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OK before this gets out of control you need to rein it in.

I think I've seen bits of the truth in several posts, including some portions in Brasso's. What I believe is being acknowledged by PC is the following: Blue Devils IS a destination corps, as Brasso calls them, and although PC technically competes with them on the same field, no one is kidding themselves that PC is anywhere near their level at the moment Because of #1, PC can expect greater exposure to potential marchers at a camp in which BD participates That exposure will not only increase the pool of potential members for PC in general, but because of #1, the quality of that pool will increase as well (i.e. some players who might not make BD and would otherwise not consider investigating PC as their back-up choice, may now know enough, and like enough, to choose PC (especially if they are from the area). Some players may think that this association will mean that if they stay with PC (instead of, say, Troopers or Crossmen), they will have a leg-up on eventually getting to BD some day. I don't believe that will legitimately be the case, but it is a possible perception by players that might also help PC. Primarily, it's all about exposure to a potential group of players that might not otherwise have bothered to attend a PC camp, especially if the timing conflicted with another corps' camp. (i.e - some Southern California players who would have skipped PC to attend a Troopers camp, for example, may instead stay local to attend the PC/BD camp because of BD's participation, but while there they are exposed to PC as well, and may decide to stick. Yes, it is an acknowledgment in some respect that PC is willing to ride the coat-tails of BD, but I don't believe that PC or any reasonable person believes that they can compete head-to-head at this point for the same players. However, if they can get a handful of the BD-wannabees to stay with PC, instead of trying their luck at another corps, then it's a success for them, with no real downside. Frankly, I think it would be pretty cool for DCI to hold a combine, with scouts from all corps present!

Ha; but why not form a nonsensical, asinine opinion of events they didn't attend and business meetings they have no knowledge of?!

lol Brasso is write-only media. never actually reads or replies to what other people post -- just twists the topic around to get to one of his "go to" rants (G7, feeder corps, transfer rule) , and then re-posts the rant prefixed with phrases like "obviously everyone agrees" or "no one is stupid enough to deny". sometimes i think it's a script and not a person at all.

..........playing the music of Queen,.............

This I Believe. Yowza

Don't forget he ALSO said PC was now nothing more than a feeder corps for BD.....like BD needs ANY other corps to be feeders for them. Even the C and B corps have ceased to be true feeders, as B corps member have to fight it out with the multitudes from other corps wishing to get a spot. The days of a B corps member getting an A corps spot just because he WAS in the B corps are long past. BD has NO problem with people trying to get in. They had almost half the corps age out after last year, yet they'll have no lack of applicants. I doubt 'Coats will either...not after "Tilt." I don't think Cadets have had member issues since they hit the big time, But that's OK...Brasso can go in implying that BD gets it's members by poaching from corps who place far beneath it...everyone needs a wet-dream fantasy -- no matter how utterly wrong it may be.

walk around the lot after a show. there might be a mobile phone ban in theory but in practice i think they all hand in their old phones at the beginning of the season. just sayin'

I understand the no phones philosophy, but I don't understand why you can have an iPad then...

I'm still waiting for the Troop to do Dancing With Wolves.

Not another BRASSO clone!

This whole BD/PC scenario has all kinds of possibilities, but it might take a few years to see if in fact PC becomes more competitive. Those who do sign on with PC still have to contend with other top 12 and OC mm who audition with BD each November. I see thousands of key strokes over this in the next few years, but as mentioned, it should be positive for both corps.

But it's much easier to make blanket statements and judgement calls against a policy that's never been explained for an organization they have zero affiliations with FWIW I don't understand why Rex Ryan always uses EST when his team plays a road game, and thus there might be confusion when the Jets go to the West Coast and players miss meetings. But of course, I've never been explained the policy and am (thankfully) not a Jet employee so it doesn't really matter

While there will most probably be the usual number of neigh-sayers, I'm sure that Troop's show will stirrup the emotions of some others.

a DCP spam-bot that instead of soliciting business spouts pre-scripted nonsense

No, no monsieur, Regiment '15 est http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-45qzvWOQQfs/Uibrarp-DsI/AAAAAAAAAJE/IxbMYVcuJ1w/s1600/pepelepew.png

But isn't that is the raison d'etre of DCP?

^this. And let the yearly debate begin.

Looks like they're going full-bore with the BD feeder corps idea. Even adding the drop sash on the side. I do like that they're keeping the white and teal. DCI needs more bright uniforms. So many dark colors on the field.

Given the high odds against anyone making BDA given the numbers who audition -- even B corps members have to fight it out to get in -- it's more likely BD would feed PC. You proclaiming the PC is now officially a feeder corps for BD is the height of arrogance, and is a huge slap in the face to PC.

Don't knock it if you don't understand it.

So how do the Cavies enforce the no cell phone rule? Members of the Cavaliers aren't allowed to have a cell phone at practice or on tour? What about staff members? Sounds like a stupid rule to me.

I love the stadium at Annapolis. I wish YEA! had kept USBands Nationals there...it is, to me, just about a perfect place to perform and watch a show. The band I teach competed there a number of times. Even small bands like ours sound OK.

Troopers can ride Colts for their Wild Horses show.

That is what he said....that is what Brasso said.

The camp was a rousing success with over 430 participants...that's about 100 more than PC and BD had at their separate camps/auditions last year at this time. Details on the PC site. http://www.pacific-crest.org/2014/12/pcbd/

Agreed, and they should have finished ahead of the Colts (IMO).

"... contribute nothing to the activity" Wow. Really? There isn't a corps in that activity that fit's this description. At least not from my foxhole, anyway.

set high standards and insist that everyone in the whole organization buy into them (staff, members, admin, volunteers). go watch klesch run ensemble early season :-) teach your members how to achieve them -- i think this is so often overlooked. just listen to matt harloff at a rehearsal. it's not about taking a bunch of highly talented members to the next level (whatever the hell that is). it's always about fundamental concepts -- from the first camp to warmups at finals. design shows you know the members can attain at the end of the season (even if the members have no idea they're capable of attaining that level) but if i had to pick one.... imo Crown taught their way to where they are now.

I remember the critic Gene Siskel liked to quote the filmmaker Howard Hawks (director of Bringing Up Baby, The Big Sleep, and Red River, among many others) about what made for a good movie: "Three great scenes, no bad ones". A dictum which applies equally well to drum corps?

Good luck with this. The 98 days seems high. Is that measured from when the first students actually get out of school?

The most diligent reading of this thread and the wonderfully informative posts of assistant tour manager JoePaul and assistant director Chris Lugo, both of the Cavaliers, seem to have brought some results which may not make our young auditioner's choice any easier. For today the Cavaliers have officially posted that they have added to their brass staff, the wonderful 2013 Regiment age-out and trumpet player, MISS Tate Herrmann. (http://cavaliers.org/cavaliers/staff/brass/tate-herrmann) When she did her degree recital she closed with an ensemble of Regiment members and alums who played several Regiment pieces from seasons recent and past. She will at least make Cavies' brass sectionals rather appealing... The bus "wallpaper" may need to be changed, however...

Oh, there's one in every band...(Jump to around 2:08)

Sent Tekk.

frankv - Good answers has been presented throughout this thread, but I'll add in my $.02 here. Both Phantom Regiment and The Cavaliers are going to provide an incredible experience. Really. Just ask any of our organizations' alumni. I always suggest that prospective members do their research on their target drum corps, while simultaneously listening to their gut. What first brought you to drum corps? Why Phantom Regiment? Why The Cavaliers? One of the best ways to get to know a drum corps is to attend their audition camp. As a baritone/euphonium player, you'll have auditions available on Dec 12-14 for Regiment (Rockford), or Nov 22-23 (Atlanta), Dec 5-7 (Chicago), or Dec 13-14 (Austin) for The Cavaliers. Phantom Regiment audition info: http://www.regiment.org/howtojoin/ The Cavaliers audition info: http://audition.cavaliers.org I can tell you that we (The Cavaliers) have a talented and dedicated team of designers and educators who are passionate about bringing excellence, artistry, athleticism, and entertainment to the performance field. http://cavaliers.org/news/cavaliers-announce-2015-design-and-caption-leadership-teams http://cavaliers.org/news/cavaliers-announce-2015-educational-staff Our brass team has professional music educators at the collegiate and high school level, freelance and touring musicians, performers with the Boston Symphony and Blast!, a DCI Hall of Famer, and an all-around strong contingency of incredible teachers. Regardless of a brass member’s future musical goals and aspirations, we have a team of educators who will provide quality mentorship and instruction to help our students realize those goals. http://cavaliers.org/cavaliers/staff/brass We have a medical team that has set the standard in our activity. We feed our members well. We travel well. We treat our members with respect and like adults. We expect a LOT from our performing members, but you wouldn't want that any other way. We're going to push you to go beyond your limits. And we're going to do so as a brotherhood. One with more than 60 years of history and tradition behind everything you do. You'll find that the brotherhood and fraternity define The Cavaliers' experience...it's who we are. This video is almost 10 years old, but what's referenced is still as true as ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgYUf3qhnu4 I know the folks over at Phantom, and I'm certain you'll get an awesome experience there, as well. So, work your butt off and get to a camp. See which organization is a fit for YOU. Then make YOUR educated decision. If you want The Cavaliers' brass audition materials, just shoot me an email (Chris.Lugo@cavaliers.org). Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help with your decision to march The Cavaliers...I mean...which ever corps you choose! ;-)

BTW... it is great that you are trying to do some up-front research prior to making a decision. Have you joined each corps FaceBook page and asked some questions there? You might get some helpful feedback if you haven't. Corps "personality" and your own personality are very important things that have to mesh in order for you to maximize your experience. I live in NJ...the band I work with brought in a young guy to help out back around 1998 or 1999...he was a NJ native who marched contra in the Blue Devils. He said he absolutely knew that marching with the closest high level corps, the Cadets, was just not a good fit, based on doing his own research and observations, and that BD was the style of corps experience he desired. So he flew over every other corps in the country in order to march with the corps that gave him an experience that was aligned to his own personality. I did much the same, on a more local geographic scale, when I was looking to move from a small local field corps in NJ to one of the high level corps in NJ, back after the 1969 season. My absolute favorite corps growing up through the 60's was an urban corps from Newark, the Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights. But...some of my friends from the small corps had moved over to the suburb-based Garfield Cadets after the 1968 season, so I was torn...I went back and forth all fall between the two (corps rehearsed year-round in those days), and I eventually selected Garfield based on what I saw as their corps culture and the friends I already had in the corps. So I understand what you are going through. Bet of luck.

2009 - I don't think I've ever seen anyone even acknowledge the existence of this show. 2010- over scored show but cool theme 2011- seemingly lame follow up to 2010. Musically boring. 2012- what even was this? Musically awful and not even good visually by cavies standards. 2013- nice opener, nice closer, what happened in the middle? 2014- marimbas is all I remember. Cool? Yeah. 2 out of 6 "cool" shows. As for phantom, I'd say 2010 and 2012 have been the only great shows by them since Spartacus so I guess they go 2 for 6 as well.

yknow, i marched the other midwest corps up in Madison. I had friends who marched in Cavies, and friends in Phantom. Both produced great peformers, and they never had anything bad to say about their experiences at either corps. I will say the all male vibe is like nothing you'll experience in a coed corps. Each corps has a different mentality and approach to how they rehearse and perform. All corps will make you push yourself harder and longer than you've ever had to before. Each corps will create a family around you, as the members are all working towards a common goal. I think it boils down to what type of show you want to perform? Both styles are radically different in playing and marching. But both corps have good brass lines. There's no way to tell you which you will like better. We dont know you, your personality, and how you'll adapt to each VERY different circumstances. Only you can figure out where you belong, and that's by auditioning. I auditioned at 3 different World Class Corps, before I auditioned for Madison. I successfully made each of their hornlines, but felt most at home in Madison. But only YOU can figure out where you belong. You need to simply attend a camp at each and see how you like them. Cavies, much like Madison tend to have a very high retention rate. PR has a good retention rate, but I don't think it's more than 60%. Which is still high. Either way, we dont know you, and we don't know the feel of the lines you are auditioning for from your perspective. Only you will know where you belong, and you won't know it until you try one out. If you like it stay, if you dont, go to the other and see if you like it more.

It made Drumline 1 look like a great movie.

and this all relates to World Class DCI junior drum corps how??? I agree with Garry. Take it outside.

Can you guys take this to Marching Band Planet? This thread made me throw up in my mouth a little. Especially the comparison to VK part. Garry in Vegas

Ugh, No. Never like VK. Sorry. Loved VK. Love OSUMB. Pretty different. Thanks! Good show. Still love the Quad Script Ohio though...

Degree of difficulty was probably much higher with the Michigan show, since they had no frame of reference for timing, since it was dark on the field. Pretty hard to see a drum major or lines. I'm surprised it didn't tear every bar.

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

The gamut for snare sounds is limited to just mylar and kevlar? Hmmm.... What about real or simulated calfskin? What about wood shells, brass shells, and aluminum shells? What about wire and gut snares? What about snares on the top head such as pipe drums? What about 15", 14", and 13" diameters? What about various depths from piccolo snares to very deep snares? My point is that if the reasoning for not using marching cymbals on the field is that they are limited in timber, and therefore cymbals are better served in front due to the multiple implements that can be used, that same reasoning needs to be applied to all the marching instruments otherwise the argument is rather weak.

Well, if that is the case, marching snare drums also have a somewhat limited usefulness musically, compared to the wide variety of membrane sounds and timbres we can get from the front ensemble.

Machine