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Word is they have layering and additions planned ahead for throughout the season. You know, what the OTHER smart corps do these days. I doubt we will see a last minute tarp or back flipping Jesus this year

Went to GWU yesterday. Saw a little bit of guard sectionals and after a brief severe weather delay we were able to watch just a brass ensemble. Very impressed with the progress so far.

I think the fact that they are even asking the question indicates that they no longer have a compelling reason to limit their recruiting to only 50% of the available talent.

Always wondered what happened to the sagging capital building tarp. Garage sale perhaps

And there’s reasons most do. Audiences appreciate WELL CONSTRUCTED and performed tweaks. Honestly, the members also get a charge out of learning something new after several weeks of cleaning. The trick is that the rest of the show has to be “right”, and staff and students can’t have spent much of their summer already making up for poor design choices and implementation.

Reading the threads, it appears, once again, that EVERY corps is LEAPS and BOUNDS ahead of where they were last season!!!!! EVERY corps is going to finish in First Place. Yay!!! I love me the preseason hype. Everything is possible until the cold fish of reality slaps us upside the head June 21. Then the bitterness begins. That too is entertaining, but I like to drink it all in slowly, like the changing of the seasons.

Can I get an AAAAAA-MEN

Drill is incredible, by the way.

So there you have it? Inspiration not from Amelia or Gilligan's Island. It is from LOTF, Castaway and Lost. The human experience. So it will be fun to see how that comes to life on the field musically and Visually.

Forward Performing Arts had taken action on this issue before publication of the article. Facebook post from October 26, 2017: Over the past few years, the Madison Scouts have received an increasing number of membership inquiries from transgender people interested in joining the corps. In the absence of any formal policy, we have cited sexual assignment at birth as the eligibility standard and helped students who did not meet that criteria find a suitable option with other drum corps. Accordingly, in September, I asked the Forward Performing Arts Board of Directors to consider this issue, and a committee was formed to examine this matter more closely. At the October 16th board meeting, the committee presented a recommendation to the board to amend its existing eligibility policy to include transgender males beginning in 2018. The board unanimously approved the recommendation and has been working with the National Center for Transgender Equality over the past two weeks to draft a policy with appropriate language. Eligibility for the 2018 Madison Scouts will be based on the gender identity indicated by the applicant, including transgender males. Since its beginning in 1938, the Madison Scouts has a long and commendable history of diversity and inclusion. For 80 years, the corps has been racially integrated and was led by an African-American drum major its inaugural year. Originally started as a Boy Scout Troop, the organization was all-male by regulation. Over time, the corps has evolved within the activity and within society to serve a diverse membership, with different races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, and economic backgrounds. These differences have helped make the Madison Scouts what it is today—a place where a young person can explore their world via performance. The Madison Scouts is no longer associated with the Boys Scouts of America, but has chosen to maintain its “all-male” membership requirement, not in an effort to circumvent gender equality, but rather to create an environment where young men are taught the characteristic standards of being a better man without mixed-sex influences. We believe that we provide a unique and experiential offering based on the all-male environment that is unique within the pageantry world, where other co-ed opportunities exist. The Madison Scouts will continue to provide an educational environment where our membership develops life skills that will serve them effectively in their adult lives. We do so by creating an environment of both adversity and diversity, a place and an activity where one can push themselves beyond what they currently understand. We will continue to explore our changing world and adapt in the most appropriate means necessary to serve this mission. Chris Komnick - Executive Director Gregg Auby - President, Board of Directors

All I want for Christmas (in July I guess) is for BD to have more mellophone features. Last year they featured an awful lot of trumpet, and while they sounded amazing all season, I wish there was more middle voice features and melodies.

actually it kinda is....by being Vanguard!

So cool to see crown reveal that the Trumpet section is the youngest of the corps!! Excellence never lets up no matter the age!

When it comes to gender issues, there are MASSIVE generational differences. Traditional gender roles (and to a lesser extent, even the concept of gender), mean dramatically less to younger (read: future members) than older folks (read: alumni). Look at how many previously gender-segregated things are no longer the "default": many colleges have coed dorms (some even coed bathrooms and rooms), fraternity/sorority numbers are at the lowest rates in history, etc.... Choosing to remain single-sex is choosing to become irrelevant. I know many will disagree, but gender (as we have known it) is rapidly changing. Relatedly, I really hated the all-female Phantom Regiment color guard and VERY glad they are now co-ed again.

Well, Boy Scouts of America also have a coed senior division called Venture Crews. If Madison goes coed, they could call themselves the Ventures! Oh, wait ...

Brass band music all sounds so generic.....

Me too, me too!!!

I'd only want to see them go co-ed if they are doing it for the right reasons, instead of the wrong ones.

"On schedule" is having the ending in March.

I’d be concerned that the corps could lose something that differentiates them.

I'm so excited to see what the bluecoats have in store for this year! To hear that it's something different and that the brass book is hard has me VERY interested to see. Getting to know their drum major over the past year has made me a little more biased to them now, so I will be cheering for them more than usual lol

If you are wanting dark, you won't be disappointed.

It was the back side of one of the Troopers Twister on a football field tarps from last year.

The maniacal change tyrant is no longer in power. They'll make appropriate changes, when needed, and give them the opportunity to mature.

A nice schedule for CT this year with four (4) DCI shows and three (3) DCA shows prior to BillsPort 1. DCI Summer Music Games Mason OH. 6/25 2. DCI Northern Kentucky Alexandria KY. 7/14 3. DCA Saints Showcase Columbus OH. 7/21 4. DCA Parade of Champions Peckville, PA. 7/28 5. DCI Legends Drum Corps Invitational White Lake MI. 7/29 6. DCI Soaring Sounds Centerville OH. 7/30 7. DCA Southern Showdown Hiram GA. 8/26 8. DCA Championships Williamsport PA.

talent or design is really the big question. talent hasn't hurt cavies as they claw back up....design was the issue, and thats been improving annually

I'm ambivalent. I don't buy the "widening the talent pool for a competitive advantage" argument. Madison's struggles pretty much all derive from financial issues, which has an effect on staffing and show design. Opening up membership won't automatically make them better. If they're going to allow female members, they're going to do it for educational/ethical reasons ... which I'd be cool with. That being said: I don't believe that a performing arts organization that's also a fraternity is inherently "discriminatory" (I know several alums who have used that word to describe the membership policy ... which is stupid, and waters down actual examples of discrimination). Somewhat related, and this falls into the "pro-coed" camp: an interesting article on study conducted by the Norwegian military ... https://qz.com/1217098/norwegian-experiment-shows-how-to-change-mens-ideas-on-gender/

IMO - They should all be co-ed

Personally, I’d much rather wait until this season is over before I make a judgement on the topic. If the Scouts are successful this season, then I don’t think there’s any real need to go co-ed. But if they fall out of Finals again, then I think it’s time.

That could very well be the case if recruiting talent is the issue. Personally, I think Madison’s issues are more identity issues which recruiting women will not solve. Madison needs more compelling shows that at the same time scream Madison. I have loved Madison for years, and while there have been some good efforts, there are times something is lacking. Recruiting woes would be the “Look, we’re doing something new” thing Madison may need, though I think much of it’s identity is being all male, but without a compelling show that says Madison, the results will be the same.

I personally think that the corps should stay all male. It’s one of the oldest traditions that have remained and survived the changing of the activity with relations towards cavies and Scouts. It makes them special and unique in a positive way.

Kudos to them for not making us wait until seconds before their first show to announce. That being said, everything Bloo has put out the last few years has been AMAZING so I’m really excited to see what they have in store for us this year. The Bluecoats have become that corps that I will drive several hours to see because you have to experience them live to truly appreciate what they do.

and there will be a lot of very happy people a little after noon on Saturday!!!

I feel like this show is definitely a bounce back from last year. Not many folks liked the show last year, but this seems like they've revisited 2013 but mixed it with the darkness of 2015.

I always thought of BDs brass writing as very top heavy... they love their trumpets, even make their mellos pick up a trumpet at some point in recent years. From what I’ve heard there wasn’t a major “mello feature” although the mello parts are crazy hard, you’ll know what I mean when you hear it. Haven’t heard the closer much so who knows maybe we’ll hear one. Either way, it’s going to be very demanding and entertaining!

They certainly will be battle-tested by the time DCA weekend arrives.

til they change it like everyone else does

how little this was addressed. Cavies had a great run while being all male from the early 90's til 2012, and even in the years 12-15 when they were down for them, they still drew bodies. I'm a Madison fan, but their offerings during this period have not been what you call huge for recruiting, including missing finals what twice? Even in their down years during this time, Cavies were never in danger of missing finals. So recruiting solely because of half of the world being eliminated is a reason, it should be hurting Cavies too. I don't care what they do, but let's call a spade a spade here. Whats Cavies doing to get bodies Madison isn't?

No sir. They did all DCI shows and came into Finals seeded last.

hey on June 1st, everyone is awesome.

I just listened to the audio recordings that were posted here yesterday.This just sounds like classic Blue Devils! I can't wait to here it with better quality on the field.

Madison can still put on "Madison"-type shows whether it's men or women playing, drumming or spinning. I say go co-ed. Mike

OK I Will Bite. 1. Blue Devils - Year in year out the best. I like the show concept. 2.Crown - Excellent show last year .My favorite. Great brass .Great design. 3. Bluecoats - Bounce back. not sure of show yet. 4. SCV - The west coast machine continues. 5.Cavaliers - Not sure of Design but they have been on the move. Could move up 6. Boston - Getting older members . good design .Will be very hard to move up . 7. Blue Knights - Solid corps last few seasons 8. Cadets - Could be under Crossmen . could be over Boston Wildcard. 9. Crossmen - Great show last year better than placement . Could move up 10. Phantom - Hopefully fix the brass. New designers. 11. Blue Stars - Not sold on The Carpenters music. Solid Corps. 12. Madison - Will be hard to knock them out of top 12. ------

It is both straight ahead jazz and down right out jazz. what little of the show I have seen I like a lot. There is even some pop in there briefly which actually fits well.. there are also moments where it seems they are poking fun at them self. It is a really fun show.

It’s obviously the other way around...

Given that I am being pummeled via pm and text msg over what I witnessed last weekend...I think I can say the following. Think of the corps' growth from 2016 to 2017....that rate of growth (in all facets of show design, talent levels, and performance levels) has exploded exponentially in 2018. This is Boston's TILT. When I predicted last June that BAC might finish in 5th or 6th and could even possibly medal in guard people laughed. Thus, I am not going to predict any placement for 2018. Just gonna enjoy each performance.

Snares...

Columbus Saints and Southern Knights programs have been added. Just waiting for announcements from: White Sabers and Erie Thunderbirds.