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Gotta love the early winter camps. Friday night seeing the vets all proudly wearing their corps jackets and reuniting for the first time since August. And the wide-eyed rookies who can't believe they're getting to play with THE Phantom Regiment or THE Carolina Crown hoping that they will be one of the lucky ones getting to put on the superman suit in June. Love it!

Pride in a corps means a lot. Hope in a corps' future means a lot. The excitement of witnessing a productive camp means a lot. The eagerness of wanting to share one's pride and hope with others means a lot. Putting down others because they're excited for their corps is what means nothing. Tis the season to be jolly.

A bit of drum corps trivia about that sop/trumpet soloist....Eight or nine years ago when he was just starting out on trumpet in middle school, he took private lessons from Joel Schultz, who was Spirit of Atlanta's original "Georgia" soloist in 1979. Guess he must have learned a thing or two from Joel. Best $50 a week we ever spent.

Pretty sure they started this theme when they Borrowed an Old, Blue horn staff.

Making newbies or freshmen were different colored shirts, or dress in silly ways is good-natured hazing, but this stuff is absolutely ridiculous. I don't necessarily advocate for shutting down the band program, but a complete overhaul of actions, and better oversight of the members and their actions is definitely needed.

What I liked about that sopranotrumpet solo was that it was not full of pyrotechnics and bombast. It was just well played with a lot of soul.

Am I the only one that wished Spirit would actually march 120 horns? That sound was HUGE! I was just commenting on the video a few minutes ago that their hornline sounds a lot like the legendary Spirit hornlines of the early to mid 80s. It's kind of annoying to see them hover in that "barely making finals" bracket every year, I'd like to see them break through one of these years, maybe this will be the one.

I think it's phenomenal what Spirit has got going down there in the Southeast. A Top 12 finish last year and now and explosion of talented young people turning out at their audition camp. You all should be congratulated by us and also excited by the prospect of many fine new members coming on board for the 2012 season to join those returning veterans to the corps. Congratulations!

This isn't "hazing"... This is pure and simple aggravated assault and battery.

I remember my first camp (having that WIDE-EYED feeling), and almost running out of gas on the way, and realizing that there was not a BP station north of Roanoke on I81 (I had a BP credit card, but no other credit cards, check book, or debit cards to my name, or cash on me). I had to beg for money at a gas station just to have enough to get me to my destination (650 miles one way). But, being that drum corps is truly a family, several of the parents got together and gave me enough money to pay for gas on the way back. I tried to pay them back at the next camp, but they refused. That story is one that I will tell my son one day (son, there was this time when daddy was really excited about auditioning for drum corps, and was a complete idiot, and got bailed out by some fantastic people)!!!

The corps did play ESOM at our camp this weekend as part of our rehearsal music. We also played Brian's Song and scales and exercises. I don't know what we're going to play for our encore pieces as we often don't even decide that until late in the spring. I'm thinking some of the slur exercises might be the best choice. I was just surprised by the word "fact" and was wondering if somebody failed to get me the memo. P.S. - we do have our show selected and I'm thinking on making the announcement on 12.25

Really....a fact. And your source is?

True, it does sometimes mean nothing. But then again, sometimes it means a great deal. Go pee in someone else's Cheerios, okay?

I would like to offer the following clip from the Minnesota Brass. This clip was taken directly from the DVD, both audio and video. This is the video (minus the compression for the internet) you will receive. In honor of our shipping of this product we are starting our pre-Christmas, finally shipping, holiday sale!!! Order within the next 36 hours and get $20 off any DCA DVD product in our store. Individual DVD products are on sale for $10 off. This sale includes our newly released Finals BluRay DVD. Also, if you ordered an individual corps bluray you can call us and upgrade your order to the full finals bluray for the difference between the 2 products. The Finals Bluray DOES NOT include awards due to disc space on the bluray. Order now and take advantage of our exciting sale. And to make it a little sweeter, the next 50 people to order get free shipping with our shipping code DCADVDSNOW Thanks for all your support and we look forward to getting your feedback on our product. Tim http://player.vimeo.com/video/33570562

Old... New.. Borrowed... Blue... Something that has SCV written all over them? I've always wanted to hear SCV play something from the Planets, seems like it'd be perfect. And hey! Cavaliers played planets, so maybe that's what it means by borrowed. That's all I can think of so far.

Yeah, ice-cold so far. I don't know about that. I think all of the selections have SCV written all over them.

So, instead of throwing babies, they want us to throw....rice?

Only if you could quickly and succinctly make a 150 to 175-person touring ensemble have a personality and a story. Mike

Based on the responses, y'all are going to be really surprised, methinks.

It has to be a zero tolerance approach if it's gotten to that level. Anyone involved in hazing of any kind is out of the program forever, and absolute protection for whistle blowers.

It's gonna be great. Very different from the last two years, for sure.

Yeah. I mean, remember all those idiots who were so geeked about Phantom's "Spartacus" show before the 2008 season? The way they were talking in December and January about how it could be one of the greatest shows of all time. Morons.

I think he heard it from the Corps Director.

I commented on this status last night on facebook: Old: Fiddler New: Tempered Steel Borrowed: Gavorkna Fanfare (from cavaliers first title in 1992) Blue: Blue Shades (could also go under "Old" as well)

That could have happened in a number of the Boston neighborhoods in 1977. I’d be willing to bet that today, that same neighborhood is integrated, and the residents speak against intolerance and praise diversity. Fortunately times do change!

Being 1500 miles away IS my pardon... Heh.. Happy Birthday, honey!

NICE!

Yes.

I disagree. It might not mean a lot come summer when competition starts, but this kind of excitement in the winter generates interest in the corps. More potential members, more volunteers, more financial support, etc. If you know half the people at the first camp will not make the corps, you might see kids giving a little more effort between camps so that they are not left behind. This kind of winter excitement is very important.

We will have over 1 minute of the 2012 show music for the brass line. Come join us and check out brass arranger Michael Martin's "Opening Statement" that blends a multitude of ideas into a fanfare that will give everyone a new twist on "Royalty". Hope to see lots of old and new faces there this weekend! AA

There are no " cynics " here on this thread.( well, maybe Jerseyboy ). This is a " hype " thread. We've had offseason hype since the dawn of Drum Corps my friend. It is nothing new, nor is it unwanted, nor unappreciated. We love " hype ". I simply stated that its " hype season ". Only a " cynic " would read any more into the fact that this is " hype season " and this was a" hype " for a Drum Corps. Consider this like a football offsesason thread,( for example Notre Dame ) where we read that the college just landed a 5 star football recruit, and their "football recruiting is the best in years". It usually has little correlation to what happens later on the field ( as ND knows full well these days ), but nonetheless it makes fans feel very good when the dreary winter comes, and they receive the good news on off season recruiting. Its understandable, and the offseason " hype " is always...ALWAYS... appreciated. As for Spirit, they were not hyped last offseason, and as a result few people were predicting them in the top 12... but despite any " hype " they surprised most people by making Finals, and almost catching Blue Stars by Finals Nite itself. Just sayin'

This is a big deal seeing that in 09, I observed their audition camp with roughly 30-45 brass players there.

Great moment for me as a parent, but equally great moment for me as a corps alum who has been involved in the corps for 35 years. Been waiting a long time for some really good things to happen again for Spirit, and now they're happening in spades.

You have at least two corps on your list that have already announced they are not returning in 2012.

Oh God, please let that be their 2012 opener!!!

I don't think that you'll find too many people on DCP who would claim that BD does not have an outstanding orginization because they have the record to prove otherwise. They have been absolutely remarkable over the years. If that's what you want to shoot for then nobody can stop you but yourself, however if you're happy where you are then I would think twice about it. If there's one thing that Drum Corps has taught me it's that winning is like kissing your sister on Christmas Eve - it's nice but it's no big deal.

Shouldn't it be the other way around? Isn't is the responsibility of the corps to create the type of experience kids see as an ultimate, rather than transitional experience? I don't understand the whole idea of kids being disingenuous or not committed if they are looking at the experience as transitional. If a kid goes to a community college, works like mad to gain the knowledge and experience necessary in order to transfer to his ultimate choice of university, is he consider as being disingenuous or uncommitted to the community college? Again, it is 100% on the corps to create an experience that kids wouldn't think of leaving, not the other way around.

well.....that's rehearsal time as far as they are considered, and on the DCA timeline, every extra second of rehearsal can help. I see both sides of the coin, and agree with parts of each.

I commented on the age stereotype issue over in the Cadets 2 thread when I sensed that some comments were negative regarding over 40's marching competitively. I may have overreacted to some of the statements, but I felt it important to comment because stereotypes affect us all. The youth in the activity don't have the advantage of ever being old to have a balanced perspective regarding the issue. So negative stereotypes about age can have an impact on the status of older members in the minds of the younger ones. Similarly, negative stereotypes can affect the decisions of those being stereotyped because they will feel that they are out of place if they defy the stereotype. What if Curt Hawkins didn't march when he was 46 because he felt that others would think he was too old and out of place? What if Frank Ponzo decided he shouldn't return to competing corps because he is in his 40's? We would have been denied listening to two of the best horn players to ever march in DCA. There are more examples. I am 63, quite healthy and still marching. I think the youth and the middle aged among us need to hear and see that advancing age is not a sentence. We aren't set on a path of destiny defined by age. We do have free will and the ability to control our lives to some extent. I try to never loose sight of the reality of who and what I am, but I'll be ###### if I let others define that for me through stereotyping. Ok, sorry for venting, but .... never mind, I'll stop there. Doc Cabs '03-present lead trumpet and a few other corps in the 60's

Seattle Cascades and Oregon Crusaders.... The Sound

you and i agree on SOME points. And we don't on others. That's what your missing. see the post above this for further proof

hmm. just looked at the percussion sheet. nope, nothing about stick heights. I do see discussion of musicality and technique. See you can do all the visual in the world, but if they arent clean visually and the music attached to them isn't clean well......you're not gonna get a good number. Imagine that. Even recently heard on a tape "if that visual is going to keep affecting the hands, well, you may want to drop the visual". finals weekend person too. gotta love it

hmm. I just looked at the DCA recaps from finals. what do you know. 40% music, 40% visual, 10% entertainment

thats kind of funny. See, DCA seems to want everyone. I saw more than a few over 30 somethings moving justfine out there Labor Day Weekend. you put an age cap on DCA, you kill DCA

I can...

Sure. While Hill has proven that he can write in a similar style to Bocook (which I'm not a fan of), he still has not shown an ability to write a championship worthy book. Is that all that matters? NO. What I will state is that Wren created the signature arranging style of PR. After we lost Wren, that sound was slightly lost until Shaw took the helm. Why is that? Because Shaw is a product of Wren, was obviously influenced by Wrens' arranging style and was able to maintain that style and sound to this day and age, all while adding his own twists, color and flavour to the modern day PR sound. Am I confident that Don Hill can do the same? NO. In fact, I think it would be wrong of him to use some of the same techniques, cadences and power hits that PR is phamous for .....because he's not a Wren, a Shaw or a product of the PR organization. I've enjoyed his work at The Woodlands and PCEP in the high school band arena ..... I enjoyed 02 Cadets .. thought 03 was a total letdown .. and everything he has done with Glassmen has been IMHO .... blah. If he's a good "YES MAN" then he'll do fine at PR. Will it look like PR? YES. But I imagine and expect nothing more than a bandesque version of the Phantom sound moving forward. Don makes a much better judge than he does as an arranger. While the resume might look impressive, I would charge that the product offered (with exception to 02 Cadets) was never up to snuff.

You may drink from my cooler

76 Blue Devils (actually every year since inception) 80 & 81 2-7 80 Spirit Any year Phantom came 2nd or 1rst..... Cadets 82 on 2000 Boston

79 Spirit 80 Spirit 80 27th 84 BD 85 Cadets 86 BD 87 SCV 87 Cadets 89 PR 90 Star- My all time 91 Star 92 BD 93 Star 93 BD 93 PR 94 BD 95 Madison 95 BD 96 PR 97 SCV 97 BD 98 SCV 99 SCV 2000-2002 Cavys 2003 PR

27th Lancers - 1980 Bridgemen - 1980 Garfield Cadets - 1987 Phanton Regiment - 1987