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In general there tends to be too much information shared on DCP at times about individual marching members. Like what college they're attending or what food they like or what corps they used to be in etc. I find it creepy on a couple levels. One, why do adults know this much personal information about kids. Two, why are you posting this information on DCP? All I can conclude is it's some sort of weird need at validation, "look at what I know," "look at how I'm sponsoring a kid or kids". I wish it would stop.

leaked early sketch

Cappy, you know the Cadets thread becomes a blog of numerous unrelated rants, raves, opinions, sermons and witch hunts. Oh I think I just gave two corps shows away.

What in the hell is going on with this thread

It's kinda funny ... I have been reading this thread for the last several pages and didn't realize I was on the Cadets' thread. I could have sworn I was on Boston's thread. DCP is so fluid sometimes... So how about that Mass?

Thought I'd resurrect this after a lot of announcements......even if the tone of discussion as of late is pretty...well I've had lots more fun in the past posting on here. Lots of awesome shows. Madison Scouts sounds downright awesome, I can't wait to hear them play Music for Prague. The Academy is continuing what made the world fall in love with them, that show should be a blast. And Blue Devils/Santa Clara Vanguard both have really cool sounding shows to me. Similar but totally different takes on the idea of change and metamorphosis. Santa Clara Vanguard resonates a little more with me but both will of course be stellar. Despite so much discussion of uniforms and stuff, like every year I'm more excited than the last for shows. Should be a great season.....we go into pre season mode next week!

We all must admit that Crown did not become Champions by 2013 overnight...it took YEARS of hard work and dedication to build that program...I'm not as concerned about placement for Boston (even though I wouldn't complain about a decent jump) as I'd like to see them get to box 1 on the sheets...placement is harder to access because corps around you from year to year can be weaker/stronger than your OWN corps improvement and performance levels...Boston has clearly wanted to move up since 2012 (give or take)...and after about 5 years it is poised to do so competitively AFTER becoming stronger financially off the field first...again these things from a competitive standpoint don't happen overnight...Will I be excited if they do phenomenal this coming season as well?....ABSOLUTELY!!!

I agree with you in that the Boston will undoubtedly be better this year than last. However, I do believe there will be increased quality throughout all areas of the corps for a number of reasons: more experienced BAC veterans; new staff (designers and techs); increased staff's performance expectation for the members (this is a big one); the ability to draw out better MM performance by the staff. I might not have articulated that very well, but there has been increased demand on each MM's playing capability and quality. New practice techniques during the winter for each MM should result in significant improvement in program performance and individual performance.. Knowing what the winter was to be for MM's, I expect more demand from the music writing/design via the collaboration of this staff, which I hear has been tremendous. No doubt there will be huge visual changes due to the quality of the designers of the drill and the guard and the improved tech's to support the design. So I am with you regarding improvement, but I think the music design will be as significantly better as the visual. 8th is a good possibility and I will be cautiously optimistic as I hope for that and more. Why not? Although I risk sounding like a homer jihadist just saying that. LOL What is a homer jihadist anyway? What a stupid thing to call BAC supporters on the Boston thread.

They wear them during retreat at finals, I believe.

Its disgraceful to single out a performer of a Corps... any Corps... and say something as undeniably mean spirited as this. I hope this young performer does not read this here on DCP, as you have just publically humiliated him. There.. is... no... excuse... for... this. Period. Publically humiliating a young performer here on DCP is irresponsible, and vicious. A Corps performer should not be individually singled out like this for such public humiliation. Their role at a previous Corps is a PRIVATE matter. Not for public consumption. This is not a grey area. It is black and white. At least to me anyway.

I was just thinking this when "shedding skin" was mentioned, as I'm "The Last Man" at the end of the line in this shot to go in and out of that Tunnel of Doom...I was cutting it reaaaally close most of the time.

I wonder if we'll get some vintage SCV follow the leader drill for any stretches in this show. You know...very serpent-like but a nod to their past. For example the end of The Canyon in the '99 show.

I hear your logic but I just don't see it happening (which in the end is probably a good thing).

there will be some discussion about which version of "The Triumph of Time" is better, BD's or SCV's.

still get a little giddy when i hear this little vignette of Downey describing the arrangement of a segment of the 93 show

1. (tie) BD and SCV, even though this could never happen due to that stupid GE rule 2. Cadets 3. Cavies 4. Crown 5. Bloo 6. BAC 7. BK 8. Madison 9. Colts 10. Blue Stars 11. Crossmen 12. PR

All very good points. And regardless of "future potential", what's happenin' now always has an annoying way of coming to the forefront. Anyway I have no idea how this is all going to play out. How often has a drum corps suddenly put together such an "all star" staff?

It will be interesting to watch how things develop. They certainly should be able to move up in 2016 based on design alone. Despite the BAC homers here on DCP being in full denial, there are some very high expectations from some staff who've moved over from other corps. And certainly at least one segment of performers has heard very clearly some of those expectations while they were "encouraged" to sign on with a new corps. Will those expectation be met? How will things play out? Only time will tell.

even bettor

ladder?

Yes.

Obviously your return has triggered a cataclysmic event of biblical proportions!

Who said there's a percieved benefit? Two corps independently came to the conclusion that specific piece of music fit their concept. There's no mysterious collusion. or WAIT -- maybe there is?? perhaps there's a secret plan

shh.. you're ruining the narrative. (and your "read" is quite accurate). i'm not surprised the BAC gang tried to twist it into something far more evil. but that's how they roll -- they see G7's in every corner and have an overwhelming urge to vanquish them to the nether regions (kind of like their show last year!) . probably fits quite well with this year's product was well:

Costumes not uniforms. Being debuted to the public on June 24 Cream and Maroon is the basic color scheme I would expect a more "indoor look" for the Cadets this season

It's 90% about the writing a good book and the ability to clean. Not the talent. If cadets have a radically improved and more varied /interesting written book their guard will be competitive. If not, it does not matter how talented the guard is ......

Well percussion wise I would say that they do.

I meant to add...my son is in his second year at SCVC and they are doing the same physical conditioning regimen the A-corps is doing; it is unlike anything both A or C have ever seen. When he described it to me my first thought was they were trying to convert the kids into super athletes first who happen to play instruments and equipment instead of super musicians and performers who are called upon to do athletic stuff.

The repertoire is missing from the following... Bluecoats Blue Stars - Star Crossed Boston Crusaders Carolina Crown Colts - Both Sides Now Crossmen - Enigma Jersey Surf Mandarins - Inside the Ink Pacific Crest Phantom Regiment Seattle Cascades Spirit of Atlanta The Cavaliers - Men Are From Mars Troopers

Glassmen!

To the original poster and his demographic - it is not just one single cause. A combination of factors has thinned the herd of drum corps. Yes, money is one big factor, and we largely did that to ourselves by making corps bigger, adding more and pricier equipment, and traveling more. But at the same time, this and other factors made it harder for the neighborhood corps to stay competitive. Society became more mobile. Population density shifted as suburbs developed and the baby boom ebbed. Recruiting expanded across regions (or nationwide/worldwide), and corps training kids from scratch eventually found it impossible to keep pace with corps full of kids with years of music education and/or marching band background. There are other factors I am leaving out for the sake of simplicity. To the inevitable wave of people trying to equate high school marching band to the grass roots drum corps activity of yesteryear - no, it is not the same. There are similarities, of course. Not just the marching music, either. The scholastic marching band has a captive audience from which to recruit, much like the neighborhood drum corps of days past. Many kids will choose band partly because the alternatives (classroom or study hall) are less appealing, just as street kids chose corps over hanging out on the street. But none of that matters if the high school in your town does not have a competing marching band. Kids cannot just join the band at another school in some neighboring town.

From my understanding after talking with folks in both camps, it sound like BD is doing a large part of this piece, while SCV is using a much smaller part in one of their other productions. I would bet they wont have anything in common when its all said and done. I'm just stoked both groups are doing what seems like really fun, exciting and aggressive programs this season. Would love to see a real West Coast championship rivalry begin again!

That is a good point that I haven't considered! I have no idea what the MMs are thinking about this. Also, I don't know the specific circumstances that caused these moves to unfold, so that why I'm taking a more macro view of the situation. I'm sure you know more about the specifics than I could hope to know.

I don't know. It's been pretty gray here the past few days.

Not sure if someone has already mentioned this, but in 2014, the blue stars scored 9th in GE and got 4th in guard on finals night(only .1 behind third place).

I believe another term for this experience is called a " metaphoph ".

its YUUUGE !

More Cadets Brass to Crown than anywhere else. (4). BD got (2). Very few followed Gino to Boston. Most vets just sitting out and I suspect you may get a few jumping back to Cadets if spots open due to injury. No offense but if they were leaving Cadets, it was going to be for a top corps. BAC will be strong IMO this season, but not top 3. I think we see BAC become a threat to top 5 in 2018. Certainly laying the foundation to become a powerhouse.

Marched: Sunrisers 1963-1973 Taught: LI Kingsmen, Medford Grenadiers, Kings Park Fire Department, Vianney Knights, Riptides, Lindenaires, Blue Hornets, 142nd Armored Division Army National Guard, Seaford Goldwen Hawks.

guard should get a good book. eric b. back , mike zablocki super talented.

Presenting their 2017 Program, "Our Burritos..."

Quote from the 2017 SCV show announcement on their website: "Like the serpent shedding its skin, Vanguard reveals a new identity while fiercely protecting its traditions." You know what that means... (Also nobody told me Michael Gaines was working with SCV!)

parse away it's context dependent is all i'm saying. i think if we put away our pride for just a moment, it's clear that there's no real difference between using costume and uniform in the context of dci. you have snarky people like me who use costume as a pejorative for what we're seeing the corps proper with most orgs today, but of course it's a uniform as well. i'm just a language geek. as for the cop thing, put nyc cops into blooo's "uniforms" from last year, and exactly nobody would say "ooooh, the NYC Police department changed their uniforms," they would say "why are NYC Police all wearing costumes?" as I said, context-dependent. again, i'm just a language geek, and i fully understand how absurd this is. it's friday, and i'm bored.

i'm going to assume spirit is wearing borat mankinis until somebody posts a picture

Ummm ... we saw Bluecoats costumes from last year WITH context, and they still sucked,

What do I look forward to? Watching my daughter and her friends soak up the Allentown DCI experience. It makes me shiver to think what effect this activity has on young folks. High school marching band gets them started (and they did pretty good last year at MetLife) and DCI just brings it all to another level. Not a lot of them can pull off a DCI Corps summer, but there are a couple with contracts this year. (Note: none of them will give me ANY Cadets info.) Kudos and admiration to anyone who gets to experience the MM life. It's wonderful how these kids grow and develop their skills...not just musical and physical ones but the mental and emotional ones as well. For the next five years, my high school kids will keep me in the Pit Crew, pulling speakers, fixing props and giving/getting high fives from them and their fellow band members, no matter how well they do at a given show. And nowhere have I heard more "thank yous" than at the end of the night, when they get off the bus to see that the Pit guys have already gotten the drums out of the trailer and put them away for them. Makes me realize that maybe, just maybe, these youngsters are gonna be pretty good grownups. My $0.02

' Looking forward to some of the following this summer in DCI Drum Corps ( no particular order ); ......... the return of show recaps. 'Glad to learn that DCI tried this one year experiment, evaluated it, then did an about face and scrapped their policy of not releasing show recaps to the public. ......... As several other DCP'ers have already stated, looking forward to see what effects the staff transfers among the various Corps have had in the show designs and the placement standings... just as much now as annually looking forward to assessing the transfers of marchers among the Corps to see what effect these marcher transfers have had on the show designs and the placement standings every season. ......... to see if the Bluecoats can repeat a DCI Title win the following season. Only a very few Corps, not named the Blue Devils, are able to successfully defend their DCI Title the following season after their DCI win. ........ Academy. Can they " pull a rabbit " out of a hat and retain their hard fought efforts to secure TOP 12 DCI status, perform on Sat. Nite at Championships ( and retain the DVD status ). ....... Madison Scouts. Very much looking forward to see what they have in store this season. The Scouts have never had back to back seasons of not being in TOP 12 status. This is a critically important season for this DCI iconic Drum Corps, imo. We are hearing great things out of their camp reports this season. Can the hype match the results. This Scouts fan hopes so. ........ SCV. The Vanguard have been stuck right outside the medal round in DCI now for like forever. Have they settled in to this forever, or do they have it in them to get back to Championship form. Its been a long time for SCV to not be in a title hunt, despite the enjoyment their shows bring most seasons to many fans. Congrats to SCV alums, fans, marchers on their Anniv. year.. and wow, what a great job you did in the Rose Bowl Parade! ......... Cavaliers... they lost a lot when they lost Michael Gaines. But they have rebounded nicely of late, and they have been on an upward placement trajectory the last couple of seasons. Looking forward to see if they can follow up last season's interesting show with another one... and see if they can continue their climb back up the placements ladder. ........ BK had a Corps Director ( Arnold ) that reportedly was livid last season that his staff did not have his Corps ready for competition show design wise for the early season shows. What added to his frustration was that this was not the first time BK found itself way behind the other Corps in early shows. Has BK learned its hard lesson ? ........ Costumes.... at one time it was unthinkable to refer to Drum Corps attire as " costumes ". But times change, and the term no longer brings snickers, and its no longer considered a pejorative term. I look forward to seeing what costumes the Corps will be wearing this summer. Reports are that lots of Corps will be wearing new costumes this summer, and I'm interested in seeing what they look like. ...... Genesis. They become the first start up World Class Division Drum Corps from the state of Texas in DCI history. its about time that DCI finally got a start up Corps developed in Texas that could attain World Class Division status. The principal reason given to us for DCI to have so many shows in Texas over the last decade was to see start up Corps like Genesis develop into World Class Division status from the state of Texas. ...... Battalion. Its going to be a bit odd, but a good thing, imo, to look forward to seeing this Corps in the former Boston Crusaders uniforms. ........ Blue Stars, Crossmen.... I'm hearing a much more demanding show from both these 2 Corps this season. Looking forward to seeing them. Both have solidified their positions of late as solid TOP 12 Status Corps. ....... Colts.. Howard Weinstein does wonders with Corps that look to improve their fortunes. I'm looking forward to what he can do with the Colts this summer. ....... Troopers... This iconic DCI Corps has lots and lots of fans across America pulling for them to do well. They are rarely boring for most fans, most seasons. So I'm always looking forward to seeing the Troopers every season, this one included. ...... Phantom Regiment... some staff changes here as well. Phantom Regiment probably has had more musical songs on my go to list over the years than any other DCI Corps. This Corps has a lot going for it. I want them to survive and prosper in DCI for the next 50 years. So I'm looking forward to see if they can dazzle me once again as they have before, in season's past. ...... Blue Devils. I am looking forward to see by how much they win their 2017 TItle by. Will it be tenths, or a blow out ( lol!) ...... Corps in 15th and below.. including Open Class...... I ALWAYS find shows from this grouping every season that I enjoy as much, if not more so, than some of the upper elite DCI Corps shows. I am looking forward to this annual trend happening once again this season from a few of these Corps shows at this level. .......' Looking forward to watching the shows on my TV hook up, attending a few shows, volunteering once again, and meeting up with friends, alums at the tailgates of the shows, and shooting the breeze and once again having fun at these tailgates.

Marching with my second family at Southwind :)