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I'm thinking: Cavaliers - Lumberjack City, keeping with the masculine show themes, and featuring the music of and Ice-T.Blue Devils - a sequel to re:Rite of Spring, Wet Hot American Summer, based on the 2001 film. They act out the entire movie in overlapping segments with as many as eight scenes going on on the field at one time. The funniest parts are performed backfield from the side 1 end zone with no amplification. Blue Knights - WeSaidNoEndDidntWe - The corps comes on the field and continues playing First Circle for 12 and a half minutes. Carolina Crown - Easy as Pi ($1 to MikeD in the Pioneer thread) - In a repeat of 2010's embarrassingly revealing show title choice, Crown's staff thinks they have the winning formula all figured out, but turns out reading the digits of pi throughout the show was not as catchy as counting to eight. And the rotating sphere drill just doesn't pop off the field like they hoped. Cadets - From Shiloh to Gettysburg - Attempting to tie into their Pennsylvania home base with a local theme while repairing relationships with their Southern fanbase, the Cadets build a show around the much-requested soundtrack to Glory. But the judges are confused when the corps, having decided to eschew the "implements of war" in their guard equipment choices, re-enact Pickett's Charge using giant commas and lightning bolts. And the Southern appeal strategy fails spectacularly at the Southeastern Regional when the finale, depicting the burning of Atlanta, starts a riot in the Georgia Dome, and the rampaging crowd spreads into the staging tunnel and all of BD's props for the year (bunk beds on wheels, one for each pair of MMs) are destroyed.

The Blue Devils. They were once very entertaining, and used to get the crowd up and out of their seats cheering wildly for them. I miss them a lot. I hope we get them back some day.

It was a beautiful night for drum corps at Scranton High School Stadium. It's a really nice, fairly large facility, and DCA packed in a big crowd for this regional. Aside from the one major hiccup (see intermission notes below), the show was very well put on by DCA and the American Legion folks. Bushwhackers It's been fun watching the re-booted Bushwhackers perform this year. Gone are the days where they spend all summer trying to fill a legion of holes (though tonight it appears they did have a couple I didn't recall seeing a few weeks ago). The new uniforms look great, especially with the keyboard layover on the jackets. Performing a very well designed program that fits the size and talent very well, the theme even works for someone who may not otherwise know the corps' history. The backdrops serve their purposes...to frame the field and make the stage smaller, and to hide members and equipment. The drill wasn't as clean as I'd hoped for, likely caused by the few holes they didn't have in Downingtown. The brass sounds good, with a good balance. Percussion is the strong section in the corps, though I wondered if they were affected musically by the couple of percussion holes tonight. The guard was small, but competent. The standout moment tonight was the baritone soloist. Unfortunately, the corps is going to have an uphill battle to make Finals. The small size and the way the show is constructed lean more towards what one might expect in Class A, and they just don't create the sound or visual impact of the other Open Class corps. Regardless, this is a HUGE step forward for Bush, and they are an order of magnitude better than they were last year. This is definitely a year they can use to build on. White Sabers I was extremely impressed with the White Sabers when I saw hem a few weeks ago in Downingtown. I said then that this was easily the best version of the corps I'd seen since I'd been involved with DCA, so I was eager to see the improvement since then. I have to admit that I'd expected them to have progressed a bit more than they have, but it was still a good show. The brass has a very good, very refined sound. Balance however, skews greatly towards the high brass. The percussion section is very musical, and the arranger thankfully resisted the urge to write too many notes. The bass drum line is far and away the best section in the corps, and their feature moments were outstanding. Guard wise, they are very good, with some cool rifle moments. The best moment of the show is the ballad. A mash-up of the Largo and Dancer in the Dark shouldn't work, but it does. It's interesting and musical, without being goofy. The brass team really needs to find a way to have the low brass contribute more during this section though, as it lacks the dark sound you expect from both original pieces. There is a lot of work left to do, but it's highly likely the White Sabers will medal in Annapolis. If they want to contend for the title, however, they need to really dial up the low brass. Windsor Regiment I've really been a fan of Windsor's first to years in Class A competition. They have established a very serious and sophisticated identity that has worked for them. This year, though, the design team has taken a huge step backwards. The overall design, from drill to brass and percussion writing, is something far more akin to what you'd see from a small, young marching band rather than the experienced drum corps that Windsor wants to become. There's a good deal of talent on the field, and the performers are what save the program. The ballad of The Rose is the section of the show with the most possibilities, but it needs a great deal of refining, particularly in the brass. The percussion, particularly the battery, is way overwritten, especially in the last third of the program. Finding the other end of the pencil would do wonders over the next two weeks. The trumpet solos, however, are fantastic. It really shows off the talent they have, that mostly hasn't been taken advantage of. The last minute of the show came off as frantic and wasn't performed to the level of confidence of the rest of the show. I do not see Windsor repeating as a Finalist corps, though I hope I'm wrong. Hopefully the design team will reassess in the off-season and give the members a better product in 2014. Sunrisers The Sunrisers are another corps I saw in Downingtown. They've made HUGE progress over the last couple of weeks, in terms of completing the program and building the confidence of the performers. It's for the most part a very well designed program that gives them a new and interesting visual way to present music we've all heard before. The color guard is very good, and does an excellent job of "painting the picture" (both literally and figuratively). The percussion was behind the 8-ball tonight having only two bass drums, but the battery didn't suffer nearly as much as I'd thought they would. Brass puts out a big sound that at times may be a bit rough around the edges, but is balanced and performed strongly. I was a bit surprised to see Sun scored so low by the judges. I would have had them at least around an 80 or 81. They may not have been as clean as Bush or Hurcs, but they performed to a much higher level, and appeared stronger in brass, guard, and visual than both corps. I really think they got the short end of the stick tonight, particularly since it sets them up to miss Finals, and they are better than the two corps I mentioned. Fusion Core Fusion's jump in quality from last year's Hit Man show is just as big as that show's jump from the Africa show of 2011. They are now a very good, established Open Class corps. The program is mostly very well designed (there are one or two staging issues, one of which doesn't help the timing of the music ensemble late in the show), particularly the musical book. The brass puts out a strong, mostly refined sound, though the high brass is quite a bit stronger than the low brass, not in terms of balance but in performance level. Some attention to detail is needed here going into the last two weeks. The percussion continues to get better each year, and they've made a leap this year. It's well-written both in the battery and the pit. The guard is competent in terms of performance, but I felt like the members weren't given a top-flight book that complements the musical program. They are by no means bad, just the weaker section in terms of design. Now, the much-talked about "old folks on a bench". They've made a change (that I will not spoil) that works MUCH better. However, using the nice lady to help the soloist switch horns doesn't work. It's distracting, and takes the audience out of the moment. I'd much rather see the soloist swap horns from a stand in the pit than have it continue as it is now. This would also allow the old couple to really have their moment, because it really works once they sit down. It's actually a better moment than the corps in the other circuit that did something similar (their moment wasn't as strong visually as Fusion). My only real grip with the show was the horribly distracting heart prop they use at the beginning. It's unnecessary and actually detracts from the moment. Removing it and not replacing it would actually make the end of the introduction MUCH stronger. You don't need it, guys. Fusion looks to have a very solid hold on a spot in the 7-8 range in Annapolis. I was tough on Fusion two years ago when I reviewed the Africa show. They deserved the criticism. But I will say that they have really turned things around the last two years, particularly this year. They've really upped their game, particularly in overall design. Credit where credit is due, folks. INTERMISSION The concession stands ran out of soda and water by intermission. The only thing they had left was coffee. Nice work ticking off a couple thousand people. Unforgivable, particularly because this isn't a new show site. Empire Statesmen With all the talk about Statesmen closing up shop, I was really curious to see what they would bring to the table for their last hurrah. A "greatest hits" show wasn't going to break any new ground, but the corps does have a history of putting their own spin on stuff we've seen before. The end result, at least at this point two weeks out of championships, is decidedly mixed. Thematically, the show is currently really a shell. The music is there, the props telling you what music is being played are there, it has a beginning, a middle and an ending. But aside from Dave Bruni's unbelievable coat, and the three ringer soloists down front, it lacks the usual touches that the Statesmen are known for. Some call it the cheese factor, but I like cheese. This show needs some, and I'm sure the corps will provide in two weeks. The really great part is the music is very solid. The brass is loud, as you'd expect from a Statesmen line on G bugles. It's fairly refined as well, though the low brass isn't as strong as the high brass by any stretch. The three ringers down front sound great, but aside from the mello solo in the ballad, aren't really featured or an essential part of the program. In fact, the soprano screamers out on the field contribute as much or more than the guests do. The brass book is very good, both interesting and entertaining, particularly the closer. The color guard is really very good. The work is well written and very well performed. They aren't, at least at this point, overtly contributing to any storyline, but again...show, shell, you get the idea. They are, as of now, 100% of the visual program (I'll get to that in a minute). The standout section is clearly the percussion, and particularly the battery. Holy smokes can they throw down. It's got ram, it's musical, it just works, and they are pretty darned clean. This is a fantastic year for drumlines, and Statesmen are one reason why. The real bummer of the program, and the part that is going to absolutely kill them on the score sheet, is the total lack of a visual program outside of the color guard. Statesmen have taken heat in the past for not moving a lot, but this year it's almost as if they are doing it on purpose. I'm not saying they stand still the whole show...they don't. But when they do move, it's not very far and certainly not very fast,and it's not at all clean. It's also just one restage after another, with 90% at 130bpm or slower. The real downside is that this decision will impact the brass, percussion, and guard captions when it comes to simultaneous responsibility. There simply isn't any. Now, that all said, it's still a very good drum corps. My hope is that if they really are serious about closing up shop, they are planning to go out with a bang in two weeks. They need to add all those Statesmen signatures we all now and love (and some hate...not me). Heck, if I was them I'd safely make it into finals (in the 6-8 zone) and then come out on Saturday night and break every rule DCA has. Make it an EPIC finish. Reading Buccaneers I was disappointed in Reading's run a couple weeks ago in Downingtown. Not tonight though...the Buccaneers came out and simply mowed the place down in terms of performance. This show, for the most part, lives up to the "Higher, Faster, Stronger" theme. The certainly, as a whole, have more content and depth of program than anyone else on the field in Scranton. There's a whole lot going on here, and most of it is stupid hard and achieved to a very high level. The problem is that for the first seven minutes or so, that's all it is: an incredible exercise in individual and ensemble achievement of some very difficult material. If you revel in that sort of thing (and I do), it's fantastic. But words like "exciting" and "entertaining" won't be coming to mind much, if at all. It's cerebral drum corps at it's highest form. it is no, however, "fun". They have the intellectual and aesthetic legs of the Triad of Effect covered in spades. Until they get to the closer. When the mellos climb the ladders to begin the Bacchanale, everything changes. From then on, the show is "fun" and "entertaining". The new ending is great, and rips the audience out of the seats. But is it too little too late? In this way, the show is very akin to the 2011 production...a technical masterpiece for seven minutes, with a fun closer tacked on. 2013 Bucs is a lot like the other circuit's dominant Blue team's show, with more major chords and a better ending. The percussion is the standout section, both the pit and the battery. The brass was the cleanest of the night, even if the high brass is clearly achieving more than the low brass, with the mellophones being the stars of the show musically. The color guard has improved a lot, maybe more than any other guard since June, and the entire corps moves so well. The high level of training across the board is evident visually. It's not squeaky clean yet, but it's close. My only real gripe continues to be the "tuba feature". If that's indeed what it is, it's still horribly broken. The tubas are staged right in front, and play what I *think* may be some cool stuff, but the battery (staged behind and to the left) is playing with the volume knob stuck at 11 and stomps all over what they are doing. If it's a tuba feature, please fix it. If it's not, please clarify the intent. Either way, do something. Hurricanes Following a Buccaneers performance these days is hard enough. It's doubly difficult if your corps is half Reading's size. I will say that the performers equated themselves nicely, despite being dealt a bad hand. The battery is the strongest section of the corps, and the brass is small but quite good. The guard isn't the dominant guard we've come to expect from Hurcs, but they get the job done. The brass and percussion books are well designed, and the guard book compliments the music. The members march very well. The problem is the drill, especially drill staging. It's killing the corps. I'll give two examples, both dealing with the standout section, the battery. 1. The opening of the show is a fantastically written battery feature. Sadly, the have no chance of playing it in time because the drill writer has split them from side to side with a giant gap the middle. The line is screwed before they play the first attack. 2. Bass drum feature. Hurcs have an *amazing* bass line. They have a superbly written feature, but the drill designer has put them literally (yes, for real) 10-15 yards apart vertically and horizontally. How are they supposed to play split runs that far apart? Answer: They can't. Brass staging is just as bad. The designer segments them and has them all over the place, and usually opposite field from the battery. The guard has an amazing rifle feature, that we almost miss because it's, and I'm not kidding here, behind the corps, behind the back hash. I only noticed it because I was trying to find the source of a timing tear. Drill staging is affecting every caption in the corps, and is likely the sole source of the corps low score. With better staging, this is easily an 8th or 9th place corps. As it stands, they are in a battle to get into finals. Cadets2 Cadets2 are an order of magnitude better than they were at this point last year, and are substantially better than a few weeks ago in Downingtown. Yes, they are still working a bunch of folks in. In two weeks, they are going to scare the bejeezus out of some corps if they haven't already. There is so much content and demand in this show, without sacrificing pleasing and entertainment. The feet have cleaned up so much, to the point that they aren't any more dirty in the feet than they corps in front of them, it's just a tad more noticeable with the cream pants. But feet are no longer the corps' liability. The brass line has made a giant leap as well, particularly in the low brass. They have the most pure brass sound we heard on the field tonight, and easily the best high-low balance. The kids have a very strong handle on the difficult book, and it shows. The percussion is the corps strong section, with an outstanding battery that can throw down with the top two. I wish they spent a little more time down front, and a bit more time integrated in the drill so we could see them better, but for whatever reason they are behind the rest of the corps most of the show. They had, hands down, the best and most musical pit on the field, and maybe in all of DCA. The guard is improving, but is still the weak section. They are staged for success, so when they struggle it's very easy to see. The program is very strong, with some nice nods to Cadets' history without making an entire show out of it. The antiphonal split section in the closer is outstanding, and may be the moment of the year in all of DCA in two weeks. The ending is fantastic, though in need of a little refinement musically and visually. I think this corps is on track for a top five finish, and likely top four. They may not catch Hawthorne, but they will certainly get close. This show will be incredible in Annapolis. Hawthorne Caballeros Cabs took a huge step forward last year, and they've done it again this year. This is the best Caballeros corps I've seen visually in a decade. From the very first move, they grab you with movement and color. It's possibly the perfect blend of demand and content, without feeling the need to beat you over the head with hard stuff all the time. Musically the show is outstanding, and monumentally better than it was in June. They've clearly made a ton of changes, and every one has been for the better. The brass line plays very well, and even gets a little angry-sounded when it's called for...something no other corps does. The percussion is very good, and plays a very musical book. The ensemble together is very tight, even with some challenging staging (not bad...just challenging). The color guard is the outstanding section, and they are staged so well. This bites them on occasion...when you are staged this way, every single mistake is amplified, even the minor ones. There are three standout section of the show, one of which was a bust for me in June. The "Time to Say Goodbye" ballad was a bold choice that had major issues in Wildwood. Well, not anymore. It's absolutely gorgeous. The changes musically, and moving Frank Ponzo down front, have made this the ballad of the year. It's equally as stunning visually too. The tuba feature is, quite frankly, the single best musical moment of the year. Those ten cats throw down a harmonized groove that will knock your socks off. No other tuba line is even close to Cabs. Extra points for being clearly heard at all times during the show too (just get that last guy in the whole show, ok? Yes, I caught that even though you were sneaky about it). The closer, Paint it Black, is an absolute riot. It's kind of weird hearing Cabs rock this hard, but it works, and they do. I like the changes they made to de-emphasize Bolero. The last two and a half minutes are just so much fun. Easily the most entertaining corps of the night. So, are they going to win? No, probably not. But they are absolutely in the conversation with Minnesota and Reading, even more so than last year. One thing's for certain though...the Annapolis crowd is going to love the Caballeros. So, we know the judges placements. Here is how I would have scored it: 1. Buccaneers 2. Caballeros 3. Cadets2 4. Fusion Core 5. Empire Statesmen 6. Bushwhackers 7. Sunrisers 8. Hurricanes 1. White Sabers 2. Windsor Regiment A few notes: I think Bucs' score was fine. I figured it would be a bit higher, a high 93 or low 94. I think the seeding between them and Minnesota is a coin toss. After analyzing the recap, I only had two issues. Other than those, I think the panel nailed the show. First, Sunrisers were underscored across the board, and under-placed. I'd have them over Bush and Hurcs. The visual ensemble judge gave Statesmen an 18.3. That was really about two full points on the high side. A 9.2 in content? Really? Nah, bro. They should have been a few tenths under Fusion. The crowd was really great and gave ovations to every corps. The facility is easy to get to, has good seats, and great acoustics. Next year, buy some more drinks, ok?

Shapiro NOT leaving Blue Stars. Talked to him the other day and he killed those rumors.

They're going to have a hard time finding an ending.

The mellophone soloist for SCV who stood in the middle of the field all by himself, unmiked, and played a gorgeous solo.

After what happened in DCI when Madison went on last through that random draw for the top 5 and won with a great closer and rather fair to middling rest of the show before it... note DCI did NOT repeat that experiment and I am certain the DCA member corps would rail against something like that with that incident in mind. As for 90 plus scores, if the contestant meets the box descriptors for that performance and the number is in the 90+ point range, that is where they should be scored, period. The way the system is built, there's enough room to rank and rate and still get the placements right. If the corps are that good, they deserve the reward for their excellence.

One wormhole. Worms not included. Sale began next Tuesday and continues until last Thursday.

Everything must have an ending, except my love for

I'm not sad to see Don Hill go. I found his arrangements to be very sterile both last year and this year. I mean, how do you arrange Nessum Dorma to be less than Nessum Dorma? I'm sure there are all kinds of arguments about hands being tied to book choices, etc, but bottom line is even in years where Shaw wasn't perhaps getting the book he wanted to arrange in terms of music choices, his arrangements were always infused with a writing style that brought out emotion and an audience connection. I can't think of one music book from JD that I didn't like in terms of how it was arranged while he was at Regiment. In fact, it's hard to find a year, period, since 87 that I haven't loved Regiment's music arrangements and book, until 2012 and 2013. Harvey

*I already mentioned this in the Garage Sale thread, but whatever* Blue Devils decide to go back to their winning ways ... one year back. The corps uses their entire rainy-day budget to purchase the following items: Carolina Crown's purple pants uniforms Santa Clara Vanguard's backfield sets of a French town Bluecoats' bleachers Bluecoats' balloons Cavaliers' hooded robes Cavaliers' gear-in-an-eye-in-a-triangle props Blue Knights' giant blue ball Madison Scouts' helicopter props Spirit of Atlanta's dance barres Spirit of Atlanta's piano Blue Stars' voodoo props Crossmen's protest signs Mandarins' interrogation set Academy's Pianoman (the carbon-based product, not the show) Jersey Surf's psychedelic uniform sleeves Jersey Surf's excellent Aretha Franklin impersonator Gold's martial artists Using these items, they design a Dada-themed show to out-Dada their 2012 Dada-themed show. On the field from Concord, California, presenting their 2014 show ... Son of Cabaret Voltaire: Who's Your Dada? ... The Blue Devils.

It is important to remember that producing a good marching band is not necessarily the paramount goal of music education.

Having great designers and teachers is essential. But I want to emphasize here: STABILITY STABILITY STABILITY STABILITY STABILITY STABILITY STABILITY STABILITY STABILITY STABILITY STABILITY STABILITY

makes ya wonder, don't it? Lower corps aren't moving, yet getting better every week.

DCI didn't wipe out anybody. It was always intended to be (and still is) an association of the elite corps, dedicated to their own progress. What is notable is how many of the others actually pushed their way into the group over the years. The other "local" groups disappeared because the Legion, VFW and church support groups declined drastically in membership and therefore could no longer support those corps. The basic infrastructure evaporated. Our parents' generation put money and energy into this activity. Ours, by and large, did not. We didn't have as many kids for one thing. (OK. Ray Fallon did, but not the rest of us.) We didn't join the VFW. We left the church. On the upside, many drum corps-trained folks moved into music education at the secondary level. Today's high school bands serve the very same populations that the neighborhood corps did years ago and, by and large, they do it more efficiently. There is absolutely nothing that prevents anyone from starting a neighborhood corps right this minute in almost any town in the country. What you can't do is easily start a viable and competitive DCI or even DCA corps and get it on the field immediately. You can't build a house starting with the third floor. The inner cities are crying out for such groups, just as they were in the old days. Who will step up?

Bluecoats DO NOT need to f with the Hornline. Doug Thrower is a God among men. Give us something to see that matches what we hear and they could challenge for the title next year.

Not because they choose to audition. It would be because they are actually marching with them. There is a competitive and financial advantage gained from being able to replenish your ranks with veterans from other corps. I personally know people who ended up marching with top corps, such as Cadets, Cavaliers, etc, who would not have been able to get in there without the seasoning they received at another corps. Those corps received a benefit from the other corps, perhaps while they were arguing that those lower corps should get less money and even be bumped from performing at the same show with them. I'd like to see them give something back for effectively being a feeder corps.

Also heard over the past week Don Hill leaving Phantom The Tomsas departing Colts

Stability with a great staff always works well. I'm sure there are exceptions, but stability with an average staff usually results in a consistently average drum corps.

Here's the Hurcs HOF write up.... Nicholson, Joseph Joe Nicholson holds the distinction of being one of thirteen original members that initially formed St. Raphael’s Golden Buccaneers in 1957.He stayed with the highly successful corps until he aged out of the junior activity. He was a member of the Buc’s touted horn quartet that at one point went undefeated for three years in addition to amassing many titles as well as National recognition on the individual scene of the ‘60’s. During this time, Joe also taught St. Raphael’s feeder corps, the Musketeers. Joe came to the Hurricanes in 1970 were he anchored the lead baritone section for fifteen years, through ’84. In the wake of a down turn, Joe came back in 1990 through 1995 and again in 2000. Following that season he continued on as a drill tech in 2001 &2002. He was named “Hurricane of the Year” for 1977 and throughout his long career, proved to be an inspiration to those around him by exemplifying a work ethic and dedication to the Corps that sets him apart. In his many years with the Corps, there have been several highlights, but perhaps his proudest achievement is simply that of being a Hurricane! Subsequent to his competitive career, Joe has played with and serves on the board of the Park City Pride Alumni Corps and has also served on the board of the Hurricane Alumni Association.

Which is why it is inherently flawed. It is not possible for non-eastern corps to have a travel weekend the weekend before the biggest travel weekend of the year. They would get home on Monday and then have to leave for out east on Wednesday. So essentially that gives the corps who have shows a weekend before finals, and a smaller travel budget, a really large advantage in getting the highest score. While going on last in prelims isn't a guarantee of a finals victory, certainly it is an advantage. That is undeniable. There should be a better system than one that is based on scores from shows thousands of miles away on different weekends.

Hello drum corps fans! This is Keith Hall, executive director of Music City Drum and Bugle Corps. The announcement concerning the folding of Music City can be found HERE. After reading some of the posts on a couple of threads here I thought I should offer the following. It is very expensive to operate a drum corps. Music City received a couple of small grants this year and a smaller amount in appearance fees. The corps' expenses not covered by these and the membership fees were covered by a VERY small circle of individuals. Music City has no debts. We tried to time the announcement the best we could for the sake of the members. By the way, I'm the same Keith Hall as The Band Hall which provided all uniforms, flags/guard equipment for the corps. On a sidenote, I do not think the open class system is serving the activity well. Certainly the elite corps should receive tons more compensation and receive far more performance opportunities, but the current arrangement is not going to grow the activity. I would like to add that I believe Dan Acheson is providing the best possible leadership for the activity. He has a great vision for the future of drum corps. His hands are unfortunately tied it seems by the unfortunate need to "get along" with certain others. The unflattering posts I've seen here regarding Dan Acheson are unfortunate and uninformed I believe. I invite everyone to support the corps or corps (plural!) of your choice. Make a donation, buy a t-shirt or best of all, help them raise money, LOTS of money. Today would be good!

You know, I see many posts in the Open Class forum ranting about how DCI doesn't support the class. I don't agree. First off, I believe DCI is simply a sanctioning body for the activity. While they have some responsibility to the fans to make sure they're getting the best product they can, it's up to the individual corps to run their business. DCI can't be expected to be involved in every corps financial decisions and they shouldn't be. Just as Open Class is a stepping stone for many kids that are building their experience and skills, I think that is true also of the management of these groups. Just as with any business, some succeed, some don't. There's a reason the top groups are always the top groups and it's not just talent. I do believe that DCI actually does support these groups. They give them venues and performance opportunities. They do market these shows and ticket prices are lower for Open Class only events. So how do you blame DCI when people don't go to these shows?? I've been involved as a staff member with a couple of different Open Class groups. I've been to the end of season shows that determined seeding for Open Class prelims. Not very many people go. Never a problem getting a good seat. Heck, there are still plenty of seats for Open Class finals. I've been to the Cavaliers home show in Michigan City over the July 4 weekend numerous times and the stands are packed compared to Open Class finals. How do you blame DCI for that? Ticket prices are lower. The shows are advertised. People don't go. As a matter of fact, I've read many reviews on DCP of shows that have Open Class groups prior to World Class groups in which these "die hard" fans don't get there in time to see the Open Class corps. Instead, they show up later for the top groups. Is that wrong? Not necessarily, but you can't blame DCI for that. Add to that the difficulty in finding people willing to put on a strictly Open Class show. Putting OC shows on costs money, less than a World Class show, but still it's not cheap. Add to that the fact that people aren't going to these shows, it makes it difficult to do them. It's a vicious cycle. It's a competitive activity. And in any competitive arena, more money directly equates to being more competitive. It's a fact of life and it's easy to fall into that trap and groups have to be careful. But once again, it's a business that is run by the corps management, not DCI. So, it's pretty easy to sit in the cheap seats and take shots without knowing everything involved. I don't claim to know everything about the activity or the groups involved in it. However, I would say this to those that complain. If you know so much, why aren't you doing something about it? Will I get torched by many for this? Probably, but that's ok. I'm pretty sure I'll still sleep just fine.

The Bushwackers Drum and Bugle Corps will be hosting another show this Sunday at Pennsauken, New Jersery! The Venue: Pennsauken High School 800 Hylton Road Pennsauken, NJ Competition Start Time, 2:00 PM Come out and enjoy a great Drum Corps weekend!We have people coming from all over the East Coast and the World! Come see and support your favorite corps! Corps in competition: Carolina Gold (Last Year's Class A Champions) Heartliner (from Germany!) Shenandoah Sound Excelsior The Reilly Raiders (exhibition) & your hosts, the Bushwackers.For Ticketing and other Info: For Event Location, Ticketing, and other information, please click: https://www.facebook...18451238199323/ Don't have Facebook? Go to our website: http://bushwackers.org/tickets/ We hope to see you there!

This is flat out ignorance to imply that front ensemble musicians have zero control or ability to play with musical phrasing & dynamics. It's so ignorant & naive that it 100% invalidates your argument. Not only that, but your naive argument invalidates itself: you say and then immediately follow that argument with So if 100% of balance, blend and volume of the front ensemble is controlled by staff members why is there a need to "correct" players or even flat out mute them?

Phantom Regiment: Evil Dragon King Hand Puppet's Revenge

You are absolutely right. Spot-on.

This is absolutely, categorically not the case. Fully one-half of the GE Caption scores come from the repertory that the corps present. Additionally, the performance subcaption is directly influenced by the composition/design and the skills it allows the performers to demonstrate. You cannot separate the emotional, intellectual, and aesthetic appeal of a show from it's component material.

I'm thinking Wayne Downey as Phantom's new arranger. Who's with me?

Lots of good soloists this year but the guy from BD, mic or no mic, stands way out from the rest. Great tone quality and tons of musicality

Ya know... I think about you guys often... and often in a very positive way... good guys... good players... good teammates. I can honestly say though, I have never thought of you as choirboys... This will be a first. Looking forward to catching you guys at Annapolis.

Bump. Re-reading early season show threads. This deserves an award for prescience.

That's the announcement, not the rule itself. This is very important, as I want to see if signal proicessing was mentioned at all. It should either be not mentioned (thus not forbidden) or expressly allowed. I'm talking about the use of a compressor/limiter, noise gates, reverb, etc. I'm not talking about synth and such. If the new rule specifies only a dry amplified sound, we're in for a heap of trouble.

This is absolutely true. Sadly, few designers listen to the tech staff during the main teaching period. The tend to answer concerns with "Oh, just wait until it's all on the field, then you'll get it."

27 I'm sorry. Was that out loud?

The very most? Star of Indiana. HUGE loss for the activity, not just in terms of entertainment, but also resources, fans etc. A lot of money left the activity when they pulled out. Hasn't recovered since IMHO.

I just got done watching the Scouts finals performance. They were on fire! I can't wait to see what they have in store for next year.

Speaking from personal experience, I would argue that sometimes you don't know that a show won't work until its already on the field. Its not always stubborn ego. You're usually deep into spring training/band camp/WGI rehearsal season before you start to get a real picture of what the show actually looks and sounds like. Some shows seem like a great idea on paper, and just don't work the way you envision. I usually try to bounce my show ideas off of friends who I trust, and I've definitely had seasons where everyone I talked to thought my show idea was solid. By the time the first show rolls around, I realized I was wrong. But at that point, is it really in the kids' best interest to completely gut the show and start over? You've already paid a design staff to write music and drill (if you haven't done it yourself), you've learned an entire show, the kids are already bought in to the performance, you already have invested in guard uniforms, props, etc. By the time you realize the show won't work, its often too late to pull a 180. Sometimes the best thing you can do is try to make adjustments to what you have to make it work. I've definitely had years where I felt horrible about the design I put together by the end of the season. You just take your licks, and try to learn from what didn't work for you (and what did if anything). Even the best designers on the planet (of which I am NOT one) are still human. Sure its easy to sit here and call them egotistical as they plug away throughout the season at a show that we perceive as a "bad design". But at the end of the day, not every show works out the way it is envisioned. Babe Ruth struck out from time to time. Jordan missed free throws and traveled occasionally. Peyton Manning throws interceptions. Life moves on, and you hope its a better design the next time around.

Did I capture a ghost? There is a strange glow around the field in that spot. Having been going to the Parade of Champions in Scranton for 40+ years, I definitely felt the spirit of drum corps past. A lot of memories going through my mind last night. Watching DB pay his respects to the American Legion reps as Empire trooped the stands really heightened the realization that they are almost done. As far as the results, I agreed with the placements in every caption for the most part. Bucs were the only show that I saw that didn't have a woops moment. Their performance last night was solid throughout.

Well, here is the annual 4' 33" request...

start by having all corps have an equal say on all things that affect all corps

I know it's impossible but Maslankas symphony no. 4 There are parts that scream Drum Corps. (The finale especially)

My impression is that it depends on the philosophy of the director. My band director didn't care whether or not we put on a good show. Her main concern was that we became the best musicians we could be. That meant that we played a huge diversity of music over the school year, and we never did the same show or concert music twice. We became great sight readers, knew our scales, and developed improvisational skills. Although our band never won festivals, our members dominated in district honor band. Drumcorps was something our director found entertaining, but she didn't consider it important one way or another in terms of music education. Other directors who want to put on a great show and have a competitive band look to drumcorps and learn from it. Personally, I think that the pure education model is a good complement to corps, and I think that corps members and parent would be well advised to let school music do their thing, and not try and pressure it to turn into another corps. There is more to music than perfecting one good show.

The punch line comes from a two-part video that went viral amongst us DCP denizens maybe three years ago...the one with the two cartoon bears where someone could enter their own dialogue and see the bears move their lips and recite what was entered. The answer for all sorts of questions was, "George Hopkins." Check out 6:35 through 7:12.As for the bad rap part...I think it's because George has been willing to say, write and propose things that many other directors wanted to say, write and propose, but didn't have the guts to do so. George is quite passionate about throwing things out there and seeing what sticks, in the belief that in doing so, things more forward. He got a lot of grief over proposing amplification and then electronics, but those were things many others wanted, but didn't want to stick their necks out. However, those proposals passed and even some who voted "no" at the DCI Rules Congresses were hopeful they would pass, but voted "no" for a variety of reasons...such as to not honk off their fan base. I've written this more than once...If George Hopkins didn't exist, we would have to invent him.

Although this is pretty #### funny

There is nothing funny about a man that can rock these shorts!

Vanguard beat cadets by 0.7 -that's a lot ore than "barely beating them"!!!!

Let me preface my opinion by pointing out that I have a small recording production and post-production business. I love electronics, mics, mixing, midi, sound reinforcement, etc., use it frequently, and enjoy all of its marvels. But in drumcorps, I HATE ALL of it - synth, mics, amps, speakers, amped pits, ALL of it. Every argument I hear in favor of electronics is that it will finally allow drumcorps to sound like something else. Make it sound like concert hall music, or like rock, or like jazz, or nature, or like water. I love all kinds of music - classical, jazz, rock, folk, techno, celtic, Bulgarian, you name it. And drumcorps. When I go see drumcorps, I am going to hear the rich sounds of 60+ brass and 30+ percussion fill a stadium with a sound that cannot be heard anywhere else. I am not attending to hear synthesized sounds or amplified triangle or thunderous goo being poured out of speakers. All of those sounds are available elsewhere. I know that it allows other sounds to be heard above the horns and drums - THAT is why I don't like it! I am there to hear the horns and drums and don't want to hear other sounds above them. I know it allows designers to produce all the sounds they wish they couuld produce with the full cornucopia of instruments they've always wanted to use - THAT is why I don't like it! I am there to hear what great drumcorps arrangers can do with 60 horns and 30 drums, because that is a medium that is particularly sublime outdoors - so much so that I would drive for weeks in the summer just to hear it again and again. I don't need to drive to hear synthesizers through speakers - I can do that myself in my living room. It saddens me to see drumcorps continually diluted because of all this inferiority complex, when drumcorps has a 75-year history of being THE uniquely thrilling apex of acoustic brass and drums.

Would love to see him come back home to Rockford.