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I just came up with reality, but since this topic has been beat to death, I'm just trying to make it at least a little interesting. Trying to peg the changes in drum corps over the last 40 years to the creation of DCI without also recognizing the huge changes in American society and the world around us is a wasted effort. To put it in perspective, the 'glory days' of a drum corps in every town lasted from about 1955 to about 1970 - a fifteen year period, coinciding with the baby boom and the height of vets involved in their local post. Now, take those two elements out of the equation, and what do you get? Fewer potential members, and fewer adults to manage the activities on a volunteer basis. Were there competitive marching bands in the 60s at the same level there are now? Nope. Is marching band a way for kids to play music and move without having to spend huge amounts of money on tour fees and camps? Yup. So for the 'casual' teenage user, competitive marching band does what local drum corps used to do. Were there travel teams for soccer, la crosse, and baseball 40 years ago? Nope, not much. Was WGI around to offer high school age performers a competitive experience in a much less time-intensive atmosphere than drum corps requires? Nope. What percentage of kids are growing up in single family households now vs 1966? A lot more. When mom isn't working, does she have time to run the sewing crew for the local drum corps? No, she's probably just trying to figure out where she left that #### bottle of vodka she put down on Sunday night before beginning her hellish week working full time for a crappy paycheck. The factors that allowed drum corps to be the only game in town in the 60s have changed due to an expanded menu of available options and a shrinking number of potential participants relative to the entire community. It happened. If anything, I'd imagine that the very existence of drum corps today is only BECAUSE of the DCI setup, since without that independent organization, drum corps would have had no champions left to make sure it survived.

What a cheerful thread for FINALS WEEK! Good grief

The little team from Oregon, where in January, 2007 we had seven brass players and four guard come to the first camp, has come a long way, due to the tireless efforts of so many talented and generous staff, volunteers and incredibly talented performers. To all those who believed, we thank you. For all those who still don't list the open class corps when you make your finals predictions, don't look now but your top twenty is about to get a lot more interesting. With gratitude for a great year, and anticipation for a great end to the week, Dr. Phil

And what are you doing to help? Which corps are you donating to, which one are you volunteering or on staff with? Seriously, it's so easy for people to complain on here, but unless you're helping, you're part of the decline of corps. Get out there and help instead of being such a negative nancy

Perhaps a good thread better left to debate after DCI Finals is in the books. Nonetheless, the OP is right, but it's the WHY we have ended up in this situation that is most important. If it was possible to have more corps and more shows and more donation and more volunteers, then I think ALL OF US would want that. The drum and bugle corps that died in the 70s and 80s did not do so because other corps directors got greedy. Admittedly I have always hated the model used for gate fees, but this form of revenue is not enough to keep a corps on the road, nor should it's uneven sharing cause a care to die. Even in the 70s and 80s it wasn't perfect. Many of the newest rules for which we debate did not exist back then, and still a LOT of corps died. Simply put there were forces beyond DCI that ultimately won the battle. I think most people realize this. Bussing without insurance would no longer be allowed, and the repair of bad busses could eat through a budget fast. Public schools no longer allowed the free-bee stays. Public schools in America were also beginning to explore more opportunities with marching bands, like competitions (even in the summer with MBA), spring trips that required lots of fund raising on the part of student and parent(s), and the average high-school student was becoming very busy. This leads me to the second part of this: The "Soccer Mom" effect. In the mid-80s we saw a cultural shift where it was implied by schools and educational pundits that students should get involved in lots of activities. The schools began to offer everything (some of this brought on by Title 9). Now kids were taking part in band, soccer, cross country, church camps, speech, and ski club. It was supposed to be resume-building for college and career. What it really did was solidify America's public schools as the do-all, offer-all, and be-everything for our youth, and outside organizations would now have to struggle to get kids away from everything school. College students were less attached to everything. By the time they hit college they were finally away from their parents a bit, more independent, and they could do the things that interested them the most. Today's best drum corps have lots of college-age kids. Not a bad thing, and the quality is certainly high, but the local high-school kid that often made-up membership back in the day is mostly gone. The high-school kids are just too busy doing everything under the sun that their schools offer, and that their do-it-all parents want them involved with. I exaggerate here a bit, but I think the point is clear. The cost of living has certainly played a role. As America engaged in the cold war, and especially during the 80s, the cost of living rose dramatically. The old bugle manufacturers were struggling and the typical drum corps did not replace equipment as often (like they do today through leasing and sponsorship). If corps could not afford to purchase bugles, then the manufacturers had to find alternatives to making a living. Cost of living also reared its ugly head in show cost. The cost of stadium rentals rose, the cost of instruction (especially if you wanted to be competitive). If your competitive status began to die, so did your corps. You needed to have solid competitive status to attract the college kids, especially with fewer and fewer high-school students marching. There are many more reasons, but I think the important thing to know is that DCI did not cause this decline. It had nothing to do with entertainment or style or type of show. There was nothing that could be done. Some forces in nature will cause damage no matter what. Since 1995 I would argue that Drum Corps International and its member corps have been relatively healthy (big picture). Yes, we have seen departure, we have seen rules changes, financial changes, lots of debate; but we have also seen some new corps sprout up, and while we are not always wild about the National Tour model, there are not a lot of alternatives. The total number of corps in existence from 1990 to 2012 (22 years) has remained more constant than the period between 1970 - 1989 (20 years). The attendance at shows during the period between 1990 and present is reflective of the activities size and scope more than it's due to less popular shows and old alumni walking away, etc., etc. Back in the day DCI was a niche market, and today it is a niche market. Not much there has changed, and I don't expect it to. The "old days" had plenty of problems to deal with (why do you think so many corps died), and today's drum corps has plenty of problems to deal with. That will not change either. The shows have changed, the style, the demand and the music, BUT...that should be expected. This generation of youth has different taste than we do. I don't expect every drum corps to please me, nor do I ask for it. I complain like anyone when I see stuff I don't understand, or things that I feel uneccesary, but that's just OPINION. Happy DCI FINALS WEEK!

There is an awful lot of ignorance in this thread. Film music is, by and large, owned by the studios. NOT the composers. That's just the way it is. Williams' didn't "sell his soul" or anything of the kind. This is how Hollywood operates. Edgy. Williams is influenced by other composers. Much like every single other composer who has ever lived (even Mozart was ripping himself off by the end). This becomes even harder to avoid when you work in film music, when "temp scores" are the norm and directors want you to get as close as humanly possible to them without being identical. It isn't your call in the film world, most of the time.

Today is the final rehearsal day for every DCI corps in preparation for World Championships Prelims tomorrow. Whether you march in Blue Devils, Spartans, Cascades, Blue Saints, or any (every) other corps, you have put your hearts out there for thousands of people to enjoy your product. No matter what place you get or what number you're given, you should be proud of all that you've accomplished this summer. The bar has already been raised ten-fold in just the few seasons since I aged out. It makes me a proud alumnus of the activity & I can't wait to see where it goes next season & beyond! Savor every second that you can & don't hold anything back; once it's over, you can never get it back. Age limit may restrict you from competing again, but your memories will last you forever.

Hard to believe it's been 11 years.... Here's the text of a post I made on my facebook wall tonight. Thought some of you here would appreciate it when you have time to read tomorrow. Sitting here tonight, I was thinking back to a visit Ginger and I made to a hospital 11 years ago today to visit one last time with a young man who had taught both of us and so many others so much. As we walked out of the hospital that afternoon, Ginger and I sat down on the benches and both cried… We knew we would never seen Jason Lowe alive again. A courageous battle that he had fought for almost a year, was about to be done and there was nothing any of us could do to change that. He faced that inevitability with a calm and peace so far beyond my own understanding, it was truly amazing to be in the same room with him in his final days. Ginger was able to spend time and talk with him, but I found very few words that seemed to be able to convey how I felt and what he had taught me. That's one of my few regrets about the time I knew him, I hope he knew how deeply he changed us all. When I first met him in person, Jason was just “another member” of our hornline at Spirit for the 2000 season. A drummer initially, he had taught himself to play mellophone after a back injury ended his hopes of marching battery percussion in the drum corps environment. He then hauled himself to Wisconsin for a season to march with the Americanos (what would now be an “Open Class Corps”) to develop some experience and have a better chance to march with Spirit. He auditioned and earned a spot in the 2000 Spirit hornline and was a solid performer, but not our most outstanding player. What I began to notice about him over time, was a tenacious determination to improve, to not allow his lack of background in brass hold him back from being one of our strongest performers. He wasn’t there yet, but he was determined to get there. The corps almost folded on June 8th that season. As Spirit alumni, friends, parents, fans and competitors across the entire activity came together to support us as we struggled to save the drum corps, it was kids like Jason that I thought of most often when I wondered whether or not what we were going through to try to “make it work” was worth it all in the end. It was Jason and a couple others that I simply could not imagine having to tell that the dream they had of marching with the Spirit of Atlanta, was going to be ended only weeks short of their first show. It kept some of us going during some really dark times. I’ve often wondered what “might have been” had the corps folded. Would he have been diagnosed earlier? Would it have made a difference? But in my own heart I know, that had the corps gone down in those fateful early days of June 2000, Jason would have been one of the first in line asking Freddy and I to find him a place to march. With his determination, I have no doubt, we would have found him a spot somewhere and he would have finished there as gallantly as he did with us. Throughout that season, we could see his pain, but he NEVER gave in to it. He would NOT sit out of a rehearsal , in spite of our suggestions and he was determined to never miss a show despite what we all realize now had to be excruciating pain. Over the course of the summer, he became an inspiration to his friends and to the staff for his dogged determination to fulfill his responsibilities as a performer. Little did we know, he would come to inspire so many more with his story of courage in the face of overwhelming odds against him in the year to come. After coming home and being diagnosed with bone cancer, he chose the most aggressive treatment possible with the intent of winning that battle as he had won so many others, through sheer determination and strength of will. Though he didn’t ultimately win that battle, after being given weeks to live, he went on to inspire everyone who knew him and many who never met him in the coming months as they learned of his courage and character. We were all amazed as we watched him climb out of his hospital bed to perform with the Corps Vets Senior corps only weeks before his death later that summer. He had been unable to perform that summer on a full junior corps tour, but Corps Vets took him in and gave him the chance to perform one last time. When others would have wallowed in self pity, he was fighting a battle I’m not sure many of us would have even had the courage to start. In the time since his death, Ginger and I have both learned to try and appreciate even the most simple things in our lives. Whether it be a sunrise that others didn’t get to see, our a yellow butterfly that reminds us of our valiant young friend, our blessings surround us each day even when we don’t take the time to recognize or appreciate them. So I hope that the kids marching in Indy this weekend, take the time to stop and soak it all in. Savor the moment for there is someone, somewhere that would give anything to be in your shoes, to have that chance, just one more time to “live their dream”. Best wishes to all the drum corps kids and families this weekend and may the lessons they have learned in the activity resonate as deeply as all those Jason taught so many of us in the time we knew him and the 11 years since we lost his goofy smiling face. Jason, RIP my friend, you will be forever missed and NEVER forgotten. AA

Thanks for the Star acolades but I have to agree that the complete demand Crown's hornline has both physical and musical are harder than what we had back in the 90's. As for their sound quality, I compare it more to our '92 line than the others of the '90s with the musical demand more relative to '91. This is all just my opinion but I think hands down they are performing the hardest drum corps show from a music and visual standpoint I ever seen/heard. And WOW they are doing it VERY well!!!

As much as how much I love BD's show this year and how much they deserve to win, a part of me wants to see Crown pull it off and finally take it all Saturday night! "CROWN WITH A LATE SURGE, IT'S GONNA BE A PHOTO FINISH!"

My goodness! The activity today versus the activity 30 years ago is very different. Drum corps in decline? Really??? Tell that to the record crowd in Atlanta, the packed stands in Allentown or in Massillion - and the hundreds of thousands of fans and supporters who will enjoy witnessing some very memorable shows this year. Mostly, tell that to the dedicated performers that give it their all for the love of drum corps. This is not drum corps of 1982. The product in 2012 is off-the-charts better. There's been a few corps that have struggled this year. That's a sign of competition and the world we live in. Only those that are best managed, promoted, and well-run will flourish. It's that way in most everything. Drum corps is no different. Let's not be the folks who yearn for G bugles and VFW/American Legion shows (Yes, G bugles were loud. But, boy were they often out-of- tune and honked out notes. I'll take today's instruments any day. And, by the way, thank you to the VFW's and American Legions that provided their gracious support to the corps of the past!) It's time to get on board with TODAY'S DRUM CORPS, so get out and do something to insure it's success for the many generations to come. C'mon! Get out and volunteer, donate your time, sponsor a kid, buy a souvenir from each corps, and enjoy the show! PS - I agree that the timing of this post is a bit disrespectful to the activity during final's week. However, I'm glad to have voiced my opinion as I'm a believer that drum corps is sustainable and will flourish. I appeciate your thoughts, though. If you didn't care, you wouldn't have an opinion. But take that passion that you must have and put it to work by being an active participant in the future of drum corps. Let's move this train forward!!!

The number of corps going down is sad to see. I'm sure no one is cheering the fact that these corps have gone. I would say that the level of musicianship is higher than that of 30 years ago.

Oh, this thread again? Remember, everyone. You should type using HUGE font sizes. So that people KNOW you are SERIOUS.

...and today's corps have none of these attributes? Today's corps have plenty of individuality and identity. Each of them have their own way of doing things and different ways of designing shows as well as upholding different kinds of traditions. Also, today's shows are VERY entertaining and incredibly difficult and competitive. If this weren't so, would thousands of people be attending shows today?

It has taken a few days to finish this. Hope the boss isn't looking. I am headed to Indy on Wednesday and staying at work many hours to get ahead. Overall, I really enjoyed both nights. Lots of driving both nights, but worth it, and easy enough sharing the task with friends. Blue Devils: Despite my disfavor of their shows of the past few years, and my similar reaction earlier in this season, I was entertained throughout the production. They play, march, and spin so well. They convince you that every step, every note is pristinely calculated by the designers to allow the performers to express themselves physically and musically with a sense of confidence unmatched by any other corps. If I consider sheer achievement of incredibly high demand levels of all show components, this performance is not the epitome of that brand of drum corps. However, if communication, professionalism, and realization of performance responsibility are the lone variable, this is the world champion. The audio and visual varieties are the greatest point of effect for me. Carolina Crown: The Crown 2012 show is certainly of the ilk that I tend to prefer. Though a fan of a wide array of show styles, big and majestic, bold and physically challenging have a particular appeal to me. Though others describe them as still “dirty,” I do not agree. Some imperfections certainly exist, but I did not think any more that any of the other top groups. I would describe what the brass are being asked to do physically and musically to be nearly, is not definitively, unmatched by any corps in the past. If communication and realization of performance responsibility were the sole measure of a world champion, there may be some debate of Crown being the recipient. If considering sheer amazing achievement of demand, this is our world champion. The sheer level of “I can’t believe they are doing that” is the greatest point effect in this show, as well as the brass playing and arrangements. Phantom: I would easily use this year’s production to produce fairly long list of PR show’s that we all would agree are extremely typical Phantom. This is a good thing. There have been years where many, including myself, have feared the emerging homogeneity of show styles from all corps. I continue to hope the new sheets and Michael Cesario as DCI Artistic Director will contribute, as promised, to the celebration and reward of a wide range of drum corps styles. Though not what I would consider a championship level show, many aspects are stellar. The musicians and guard are equally challenged and responsible for a show that full of dramatic appeal. I find the color guard and visual musicality to be particularly appealing. Cadets: Bravo on selecting a show that was not a safe follow up to last year’s championship. I found that as I watched, I was looking, listening, for how they could best elevate this theme to be anything but trite or sugary sweet. They accomplish this quite well on many levels. Though I do not find the guard costumes to be what I would have approved, they are understandable. The Christmas boxes/ramps work fairly well. Though Crown looks and sounds like Crown, BD like BD, Phantom like Phantom, I found that Cadets perhaps look and sound too much like Cadets. I found myself wanting a slightly more expanded, reinvented Cadets with this theme. I found the brass arrangements and musical percussion writing to be the highlights of the production. Bluecoats: I enjoyed this performance, but could not help asking the same question I have since the Criminal show: “They talent seems high, and the performance level strong, but what’s missing?” Not to slight them any as they are quite good and deserving of many accolades, as they made their ascent into the top 6, I think we have all been waiting to see what is next. A recurring issue for me for the past several years is the lack of show theme evidence in the production. Seems such would elevate the overall effect values for the audience. The brass quality and flag designs help the most appeal tonight for me. SCV: I strongly agree that this show has returned the corps more clearly to its unique identity over recent productions. It seems that Pete Weber rightfully channeled some Myron Rosander-isms into the drill. The efforts are most effective. The drum line played quite well, though some moments were surprisingly unclear; however, that is not uncommon from the best lines in this acoustic venue. I loved hearing familiar tunes and find most of the brass arranging to be well done. The “Music of the Night” at the end was effective and clever. The very end seemed a bit short of the mark. A strong corps and I am selfishly pleased with the return to their brand of drum corps. Boston Crusaders: The field entrance took a lot of work to produce, and I felt it added to the atmosphere a great deal. I believe this portion however is still not judged nor considered in any way with scoring. The show is well performed. I could not help but think that Boston seemed to be doing a Phantom show, though not exactly, as Phantom would do it. All sections perform well. I felt the Performance was a somewhat uninspired. Though not hugely, this show seems a departure for them. If seeking a unique Boston style in 2013, what would that be? Cavaliers: The corps came across to me as on trying extremely hard to convince someone that they are talented and are trying to over come something. What specifics caused me to feel that way? I am not sure. If judging, I too would have difficulty placing them among the other corps currently just ahead and those just below them. Ten or so moments of great craft and performance are connected with awkward phrases that seem to have an unclear message and direction. The drum line is wonderful and I expected them to place higher. The brass and color guard are not performing at the levels we are accustomed to seeing and hearing, though they are good. The flag designs are wonderful. The ending deserves performance and GE credit, but, despite any summer long plans to always have that moment or not, it does seem tacked on in an effort to boost the show’s appeal . . . I would have done the same thing. Madison Scouts: The beginning takes a bit longer to develop than the past two year’s shows, but I feel it to basically be the same intro. The large sounds thorough out were clearly enhanced/mixed with electronics which I found to contribute to my overall impression; beyond the male swagger which the capitalize on so well, I do not identify the newly defined Scouts as what I would call the Madison style of drum corps. Some resemblance is there, but it is not the sound, arrangements, color guard, nor the approach to GE in general that I would point at and say quintessential Madison Scouts. All that said, maybe this is not necessarily a bad thing. I found myself enjoying that many in the crowd were responding to them positively, though not sharing those same reactions myself. The beginning and ending carry a lot of the shows success. Though predictable, I did enjoy those moments. I did not enjoy the arranged moments for the brass in that the joining of the nostalgia tunes with Pictures is forced and often scored low, diluting the association of the Madison style I know. I accept that my take is probably different from most. Spirit of Atlanta: Of all of the top twelve shows, this one went by the most quickly for me. That is as it should be. As I reflected back on the performance and show design that evening, and since, I am positively struck with the huge amount of musical and visual variety that is offered in the show and how well it all fits into the Sin City theme. More so, when the corps announced the show, several of my friends and myself thought that though the theme seemed to fit them to a tee, how could they do a Vegas show and not look or sound like all of the other versions we have seen or heard before. The design team answered that question with a Vegas show that is cleverly original and fresh, using old iconic Vegas music and images, with new music and visual sources that give this vibe that seems so right. The performance was well done and received a well-deserved reaction from the crowd; including an honest standing ovation at the end . . . something this persnickety crowd tends to always hold in reserve. If judging this one, I would have to step back and really consider the “what” from a design stand point and what each section brings musically and visually to the production. Despite the new sheets, I believe the judging community may still suffer, as I have felt they always have, that esoteric means good and accessible means too simple. There was not anything I did not enjoy or appreciate about the show. Bravo for reinventing and establishing a new Spirit that reminds us warmly of old Spirit, but with great variety and a competitive insight. I venture to say this corps communicates their theme as well as any. Blue Knights: This show is such a departure from last year’s. I do not know if one could more juxtapose two productions from the same unit. They use all areas of the field, except lower far side 2 (no one seems to ever use that area). The show seems to be a conundrum to me. Is it serious? The reason I ask is because of the few moments of odd inserts: the rudimental interjections from the battery, the Start Trek and Jetsons quotes, the electronic versus transcription approach to the musical book. If the answer is “well, it is all of those things,” then it seems the show does not do that enough, so when these things happen, they seem extremely out of place and distracting. If someone were to respond, “one needs a bit of humor to break up something so heady,” I would not buy in that those “bits” are not neither set up nor answered, as is obvious by a lack of crowd response and a lack of clear communication. I enjoyed a lot of the battery performance though did not always feel the writing was musical or directional. I wish the brass played more in that I found the percentage of pit and drum line exposure to be dominant and tiresome. Blue Stars: This show is well produced. If doing a show about the sea, the inclusion of sailors and sirens, ropes, nets, and fish, a dock, rocks, and anchors, seems extremely logical and appropriate. I wish however that they had expanded beyond those obvious things, brought a fresh twist to a theme we have seen similarly treated many times before. The performance level by the drum line is exceptional, though like Blue Knights, I found some of the writing to be distracting and more drummy than part of the musical picture. The color guard had some great moments. I found the constant return to the four small sea themed flats to be distracting and predictable. A solid show with good performance levels. I find those corps around them to be offering more from a design stand point. Crossmen: This group has improved so much the last two years. As I have referenced throughout this review, Crossmen have a clear, refreshing style of drum corps of their own. The weaknesses in the performance were always brief and quickly corrected. Though the theme is not overly stated, I feel that we are allowed into the “fragile world” concept enough to get it, but not be so distracted that we worry if we are getting it with every phrase. The brass have a big sound and a fine soloist. The guard staging is good throughout, though I find the brass and drum line drill to be too secondary to the guard drill, causing it to often be disjunctive from itself and lacking in logical flow at times. Though I have not talked placements thus far, I do feel Crossmen to be stronger than Blue Knights and very even with Blue Stars. Glassmen: The group has improved a lot this summer. All sections show a good level of talent and performance. The glass theme is clear until the closer. The Organ Symphony does not seem to fit the show. The use of mirrors and the Plexiglas makes sense, but the manipulation and performance with them is awkward. A good corps that shows the improving level of non-finalist groups. The Academy: Playing Rite on the field is a challenge in many ways: how to arrange the complex orchestral sounds for brass and percussion, what parts of the original will speak to the crowd, were is the harmonic relief, is this a sacrifice or something else, etc. I feel they have made some good decisions and have created some very interesting and captivating moments. These however seem to be mixed with moments that are quiet working or clear at this time. The talent and performance is very strong at times. Pacific Crest: Like much of the crowd, I was pleasantly surprised by their performance . . . not that I was discounting them. They were a stand out compared to the corps before them, raising the level of production value and performance of the evening with their offering. The show theme is clear and pacing is quite good. The flugal soloist was lovely. I would not be surprised to see this group up two more places come Friday. Troopers: Not typical Troopers, but still connected conceptually to Americana. I really enjoyed the arrangements and sounds, timbres throughout. The brass writing is fresh and clear. Lots of tasty percussion writing and subtleness to the overall music book. The guard has some wonderful silks and they are a beautiful ensemble to watch. Overall, however, the show is much to slowly paced and lacks enough variety. Another example of how strong the non-finalist pool is these days. Colts: I always forget how beautiful this red is on the field. The show theme is by and large allusive. The guard costume odd and not pleasantly. The closer is very exciting and seems from a completely different show. A good corps. Jersey Surf: This was just fun. A comparison to VK is perhaps not mostly fair, but I do find it appropriate. The style of this show adds to the overall experience of the entire field of corps, something many have been complaining about for years. Mandarins: This show theme is overall enjoyable (Mayans). The percussion feature is most notable. Cascades: There is some talent throughout all sections of the corps. The confidence level is not there yet. I hope they have a good rehearsal week to perform comfortably and feel good about such. Pioneer: The theme is fairly evident and the member’s commitment to the performance was evident.

Because he's afraid of all the other composers' families whose work he's borrowed over the years coming to him for a cut. Imagine the lines...

If competitive success breeds imitation, more corps will begin performing shows like the 2012 Blue Devils, with less emphasis on traditional style marching and more emphasis on choreography, staging and props. How has marching in DCI evolved? When DCI was formed in the fall of 1971, one major concern was definitely performance fees but the instructors also wanted to get away from the strict military rules of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) that stifled artistic creativity. For example, not only did every corps have to field a "real" color guard consisting of a genuine American flag and at least one armed guard in constant close proximity, but each corps had to perform a formal color presentation obeying strict military flag code etiquette. Also, the VFW and American Legion did not allow what we now call "pit instruments", like xylophones and marimbas. And, the music and marching captions were judged objectively, meaning the field judges were listening and looking for execution mistakes that would have points ("tics", actually tenths of points) deducted for each error, within limits per unit of time. For many years after DCI's inaugural 1972 season most corps continued to perform color presentations because the American Legion and VFW national competitions were still important shows and the corps' veterans organization sponsors expected them to attend. However, as the years passed and the national and state veterans contests disappeared, corps dropped this former requirement from their performances. The activity was beginning its journey away from its military heritage and heading toward a more mainstream entertainment style consisting of a variety of music including: Pop, big band, light classical, jazz and musical theater. Also, the objective field judging style was replaced with a subjective system that allowed for more musical and marching risk-taking in the form of playing more sophisticated music with a wider variety of instrumentation, and marching in a non-military style that would have been impossible if scores were reduced for every mistake in execution. Considering one particular complaint of this year, I find it somewhat ironic that during the 1980's Steve Rondinaro and others on the DCI PBS broadcasts began referring to the drum corps activity as "Broadway on a football field", inferring that the activity was becoming more entertaining than ever. This year of 2012, when the Blue Devils are closer than any other corps to performing a true Broadway style "stage show", many fans are upset because they don't think it's more entertaining, or fair in terms of relative physical demand versus how much credit they receive in the Visual captions compared to the more strenuous physical movement other corps are doing. Some of the previous rules changes of allowing dance, grounding of equipment and even changing from bugles to real horns didn't seem to upset too many fans. But somehow, for many, when you now begin allowing corps to march less but still get high Visual scores, that's going too far. In Jack Meehan's excellent book, Space Music (Amazon.com), if I remember correctly, he wrote that the activity began changing dramatically in the mid-to-late 1980's. During the first 15 years or so of DCI, most instructors and judges were former corps members. But as these corps veterans began leaving the activity, some were being replaced by non-drum corps people, many from the world of high school/college music and arts departments. These people greatly accelerated the movement away from the traditional military style. The decade of the 1990's was when many older drum corps fans of my generation left the activity, the so-called "dinosaurs". (Ouch! I may be somewhat subdued compared to my younger days but I'm not extinct---yet.) The selection of performance material began to change significantly. Here is an example of a classic non-themed show from DCI's late Cretaceous Period (the Age of Dinosaurs). Even by today's standards, the 1972 fifth place Argonne Rebels' horn performance was incredible. In sequence, they played Barnum and Bailey's Favorite March, a medley from Jesus Christ Superstar, Stars and Stripes Forever for their color presentation, and a Baroque arrangement of the Theme from Love Story. This could have been one of the first shows to initiate the throwing of babies. Seriously, if you've never heard this performance, try to find it, keeping in mind the limitations versus today's corps regarding quality of instrumentation and the smaller size, younger age and local geographical make-up of the membership. By the 1990's, this type of hodge-podge but nevertheless entertaining musical show was being replaced by more and more thematic program material. It was more "theatrical" to have a theme---more professional, more sophisticated. And, more relevant to what's happening now, it also scored higher so everyone began doing it. Eventually the Marching and Maneuvering caption was replaced by the Visual caption. Clearly, based upon recent scoring, marching in the traditional sense is not a requirement for top scores in the Visual captions anymore. More than anyone else, much more so, the Blue Devil's staff has written their recent few shows to take advantage of this. Now, because of their continued competitive success, will the others follow? Someone on DCP recently mentioned that in the past several years more and more WGI (Winter Guard International) people are now involved as corps instructors and judges. I don't know if that's true, but obviously the Visual scoring requirements have changed. Since the instructors submit new rules proposals and vote on them, it seems that a majority of these new people want to reduce the amount of marching in shows and have changed the rules so that corps won't be penalized for non-marching movements like standing on chairs, pushing mirrors around and members rolling on the ground (something that many other corps have also begun doing). After all, performers in Broadway shows don't march, they sing, dance and act. And when the performers move and dance on stage among the scenery and props, that movement is called staging and choreography---not marching. Soldiers march. That's military. That's yesterday. Therefore, since corps don't have to march as much as before to score high in the new Visual and GE-Visual captions, expect to see more chairs, mirrors, clothes racks, etc. scattered and moved around the field in coming years by most all corps, with less traditional marching. Now what? Would you like to see half or more of this years finalists copying the Blue Devils avant garde visual style beginning next year? (not to mention the narration) If that happens and you don't like it, will you stop going to shows? This type of decision-making is what my generation went through beginning decades ago. I've stuck around because I'm one of the relatively few old-timers who's enjoyed most of the more sophisticated music. Many former fans remained loyal through some changes but eventually reached a point where the cumulative changes, both musically and visually, deviated too much from what attracted them to the drum corps activity to begin with---what initially entertained them. I really don't know if there are more fans who like the Blue Devils "stage show" visual style this year or dislike it, but for those of you who don't like it, even if the Blue Devils don't win this year but many other corps copy their visual style next year, will that be your tipping point---your point of no return? If so, you could become dinosaurs, too. Never fear, Club Barney welcomes all.

aint that the truth... when will drumlines stop milking the "dancing and hopping" trend that died about 5 years ago? Its like they play nothing but 16th notes and machine gun rolls (what I call a pre warmup) then they squat, come back up, twist their body facing the end zone then back to the crowd, do an Axel Rose kick and then slam about 3 to 4 quarter notes.... and the crowd goes crazy? LOL... I give credit to SCV and Rennick for NOT doing all that ludicrous posturing... and a good many of their visuals/drum tilts, etc. were all homage to early 90's Cavaliers... great stuff... being that they were playing charts identified as "cavie" charts... oh, and they will take percussion at finals hands down... the most impressive drumline on the field this year in both product and performance... no one else is even close for the exception of Cadets.

FWIW Tricia the red negs are IMO the dumbest "feature" ever added to DCP. Just lets people throw an anonymous tomato. Things were much better when they only way to disagree with someone was to actually respond with another message (which is never anonymous and at least gave the opportunity for a reason behind the disagreement). So -- just ignore them. I was posting on RAMB/RAMD back in the early 90's (initially through a dial-up gateway on a BBS !!) . There's some value on DCP -- you just need to filter out the chaff (either through the block list or just ignoring them). And I call the performer's kids too :-) Do the same thing to the high school kids I teach !! You just can't take DCP (or some posters ) too seriously and you actually can still have some fun here.

Mr. Monkey...I feel you need a history lesson. If you feel the Bridgemen made no impact, you need to see how dancing, costume changing, acting, and all of the other things corps do today, were started by the Bridgemen. It is undisputed truth to most drum corps people. If you deny this, you will show you truly are a neophyte in this activity.

..and the reason is...THERE WAS ONLY ONE SHOW IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF GEORGIA!!!! Of course people will travel MILES to get to see ONE SHOW! Do you know, (of course, you wouldn't, because you weren't around), that in the early 80's, we played 2 to 3 shows in the state of Georgia alone on tour??? Valdosta, Atlanta, and another that escapes me.. Point being, you can point to a stadium being filled without of any real context. Why was it filled? The only show in the state. Allentown? There used to be a PRELIMS AND A FINALS and the stands were MUCH more filled than this year, and I was at this years show. It was full, but there was a time when it was end zone to end zone. You see, perspective is key. Many of us have seen the numbers dwindle, and hope it changes. I for one, have been, and will continue, to help and support in many ways you will never know.

No problem. That is your right.

As usual DCP parses words, fills in their own assumptions , jumps to conclusions and runs with it. I have no stake in any of this -- just saw the video in my FB feed and re-posted here. But it seemed obvious to me that , although some of that income would be spent on marketing, clearly most of it was 'seed money' to get the corps on it's feet. Perhaps you should contact michael@tealdrumcorps.org for clarification. He seems willing to answer any questions. (Of course I doubt that will happen -- much more fun to run amuck on DCP ).

Travel budget to Indy: Ticket money?: Check Hotel money?: Check Gas money?: Check Meal money?: Check Support your favorite corps PLUS at least one other random corps by buying souvenir(S)?: CHECK!!! This is "BLACK FRIDAY" for many corps as it relates to their souvenir sales. Many of us find it easy to remember to buy something from our favorite corps. But, in addition to the ONE corps that you absolutely love and would buy everything they sell (GOOD), find another corps at the show to buy something from (BETTER). If we all do that, we can really help - and come home with some pretty cool souvie's. BTW - one more budget item: Fuel donations?: CHECK!!! (BEST) THANK YOU!!!

I marched in the late eighties to early nineties. I will preface the following rant by saying that the quality of the product that today's drum corps FAR exceeds what we did back in "the day". The Academy 2012 would EASILY walk into finals in 1989. What these kids do is simply amazing. Back then, we did have a lot more drum corps. Back then there was not so much OTHER activities competing for kids time. Hell, back then, we didn't have the internet! But most importantly, Things were significantly cheaper! Diesel for instance... Average price in 1992? Try $1.25 vs $3.76 today! That's just one example! I paid $450 for my tour fees with Freelancers my age-out year! What is the average going rate for tour fees these days? $2000? Corps fundraising was much simpler back then as well... Bingo was the most common method! These days, with changes in gambling laws thanks to Native American special interest groups, it would seem that corps main focus of financial stability is in fact tour fees! Don't believe me? Ask any former Teal Sound member. To say that the activity is simply dying is a far too simplistic approach. The corps we have now are all run super well, with professional management structures. My problem is that modern drum corps seems to me to exclude the very kids it reached out to back in the day. Back when I marched, music majors were the exception rather than the rule. Hell, I remember Star of Indiana getting a bad rap because they had so many music majors in the corps. Back in the early days of DCI, we were just a bunch of kids off the street! And the key word there is KIDS. In Freelancers (a top 12 corps) we rarely aged out more than 15-20 TOTAL members in a given year. But the other thing that REALLY concerns me is that the activity has priced itself in such a way, that it is quickly becoming a hobby for the wealthy... both in tour fees AND the cost of going to shows. DCI Fan Network is great. But, how many kids from financially disadvantaged backgrounds (and there are a LOT of them these days... remember, it's the economy stupid!) can actually AFFORD $130-150 for a subscription? Not only that but contests are becoming increasingly expensive and you even have to pay EXTRA just to TRY OUT for a corps that statistically speaking, you are likely to get cut from simply because of the sheer numbers of people trying out for the few corps we have left! Back in the day, if you wanted to march you generally could. So what is the answer? Why was DCI seemingly so much more successful 20-30 years ago if you judge success by numbers of corps? To me it is simple... REGIONAL TOURING WORKS. Bring back DCW, DCM, DCE, DCS etc etc... MOVE Finals about... Make it financially EASIER to start up NEW drum corps and to even resurrect dead ones. Get PBS back on board. The problem as I see it is that in an effort to embrace modern culture, in an effort to roll with the times... we re-invented the wheel. And it don't roll as good as the last one.

I am a huge fan of John Williams and his music. He's a fantastic composer. What the ignorant mouth-breathers that claim he just steals stuff don't realize is that he's not writing symphonies, he's working for and with producers and directors, and he has to write not only music he likes, but music THEY like that fits what their vision is. Anytime you work on commission you're going to compose based on the needs and desires of your client. Very rarely do they say "do whatever", even at Williams' level. When it's done well, you get incredibly popular music that lasts generations, and John Williams is one of very few composers that really has mastered that very difficult art.

Wait, is it the offseason already? Did I miss finals?

The older I get, the more I support the idea of drum corps indoors with air conditioning.

Open roof threads. A DCP tradition since 2009.

One thing is constant. Change. There is very little in any performance art that is the same as it was 40 years ago. TV. Radio. Movies. Theater. Comedy. Things that were groundbreaking and incredible 40 years ago (Saturday Night Live, Jaws, CBS Radio Mystery Theater, All In The Family, The Graduate, Jesus Christ Superstar, Smothers Brothers, Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In) are now long-past benchmarks... looked back at with a sense of nostalgia, but no longer the standard to live up to today. That doesn't mean there isn't still some value to them... but why would we keep creating the same thing over and over? Stagnation was never the intent... in any generation or iteration of drum corps or entertainment/performance art. If it was, there would be no "Deadwood", "Dark Knight Rises", "Wicked", "The Voice", ESPN, Drum Corps Planet, iTUnes, "Always Sunny In Philadelphia", Daily Show, Comedy Network, Fan Network, Evanescence, "Jesus Henry Christ" (a movie), Bridgemen, Velvet Knights, Cavaliers' drill, Spartacus in 2008, etc... because none of those things look like what came before... I love watching the 1976 Madison Scouts performance in Philadelphia on video... but not because I want it to still be the same today. I want that connection to the past, but I don't want to have drum corps be a Civil War Re-enactment activity. Knowing where we came from helps keep us grounded... but it shouldn't keep us anchored. And by "us", I mean the kids, families, adults, teachers, volunteers, staff and administrators, and yes, today's audience members. We don't make kids today watch black and white TV... listen to AM radio... wear watches (yes, this is true!)... or any of a hundred things we all did without even thinking it unusual. For all the love and nostalgia I have for my own personal experiences in drum corps... I wouldn't try to give today's people that same experience. It wouldn't fit the times... and the times, they are a changin'. I still tear up watching the 1980 Spirit of Atlanta... the 1979 Santa Clara Vanguard... the 1977 Bridgemen... the 1984 Suncoast Sound... the 1978 North Star... and on and on... My students don't. Neither do my children. They don't think Chevy Chase is funny. "Land Shark" and "Cone-heads" make me roar with laughter. I love "Back to the Future"... and "Stripes". My kids... critique the makeup, and complain it takes too long to do anything. They think the sounds of the instruments on Jesus Christ Superstar sound "old". They don't know AM radio exists. Black and White TV is a concept they can't even understand. They are surrounded by DANCE.. MUSIC.. COMPETITION.. as well as reality freak shows.. sometimes for the better... and sometimes not. We were surrounded and encased in a MUCH different world. I love old drum corps. I love new drum corps. They cannot be the same, because the world has moved on... and everything in it. I don't love ALL old drum corps... some of it is just flat out painful. I don't love ALL new drum corps... some of it bores me as a musician. You know that old Cheers episode where the WW I vets get together and celebrate once every 5 years? And finally, at the end, there is just one man shows up and realizes that he's the last one left? It's painful... even in something as trite as a tv sit-com. But... even then... the solution was to keep living... keep learning... keep breathing... make more friends... continue with new experiences. Remember the old fondly... I do every single day. There are still kids today who understand and appreciate what came before... but just as someone new to baseball is mildly surprised that the National and American Leagues used to only meet in the World Series and All Star games... it doesn't carry the weight of nostalgia... just trivia. Designers like the Blue Devils' Wayne Downey, Jay Murphy, Scott Johnson... etc, who ARE drum corps people through and through... who live and breathe it every day... they're the ones who helped set the standards. Today... 2000... 1990's... 1980's... every decade we can point to people who set new standards, or changed the game. And every time we can bemoan the loss of "what was"... or we can just accept that the only way to stop progress and change is to die. Sorry to have gone on so long... at a certain point we all grow old... and wish things weren't so complicated... so different than when we remember being the happiest (for a lot of us, that's when we were in our marching years). That's human. The next step is to get back in touch with what is going on... and stay open to the idea that there is still good in the world, in people, and in our activity. Finally... cross-pollination seems to be a concern by some, as if being a "Drum Corps Person" is somehow a life lived in solitary, with no outside influences or interests. Does anyone really think that Gail Royer, Jim Jones, Bobby Hoffman, Dennis Delucia, Larry Kerchner, Jim Ott, Fred Sanford, Marty Hurley, etc., didn't have influences from Broadway... the commercial music world... ballet... symphonic music... wind band music... dance? Just food for thought... from a person who loves drum corps... marched, taught, arranged, composed, consulted, judged, was a fan in the stands, and sent kids to other corps. Marching is going to disappear. Music isn't going to disappear. It will look different. It will sound different. All the best, Chuck Naffier Drum Corps Lifer...

I miss the Current Events forum.... ;)

Yes. The FREE stream is live on fan network tomorrow, starting with Blue Saints at 10:30am EST and goes until the intermission after Pacific Crest at 5:35pm EST. Afterwards, the top 15 will be broadcast live in theaters starting with The Academy at 6:40pm.

As I stated in the other thread like this... how many high school marching bands are there? Face it, band programs are where people learn to play instruments now. Drum corps is what many of these kids aspire to in the future. The number has not gone down, but changed to a slightly different medium.

I quit posting on DCP, until now, because for whatever reason someone decided everything I said would get a negative. During the competition in Allentown my son called and was walking at a fast pace to get to the snack bar. He said some of the kids on the tour had run out of money and he was going to get some funnel cakes for them. Shortly thereafter someone on here mentioned the funnel cakes and I asked, "Are the funnel cakes really that good?" Bam, negatives. Really? I've been doing these crazy boards since '99, I might add DCP is mild compared what RAMD was. I try to contribute things my son passes along that I think may add to a conversation or I may add something from my own experiences. I get passionate and have spoken out a few times but tend to be pretty passive. These boards get passionate this time of year. A lot of us are summer DCP users and as each year progresses more and more parents are joining to watch their kids progress. I've learned so much from the main contributors on this Board and I appreciate the updates from the shows. As I was able, when no one else could get info from a show, try to get news from my son. Each time I posted, bam, two negatives. I didn't understand why but figured it was someone who just didn't like me for whatever reason but I kept posting in those situations. I guess I'm thin skinned, what can I say. The negatives usually were taken off, I guess by people that recognized my name. Thanks! As far as calling the kids performing kids I am guilty. I'm sorry if that is considered a bad thing just the nature of who I am. I still call my son who is a staff member and 31-years-old a kid. I've known some of the staff members on BK since they were kids so I guess they'll always be kids to me. I will say this in my defense, if you were to ask any one of them or any of Craig's friends my real name, they wouldn't know it. I've always been "Craig's Mom" or just Mom and that makes me very happy. Most of you know who Sully is, he calls me Craig's Mom. After Drums a bunch of us went to a Pub and he came up for a hug, "Hi, Craig's Mom", I have to say THAT made me feel pretty special!

they wouldn't open it anyways.

Kingsmen? Muchachos? Guardsmen? Crusaders, Optimists, Blue Rock, 27th Lancers, Suncoast, yeah - who misses any of them???? If you take a look in a thread I started earlier today, on this day in 1974 a worse-than-marginal corps scored a 34.60 in US Open Class A and All-Girl prelims, placing 32nd and way out of finals. Their name was the Canton Police Bluecoats..... I keep getting told my taste in corps design is irrelevant (BD this year). Well so is yours. It doesn't matter if you think they would have entertained you to your personal standards or taste - it's a death in the family, and every one of them broke the hearts of the kids that marched there. Please don't forget that....

And many fans that go to the shows don't care about " the scoreboard ". They have their own internal " scoreboard ". And since they help pay for DCI's " scoreboard ", they are entitled to disregard it in their observations and what they like or dislike in performance.

As others have stated, John Williams' music is not done too often due to copyright and licensing issues. It's probably just too costly, but clearly there is a market for his music. Also, I love his music. I think people are making a mistake when they say he copies from other composers. Of course he does, and so do ALL composers. Handel took ideas from Bach, and Beethoven took ideas from Haydn and Mozart, and Brahms wouldn't even write his first symphony until he was 44 yrs old so he could write more like Beethoven. Jazz musicians quote great composers and soloists all the time. But using a quote or motif is different from copying something note for note. John Williams has NEVER copied anyone else's music note for note. Finally, in the schoolastic area his music is often published through Hal Leonard. Jay Bocook has done many John Williams arrangements for band (marching and concert). He also arranged a spectacular book for The Cadets back in 1995 when they did "The Revieres," "Blowin' Off Steam" from Far and Away, "Born On The Fourth of July," and "Land Race" from Far and Away. Their entire show that year was John Williams, and needless to say it was one of the most exciting shows on the field that summer (along with the Scouts).

Geoffrey, It is sad the lack of civility some people do under anonymity but would never face to face. That almost seems to me like a deeper emotional issue, but that's a deeper more profound subject on human behavior, not drum corps. There is a lot of self entitled attitudes on many forums, not to mention some way over the top egos. Especially with forum members that feel they have been a member longer, that somehow translates into more social significance or more credibility, which is absolutely doesnt, it just means while they have been hiding online, others have been out doing. A friend of mine, Tom Float, said that the amount of egos and hyper sense of self appraisal in this activity and especially on these online forums is nothing what the activity used to be about. He has his masters in psychology, so I would assume he knows something on the subject other than being one of the few DCI legendary drum gods.

marginal corps like Dutch Boy, Florida Wave, Suncoast Sound, Star of Indiana, 27th Lancers, The Bridgemen, Anaheim Kingsmen, Freelancers, Skyriders to just name a few? Yes those marginal top corps that innovated and forever changed the activity.... wow, you're sort of a noob to DCI, arent you? as far as "boring", the top 3 corps this year have that slot filled to maximum.

At the Meadowlands ... Crown peeled paint. Hands down. They reminded me very much of the Star 90 and 91 line. Same tone quality, balance and raw power. How this corps is getting the projection they are is beyond me. It shouldn't be possible with the instruments they use now. But they're doing it. As I said earlier, Crown is doing the power with proper quality ... unlike their contemporaries. I threw all judgement out the window with regards to earlier viewings and FN broadcasts. I was sitting with some pretty serious heavyweights in the brass idiom ... and we all kept looking at each other saying, "OMG did you hear that?" .... it was unmistakable. Crown is achieving something that no other corps has come close to with Bb F horns. They sounded and cut just like a top quality G line. There is nothing to complain about here.

Each to their own....but...this comment is completely ridiculous to me.....

Many of the tactics did. Make fun all you want, but no one has yet to argue the numbers. You just come up with corny lines. Thats cool. Have a great rest of the summer!

Think SOA, along with Crown, BD, SCV, and Crossmen are the headliners of this year's season. Even with just an OK performance (though I do NOT expect that to happen), anything less than 10th place would be a disjustice to the system, and a huge black eye to Cesario's statements about the purpose of the new sheets and the recognition of entertaining, yet competitive and accessible drum corps. Best of luck SOA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Baseys-Downtown-Grill-Spirits/127304390619514 THIS IS THE HANG FOR DRUM CORPS FANS! It is right behind the Holiday Inn Express near Lucas Oil. IF YOU WRITE... "THANK YOU CROWN!" ON YOUR BILL the owner will make a donation to Carolina Crown from your check. ALL DRUM CORPS FANS ARE WELCOME!!! Also, a change in laws now allow people under 21 in the restaurant area... bring your family before the show. Here is the menu - http://www.baseysdowntown.com/baseysmenu.html

That's what Holst and Dvorak are for.

I don't know if he is under 30, but Tom Spataro of the Boston Crusaders is an excellent corps director.

This is very premature.

The reality in TX is that schools are laying off teachers, increasing class sizes and slashing budgets (including music dept budgets). This is the case throughout the state. These stadiums are not funded via school district budgets. For some reason, those living in these cities are glad to fund special bond elections to build stadiums and boost their own egos, but not willing to accept the fact that school funding and the education of their kids might be a little more important. TX (I've lived here 37 years and raised two kids here and my wife is a 20+ year teacher in the system in TX) is pretty much in the bottom 10 in achievement across the board vs the rest of the country, but our stadiums look great! (sorry for the rant...)