Leaderboard

I am posting this, admittedly, out of nothing but selfishness. It is to atone for something which I never before stated publicly, yet was so very wrong in expressing. This past summer, I was fortunate enough to attend the concert at Tanglewood which featured not only the Brass section of the Boston Pops Orchestra, but the separate and combined forces of the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps and the Concord Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. During this concert, I had the incredible fortune and honor to witness a most inspiring moment. As many of you may know, I attended this concert with a gentleman who many of you on here know as "Ghost." We had a great day....lunch in the afternoon at the Morgan House Restaurant in Lee, MA...early entrance upon the Tanglewood grounds (thank goodness I was driving behind a man who possessed the ability to get us on the grounds well before the stipulated time of opening)...a chance to meet many and sundry staff and members of the 2015 Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps...and the chance to sit side-by-side throughout an amazing concert. It is a moment during this concert which I will describe below. At the conclusion of the Boston Crusader's portion of the concert, they performed their "corps song"...a selection simply entitled "Giant." I had been somewhat familiar with this before this day, but Ghost was gracious enough to fill me in with many of the particulars of the selection which I had not been familiar...including, why it meant so much to BAC. It is with the very opening notes of the performance of that selection which struck me...and will stay with me forever. As those initial notes met the ears of those of us attending, I suddenly noticed, out of the corner of my eye, and incredible sight: Ghost, who was sitting beside me, immediately reached up, removed the baseball-type hat which he was wearing, and stood. Ramrod straight. At attention. The only person within the vast audience (or at least those within my rather sharp eyesight) to do so. In my years of marching, I have marched with many proud marchers. Marchers who, one would swear, wouldn't move even given the direst of circumstances. But looking back upon those marchers, I must honestly say that I never once witnessed a single person who stood with the bearing, the honor, and the meaning which I was fortunate enough to see in the man beside me that night. I know Ghost's story. I know his background. I know why the Boston Crusaders mean so much to him. But it was at that moment that I realized that, even given all the knowledge which one may possess on a matter, one cannot know everything. And it was at that moment that I, maybe more than at any other time in my life, realized what HONOR meant. What RESPECT meant. And what DEVOTION meant. And so, to you Ghost, I thank you for providing me a deeply enriching and humbling moment. Not as a mere drum and bugle corps fan. But as a human being. I shall forever be in your debt. Now....if anyone else wishes to provided experiences which were meaningful to you...this being the off-season is the perfect time to do it. And even if nobody else chooses to step up and speak...then if nothing else, I am happy to have extended most incredibly-deserved words of respect to one who taught me, on that night, what respect really means. Thank you, Sir. Edit: It is with the moments following what I wrote above that yet another, and maybe more important, realization came to my mind. I now know why DCP exists. It exists because there are hundreds...no...thousands...of people who have been touched by the activity. Have been influenced by the activity. And who, most importantly, have been molded by the activity. Some may ##### at times...some may write with any and every extreme of, what my dear old dad used to call it..."#### and vinegar"...and some may write out of what they may think is the extremest of unction. But in the end, we all post based on the same reason...we care. We care about that which meant something great to us at some time in our lives...and even more importantly, what means even more to us in these days long past the time which tired lips, sore hands, and bruised feet marked the proof of our participation. So go ahead...##### away. Express your ideas and contributions without fear...even if, in the backs of your rational minds, that little voice echoes "shut up, you ###### fool...you're full of #### on this one." It's ok...it happens with us all. And why? Simply this...because we care. Because most of us have "been there" in one form or another. And because, like "Ghost," we all still knowing and lovingly stand with prideful attention whenever, or IF ever, we should hear our song. It is not only our song...it is the song in which we believe.

TOTALLY have to second this. I'm a movie nerd and have hundreds of films on Blu-ray, but for a long time I didn't care that much about drum corps on Blu-ray. I figured the production values of DCI, while awesome for the activity, likely didn't warrant paying extra for the Blu-rays. Then I got the "Essentials" discs and it was a VERY simple A/B between Legacy DVDs and the Essentials Blu-ray. The difference was astounding, and obvious. If you're truly passionate about the activity, and/or about specific seasons, I can't recommend enough to invest the extra cash into the Blu-rays!

None that I know of. And I've worked with a bunch... in DCA and DCI. Did you get an A in the "Reading Into Things" class you took in high school?

I don't feel bad about linking these as they are put up by corps and companies to be watched on YouTube and aren't rips of the DCI broadcasts of semis and finals performances. Blue Devils Finals Encore Performance (multi-cam) The Cadets Finals Week Multi-cam Full Show - Percussion Focus: Part #1 (Vic Firth Percussion) Part #2 Part #3 Carolina Crown Finals Week Multi-cam Full Show - Percussion Focus: Part #1 (Vic Firth Percussion) Part #2 My apologies if these were already posted somewhere else on the forum or if these are old news. I'm sure someone will see this that hasn't yet watched them and would like to.

I honestly don't think you can compare the level of demand now with a show from the eighties. Sorry but not buying that.

Well I could honestly say the Cadets certainly do not get the benefit of the doubt from the DCI judges. They seem to hammer them at the end of the season and I was at INDY and their finals performance was magnificent. I also don't buy the "design" issue. It was a cohesive, well constructed show performed at a very very high level. I do hope Cadets start writing shows to the sheets because those kids deserve better than getting dumped the last week of the season especially when you have an OTT award winning brass line and arguably a SANFORD award winning percussion.All my opinion of course.

You need to get the Blu-ray (BD). There is NOTHING better than the BD audio, it's an order of magnitude better than the CD. It's phenomenal sound. Oh, and get yourself some big speakers and a subwoofer while you're at it. You can thank me later.

Thanks Jay. Joey and I even practiced it. See you on the 50!

1989.* But I voted "maybe". *Edited to add: I'm not sure another sixth-place corps will ever match Star of Indiana's 1989 score of 95.300, which has held up for 26 years (only one other placement's score has held up longer). Admittedly comparisons of raw scores from year to year have limited value, but consider also the spread: Star was just 3.5 points behind the score earned by SCV (itself a record score for the top position that stood for a number of years). By comparison, Blue Knights were 5.8 points behind BD's first-place score this year. Here are the other years in which sixth-place corps was fewer than 4 points behind first place: 3.85 Carolina Crown 2007 3.70 Santa Clara Vanguard 1990 3.60 Phantom Regiment 1988 3.55 Madison Scouts 1980 3.30 Cadets (of Bergen County) 1991 3.20 Bridgemen 1981 Still, this year's was a really good top six!

May I be allowed to play devil's advocate for a moment? I follow exactly what you're saying...however, are you also saying that while this may be a reality in terms of specific adjudicatory practice as it applies to the Blue Devils, such "lee-way" (MY term, for note) is not extended elsewhere? Or...that many other organizations are held to a higher adjudicatory standard that that applied to BD? Personally, I find it difficult to believe that one corps out of the entity of DCI World Class Drum Corps enjoys, on an almost weekly, not to mention yearly basis, a level of adjudicatory ignorance and malfeasance strictly on it's own, and by its' self. Then again, maybe I'm just naive....

... until the Kidsgrove Scouts land in the US. To say we're excited to be coming back over is something of an understatement! This year our baritone/euphonium line is bigger and badder than ever and very much looking forward to bringing you the bass. Here;s a short montage introducing this year's line. https://youtu.be/QzwVg_VdrIU

Not true. there's so much dadgummed orange down here you'd think they'd have run out of dye by now.

I guess you missed the videos. It's sung live.

A little surprised by a 'highest score of the season only' determining factor. I see no reason why a show during the last 2 weeks of the season couldn't be structured 'by selective invitation' to encourage an unusually high score for a particular group. Although, I seem to remember the DCA administrators having some authority to determine who is assigned to what show. Anyone know how show assignments work? Maybe, the 3 corps with the highest seasonal number drawn from a hat would be better. Aw, why should we care? It's all fixed anyway, right?

Perfect example that demonstrates that pure greatness is sometimes best when in marinades over time. As you look back at this 2013 piece from Bloo's show it's evident how awesome this piece really was. You've got 2 sides working independently musically from each other and yet somehow the whole thing just sounds so incredibly awesome together.

Thanks for starting this thread. Very nice original post. It brought back memories that I wanted to share. In 1999 I discovered drum corps, on TV. In November 2002 I auditioned (and did not make the cut) for the corps that ended up 4th place at 2003 Finals. It wasn't until 2010 where I joined a different Finalist corps for their season as a truck driver, when I saw what drum corps was REALLY all about. It didn't take me long to realize that of all the positions in a drum corps, the truck drivers have it the easiest. Along the course of the tour, these are some of the things that went through my head. I didn't have to sleep on a floor, or on a moving bus or RV, I didn't have to drag all my stuff out at 3am and drag it across the parking lot in order to go back to sleep again for a measly 4 hours. I got to park the truck, drop the equipment trailer as close to the field as I can, and go park in a nice quiet corner and go to sleep right in my truck (it was a sleeper cab). I got to see drum corps shows for free multiple times over the summer. I got free food all day every day. Since I found nice quiet shady corners to park in, the front ensemble would inevitably find the same quiet shady corner, and go rehearse somewhere near my truck. I got to wake up to the sound of marimbas. The best alarm clock on Earth, bar none. I remember when we got to some school in Texas at 5-6am and it was already 90F outside. I went to sleep and woke up probably around 2pm? I opened up my curtain only to see across the parking lot, the corps out on the field rehearsing as usual. I stepped out of my truck just long enough to taste the stifling heat and humidity. I immediately went right back into my comfy air conditioning. I checked my phone to see what the outside temperature was, and it was 105 degrees Fahrenheit. I felt like such a *, and it was in that moment I had the epiphany that I was literally looking at the most incredible thing on Earth. And I felt that if anyone had it inside them to do what they were doing, going through hell and suffering, and even paying a couple thousand $ to do it, they could do anything. I have never felt so humbled. I'm telling you that these kids who march/have marched corps are the most exceptional people on Earth, and I felt privileged just to even be able to call myself a small part of the corps family. And it wasn't just the kids, it was the cooks, the people sewing and hemming, the souvie booth people, the tour manager and interns, staff, etc. Everyone worked together as a unit to achieve a common goal. A drum and bugle corps is the most incredible thing on Earth. I wish I could take off another summer and go through it all again. I drove 2010 and 2011, and they call me every spring to ask me again, but I haven't been able to commit to a whole summer. I hope I do again at some point in life. If you've never been part of a corps, go volunteer. Take the time to do it. It was an experience of a lifetime. I should have paid to be a part of it. Sure, we (especially myself) get caught up here on DCP about scores, show designs, judges and politics, other related drama, but when one really thinks about it, none of that matters even one iota. What really matters is the journey, the life experience. And even though I did cry at the end of their Finals performance, the end of the journey matters, but the end is not the point. The end just crowns the work,

DCI please bring back corps playing their corps song while exiting on finals night.

I remember that too. Or rather maybe Jaws stole from NWS!

Common sense should dictate that the corps who wins on Saturday night at finals should ALWAYS be awarded the DCI Championship. If you can't win the big show, you don't deserve the big trophy.

JesusChrist Give it a rest. Blue devils won stop trying to take it away.

I can't even imagine the outrage if DCI adopted your system in 2008.

This has to be the precursor to 2014 and 2015...............I see so much musically and visually about what I love about the direction they have taken in recent years in this segment.

2 Great seats on the 50 for sale. Section:107 row:K Seats:16,17

Well, if the new guy has a clue at all, he will reach out to that group that pulled off the 2011- 2013 miracles. Not necessarily to re-hire them, etc., but to nform himself as to the insights, strategies they employed to get the corps back into finals, and to stay there, to gain a fan base, to deal with dis-unified alumni, to keep their staff in place for three + years, to deal with an incomplete and weak board. Too much at stake to not be completely informed. Too much at stake to not cover all basis. Too much at stake to not be humble and open. Here's hoping this person in charge isn't simply looking of for a toy to play with, but one who gets that this is not a backyard, throw-together, merely keep-kids-off-the-street, mid-life crisis hobby.

While it is hard to really say "ever", my vote was yes with the criteria I put on it since following DCI closely since 1980, Most entertaining top 6 ever for me Most creative top 6 ever for me Most DIVERSE top 6 ever for me My favorite show may be the sixth place one

I'll be there for dinner.

When does BD typically post the studio recording? Anxiously waiting!

In 2009, as I understand it, Renegades got permission from DCA to engage a panel of judges to evaluate a late-August west coast show in which they were the only competitor (although someone else--Freelancers?--performed in exhibition), so that they'd have a DCA score to seed them in Prelims, because otherwise they'd have had to go on first.

As a visually oriented person who appreciates good music, let me take a swing at the bat; perhaps not a homerun error, but at least a foul ball rather than a whoosh. 1. The design which is rewarded is not always without its execution errors, some of them quite noticeable. Thus, for many in the activity there are different standards of what one considers "excellent." 2. The design is clever but often takes execution demands out of the visual program. The design "goes around" the sheet while other units are attempting to perfect the demand of the sheets. For instance, the excellent executing BD guard is often allowed lee-way in design such as few things show full ensemble simultaneous demand. Subjective interpretations without factual precision are scored highly by subjective judges using nebulous scoring standards. Flags and weapons are tossed to performers individually in syncopatic sequence rather than simultaneously. Tosses of equipment from midfield podium performers go to "general area" rather than exact dot or spot. When each performer has one's turn to retrieve, the show has written around the sheets and judge can't "penalize for tics" (no longer the current judging philosophy.) Marching often is done in pods rather than the files, squads, flanks, or fronts others use. Units which aren't as clever in writing can be resentful.

Very much looking forward to working with John Gough and the rest of the Bush show crew. Those guys know how to get it done!!!

Just as long as Fran doesn't get to watch his O's get payback on my Twinkies this weekend.. Sorry Fran - just watching J.J. Hardy make the boys at Target Field continue to look like idiots - never gave him a chance I'm glad he's keepin' on! After what A-fraud did the other night in the 7th (25th career GS). The upcoming snooze fest in Bal'mer isn't a big enough distraction to make the DCA shows here in the Hinterland less effective to draw some added crowds.. Ah, Saturday at Patrick's !! Pat

And just when you think this show can't get any better, I was just told Donny Allen will be also playing with Joey Pero a special arrangement of the National Anthem! What a way to celebrate the last big show in New Jersey for the 2015 season, tons of alumni corps, tons of competing corps, Joey Pero and Donny Allen and Jerseys own Al Chez and his band ! And last but not least, The legendary Greg Pych and his team will be putting out some GREAT food from the concession stand all day and night! This is going to be one heck of a GREAT DAY, Don't miss this show! Tickets are still available online for will call pick up , I'm guessing the ticket line will be long, get them online and beat the lines! Hope to see MANY fans this Saturday!

drumcorpsfever gets it right. You need to win clean and win on finals night. BD clearly won on finals night 2015. Crown needs to work harder if they want to win on finals night 2016.

2016 is Bloos year. They got everything it takes. Such entertaining shows, great music, relevant and catchy.

When I heard that Cavaliers were going to play Graham's "On the Shoulders of Giants" I thought that was a piece that BAC should have been playing if only for the title and the coincidence of BACs corps song. But knowing the Graham piece from its use on the PBS, I was soooooooooooo disappointed with the arrangement and snippet that Cavaliers presented, actual brass performance not withstanding. If Boston did tackle "Immortal," I would hope that the arrangement would not be a similar snip, bop, and paste but actually given some of the true substance and mastery of the work., not merely a drive-by nod of the shako. At some time, Boston (or another fine corps with a mighty fine hornline) might do a fuller arrangement of Graham's "...Giants."

Would they stay true to the original and do it in 4'33"? If not, they would have to have it arranged and then copyright would be involved. I'd hate for their volume to be muted on the DVDs.

Yup. As soon as I saw this post, I ordered Essentials 3. Too many great shows on that one to not own it.

uhm... that begs the question - as opposed to others?

Great story. Glad you told it. This can also be a thread in itself. There are many stories like this out there with those who learned respect from their corps and how it carried with them throughout life. There are some wonderful Cadet stories and how the history is carried on by multiple generations as well as some great Cavalier and Madison stories. No doubt many,many others from corps not quite as famous. It's shows many , young and old ( as it should ) that often there is so much more taught by these dedicated adults and what's learned by these eager and talented members. Respect is something that is there or not and what a great story among many out there of respect for not just a corps but an idea which carries on far beyond competition or generations. Great Story

So if you win a popularity contest, you didn't really win it?

INFLATO MAN In days of old When corps were bold And slotting was not invented Inflato Man Would show up at prelims With scores that made all elated Eights became Nines And Nines became Tens And nary an eye was blinked The only ones Who seemed to wonder Were the judges from the prior weeks Mickey puffed away While others seemed to say This is the way the scores should have been And Inflato Man wondered Why in the world He was ignored until DCA weekend :-) Written tongue-n-cheek for all of us that waited for Inflato Man ... Just remember there's TWO weeks of scores left before Labor Day ... Best of luck to all ... oh ... and with all being said on this topic - the Hurcs have spent the past two weekends revamping their show based on the judging community's comments and input ... and I do mean REVAMPED ... so ... if you saw them earlier, look for a new spin that has been put on their "jazz packed" AFTER HOURS program ... :-)

Noooooooooo. No more retreads! They need something fresh!

It takes a few months to produce and press cd's and dvd's. The usual target is to get them shipping in time for Christmas.

VO Reason. The person whose world ends when the Bucs don't win a show by at least three points.

That doesn't mean that much to schools who consistently play grade 6 music.

Something...ANYTHING...with the word Red in it.

yeah, i thought it was pretty cool that woods arrangement was my favorite part of the show now that they've tackled bon iver, maybe they can do some iron and wine next year?

EMC's heart is in the right place...sometimes his true intent is not as clear as it could be. I had the great fortune of spending a hour with the corps by the truck at Indy after the retreat. As far as those kids were concerned, BAC won. I get the fact that some people here on DCP may not understand it, and certainly there were 9 other drum corps who received a higher number last Saturday night. Having said that, in all the measures which count most to the Boston Crusaders, (tradition, legacy, family, love for each other), they believe themselves to be World Champions. They sang Giant. They hugged each other. They celebrated 75 years as a drum corps. They won. And they know it.

Don't forget the Cavaliers in 2001 and 2007 if you think fast is hard. As well as 2003 for just being visually stupidly-difficult.

Kilts, Rockford---Friday, July 3rd. 55.30