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If they finish 12th or higher, I'm making this my signature.

Dress in Blue, medals for you! Dress in Red, good as dead!

The irony in all this is that while DCI may not have the rights to provide a DVR feature built into the streaming software, it's perfectly legal for any user to record the stream to their hard drive using third-party software. Is it a violation of the DCI Live! terms of service? Maybe, but it's certainly not illegal. The bottom line in all of this is that the harder you make it for the average user to consume your content, the more likely they are to resort to other means to consume it. That's what led to the rise of Napster from 1999-2002, and that's what's going to push more folks to use BitTorrent and similar peer-to-peer file sharing. In the height of the Napster era, DCI audio and video was actually a fairly large commodity. Thousands of drum corps fans were ripping and sharing DCI content. While it's clear that the fact that there was no cost was a huge plus, the easy of use factor was the big thing. This is what led to the introduction of the Fan Network. The average user wants to pay for content. But it has to be affordable and easy to get. The Fan Network was, at the very least, a decent mix of those things. If DCI does indeed have to take away the DVR feature for live streams, this is what's going to happen: 1. Some subscribers will rip live streams and convert them to easily consumed files (a large number already do, but won't admit it because they think it's illegal...it isn't. Or that DCI might cut them off if they found out...they might) 2. Said users will make said files available via BitTorrent or other means 3. Thousands of folks who can't watch the streams live, many of whom are actually DCI Live! subscribers, will download said files for consumption. Either way, DCI loses. It's the classic no-win scenario. There's no doubt in my mind that DCI wants to make DVR capability available, but it is what it is...we live in an era when existing copyright law is so convoluted it forces otherwise normal people to become criminals just to consume your content...content they would gladly pay for. I feel bad for the DCP mods, because they're the ones that are going to feel like they have to shut down discussion topics that deal with this stuff. Discussion of perfectly legal third party stream ripping software (like, say, LiveStreamer) should be allowed, but discussion of BitTorrent (also a perfectly legal service) and it's use to share copyrighted material (which isn't legal in most cases) is going to make for one sticky wicket for DCP and it's mods.

Another thought I just had: could increased viewership of lower-placed corps help with vet retention? As someone who never placed above 14th, I know how incredibly frustrating it is for performers to spend all summer working on a show, only to have people kind of take this attitude of "Meh. You're not worth my time. I'm going to buy a t-shirt until you guys are done." The kids who march want their work to be appreciated. So, if people keep not showing up for your shows, of course some of the members will say, "Why am I even doing this? I'm just not going to march/go march another corps next year." Shows where there were actually people in the stands to see what you've done were always the best. Not every show is the same; there are still shows where people come to watch all the corps. But especially the big shows, like regionals and world championships, seem to have the above problem. Like I said, maybe if people start watching the non-top-12 corps more, we will see some more retention and therefore more competition within the rankings.

They just need to find an organ donor.

Why would he be jealous? Or did you mean zealous? (I know. Words are hard...)

Treading lightly here... Seems like a stronger program from Regiment than last year - but not really anything that will be competitive with the top 3-4 corps However a positive step in that direction I've heard good things about the visual - so very much looking forward to seeing them on the field. As a long term Regiment geek, last year's program was such a disappointment I'm glad to see them moving back into a more accessible direction Hope they have a great season! George BTW I agree with Lincoln on the organ sound. Needs more of a pipe organ sound, needs to sound very grand, old and large... ala a Cathedral sound, to fit correctly with the context of the music. JMO

Wow, diva much? You've been complaining about the response you got for the last ten pages. YES- we all are aware you are unhappy with the response you got, but give it a REST. Move on and spare the rest of us from your incessant complaining.

You are late on the expected criticism of their show music. I think that is a good sign for the year.

I think Crossmen's new uniform changes will go with their theme this year. For those who have heard Eric Whitacre's "Fly to Paradise" - it's quite ethereal. This uniform actually matches the feeling it generates quite well. A couple of weeks ago there was a video of a Crossmen practice and their arrangement of the piece is quite true to the original - including whomever is doing the singing. I think it's okay for people to not like something. Saying it's going to somehow affect a season is over the line - particularly when the finished product hasn't been seen. That being said, i really dislike it when everything on this forum is generalized. DCP this, DCP that Bad DCP!

Cowtown, Just read your posts on several threads. Sorry you are having a bad day. Hope your weekend gets better.

There are people who don't like the uniform changes. Lets not group everyone into one giant theory based on some people not liking a uniform change.

I have to say, I am shocked that DCI would not offer on-demand for this new platform. Its not just a step back, its a giant leap. It will feel like 10 years ago online again. I spend more money on DCI than I care to say - I can't believe it, but I am actually thinking about not buying a subscription. I can't spend the whole summer scheduling DCI viewing time so I can catch the live feed... it was so nice the last few years to be able to wake up the next morning or even on a Monday or Tuesday and catch the shows. Doesn't sound like that will be the case this summer. Wow, I just can't believe someone like me, who usually hands the money over to DCI no matter what it is, is going to consider NOT subscribing. Its kind of depressing...

And there it is!

Im very sure they will just glow under the lights. Lets face it BD has had some pretty stinky guard uniform designs from scott who has been one of the most talented in the business over the years ( and still is I might add ) BUT they did work for the design and theme.Even the FJM team raised their eyebrows a few times . Sal Salas is know for tacky uniforms also, did they work? most of the times sure, did they fit a theme? yes ,could they have been more tasteful? sure, although taste is a very subjective thing. Im very sure Crossmen knew just leaving the red and black out would cause a stir but yet took a design risk for whatever reason which will be soon revealed. I say good for them. They are the Pride colors and Crossmen are a proud drum corps so maybe that's it .lol..Isn't june Pride month? Just kidding of course. In any event I bet it just glows and lights up the field

You're right, what was Cesario thinking. He's such an amateur and has never been successful in his designing career. How dare he.

Do you even read, bruh?

Just got an email from Crown that starting at Noon Saturday all Crown Jewel Donors will receive an MP3 just recorded of the show this week. Can't wait =)

Wait, what!?! *Google image search "Crossmen shakos* ... just ... no

That's more than he said about Cascades, Jersey Surf, Oregon Crusaders, or Troopers.

I propose a new thread, and cast my hopes upon the more technologically qualified among us: Tips for maximizing the reliability and quality of DCI livestreams during the 2015 season For those of us in the fat, middle part of the bell curve -- those of us with ordinary broadband and a typical home wifi router -- what can we do to minimize the chances of livestream problems such as stuttering and buffering? My thanks in advance for anyone willing to share with the group.

I'm with Garfield on this one. DCI needs to woodshed its customer-communications skills, but I take the sympathetic view. Honestly, does anyone think DCI is intentionally trying to torpedo one of its few positively trending revenue sources? It would help immensely if Dan & Co. would address the crowd on this, but until then, my sense is that DCI is caught between the rock of onerous licensing demands and the hard place of providing some kind of video service that stays legal and does as much as possible to satisfy paying customers. Not an easy trick. Like others here, I worry about the reliability of this supposedly superior streaming platform. I rely on Comcast and a home wifi system; I'm not about to hard-wire my home for internet. But is it still worth plunking down $100 for a season's worth of live shows? I think so -- even if I can catch only 2 or 3 of them. Long-term, I expect DCI to come to terms with licensors and resume normal programming (which, likely will be more expensive. The lawyers certainly aren't demanding that license fees be lowered). Until then, I'll put my $100 in the "It's for the kids" category.

Holy ####! It's almost like the appearance of a uniform IS COMPLETELY ####### SUBJECTIVE. I'm reading some comments on here declaring the demise of the Crossmen over their UNIFORM CHOICE and I want to bang my head against a wall.

Me!

So, I'm out of the country enjoying a family vacation when I get a message from a friend who says there will likely be DCP fireworks on Friday (today). Since I haven't logged on to DCP for several days it took me a while to get caught up in the thread, but I must say I'm a little shocked at the level of disdain for the folks at DCI. I'm no apologist for crappy business practices, but I'd suggest the level of complaints here are premature considering all of the issues that DCI has been dealing with concerning rights and, simultaneously, trying to upgrade our level of live feed service which their own data shows is the most-demanded part of video broadcasts. This whole video thang, which I love, is and will always be a revenue source for DCI. But let's not forget that DCI is a only a revenue machine for the corps themselves. If DCILive were a rousing success nearly ALL of the profit would be sucked out of the home office and distributed to the corps (maybe as it should be). If it's not, perhaps the blame should be placed on the BOD for allowing the business leadership to take this failed path. In my view, this whole kerfuffle is a win/win in the long run regardless of how it plays out. This is not another G7 event. It's at least a poorly-explained transition to a new platform or, at worst, another poorly-implemented business plan. The nice thing about business decisions is that they tend to expose their faults when poor results are experienced.

Nice...ughhhh And people wonder why corps tell their kids not to come here or other places or post . Is it because they dont think kids can take others opinions? no, not at all. It takes up way to much energy sometimes. One can also have an opinion ( and thats all it is ) without saying things like this.do I like it? maybe , maybe not, Do I encourage change and taking a chance? yes. I also remember people saying 2 years ago when crown came out how some felt it would keep them out of any chance of a top spot.hmmmmm

given their size, might they be to cover the yard-line markers on the field? No 30, 40, 50 etc........only jumbled 10's??

Oh, they have to rhyme? That explains why no one wears orange.

The drumcorps community, especially the "experts" that post here and (RAMD in the past), are overall not very accepting of new ideas. B-flat, props, electronics, narration, t-bones, french horns, sousaphones, woodwinds, WGI influence. Eventually they will get over this change and pine for these uniforms once they're gone. Kinda like they did with Star of Indiana.

0 to 100 with some of you. Judging solely from the reactions, you would think they switched to 93 Glassmen's uniforms. The Crossmen still look like the Crossmen. And in terms of modifying a unique uniform to serve a show theme, I'd say this is one of the better examples (a poor example being Cadets 06). If you're talking about WGI rubbing the wrong way on this activity, I'd use the sky print pajama tops from Bluecoats 09 as an example.

As I have said before, the guard influence has ruined drum corps uniforms. These new X-Man unis are horrendous.

I have heard they also have God on their side.

Just so when you get a little smooch from the mods you'll know who filed the report.

Cadets were onto something in 2006. :p

Organ buff here for 40 years, I professionally record them, studied their history, construction practices and literature, own >800 organ CDs, 4 organ study tours to France, and married a professional concert organist. That said, there are some laughable comments here on what constitutes a great pipe organ. There are many aesthetic models of organ tonal design and disposition, many rooted in nationalistic and period origins. The room in which an organ resides is its most important acoustical feature. Much organ literature was written with specific aesthetic models in mind, and a lot of it cannot be really effective played on instruments of different periods. (That said, there are elcectic organ tonal designs, based on compromises of other more unified designs.) For French late 19th-early 20th century lit, you're looking at something like this as a tonal model: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVLU72d1_10 Bigger does not mean better: rather, is the pipework appropriately scaled to the room it is in? Does the tonal design have the necessary stops to produce the harmonics to create clear textures? The St Ouen organ in the clip above is widely hailed as one of the finest instruments in the world, and is only 64 stops -- VERY modest for a room of the size in which it resides. Organs like Crystal Cathedral are NOT among the finest organs in the world. Maybe among the organs with the most publicity, but no, not good. That organ was always fraught with problems, not the least of which was its unbearably loud harsh palette. After only 40 or so years, it has already had to be removed and completely rebuilt in Italy by Ruffati (kind of the Dynasty horn of organ builders). But hey, it was on TV, so it must be good, right? Digital organs are just that ... digital imitations. Even the best ones are purely samples from fine pipe organs. And even then, they still require lots of clean amplification and MANY high quality speakers spatially placed in a sympathetic acoustic to even start to sound 'convincing'. Sorry, that ain't gonna happen in drum corps.

Kapersky? Norton? Shockwave? WHAT DECADE IS IT?

Crossmen honoring a new sponsor?

Ha I wouldn't say uniform has that much of an effect on how they twirl, beat, blow, and march.

I did read this but it's so vague that I will hold off on buying a subscription. This is so late into the start of DC season this should have been dealt with early on. I'm not going to spend money on "what ifs". To me DCI has taken a huge step backwards.

LOL. True! One of my Crossmen buddies who marched back in the early 90s texted me last night, saying, "From Hostess Cupcakes to Candy Land."

I'm definitely a watch all the corps guy, there's some amazing shows all across the board. I think I've said it before, but your 2011 show is an all time favorite for me. Along with The Academy from the same year. I think that it's picking up steam, in Denver last year I noticed a lot more response to the corps that didn't get a lot of response in previous years I had went to shows. We shall see. The bar gets raises every year, and I think all the corps are rising to the challenge.

Even Willy Wonka was all like...... ......when he saw Crossmen's uniforms.

Dig Crossmen's unis. Seems like it will fit the show well. Who cares if it isn't "Crossmen"

Hahaha welp, this is complete garbage. Not subscribing to this mess this year. "Hey we upped the price and removed almost all of the content! Enjoy!"

I could easily see that video going viral. It could start with Bill Mahr's comment about marching bands wearing those "mops on your head" or something similar. Then the video starts with a BAC member rapping... Baby Got Hat.

Pioneer with 135 members or more! Wow! Like what he said about non finalists, "It's not a 12 corps show anymore". Exciting.