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With their special needs guard, sending grants and brass instruments to South Africa, their Guatemala trip, and other things, are they not doing some awesome stuff? I also find it super classy of them to be promoting Crown coming to the West Coast in 2013 on their facebook page. They sure don't mind Crown. Think what you want about their shows on the field, but as an organization, they are awesome in the ways they reach out to different communities, people, and countries as well as being classy towards the corps most people wanted to win over them last year. I just thought BD should get some love where it is well deserved!

The Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps, is an all-male drum and bugle corps with their headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin. They are in the process of celebrating their 75th anniversary in 2013. Since their incepction in 1938, the corps has entertained and educated thousands of people around the world. They are truly a one-of-a-kind organization. Their current alumni total in the thousands, and those alumni are individuals that marched from 1938-2012. They ARE the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps, and will always be, the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps. MYNWA

You're funny when you play dumb. As you know, my broad brush comment was in response to this - "Being in college band at all is questionable. I hated every minute of college band and I was the drum major" You project your personal experience - via the broad brush - and make it a commentary on college marching band in general. You might be surprised to learn that the universe extends beyond the end of your own nose. For a lot of people, the experiences they had in college marching bands was the time of their life. And guess what? That's okay.

With all due respect, what do you know of the organization? Did you march with the Madison Scouts? If you had, ESPECIALLY under the Scott Stewart years as I did, then you would not feel this way. I wonder when people spout off about a corps they were not a member of, if they even marched at all. As an alum of this organization I have completely disagree with your opinions and thoughts on my beloved corps. For one, any of us that did march under Scott would accept our brothers from 2012 the same as we would our brothers from 1938. Has the activity changed, absolutely, but then every corps has changed. You must not have seen the corps in recent years, if you did, you know that what Jim Mason, Dann Peterson, Chris Komnick, Jeff Spanos, etc. are doing things to keep the corps moving forward, and they are succeeding. I cried as hard with pride at finals last years as much as I did the night I aged out, maybe more. If you're going to say this stuff, know what you're talking about. Was Scott pushed out, YES. Did the director that followed him almost bankrupt the corps, YES, did people come in after in 2007 and help to rebuild the corps to make them relevant again, and financially responsible, and entertaining, YES, and through all the years that have followed Scott's departure, regardless of the ups and downs of the last 10 years have there been fans and alums that are still proud to call themselves Madison Scouts, YES. So, from one alum, the 2003-present-future, ARE Madison Scouts and will ALWAYS be Madison Scouts. Don't claim to know who or what the corps is unless you lived it.

BD family Day 2013. It will be the first time I get to see my son in a BD uniform!

Did I mention.....more Chuck Naffier arrangements !

Sorry to ruin your story with facts; U of D has limited seating comparably and of course it is only 1 side and part of endzones By thier own information more than 70% of the spectators are performers from other classes. Not full paying customers. The non staff performer attendance has been in constant decline. DCI does not have 250 groups that can either attend finals or go to one of the many attractions in Dayton ( I know of one the Air Force Museum that does not change much from year to year) Lessen the WGI influence in judging and shows in Summer will create more shows that the non staff fans will enjoy, less unpopular champions and more variety. BTW having DCI in Indy constantly I believe is a bad move because of the limited non drum corps attractions makes it less likely people will return year after year. A rotation makes much more sense and means those unable to afford cross country travel every year to have a shorter trip on occasion.

Wow, good topic. There have been many, many times that I have been moved by a show. I will start with 1984 Suncoast, when I saw the PBS broadcast (they only showed Aquarius and Requiem) I got massive chills at the end of Requiem. When I finally saw the full show, including the America? America! closer (with the American flag waving drill) I got teary eyed. In 2003, I got ridiculously excited to hear that Phantom would be playing Canon in D. This is one of my all-time favorite pieces, and I knew that they would do it justice. I was able to find some bootleg early season recordings that sounded pretty good, but did not see them live until Quarterfinals. Just before they came on the field, a thunderstorm hit Orlando (shocking, right?) There was a 90 minute or so delay, and there was talk that the show may be cancelled. Fortunately, the show went on, and when the corps got to the first hit in Canon, I was bawling. Mainly because not only did it live up to my expectations, but blew right by them. I still get a bit teary-eyed when I listen to it a decade later. Finally, I was a member of the Bridgemen Alumni corps last year. We had, throughout our history, performed with Jersey Surf a couple of times. When we were told during the summer of 2011 that we had formed a partnership with the corps, and that they would be doing a tribute to the Bridgemen in 2012, we were all pretty excited, but had no idea the bond that would develop between the corps. Although we had seen a few You Tube videos of Land of Make Believe and Tell William, we knew nothing about the rest of their show. On the day of our home show (The Tournament of Stars), Surf took the field for a run-through of their show just for us. I can tell you that several times throughout that run, I had a stupid smile on my face and tears in my eyes. When we met up with the corps for the night show, and saw their blue "pimp" uniforms, we knew that we were on the verge of something special. We entered the stadium together, then we stood in the end zone while Surf debuted their show to a huge crowd. It doesn't bother me at all to say that the kids stole the show that night, receiving the first of many, many standing ovations. The feeling continued when I saw the reception that the corps got at San Antonio, and then to be on the field at Allentown and seeing a nearly full stadium for the second corps in competition was sublime. The kids OWNED that field that day, and it was incredible to see the reaction that they got. Many new friendships have formed from this partnership, and I love to see the kids that just "get it". Ok, that's enough for now...

Yes Kay, I bet many folks who have spread vitrol about the Renegades, thought it was funny. My problem with the organization has to do with one person who is no longer there. I believe that most peoples problem with the organization is the exact same arrogant public face that they have worn in the past. I just hope that they lose that arrogance, keep some swagger and move themselves forward. I personally gained a great deal by being associated with the corps. It saved my life in essence. I lost 170 pounds because of my affiliation with the corps and I will always treasure them for kicking my arse hard enough to make me do that. I bet I get an extra 20+ years out of my life as a result!

I must say that this is one of my favorite all time topics. Thank you for starting it. The stories from 1965 and 1966 are awesome. Although I have not been an active fan of the activity for many years the stories shared here have rekindled my love for the activity. It was definitely a different time and age back then. Of particular note was the story of the "sit down protest". Thank you so much for providing some first-hand experience and shedding some new light on the situation. I cannot even imagine something like that being possible today. Thank you for the great stories! This old fart certainly did enjoy them.

I love the logos. Especially when I introduce new people to drum corps, they see that logo and it helps them realize that we are a legitimate activity performing in the countries largest venues.

The pumpkin championship also has the draw that the entire premise of the show is to see things destroyed...pumpkins, centrifugal and catapult arms, egos... The closest DCI has come to that is when one of the "demons" tossed a horn across several yards of the stadium prior to Cadets' "Angels and Demons" show. People want to see stuff 'splode. If we could figure out a way of working in random staff members spontaneously combusting, I think we'd be on our way to a television deal that wouldn't cost us an arm and a leg...which are just a couple of the things that, if severed during a 280-beats-per-minute backwards company front rotation involving bass drums and trebuchets, could seriously drive viewership through the roof.

Not often enough if you have ever been on a corps bus after the first week of tour. :lookaround:/>

Yesterday, kudos were deserved for the highlighting of the BD special needs color guard. Today, http://www.wgi.org/news/04102013-Sidney-Lanier-Drumline-Making-History.html

Mods, feel free to close if this is deemed against DCP rules. That said, I'm starting a blog to profile the various venues that host drum corps shows. My hope is to help fans considering attending a show to be better informed of what it would be like to go to that show. Essentially it's a preview of the "theater" that may help people better select seats, sections, etc, and also possibly help potential tour and event promoters successfully submit their bids for hosting future competitions. The blog can be viewed at http://marchingarenas.blogspot.com/#!/. Right now I'm building it mainly with my own photos, but if you have pics of your own you'd like to share or want to suggest a stadium for me to profile, just send me a PM or email. Happy marching!

I encourage all to post the following, or some personalized version of it, on your Facebook page. Please include the link to Bugles Across America if you do. Thank you. Five years ago, Tom Day, the founder of Bugles Across America, played "Taps" at my father's funeral. The entire family was honored, as well I'm sure was my father, a veteran of World War II and the Korean conflict. This afternoon, Tom played "Taps" for one of my dad's brothers, a US Marine Corps vet who earned a Bronze Star and Purple Heart when he received a near-deadly head wound as he went ashore during the first wave in Saipan. After the service, I caught up with Tom and chatted about the evolution of Bugles Across America. BAA was founded in 2000 after congress passed a law that all qualified veterans were eligible to have "Taps" performed at their funeral, along with a small honor guard to fold the American flag and present it to the family. Budget cuts on the federal level over the years have made this increasingly difficult for the government to pull off, and so more and more responsibilities have been absorbed by about 7,500 volunteers of Bugles Across America. They pay their own way to all funerals and provide this service free of charge. The receive no support from the government. I found out today that BAA is supplying about 3,500 assists to veterans' funerals each month. This has gone up with the effects of sequestration, as now BAA is responsible for all Coast Guard vets funerals. Any vet from any branch of the service is honored equally. When someone puts in a request, it goes out to all the volunteers in the area and there will always be someone available. BAA has sent out horns at no charge to about 350 volunteers who didn't have one, but wanted to provide their services to the honored vets and their families. These horns have come from donations, both in working and non-working condition. BAA has reconditioned several horns that have been placed in the hands of those who wish to provide their service at funerals. I've talked to a number of Bugles Across America volunteers and they've all commented on how meaningful it is to provide this service. However, BAA is always looking for more volunteers to sign up, as the requests for funeral performances of "Taps" only increases every month. BAA also needs donations to provide for the repair of horns and to mail them out. No one in the organization, including founder Tom Day, makes a penny off BAA. Tom and others have sacrificed much time to keep BAA afloat, growing, and able to provide a service that is so meaningful to so many. I encourage all who can to contact Bugles Across America about volunteering to be put on the list of available performers. You can read more about BAA from clicking on the link I supplied. Those who don't play trumpet, bugle or flugelhorn are encourage to send in a donation to help keep this wonderful organization financially afloat with the expenses they incur in the process of performing their mission. By the way, they have quite a number of volunteers now who didn't play a high brass instrument, but learned to do so in order to help in the mission. Many of them have received horns from BAA so they could start practicing and many of those have already played funerals for vets. Thank you for your consideration.

No offense, but that response indicates to me that you've never actually worked in a situation where getting major sponsorships was part of the business, or perhaps never worked in a business that was successful in doing it. It really does come down to a well defined product, a solid pitch, and a pitchman or woman to the sponsors who has a great contact list and the personal connections. You can think it's more complicated, but it's not. The organizations that get the major dollars do so because they hire the people who know the decision makers. You don't get money because your cause is just or great or good in and of itself. That stuff matters, but in reality, you get money because you can demonstrate what your demos are, how many impressions the sponsor will get, and because you have the right people who know the right people. It's just the way it is.

The way semi's looks, it's pretty much how I predicted the medalists to be in SW and IW from the beginning of the year (so far). A couple of surprises with Seminole rising and a big congrats to Choctawhatchee for getting in after 2 years out! I'll echo what others have said for the other classes, though I don't see how anyone could have predicted anything but Carmel, Flanagan, and Arcadia respectively.

Really? On this forum? I hope not.

Not true. If I have a good product to sell, but never hire a salesman to go sell it to buyers who would be the most likely to purchase it, their failure to buy has nothing to do with the product, and everything to do with my failure to take steps to sell it. DCI doesn't currently have a member of their executive team who has the experience and connections necessary to sign major corporate sponsors to the tour. Make the investment in bringing a rainmaker with a great track record on board, and you'll find the level of corporate support growing.

That's more like it Stu! I havn't forgotten... we were there together back in 2006... Maybe not the best of years... But it was my first year back in some 26 years or so! And I had a blast!

Actually, the ESPN thing was a mistake in a lot of ways... too expensive and they couldn't get it covered. It wasn't that DCI isn't interesting enough to be on TV or interesting enough to be on that channel. It is simply that they couldn't make the numbers work. Numbers didn't work because they didn't have experienced and connected people out trying to sell the opportunity to sponsors. Simple as that. So, the result was that DCI had to foot the bill... which made little sense, particularly with online growing. Getting back on TV would be a great thing, if you can make the numbers work and if the restrictions imposed by the media partner are worth it in the end. Bottom line - DCI on ESPN2 made a hell of a lot of sense if sponsors were footing the bill, but little sense if it is DCI covering the costs. I think they should explore the TV opportunity again... but with sponsors locked in first. Drum corps can get major brand sponsors... if the right people are out there pitching the right story. These people are very expensive, but very worth it.

It was a joke Anthony. Lest you forget, my favorite memories of corps are of when I marched in the Renegades!

PBS is a better fit than ESPN2 because only a pace like PBS can promote "art for its own sake." Drum Corps has more in common with Masterpiece Theater's clientele, than First Take's clientele, even though every marching member has prolly watched First Take, and NOT watched MP, lol. Again, when you're viewing the final product, you don't know the ages of the members. You just see precision marching and hear well-performed (and probably unrecognizable) music. It's merely "pretty good marching band," no different than any HS/College half-time show, except those are more entertaining. (to the audience you're trying to capture.)

The first time I saw SCV and BD live. I was the 17 year old kid in the stands with my mouth gaped open and thinking,HOLY ****!!!! Spirit Of Atlanta hornlines of the 70's/80's. Man, were those cats LOUD!! Bellville Black Knights black and cream uniforms. ###### to the extreme!! Bridgemen and their on-field antics!! The all-girl corps. There were some very decent corps in that circuit!!

Grind your axe elsewhere Stu... This place is for healing and goodwill now! The cricket sound generated by your post should tell you something.

'78 PR is the reference standard. SOA bari's from 77-81 were about as loud and full as you will ever hear.

However, if DB and SS are administered correctly and wisely by DCI the activity will have that divisional stair-step structure which will allow for relatively low cost entry for new corps into the realm of DCI (competitive progression of starting in DB moving to SS to OC to WC).

Most people that follow a sport as " fans " of a team like to believe that there is a legitimate chance that their " team " can win... even if its long... very long... odds. When other long odds teams get to the Championship, even if they have not, it gives them hope for the immediate future for THEIR team down the road. For example, the 2012-2013 NCAA preseason rankings for the Div. 1 College Ice Hockey program's liklihood of getting to the Championship game this Saturday were 1 ) Boston College ( defending Champion ) 2 ) Minnesota and 3) Michigan. The two teams however that made it to Saturdays Final are Yale and Qunnipiac. In preseason, neither college Ice Hockey programs were ranked in the TOP 20. If this was DCI Drum Corps, it would be akin to Pioneer and Mandarins to be fighting it out this August in Indy come Finals as #1 and #2. But we know that not only is this an insurmountable odds, it falls into the realm of a total impossibility for such Corps in the same Division as BD and the Cadets to do so. DCI Drum Corps is not well served when it has just 3 Corps winning more than 80% of the Titles the last 35 years. That is a hegemony that is counterproductive to generating future growth of the activity in terms of the interest in starting up new Corps, and growing an audience base that wants to witness genuine " competition " not " perpetual entrenchment " with Titles won.

How abut this jras: DCI procures the $720,000,000 to build a stadium, places a DCI logo in the middle of the field, then leases it to the Indianapolis Colts with the stipulation that the DCI logo must remain on the field. That would be fair.

Vanguard will fill our summer days with endless wonder.

Please feel free to point someone out that I can have an intelligent conversation with.

... and they're in Lithuania about 3 weeks from now. :)

I don't mind the logos at all. I was actually disappointed when the Cowboys logo wasn't there in San Antonio the last couple of years.

Bingo.......

It was a joke idea. It would be stupid for DCI to implement something like that. When people only have a finite amount of time to march, they should get to choose to go where ever they want to go to send their money and summer.

This is driving me crazy. The just need to announce it already. I'm trying to decipher clues that have been appearing throughout the internet. Between somewhere around DCP someone making the Crowns show this year will be "Out of this world" comment, them play Dark Side of The Moon and Also Sprach, as well as the show prievew having the E=Mc2 appear, and then them posting Einstein on the Beach, which we'll assume is a hint. Now I can draw that all together and conclude the show will be based off something Einstein or space related. ........Or I'm just stating something obvious that everyone already knows........

It's a stupid idea, unless you plan to play the members, and instate multiple-year contracts. I suppose you'd also advocate a one-year no-compete clause for staff as well? You're trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist.

How would anyone even suggest ending corps-hopping? Should we institute a rule like the NCAA, where if you move, you have to sit out a season of eligibility? That would be so weird. I'm all for corps loyalty and such, I spent all of my time marching in the same organization, but if people want to change places, they should. It's their money, and no one wants to deal with someone in a corps who doesn't want to be there. I would rather a kid jump corps than spend all summer complaining about being there.

I believe the Colts had a Sunday preseason game the Sunday of finals this past year. Must have not been enough turn around time to paint the field after finals night.

Seriously? Logos on the field? You mean the thing that's been on 90% of the fields in the past two decades? Who's going to pay to cover them up? And how? Paint or powder would come off after the first corps. Btw, didn't Oregon cover up part of the field two years ago, during their blue show?

I'd argue that the better your musical education is, the more aggravating you find the current WGI/DCI arranging style. Grownup tastes can actually stick with one piece of music for more than 30 seconds before hitting "next" on the iPod wheel.

This is very simple. Diversity of styles & music is what this activity needs more than anything. Shows have become dull & boring because there is no difference in styles between corps. There aren't any Drum Corps that fans of Spanish-Latin-Mexican, Jazz, British or Scottish music can relate to. EDIT: I agree completely with the following post regarding the Guard & WGI influence. When the Drum Corp activity was at its peak, it was because the music was great. This activity needs to prioritize the music & we need more horn & drum guys in influential positions. The ridiculous costumes that pass as uniforms are a problem too. How many really cool unis are there in the activity today? Scouts, SCV, Cavies, PR, & I'm sure I missed a couple. Lastly, the Drum Corp activity needs spats on the Madison Scouts uniform!

In 2007, The Cadets played the encore after a show in Lincoln, NE. There was a youth music camp lining the front of the stands as the horn line opened with the "Liquid" tag from 2005. There were plenty of tears following that, although probably not the same kind as the OP was thinking of.

Since you brought up " societal changes ", a more relevent question might be " what does the Most Precious Blood Church of Hyde Park " do for the young for sports activities, band activities, drum corps activities, teenage dance activities, etc in the Hyde Park Neighborhood of Boston " ? The local Corps that were church based at one time ( like the 27th Lancers you mentioned above ) did not leave and quit on their parishes. Lets be accurate here with historical fact based honesty. The Parish quit on the Most Precious Blood Hyde Park ( Boston ) Crusaders in the late 50's. The Crusaders never quit on themselves, (nor on anyone else for that matter.) The fact that the Boston Crusaders have been able to survive all these years is because of their creative and keen ability to adapt to the challenges put before them, and with the changes all around them, including Drum Corps itself. They draw members from all over the world now, with many from High School and University Band rich Florida, and are most grateful for that. But they have their offices in the Boston region and they fundraise in Boston to keep their committment to youth alive... no matter what their marchers current home zipcode is.The "Craiga" poster here is from Maine, not Massachusetts. He marched Boston and he now instructs Boston and he sends some of his kids from his High School Band in Maine that he instructs to Boston Crusaders each year now to march " Boston ". He is as much a " Boston Crusader " as much as anyone that that has donned the uniform in the 40's from the Most Precious Blood Crusaders, and so arn't the people that write the checks that keep the Corps alive that never marched in the Corps, but like what they represent, the traditions they still value and cherish, and what they believe in as their perceived Mission for the youth of the Corps. And so arn't the current marchers ( and alums ) in the Boston Crusaders Sr. Corps, " Boston Crusaders" too. They come from all over now as well and their support of the Junior Corps, " Boston Crusaders " is valued by the Corps, and the Junior Corps, " Boston Crusaders " value the support of their Senior Corps as well. Society has changed since the 1940's. Just as you said. There is no question about that. But the Red and Black of the Boston Crusaders is still the Red and Black of the Boston Crusders. Its not in its zip codes that makes it so. Its in its DNA.

Phantom Regiment 2010. Every hit, the chevron company front and the last chord from inside the tunnel. The whole show really.

It probably would require a choice to appeal to them in the first place. I'm pretty sure that at present that most DCI Corps show designers don't see this audience as their target audience. Not all of them. But many of them.

I could see the Crossmen jumping up a place or two. I could also see Pacific Crest making a run at the top 12 considering who they have on staff. Who would drop? BK is the obvious answer - Spirit? Probably not. Blue Stars might drop a place or two. I see some probable movement but not more than one corps dropping out and one more breaking in.

why is it that naming a corps regiment, cadets, cavaliers, etc. with some other descriptive added is copying?,..............are you saying there can no longer be any other corps with a name like "Cadets" because "THE Cadets" are the owners of that name, and there can be no others?

The Ents?