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Please join me in offering a prayer of thanksgiving today that the life of my sister Regina was spared when the World Trade Towers were attacked on 9/11. She and her staff were out of her office that day at an off-site meeting. One of her staffers stopped at the office to pick up some materials enroute to the meeting for which he never arrived. It was 4 days wrought with anxiety and waiting until we learned he was ok. Not so were countless dozens of my neighbors, parishioners and friends, including a number of alums of the many small corps in metro-NYC area. Amonst the dead were four of my former students, Michael Cahill, Thomas McMahon, Colin Farrell, and Conor Lynch. Only Thomas' remains were identified to this day. Please keep their families, including Mike's wife and daughter in your prayers.I don't have PTS from that day or the many funerals although the memories of watching the burning towers from the windows of where I was stationed twenty miles away are still vivid.I am praying for peace in Syria and the Middle East as I am certain you are.Thanks.

From a staging point og view......sure. But Blue Devils will never be one of those corps that I watch on high cam not to miss any of the drill moves. They are the one corps I prefer close up - the "drill effects" just don't add up for me. Later, Mike

Thanks to DCP for keeping the 9/11 Tribute. I just watched it for the first time in months and I have got to admit that I shed some tears. Please continue to pray for our country because it is still a dangerous world and there are those who wish to hurt or kill us! Thanks to our military for defending our freedoms (including our ability to have drum corps shows) and our freedom to disagree on stylistic matters! God Bless America and God bless all drum corps people everywhere! Let us make sure we will never forget why freedom isn't free!

A few weeks ago I posted on FB that I was going to leave drum corps. By background is....started marching in upstate NY in 1970 (Royal Coachmen), taught Renegades (NY-1982),Rochester Patriots 1984-89, Hoechster Schlossgarde (Germany) 1987-88, Rochester Crusaders 1990, 2001-2003, Heatwave 2003. Presently teaching HS choral music in FL. I just seem to have lost interest! I am one of the rare older people here who like where the activity is. I am not happy that drum corps is dying but do appreciate what the remaining corps are doing to try to add someting different using technology. Like it or not, kids today are tech savvy and it is the way of the world. Old days were nice at the time but as the world changes, so does everything else...including drum corps. I love DCP because of the memories we can share BUT I hat DCP because of the direction some people want to take it. We should be more supportive of this activity rather than go gainst it. What good do we do if we become negative? Negative causes hatred and some of the posts on here are hateful. Most of the blame is put on one man. Maybe that one man is smarter than the rest of us. Maybe drum corps could have died way sooner but the creativeness and the direction taken by that one man has kept DC moving and breathing. I don't know GH and never met him BUT maybe, just maybe, his ideas have kept the activity in DCI from going under. Crazy huh? So, I sort of helped put a corps together down here but decided not to teach corps. I loved it but didn't feel the excitement anymore. I actually lost it in NY as I saw another corps start to decline. Didn't feel like part of the team my last summer. Maybe I wasn't good enough? I lean that way today because throughout my DC career I was never in any "clique." I was never good at BSing either. I never hung around the right people. My friends from my first corps were upset that I was talking about leaving. It was nice to hear that they cared but then, I don't see them anymore since I live in FL and they are in NY. I have a FB page for the old corps but I seem to be the only one that posts, so I don't do that anymore. I just feel that maybe my time is done and so I left the teaching part mostly because I love being with my wife. Love going to breakfast on Saturday morning, shopping and holding hands. That to me is what life is all about! Until 2004 drum corps was my love. My parents were tryingto get me to quit in 1974 and I fought. When I started teaching corps they thought I was nuts! After I started teaching school at 40 years old...it wasn't so bad. I haven't lost the drive really, still would like to do corps but.....I think it's for younger people now. Do I sound crazy? Anyone else feel like this? By the way...I love what the corps are doing today and I applaud the creativity and the education that is happening. Now carry on!

Atlanta to Hornell...20 Hours Atlanta to Downingtown...18 hours Atlanta to Annapolis...14 hours Not trying to rock the boat...just sayin'. Dan

Blue Devils did something with stadium lights in 99 at their home show. They were going to use blindfolds but decided to just turn off the lights and finished their show.

Nope. Not yet, anyway. Maybe your post will generate some of that. Personally, I don't see how one of the top couple DCA corps making a single trip someplace far away will have any impact on DCA, esp given the huge costs (read Amy's post about bus costs alone), but maybe someone can come up with a rationale. DCA is still primarily a Northeast circuit, when you look at the season on fromthepressbox. There are only four DCA shows outside of the Northeast where there are at least 4 DCA corps competing...Racine, two in MN and one in GA, all of them in early/mid August. On top of that, at each of the shows, there are only two Open class corps competing, if a 15-point spread can be called 'competing'. Even in June there are DCA shows in the Northeast with 5 Open class corps. One reason the dropping of Empire is so scary to me is that DCA needs to remain strong and viable in the Northeast for there to even be a DCA. Hopefully Bush and the Sunrisers continue their Open class resurgence, Fusion can continue to be competitive, and that C2 thrives. IMO if the Northeast portion of DCA drops below "critical mass", the circuit would have a tough time surviving. "Weekend-only" and "Nationwide exposure" only work when there is a strong core in at lest one area to provide a solid structure for the organization.

Well done Michael. But that's why you da Boo! :thumbup:/>

Well I guess we'll never know until they try it.

Jay's work sometimes looks deceptively simple because he writes it that way and the corps performs to such a degree that they make it look easy. But it's not simple at all. How he worked the corps around 100 poles this past season is a perfect example of that. As for the velocity of his forms, sometimes you have to look at the feet to see what's really going on. I was at one time in the camp that thought his shows moved kind of slow. I have since come to realize that his shows don't move slowly at all...that he plays with different types of velocity in a way that is unique to him. I have been in awe many of the past few years. When I watched Fan Network and saw "Through a Glass, Darkly" for the first time, I practically had to pick myself up off the floor. "Cabaret Voltaire" did the same thing to me. Once I realized what was going on out on the field, I couldn't take my eyes off the pacing and development of the forms. Jay forces one to look beyond drill evolutions, because everything he writes is in the process of evolving to the next stage. That's perhaps why it's a challenge to say what's one's favorite BD drill moments, as he doesn't "do" particular moments as much as entire shows. A typical BD drill "moment" is somewhat over 11 minutes long.

Is the guy on the right (side two) praying for guidance or out of frustration given who else is at the table?:w00t:/>/>

You got that one right. Bunch of bandos...it is cute to see their responses. Cute...like a little wet kitten...cute. I am old VK and I am TBDBITL, there is no comparison, at all.

This was the squarest thing I've ever heard.

IMO it didn't seem like the lighting they did in that show really contributed to anything other than the "wow they turned the lights off and have lasers" effect ....sometimes I feel this about some of the electronics in the shows these days....some feels like its there because they feel like they have to but yet add nothing in some cases. Again just my opinion

If they don't spell their name at the beginning of each game, they're liable to forget what it is. Shame....

I haven't seen this, but if it's already been covered swear under your breaths about old people texting without knowing what's going on. One of the biggest issues with travel for all but the tip-top of the competitive pile is that as a weekend activity you lose a week's rehearsal when you travel. I think that both Reading, Hawthorne, and MBI, judging from how tight the end of 2013 were, could absorb a travel week (i.e. no rehearsal except a couple of hours before the show). Everybody else needs every week from Schools' out through Labor Day to hit their points with their shows. Travel can wreak havoc on a weekend only activity.

We already got those when electronics was approved...We just didn't fully realize it at the time.

You'd have to catch the harp quietly. Any vibration of the strings would result in a penalty.

Spirit of Atlanta is excited to announce that the Board of Directors has hired JW Koester as the Corps Director of Spirit of Atlanta. JW is no rookie, nor stranger to the Drum Corps Activity. Mr. Koester has previously worked with The Glassmen, Phantom Regiment (2008 DCI world champions) and Santa Clara Vanguard (1999 DCI world champions) in sr. management positions. Mr. Koester was also the Drum Corps International Division II & II coordinator from 2002 - 2007. "I am extremely excited to a part of the Spirit of Atlanta organization. I am looking forward to working with the corps members, staff and board to make 2014 the start of a very memorable adventure" J.W Koester

I feel like Jay Murphy of Blue Devil fame got slighted a little in the Best Drill writer thread and I wanted to learn a little more about him. He's been with the Blue Devils since 1981 and has been the Visual Designer there since 1986. I remember Rondinero praising his 1987 drill design on the broadcast back then, but I haven't really heard much from other people about his DCI work. I seem to recall 2001 ( Awayday Blue) and 2004 ( The SummerTrain Blues MIX) being good designs for his style, so I would vote for those years to be some of his best work. His name is included as one of the great drill writers, so what years do his fans consider to be his best DCI work? Why is he considered such a great visual designer?

One of my many regrets from getting sick right before DCA weekend was missing you guys, which now makes it, let's see, every show since you started... I was really looking forward to seeing and applauding what you've accomplished in this short time. Good luck keeping that evolution on track this year. Believe it or not, the first few years are the easy ones, relatively speaking. There has to be someone on your staff praying I'm wrong about that, but it's generally true. But you've got a plan and you're making it work, and should be congratulated. All the best in 2014, which I'm sure is going to be the year I first see Fusion.

Yes. Also the epic fails of the Chicago, Texas, and Winston-Salem events are fresh on planner's minds. No one, I repeat no one wants to be "that guy or gal" who blows up their corps by running them out of money/being irresponsible and ends up wondering why everyone walks in the other direction when they see them at a corps related event. Westshore people go up to Larry when they see him- I'd rather be in those shoes.

Is it for the "good of the activity" that non Eastern corps travel to finals and other East shows every year? I would say that it is. The expansion of the all age brand throughout the nation has lead to increased exposure and quality of all DCA corps. Do you feel that the Bucs would be as good as they are if MBI wasn't around? Would class A be better without the Govies? Renegades, CV, Alliance,etc. they have all brought something great to DCA. Losing non-eastern corps from finals would hurt the activity. I would say that it would have the same result eventually if eastern corps perform in different parts of the country. That competition and exposure of the true quality of the all-age activity would lead to increased awareness, financial support, recruiting, audience, and branding for DCA. It may encourage more to take an interest in the weekend model for drum corps, one that I feel may be the future for our activity, and therefore increase the quality and size of our participants. Sure, when you think on the small scale of what is best for this year, "our corps," or our region, it makes a ton of sense to keep with the status quo. It works well for the Eastern Corps, but does it work well for the future of the all age activity? I think that it would be better to take the longer view. The one that is beyond the one bus bill, or the 200 extra people in the stands. The view that we all get better when we support each other. The view that even though it is a pain, traveling brings the non-eastern corps together. It is a model that can work if there is a priority to growing the activity and not just looking out for ourselves. Obviously, it takes planning and can't be done every year initially, but shouldn't we be spreading our brand of drum corps in as many parts of the country as possible? We have something great to offer. I think that if it is an established show with a decent facility and audience at first it might work. Maybe a new show eventually, but not for a while.

We already got those when electronics was approved... We just didn't fully realize it at the time. Is the voting membership, or a significant part of it, among that "we"? Maybe having recognized that mistake, they could correct it?

We sure did in 2004. Crown was the first to make entensive use of amplified voice, performing with amplified singers in one song, and staging an entire drum solo with beat poetry recited throughout. The hair-on-fire reactions I heard in person and online were right up there with "drum corps died in 1971". Today, in year 10 of amplified voice, it is pretty clearly here to stay, so complaints no longer reflect the hyperbolic desire to repeal the change. But the quantity of complaining remains in proportion to the extent of usage. Crown used a lot of amplified voice in 2013, and they received a lot of negative comments about it. Sorry, but he is dead wrong. Crown has never gotten "an instant pass on everything". Not in 2004. Not in 2007, when people jumped all over them the instant they added that racetrack commentary. And not in 2013. In your own words, Crown got hammered here this year. I rest my our case. Well.. remember that Plan sees pretty much all commentary on BD (sans outright praise) as "hammering".

of c) she actually couldn't show up even though she thought it was cool? Don't get me wrong, as a tOSU alum I am no fan of U of Michigan, and I personally think the show in this topic is fairly cheesy** However, pop acts utilizing marching bands and drum lines seems to be fairly trendy lately, and outside of the obvious PR move on Byonce's part (having a video intro for a high-profile school at a VERY high profile nationally televised football game) it's not impossible to think Byonce genuinely thought it was cool but couldn't make time to go. **FWIW outside of the "Ohio State taking jabs at Michigan after Michigan took jabs as Ohio State" aspect, I thought the TBDBITL show was also uber cheesy: albeit BOTH shows are entertaining to the fan base which is all collegiate marching band is about.

And the biggest high school band I've heard in awhile. There are a lot of things to like about Big 10 football, but the bands are decidedly not one of them. Unfortunately, they paint the picture of what the general public thinks of when they see anyone in what looks like a band uniform.

Nah, they only need the hint, not the whole thing spelled out for them. Plus, no NCAA sanctions up in Wolverine country.

Removed a few political posts in this thread.

Haha, you don't have to worry about that. We'll release more information as it becomes readily available =D

Garfield, I believe my comment was more along the lines of "why is talking about that so important?" That wasn't hateful just didn't think it was something we should concern ourselves with. In any case, I can't say I am burnt out...just don't get excited about it anymore. I come here for my fix but it's not what it was a few years ago. Thaks for your thoughts everyone

A beautiful story of dedication, love, and honor. The Last 24 Notes EDIT: HERE is Mike Boo's touching tribute from April of this year.

if memory serves westshore all the way back to the bonnie scots could never hola a corps together for all that long. i always wondered what the problem was. they were here then they were gone and so on. what was up with all that? i mean going way back to the 50's.

now we know why!

I believe what you correctly state is known to many on DCP. But any of us who know how DCI really operates knows that what happens at the Janual doesn't happen in a vaccuum. Much occurs in earlier discussions and reviews besides possible rule changes. Where will the activity be geographically heading in '14? Who will pay for it? Who can't pay for it? What has 2013 taught us? What judges stay, which ones go and why? How do we do certain things and not do others? What should not be done again? What can't we afford to do (again)? How much do we increase salaries? Can we afford Michael Boo since he is priceless? ETC., ETC., ETC.

As someone who thinks he spends more time than most thinking about drum corps (because it's my job to think about it), I sometimes suspect that some things are way over-thought.

:ph34r:/> I recall that as well Gary...They played at the Alumni Spectacular in Scranton one year..02,03? Their hats looked very similar to Chops' as well..I seem to remember seeing a picture of either Riggie Laus or Ken Peterson playing their piston/slide soprano in that uni...I don't know, I'm getting old. SCA had blue shirts, Chops' have always been red, along with the red Chuck Taylors. BTW - to Matt, Spandy, and the rest of the Chops' gang, welcome back!!! :worthy:/> Pat

don't think DCA subsidizes them. they come on their own. but it benefits MBI. they get an east coast read before DCA. lookat readings history. they never travelled. only time i remember was 1961 VFW NATS in 1961. minneapolis. they ain't gonna do it.

Blue Devils do well at visual, but their work is not as impressive as 'drill.' The last time they got a big reaction purely because of a drill move was.....1989?

Oh really? Was that from Drumline?

That was a VERY impressive LIGHT SHOW. Music - to Ohio State Marching - to Ohio State General Effect - to Ohio State Best use of a gimmick that will work one time - Michigan

We are a South corps that participates in Southern shows. It has a lot to do with how we were accepted early on by the South. That being said, we annually travel at least twice to other south shows, particularly Florida, which would not have had enough corps for a show if we didn't participate. Yes, we are fortunate enough to participate in 2 PA shows recently, but we plan our travel budget for our regional circuit. I would say that annually we travel more miles than any other DCA corps.

:ph34r:/>/>/> I am reading these posts watching the disparity of the persons who have either seen the possibilities that CAN occur if and when the Northeastern DCA corps venture out beyond the tether lines of their 'safety zones' and those that will probably look to find more and more excuses to 'sit on their thumbs'. Some posters seem to be against the idea of the effort it has taken groups from outside the NE to COMMIT - PLAN & BUDGET both their organization and it's members to "risk" something outside their normal summer routine. I would agree with my friend, MidwestGiant..His response to the question about whether or not MBI makes money on the trips out East was surely more discript and less sarcastic than mine would have been, since both he and I have been a part (albeit my share much smaller of late) of the progress and struggles of MBI and our fellow Midwest corps to remain both competitive among ourselves, and DCA as well as offering a high-level Drum corps experience for the members and fans they have developed over the years. "It ain't rocket surgery" ($1 to Mike Meyers - Mystery, AK) to figure out that some of those increased costs will have to be passed on to members, but it SHOULD be the responsibility of each unit's BOD and management teams to get creative when it comes to doing what fundraising may be needed to make a 'once in a while' trip to points West, in order to expand their own fan base, not just help out the other circuits. I just love to butt heads with those that continue to harp - "grow the regions"..and that only can carry SO much weight. Since MBI made top 10 back in '86, members and alums have only been able to try and spin yarns about the legendary corps in the East, having not seen any of them in this area in almost 40 years..It becomes difficult to try and "grow the regions" describing the level of "those guys out East" when most people west of Rochester, NY never get to see and/or hear them. It doesn't make recruiting any easier when prospects in local bands and corps-age college kids cannot grasp the impact when all they get to see here is the two or 3 shows we have along with the few DCI shows MBI and others get to play in. A majority of folks have come out to support the local Midwest groups, but even the Eastern corps must realize that circumstances in the activity require everyone's creativity from a collective group to brainstorm small but tangible steps to be fiscally responsible to themselves, but to the ENTIRE circuit, even those who spend between 20 and 40K to travel into the 'heart of the beast' to produce and perform for the folks there.. No more time for the fear-mongers to run and hide..Competition isn't the only thing. Last time I went to business school, there was an adage: "You have to spend money to make money"..Since it still appears by the opinions of some of the posters that doesn't apply to the NE groups.. Social networking and media can only prime the charge for the South and Midwest fans to become bigger fans of DCA brand entertainment...Too bad one of the leaders in that area has decided to leave the arena.. Hey Jeff - it might TAKE the possibility of winning the Powerball jackpot and someone's then to be deep pockets to "break the grip of fear" among so many in the East about now being almost 150 years after Horace Greeley's famous utterance... OK - bias rant off... :tongue:/> Pat

Place it in this perspective: Let's make most all DCA shows occur between MN and CA with the DCA finals forever being in the San Fransisco Bay area thus forcing Reading, Hawthorne, Bush, and Hurricane to 'always' travel west. Start traveling ya east coast corps; we all love you!

As a tOSU alum, it seems REALLY odd to hear someone compare TBDBITL, one of the most traditional old-school high profile collegiate bands out there, to VK. I'm not saying you're wrong (and this video = you are absolutely correct), it's just weird! It will be interesting to see what the schools do throughout the season. Both marching bands a pretty respected and well-liked by their audiences, but it's fun to see them feed into the rivalry even more than usual! I know that one of the two schools has a pretty big idea planned/designed for this season (that is not a dig at the rival school) that the University is hoping will be as viral as tOSU video game show or the Hawaii stickman-kicks-a-football show.

Absolutely not, but it has been in the best interest of MBI and the All-age activity to have the corps out twice a year. It is time that the Eastern corps take their responsibility in marketing and growing the all age activity nationwide seriously. No one is saying that the Eastern groups should do it every year, or that they never have, but maybe every 5? It obviously isn't easy to do, but it is doable. The growth of the all age activity has largely been outside of the NE over the past decade. It is important for the NE corps to recognize that growth should be supported for the better of the whole activity. Otherwise, DCA should just continue to be a nice regional circuit and corps like CV and MBI should do something else.

TBT is no longer in the DCA circuit. That leaves 4 corps, 3 if Gold cant make the trip.

I did hear some rumblings in Annapolis that Cincinnati Tradition was looking into hosting a DCA show next year. I have no confirmation on this, but there was discussion among Tradition members. This *could* be a decent location to pull corps from all directions.

Lets see. Shenandoa Sound a corps with a really small budjet has made the trip up North several times. When they were around Gulf Coast use to make the trips. So did Heat Wave. Carolina Gold has made the Trek. How many years has CV been doing it?????? I rest my case. The key to making these trips has been to "budget" these trips in early. Fundraise!. Work it into the budget early and prepare the membership early so they can schedule the the time off. All these southern and midwest corps have found a way to do it time and time again. Really you are the one whining about it if you want to come down to it. It can be done. It HAS BEEN DONE>

Michael Klesch, present music arranger for Carolina Crown, was a bass drummer for the Cadets before he became their drum major for '83; he won the first DC I World Class championship titles with each of these two corps!!! Joe Reichert, drum major of the Cadets in 1995, had been one of their snares. Jim Zulick, drum major of the Cadets in 2005, was previously their color guard captain, a high school saxophonist who learned a mean rifle; he also won World Class championships.