracelet just for you to help out with my summer fees. Just shoot me a message at my store, on here, or on facebook. I'd love to hear from you guys. I love this activity for this reason alone. I add new bracelets almost every day, so you should always check back later on if there is nothing you see that you like. If nothing else, I hope you can spread the word to all of your other friends who may enjoy my bracelets. All you have to do is go to the bottom left and click the Facebook "like" box, and post it on your facebook!:) My goal is for at least one person to be wearing one of my bracelets at every show I perform at this summer!:) Again, I hope that you guys consider helping me out this season as I try to raise money for corps! Thanks again, Maria Brandone Mariabrandone@u.boisestate.edu http://www.etsy.com/shop/InfinityCords?ref=si_shop

High school marching bands have not really taken the place of hundreds of smaller drum corps. It might make some people feel better to say that, but it's not quite true. Here's why... Only the more affluent school systems have functional music programs at all, let alone good marching bands. In an urban area like central Los Angeles, those kids have never even SEEN a good marching band or really know what one is. They don't have the choice of moving their families to a school district with better resources, instruction, etc. There is no opportunity for these hundreds of thousands of kids (millions on a nationwide scale) to learn the life lessons that drum corps or today's better HS bands provide. We're not talking BOA level here, just a decent program. It simply doesn't exist in many places. These are the areas where smaller drum corps used to thrive. Smaller, and sometimes even bigger and quite successful drum corps used to provide opportunity for kids regardless of economic background or geographic districting. If your school didn't have a good band program, you could join the local drum corps. If your most local corps wasn't so great, you could go to the one across town for the cost of a city bus ride. This, very unfortunately, is a thing of the past. How many great corps came out of urban areas? I'll let others list them if they choose, but consider Bayonne Bridgemen, Boston Crusaders, etc. Here's one example of a student caught in the trap. He's a GREAT quad player and one of the most genuine and hardest working people you will ever meet. Given the opportunity, he could make BD's line, but he will never have that chance. His family lives in south central LA and he went to a high school that has one of the worst music programs in the state. The area is plagued with gang violence, poverty and general misery. Even if his family moved within the district (which is huge) better programs simply don't exist with the exception of a few charter schools which have waiting lists years long, and even then he would have to find a way to get to school every day 40+ miles from his home. His only chance to do something better is to go to a local drum corps. But, there isn't one. It's just not going to happen for him. The logistics and expenses make it impossible. High school marching band, like drum corps, is an activity for the well to do. So, if you live in a good neighborhood with a good school district and go to a school with a functional music program, you can have the "drum corps experience." If not, forget it. The corps of days gone by reached out to kids at risk and gave them opportunities they would not have had otherwise. That simply does not exist today, and that's why HS bands have not replaced smaller corps.

I stood on a field at Boston University in 1991 between 10PM and 2AM, and I not only participated, I watched George Zingali create the Cross to Cross in 4 hours, no pencil, no paper. Go back and check out the last 30 seconds of that show.... Put that in your computer... and watch it blow up !!!!!

My question: Why? Fred O.

It's a problem NOW. It has to be DCA's #1 priority to do something about this immediately. If they (the corps, DCA admin, show sponsors, etc.) don't work to build a younger fan base, there won't be a fan base left in a few short years.

Thanks, Keith. I try to stay rad to chill down with da' kiddies. Green?

I am sorry but you are incorrect in your assessment. I know for a fact that they were not allowing other corps to recruit at their shows.

As of October 25 at 2PM, all Audition Packs for the Cadets2 prospective members have been mailed, giving auditionees one month to perfect their exercises and techinique and work to become a part of the very first class EVER of the Corps. Melissa Barlow, Assistant Director of Performing Ensembles said, “We worked overtime to make [...] ... Read the rest of the article here - http://www.drumcorpsplanet.com/2011/10/cadets2-audition-packs-in-the-mail/

You do? I think they will protect their own before letting any foxes into the hen house.

Not hung up as much as trying to convey I don't quite grasp the purpose of it all, at least in its present implementation. I can see it keeping some from stating what they really think in order that they don't get an overall negative rating. I've got a plus rating that is over 1,000, so I'm not going to lose sleep over a few negative reds. But what about someone that is close to zero? Might they be more inclined to not speak their mind because they don't want people to see that their rating is in the dumper? It was an intriguing idea, but it has potential for harm and for stifling honest discussion. I think that's the point I've been trying to make, even if I wasn't making it clearly.

You're way too hung up on the +/- thing.

........I know I am going to break down and cry the first time I hear Nessun Dorma played during the camps or maybe even auditions..... Can't wait to hear what other selections become part of the show and to see if this year's uniforms are as 'theatric' as last year's!

Hey, I love threads like these. Hyper-ventilating homers having at it over whose hype hits home the heaviest. What's not to like? HH

One day beluga whales will climb trees.

Well, both corps have brass, percussion and guards and they often are seen in the same location. Beluga whales don't have those cute circles around their eyes and can't climb trees, possums can't dive to great depths or cross the ocean, and until now, I've never written about both in the same sentence.

I think it's great anyone is going. Now if we could only get finals back out there...

youre right about perception BUT it is what it is. THEY CHOSE to go to DCA , so call it what it is.

I've got a copy.

I played a Yamaha 201 convertible tuba in high school that we bought brand new. I even took it out of the plastic. From the factory I had problems with the second valve. It would stick and feel like it was scraping. I recall using an entire bottle of valve oil in a school year because the valves needed oiled daily and even more than once per 90 minute band class.

Daniel: Gotta luv ya, guy, but you may be thinking too hard lately.

hrothgar always seemed to think so. judges are just fooling themselves if they don't have the same reactions he does to corps, and therefore all people must also have the same reactions to corps. nobody on earth has unique aesthetic responses. we are all mindless automatons, and we must all adhere to the chemical responses our brains produce, and react exactly the same as everybody else or we are just fooling ourselves because our biology has made us all into human computers. we must all comply with this worldview. we must all comply with this worldview.

Back in 87, the Freelancers were a young corps... and I do mean young. Average age of somewhere around 16-17 and only a half dozen vets in the entire corps. We left out on first tour with only half a hornline and probably less than a dozen guard and filled out the corps on the road. Heck, we didn't even start learning drill until Memorial Day! After a few weeks on tour, it was obvious that a lot of the members didn't really know their parts and / or were seriously lacking in performance confidence. So one day, while it was hammering down rain, the staff came up with a brilliant idea. The hornline would be divided equally into 3 separate hornlines as would the battery (minus the bass drums) and the guard. What we would be left with was 3 Freelancers "mini-corps" that would equally share the bass drums and the pit. We were told to go away and come up with a name for our groups consisting of one of the corps official colors, Red, Black and White / Chrome... ours was the 67th Legion of Chrome as we were mired in a spate of scoring 67's. We were then to put together a show consisting of our show music and / or anything we had performed during the winter. We were to design drill and a uniform that could use parts of our uniform but not the whole thing. We were given all day to do this with the "show" being that evening. The judging panel consisted of all of our caption heads, the tour director Tom Hope and I think a bus driver and cook or two. That evening we hosted the first ever Freelancers Mini Corps Championship and what a blast it was! Soprano solos being played on Contras with soprano mouthpieces! Towels being used as kilts! Loud and in your face!! Good fun was had by all! Also, we became a lot closer as a corps that night. People that didn't know their parts learned them really quick for fear of being exposed. Wall flowers had to come out of their shells as there was nowhere to hide in a minicorps in a gym. The 67th won the show by the way and we had our annual ice cream social afterwards. Without a doubt one of my favorite non performance moments ever!!

I completely disagree with the first sentence. In my area, kids of all stripes play in their high school marching bands. Most of the band directors I know around here TRY and get kids of lower socio-economic status to join band, because it gives them something to belong to and be successful at. And no, they're not crappy programs. Are their kids from well-off families? Sure there are. But the vast majority of kids around here are not "well-to-do." Not saying that isn't the case in some areas, but a blanket statement such as that is dangerous and misrepresentative of the facts.

Where did you see that in the post? Asking because I've seen this response from others when I've tried to bring up the differences. And I'm one who doesn't believe the local corps scene will ever return for various reasons (mainly cost).

Spirit-- The "film projector" set with the cymbals mimicking the projector lamp and the "dead body chalk outline" set -- pictures are worth 1000 words! Troopers -- reaffirmed that there are at least two drum corps that aren't afraid to stay put and play really loud for a long time. The Sunburst in the end zone with the traditional flags...Troopers were the only ones to make me get all teary eyed at Allentown. Crown-- the other corps not afraid to play loud. The one corps that made me want to go to Brazil, get some radical plastic surgery and a forged birth certificate, and go march; those kids got to perform a truly fun show.

I wish DCI could come up with something like the Pet Rock. In the first 6 months creator Gary Dahl earned what would be roughly $56M today. This is seriously the sort of out there creative thinking that the activity needs when it comes to revenue generation. My ultimate goal??? 18 top corps participating on a near equal level. Kids participating for free in 36 corps. This will not happen with revenue coming from milking the same cow.

I will concede that you may perceive my recommendations as gibberish. As for simply donating money... I'm more interested to help build a better engine than to just simply fill up a tank. DCP continues to absolutely fascinate me. I don't trouble too much about the negativity, as I understand even the staunchest critic would behave radically different sitting across the table having a beer.

You make a lot of leaps... There is a major difference between acting as producer/organizer/coordinator in a series of events and actually managing and staffing each event. I have stated before, this should be a franchise model... I'm talking much more detailed franchise model than now (like Starbucks breaking things down micro-level aspects of prep and the customer experience). Once again, the largest point of this thread is being completely missed... DCI needs to make money OUTSIDE of anything to do with marching activities. This is the bigger opportunity than consolidation of circuits (that one just makes sense though). This should eventually become a significant portion of revenues. This external revenue (while focusing on improving current revenues and margins) should go to supporting the activity and building up CASH RESERVES.

Are you sure she wasn't looking up towards my perch and expressing her excitement at knowing I was blogging live to a grateful and entranced world? (Hey; we all have our fantasies.)

Just wondering aloud here – but Regtiment 2009 wasn’t just a visual disaster it was also one of their weakest musical books in the past 30 years and 2010 was only a slight step up musically but killer visually (just not fully achieved) In many ways, those shows felt not very Regiment, as if the Regiment leash was relaxed due to the success of 2008 perhaps? I had figured they were a bit California bandy but the horn book of 2009 reeks of an arranger flexing their chops and trying different styles (which was the musical point of that show after all) So who really was responsible for Regiment 2009 as far as design? maybe, working under the Regiment style has been a benefit and once given free reign, short comings will be exposed as they get lost in the woods because I also see SCV 2011’s major flaw as poor design choice with regards to music selection – as it seems as if the entire show was written around the drum line and the selection of Devils Staircase (which would have been fine for a drum solo but not an entire show) Often ‘artists’ need editors, direction and an honest opinion to keep them on track and their head out of their own ### Not saying this is the case here (SCV 2012) but it will be interesting to watch

Both phantoms will be top 6. The one in Rockford and the one in Santa Clara.

But that isn't what Boo asked us to do. He said to name the corps that was most entertaining to us *personally*. That said: Cadets. No question.

I agree with you. I love America, but I hate cauliflower. There...let's see what that does.

there hasnt been negative talk on the corps I think just on the motives maybe. that has nothing to do with competition or who is 1st or 2nd

I really do not see your point considering the average age of DCA corps is already around 22 years old and getting younger each year. With Cadets2 raising the bar with a age cap and expected/anticipated drill demand I expect the average age to drop even more. Especially if Cadets2 sees some success rattling the cages and making a huge impact on the top contenders. This is not your beer drinking senior corps anymore.

I guess I can't wait to see Cadets2 blow everyone away in 2012. Then, read all the positive comments about the corps.Then, be a fly on the wall listening to all the DCA directors of the older corps trying to figure out what and why this happened. 8 to 9 months of reading some peoples negative talk on this corps BEFORE they even compete. LOL

I wouldn't let the whole +/- thing get to you at all. Seems to me it often has nothing to do with the content of your post, and if it does, no idea which part of the post is the generating such a response. Here, watch this... I love DCA, unicorns, rainbows, robots and ice cream. Kittens, I'm not all that fond of.

Okay, according to the red minus, maybe he's not thinking hard enough. I can't tell anymore.

your proposal has XYA running and coordinating the events. for the amount of staff required to run all of these, it will cost. which means the cost goes up from where it is now. which means less money for schools

If you understand them, they are quite relevant. They have received appropriate attention. It started a discussion (outside of this forum, as I intended).

Yes. I am obtuse. Thicker than molasses $10M, by the way, is not huge expenditures for the scope and scale of what DCI does. That amount of spending is not even a Kardashian wedding. DCI has had exactly the same status since 1974. The classifications were different then, but it was never registered as a youth charity in the initial application or anything similar since. The more detailed current classifications came into effect in the mid-90's.