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Having sent tuition dollars to Madison and watched our son grow, mature, and perform the crap out of shows the last couple of years (before aging out) I can tell you I wish nothing but success for the new design team. If you thought it painful watching the shows the last couple of years try having your kid be one of the performers trying to make sense of the instruction given, the effort expended, and the lack of results (score-wise) earned. I saw a young man stare into the face of adversity and, instead of folding, grow artistically and do things in terms of playing, marching, and performing that weren't possible prior to getting with the Scouts. This is not an appeal to moral authority for my view of the upcoming season, because there is none for me any longer (if there ever was any). It is, instead, a fervent wish that this year's corps achieves the vision of the design team, gets rewarded with positive fan reaction/buzz, and keeps producing Men from Madison like our son.

Been there, done that. I wish the Scouts the best. Blow my doors off. Please.

Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett didn't like it much.

I am hopeful, regardless of being old Madison, new Madison whatever Madison. Just be good

So the other day, I heard Bluecoats mentioned as a sponsor on a local NPR station, including a blurb about their August show in Akron. The station, WKSU out of Kent State U., simulcasts on a number of frequencies in different locations, reaching something like a quarter of Ohio's counties.

They’ve gone in that direction.

I think we just need to give the new creative team a chance.

going on early didn't seem to hurt Mandarins last year or Academy the year they made it in

This is a demonstration of how ineffective, across the spectrum of business, boards of directors are. Seriously. The CEO or in the case of DCI, the executive director, puts their buddies on the BOD. The BOD does nothing but serve as a rubber stamp for the CEO. They all pay themselves ridiculously, then look around with self-satisfaction and head for the bar. Short of committing felonies or being accused of sexual assault, Petersen and Komnick can pretty much stay in their gigs as long as they want. The chicken crap BOD will take no action unless there is absolutely no alternative to doing so. It’s evident competitive success is not a factor in their continued employment.

If Madison were to drop to 20th place there would always be someone to say the young men and staff would do best to stay focused no matter what. If Madison were to drop to Open Class there would always be someone to say the young man and staff would do best to stay focused no matter what. The time for that ####-mentality should have been over years ago. In the 80s and 90s it sucked if Madison didn't make the top 5. In the 2000s it sucked if they didn't make the top 8. In the 2010s it sucked if they didn't make finals. Now it sucks if they don't make the top 15. Do you see a pattern here? Until those two pinheads running the show have their ##### kicked out the door nothing is going to change, improvement isn't going to come, only further decline is on the horizon. Does anyone with the Madison organization have ANY balls? Seriously, it's pathetic. ####### pathetic!

Money is already spent on tix and flight. This plan is set. Just trying to get info on the stadiums after recommendations regarding the seating. Uber/Lyft and early arrival are obvious for all locations from the hotels.

lol if I had a dollar for every time someone said "expect a BD show announcement in the next day or so" or variance of that, I'd have enough money to go on tour this season

I heard that the music sounds kind of like Mahavishnu Orchestra with the guitar and violin. That is all I know.

I'm only flying into DFW. Driving the triangle has been my plan all along. Spend the off day in San Anonio, then five hours+ back to Dallas for Mesquite. Can anyone provide feedback on seat cushions/bleacher seat attachments (Back) for Denton, Katy and Mesquite?

The organization, once it folds, is no more. It ceases to be. Bereft of life, it rests in peace. It has kicked the bucket, hopped the twig, bit the dust, snuffed it, breathed its last, and gone to meet the Great DCI Judges' Panel in the sky. I guess that we’re all thinking how sad it is that a corps of such talent, such capability and kindness, of such intelligence should now be so suddenly spirited away, before it had achieved many of the things of which it was capable, and before it had made the Top 12. Well, I feel that I should say, “Nonsense. Good riddance to it! I hope it fries." (As attributed to Oscar Wilde, "Talent borrows, genius steals" - in this case, from here.)

Crown is going into Season 3. It's quite good - a lot better than GOT IMO GOT I enjoyed the first couple seasons - then it became very repetitive and I moved on... Back to drum corps - I'm hoping Cadets show offers an immediate "sit up in your seat and take notice" "hook moment" The toilet bowl revolving front into a block with a big horn move they've started a couple late 90s shows with really grabbed the audience. Such a wow The past several Cadets productions have sort of dithered around too long I know this year's show starts with a fanfare and big hit. Hoping visually that big hit comes front and center with an "awe inspiring" type visual manever to really announce Cadets 2019 arrival No more dithering around. Like television shows - too much dithering and you lose the audience I think back to 92 Cadets To Tame the Perilous Skies production which started with a bird formation and a massive hit at beat one Really grabbed us and then the show never let go.

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Uncomplicated? No props? The opener will be "the Madison Scouts putting their foot on your throat" ?? Really Jimmy? Some of my "old school" brothers are hoping they will "blow the stands down".....hello?.....with which corps P.A. System? Judas The Comedian/ C- Last Man Standing in Finals dressed like Barney Ruble/D Heart & Whatever/F. Majestic ???? Barry Manilow's "One Voice". A tribute to last year's Champions, SCV?.......Young Persons Guide to an Undefined Style and Show. They will look like Scouts....that's the easy part. Jim Mason had the corps on such a positive trajectory, until Chris Komnick told him he was not wanted back following the 2014 Season. One of the biggest mistakes in Mad Scout History. What a programming and costuming nightmare it has been since. They failed at programming ultra "Modern"............now it's gonna be "old school" and Pop Music? Very, very young average age compared to a top tier corps. SCV (brass 20.2). Who currently ranked above the Scouts is going to regress?? Who just behind the Scouts is ascending? Performing at 7:30 in the sunlight, before the stands are even full adds to the challenge of advancing up the ranks. The Scouts should be a good exhibition corps, but no props and visual enhancements to present this "show about nothing" will be like watching Black & White television. This is still a competitive activity. Take a look at the Judging Sheets. This has nothing to do with the fine young men who are spending lot's of $$$$ for this experience. The Scout's demise is all on a weak and confused board that continues on with the same Executive Director . The Scouts may be the most dysfunctional drum corps family on the planet. Imagine less than 75 persons in attendance at the 80th Anniversary Celebration. They even had to cancel Al Chez's Band at the last minute. The current board is incapable of uniting our alumni across the decades, and the lack of support is evidence of that. Hopefully some sweeping changes will occur in November, and the Scouts can begin to ascend again.

https://www.theday.com/nationworld-news/20190512/50-trombones-given-out-to-honor-slain-parkland-student As many know, MSD marching band has contributed much to DCI/WGI ranks of mms and faculty. April Gilligan Martinez is one notable on that MSD faculty. Where will these kids become mms in the future, who knows?

I FIGURED IT OUT! Using "The" and "...near" it has to be "The Sheriff is a (bell ringing)! What did he say? He said the Sheriff is NEAR!" THEY ARE DOING BLAZING SADDLES! Props will be the city of Rock Ridge and as the show goes on, they will move the city from Side 1 to Side 2 of the field.

My son marched 2016 and 2017, was supposed to march last year but he decided not to at the last minute (bad decision he knows). He tried out for a top 3 corp this year and didn't make to so decided to go to summer school. At the last minute 2 corps contacted him and said we need you....but he already enrolled. So this year I have no investment but will still follow the season. I went to finals two years in a row and went to Boston for parades and a show. Great activity and I encouraged him to think about marching his age out year.

the pretend is near

Couchmen don't count?

" When's my induction? " Step 1: Have your sponsor submit your resume As for Mr. Takei and Mr. Ratzenberger, a casual perusal of theirs would reveal significant contributions by both in the areas of human rights and respect, and for the promotion of the values of hard work and education. At its best, these are fundamental to the Drum Corps activity, and each of them have acknowledged that publicly on several occasions. In short, their lives reflect a very positive credit to said activity. Some may consider that insignificant, and they are certainly entitled to that minority opinion.

My son loves the uniform!

The most important good news is that there is a Buccee’s on every leg of your trip.

Yes. - Prepare yourself for some stifling heat and ungodly traffic. - Any restaurant with the name "Papa" in it is highly recommended. Pappasito's, Pappadeaux's. Papa Bros. Steaks. - Give all my exes who live in Texas my best middle finger. Sounds like a great trip. Enjoy.

Because that's how many titles they'll have after this season.

Per a post I've seen elsewhere today, it's pretty much across all sections (if, perhap, to varying degrees). Indications seem to be that numbers so far haven't been strong enough for a high quality Class A corps.