Leaderboard

Dr. Kampschroer was the Thomas Jefferson of modern drum corps, an erudite, articulate humanist and Renaissance man who never lost sight of the big picture, even as he focused on the minute concerns of the individual participant. Worldwide, all who are currently involved in drum corps or competitive band have felt his influence, whether they are aware of that or not.

There will soon be a couple different tributes to Dr. K on another website. It is a tough loss for everyone who knew him. He was always generous with his time towards me...always referred to me as "The Boo-Meister." When I visited him at his home in Florida, he took me around the enormous retirement community of The Villages to show me all the ongoing activities that were available...continuous educational talks, various clubs, etc. I think he wanted to show that although he was retired from work, he was not at all retired from life. He continued to serve DCI as chair of the DCI Hall of Fame and seemed so vital through the last time I saw him. Condolences to all those he worked with, all those whose lives he touched, and all those he inspired. He is a part of DCI's history that cannot be replaced. Gail Royer, Jim Jones, George Bonfiglio, Don Porter, Jerry Seawright, Glen Opie, Bob Lendman, and now Dave Kampschroer...so many of the DCI Hall of Fame corps directors from DCI's early years who helped make the activity so special...now with us in memories and living on in those countless individuals they inspired by their lives and their work.

When Frank/Larry McCormick got The Cavaliers to do the Circus show just before DCI began, the corps sought jugglers, tumblers,and other sideshow artists. In his book, Don Warren, corps founder, says it was a mistake. The conclusion is that the specialists operated at a different motive and energy from the rest of the Green Machine. When Michael Cesario got the Madison Scouts to do Carmen and prompted them to add a female performer similar to what they did with Wizard of Oz, there was much consternation whether she was a member, a prop, or a real Madison Scout. My memory recalls that she even travelled apart from the corps members who were in the busses while she as the featured performer road in a station wagon or such. IMHO, finding such desired talents within the membership of the corps renders a better result on and off the field during tour. Finding a narrator from among eligible corps vets as The Cadets did this past season (he had previously been a mellophonist) or as Carolina Crown did in its ring winning show in 2013 (another horn player) dissuades any barriers with other members. In general I don't like shows built on one person, the only child standing apart (and above?) the rabble. Staffs usually don't need to search too far for the needed talents among the many that the current 150 DCI members possess. Impossible you say? Not really.

when I marched, we used to play this 'game' to 'liven up' basics: -the whole corps forms up in a block. sometimes with instruments, sometimes without. -A staff member would call out marching commands, move the corps around, bring it back to a halt. -the rest of the staff would be atop the podium picking out all the mistakes. When the corps came to a halt, they'd call out everybody who made a mistake and that member would be eliminated. -as the numbers dwindled, commands became more complicated, the tempo increased, and the spotting of errors got pickier. Do many corps play this game or a variation? We took it pretty seriously, even the front ensemblers were dedicated to hoping one of their own would win it (sadly no, but very very close a time or two). the bragging would have been insufferably joyous. Now I was at Dekalb last year and got nostalgic about DCM Track&Field day, which gets me to thinking. I'm sure that even the mention of 'Corps v. Corps Tug of War' would probably bring many a current corps director to the brink of an anxiety attack. in that spirit, though, how great would a 'best marcher in DCI' competiton be? DCI has tried skill competions in the past (fastest drummer, etc), but they've never really taken off. Am I wrong in thinking that this Skill Drill might be a thrilling event? can you imagine the crowd going crazy if it came down to a couple members from the Big Corps and some Open Class members? heck, I bet one of the marching shoe companies could be convinced to put up a nice scholarship prize. finding the time would be a challenge. pre-show / intermission would no doubt exclude somebody, but that's detailwork TBD. nevertheless, it ought to come to be.

It depends on how you do it and how often you do it. If you're spending time out of every single rehearsal doing the elimination thing, then I would agree. There are probably more efficient ways to utilize your time. But if you do it once or twice a season just to change up the pace and make a fun thing out of it, then it could become this fun game that people can psyche themselves up for in an effort to show off their skills. (Competition does tend to have that "take it up a notch" effect on performers.) And taking it a step further, if you utilize the "command and respond" nature of the block as part of your every day technique sessions without the actual elimination part, you can actually develop your performers even further than just what they learn from scripted exercises. I've run my share of basics blocks, too, and that's how we do it. It works, it's fun, and I highly recommend exploring it as another weapon in the marching basics arsenal in creating a well-rounded visual program. As with all things, what matters is how you as a staff person prepare and present it.

Fixed that for ya. Heh. I kill me.

Some people need snow blowers, shovels, and hot chocolate to get through this winter, meanwhile in Allentown: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152726983336911 https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152726897636911 https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152726935011911

Mike,....you put into words so much better than I could. I have known David since I was a little snot nosed kid when he attended college in La Crosse and lived across the street from my family. He became involved with the corps and it was then that our lifetime friendship began. He loved the Blue Stars, the kids, and the activity as a whole. I will miss him dearly.

You'll never get an argument from me about the VA. Even today, young men and women trying to go to school on the GI Bill regularly experience waits of up to 12 weeks per semester waiting for their first check. That wait is what took me out of school in 1977 - back then it was $400+ a month - that was rent at the time. Brutal. I used to have a "Rambo" movie planned out in my head (back when Rambo was still happening). It was going to be called "Rambo - Last Blood" when John Rambo actually gets to attack the enemy with his M60. That being the VA Office on Broad Street in Newark. I've mellowed over the years, but I'm pretty beaten down about using them for health care, but WTF, right? We earned it, it's out there, and it's saving us money, if making me a little nuts. This retirement game isn't so easy. Not all of us have lucrative MC'ing jobs like Andy and Fran (if you've heard my voice you know why). I can fly anywhere for free, but can't afford to stay anywhere but in a park, on a bench.

I went back and looked it up - it was the 1998 Chieftans. Thanks Jim. My wife's first two exposures to the activity were the Chieftans at the Grand Prix and the Sky Alumni at the Lodi I&E show. Took me years to get her to another show.

never even came close. yet it was like the kentucky derby as far as thrill went, i'd have probably ran book on it if I'd had any money at all when I marched. i'm no doubt exaggerating the level of spectator sport this would be. But it speaks volumes to me (*nostalgia alert*) about to the grind of tour such that 'competitive!' basics block garnered actual excitement from the corps, and that certain Willingness to Hype that marchers have that cannot be explained. waking up and realizing you were in Mississippi for a full rehearsal day could be instantly alleviated by the morale boost of Competitive Drill Day. undue excitement about a 10minute exercise that could provide enthusiasm to not only get through but enjoy 10 hours of grind. imagine, a thing like that. if only Corporations could figure out how to get that reaction from adults... Corps have their big hypes that everybody knows about, but it's the little hypes that garner temporary fanatical devotion. every time I see an small statue of some kind tucked into the strut of a piece of equipment, or a staff member in the stands waving a random objet de arte, I've no doubt that there is a section of the corps which has a series of rituals that they hype to over it. drills skills may not be primetime TV, but nevertheless I get vicariously excited when I see a corps running one. and i bet that nearly everybody who ever won a drills skills contest remembers it.

Classic coldest ever (besides the showers at the YR show at RFK field) was 1976 DCA at Rochester. God that was cold - on top of everything - John Flowers was ###### off about something and had the YR play their whole show on the track instead of marching off at the end. I'm already miserable as DM of the disappointing (to us) 3rd place finish with Sun. 42 degrees on the field. Phoenix guys are back whizzing on the back fence (from what I'm told). It was one of those Calgon Take Me Away Moments... Being a drum major pretty much sucks*, but never worse than it does on retreat. *pretty much sucks if you pretty much suck as a drum major, which I did.

... First time I took her to a show she said "that's pretty interesting. Can't those instruments be tuned?" Tuned ... schmoooned ... every "eghad" moment from a Fleetwood record would have never occurred if the horns were in tune ... ok ... scratches, clicks, dust flubs and other technical recording things added to the drama ... but NOTHING was as pleasurable as us saying "did you hear what he TRIED to play?" ... the end result of perfection for me wasn't a listening goal ... it was the quest ... :-)

Happy "This-Is-What-He-Said" Day

Exactly. There was another thread with top ten lists which I noticed tended to have one of these two shows as #1. Whichever was #1, the other would not make the list, which I found interesting and indicative of perhaps different kids of fans for two different kinds of drum corps show.

1976 Madison did a complete show change between the first & second tour. First show did not work so the worked on bus on new show, and put it on field between tours (tour then was divided into 2 halfs - June, home 2 weeks - late Jul to Aug). And they came in 2nd at DCI.

I'm sure as far as DCI was concerned she was a member. What the Scouts call her internally is up to them.

Yuck!

From paragraph 1 (quoted): Yes, top 12-level corps benefit from kids who learned and gained experience from smaller, less-experienced drum corps. But top 12 drum corps also benefit from the experience they get from band and orchestra programs. School music programs do the heavy lifting. They start many of these kids when they are in 4th or 5th grade, they apply local instruction for basic music concepts and reading skills, they often supply instruments and/or lessons (even group lessons), and all the way through high school these kids are exposed to music in a variety of ways, including excellent performance opportunities. I think it really starts with public K-12 music education (college level too). I believe drum corps at all levels benefits more from this than whether or not kids begin their marching with a smaller, less experienced corps, or a larger, more experienced corps. Instructors from larger corps also teaching with lower-tier corps (as you put it): As for lower-tier corps benefiting from instructors from larger corps...I agree. They do benefit; BUT...if I were a lower-tier corps I would not take part in these practices. There are lots of good instructors out there. There is a ton of talent coming out of the college ranks. Young, less-experienced drum corps need to stop thinking that you have to go with the "name" brands to win, or grow, or to develop and excellent show. If kids are being taught by members of larger corps, eventually they will leave for greener pastures, which will naturally happen anyway (at least for some). But I believe you have a better chance of keeping kids around with a young, talented, up-and-coming team of teachers who may be unproven, and who may make mistakes, but who also develop a sense of pride for the corps giving them the opportunity to teach. If you're small and inexperienced, it's always best to find local-regional instructors who want to be around, who want to help you build (because you may not have a national brand), and who make your employment their priority. If they go to work for another corps, do not let them stay. Wish them well and bring in the next person. The relationships your kids develop with local-regional instructors and designers is what will help keep kids around, keep them loyal, and help you build a quality drum corps. The one exception to this (for me anyway) is what I see the Blue Devils doing with camp auditions for Pacific Crest (I think that's the right corps?). I am most impressed by their joint effort. Again, I'm not saying that hiring instructors from other corps can't produce good results. I'm simply saying that I wouldn't do it. Cannibalism and Stagnant Thinking I feel too many drum corps have played the "we all want Michael Gaines" game or the "let's hire instructors from our competitors" game, and I believe it's backfired many times. There is simply too much cannibalism in DCI. Too much "you have to get so and so to write drill or you will never be top 5." "You need to have so and so write your brass book or you'll never be top 5," and on and on. Most drum corps should forget about being top 5 and just focus on growth, stability, revenue, loyal and competent instructors, developing relationships with local and regional students, and providing ways for tour to be productive, exciting, fun, rewarding, and feasible. DCI's Current Model and the Advantage for Top 12 Corps: My Response to Paragraph 2 I do not believe DCI has purposely set a model to harm lower-tier corps. In fact, they continue to discuss and try things that will help newer or less-advanced groups. But the national tour does harm those with less financial stability who are under pressure to hire national-brand instructors and who are struggling to keep kids on board, make all the shows, travel at a high cost, and somehow remain visible and competitive. Often these groups are forced to offer discounts and other perks--or at least they feel the pressure to do so--in order to keep kids around. This sort of action typically ensures that the corps will not be around very long, or that they will struggle from year to year. Each corps must do what is necessary to remain solvent and stable while offering a great education and performance experiences to its members. I believe this can be done within the DCI model, but it requires smart corps directors with far more important goals than winning or shooting for top 5. This is why the desire that some have for more parity, more winners, is a nice dream but it doesn't fit into the plans of a lot of DCI's member corps. Unlike the NFL, DCI is a bit more like College Football. Some schools are bigger, with more money, more media, more marketing, a national brand, and the ability to pay huge coaching salaries. Most colleges cannot do this or don't have these advantages. The same is true in drum corps. San Diego St. isn't trying to become Ohio State. They're not trying to win a national title. Hey, if it happened...wow, fantastic! But they are running their program according to their budget, the needs of the program, university, and local fans--and the needs for local and regional recruiting. Youngstown State (an FCS D1 school of roughly 14,000 students) is not going to become the next Alabama or Georgia. They enjoy the playoff system in place for FCS schools (formerly Div 1AA). This is drum corps at present. Occasionally we see a corps rise fast. Oregon Crusaders comes to mind lately, Spirit of Atlanta did in the late 70s, and Star of Indiana did in the 80s. But in most cases this doesn't happen. We've also seen corps "sell-out" for competition and their desire to win and we've seen them crumble. Summing it Up DCI can't control where kids go to audition, what their musical and visual passions are, and what their budget needs are or how far they can travel in order to participate. So in that sense the market for where talented kids go to audition is 100% up to the kid. DCI cannot control how each drum corps funds its operation. While there is some revenue sharing in DCI, it's mostly small potatoes. Each drum corps must find ways to raise cash and capital for most of its budget needs. Not every corps can acquire sponsorship from Yamaha or Zildjan, etc. Not every corps can raise enough money to hire expensive instructors and show designers. Unless DCI is flipping the bill for instructors, for tour dues, or maybe busing and food, they can't control how a drum corps is operated, how they make their money, and who auditions for the corps. If we created appropriate divisions for current crop of corps, I believe we'd have 4 (Div I - Div IV). These divisions would be predicated by number of marchers in the corps. Maybe 10 - 50 (Div IV), 51 - 80 (Div III), 81 - 120 (Div II), and 121 - 150 (Div I). This could open some exciting possibilities while still allowing all divisions to compete in World Class Quarters, and Semis if they make it. Just random thoughts on this crazy subject :)

Announcing the Bluecoats 2015 Show..."STILLt"

Yea, you really can't beat MacArthur Park.

Well, props to Defenders for playing the old Blue Devils classic, La Suerte de Los Tontos.

I 100% agree. When I aged-out in 1998, I got married in December, finished my WGI career spring of 1999, and moved across the country in July. I saw one really early-season mid-west show before I moved, and by the time I got out to Southern CA I had missed the DCI swing. I got caught-up in life after that, turned into a jaded DCI alum who wasn't happy with any-key brass, wasn't happy my corps was on a down-swing competitively, etc. I still had a lot of friends marching and teaching, so I kept in touch and followed scores & news but mostly didn't go to shows. I was teaching middle school at the time, and focused on that more than drum corps stuff. Then in 2004 I took a HS marching band job, and decided to peak back into DCI to see what the trends were. I went to the Tour of Champions show and found a LOT of stuff to really like. I absolutely loved all of the Top 3, and found stuff to really enjoy in the rest. Stepping away from the activity and coming back without a ton of bias, or any expectations other than "trill me" really brought to light for me the things I love about the activity. The performers were all obviously having a blast performing, post-finals without any competitive pressures, to adoring fans. The shows were innovative, technically awesome, and performed well. Of course there was stuff I didn't like, but I honestly can't remember that now. I made the choice to focus more on the positives, and downplay the negatives. And that's how I've approached DCI ever since. There are TONS of things for me to enjoy watching performances: enough so that I can essentially ignore that stuff. And really, that's kind of how you have to go through life in general. I've been married nearly 15 years (15th Anniversary this December), and of course there are things that my wife does that annoys me, there are times we argue, there are times we clash regarding decisions for our son. But the good FAR outweighs the bad, and honestly there is no avoiding the bad sometimes. In any relationship you have to figure out if the positives makeup for the negatives, and if so then you have to figure out how to deal with the bad. Drum corps, for me, has far more positives than negatives and it's worth dealing with some bad narration, or loud synths, or cheesy show designs, or poor execution if the payoff is exciting shows, designs that are so cool I literally can only laugh while watching, witness the passion in a performance where it's obvious the members are giving EVERYTHING for us audience, etc. One CAN focus on the good more than the bad, the only question for that individual is "is there enough 'good' to overcompensate?" If the answer is no, then maybe it's time to find a new hobby. But if the answer is yes, then Heck Yeah one can change their mindset to focus on the awesome aspects while not putting much thought on the negative.

I've got a pretty high threshold. Cadets 07 and 08 are the only two finalist shows of the post-2000 era I can't even make myself watch. It's like making love to a beautiful woman while a tiny leprechaun occasionally tries to stick a pine cone in your ###. You still get the good part, but that other nagging bit makes it tough to enjoy it as much as you would otherwise. You can't brush them aside--they're there no matter what. It's just a matter of being able to stand the forced taste. Generally, I dig a lot of what's done with voice. I just can't stand bad writing and tacky acting. Dagnabbit!!! I just realized this thread went completely the opposite way it was originally intended. Ok, I'm out.

If you serve me a wonderful meal of a nice filet mignon, garlic mashed potatoes, and then stick me with brussel sprouts as a veggie, I can appreciate that it is a wonderful meal, even if I personally despise brussel sprouts. It doesn't ruin my appreciation of the filet or garlic mashed; I just skip the sprouts...knowing that others probably love them. IMO that is more applicable to the Cadets 2007 show than your assertio above.

The crowd on Quarter Finals night was the worst thing I ever witnessed from a drum corps crowd......the entire hash mark incident was blown way out of proportion.......people just wanted to complain because it was Cadets/Hopkins/Narration.......if any other corps had asked to have the hash marks redone it would have been a none issue........and if a corps went out before the Cadets and had to perform without hash marks....well that would be their own fault for not wanting or paying attention that the field was in proper condition.........one other thing people forget.......Cadets didn't perform last......Hopkins asking to have hash marks put back onto the field also helped the Blue Devils. I went into that week not having a favorite group....i just personal want to see all the groups do well....like who would ever want to buy a ticket to a concert and hear a bad performance.......but after quarter finals night I was hoping Cadets would have won just so people would have gotten all butt hurt about it

Anyone remember "Its a beat generation!", "freeeeeddooomm!", and all that other stuff from crowns 04 show? Pretty darn cringeworthy at times.

Here's my take on it. In 2007, the dialog in Cadets's show was done far too often, was written very poorly, performed haphazardly at best, and covered up way too much otherwise incredible music. The "rehearsal" stuff over Blue Shades was laughably bad. On the other hand, Crown's use of dialog was limited to one piece in the show, was well written and immaculately performed. While I didn't particularly care for it's inclusion, especially over The Abyss, that kid performed the living crap out of that dialog. He took a really stupid story and made is all buy into it. Crown's attention to detain in that segment was what made it work. I don't consider any of the counting stuff to be narration or dialog. It was music, and again, the attention to detail in it's construction and the amazing performance by the vocalists was the difference.

In 2007 I shot a jerky, hand-held, 1-minute video clip, zoomed-in, of my stepson marching in Madison Scouts at the Lisle, IL show. That clip has been on YOUTUBE since 2007. About 60 views after all these years. Today, YOUTUBE sent me a NAUGHTYGRAM informing me that my video was removed at the request of DCI for copyright violation, and basically putting me on notice. Wow. Really? DCI: I hate what you have become.

Was literally 5ft away from her at semis as I walked off after cadets show. I think what was even funnier is that I have plenty of family members that think DCI is geeky and "uncool" but these same family members were also "True Blood" fans and crazy ones at that too. The shock, jealousy and other emotions they felt when I took a picture of her and sent it to them was one of the best feelings ever. To tell them that she even almost marched was the icing on the cake for me.

I'd like to see more exposure of her

With all the talk about the "lack of" physical demand in BD's show and the gripes over it, why is it that no one really complains about a lack of physical demand in Phantoms show?

I'll weigh in here, as a long-time fan of this activity, a Carolina Crown alumnus, and as a champion of logic. First off, I think Crown has the coolest show out there this year with Phantom a close second. Cool is totally subjective and only influences what I will watch and listen to again and again, not what can or should win the points. At this time, Blue Devils are and should be scoring higher. Demand and execution are at a very high level and their show is achieving the stated intent and purpose with crystal clarity. This show is being performed by extremely talented individuals and being performed very well. Sure, I think Crown has a more "demanding" show, with a lot more interesting stuff happening, but one only has to look at the high-cam of that cube rotation from Saturday to see that a lot of cleaning needs to happen. I think it is the coolest and most unique visual moment of the year, but it is dirty as all hell right now. That's just one example. Earlier in this thread, I think the crux of the argument was nailed. Crown sits tenths from BD currently with lots of cleaning to happen and a great show. BD sits tenths above Crown currently with minor tweaks and cleaning and a great show. This will be a race to the finish for sure and we aren't even accounting for the other three corps in this top group that certainly aren't resting on their laurels either. In any event, I see no need to call the Blue Devils boring, or criticize what they do, or blame the judges for having some love affair with them, unless you want to, then that's cool if you want to spend energy in that fashion. In my eyes the competitive equation is quite simple; the Blue Devils are doing a very difficult and effective show with very little in the way of dirt. Beating them will require an equally or more difficult and effective show done with the same or better level of cleanliness. It's just math.

It's really baffling to me how much people here on DCP complain about BD's show design in recent years. I constantly hear moaning about how all DCI shows are the same nowadays, how all uniforms are "cookie-cutter," and how everyone marches the same straight-leg technique and does the same body-movements. Yet when BD comes out with a show that is completely different, bold, and in a style that DCI has never before witnessed, people complain about how "unaccessible" it is and how "the fans" don't enjoy it, seemingly ignoring even the many posters on this forum (myself included) who profess love for BD's show this year! Honestly if any other corps (including Crown) were to come out with a show like BD's this year and potentially win, there would be less than half of the moaning that is going on now. People see a show they don't enjoy (I'm not trying to say everyone will love BD's show!) and resent the fact that it is winning. They resent the fact that BD is (and has been) dominant in recent years with an approach to design that they personally do not like, despite the contrary opinions of many other fans. And they pronounce that shows like this "lack demand" or "appeal to the judges" or "are the end of DCI." Quite frankly, it makes me angry that instead of enjoying what each corps has to offer (in their own unique way) so many people get fixated on a single show that they don't like and complain endlessly. I LOVE DCI precisely because we can have shows like BD (artistic, quirky, jazzy, dark) and Cadets (traditional, catchy, cute) and Phantom (elegant, beautiful, majestic) or Spirit (sultry, ballsy, powerful). The diversity of this activity is amazing, and is something to be cherished. I honestly wish DCI fans would be more supportive and less bitter/angry (it is even worse on facebook). You'd think that with such a special, close-knit niche activity we have here, that we could just sit back and enjoy the wide variety of shows it has to offer, instead of getting so worked up about this or that show. I mean, I don't complain about an orchestra concert if I don't necessarily enjoy a single piece they play, I just listen to the excellence of performance and enjoy the other pieces that much more!

To the OP, I think you stated your position and how you felt, and for that do not feel bad. As you can tell, we all have different opinions about shows that the Blue Devils have produced over the years. For a lot of fans, those who are my age (47) and older, we grew up listening to the Blue Devils play the best jazz this side of Kenton and Basie and Maynard, but for field, and we loved it. They were one of the most entertaining and clean drum corps in the activity. They had a string of soloists in the late 70s/early 80s who should have all been in the studio recording. As their style changed many of us had a difficult time with it. I like to pride myself on the fact that I still get into them, even now that they are less jazz and more contemporary with a mixed style of music choices. I loved their Tommy show from 1990. Their 1994 is about as good musically as it gets. 1999 is a killer show musically. 2003 is one of the all-time greats as well. In 2007 they found something, an idea, the germ of a new style, that catapulted them to 1st that year, and in 2008 they continued that thought process only to a more advanced stage. They have stuck with that in 2009, 2010, and now 2012. The backed off some last year with their 2011 show, but the ideas were still there. I couldn't put my finger on what it is that they do, but there is a formula there that is odd for most people. The music phrases are there, but you have to listen, and I really think you have to see the show a few times. They don't have the soloists like they used to, although they are still good, and they don't play jazz like they used to (and I will always love that first and foremost), but I do dig their approach to field design. Why? 1) it's unlike anything we have, 2) everyone else seems to want to copy Cadets or Cavaliers (sans Phantom, who also maintains a very unique style), 3) they still march better (technique) than anyone in the activity and it's good to see excellent technique, and 4) there is always the off-chance that I get to hear some jazz, and I'll take what I can get. Nobody else in the activity seems to want to play much jazz. It's sad when the Cadets are utilizing pretty good jazz for a portion of their jingle bells arrangement and somehow I'm not getting much more than that.

Clean? How can anyone tell if BD is clean or not? It is impossible because it is all so random.

First time seeing Devils show. Love the Corps but I'm to the point I don't care to see em anymore. The talking through the thing is ridiculous to the point of making it very hard to pay attention to the show-VERY distracting. Been involved with the activity since 76'. Seen some very impressive shows in that time frame, marched in a few, and I'd have to say I'm more and more disappointed in the activity as time goes by. BD's fragmented music is one such disappointment. I crave a good musical show like 88's Devils. Instead what I get is a fragment of this, a shard of that and I leave wondering WTH I just saw. If I were to buy the CD to listen to, what am I going to hear? A whole lotta nonsense talking. Bring a new person to the activity and they're gonna see JC Penney's dressing room LIVE! This is considered clean stuff, huh. Clean dressing, A+! Clean narration, A+!! Like it if you want, I heard quite a few unhappy folks directing their unhappiness BD's way. Sure there's some to like. A blind squirrel finds a nut occasionally. The activity is losing many MANY older folks who made the activity what it is today. Work with a former Cavie who won't go to a show anymore. Too much talking, synths, it 'isn't Drum Corps' anymore, says he. I try to defend it and then see exactly what he's saying. I left this show disappointed and that just doesn't happen. I truly love Drum Corps. Many corps still have the ability to enthrall a audience. But the direction the Devils are headed will drive off many of those who marched years ago and bring in a totally different Drum Corps enthusiast. But what's left to love? Talking in a show does not one thing to excite me. Played snare, used to LOVE the drum feature...that's long gone. That was one of the things that brought me to DC. Used to love powerful horn lines. Now a corps with a larger line is playing less volume than a smaller one from years past. Music used to be a key ingredient in a show. I'd leave humming the song. Now it's getting less and less enjoyably music wise. What I get is half a song,a lot of talking, and fragments of who know's what. There's still some good there and I grab on to it with all I got like a man starving. But sadly it's become less enjoyable. As for the 'new, improved' TOC, it sucks. Bring back the after show jam from last season. If they're gonna go with the all corps song afterwards, it might as well be the 'America,Oh Canada' from years past. The show was over by 10:30, and I was shocked. That's it?? And Phantom isn't even out there?!? VERY disappointed. Like Phantom's show. Just want a WHOLE lot more out of Devils and year after year, just don't get it.....sadly....

Yeah, that's fair and unbiased, isn't it. Compare the fastest part of one show with the slowest part of another.

Well....it's hard to argue with the Blue Devils, they do get dressed cleaner than most other corps. I've never seen a corps put on a jacket on the field with greater maturity than the Devils. They must have rehearsed many days in a haberdashery prior to tour

I literally just watched the VOD from the Fan Network of the Cadets and Blue Devils shows side by side from the Championships in Indy last year. Blue Devils were MUCH cleaner, in my opinion (drill and music), but Cadets still won. Then I saw this post, and it was a perfect opportunity to talk about that. Last year, when I watched both shows, I actually liked the Cadets show more than Blue Devils. However, just now, watching both of those shows from 2011 again, for some reason I like the Blue Devils more than Cadets. And again, you have to watch them, Blue Devils were much cleaner but still didn't win. Also, I liked the Blue Devils whole show design, idea, general effect, you name it, better.

Difficulty? Crown is playing Bertrand Moren's Dreams while running. Blue Devils have a french guy talking while they get dressed from their invisible closets that double as a PVC horse. WTF

Yeah, BD's show is definitely polarizing this year. In many respects I really like it. You almost forget that it's a drum corps show. The way they approach the show is very different from any other corps and it definitely represents a level of invocation. Innovation is good for the activity. It is also very difficult. Some years people have complained that BD's shows are too easy - that the don't march enough, etc. This show is very difficult in all kinds of different ways. So there's a lot to appreciate. However, I continue to be bothered by all the recorded narration they use throughout the show. It muddies the show in my view and takes away from the brilliant brass and percussion performances. And the fact that they end the show with recorded narration instead of ending with their hornline blowing their socks off makes the ending very disappointing. So, I think their design staff just got a little too clever this year with all the narration. If they'd cut that out and change the ending this would be an absolutely killer show.

Maybe it was the echo in the rafters I heard in 2009 when they got booed at Finals after winning.

Blue Devils boring ### formula works. They march, play, spin, drum and stand still very well. They also elicit an ovation worthy of an 8th place Open Class corps. The kids work their butts off, and the staff knows how to clean. Unfortunately....like when most geniuses copulate and make a baby together, they tend to be highly intelligent, yet ugly ### babies. If we keep rewarding Blue Devils for their technically impressive, yet coma inducing shows, while Cadets and Crown and Regiment are running around playing their ##### off and getting fans literally off their butts, what does that say for the activity? BD is only "tenths" of a point better.....it's not like Crown or Cadets or PR are that much dirtier. I Predict a roar that might topple the Oil Can in August if Blue Devils win, and I don't think it'll be the good kind.

Clean didn't win last year. I loved Cadets, and thought they were a deserving champion, but by no means where they the cleanest corps. Especially in vis.

What engages a person is entirely subjective. I haven't liked BD since the early 2000s but of all the shows performed in Minneapolis this past weekend, BD's show was the only one that really engaged me. So how do we reconcile that with your viewpoint?

The fans speak after each BD performance...& the silence is deafening.

I don't understand this argument at all. Sythns were made popular in pop music and rock music in the 70's, and were abused in the 80's. But all of a sudden in 2005 we need it in drum corps.....really!?!?

So, to bring a couple dozen pianists into the activity, and give a few designers more toys to play with, we're degrading the audio experience of tens of thousands of fans, and increasing costs by thousands of dollars? Not a good trade off, IMHO. How have electronics benefited the other 130+ kids in each corps?

Ok, well IMHO I think BD 2010 was the most abstract and boring championship show I've ever seen. Not sure that's a good defense of the topic. I admit they performed at a very high level, and I think they deserved to win all the execution captions they did. I'm not sure how they won any GE captions, however. The only effect I got was confusion and a mild headache. I'd take BD 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999 and even 2000 over 2010 anyday. Bluecoats 2010 was one of my favorite shows last summer, however, none of it had to do with the electornics. The wind chime crap and woman's singing voice toward the end was really hard for me to stomach. I think Asphalt Cocktail is completely possible and would be effective without any electronic support. It's a sweet piece of music. All that other stuff was just stuff. And I found it annoying.