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How cool would it be if DCI offered them the Friday night after semis spot? Can't speak for you all but I'd love it

Christmas Eve during the Battle of the Bulge, the Americans, dug in and trying to prevent the Nazis from advancing through the Ardennes, heard the Germans singing Christmas carols from across the open field. Then Santa flew in and instructed his reindeer to poop down the barrels of the German tanks. The next morning, as the Nazis attacked, the poop had hardened and, when the Nazis fired, they blew themselves up. And the Allies won the war. Hey, Angels and Demons Risking Absurdity... It could happen!

I would like to echo what Charlie stated, This is all about teaching and learning life lessons not only to the youth, but to ourselves. This activity is like a REALLY big family. We all need to support each other and make it the best possible season not only for ourselves but everyone that has been involved in the activity and those who have yet to participate.

If you want a quality copy of DCI, junior drum corps for 2011, this is it. There is nothing better. Sorry, it sucks and I feel a little deceived. This is, however, the only copy around....

The "Finals" is on Discovery Channel as I type. 35,000 "Fans" in a farmer's field, watching home made machines toss pumpkins for bragging rights. Partying, lots of beer and BBQ. Brought to you by Canon, Discover, and the Discovery Channel. And DCI can't even find a way to keep PBS, let alone ESPN, happy? Are you kidding me? Those here who think the DCI BOD is doing things OK are right. Just OK describes it well. While corporate America supports chunkin pumpkins during prime time on Thanksgiving night. R - I - G - H - T

They could have black backdrops, and from behind them, shoot lasers up on the black Lucas Oil Stadium curtain to create the effect of snowing, and the could make ice crystals and snowflakes and a snowman in the drill, and also stack their basses to make a snowman, and...... oh wait. Never mind (wondering how many on here will understand the above reference????)

I recall one year, we were so short of bus drivers, our Vibe player doubled as one of our bus drivers. Can you imagine rehearsel all day long, then driving a bus anywhere from 4-8 hours afterwards? I recall being so scared of him having to drive, I would sit next to him keeping him company talking and all, as I remember seeing how tired he looked. And he was 19 at the time. He had the proper license to drive but still, can't imagine a corps being allowed to do this today.

Angels part 2: Demons Revenge: "The Nightmare Befor Christmas!"

Annie Lennox was born on 12..25.1954. Maybe they're doing an Eurythmics show!

Well, you've obviously never heard

w t f

Anyone know why 2011 Cavaliers Semi-Finals is not available? The other corps have semis videos. Copyright?

It would be amazing if they did Emmanuel Variants...

If one doesn't tour...nationally, then one tours...regionally? One might say locally, even?

The Christmas thing is a dodge. It's really a John Cage tribute show.

publicity is all about timing. We've all heard the line " keep them talking, good or bad, as soon as they stop talking we aren't revelant " Like the guy or not, he's a master at keeping people talking and we fall for it every time..lol

i am so marching the sleigh bell line.

Could this be a red herring? On December 25, 1941, Admiral Chester Nimitz arrived in the Pacific to assume command of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Where did he arrive that day? PEARL HARBOR. Coincidence? hehehehehe

Not thrilled at first thought, but know that they have the ability to make anything interesting and DEFINITELY a topic for discussion for the next eight months. Be nice to hear them do Leroy Anderson's Holiday medley or their take on Russian Christmas, though. Could be just a great gag rumor, though....

Eh..... I'm not feeling it, sorry.

Just 2 more days!!!! See you there!

The thing is... homemade machines throwing pumpkins... partying, beer, BBQ... that is something ANYONE can get into. Drum corps, in the current form, simply isn't all that accessible to the general public. There are some things that can be learned from this though... 1) Partying, beer, BBQ There needs to be more of a tailgating type scene.... a much greater fan experience that happens ALL DAY around events. Social networking is a great way for fans to organize all sorts of their own events before the show... parties after the show. Want to make regionals more of a destination? Create things to do for families with kids... where they can dump their kids off somewhere during the day in a safe, trusted and fun environment for the kids... while adults can hang out and socialize... then all get together for the show. There are loads of things that can be done with this... but for this to expand... more things need to happen around the event, not just on the field. 2) Dumb down the lot and pre-show The lot can be something that can be more accessible to anyone. Put up huge screens at major shows.... and show head to head drumming.... screamers... tossing... break dancing... whatever. Make this more freeform.... loose... and something anyone can get into. Charge $5 for non-ticket holders to get into the lot... kids under 12 free. This can draw in a different segment... those that are simply curious. While corps are on the field, put up the shows on a big screen in the lot for those that are just curious... but aren't committed enough to buy a full ticket. These LED trucks or portable LED big screens are pretty cheap to rent... and can be used to promote the event in city centers in the days before the show. Footage to promote the event should be stuff more like the video of hip hop drummers (video produced by BD that was crazy popular), drum offs, screamers, lot stuff... lifestyle stuff... mixed in with actual shows. Anyway, the actual show on the field itself doesn't need to change much... just broaden the appeal of the stuff around it. As for TV... TV is dead.... a completely waste of time and money. You can get better results through other channels at a fraction of the cost.

We lost PBS because the FANS would call in during the pledge drive (when finals were typically broadcast) and then renege on their pledges....that is NOT a DCI BOD issue...that lies with us, the fans. Please stop blaming DCI for something that was not their fault. The ESPN broadcast stopped purely for financial reasons....DCI can afford to produce the product, but buying the airtime ain't cheap. As for showing pumpkin chunkin', you have to remember that the premise is pretty simple...whoever shoots that pumpkin the farthest wins. This is very different from what drum corps do on the field...in an activity that is, frankly, too large to get all the action. Sure, football games take place o the same field, but all the action is concentrated on the ball. In drum corps, it's all over the place...witness Crown 08's closer...there were multiple old-school drill quotes during the 1812 Overture segment...but you had to watch the vid a ton of times to catch 'em all. It's similar to showing fencing to the uninitiated. I can watch a fast foil or sabre bout and see the action...but a noob gets confused right after they start going at each other.

Thanks guys. I will definitely go for PC this summer and no matter where i march im pretty sure ill be happy.

Wanna know what's even better? On Thanksgiving day right now, 2011: 1) I was able to watch DCI Finals on my living room couch about 12 hours after the scores were announced thanks to Fan Network 2) I've been able to watch any number of the bigger (and some small) DCI shows throughout the season this summer starting in June and currently thanks to Fan Network 3) I can watch the high definition audio/video of the Blu-rays of Finals that arrived a few days ago Yeah, I don't miss the PBS broadcast at all this weekend, and I'm pretty satisfied (I dare say thankful...) with what we as drum corps fans have currently compared to what we had almost a decade ago

I guess I'm really a dinosaur because I remember when all of finals were televised LIVE on PBS. In 1979, they wheeled a big TV into the gym at Spirit's housing site in Birmingham, and we watched the beginning of the telecast while we were getting ready to go to Legion Field to perform.

Meh. Did they tour nationally with members from across the world? Or was it way nerdier than today's marching bands. I rest my case.

People are upset that DCI wasn't up front about the edits to Crown and Cavies. We all knew about Madison. But nothing about Crown and Cavies being edited as much as they were. To me, it's not that big of a deal. And it's up to DCI to obtain sync right.... i feel like we have gone over this a million times. It was just bad business not being up front with the edits, WHILE taking the shows down off of FN out of no where. Bad moves. We are paying decent money for these things... I see no problem with people complaining when they weren't up front with what was going to be included on DVD. Kind of when they weren't clear that they were taking off all the judges and commentary.... Luckily, they have been putting out a consistently better product every year, especially now that we have been in the oil can for 3 years. They perfect their set up more and more, and the place is great for recording high quality video. No sun glare, consistent lighting, and they have dealt pretty well with the sound. In fact, I would rather watch the DVD than be there live, because unless to are sitting in a certain small area, it's sub par. (not to say if I had the money I wouldn't go anyway... it's still Finals...)

After reading some posts on here... its very clear to me that the person who started this hated the fact that DCI started in general. He must have been very big on the VFW and American Legion. At least that's what i'm getting from him. The only thing that doesn't make any logical sense to me is that he is reminding us what Don Warren did and what not, which is great because I love history, but lets not forget that he also was one of the founders of DCI. In other words just ignore him. I love DCI too much for him to affect me in any way.

Not really though Posting anonymously is so brave, your my hero

Exactly what are you expecting Mr. Thurston to clear up on this forum? You haven't actually made any real claims other than "the best playing groups don't win", which is a) subjective, and b) apparently not even the opinion of most of the people in this thread. You seem to have some sort of personal beef with WGI, which is exactly why Mr. Thurston suggested that this isn't the forum for this discussion. Perhaps you should clear up exactly what your experience is that has given you the impression that WGI is headed in the wrong direction, as the huge popularity, and increasing number of auditioning members at groups all over the country seem to disagree with you.

I'll be doing my part next November. As for DCI execs, good luck.

Sure. Sometimes the activity (be it sports, band, whatever) passes you by. Sometimes it evolves in a direction you don't like (common in the arts). Sometimes you just get tired. And sometimes you decide to hand it over to the next generation so they can take it to new heights. One thing is for sure...indoor percussion has never been as popular as it is now, both on the local level and at the WGI level.

Actually... would be reduced to zero. There is one concept you might not be grasping... drum corps is decades behind most other arts and entertainment activities and evolves at a snails pace in comparison. It is not the administrators and designers that are pushing this forward, it is the kids... KIDS WANT NEW.... KIDS WANT THEIRS... SOMETHING UNIQUELY THEIR OWN. Kids don't want to do exactly the same thing the generation before them did or to did in the same way. They are drawn to what is NOW. If anything, it is the old guys that are running corps and designing that are actually holding back progress and hanging on to traditions... if the energy, creativity and fresh view of youth could be properly channeled, focused and practically applied... the activity would be doing something radically different. As it is... drum corps only appeals to a microscopic slice of the youth population... it simply doesn't connect with the majority of youth out there. This is too bad, because I believe the experience is unbelievable valuable... infinitely more valuable than any traditions associated with it. So, in that context... if what really matters is providing the valuable life experience to as many youth as possible... shouldn't the activity more rapidly evolve in a way to resonate with and appeal to as many kids out there as possible? Let's just put this into a bit of perspective here... ... that most wouldn't even recognize as even being associated with the Blue Devils at all.... has almost 10,000,000 unique views... ALL over the world... MOSTLY BY YOUTH.This single video has reached more people than the Blue Devils organization has in the entire existence of the organization. As a result, this video has likely inspired more kids around the world to pick up a pair of sticks or learn to play an instrument than all of the rest of the activity of the Blue Devils organization throughout the years combined. Now... as much as I love that organization and as much as I dug the stuff we did back when I was a kid... this shows the real potential of a modified form of the art that has so much more potential to reach youth than in the current form. On the topic... while I dug the first bit of the quirky series of recruiting videos The Cadets made... what if they had used that time, energy, attention, creativity and production value and instead produced short videos like this that engaged ALL youth... recruited kids to participate in music... any sort of music... to simply engage in SOMETHING? Back to the point... if you are complaining about drum corps being dead to you.... complaining that it isn't somehow magically frozen in time... not only is that view entirely unrealistic, it is unbelievably selfish... and a bit sad. One powerful memory I have as a young kid was sitting near the entrance of a grocery store absolutely mesmerized by incredible new Asteroids machine near the door. I was absolutely amazed by it, but didn't have any money. An old guy came out of the check out, seeing me standing there, the look on my face.... dropped a quarter in the machine... told me he had the same look when he was my age and pinball machines came out.... and motioned for me to play. Though he likely didn't care much for Asteroids or even understand it... he understood that feeling and helped me have my turn. A simple, sympathetic generosity that sort of stuck with me. What I'm getting at... it isn't important that you get the current state of the activity or even like it... but it is the current generations turn... so you can either shut up and watch, drop a quarter and see a kid's eyes light up just as yours did or walk out the ####### door. Pick one, please, because I'm more than tired of seeing selfish old geezers keep spoiling kids' turn.

Wow.... Hitler in the first post? You've just divided Godwin's Law by zero. Impressive.

Given that Bob passed away in August, and he WAS Eastern Review/Heritage, I think it's gone for good. He put lots of his time and energy into those publications for nearly 50 years, and those people who would be capable of pulling off such an effort today are few and far between. I'm sure it cost him money out of his own pockets to keep the publication active all these years.

I think Grumpy addressed this just now, but it's the way DCI handled the situation. They could have e-mailed us and let us know beforehand that there would be additional edits. SOMETHING. Instead, we get nary a peep from DCI. Very slimy business tactics if you ask me. Me? I am very upset about the edits. Here's why: Phantom's ending is from semi-finals, which is a much less epic ending and in fact, pretty lame imo. I never liked this ending until finals, and then they edit it out. Are you telling me there wasn't ONE camera that had a frontal shot on Juliet? And if so, so be it. We know she doesn't really "kill" herself, so why edit that back shot out? Those of us who have FN have already gotten used to this shot anyway. I'm even more upset about Crown's edits (or lack thereof.) Why cut the pre-show? That sets the mood for the whole show. I wasn't nearly as upset about this edit, however, as I was about the LACK of an edit. They edited Phantom's ending because (I guess) the effect was ruined due to a poor camera angle, but they don't bother to edit the guitar smash from semi-finals into Crown's ending? WHY? So, we get to see a failed guitar smash, which to me is much more disappointing than seeing the back shot of Juliet "killing" herself. Man, I'm ###### about this. I thought, "Surely they will edit in the good smash from semis since they so heavily edited everyone else's performance." but no. We get the failed attempt. There was absolutely no need to leave this as is. They could have cut to the shot from semis seamlessly, as they did with the Cavies' edit, and the cut back and it would have been epic. Instead, we get a big fail bomb. That guard dude deserves better. We all do. Cavies' edit was jarring, but it didn't bother me that much. It was only jarring because I know the shows so well. It still sucks that they are doing this. I am seriously considering not purchasing finals blurays again because of all of this and mostly because of the way it was handled. Shame on you, DCI.

Not going to list 10 - too tired to think. I'll add a couple: 91 Cadets - Prelude, Fugue and Riffs (Bernstein). If you haven't heard this, go... NOW... and find it. 92 Madison (end of their reprise of the City of Angels show, not fond of the 91 version) 2007 Crown ("Last Race" from Dreamer) 2011 Phantom.... oh thank you, thank you thank you Phantom Regiment!

I'm not sure what qualifies as a dinosaur. I first marched in 1973, so as much as I would like to avoid it, I believe I qualify. I also firmly believe that the comments I am about to make represent a large portion of my generation despite their conflict with other sentiment expressed within this thread. I love watching and listening to drum corps from my era. It was and is kick arse drum corps. But I also have loved the development in DCI over the past 30 years. I can't state the following strong enough; as much as I love corps from my era I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK. Corps today is different for sure but it is also spectacular. Some I don't care for so much, but I could say the same thing in the 70's. But when I like it, I like it a lot. Once in a while I dream I am back in college. Despite the fact that I had some of the best times of my life there, I always feel out of place in those dreams. I can't go back. Different times. The same holds true with drum corps for me. Cherish the past but embrace the future. Bottom line I just wanted to post a different perspective from a qualified dinosaur.

BD Spanish Fantasy in 86...great build to a blow your face off finish.

Oh, that was an amazing corps to be a part of ... What a season!

I was moved by the Cab's tribute to Ralph Silverbrand.

Cadets 07, 08 and 09. BD 03 PR 03, 06, 08 BLOO 10, 11 Scouts 11

Spirit of Atlanta's "Let It Be Me" from the late 70s and 1980.

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD.....since 1972 they are the only corps that has been in the top 12 EVERY year. Who can beat that? That is success.

None. More often than not they retread-type shows don't come close to living up to expectations or past glory. If I wanted to see a classic show from a favorite corps I'd take the ten minutes to watch the show performed on Fan Network. For every Phantom 2008 show that does a great job modernizing and re-imagining a classic, there are several others that fall short of past greatness (SCV 2005 & 1992, Cadets 2009, Cavaliers 1997, etc); I'd MUCH rather corps do fresh show designs than try to recapture past triumphs

1. Star of Indiana 1990..... I have waited for redo of this one for a long, long time...and by a mile in terms of anything else I would like to see redone. If Crown ever decided to go heavy classical and bring it back, or if SCV wanted to do a Shaw arrangment of it.....win. 2. Blue Devils 88......Not so much the music but that style of the way the show was designed and the music was arranged. Big Band Hits. And with that show, a closer that is a ballad...Then close it all out with crowd accessible brass tag ending. I think BD had " that feeling" going this year with the House is not a Home reprise to close. I loved it. It brought some feeling of 88 back for me. 3.Madison Scouts- A show with Rememberance, with a side order of some Don Ellis tunes. 4. Crossmen 1991 ...Not literal, as I would also like to see other tunes from Metheny's "Still Life Talking" added Add "Its Just Talk "and a pre show of the introduction of Minuano (6/8). Keep the drum solo, ballad, and Third Wind. 5. Blue Devils 1993- unleash your horn line. 6. An all Adams show, mixing some familiar tunes from the past (Short Ride, Wild Nights, pieces from Nixon in China) with new ones. 7. Cadets 1990- I like the Idea of some of the tunes from that year and 86 being revisited for the 2009 season....before they went all WSS. I would like for them to revisit that idea again, somewhere down the line. I really liked that idea in a prior post of BK doing Trittico again. With the design team they have now, that would be very entertaining.

Drum Corps Fans Dream part Dos