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Each corps gets its own class. Every corps then is a winner. No one goes home without a gold medal. Self-esteem rises to new and glorious mountaintops of whatever self-esteem rises to. Every marcher receives a patch that declares, "Congratulations, you ARE a winner." Brandt Crocker's voice will go hoarse from continually saying, "In first place, with a score of..." The most esoteric corps shows will be understood by all. The OP receives the Nobel Peace Prize. The United Nations declares the final day of the DCI season to be "International Kum-Ba-Yah Day." Rebecca Black will record "Saturday" and everyone in Lucas Oil Stadium that night will sing, "It's Saturday, it's Saturday, it's Kum-Ba-Yah Saturday." Lions shall lie down with lambs. The meek shall inherit the earth. There will be peace on earth. An archeologist will discover a centuries-lost Mayan calendar that reveals the end of 2012 is the beginning of centuries of universal brotherhood. Everyone who wants a new car will find one sitting in their driveway. Those without driveways will have driveways provided. I'll be able to eat tofu without passing gas. You either get on board the Glory Train or it runs you over at the station.

I was more interested in what Tom Blair had to say about Phantom's show.

The point is that some corps are technically in the same class, but in reality, they're not really in the same class.... not even close. Better to introduce a new class that clusters corps a bit more appropriately in competitive placement. Bottom line, every corps should have a practical reality of being in at least the top 12 of their class (some might not make it some years, but it is a possibility). As it is, there are corps in World Class that will never break into even the top 15.... ever. Given that, there is no point to pair them with corps that are on a higher level.

I've been around corps for a couple of years so take what I say, however you want.... Cadets2 is an awesome idea! I think it is super that they are choosing to compete in DCA. I think the big reason for the negativity toward the corps is that it is being formed by, probably, one of the most successful corps directors in drum corps history. Now I am not always a Cadets fan BUT what George Hopkins has done since taking over the corps is phenomnal. Lets be happy that another corps has been added to DCA, let them rehearse in peace and comment after you've seen them next summer.

It is not an automatic "dividend". But, yes, the corps often expect additional funds if the surplus is large enough. No, I would not say that. The pay that is guaranteed already includes a rather large pool of cash that assumes certain revenue and net income results. These pay assumptions are maxed out based on anticipated revenue. In other words, the "dividends" are paid out before the profits are generated. (This is not my opinion. I've heard it described this way by a corps director.) Beyond the bi*ching: sometimes a small Group of corps (maybe >6 and <8) will talk amongst themselves and one of them might put together a proposal that includes firing 50% of those "underperformers" so that even more money can be freed up to go to the corps. Interesting indeed.

Absolutely. This is the absolute truth, and if we did rank the top 12 corps by administration, infrastructure, and financial viability it would absolutely shock people how different it would look.

Please, let's take care of one thing at a time; gotta finish restructuring the BOD first. Fred O.

Updated: 07/21 The Academy: Left of Spring: Stravinsky Revisited Rite of Spring - Igor Stravinsky Epilogue, from "Spring Awakening" - Duncan Sheik The Song of Purple Summer, from "Spring Awakening" - Duncan Sheik Blue Devils: Cabaret Voltaire Harmonielehre - John Adams Morrison Mania - James Horner The Children's Hour of Dream - Charles Mingus Symphonies: V - Andre Souris Bird and Bella in B Flat - Don Sebesky Gymnopedies - Erik Satie Ballet Mecanique - George Antheil Peppy and George, from "The Artist" - Ludovic Bource Dr. Bones - Steve Perry New Arrival, from "Corpse Bride" - Danny Elfman Tevot - Thomas Ades Rhapsody in Blue - George Gershwin Blue Knights: Avian Infernal Dance, from "The Firebird Suite" - Igor Stravinsky Berceuse, from "The Firebird Suite" - Igor Stravinsky Finale, from "The Firebird Suite" - Igor Stravinsky Blue Stars: The Blue World Fate Has Smiled Upon Us - Marc Streitenfeld A Sea Symphony - Ralph Vaughan Williams New World Symphony - Antonin Dvorak Original Music - Frank Sullivan, Tom Aungst and Neil Larrivee Bluecoats: UnMasqued Masquerade, from "The Phantom of the Opera" - Andrew Llyod Webber Filet, from "La Reve" - Benoit Jutras Flume - Bon Iver Ritual - Doug Thrower and Tom Rarick Love Dance, from "Ka" - Rene Dupere Blue Cathedral - Jennifer Higdon Epiphanies (Fanfares and Chorales) - Ron Nelson Boston Crusaders: The Titans Pines of Rome - Ottorino Respighi Roman Festivals - Ottorino Respighi Symphony No. 10 - Dmitri Shostakovich Evey Reborn - Dario Mariancelli War Dance, from "Belkis, Queen of Sheba" - Ottorno Resphigi Symphony Number 1 - Gustav Mahler The Cadets: 12.25 Carol of the Bells - Mikhail Leontovch Jingle Bells - James Pierpoint Do You Hear What I Hear? - Noel Rogney Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Felix Mendelssohn Carolina Crown: For the Common Good Fanfare for the Common Man - Aaron Copland Dreams - Bertand Moren Cascades: Shinto Kingfishers Catch Fire - John Mackey Panda Po - Hans Zimmer Shogun - Lewis Norfleet The Cavaliers: 15 Minutes of Fame Don Juan - Richard Strauss Dead Elvis - Michael Daugherty Paparazzi - Stefani Germanotta and Rob Fusari Don Giovanni - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Vesti la Giubba - Ruggero Leoncavallo Out Here on My Own - Michael Gore In the Hall of the Mountain King - Edvard Grieg Colts: Boundaries August's Rhapsody, from "August Rush" - Mark Mancina Boundaries - David Nelson Piano Concerto No. 2, Second Movement - Sergei Rachmaninoff All By Myself - Eric Carmen Crossmen: Fragile Earth Song - Michael Jackson Wailers - Bobby McFerrin PD7 - Anoushka Shankar Here Comes the Flood - Peter Gabriel Finding and Believing - Pat Metheny Glassmen: Glassworks Mishima - Phillip Glass Original Music by Key Poulan and Rob Ferguson Ethiopia III - James Horner Symphony No. 3 - Camille Saint-Saens Jersey Surf: Bridgemania In the Stone - Earth, Wind, and Fire Land of Make Believe - Chuck Mangione William Tell Overture - Giaochino Rossini Pure Imagination - Leslie Bricusse Party Rock Anthem - Stefan Gordy Madison Scouts: Reframed Pictures at an Exhibition - Modest Moussorgsky Malaga - Bill Hollman The Way We Were - Marvin Hamlisch Theme from "Ice Castles" - Marvin Hamlisch Malaguena - Ernesto Lecuona Mandarins: Prophecy Music of Key Poulan Pacific Crest: The Spectrum Butterfly Yellow - Lewis Buckley Tarantella Red - Lewis Buckley Yellow - Guy Berryman Blue Sapphire - Roger Cichy End Credits from "Green Latern: First Flight" - Robert Kral True Colors - Billy Steinberg Phantom Regiment: Turandot Popolo Di Pekino!...Indietro, Cani, from "Turandot" - Giacomo Puccini Gira La Cote!...Perche Tarda La Luna?, from "Turandot" - Giacomo Puccini O Mondo, O Mondo...O Tigre, O Tigre!, from "Turandot" - Giacomo Puccini Gravi, Enormi Ed Imponenti, from "Turandot" - Giacomo Puccini Gloria, Gloria, from "Turandot" - Giacomo Puccini Tre Enigmi M'Hai, from "Turandot" - Giacomo Puccini Nessun Dorma, from "Turandot" - Giacomo Puccini Pioneer: Irish Immigrants: The Hands that Built America Symphony 9 "New World" - Antonin Dvorak Recollections of Ireland - Ignaz Mocheles I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen - Traditional I'm Shipping Up to Boston - Dropkick Murphys Santa Clara Vanguard: Music of the Starry Night Jupiter from "The Planets" - Gustav Holst Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine - Eric Whitacre Hymn to a Blue Hour - John Mackey Mars from "The Planets" - Gustav Holst Music of the Night, from "The Phantom of the Opera" - Andrew Lloyd Webber Spirit of Atlanta: Sin City Bullitt - Lalo Schifrin Harvest: Concerto for Trombone - John Mackey Luck Be a Lady, from "Guys and Dolls" - Frank Loesser Poker Face - Stefani Germanotta Music from "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" - John Powell Teal Sound: CircO: Circus for a Modern World Ritual Fire Dance - Manuel de Falla Troopers: This Was the Future Galop, from "Souvenirs" - Samuel Barber Music for Theater - Aaron Copland The Heiress - Aaron Copland

As I recall, from a championship Field Pass recap, the "death of Juliet" had been discussed by the design staff as an option for finals night. I believe it was stated that she could go for it if she felt it..and obviously did.

This has got to be the best finals DVD I've ever seen. I am absolutely in LOVE with Blu-ray now. I've watched Cadets' show over and over and over again. The quality of this video is unreal. You can actually see the sweat on the drum major's face! I wish I was born 10 years later.

Heck, I saw the title and thought it was about SCVs '73,'74,'75 Drumline!

Now this is about the 3rd time we have been through this. Page, after page, after page, of the SAME thngs, over and over. Come on DCP add them all in One and Close this. The One and ONLY answer is: Cadets2 have every Right to start, and do, WHATEVER it wants to do, under DCA Rules. End of Subject. They will be somewhere between: "the greatest thing that has ever happened to DCA - or - just another Corps added to DCA" I am Not, and never have been a Big "Garfield Cadets, Cadets of Beg. Cnty., The Cadets fan. AHHHHHHH, but what a Great History all of that is. A History, MANY Corps, could only Dream of having. Now a new part of that History is to start. Lets move on. Look what Should be a "Stand alone Post" about C2. " about 100 attended,.............seems the guard won't be back till April,.............Battery had what seems like 30 - 40 applicants.............pit about a dozen,.............staff quotes include they want more brass and guard,...............", lost in all that other stufff.

went looking for coins, jewelry, etc with metal detectors on abandoned beaches or some such.

Not necessarily on C1 cuts....because many of them may have flown in to try out. They aren't go into fly in for a DCA corps that is weekends only

Not knowing the answer, I wonder how many of the cuts live local enough to be able to do weekend corps in the Northeast. Also wondering which pull is greater - wanting to do (any form of) Cadets or wanting to do DCI. With the wildcard of anyone who thinks being in C2 would help them make Cadets before the age out. Or would being in another DCI corps be more of a help.... (question without an answer) LOL, bringing back memories of my second year of Drum Corps and not knowing the background of Rochester Phoenix (story got better the more I knew). Also my first year back and seeing "San Francisco, CA" on the screen at Scranton, and then seeing this huge ###ed corps on the field.

Well, I do have to admit that is a good word for what it would be.

We should have a better idea after this weekend's audition in San Jose.

DCI doesn't need any of your help because they are doing just fine as they are.

Second coming of Gail Royer?

I'm not a big fan of just large donations, in the same way that venture capital groups are not a fan of just cutting checks. Money solves problems, but making sure that it is earmarked to solving the right ones at the right time in the right way is what matters. There is a bit more effect to some discussions on this board than you may see. In fact, I think the offline discussions and subsequent ideas that guys working directly with corps come up with that sometimes were sparked from ideas kicked around here is what makes this place valuable. I don't feel I've wasted my time. And... literally.

That's quite an overreach there. I could break it down by asking who pays them the hundreds of millions, and why, until even you admit that they do more than just "watch" the competition. But I think we all realize that market competition is not a spectator sport. Factually incorrect. Now who's speaking emphatically with limited knowledge? We've had lots of mergers in drum corps, and their success rate is no greater than that of the rest of the activity. To put it in terms you'd appreciate....none of the G7 are mergers. In reality, people do watch what's happening in the 15th-21st place level in the drum corps activity. Not any more. Frankly, California is the only place left where enough open-class corps can conveniently congregate and create a substantial contest. The rest of the open-class activity is left with cameo appearances at local shows and occasional head-to-head matchups, as they wait patiently for the two weeks each year when tour brings them together with their peer group. Of course, you render your own contention moot in the next sentence.... Pointless? That is the point of a competitive activity....to have several groups competing. We need more corps, not less. That I even have to respond to this drivel is a waste....but someone has to point out a couple of things. - First of all, VK and Impulse are not "a waste". But don't take my word for it....more kids are marching as a result of these two programs vs. one program. - Impulse and Velvet Knights have different identities, branding developed over a number of years. Funny how when you want two corps merged, you are so quick to repaint those attributes as "personal issues". Should we merge Blue Devils and Vanguard, then? Why have two corps competing for resources so close together? Is that a "waste"? Somehow, I doubt you'll concur. Why should the "personal issues" that distinguish BD from SCV be treated any differently than those of Impulse/VK, or Cascades/Oregon Crusaders?

Great idea! How about Regionalizing and going back to 1st tour/2nd Tour Tour 1 is within the region Break Tour 2 is national Let the corps save money

I was there as well. Honestly I think it was probably the least receptive of any crowd I have ever seen the CA perform for. DCA crowds throw babies whenever they show up. While some in the Foxboro crowd did, others offered a polite clap. That's actually why earlier I said the B'men would have to really strengthen their visual program if they were to get the nod for DCI's exhibition.

2,012 drumcorpsdrummermen.

Continually re-dividing, realigning, restructuring does little to solve an important problem: critical mass. You need a certain critical mass of corps at a somewhat comparable level of competition who are geographically compatible in order to structure any kind of reasonable tour. Touring expenses are already huge and rising. What if your corps is now placed into some new division that causes you to significantly increase your miles traveled just to find other corps in your new division so you can compete?

The problem that we all face (and always have) is that we're engaged in an activity that the average person knows nothing about. Some call us "bands" and others call us crazy. The former being the abolute insult and the latter being abolutely true.

Considering that the corps ARE DCI, I'd say we're accomplishing two things at once.

I saw that too. The #2 M&M had them in 2nd. But check out the Muchachos M&M score 21st by both judges. Looking down the sheet, the vast differences from one judge to the other made drum corps exciting because on any given day any corps could win. In the spirit of excitement here's the Bottle Dance. Oh my gawd I can hear the music in my head and the crowd went wild!!

Guys..."Major league" is a metaphor designed to draw comparisons between MLB baseball and DCI. Without knowing about the MLB, the metaphor makes little sense. There are two implications here: 1) Drum corps is as inherently American as baseball 2) DCI represents the highest level of participation in marching music just as the MLB is the highest level of participation in baseball The metaphor is designed and used to relate the images of the two sports together so as to create a clearer picture of how DCI compares to what most people are familiar with, in this case marching band. It also serves another important function: The necessary implication of DCI being the "Major League" is that all other activities in marching music constitute the Other, in this case, the minor leagues. Not only is a comparison drawn between DCI and the MLB, the necessary implication is that minor league baseball and other marching activities become associated as well. The only reason the metaphor functions is because we understand what Major League Baseball is. It's designed for widespread appeal since more Americans know about the MLB than about DCI. Arguing the minutia of what constitutes "major league" completely ignores the fact that DCI appropriated the motto from Major League Baseball in order to set itself apart from other marching activities. /englishmajor'd

No one could ever accuse you of being close-minded!

Thank you for a real update. :)

Muchachos 1974

Nah. No one talked about that time when Paul Rennick went to SCV. Nothin' on DCP, that's for sure.

Ithaca, NY - 1974 Prelims - Muchachos

Ithaca, NY 1974 - Prelims - Troopers

Again, I absolutely LOVED The Bridgemen... they were legend. For whatever reason, the alumni corps just simply isn't up to the level to be playing at finals... regardless of what they are playing, if it is new or old. Take the emotional aspect out of it for a second and try to view it objectively... somehow it simply just isn't there. This is reality. Apart from that, I'm not really a fan of any alumni corps in general, and was really not all that enthused when there was a push to put together an alumni performance of the corps I was in as a kid for two reasons: 1) There is simply no way it could meet par for the brand established by the organization 2) It distracts resources and attention from the current kids out there I'm sure it would be fun to play a bit... but better to do it under a different name and vehicle (Star United is a good example of how this can be done exactly right).

I don't think you need the Bridgemen Alumni to perform this year. Isn't jersey Surf doing a Bridgemen type show with Bridgemania? Video of Surf's Open House had all members in Bridgemen Yellow playing In the Stone. Looked huge. Didn't sound all that bad either.

Reluctantly agree with the naysayers here. The difference between the Bridgemen and Star Alumni corps: Bridgemen Alumni seem to focus on bringing back the style/panache of their former corps whereas the Star Alumni brought back the substance. Much rather see them arc'd up / wearing t-shirts and hear a better sounding ensemble than to see them in their former uniforms but sounding really bad.

I wore out old betamax tapes as a kid watching the Bridgemen, endlessly. I've seen videos of the alumni corps performances. Anyway, alumni corps are like going to watch a reunion game of the 1976 Harlem Globetrotters. And... once something has been done, what's the point of doing it again? There are loads of new possibilities out there to explore.

STAR ALUMNI WAS VERY CLASY AND WELL DONE. A bit different than the BRIDGEMEN Alumni corps. As for the age of the Bridgemen alumni corps all DCA corps have older membership as well as some young ones and d the BRIDGEMEN. COMPETE. there are not enough DCA corps as it is. GO A CLASS.

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

Following Santa Clara Vanguard's recent auditions in Texas, 28 total brass, percussion and guard were offered spots for the 2012 corps, while 50 were offered call-backs. Santa Clara's next audition camp will be in San Jose, CA on December 2-4.

Surprised it took to page #2

Cleaning off my screen....

This. Some of the most difficult parts of shows I marched were fairly easy on an individual physical level. These were typically things most people would not pick up on unless they were designers or actually performed it. Such a building a form blind. Having a horn line spread 90 yards and making it sound as if they are standing in a tight formation. Choreography that goes beyond putting one foot in front of the other. Dealing with props. If you think that what any corps out there is doing is easy you are ignorant.

Sigh

Glassmen!

Hopefully, they will be less reliant on electronics (unlike last year).

Since our resident "know it all" Daniel is such a knowledgeable and successful entrepreneur he must have literally millions of dollars by now. He's even compared himself to Bill Cook so why not donate some serious cash to DCI instead of wasting his time and ours with these never-ending threads that have zero effect.