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Showing content with the highest reputation on 09/20/2017 in all areas

  1. Pausing for a moment to remember Ray Schofield, who passed away today. Ray was my boss at many of the drum corps and band gigs I worked for YEA. Always so easy to work with... a total pro, and a great guy. Many good times with him. May he rest in peace.
    2 points
  2. Per Facebook. The Madison Scouts are pleased to announce Chris Tomsa as our Brass Program Director. Welcome home Chris!
    2 points
  3. and on and on and on and on and on and on. Sheesh let it go. Your pit bull repeat of the same low lying scoundrel like incredulously inaccurate statements Jeff has made (how dare he), are now reaching the stomping-of-feet, arms-crossed-on-the-chest harumph level. It is reading now of "but you said, Jeff" - and "Mom....no one is listening to me" and arguing for arguing sake. It seems most everyone here gets exactly what Jeff and Brasso & others (except maybe GD) have been saying. The G7 very self serving coup didn't work. Someone tried a to pull a fast one and got caught.
    2 points
  4. This is worth the watch. Even some Cavaliers drill moves mixed in. Some neat playing and body movements
    1 point
  5. Spoof. As a parting gift, Mr. Gibbs outfitted BD’s buses with dream out-stretch chairbeds and a Concord room where Cappybara croons, “You are so wonderful to me!”; while when the Cadets’ buses are not at hotels, to be sure one sleeps an endless loop is played of Hop talks. After the Cavies are finished wishing “Good Night, Dude” a la the Waltons to each of the other 149 brothers, if they are not tired out, they get to listen to Hook’em Cavies reread aloud the entire 2017 joke book while they hide in their pillows. Meanwhile Bloo has adapted their stage, slides, and ramps into bunk beds. No jumping from one level to the next, however. Troopers sleep with their saddles while Blue Knights have no trouble keeping their eyes closed dreaming of snow storms, colorful birds, and far away events. Santa Clara has entered a major league concussion sleep study program due to their recurring dizziness and nightmares about snakes. Madison in their ten fifteen-men tents always sleeps with one eye open…to see who is the last man standing. Boston’s buses have no problems with cold nights as each bus has a fireplace like atmosphere with its own burning fire constantly fed by Brasso and other volunteers who aren't allowed to snore. If the temperatures get too hot, an automatic fire alarm goes off playing Carolina Crown’s Inferno. Meanwhile, Phantom Regiment have declared their buses insect-free (even on Swamp Tour) as mms wear yards and yards of individualized mosquito netting. Some sets in red, in white, or even black. Blue Stars have several beds to choose from recent past shows: from queen size to twin to make-your-own or sleep in a trunk. Decisions and mysteries makes one wonder what goes on down in the warren of Academy’s rabbit holes? Like Crossmen, it’s an enigma. What does your favorite corps sleep in?
    1 point
  6. I keep dropping my pencils like gangbusters
    1 point
  7. In the immortal words of Doyle Gammill, "Boy you play! Mah GAWD!"
    1 point
  8. RIP. YOU may enter the pearly gates
    1 point
  9. Chris Tomsa as Madison Scouts Brass Program Director
    1 point
  10. but not close at all to the energy and dynamicism of when SCV did them originally under Royer. He understood true brass and musical GE in getting the musician, judge, and audience to respond. I'm comparing Cadets to that. You are comparing Cadets to Cadets. I know, you weren't even a twinkle in your parents' eyes back them...in that other century.
    1 point
  11. Like I said above, there is FAR more risks to allowing brass solo improvisation than possible benefits to be derived from it. Timing, meter issues, etc in other Corps sections can be thrown completely out of wack. This is why we almost always hear the DCI brass solos in all these Corps ( including BD ) being remarkably similar from show performance to show performance, than dissimilar. BUT maybe a couple of DCP'ers here are hearing things, most others arn't too.... who knows.... haha!
    1 point
  12. I seem to remember you making a joke about Marines monitoring for people videorecording the shows.
    1 point
  13. BD's soloists did improvise this year. They were given a framework for the solos and then allowed to improvise within that. I don't think they deviated tremendously from what they had come up with as the season progressed, mainly because the versions they had "set" worked so well.
    1 point
  14. The only reason I raise the topic is because of the TREMENDOUS talent in DCI (many of whom are adults)Given their familiarity with the charts I thought that some of the best musicians might take tasteful risks at improvising (with the blessing of the brass instructor and within limits...No Don Cherry solos!!! I do however see your point
    1 point
  15. Not enough, IMO!! but I think you would guess that to be my stance given my profile..... DCI Corps program history is packed FULL of charts from the great Big Band genre. Let's bring that back......somehow..........I beg.
    1 point
  16. 1 point
  17. There's some SoA chatter on the staff thread but I didn't want to hijack it. While so many people were busy singing the praises of BAC and Mandarins, I feel SoA flew under the radar. They were my surprise of the season. I think they took some big risks in modernizing and to me it paid off. Even though it was a new look and sound, I still got a Spirit vibe. Could have done withou the props, but ya can't have everything. Hope they continue in the same vein in 2018.
    1 point
  18. thank God corps fans dont bring cowbells and whistles and air horns
    1 point
  19. They aren't out of debt totally yet I don't think (don't quote me on that, as I'm not privy to the specific financial end of things recently) but with that track record, I feel confident they will be soon. More importantly, they have established solid business relationships with vendors again which will serve the corps well moving forward. AA
    1 point
  20. the last time I had talked to any of the folks associated with the admin of the corps, they had paid off something approaching half a million dollars of the previous administrations debt AND run the corps in the black for two consecutive seasons. While they are not where they want to be financially, they are laying a very solid foundation for the long term future of the corps and they are doing just fine in securing the corps financial position in the short term. The administrative team in place now is made up of business people, not musicians who want to be involved in drum corps and have to do that pesky business stuff in order to do so. That is not to cast aspersion on musicians. I'm one of those musicians who loves to teach drum corps, but I am well aware that my strengths do not lie in the administrative side of running things. I have been asked on multiple occasions by multiple different organizations to take over administrative tasks and positions. I was quite flattered to even be offered a job as a corps director at one point. I turned all those opportunities down because I am self aware enough to know my strengths lie on the instructional side of things not administrative. As an alum of the corps, I'm proud of and thankful for all of the staff, members and volunteers who are moving the corps in a positive long term direction. Hope that eases any of your concerns. AA
    1 point
  21. Alright so I'm in one of those resale groups for band and saw their props for sale. They want $1200 for each prop and it got me thinking of was it really worth it to put those on the field? A group that has been struggling with funds spends between $4,000-$5,000 to make custom welded props that didn't add much to a show. I'm surprised that that purchase was ok'd unless they are out of financial trouble which would be great for them.
    1 point
  22. And I am sorry for that. I am a Boston supporter no doubt. I am well aware of the years Boston was lean. And calling it lean is not coming close to how it really was. It basically took a small group of people who could not let the corps die to start putting it together step by tiny step. The first investment above the minimum dollars needed to run, was with people. It took a lot of year to grow the management. It took a lot of early staffers doing double duty to step aside when more experienced people with better managerial skills arrived and continued to build the organization. It took many more years of building still experiencing ups and downs along the way, but steadily and singularly focused on build what you finally see today. A timeline might look like this: After Nationals in August of 1982 The Boston Crusaders were gone. No money, no equipment, no uniforms, no staff, nothing. Just a handful of people ticked off about what had happened. That small group of people met on September 27 1982 and stupidly (I say that in the most affectionate way) agreed to put it all back together and start all over again. The corps known then as Boston, began a long long road forward, upward, with people coming and going, members, staff, volunteers, fans supporters helping in so many way the entire time. Lots of people. Finally, seventeen years later, in 1999, Boston made it to Finals. Since then Boston continued to build the organization, learning along the way and finding out how to do it; obtaining smart, skilled, dedicated people to help those who had been there the entire time. Key people were added who had strong networks and wide ranging resources, creative fundraising strategies, intelligent financial management got them to this point. An amazing group and BOD. But first you need dedicated, committed, strong of heart people to begin, to restart and follow through. If you want to learn how this can be done, connect with Boston's BOD. I am not saying theirs is the only way, but they've been through it all from the very bottom and persevered and gotten the corps to the top twelve for the past 19 years.
    1 point
  23. We shouldn't minimize the impact of a high-five-figure carrot, but let's also recognize that Basten struck with a hot-poker at EXACTLY the right minute, when the turmoil was most frothy, the blame for placement was at its highest, and when the pressure to succeed and the withering criticism were likely at their most intense. The power of timing was obviously important. Some might call that superior leadership skills; I know I do.
    1 point
  24. $$$ is the "romance" the activity runs on. "...poached..." Pfftt. Do you know how many dollars were spent on those instructors? Oh yea, drum corps aren't allowed to spend their money on improving their staff according to you. You must have REALLY hated Star of Indiana in its day. Something tells me you couldn't identify "warm and fuzzy" if you bathed in it. But you OWN the "J" part of the circle-party, that's for sure. Is there something in the water in East Tennessee? Lead maybe? Wow. Your vitriol has taken on a whole new level.
    1 point
  25. Sound leadership built the organization that collected the money and built a program that would attract some of the venerable staff in the activity. Why are you compelled to trash the efforts of those who demonstrate success in the activity? Is it because they use Bb horns and electronics? You just can't give credit where due, can you?
    1 point
  26. I marched in the late 90s and I consider myself a dinosaur based on this premise: When I marched, I thought the shows from 1978 were FREAKING ANCIENT. Now looking back 20 years from 2018, my stuff is freaking ancient. Anyways - just because I'm now a dino doesn't mean I need to come on message boards and #### all over the activity I loved. I still love it. It's very different from when I marched, but it's still Drum Corps. I would love to march in my corps today just like I loved it back then. Anyways...
    1 point
  27. I hung out with Pioneer Wednesday night and Thursday this past week as they prepared for prelims. I was there to support one of my former students who is now marching quad with Pio and being taught, ironically enough, by my former instructor, Tyrell Carver (an amazing guy, I was very happy to know "T" would be her instructor, but that's another story)... Seeing my student and T again was pure magic, and Pioneer are wonderful hosts - Roman is a true gentleman. I can't say enough good things about that organization and will encourage other kids I teach who are considering the jump to DCI to consider Pioneer without hesitation. I started marching in 1968. I've spent a lot of time thinking drum corps is not the same as when I marched and in many ways, it's true. Electronics, trombones, singers - much has changed and I haven't been onside with a lot of it. But I watched those Pioneer kids give it everything they've got in run-throughs Wednesday night, sectionals and runs Thursday morning, and then show prep in Military Park, most if not all of them understanding where they would place at the end of the day. It didn't matter to them, they threw every muscle and fibre of their being, and all of their heart, into preparing for that show. I could only watch in admiration. And I learned in that moment at show prep, that the things I maybe don't like about modern drum corps - the mics, the instrumentation etc. - are entirely superficial to the main event, which is the experience these kids have in marching. The work ethic you learn, the ability to learn your limits and then break through them, the lifelong bonds of friendship you make, the joy of performing for the audience - none of this has changed, and that's the essence of drum corps regardless of the era or competitive level you marched. If you marched, you get it. I'm 62 years old and in this, my last year of teaching, I learned a great deal about drum corps from these 22 and under year olds this week. In every way that matters - drum corps has not changed one bit. I'm a fan again. Thank you Pioneer for your gracious hospitality, and for the lesson.
    1 point
  28. Jeff - not sure if this will work but this was my hug when I showed up at Pio's housing the night before prelims.
    1 point
  29. Another year ... another thread full of people complaining about Pioneer ... another year of Pioneer doing their thing and thriving when other groups are folding or pleading for money ...
    1 point
  30. I like this thread. Let's get it back on the front page.
    1 point
  31. The cost of a Top 6 tour continues to climb, probably to something like $1.5-1.75M for 2017 although we only see numbers long after the fact when 990s get filed. This is far too high to be funded by tour fees and donations, so just like Bill Cook observed three decades ago, you must have other sources of income that can support the drum corps. The two most intriguing strategies out there today seem to be: - Inspire/Boston, like Star of Indiana, has set up other business whose profits help to fund the corps. (Aside: at one time it looked like more corps would go this route, e.g. Cadets Stagecoach. Why isn't this more popular?). They've also built up impressive corporate funding through their BoD. - BD's System Blue. Why take a sponsorship from the equipment manufacturer when you can become the equipment manufacturer? I think the criticism of Boston for "buying a championship" is inappropriate. Everyone would "buy a championship" if they could figure out how to get the money to do it! The activity only continues long term if more groups get savvier about how to financially sustain this very expensive activity.
    1 point
  32. I love the phrase "buy a championship." Isn't everyone trying to buy a championship? I think so. No matter how small or large, you are trying to run your organization the best you can. That means making as much money as possible for things like great staff, housing, food, travel, facilities, instruments, equipment, and on and on. The more money you make the more opportunity for great staff, better travel, great instruments and equipment, and great performance opportunities. Ultimately all those things add up to being competitive - yes? I think so. That's called buying a championship. Everyone is trying.
    1 point
  33. Bump. This needs to stay on page 1 for a little more.
    1 point
  34. Thank you for sharing your observation and experiences! Words cannot describe how appreciative we are for the kind words!
    1 point
  35. Great read. Thanks for posting. It reminds us all that after the scores have been tabulated and the winners announced, after some MMs go home on cloud nine while others are disappointed, it is still mostly an activity that develops the characters of young people. The competition and entertainment part of it are secondary.
    1 point
  36. 1 point
  37. Grandpa, thank you for posting this. You have touched what is truly the heart and essence of the activity. I wish you the best in retirement and hope that allows you to have more time with Pioneer.
    1 point
  38. Bump.... I think we need to make sure more people have read this. Go Pio!
    1 point
  39. Those numbers can be misleading. If you look at the 990 for 2015 for BD, their Bingo revenue is just over $21 million but the cash payouts, etc. means they only profited about $440k. They may have the most revenue but they clearly have the most expenses as well too that offset it.
    1 point
  40. I really liked the 2017 Crown Percussion book writing this year... so hopefully more of the same for 2018 with a really hip battery feature.
    1 point
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