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I kinda thought discussions allowed for dialog on both sides of the issue,.......ergo,.......a discussion,.........sheesh

liz i said my time has passed. it's no insult. but if you can't see the trend that crowds are smaller and so are the corps. well............that's denial. si i said it be fore and i'll say it again. it's no longer my activity. it's yours. so you can do with it as you want. we did in my day. now it's your turn. i will follow olong but not with near as much interest. more of a passing fancy. i mean what's the sense? you want to turn it into something it wasn't intened to be but that's your choice. it was never supposed to be marching band . it was different. now not so much. so i say good luck with that. be a band. then an orchestra. you can play braums. and when there is 2 shows a year and 5 corps you can say look at how good we're doing. just sayin............the hand writing is already on the wall. and i really don't want to hear all the arguments.

Sounds to me like the point of the post has been missed. He's not complaining about the request for donation. But every day would be a bit excessive. A weekly update with an update on the week and a link to donate, that sound a bit better to me.

Looking forward to it. Boston's version was... meh. "We didn't feel there was enough material in Les Miz to support a full show." --Jay Kennedy, Boston Crusaders, 2011. DCI Hall-of-Famer or no, what a jackass statement. Couldn't believe when he said it on the QF Theater broadcast.

I don't really have an opinion on the matter but IIRC David Glasgow aged out as the drum major for Bluecoats in 2000 and was the corps director by 2004. He may have been really young when he took over but he seems to have done really well and the corps has thrived under his leadership.

Would that be "English" with a capital "E"? (I'll let God deal with the small "g." As for "sak," are you referring to DCP's own Bill? (I ask because he spells his surname with a capitalized "S" as well.)

My impression is THIS is a bunch of verbose nonsense, but we will see...

If true, this show could solidify my transformation to the Dark Side and make me a full-on BD fan.

I've always been a brass and percussion fan. Although I marched color guard, those guards weren't anything like today's guards. I have little interest in the pit and do believe they have become overbearing. Now that it's come to running wires on a football field, to artificially enhance human performance in a manner not really needed, understanding woodwinds are not far behind, my interest has become simply light curiosity. I rarely attend, but will ALWAYS be interested in how things play out as we go along. DCP and pay-per-view will provide enough satisfaction of my curiosity. But, I'm just one fan, there could be three new fans to take my place in the grandstand. That's a good thing! No more arguing for me. I'll defend what was, but I'm open to whatever will be. I'll even sample it. Yet, this "fish" is off the hook . . . . for now. Happy New Year!

Your post struck a chord with me when I read it, Don. I find this to be such a great sentiment. My entire family was involved in drum corps on the neighborhood level at one time or an other, so I was more fortunate than you in that regard. However, I am sure there are many more folks out there who, like you, 'found a family' in the activity. Our friendship is a good example of the reach of our 'hobby.' Though we have never met personally, through this forum, e-mails and 'snail mail,' we have become close in this 'brotherhood' we call drum corps. Competitors in years past who never met, we are both part of the larger drum corps 'family community.' What a terrific notion to take with us into the new year! To you, my friend, and all who read and contribute to this forum, I wish a very happy, healthy, prosperous and productive New Year in 2013!

Done right, could be the best ever.

When Vanguard did "Ballet for Martha" in 2009 there was a lot of pre-season debate about how much their effort would compare to Garfield '87. However, once the season began it was pretty clear that they had taken the source material and made it their own. The fact that Vanguard '09 was so good had no comparison to Garfield's earlier effort - each had a different way of portraying the music. Each was tremendously successful. So Vanguard is doing Les Miserables in '13. All I can ask is that they remain true to their namesake - to be THE Vanguard. Years prior to their successful interpretation of Broadway musicals, they were known for doing things "differently" on the field. There was a subtlety to their shows that had not been tried before. Their 2009 show respected that heritage using source material made quite famous by another corps. I have no doubt that their 2013 show will follow the same pattern. As for some of the detrimental comments concerning Boston and Les Mis, all I can say is their 2011 show was wonderful. The blend of 1812 and Les Mis was incredible!

So she wants to enjoy the fruits of the Organization's labor. Blogs, video feeds, articles, etc. but not want to deal with the messy "asking for money part". This sounds completely ludicrous to me If someone is personally offended that an organization is spamming them then you can unsubscribe or e-mail a complaint. But no, that is not enough, your friend wants to have her cake and eat it. She enjoys SOME of the e-mails but not all and how is that fair to the organization providing them... for free... I don't know if you noticed that Cadets have the MOST information out there than any other corps ever... ever. And your friend is personally offended when they send a lot of e-mails asking for money... Am I missing something here? Unsubscribe or Don't get the info via e-mail. I think it's that simple. I can't believe she wants to avoid donating to the corps when she admits she loves hearing info about the corps and enjoys their video feeds... The point is, if you are enjoying their content that you donate, seems a little selfish to me to want the content without enduring money solicitations.

I'm certainly no expert, and I haven't been around long, but I've never heard a DCI or DCA drum tape where the field environment actually kept a judge from doing his job (and I'm a nerd about that sort of thing). The most serious concern is when drill delays a judge in transitioning from battery to pit, or vice versa, and there's a brief moment of dead time where the judge can't evaluate anything but compositional/idiomatic elements. I just don't think that's enough to move them upstairs. I don't think I know a drum staff who wouldn't want a judge on top of their battery for half the show, because I don't think a judge could "properly evaluate" a drumline from the box when you start having to rank the top percussion sections in DCA. At a certain point in the season, the top several are all clean, and the difference is in the details. This is certainly no intended disrespect to you and your decades of experience, Mr. Peashey. I'm just giving my perspective as a percussionist, a high school percussion instructor/arranger, a fan of drum corps for six short years, a member for two even shorter seasons, and a man who hopes to become even more involved in the activity I love. I would even support adding a percussion judge to the box, especially when amplification comes into play for 2014, but I simply feel we would be giving too much away if we removed the field judge.

Ah... first world, drum corps problems.

The "symphony" will be played to a "crowd" of about 40 at the 4 shows left per summer. But it will be "art" so who cares?

By that, do you mean turn the light on so as to wake them up from their 'dream of lollypops' in order for them to face the nightmare of drum corps reality?

I'm not even going to begin to go where I wanted to on here.

Don I was in 74-79 but did a lot of the Red Carpet Assoc shows as we were working or way up. Lot of local shows run by non-DC groups that had been going on for years. What killed a lot of them was the costs to run the show went up mainly (IIRC) because corps needed more prize money to cover bus bills as gas tripled ca 1975/76. So ticket prices had to go up which ended up cutting down on the audience size and the profits to the sponsor went to crap. So less shows meant corps had to go farther which added to the bus bill which.... repeat cycle until collapse. Edit: forgot to mention that these shows usually had smaller audience size and the profit margin was small. Also went from no dues when I joined to nominal $1 a week around 77/78 which if I hear right was to give the corps some operating finances during the winter. I'd say a lot of nasty crap centering on costs killed what I fondly remember from my time. And hate to say it I'll go with my dad that I'm surprised that the activity still exists with the high costs of running a corps. Between costs of joining (dues, etc) and time involved I'm (gratefully) surprised that people still do corps. So guess I'm in between you and Liz. Lot of things were better back during my time but lot of heavy duty crap happened since and.... well we got what we got.... and my hope is DCA concentraits of costs to corps in their rule changes. Especially since IMO costs are the main (but not only) reason for loss of the local scene.

all good points liz. . up till the 80's we didn't have much band involvement. we shunned it in fact . we were different but no matter. all is done now. and so am i.so what ever happens, happens.

And for the record, I have no issues with SCV playing Les Mis....I'd rather hear recognizable literature than something which is off the wall esoterically.

Sorry, but this post is patently untrue. Boston's design team did NOT add 1812 because Les Mis couldn't fill a full show....the title from the beginning was Revolution, and the design team actually considered pieces from several sources to fill the program. As a matter of fact, Bring Him Home was one of the first things they came to, in terms of a ballad production. Jay's comments need context. As an arranger, he had defnite motifs that he was trying to include in the show, and to "fill" a show and not simply rehash Cadets 89, the group was lookly for specific elements. Jay's point was not that Les Mis couldn't support a full show on it's own..it was that it wouldn't support the full show that HE and the design team were planning. The final product seemed to please alot of people.

It gets frustrating to hear how people want the circuit to die because of changes or just tell us how wrong those of us that still enjoy it are. And then you get annoyed because we say your time has passed. How about we call a simple truce? If you don't like it stop telling us how much better it used to be. And that way no one will come back around to insult you? Because the street goes both ways folks. There have been a whole lot of insulting things coming from both sides.....

i agree ray. but then they say we're dino's.

Thank you Tyler. While I do not agree with all the pit stuff nor amplification, you bring out the meat of my opinion. See my post on page 44. Ray

No disrespect taken... percussion dudes who I very much respect have been telling me the same thing for years... so we can just as I said earlier, agree to disagree... Please say hello to your fearless percussion head for me - you got one of the good guys there in Mr. Romanowski... for sure...

Set up a "rule" in your email account that filters all emails from Cadets/YEA! into subfolder. That way they're not clogging up your inbox, but you're also not missing anything and can read or delete them at your leisure. If that doesn't work, start another thread on DCP.

I'm going to speak on behalf of George here. Dear HollywoodNeoCon, Hmm...no. Love, George tro-diddly-lolololol

agreed!!!

No. A thousand times, no. Putting the brass judge back in the box is the single best decision made by DCA in years. Period. Nothing else comes even close.

that's a shame...

Oh my God, the horror. This is SUCH a dilemna and an earth shaking decision for her... and you. I hope in the end you both can put your collective heads together and figure out how to get the cherished Cadets announcements, but without the money solicitation from them. Nobody should have to put up with the horrors of a request for money donations. I can feel your pain and anquish in your lengthy post, and hope you soon find a satisfactory final solution to your angst with this.

He's the greatest director that ever graced the face of the earth. If you don't believe that just ask him.

We did that. He wrote back and asked for money.

email him?

Like everybody else, just off-season speculation, but here goes... 1 Blue Devils: the staff, talent, and corps' relation to the judging community makes them unstoppable at this point. 2 Cadets: little staff turnover, Barber fits them perfectly, lots of members returning, leaning a few variety lessons 3 SCV: just a great team, show choice is choice and timely, hear talent is way up 4 PR: the visual package will hit its stride and the brass will get their due, finally, though the top 6 is a tough party 5 Crown: more of the same, really good, really really good, but the same 6 Bluecoats: same brass and percussion talent, show theme thin as has been the case the past several years, visually awkward 7 Cavies: working the show better, but with big member turn over and only an OK brass line 8 Madison: slowly working up, judges bought thin show design last year and thought awful arrangements were good, so what do you do? 9 Spirit of Atlanta: sticking to their own unique style, little to no staff turnover, more talent, getting the design gel happening after so many rough years 10 Boston: just too forgettable and more of the same in 2013 11 Crossmen: better talent, same show design level, odd drill 12 Blue Stars: get more things happening this season 13 Blue Knights: best designer is gone and last year's gift gives wrong impression that they are better than they are 14 Colts: better design

I feel like the people who call all of these changes "progress" need to take a hard look at what made the Drum Corps activity what it is (or was). It was never meant to be "Marching Band". It was very different from "Marching Band" in many ways. Yes they were similar activities but the differences in instrumentation and performance styles are what made "Drum Corps" special. It used to be that "Marching Bands" wanted to be more like "Drum Corps", not the other way around. I will agree that some changes have been for the better (i.e. number of valves on a horn, maybe....maybe instrument keys, Asymmetrical drill) but trying to make "Drum Corps" more like "Marching Band" has, IMHO, reduced the "draw" of the activity to new members. There is nothing special about the activity anymore. For everyones information I never marched DCI. Never had the opportunity. But I've marched DCA for almost 10 years. I have seen interest in the "Drum Corps" activity steadily decline in those 10 years. I'm sure it started long before then. I think we should be trying to generate uniqueness in the activity and try to sell that to today's youth (as well as some of us "old farts").

in my day we used all the small instruments you talk about. and they could be heard. could it be they were used correctly in the drum corps environment? i think you all are trying to be an orchestra on the field in my opinion that is not what drum corps was all about. for over 30 years it has been basterdised into something else. so let me get this right you incorrectly used all the percussion in the pit so to solve it you want to use amps? well good luck with your activity. it aint what i or a lot of people want. in 7-8 years if you survive you will be doing a symphony on the field and it will be a cheap knock off at that. just my old timers opinion my friend.

Do we like this variation?

Kind of interesting how he sees the similarities in all these half art / half sport activities yet so many others often cling to the "we are unique -- keep the 'other' out of our activity" point of view.

"Just under the wire" Apologies for being away this week... (the flu and I were having so much fun I didn't get on line... LOL) Merry Christmas Who'ville!!

Thank You Nanci. AND A: Merry Christmas back to YOU !!!

Thanks Nanci. And a great big hug right back atcha!

Carolina Crown is proud to announce their 2013 production "Third Time's the Charm" :p

Looks like a high school uniform ive seen before. I like the current slash ones better.

frank don't feel bad. i'm the only incardona the ever marched anywhere in any corps. so drum corps was my family.

If they end with another company front, I'm DONE with drum corps forever. FOREVER!!!! :w00t:/>

We were on our way to finals this year in our motorhome, towing my truck behind. Route 70, about 2 1/2 easy hours. Crusing along nicely in the left lane, passing some slow traffic. The lead car in the slow lane was an older couple driving a Lincoln. Doing about 55, clueless of the line that had backed up behind him. About 15 minutes later I'm in the right lane going 70 mph when I see in my left mirror a car coming fast in the fast lane. As it passed he started laying on the horn. "What the heck?", I thought. I hadn't bothered anyone all morning. As he got past me I recognized that it was that same Lincoln. Apparently laying on the horn threw off his concentration because just barely past me he cut over in my lane and put on his brakes! Now, I'm driving nearly 60 feet and 45,000 pounds; stopping ain't so easy and I had to jump hard on the brakes to prevent running up this guys tailpipe. I quick-glanced to the left lane and cut to the left, hard, missing him by about 10 feet with my truck-in-tow fishtailing behind me. My momentum carried me up beside the guy and as I look over I see this huge, white smile and this guy waiving his hat at me. His wife was bent down almost in his lap looking up at us. On his had it said "Phantom Regiment". He had seen the PR license plate I have attached to the ladder at the back of the motorhome, and he got pretty excited about letting me know he was going to Indy, too. I didn't know whether to laugh and wave in recognition, or flip him off. I waved my cap back at him I don't think he ever fully understood how close we came to hitting him in this random encounter. As he pulled ahead and let me move back to the right I saw his license plate. He was from New Jersey.