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Can everyone PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD find something new to ***** about? This has been happening for 4 years now. It's not going to change because you don't like it and get on a message board and complain about it with other folks who are stuck in the mud. As with any changes in this activity, you have to move with the times. If you don't like something new you're going to have to get over it or stop watching. That's the facts of the life of a drum corps fan. The activity is evolving all the time.

30 contras...... 🙂

1) Independent governing/sanctioning body. 2) Adjudication by music/artistic professionals who are independent of drum corps.

I would also add, sometimes music is just music. Seriously, if you need to research what race, sex, gender, nationality...or whatever to make someone happy....get a life.

Well, that's just asinine.

This. This quote all day long. I'm sure the staff chose the 2019 production source music based on the material's own merit & probably material of which they were familiar. I'm also sure that the material promotes an enjoyable listening experience as well as analyzation, development, etc. Also, source music that supports the design narrative. No apology needed Mr. Pitts.

George Carlin said that Political Correctness is Facism pretending to be manners.

For your DCP homework assignment you are to do an......

As far as I'm aware he has still not apologized for 2018....

The Southern Knights are indeed moving to Open Class this summer. We looked at the opportunity to fill that 10th spot this year seeings how all are in. Yes there are more share points to an Open Finalist. Our goal has always been to move to Open eventually with higher numbers. We have a full 128. (Just kidding) We are still mid 50's this year. Reading and Atlanta don't have to look over their shoulders for us just yet... 🙂 We feel this will be a growing experience for us. So we moved up considering the circumstances. This way there are still 10 Open and 4 Class A Finalists! This will be our 3rd year in DCA... We are enjoying every moment to be on the field, which appears to be harder to do every year. We will have show announcement soon!

The jockey could fall off the horse at the start and BD would still medal. 😉.

I also saw the Scouts at Franklin HS on Sunday evening and I can confirm that this show is going to be absolutely fantastic. It was unfortunate seeing some members sitting out presumably sick, thanks to good ole Indiana weather. It’s obvious that the men are enjoying the show and one of the members even asked me if I was enjoying it as well (which I was!). All I have to say is, watch out, the Men of Madison are coming.

Using slave songs and sea shanty tunes will highlight the theme of the show as heard and seen. It makes no judgement on who composed the music. I'm not sure very many pirates were sitting down and writing music, though there are lots of pieces that might demonstrate that theme written by "traditional" composers. I would guess that it what PR did, and the post by Will Pitt seems to bear it out. They looked for music that fits their theme, movement by movement. Having to also factor in aspects that have nothing to do with what the audience member experiences isn't something they considered. They, like every corps staff, focused on what will be on the field that they think best highlights their show. Looking back, would it have been nice if they had thought of researching and using a piece by a woman composer if they found a suitable piece? Sure. They said it themselves. They did not. Oh, well. Beating them up over it is just plain silly, IMO.

To all who have commented about my adjudication idea. What I suggest is to break out of the inbread snob mold that only drum corps experienced professionals are qualified to judge drum corps. Still use the specific rubric criteria, but open up to the fact that there are plenty of qualified professionals outside of drum corps who would bring a fresh set of eyes while keeping a high quality direction to this activity. Secure a Tony award winning choeographer to judge Visual GE; secure a Grammy award winning music producer to judge Music GE; etc... This would likely upset the apple cart for those who believe only those in the circle of drum corps life are qualified, but it definity would bring a new professional dynamic to drum corps; and possibly greater credibility for the activity.

From Instagram, a sample of the show by just the hornline:

I can't get past imagining the sort of criteria Sir Mix-a-lot might apply.

Since corps aren’t really moored to their nominal home towns anymore, what’s keeping them from all rehearsing where the weather is nice and consistent? Weather in the Midwest in May and June is always going to suck, maybe try to find somewhere near SCV is as it seems to be perpetually awesome, or somewhere else with dryer/more consistent weather

Political Correctness is a distraction....

This is one of the main reasons why I am losing intetest in the activity. Not just the lack of ballance between all design elements, but that music has become really nothing more than mere underlying sound to enhance the visual communication and/or story telling within many show designs.

but then you can't have forced social outrage

But it is the same. The staff picked what they felt best depicts what they want to portray. IIRC certain pieces written by female composers were considered but did not make the final cut. It happens.......so, if you’re expecting a big “mea culpa” from the design staff, I don’t think it will happen. As I’ve stated before, most of the posts on this thread are written to dismiss the efforts of the 2019 Phantom Regiment BEFORE they even hit the field. That is a shame. People are entitled to their opinions but to count them out before a signle note is played on the field, I feel is a great disservice to the members who have committed their summer to march Regiment. Flame away!

Closer music - me like!

It's actually been the past LOT of seasons 😕 DCI is a zero-sum game. For someone's favorite to move-up, someone has to be pushed down and Crown seems to be a favorite target. It's really fun to watch them be frustrated every season but "Cream will always rise to the top".

still not cheap.

Stephan believes SCV will repeat easily, I’m counting on those naughty little Devils to return to Cali with the Gold once again.

good idea! everyone fly down to AZ or NV end of May - rent out a HS facility for a couple weeks --

You didn't understand it before? The best organization in MLB.

And I three bet you - include the drum majors, and teach the guard and percussion enough to be able to play a few sustained chords...😀

Let's just design a show called ascending the score, where the first movement has all 80 brass on contras, second on euph, third on mellos, and 4th on trumpets.

I can hear you from here, standing on some somewhere in Hewston screaming to the top of your lungs: "A-drian, A-drian!" (cf. Rocky)

Get my first peek Friday.

That could be fun...........................

The ac would be pretty inefficient because when it’s being used/cooking all doors and vents are open.

Every year I'm sure that uniforms cannot possibly get any uglier and every year I'm wrong.

50 Shades of Des Moines?? Kindof a cool look, tho.

Like the world needs any more of that. LOL

Boston's new kitchen truck

💙💚 I can't wait to see what BAC does this year! The fact I have to wait so long to see them is killing me!

Its just a chord but it makes me very excited. 😬 Dying to see what they’re up to.

Still makes it lame.

Now that I've seen and heard a few clips... Same prediction as last year for the top 2 spots, BD and SCV. No captions sweep. Boston will move up in placement. Mandarins will make finals, again. I'll be entertained.

Because 99+% of the audience will not know or care who composed the piece. They will just know the emotion it invokes and whether or not it conveys the visual theme or concept that they are seeing at that time. The music CAN drive the concept but the gender of the composer of the music is not something that would help to drive the concept in any meaningful way during the corps 12 minute performance. In other words the gender of the composer does not impact the program in ANY way competitively nor should it.

I think Will Pitts explained their show design and music selection rationale thoroughly in the Who is your Joan series of videos on the PR YouTube channel. This buzz that they generated that was very likely unintentional, but regardless I'm excited about the music and am looking forward to them this summer! I think this show will have a little bit of Spartacus, with a little bit of Triumphant Journey, and a hopefully a lot more chickens! Did PR miss an opportunity to include music composed by women into a show that "...celebrates bold, empowered women and the spirit of revolution through the lens of Joan of Arc, one of the world’s most prolific independent women." Sure, it was definitely a missed opportunity. Was PR obligated to do so and was the harsh criticism warranted? Not necessarily, but hindsight is 20/20 and opinions on both sides of the aisle are valid.

2019...hooray for the same jokes and pictures as 2018, 2017...we’re an awfully original bunch!

I've been trying to think of how to describe this show... and I really can't. It hits several different genre's, its got a bit of a groove in certain sections, but overall (at least for June 3) the design is just so much better. And they've done a much better job of exposing each section, including the guard. It's more refined but will still be extremely crowd friendly.

I went to Gardner Webb again this past Saturday and they have what seems to be half of the show on the field, and those 5-6 minutes go by fast. The show hooks you in from the first note (which also blows your face off). Whenever I am there, the members seem genuinely excited about the show and excited about being there. I, myself, have not been this excited about a Crown show since 2016. I was excited about 2017 too, but this show is on a whole different level. Crown will be back as the crowd favorite again this year. This show is so much fun to watch right now, and I don't even know what is going on at this point. The show is just that entertaining. I hope to make it up to GWebb again this weekend and maybe see the ballad barring no weather setbacks. I cannot wait until June 16th for the preview show and June 20th for the Tour Premiere

I heard the end of next week ish

Except Barb. It’s too noisy.